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Message Icon Topic: Who makes the big decisions in your CT?(Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post Reply Post New Topic
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Poll Question: Who votes on decisions, like by-laws changes, big expenditures, etc.
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
59 [79.73%]
8 [10.81%]
2 [2.70%]
0 [0.00%]
5 [6.76%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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suzecue1
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bullet Topic: Who makes the big decisions in your CT?
    Posted: 10/04/06 at 11:15am

I am new to this forum, so I apologize if this subject has been discussed before. I am interested to find out how other CT groups are run. We all know that there is a lot of "non-show work" to be done in a CT. In addition to seeing the poll results, I am also hoping for some advice on how to deal with the following situation.

Over the last couple of years the majority of our CT's elected and appointed board have tried to update and make some positve changes to our 25 year old CT by-laws. The desired change to the by-laws being from "any member being able to vote on any issue" to "board members / committee chairs voting on these issues."  Any member would still vote at the annual meeting for the board who represents them. We want the active members / workers (who attend the meetings of the group) to make the day to day decisions for the group. However, everytime we call for a vote, because of our current by-laws, it must wait 30 days and go to the full membership. At which time, a few eloquent founders will show up for the vote, create a scene, and talk the changes down. They gather up all the other founder's proxies, lifetime member's proxies, and vote it down. They won't allow any changes. Many of these voters don't even live in the state, much less do any of the current work of the CT, or know what is really going on. We needed a 2/3rds majority, and lost it by 2 votes last time. 2 voters who aren't around and don't attend shows or meetings!  

Because of this situation many of the current board members have resigned their board positions.  The general feeling is why continue to do the work when you can't get anything accomplished? Meeting attendance has dropped off. Many are frustrated to the point of leaving all together and starting a new CT. The general moral is in the pits! Help! 

 

 

Sue
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Mike Polo
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bullet Posted: 10/04/06 at 1:26pm
At our theater, the Board of Trustees makes most major decisions as far as expenditures, etc. However, changes to the by-laws require a majority vote by the voting membership. Eligibility to vote requires attendance at least one meeting (board or general) during the year. Committees are able to make decisions within their own sphere provided they have been budgeted by the board, otherwise any expenditures must be taken to the board.
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MartyW
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bullet Posted: 10/04/06 at 1:53pm
Mike, pretty much the same at all of the theaters I participate in.. Major difference being the amount of meetings required for voting  membership
Marty W

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bullet Posted: 10/06/06 at 12:30pm

For things like expenditures it's the board.   For changes in by-laws the board will propose them and need to be approved by the voting membership.

Season selection is interseting in that (to keep it brief) a slate of 12 is selected by the play reading committee from submissions by the membership and scenes from those twelve are presented by the committee to the voiting membership and then the membership votes in a season of 4 shows.   The proviso is that it must be a balanced season (i.e. can't have 4 Neil Simon comedies to make a season) or the there needs to be re-vote.

BD

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MartyW
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bullet Posted: 10/06/06 at 12:36pm

scenes presented.. as in performed or just excerpted from the script for reading?

Marty W

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bullet Posted: 10/06/06 at 5:25pm
My major gripe in the past with a "play selection" committee is they usually cold read a show (the readers being non-actors or not-very-good actors) and they generally read one act.  Let me come and make my own presentation, I've asked.  We get a pretty good idea what we're dealing with, I'm told.   Not when they're being read by artless actors, I shoot back.

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bullet Posted: 10/07/06 at 4:10pm
Originally posted by MartyW

scenes presented.. as in performed or just excerpted from the script for reading?

10 min scene from each script performed script in hand.  Each member of the play reading committee is responsible for presenting  two to three scripts and then a 5 min discussion follows each script presented in which the presenter answers questions about the particular script.    Needless to say the more prepared and polished the presentation is the better chance it usually has in making the season.   Performers are usually comprised of the committee members and the members of our ct.   It's a fun and entertaining Sunday afternoon.

 

BD

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MartyW
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bullet Posted: 10/09/06 at 9:10am
Sounds like fun... Cool Idea..
Marty W

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suzecue1
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bullet Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:07am

Thanks for your posts! But it seems we got a little off the subject! The last 5 replies were about play selection, which is not an issue at the moment. It would seem that 94% of the CT's here are elected board / appointed board run.  So, maybe that is why not so many have replied or made suggestions for my problem. Perhaps you can't relate to the issues we are having with non-active members coming in and causing major problems. 

Maybe the only answer for me is to stop trying to fix anything. Allow the splitting off of the group. Let the non-active members have their way, even if it is means losing 90% of the workers. The next big problem will be the revenue left behind. The people that are frustrated and leaving, are also the ones who have done the work to "build the bank account" the last 10 years. They are leaving the non-active members with a big chunk of change and no one to do the work of the group. I guess that's life. So, why am I banging my head against the wall?

 

Sue
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bullet Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:51am

I think any board, like any business should be constitutionally and via bylaws be the decision making body for any organization. In our theater, and most of the theaters iin which I have a membership, the general rules are.  The board has the right make policy and commitee changes.  They are the ONLY ones allowed to make financial decisions. The membership must vote on bylaw and constitutional changes.  We have two meetings a month.  The first is the board meeting, where all financial buisness is taken care of, as well as any new and old buisness.  Any playhouse member may bring matters to the board, and participate in discussion. ONLY the board "votes" at these meetings. The President has the option of recognizing none voting members if they have not requested agenda time prior to the meeting.  The second meeting is for the membership.  All members present may vote on issues here.  Those issues, especially if money is involved are then referred to the board for approval.  The general exception is on the previous bylaw and constitutional issues, and then only after they have been routed to the board, the membership at large has been notified by mail and three readings of the change have been done at membership meetings....  long winded I know.. but by in large that is our process....

Bottom line, if they don't like the way the board voted, in May at the annual banquet the can vote for someone else!....

 

Marty W

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