NORTH AMERICAN VERSATILE HUNTING DOG ASSOCIATION NAVHDA, P.O. Box 520, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, USA   Phone: 847.253.6488   Fax: 847.255.5987   E-mail: navoffice@navhda.org

BYLAW CHANGES - A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE by JOSEPH K. DOLEJSI
For years NAVHDA’s Executive Council recognized the need to update our bylaws. These bylaws were last amended in 1992. In 2006, Dick St Amant, NAVHDA’s president, charged Joe Dolejsi, then NAVHDA’s past president, with the task of initiating dialogue within the Executive Council regarding an update of our bylaws. My first step was to review the bylaws and identify those areas which I felt needed change, had become outdated or needed additional provisions. This was done and presented to the Executive Council at the January 2007 Annual Meeting. The Executive Council held lengthy discussions on this topic and it was resolved that the following course of action would be implemented: 1. Executive Council members would review our current bylaws regarding the proposed changes. 2. Executive Council members would review the bylaws as they pertained to their areas of responsibility and recommend further changes if so needed. 3. The Executive Council would dedicate as much time as needed to continue bylaw review at the July 2007 Mid-Year Executive Council Meeting.	Proposed Bylaws (up for ratification 2009) Current Bylaws (amended 1992) Bylaws Showing Amendments
This topic was thoroughly discussed again at the July 2007 Mid-Year Executive Council Meeting. Each member’s thoughts were presented and agreement was reached as to what changes should be made. The Executive Council then directed me to contact John MacNeal, NAVHDA’s legal counsel, with our collective thoughts on these bylaw changes. John MacNeal was contacted and agreed to review the proposed Executive Council bylaw changes. This review would not only include the Executive Council’s proposed changes but would also include a review of the bylaws to ensure they were in compliance with California statute (the state in which NAVHDA is incorporated) and federal statute governing (501) (c) (3) non-profit corporations. John MacNeal completed his legal review and met with the Executive Council at the January 2008 Annual Meeting. Again a lengthy exchange was conducted. As a result of this dialog some additional changes were deemed necessary. It was resolved that John would incorporate these changes and the Executive Council would take up this topic at the July 2008 Mid-Year Meeting. The new bylaws proposal was close to completion. At the 2008 Mid-Year Executive Council Meeting, the revised bylaws were accepted by the Executive Council but before final approval and submission to the membership for approval, it was decided that these proposed bylaw changes should be reviewed by Chapter delegates at the 2009 Annual Meeting. Notice of this bylaw review, by the Chapter delegates at the Annual Meeting was published in the VHD Magazine. Chapter delegates, whose names were submitted to the Central Office prior to the 2009 Annual Meeting, were sent red-line copies of the proposed bylaw changes. John MacNeal and the entire Executive Council assembled with the Chapter delegates at the 2009 Delegates Meeting. John went over each and every bylaw change with the delegates. John explained why these changes were necessary and answered all questions raised by the delegates. The following day John MacNeal once again met with the Executive Council and proposed two changes which were suggested by Chapter delegates and which John felt merited consideration. The Executive Council unanimously agreed to accept the bylaw changes as proposed by John MacNeal and agreed to submit this final version to the membership for a ratification vote. So after three years of careful, thoughtful consideration where do we stand? First, the Executive Council has approved revised bylaws. Second, for these revised bylaws to become effective, an affirmative vote, by ballot, of two-thirds of the voting membership who submit ballots must occur. Later this year, each NAVHDA member, entitled to vote, will be sent a ballot. This ballot will ask if you are in favor of amending our current bylaws as proposed by the Executive Council or if you are opposed. Members interested in the complete bylaw changes, as proposed by the Executive Council, can go to NAVHDA’s web site (www.navhda.org) and click on “Proposed Bylaws”. Members who do not have internet access can call the Central Office and a copy will be promptly mailed. Specific questions regarding these bylaw changes should be directed to Joe Dolejsi at 952-881-8501. Countless hours have been spent by the Executive Council and by John MacNeal in the crafting of these bylaw revisions. Your Executive Council is confident that the care and diligence in the preparation of these bylaw revisions will serve NAVHDA well for years to come. Your support of these bylaw revisions would be greatly appreciated.