Monday, April 11, 2016

This was our first full day and was it ever draining yet exhilarating!  It was obvious that what we were told yesterday had come to life: what the future looks like starts here at the Council…
 
If you’d like to follow the live coverage wherever you are, log into www.rotary.org.  Once you log in, you can see updates at https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/exchange-ideas/events/council-legislation.
 
It is so interesting to see the proposals come to life as the spokesperson for the District or for the RI Board of Directors presents the legislation and we then debate it.  Much of it includes ‘variations on a theme’ which is actually wondrous when you consider that Rotarians from throughout the world focused on specific concerns at the same time and proposed similar changes to our Constitution and By-Laws.
 
There was lots of jockeying to see which proposal would go forth and that’s the part that was tiring.  In some ways, ego was strong as spokespersons took almost a minute to state that he or she was withdrawing the legislation.  A few of us remarked that, by default, just not going to the lectern the legislation was withdrawing legislation. Of course, the spokesperson could have just stated, “We are withdrawing our proposal.” Yet, many remained at the podium giving the purpose of the legislation only to end with the fact they were withdrawing it due to previously approved legislation during the day.
 
The RI Constitution and By-Laws Committee (of 4) were worked hard this afternoon on the interpretation of a variety of proposed enactments which may not have been clear based on the previously accepted or withdrawn items.
Some proposals had much discussion of parsing of words or correcting grammar.  In the morning session we approved 6 changes and in the afternoon we approved two; 3 were referred to the RI Board of Directors which addressed revising the Object of Rotary and the rest were rejected.  We begin Tuesday at Proposal #27.
 
I will be including specifics of what has been approved to be effective 1 July 2016, in my final summary and in my report to the District Council.