From CMA President Sally Renaud:

At its meeting in August, the CMA Board voted on recommending several changes to the current CMA bylaws based on requests from our membership, as well as some financial considerations. Two of these changes (Articles I and XII) will be voted on at the CMA members meeting from 10-11:20 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, in the Oceans Ballroom 10.

An overview:

The first is to allow Lifetime Members the right to vote. Since 1990, 40 retired members have been awarded this status. In Orlando, four more will be added to this list: Steve Ames, Pat Parish, Linda Puntney and Ron Spielberger. We know that many from that list of 40 will choose not to vote in CMA elections. However, Lifetime Members who remain active, continue to present sessions and attend conventions have asked for the change, as recently expressed on the listserv by Lesley Marcello. We think she's right.

The second is to allow provisions for electronic notification of bylaw changes, etc. As you know, our CMA newsletter is not only posted on the website, but it has been produced by editor Sacha DeVroomen Bellman as an e-newsletter with continuous updates, providing members with current information. With this bylaw change, our website, listserv, email blasts and newsletter can now serve as notification sites for our membership. Thirty days notice still will be required. Hundreds of dollars will be saved in mailing costs by this change.

I have attached the bylaw changes, which are in bold. This will also be in our newsletter, posted on the CMA website.

A special thanks to Vice President for Member Services Chris Poore for drafting the changes on behalf of the board. Our bylaws can be found at www.cma.cloverpad.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1111723.

Feel free to contact me or any of the CMA officers if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing all of you at the members meeting in October!