A vote in the affirmative of 2/3 of delegates registered, certified, and on the floor voting is required for this amendment to be accepted.
The annual dues each club pays is a Multiple District assessed “annual per capita tax.” These funds are used to support the Multiple District State Office, State and International Conventions, Council of Governor support, and Districts in the conduct of their efforts. These funds are not, per se, District funds but provided by the Multiple District in support of the Districts. If any District desired to assess a separate annual per capita tax that would be within their capability with the approval of the District general membership.
Per LCI, which is a mandatory provision, “The governors of districts, except as herein provided, shall in each multiple district, constitute a council of governors. The council of governors shall also include one current or past district governor who shall serve as council chairperson and, at the option of the multiple district constitution and by-laws, may include one or more immediate past district governors provided that the total number of past district governors, including the council chairperson, shall not exceed one-half (1/2) the number of district governors. Each member of the council of governors, including the council chairperson, shall have one (1) vote on each question requiring action of the council of governors.”
District 24I, as well as 24L and 24C, was well represented throughout the research, discussion, development, and approval process. District 24I had two members on the MD24 Constitution and By Laws committee but, unfortunately, both resigned the committee for personal / family reasons. When the proposed Revised MD24 Constitution and By Laws was voted out of committee, all districts (24L, 24C, and 24I) voted to approve and move forward. The votes were provided to the Council of Governors. The current MD24 Constitution and By Laws established deadline dates to submit the proposed amendments to the Council and when any amendment notifications were to be sent to each Lions Club in the Multiple District. At the time the letter was developed and sent, 24I had not provided a replacement committee member(s). This has been rectified and all districts in Multiple District 24 are represented on the MD24 Constitution and By Laws Committee
In the past the State Secretary / Treasurer was given one performance assessment at the end of the Lion Year. This did not provide any mid-year assessment to identify positive work, areas needing some improvement, or potential new opportunities. Conducting two performance assessments for recognition of good work and opportunities for improvement.
Per LCI Legal, if a club does not have a ratified constitution and by laws they are governed by the Standard Club Constitution and By Laws available on the LCI website.
The committee worked to align and deconflict the Multiple District Constitution and By Laws with the LCI and District Constitution and By Laws while maintaining the “unique” MD24 elements. A number of areas in which the Multiple District directed district activities were removed and replaced with the statement “All District actions and activities will be in accordance with their ratified District Constitution and By Laws or, if not in effect, by the Standard District Constitution and By Laws.”
We also, at the recommendation from LCI Legal, moved items that may change or become obsolete to a Multiple District 24 Board Policy Manual. This provides incoming District Governors some level of input on how the Multiple District operates.