Hello to all – As you’ll recall from earlier emails, our District participates in a world-wide process of sorting out recommendations for amendment of Rotary International and Rotary Foundation bylaws and procedures.
I serve as our District’s COR/COL Representative for the current three-year term, and PDG Steve Kuhn participates in the process as my Alternate. Resolutions are considered annually, as recommendations to the RI and TRF Boards, and Legislation is considered triennially, enacting policy and procedural changes that affect us all.
Triennial legislation will be considered by the COL at an assembly scheduled for April, 2022 in Chicago. You can view the pending proposed legislation HERE (https://my-cms.rotary.org/en/
There are 39 items on the “vetting” list for consideration between now and December 31, 2021.
– something like a “consent agenda” but requiring 80% concurrence, otherwise these items remain on the April agenda. You can view the proposed enactments on this “vetting” agenda HERE (https://my.rotary.org/en/
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For those also interested in what happened during the prior round of Resolutions:
Thank you, to those who responded or participated in our District Zoom on November 1, to share your views and opinions regarding pending Resolutions. Based on our input and yours, our District registered our votes on a total of 36 pending resolutions. The entire Council (1 vote per district worldwide) has now voted.
We, as a District, supported:
21-R-1: suggesting consistency in the manner in which “makeup” attendance is reported, now reportable within 1 year of a meeting missed;
21-R-3: renewing emphasis on club meetings and participation;
20-R-5: suggesting that annual Rotary themes be elimitated in favor of single-motto branding under the RI Motto of “Service Above Self;”
20-R-7: encouraging expansion of RI partnerships for world service projects such as those addressing COVID19;
20-R-12: suggesting elimination of the role of assistant coordinator within the RI bureaucracy;
20-R-16: Suggesting an upper age limit of 35 for Rotaract members who might thereafter matriculate to Rotary membership;
20-R-17: Suggesting that we change the word “Awards” to “Academy” in the name of RYLA, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards;
20-R-18: suggesting that RI changes the deadline for Interact Clubs seeking an RI Citation from summer to Fall so that students will be in session;
21-R-20: Suggesting that we add “diagnosis” as well as prevention and treatment of diseases in health project objectives;
21-R-26: allowing purchase of COVID vaccines within service objectives and funding;
21-R-28: demonstrating our opposition to slavery and exploitation;
21-R-30: supporting continuation of policies that separate Rotary branding from NRA or weapons;
21-R-32: supporting education of future District Governors as to polio.
As a District, we did not support, either because they were not beneficial to all concerned or because they were unnecessary enactments:
21-R-2: Suggesting that Clubs invite project beneficiaries to meetings;
21-R-4: encouraging DGs to encourage Clubs that personal service enhances Rotarians’ integrity;
21-R-6: creation of management groups to support Club and District service projects;
21-R-8: waiving Rotaractors’ fees/dues if they join their sponsoring Rotary Club;
21-R-9: Creating District COL committees;
21-R-10: Adding a District Vocational Committee;
21-R-11: Lessening qualifications for Assistant Governors;
21-R-13: Adding an RI Vocational Service Committee;
21-R-14: creating minimum quotas for female TRF Trustees;
21-R-15: Recognizing young Clubs worldwide but calling them “Rotary Kids” rather than “EarlyAct;”
21-R-19: Amending our Women/Child focus to include Senior Health;
21-R-21: Setting several very specific world environmental goals not yet vetted by Clubs or Districts;
21-R-22: Committing RI to a post-Polio project focused on clean and safe water;
21-R-23: Suggesting we make the public aware that water is a natural resource;
21-R-24: Creating a TRF special fund called “Responsible Urban Waste;”
21-R-25: Adding the requirement of an environmental impact component to all COL Legislative proposals;
21-R-27: Requiring DGs to create a civil protection directory for their District;
21-R-29: Endorsing a highly politicized global treaty on prohibition of nuclear weapons;
21-R-31: Endorsing a highly politicized global issue of climate change;
21-R-33: Changing the allocation of TRF funds presently split 50-50 between global projects and community projects;
21-R-34: Endorsing five very specific suggested RI goals not yet vetted by Clubs or Districts;
21-R-35: Requesting RI to provide a common virtual platform for all RI Clubs to use worldwide;
21-R-36: Adding an “administrative certification” program for RI staff.
Of these resolutions, it was announced on November 9, 2021 that the tabulated vote of the Council concurred with us with the exception of:
21-R-2 (thereby suggesting to RI that we impose a duty to invite project beneficiaries to meetings);
21-R-4 (thereby suggesting that RI encourage DGs to communicate to Clubs that personal service enhances members’ integrity);
21-R-5 (thereby continuing the promotion of annual RI “themes”);
21-R-10 ( thereby suggesting that RI add a District Vocational Committee);
21-R-12 (thereby retaining the role of assistant coordinator);
21-R-19 (thereby suggesting that RI add “senior health” to the focus topic of “women and child health);
21-R-23 (thereby suggesting that RI encourage awareness of water as a natural resource);
21-R-26 (thereby suggesting disallowance of grant purchases of COVID vaccines); and
21-R-35 (suggesting that RI provide a common virtual meeting platform – such as Zoom -- for Clubs’ use).
Also, consider whether we as a District or your own Club might have a proposal for betterment of Rotary, and let me know so that we can begin the process of supporting presentation of your resolution or legislation for COL consideration in the future!
Meanwhile, PDG Steve Kuhn and I thank you for the opportunity to be of service as our District COR/COL Representative and Alternate for this 3-year cycle.
PDG Scott A. Shore