Due to the increased workload and responsibility of the Safety Officer, the committee would like to create a position for an equal second Safety Officer with the idea of this being kept in place for a two-year trial period and for the position to be reevaluated at the 2-year mark.
This has resulted in the following proposed constitutional amendments:
Proposed Amendment 1Section 5 and 5.2. Committee Structure
Current Committee Structure:
"The running of the club shall be entrusted to a committee consisting of eleven members. A Senior Treasurer will act outside the committee as detailed below.
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5.2 Safety Officer
The Safety Officer shall endeavour to ensure that any measures that the committee deems necessary for the safety of all club members be implemented. The Safety Officer shall be suitably experienced for this task in the eyes of the outgoing committee. These measures, in the form of a Safety Paper, shall be recorded in the minutes at the first committee meeting and subsequently may be amended at further meetings. The Safety Officer may recommend removal of membership of any person who fails to heed the Officer's instruction.
The Safety Officer will oversee the development of river running skills up to and including Level Three Kayak Skills proficiency. The Safety Officer will ensure the availability and visibility of the club Safety Document to all members.
The Safety officer must be one of the following 2 options:
1) Be of level 4 river kayak skills standard
2) Be of level 3 river kayak skills standard AND have the endorsement of the outgoing committee"
Proposed New Committee Structure:
"The running of the club shall be entrusted to a committee consisting of twelve members. A Senior Treasurer will act outside the committee as detailed below.
...
5.2 Safety Officers
The role of Safety Officer is split between two club members who share an equal workload and are to work together to help one another fulfil the role of Safety Officer. The Safety Officers shall endeavour to ensure that any measures that the committee deems necessary for the safety of all club members be implemented. The Safety Officers shall be suitably experienced for this task in the eyes of the outgoing committee. These measures, in the form of a Safety Paper, shall be recorded in the minutes at the first committee meeting and subsequently may be amended at further meetings. The Safety Officers may recommend removal of membership of any person who fails to heed the Officers' instruction.
The Safety Officers will oversee the development of river running skills up to and including Level Three Kayak Skills proficiency. The Safety Officers will ensure the availability and visibility of the club Safety Document to all members.
The Safety officers must be one of the following 2 options:
1) Be of level 4 river kayak skills standard
2) Be of level 3 river kayak skills standard AND have the endorsement of the outgoing committee"
Proposed Amendment 2Section 6. Elections
Current Text:
"The election for all eleven positions on the committee, bar the position of Freshers’ Representative, shall take place at the Annual General Meeting or, in the case of resignation or dismissal, at a General Meeting. The Senior Treasurer shall be nominated at a General Meeting; all such elections/nominations shall be by simple majority.
...
- Members have one vote per position in the election so can only nominate or second/third/fourth one person for a position. When a person has accepted a nomination only the proposers and seconders and in the case of Captain and Senior treasurer third and fourth shall appear on the nomination form in chronological appearance. In cases where someone has nominated or seconded multiple candidates for a position only their first nomination/second shall count, the rest shall be deemed invalid."
Proposed New Text:
"The election for all twelve positions on the committee, bar the position of Freshers’ Representative, shall take place at the Annual General Meeting or, in the case of resignation or dismissal, at a General Meeting. The Senior Treasurer shall be nominated at a General Meeting; all such elections/nominations shall be by simple majority. Members will vote for two Safety Officers"
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- Members have one vote per position in the election so can only nominate or second/third/fourth one person for a position, except in the case of Safety Officer where members can vote for two individuals and nominate/second two people for the position. When a person has accepted a nomination only the proposers and seconders and in the case of Captain and Senior treasurer third and fourth shall appear on the nomination form in chronological appearance. In cases where someone has nominated or seconded multiple candidates for a position only their first nomination/second shall count, the rest shall be deemed invalid, except in the case of Safety Officer where people can nominate/second two candidates"
The purpose of these amendments is to allow for a second safety officer and to maintain consistency in the document if the proposal were to be passed.
