Members-
The Business Planning Committee made certain recommendations for bylaws changes, which eventually morphed into a larger bylaws change, primarily focused on the season selection process and the related committees. The Business Planning Committee approved these draft bylaws changes as a recommendation to the Board. The Board approved these draft bylaws on June 24 as a recommendation to the membership. Please read the revisions. They will be presented at the August membership meeting for further discussion and the vote will be at the September membership meeting.
There are two documents, one is the actual draft bylaws language. The second is a supplemental document showing what the timeline would be for each interested party, e.g. the Artistic Committee’s timeline, members/directors’ timeline, etc. This is meant to help each party to see how the bylaws revisions would effect them.
Key items of interest:
a) The season selection process has been removed from the committee descriptions and placed into a new article, written chronologically, to make it easier for everyone to follow.
b) The Artistic Committee would be restructured to include the Sales Director, a WDI experienced techie, and a WDI experienced director instead of 3 people who are former WDI directors or production managers. Sales Director was added to oversee fundraiser/additional shows.
c) Shows are categorized as “main stage shows” and “additional shows” which is defined to include fundraisers, studio shows, cabarets, children shows, etc. All shows, including additional shows, go through the Artistic Committee in a more standardized format for approval instead of just the board.
d) The season has been defined to include any show which opens on or after July 1, helping us to work out planning.
e) Directors would apply for main stage and additional shows at the same time through the Artistic Committee. Directors would be limited to no more than one main stage show per year, but would not have further limitations related to additional shows. All prospective directors of main stage shows would be interviewed by the Artistic Committee.
f) The season selection process would begin earlier, in March, with the board giving direction for the season to members, committees, etc. so that members know what the board is looking for before they submit their suggestions.
g) Due to starting earlier and the timing of the process, the Play Reading and Musical Play Reading Committees would begin in April, while the Artistic Committee’s term would begin in September.
h) Where the old bylaws had terminology like “will be published in the Tyro” we have added clarity of roles, most of which falls on the Vice President, so that it would now say, “The Vice President will publish the information in the April Tyro.”
i) Dates for season selection process have been added whenever possible for year to year consistency such as “the first board meeting after July 1” or “by December 10”.
If you have any questions feel free to reach out to Debbie Trueblood (soon to be the Past Past President). We will also have discussion at the August meeting.
