The first General Membership Meeting of the 2016-17 League year is almost here.  On Tuesday, September 20th at 6:30 pm at Headquarters, Mayor-Elect G.T. Bynum will serve as guest speaker. Voting on two motions regarding the Treasurer-Elect and Financial Council Vice President positions will also take place at the meeting.

Provisionals will be able to sit in a special VIP (Very Important Provisional) section for this first meeting to welcome them to their very first GMM.  Since this is our first meeting of this League year, here are a few reminders on GMM etiquette.  Please be respectful of fellow League members as well as the speakers who will be featured in the upcoming months.

• Be on time.  Or come early! The pre-meeting social will start at 6pm.  You can come early to sign in, purchase Holiday Market tickets, chat with your friends, and have a glass of wine. 
  • We understand work/family schedules may require you at times to arrive late or leave early, but please try to keep those instances to a minimum. If you absolutely have to arrive after the meeting starts, please be mindful that your entrance is quiet and non-disruptive.

• RSVP.   It allows us to plan seats, handouts, and refreshments and be the most efficient with the League’s resources. And please attend as many GMMs as you can! You’ll be more informed, plugged in, and familiar with your fellow Junior Leaguers.

• Stay off the electronics. Go ahead and snap a picture and check in on social media first, of course, but after that, silence your phone, make eye contact, and stay engaged.
  • Yes, some people take notes on their phones or on a tablet. For the most part, however, cell phones and other devices should be quieted and tucked under your seat or in your purse. Nothing is more demoralizing for a  speaker than to see a sea of attendees browsing social media while they are presenting.  And if you need to take a phone call, please leave the room first.

• Cut the chatter. With our busy lives, we know GMMs are one of the few times you get to hang out with fellow League members. However, more importantly, GMMs are also a time for us to impart a significant amount of information at one time to a large assembly. We recommend you arrive early, stay late, or go to our after-meeting socials to engage with your friends.
  • Be sure, however, to introduce yourselves to others before the meeting starts, and please make room for others  to join your row. You never know who you’re going to meet.

• Ask a question; don’t give a speech.  We will be having an exciting array of speakers and panelists in upcoming meetings and we want your questions to allow the speaker to expand on a topic.

Nominating Chair Maura Guten provided the following information on voting procedures:

• Any active member in good standing is eligible to vote. Provisionals are not eligible.

• We will need a quorum (1/5th of the total membership) and then a majority vote to pass a motion (50%+1).  There are a few exceptions to this rule requiring a 2/3 vote, but those are generally for approval of new fundraisers or bylaw amendments.

• Once the ballots are cast, Nominating will collect them, tally the votes, and announce the results of the vote to the membership.

“It’s a relatively simple process,” Guten says, “but one that is integral to the effective functioning of our League and its leadership.”

In short, we want you to be fully engaged, active, and alert during our meetings. This is a time for our membership to come together and achieve great things!