May 24, 1999
Press Release
Results of WGNA Election.
The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA) held its annual election for Officers, Elected Board Members, and next year’s Nominating Committee. In addition, the current WGNA Board put before the membership a set of recommended changes to the WGNA by-laws.
The membership response was overwhelming, with roughly twice as many members voting as at any time before in our 26 year history. The Nominating Committee’s recommended slate was given a strong mandate, and the by-laws changes were approved by a landslide.
As per the current by-laws, all WGNA members in good standing were eligible to vote, one vote per individual membership and two votes per household membership. Ballots were mailed out to all members of record. Ballots could be returned by mail to the WGNA post office box (WGNA, PO 7706, San Jose, 95150-7706) if postmarked by May 19th, or could cast in person at the May 19th WGNA Spring General Meeting. We allowed members with expired memberships to renew and vote concurrently. Also, as a courtesy, and after taking precautions against double voting, we provided replacement ballots at the meeting for about a dozen members who misplaced their ballots or did not receive their ballot in the mail.
The ballots were collected at the Spring General Meeting and from the WGNA post office box. The ballots were processed Sunday afternoon, May 23rd, by Larry Ames, WGNA newsletter editor and database manager, and Betty Daniels and Loretta Hayes, non-WGNA members of the League of Women Voters who volunteered to count the ballots for the Association. Dr. Ames opened the ballot box and envelopes containing the ballots in the presence of Ms. Daniels and Ms. Hayes, registered any renewals, confirmed the authenticity of the ballots, and removed any identifying labels or attachments. The anonymous ballots were then handed to Ms. Daniels and Ms. Hayes who read the ballots and tallied the results.
A total of 588 ballots were mailed, and 160 ballots were returned (of which 157 were valid and three were invalid – defaced or expired without renewals). This is an excellent response, and more than sufficient as per the by-laws requirement that the "by-Laws may be amended or revised at an Association meeting or by mail-in/return ballots by a 2/3 vote of members voting, provided that the number of voters is equal to at least 10% of the memberships and that notice of the proposal and manner of voting has been given." A couple ballots were partially invalid (two sets of votes with an individual membership, or inadvertently voting both yes and no on the by-laws change), but the valid portions were counted.
Results:
231
Yes, adopt the changes10
No, do not adopt the changesWGNA Officers:
219
Pres. -- J. Michael Gonzales217
1st VP -- John Gibbs219
2nd VP -- Patsy Neher222
Sec. -- Cathy Marshall223
Treas. -- Margaret HardyElected Directors: vote for up to 4 (four) Directors
205
Larry Ames66
June Cooley181
Lupe O'Malley198
Peggy Rossignol191
Helen SolinskiNominating Committee: vote for up to 5 (five):
216
Margaret Hardy --Chair212
Larry Ames209
Joan Doss202
Lupe O'MalleyThe by-laws changes basically say that WGNA is primarily for Willow Glen residents and residential land-owners: while all are welcome to join WGNA, one has to live here and be a WGNA member for at least six months before one can vote in a WGNA election. Text of the by-laws changes, with additions shown in italics:
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. ELIGIBILITY.
Any person who subscribes to and supports the purposes of the organization shall be eligible for membership.Section 2. CLASSES.
a. Individual
b. Household
c. Associate
Individual and Household memberships are "voting memberships", and are reserved for residents and residential property owners within the boundary of the Association, as defined in 1994.
Associate membership is a "non-voting membership" and is open to anyone interested in the Association’s stated purpose.
…
Section 4. VOTING. Each adult member with a paid Individual membership is entitled to vote. A maximum of two adult members of a paid Household membership are entitled to vote. In order to vote, a person must have been a member for at least six (6) months. Associate members are not entitled to vote.
WGNA would like to thank all who participated: the candidates who stood for office, the League of Women Voters representatives who counted the ballots, and especially our members who voted: by voting in such record numbers, you have expressed your support for the Association and given us a mandate to continue working for the betterment of Willow Glen.
Lawrence Ames,
Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, May 24, 1999.
408/294-WGNA; www.wgna.net.
click here for Map of WGNA Boundary
