You would have received written notice of a proposed amendment to the club’s constitution concerning the number of years one can occupy an office on the committee.

As things currently stand, clause 14.4 of the club’s constitution provides that a member of the committee cannot hold the same office for more than 3 consecutive years. The proposal is to lift that cap to 5 years.

I support the Committee’s proposal to amend the constitution for the following reasons.

First, the current 3-year cap will preclude three highly valuable and experienced members from staying on in their current roles on the committee (to name names: Steve Duff, Richard Coleman and Nancy Wahlquist).

Second, while 3 years does not allow much continuity, a 3-year cap might work if we had more members lining up to serve on the committee but unfortunately that is far from the case. I suspect members are all too aware of how demanding and thankless serving on the committee can be. It would be unfortunate to lose the benefit of continuity in the committee, and especially when there is a paucity of alternative people willing and available.

Third, the change is a modest one since the original cap was reduced from 20 years in 2013. No one is speaking against a cap remaining. We need not fear any plans for world domination.

Fourth, if we are left with insufficient nominations after the AGM the effect of the current cap is that the new committee will be obliged to elect office bearers as deemed casual vacancies under clause 15.3 of the constitution. Obviously, this is not as desirable as the office bearers being appointed by members at the AGM.

For my part, I think it’s in the club’s interest to vote in favour of the proposed amendment to clause 14.4.

Dave Rayment (outgoing Vice President)