In the January 12, 2018 membership meeting of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc., (BSC, Inc.) the following items will be submitted for approval by the BSC, Inc. membership (members of BSC board and the constituent sister city committees). The information has been posted on this webpage so that members have a chance to review it before the January 12, 2018 meeting.
A. 2018 PLAN
(for BSC-level activities and activities for the constituent sister city committees)
PDF last updated: 2018-01-07 3:40pm
B. 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
(for BSC-level activities and activities for the constituent sister city committees)
View proposed 2017 Accomplishments Report (PDF)
PDF last updated: 2018-01-07 3:40pm
C. AMENDMENTS TO OUR BYLAWS
The BSC, Inc. Board is submitting for approval by the membership 3 amendments to the Bylaws that will help the organization function more smoothly and efficiently:
1. Corporate membership program amendment
Introduction to 1st amendment: This amendment fixes a lack of precision in the Bylaws about corporate membership, by clarifying that corporations can be a member of an individual Sister City Committee or of the BSC corporation as a whole, and how dues levels for corporate membership will be set. The option of corporate membership of BSC Inc (rather than of an individual Sister City Committee) was missing from the Bylaws, and this limited the possibilities for BSC Inc to benefit from this potential source of much‐needed funds for its general operation. Note that the Bylaws will not specify rates or tiers of corporate membership. This is relegated to a Manual of Procedures, currently under development; rates and tiers in such a manual can be adjusted more easily than the Bylaws, which require approval in an annual membership meeting
Text for the amendment:
BE IT RESOLVED, that Articles 3.1.c. and 3.2 of the bylaws of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. are hereby amended in their entirety as follows.
ARTICLE 3.1.c. Corporate. Corporate membership is granted to non‐profit and for‐profit corporations, institutions and organizations that pay corporate annual dues. Corporate members may designate the Corporation or one of the Sister City Committees as their committee of primary membership. They do not have voting rights.
ARTICLE 3.2 Dues. The annual membership dues for regular, associate, and corporate members will be determined by the Board. Individual membership dues shall be modest in view of the voluntary nature of member’s participation in the activities of the Corporation, and shall be credited to the member’s committee of primary membership. Corporate membership dues for for‐profit and non‐profit corporations may be set at different levels; such dues shall be credited to the committee of primary membership designated by the corporate member or to the Corporation’s general operating fund if so designated by the corporate member or if no designation has been made. Membership dues and contributions to BSC, Inc. are tax deductible, to the extent allowed by law.
2. International Advisory Council amendment
Introduction to 2nd amendment: This amendment outlines the formation and role of an International Advisory Council, made up of representatives from the business and higher education communities with expertise in international cooperation and trade; the Board expects that having such a council will benefit BSC Inc as a whole, but also individual committees.
Text for the amendment:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the bylaws of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. are hereby amended by inserting a new Article 7 to read in its entirety as follows. Subsequent articles of said bylaws will be renumbered accordingly.
ARTICLE 7. International Advisory Council. The Corporation may establish an International Advisory Council, to consist of representatives from the various local organizations and constituencies which the Corporation serves and cooperates with, including, without limitation, businesses, schools, universities, hospitals and other health/medical organizations, and cultural organizations. The purpose of the International Advisory Council is to provide advice and support to the Corporation and its activities in furtherance of the Mission Statement of the Corporation. Members of the International Advisory Council shall be approved by the Board for a renewable term of at least one year. Membership will generally be restricted to one individual from any single organization, such individual to be recommended by the participating organization. In some cases individuals without affiliation to an organization may also be approved as members. There will be no dues or other direct costs of membership for the International Advisory Council. The International Advisory Council shall meet at least twice each year. International Advisory Council members will also receive notices of all regularly scheduled meetings of the Corporation and will be welcome to attend such meetings as non‐voting participants. From time to time the Corporation may request a member of the International Advisory Council to attend a meeting of the Corporation to provide advice or assistance in an area of the member’s expertise. A Director of the Corporation will be assigned to be the liaison to the International Advisory Council, to include assisting in scheduling meetings, attending all meetings and recording the minutes of all meetings. The International Advisory Council will be subject to the provisions of Article 6.4, ‘Regulations Governing Committees’, except where such provisions may conflict with any part of this Article 7. The Board may dissolve the International Advisory Council at any time.
3. Option to Vote by Proxy amendment
Introduction to 3rd amendment: This amendment opens up the possibility of voting by proxy in BSC Inc.’s general membership meeting, as well as in meetings of the Board and individual Sister City Committees, but only on decision items that have been shared ahead of time. Note that this will make it easier to hold elections and make other important decisions such as future changes in the Bylaws, but that most decisions, such as short‐term planning, task assignments, and motions submitted during meetings, will still require the regular quorum of people participating in the meeting itself, in person or by conference call.
Text for the amendment:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the bylaws of Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. are hereby amended by inserting into the re‐numbered Article 8 (“MEETINGS OF THE CORPORATION, BOARD, AND COMMITTEES”) a new Article 8.5 to read in its entirety as follows. Subsequent (sub)articles of the new Article 8 will be renumbered accordingly.
8.5. Voting by Proxy. Members who cannot be present in person may submit a proxy ballot for votes in meetings of the Board, Committees, or Membership, provided the proxy ballot has been submitted in advance of the meeting and is clearly marked with the member’s name, matter under consideration, and vote cast. For all votes cast by proxy ballot, members casting such votes shall be counted towards the quorum required to transact the business to which the vote pertains.
D. Board Elections
Below is the list of nominees. These nominations were made by the sister city committees and other organizations represented on our BSC, Inc. board. Opposing nominations, if desired, can be made at the January 12, 2018 annual meeting.
Directors of the Board
| BSC | Gislin Dagnelie, President & representing BRSCC |
| William Fontaine Bell, Vice President & representing BXSCC | |
| Kathleen Martin, representing BKSCC | |
| Tharwat Abouraya, representing BLASCC | |
| Diane Homberg, representing BPSCC | |
| BDC | Larry Collins |
| BOPA | Sheila Goodwin |
| Mayor’s Office | Ethan Cohen |
| MIMA | Catalina Rodriguez-Lima |
Sister City Committee Chairs
| BKSCC | Yoshinobu & Kathleen Shiota (co-chairs) |
| BLASCC | Tharwat Abouraya |
| BPSCC | Diane Homberg |
| BRSCC | Rachel Sengers |
| BXSCC | Xin (Cindy) Wang |
Note: other people for the board (such as Shawn Burman – new Treasurer, Hosea Chew, Danielle Nekimken, and Nicholas Dinunizio – new Secretary) do not represent organizations that are spelled out in the bylaws. The only way to bring them on as Directors is for the board to co-opt them; they cannot be brought on through our elections. Therefore they are not included in the list above for the Jan 12, 2018 meeting. Also note that BSC Officer positions (Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary) will be elected in the January 24, 2018 BSC Board meeting.
