Effective Date: March 8, 2024
BOARD OF ADVISORS (BOA), MEMBERS AT LARGE (MAL) &
COMMITTEE APPLICATION, TERM, & PROCESS
GUIDELINES
General Requirements
1. Applicants should meet the qualifications outlined for the position in which they wish to serve. Reynolds Lake Oconee (RLO) Management will provide Club participation data relative to the selection criteria as requested by the BOA members.
2. If a sufficient number of qualified candidates do not volunteer to fill the open positions, additional candidates may be solicited by current Committee members and BOA members. If interested, these candidates will then submit completed applications for consideration.
3. All BOA members and Committee members must be available for the majority of all meetings and associated BOA, MAL, and Committee functions. Members who cannot or do not regularly attend meetings and/or participate in Committee, MAL, and/or BOA functions may be replaced upon BOA approval.
4. Except for those candidates filling unexpired current member terms, all new Committee Chairs and Committee members will be appointed to serve a three-year term and may not apply to another Committee position until the current Committee term has been completed; provided, however, Committee members who will have completed at least one year’s service on a Committee prior to the beginning of an MAL term may apply to be considered for an MAL position.
5. Except for those candidates filling an unexpired MAL position, a new MAL generally will be appointed to serve a three-year term unless a different term length is approved by the BOA.
6. The BOA Vice-Chair shall be elected by vote of the BOA Members and shall serve a term of one year. After serving one year as BOA Vice-Chair, the Vice-Chair shall serve an additional one year as BOA Chair.
7. Two members from a single household shall not be permitted to serve simultaneously on the BOA, the same Committee, nor as MALs during any portion of the term periods which overlap.
8. Individuals shall not serve simultaneously on two Committees or as a Committee member and a MAL or serve a second consecutive three-year term in the same position. The BOA by majority vote may extend an individual’s term when deemed necessary.
9. A primary focus of RLO is real estate sales and development. No applicant, nor his/her spouse or significant other, who is an active real estate agent in the Lake Oconee area will be considered for BOA or Committee positions. If a BOA or Committee member or his/her spouse or significant other becomes an active real estate agent in the Lake Oconee area during his/her tenure, then that individual will be required to resign from his/her BOA or Committee position. These requirements are to avoid any potential conflict of interest and the risk of inappropriate use or disclosure of privileged information.
10. All applicants for BOA or Committee positions are subject to RLO Management initial and on-going approval.
Member Requirements
1. Committee Chairs, MALs, the Vice-Chair, and the Chair must be Members of the Club at RLO.
2. Consideration of a candidate is contingent upon verification by the Membership Department that the candidate is a “Member in good standing.”
Resignation, Incapacitation, or Death and Replacement Procedure
1. If a Committee member or MAL is unable to complete his/her term, he/she must submit a resignation in writing, if possible, to the Committee Chair or the Lead MAL. If the person is unable to submit a resignation, the Committee Chair, Lead MAL, or BOA Chair will notify the BOA and ELO Management of the need for a replacement.
2. Replacements will be considered first from the most recent application process. If there are no qualified candidates can be solicited by current Committee members or MALs. Solicited candidates must complete the appropriate application for consideration. A Committee Chair has the option of not filling that Committee slot until the next election cycle.
3. The open position will be filled according to this document, Board of Advisors (BOA), Members at Large (MAL), & Committee Application, Term, and Process Guidelines.
4. Each replacement will serve the remaining unexpired term of the member he/she is replacing. The term will end with the normal replacement process. Replacements who serve less than 18 months may apply for a subsequent full three-year term. Replacements who serve 18 months or greater may not apply for a subsequent term on the Committee or as an MAL.
5. If Committee Chair or Lead MAL is unable to serve his/her term, he/she will submit a resignation in writing, if possible, to the BOA Chair along with a recommendation from the existing Committee members or other MALs for her/her replacement.
6. Any new Committee Chair or Lead MAL must have completed at least one year on the Committee or as a MAL prior to starting his/her term as Committee Chair or Lead MAL. The BOA Vice-Chair will assist the departing Committee Chair or Lead MAL to identify and recommend a Committee member or MAL for approval by the BOA. The departing Chair or Lead MAL will present the recommendation to the BOA and RLO Management for approval.
7. If a Committee Chair is unable to select a replacement, the BOA Vice-Chair will make the recommendation. If the departing position is the Lead MAL, the MALs, in conjunction with the Vice-Chair, will recommend a new Lead. Replacements for Committee Chair or the Lead MAL require BOA approval.
8. The BOA Chair will present the recommendation to the BOA and RLO Management for approval.
9. A Committee Chair replacement will serve a minimum of 2.5 to a maximum of 3.5 years depending on the month in which he/she starts – unless he/she is selected to serve as BOA Vice-Chair by the Board. The Committee Chair term will end with the normal replacement process. Lead MAL replacements will finish the current term of the replaced Lead.
10. Each year the BOA Chair, the BOA Vice-Chair, and RLO Management will review and approve each Committee Chair’s and Lead MAL’s planned turnover including filling any unexpired term(s) and/or planned ‘term extension’ for the next year. Each plan should be consistent with Section 3. under “Committees.” The Chair of the BOA will present the plan(s) at the June BOA meeting for the approval of the BOA.
