Club News and Notes

(Continued from previous page)

Looking for leaders -- Part II

  As we explained in last month's newsletter, our president and vice president, as well as a number of directors, will retire from club service in December. As yet, we do not have volunteers or nominees for their offices. To protect our nonprofit status, we must annually elect or reelect a president, a secretary, and a treasurer. We thank Maggie Halberg for agreeing to continue as secretary, and Mike Anderson for his ongoing work as our treasurer. Our bylaws also provide for a vice president and for a board of directors.

   It is the intention of  current board that the TVS leadership structure match our statements filed with the California Secretary of State. In addition to soliciting volunteers for the mandated offices, the club also wishes to fill a variety of appointed positions.

    The duties and responsibilities for each of these offices are fairly straightforward. The president is the club's chief executive officer. He or she presides at planning meetings and ideally looks at broad and reaching issues that affect TVS over the long term. The vice president assists in this thoughtful strategic planning and handles board meetings when the president cannot attend. By tradition, the VP has also been our hospitality liaison.

   As you are already aware, many significant appointed positions also have been vacant for the past several months. The most crucial of these is the program coordinator. It is unfair to ask that one individual serve both as club president and as program chair. Therefore, the proposal for 2001 is to find two club members who will share the program coordination tasks. For example, the first person could find speakers for all the odd numbered months, while the second would arrange for presentations in the even numbered months.

   Some TVS public service programs also lack leadership at the present time. Perhaps these positions -- school star party chair and public star party chair --  are also best divided among three or four members who are each willing to do some of the organizing.

   Chuck Grant has been pulling triple duty as our observatory director, loaner scope representative, and the web master. Any one of these assignments is enough to ask of a single member. So, we are in search of a loaner program manager and a web spinner.
   
   Directors serve as a pool of talent-at-large that can solve whatever challenges the club must meet. This year, the directors have been exploring ways to offer expanded services and benefits without increasing your annual financial commitment. 

   Club officers and directors have attempted to contact each member by phone or by e-mail during October and November. Their intent was to reach the majority of members, and to solicit as many ideas as possible prior to publishing the ballot you see on the opposite page. As we went to press, however, very few volunteers had come forward. This situation gives you a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of TVS. If you have ever said to yourself that you could do a better job on some aspect of club activities or management, plan to attend the general meeting set for November 17. President Dave Anderson will describe the full range of TVS leadership opportunities, and will lead a discussion on the responsibilities and privileges attached to each office or position. The general election will be held immediately following.

Dates and deadlines -- 2000

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