Question of the Week

QUESTION:  Our board is wondering what happens if we do not have folks step forward to fill our executive committee positions next year?  Although it is still relatively early, the nominating committee has not found anyone interested in filling these positions. ANSWER:  It is best to fill the position with a volunteer that is qualified and willing to do the work rather than a warm body just to fill in a form by a prescribed time. The nominating committee can submit the slate of officers with blanks if no candidate was identified. At the election of officers that has been advertised to the general members, it would be possible for someone to be nominated or to self-declare from the floor. In this case, the nominating committee could agree to continue to work at trying to find someone in between when the slate must be posted and the meeting. Or other board members might help in trying to identify candidates to come to the meeting to self-declare or be nominated. If there is still no one, then at the next general membership meeting you would open elections again to accept nominations from the floor. Along the way you would want to communicate with your membership, “we still need a secretary” – and give a few specifics about the job, why it is key for your PTA, and someone they could contact to learn more. If July 1st comes and there is still no elected officer, the executive committee may appoint someone until the next general membership meeting when the election is held to officially vote them into office. For example, if you couldn’t elect a treasurer by July 1, the elected president, vice president and secretary could appoint someone on August 5 who could start doing most of the duties until your general membership meeting that might not be until September or October. The bylaws, Article 5, Section 6(c) also states that an officer is elected “for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected.” For example, this could be interpreted that the current vice president would continue in that roll until another candidate is identified that the executive committee could appoint and then have elected at the first general membership meeting.