Ballot letter

Dear Madison River Foundation Member

Here is your ballot for an action to amend the Foundation’s bylaws.   If more than one person in your household is eligible to vote and we have only one email address, you must send us a second email address to receive a ballot. 

While the directors can make many needed changes, members must approve certain amendments related to elections and matters pertaining to the Board.  This ballot lists those changes and gives you the opportunity to approve or disapprove of each one.               A synopsis of the changes is included or is available on the website madisonriverfoundation.org.  If you would like more detailed information, copies of the current bylaws, the proposed bylaws, the synopsis, and an edited version of the current bylaws are available on our web site, under the “Election” tab in the menu.

Why do we need these changes?  Many of our current bylaws detract from operating a larger organization with longer-term objectives.  These include: re-electing the entire Board of Directors each year, requiring 25% of members to attend a meeting or return ballots to elect Directors, and requiring greater than 50% of members to attend a meeting or return ballots to amend the bylaws. The proposed amendments have been modified from those in last May’s election so please read the synopsis.  They have been reviewed by our legal counsel and approved by the Board of Directors.  The Board urges you to approve all the amendments.

In order to successfully amend the bylaws, 50% of members in good standing must return their ballots and a majority of those must favor the amendment. 

Last May’s election to amend the bylaws failed not because members disapproved of the changes but because not enough ballots were returned.

Please take an active role in the governance of the Foundation by returning your ballot.

Thank you,

Jon Malovich

Executive Director

Madison River Foundation

Enclosed with mailed ballots:

            -Synopsis of Amendments

            -Ballot

Printed Ballot Example

* NOT Actual Ballot *

Election to Amend MRF Bylaws

Online ballots must be received by April 20, 2021, 11:59pm, MDT. Mailed ballots must be post marked by April 20, 2021, 11:59 pm, MDT.

50% of members entitled to vote must return ballots to reach a quorum. A majority of those must support the amendments. In this particular election 256 ballots must be returned.

Name _______________________________________________________________________

Signature __________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________

City_________________________________ State ____________ ZIP _________________

Email ________________________________________________________________________

You may vote to accept or not accept all of the proposed amendments or to vote on each one separately. Please refer to the synopsis or the MRF website for more detail.

I accept all the proposed amendments ______

I do not accept any of the proposed amendments______

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed amendment 1 to reduce the quorum required for members to take action from the current 25% of members to the Montana State Code recommended level of 10%.

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed amendment 2 which sets the size of the Board of Directors at not less than 3 or more than 9 elected by the members. The members will determine the size of the Board.

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed Amendment 3 which will make Board terms 3 years and establish overlapping Board terms so that 1/3 of the Board will be elected each year. Board membership will be limited to 3 consecutive terms.

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed Amendment 4 which will require Board members to be at least 18 years old and a member in good standing.

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed Amendment 5 which reaffirms candidates to the Board can be nominated by the Board or the membership through petition and sets procedures and time lines for the petitioning process.

I accept____ I do not accept_____ proposed Amendment 6 which allows a Board member to be removed office after 3 unexcused absences from Board meetings in a 12-month period per Montana Codes governing nonprofit organizations

I accept_____ I do not accept_____ proposed Amendment 7 which would allow bylaws to be amended by a supermajority (2/3) of votes cast in an election or meeting to take such an action.

Current Member Ballot Requests:

email: jon@madisonriverfoundation.com