2021 Annual Meeting

Thank you to all who attended the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

Notes of the meeting can be found here.

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Cambridge Historical Society 2021 Annual Meeting

AGENDA

Welcome + Report From The President — Amy Devin

Treasurer’s Report — Lauren Harder

Secretary’s Report and Vote on Bylaws
Updates and Amendments — Doug Brown

Vote on 2021 Slate of Officers and Directors — Doug Brown 

Thank you + Adjournment — Amy Devin

Handouts:

• 2021-2023 Strategic Plan
• Proposed Bylaws updates + amendments (clean version)
• Proposed Bylaws updates + amendments (with track changes, to compare proposed changes with current Bylaws)
• Current Bylaws (for comparison)

Proposed Updates (broad)

• Replace “Councilor” with the more common term “Board Member” or “Director;” change from being a Governing Council to a Board of Directors
• Rebrand from “Cambridge Historical Society” to doing business as “History Cambridge”
• Replace word “Society” with “Organization” 
• Clarify what “member” means in individual contexts
• Copy edit entire document for readability

Proposed Updates (specific)

• Update Organizational Purpose with new mission statement, remaining in line with original Articles of Incorporation
• Remove reference to the Seal of the Organization (Bylaws are a governance document, and the seal is unrelated to governance)
• Redefine membership. In accordance with the new strategic plan, membership needs to be as open and inclusive as possible. A “member” is more broadly defined as a person who wishes to form a relationship with the organization, and isn’t contingent on paying money. 
• Transfer voting power from members to Board of Directors
• Remove reference to William and Frances White Emerson Scholars (Bylaws are a governance document, and the Scholars are unrelated to governance)
• Rename “Secretary” to “Clerk”
• Update number of board members to not to exceed fifteen (15) people and reference Mass. Gen. Laws Chapter 180 and Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code
• Clarify filling a vacancy resulting from resignation or removal of an Officer or Director
• Clarify how an Officer may resign from Officer position without resigning from the Board of Directors
• Clarify roles of Vice President(s), Clerk, and Treasurer; remove Editor and Curator positions to streamline governance structure
• Clarify language allowing for virtual meetings
• Streamline roles and responsibilities of committees
• Strengthen protections in Indemnification clause

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