Membership Vote by Mail

All currents members of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing were mailed a confidential paper ballot to vote on two bylaw additions.  If you are a voting member and you did not receive your mail-in ballot, call 517 371-3010 before August 15th to receive a ballot.

All ballots must be received at the Unity Offices by August 15th in order to be counted.  Results will be announced in the enews, our website, and Unity Facebook pages

 

July 29th, 2020

Dear Member,

We’re approaching our 6th month of a world pandemic.  As your Board of Trustees, we are learning to make longer term plans for how we do ministry and administer the business of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing without in-person gatherings.  This is the first wide-spread emergency since World War II, so it’s not surprising that our current bylaws do not include articles to cover our current situation.

At the recommendation of our Association, (Unity Worldwide Ministries) and our bylaws team, we are presenting you with two new additions to our bylaws for your approval.  The first is to authorize mail ballot voting when the situation warrants.  The second is to grant emergency powers to the Board of Trustees.

Under Michigan code for non-profits*, we have created a confidential, paper ballot vote for these two proposed bylaw additions.  All votes must be received at the Unity offices by August 15th, 2020.

How to Cast a Confidential Paper Mail-in Ballot

  1. Enclosed you will find a paper ballot with both proposals, as well as two envelopes.
  2. Cast your vote by checking the appropriate boxes on the ballot.
  3. Place your ballot in the plain envelope.  Seal the envelope.
  4. Place the sealed envelope with your ballot in the envelope addressed to the offices of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing.

All ballots will be received at the Unity offices.  The outer envelopes will be discarded.  Two non-members will be chosen by the Board to be scrutineers.  They will receive the ballots in the plain envelopes.  Votes will be counted by August 20th.  Results will be posted on the Unity website and the Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s Facebook page as well as in the E-newsletter.

Thank you for your participation in making these necessary changes to our bylaws.

Physically Distancing, Spiritually Intermingling and Prayerfully Guided,

The Board of Trustees of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing

President Dan Maynard; Vice President Nancy Cody; Secretary Christine Clements; Treasurer Greg Edwards; Members at Large Chris Janson, Lee Nelson, Claire Powers

*Michigan’s Non-Profit Act   MCL

 450.2121 and 2123, ecclesiastical covered in this act

 450.2143 allows electronic transmission of notice/communications

 450.2251(2) legal conduct allowed during war or national emergency

 450.2404 - 4502405, 450.2413, covers remote attendance.mcl-Act-162-of-1982.pdf

BALLOT FOR CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS OF UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER OF LANSING

Ballots must be received at the Unity Office by August 15th, 2020

Please check one box only for each of the two proposed bylaws.

Place your completed ballot in the plain envelope provided and seal it.

Place the plain, sealed ballot envelope in the envelope addressed to Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing.

 

 

Vote 1         Membership Votes

 

Current Bylaw   ARTICLE V – Meetings Section 1. Annual Meetings F. Voting.

Unless otherwise provided in these bylaws, a majority vote, of the active members present and voting will be necessary for approval or disapproval of the action being voted upon. Proxy, absentee, or electronic (Internet, email, fax, etc.) voting are not allowed.

 

Proposed Addition to Current Bylaw

 

When a membership vote is required during a national, state, or local emergency situation, membership votes may be made by confidential mail.

 

____  I approve of the Addition to Bylaw Article V - Meeting, Section 1 Annual Meeting. F. Voting.

 

____  I DO NOT approve of this revision to bylaws.

 

 

 

Vote 2         New Bylaw to authorize Emergency Powers for Board of Trustees

 

Article VII Administration, Management and Leadership

Section 3 Emergency Situations.  Retroactive to March 1st ,2020

 

In the case of a national emergency declared by the President of the United States, a State emergency declared by the governor, or a local emergency as determined by a two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of the Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s Board of Trustees present and voting, the Board of Trustees is authorized

  1. to meet and vote by electronic means and
  2. to have the full power to adjust budgets and
  3. cancel/postpone events or reschedule them as electronic meetings.

 

As long as the emergency lasts the Board of Trustees may take any other emergency actions deemed helpful and necessary to assure the welfare of this ministry.  

 

____      I approve Article VII Administration, Management and Leadership New Section 3 Emergency Situations

effective retroactively to  March 1st, 2020

              

____      I DO NOT approve of this new bylaw