Originally Posted by
Propworn
Yours is constructed a bit different than others I belong to. For instance at MAAC regular board meetings like your Quarterlies are for regular items that are day to day concerns, members don't vote your representative does after all that's what you voted him in for. Once a year there is a meeting where changes to the policy/constitution, bylaws etc. get put before the membership for approval. These are either recommendations or resolutions. At this meeting the voting is by the general membership either in person or via proxy with the board member carrying the number of votes in his district by default unless a person has designated otherwise or attends in person. No motions are accepted from the floor as the members need notice of the motions on the docket. These are published 30 days prior to the meeting so every member can make an informed decision. To be considered a motion must be submitted, voted on and approved at a single district/zone meeting then its passed on for consideration at the AGM.
Simple form: Motion submitted by member at large at district/zone meeting, needs seconder, voted on if passing goes to the AGM for vote by general membership.
How do you do this at the AMA?
What you describe is an organization that SAYS it wants input from membership and then ACTIONS MATCH the rhetoric.
What AMA does is SAY they want input, but then only allow them to make formal inputs once a year. The rest of the year the board does what it wants. And since they're slow (and getting slower) to post what they did, it means by the time members find out, it's too late.