THE MER NEEDS YOU!
By Bob Charles, MMR
Yes, you! If you are a member in good standing and want to support your region with good ideas and real involvement, we need you to volunteer to serve as one of the four Officers for the Region. The MER Board of Directors meets 3 times per year; once at the MER convention. The deadline for nomination is May 30, 2020. The term of office is two years, with a limit of two terms for President and Vice President. The Treasurer and Secretary may server five consecutive terms. Any MER member in good standing can be nominated, either by him or herself or by another member with the candidate’s permission. The process is very simple.
Prepare a 200-word (max) statement outlining the nominee’s interest and qualifications for the position, and include a photo of the candidate. Send the nominations package – by May 30, 2020 – to all of the following nominations process officials…
- Robert Charles, MMR Nominations Committee Chair rcharles@aol.com
- Jack Dziadul jackdziadul@gmail.com
- Kenneth Montero vp@mer-nmra.com
- Robert Morningstar, Director, MER bobmorningstar@protonmail.com
Option – also by May 30, candidates may supply a 500-word statement suitable for placement on the MER Web site.
You can make a difference by giving something back to the hobby you thoroughly enjoy. This is your chance. Successful completion of three years in office fulfills most of the requirement for the Achievement Program “Association Official” certificate. Please respond in one email to all three committee members plus Director Morningstar to insure receipt of your nomination! That is all there is to it!
Deadlines and Schedules for 2020 Nominations and Balloting
Our Bylaws require the publication of deadlines and schedules for nominations and balloting for every year in the first issue of The Local of each year. The dates and schedule for nominations, ballot and election results are in Executive Handbook, Section 5, Policies, Article VI.
The dates for 2020 are:
May 30, 2020 — Deadline for receipt of self nominations sent to the Nominations Committee. Date for Nominations Committee to notify Board of Directors of slate of nominees validated by the Business Manager.
July 5, 2020 — You must be a member in good standing (paid up NMRA dues) based on the membership report supplied to the MER Business Manager from NMRA National as of 07/05 (the 5th of July) of every election year to be eligible to vote. If an individual is not a member or if membership has expired as indicated by the record supplied to the MER, and MER officials have not been informed by NMRA National of a valid renewal of membership by 07/05 (the 5th of July), that individual will not receive a ballot, nor be permitted to vote in that year’s election.
August 1, 2020 — Deadline for mailing paper ballots to members and for commencing electronic voting; could be mailed earlier depending on other deadline requirements.
September 8, 2020 — Deadline for electronic voting, also last day as shown by postmark for mailing paper ballots.
September 12, 2020 — Deadline for receipt by Balloting Committee of paper ballots sent by mail.
September 19, 2020 — Deadline for Ballot Committee to transmit results to President, the Director overseeing this committee, and the Business Manager.
September 26, 2020 — Deadline for The President to communicate the election results to candidates. The Business Manager also notifies the MER Web Master and the NMRA of the election results.
October 10, 2020 — Deadline for publishing election results on MER’s website.
