“Never before have I been more proud to be a Rotarian,” President-elect Nominee Cari Yturri commented at the end of last week’s meeting in which the proposal to pilot a new membership option was discussed. “To know that we can have a respectful, honest, and thoughtful discussion about our future and to hear how passionate many members are about our club was thrilling,” she said.  

 

President Dean Boyle set the tone – and the time limits! – for an orderly discussion, beginning with board members Rob Rezek, Carol Lindseth, and Colin Lee, who shared the varied perspectives from the board. Rob took the lead, explaining the proposal for an evening membership option that was mailed to the members last week. He said that the board has been discussing this proposal for 2-3 years. He believes it will appeal to additional members, perhaps as many as 50, and will be more inclusive of professionals who are unable to attend noon meetings. Carol presented an alternate proposal (see later story in this issue) as a compromise. It would create both noon and evening meetings available for all members and allow for a fee reduction as well through a pay-as-you-go option for meals. Colin defended the status quo. We’re already a premier club, he said, and questioned whether membership numbers are really declining. Back when Channing was on the Membership Committee, he noted, we celebrated having 100 members. Today we have 99. He also pointed out that, while the board has discussed an evening option for about a year, it has never been fleshed out.

 

Other club members also provided feedback. It’s an honor to be asked and accepted into Rotary, Judge Holter said. That’s why our club is so strong right now. Separate meeting times could weaken us, he feared. Having fewer meetings each month, as suggested in the counterproposal, could make us less cohesive. Gregg Holt also expressed concern that evening meeting times would dilute our effectiveness by diminishing our attendance at noon. He suggested that if there is a group that wants to meet in the evenings, we should consider sponsoring a new club.

 

Kurt Baltrusch, another board member, expressed his concern that changing our format would hurt our membership, lower morale and create discord. He complimented the Membership Committee on the good work they have done and reminded us that it’s the quality of our membership that is important, not the quantity. Channing Hartelius commented that it’s good for the club to discuss the options. He is confident that we’ll be able to come up with a solution that is beneficial to all.

 

Lacey Gallagher reminded us that we are missing the opportunity to have many more high-quality members. Because of our meeting time we are missing nurses, physicians, and other medical professionals, as well as teachers and other professionals who just can't attend a noon meeting. Sydney Blair pointed out that, if it's younger members we want, we should sponsor a Rotaract Group or an Interact Group. In her view, we should not change our meeting format. Scott Reisner stated that, while he liked the idea of reducing the membership dues, having a "pay as you go" protocol for noon meetings would make it difficult for Meadow Lark Country Club to know how much food to prepare, which may end up costing us more.

 

As Cari noted, the discussion last week showed the depth of respect for one another our members have, as well as our dedication to being the best club we can be. “Even those who spoke to not changing our membership or meeting times seemed to realize how important it is to make our club more inclusive,” Cari concluded. 

 

Thank you all for giving the board members so much to consider as they go forward. Stay tuned.