[Magdalen] Annual Meetings, votes, was test

[Jim Guthrie]

From: Jo Craddock

>So, let's talk some more about annual meeting time. Besides the recurring theme 
>of deficit budgets, how does your parish handle vestry voting? Paper ballots? 
>Voter qualifications? Disfranshisement?

In New York State, the Religious Corporation Act demands that the balloting be 
open for two hours. Many parishes give out the Meeting "Packet" with copies of 
the budget, financial report, reports from various committees and parish 
organizations, the Rector's Report and a paper ballot at the end of the 
Processional/Opening Hymn, and the polls are declared "open".  Other parishes 
schedule a luncheon where  the  packets, including ballots are given out before 
the meal, polls declared open and one hopes there are slow eaters <g>

Some parishes ignore the religious corporation law altogether, but they do so at 
their peril -- i.e. there's no religious corporation law cops ready to swoop 
down, but if a decision is made (or illegal election to vestry) there would be 
grounds for a disgruntled member or members to complain to the State of New 
York, which can then get expensive.

Of other states, your deponent knoweth not.

Cheers,
Jim

PS Christ Church Bay Ridge had a Warden when I first arrived who liked to used 
the Religious Corporation Law as a weapon to strike down any possible changing 
of the guard (or anything else). Upon election to the Vestry, I brought my own 
copy and would ask Barbara to cite what section of the law she was referring to. 
After a few "I don’t remember the page" stuff, she withdrew that as a tactic, 
and pretty soon withdrew as Warden and left the vestry for good.

She was still cordial with me after that -- which was nice. She even came close 
to an apology for her behavior at one point. I felt awfully sorry for her when 
she fell and broke her hip (she survived, TBTG) tripping on a step after reading 
a lesson one Sunday morning. The steps there were something of a trap, as they 
were on odd shape  so the Choir wouldn’t have to trip over them entering/exiting 
their stalls.

She ceased coming to church at all after that  -- even has she recovered from a 
hip replacement.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie