Get ready to vote! By-law resolutions AGM 2016
The Board of Directors has approved five special resolutions that propose changes to our By-laws. They will be presented at our upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 24 and we'll be asking for your vote of support. Here's a quick overview:
1. REALTOR® Code
Our By-laws still refer to "the Code of Ethics," however the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has changed the name of the document to the "REALTOR® Code." This special resolution will update this terminology throughout our By-laws.
2. Updating our Membership Application procedures
Our By-laws include a requirement that each new member application requires a "proposer and a seconder" – essentially two existing FVREB members who are recommending to the Board that we accept and approve the application. With more and more members joining from outside our geographic area and some of whom are completely new to the profession and do not know many members, this is no longer practical. We're confident with the endorsement from their new broker and the scrutiny from the Real Estate Council of BC during licensing. This special resolution will remove the requirement for a proposer and seconder.
3. Updating our appeal procedures
Currently, our By-laws regarding the appeal process for Business Practices Hearings are unclear. The current wording could be interpreted to mean that an appeal is considered a new hearing, when in fact it is only a review of the penalty and the proceedings. This special resolution will update these procedures to ensure clarity and consistency with proper legal proceedings.
4. Changing the election proceedings for officers
Our By-laws currently outline the procedure where two of our officer roles – the President-Elect and the Vice President – are elected by the general membership. The Governance committee, supported by the Board of Directors, is proposing that those officers be elected by the Board of Directors, as they are able to evaluate director performance and consider the strategic goals of the Board most effectively. Since this process is challenging to explain, we plan to provide additional video and written material to explain why it's an important step forward and how it would work.
5. Housekeeping
There are always housekeeping changes, aren't there? This is simply to ensure any minor changes due to the approved By-law resolutions are made; for example, there are numbering changes, changes to section references and to punctuation. Though these seem straightforward and a desired thing (who doesn't want their By-laws to be properly cleaned-up and dusted?), we still have members vote against these types of motions. It's an ongoing puzzle, and worth attending the AGM to ensure the housekeeping gets done.
Obviously, this is just the quick overview. Check out the exact wording for the resolutions and the side-by-side comparisons between the new and the proposed versions of our By-laws, and watch for FAQs and more as we get closer to the Annual General Meeting on February 24, 2016. Mark your calendars and be sure to come out to vote!