Board of Advisors
1. The current members of the BOA will approve the selection of new members.
2. Terms of office will be a maximum of three years with the exception of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the BOA, who will serve a one-year term each. A member shall not serve more than one term of three consecutive years - unless such term is extended by the BOA.
3. The composition of the BOA is eleven (11) members:
• BOA Chair
• BOA Vice-Chair
• Events Committee Chair
• Food & Beverage Committee Chair
• Golf Committee Chair
• Greens Committee Chair
• Wellness & Recreation Committee Chair
• Lead Member at Large
• Member at Large
• Member at Large
• Member at Large
4. Each Committee Chair will serve on both his/her Committee and the BOA. He/she will not serve simultaneously on any other Committee.
Chair of the Board
1. The current Vice-Chair of the Board will automatically become Chair of the Board upon the expiration of his/her one-year term as Vice-Chair.
2. The Chair of the Board will serve one year.
3. Should the Vice-Chair be unable or unwilling to serve as Chair, the BOA will elect a new Chair using the same procedures as for the election of the Vice-Chair, unless the BOA votes to extend the term of the Chair for one additional year.
Vice-Chair of the Board
1. Members who have completed one, two, or three years of service on the BOA by the start of the next Vice-Chair’s term are eligible to be elected as Vice-Chair of the BOA.
2. The new Vice-Chair will be selected by secret ballot to serve the following year.
3. If only a single candidate agrees to serve, a secret ballot will be conducted, and he/she will be elected if he/she receives a majority of the votes.
4. If there are multiple candidates, a candidate must receive the majority of the votes cast to be elected. If no candidate receives the majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, the BOA will vote again by secret ballot, eliminating candidates who are not r tied with the top vote-getters. Secret ballots will continue until one candidate receives the majority of the votes cast.
5. In the event, after the election described in 4. above, the Vice-Chair-Elect is unable or unwilling to assume the Vice-Chair position in January, the BOA member with the second most votes for the Vice-Chair position will be selected (if willing and able to serve) as the Vice-Chair-Elect (to begin serving as the Vice-Chair in January). If there are two or more candidates each with the second most votes (each willing and able to serve), the Vice-Chair-Elect will be selected by secret ballot between those eligible candidates. If there is only a single candidate during the original election, a new Vice-Chair-Elect will be selected by secret ballot as described in 1., 2., and 3. above.
6. BOA members not present may vote in absentia according to this document, Board of Advisors (BOA), Members at Large (MAL), & Committee Application, Term, and Process Guidelines. If the person they have voted for is in the runoff(s), their vote will continue to count. However, if the person who they have voted for is eliminated, their vote will no longer count.
The vacant position created by the new Vice-Chair will be filled in accordance with this document, Board of Advisors (BOA), Members at Large (MAL), & Committee Application, Term, and Process Guidelines.
Committee Chair
1. A departing Committee Chair, in concert with the Vice-Chair, will provide the name of his/her replacement from the existing Committee to the BOA for its approval at the June BOA meeting.
2. Members who have completed one, two, or three years of service on the Committee by the start of the next Committee Chair’s term are eligible to be selected. The term as Committee Chair on the BOA will start afresh regardless of the previous time served as a Committee member.
Committees
1. Those Members in the Club at RLO who are interested in serving on a Committee will submit an application on the RLO Member website which will subsequently be forwarded to the Committee Chair. These applications will be reviewed by the Committee Chair, presented to the Committee members for review, an interview process will occur, and selection of Candidates for Committee membership shall be determined in a manner by each Committee.
2. Committees shall consist of twelve members, ideally with four members’ terms expiring each year. The BOA may extend a Committee member’s term in order to achieve needed Committee continuity.
Members at Large (MAL)
1. Only a current Committee member who will have served one year prior to the start of an open MAL term is eligible to apply for an MAL position.
2. Committee members of the Club at RLO who are interested in serving as a MAL must submit an application on the RLO Member website which will subsequently be forwarded to the MALs for review, an interview process will occur and selection of candidate(s) for an MAL position shall be determined in a manner determined by the MALs.
Application and Selection Timeline
May Committee Meetings
- A complete list of Committee members with ending terms will be provided by the MAL in charge of the applications process.
- A copy of the candidate application, selection criteria, and nomination process will be provided.
- The Committee Chairs will review the application and selection process with their Committees.
May Communications from the BOA Chair
- The BOA Chair will confirm with all eligible BOA candidates their ability and willingness to be considered as the next BOA Vice-Chair. Members of the BOA will be advised of the BOA candidates interested in serving as the next BOA Vice-Chair and will be requested to be prepared to cast a vote at the June BOA meeting.
June BOA Meeting
- A complete list of BOA and Committee members with ending terms will be provided.
- A candidate who is a Committee Chair or Lead MAL willing to be considered for the Vice-Chair position of the BOA will be asked to identify his/her replacement, should he/she be elected at the June BOA meeting.
- The application process, guidelines, and selection criteria will be reviewed.
- A ballot will be cast among the BOA to select the incoming BOA Vice-Chair as described under the Vice-Chair of the BOA section.
The newly elected BOA Vice-Chair will adjust the number of his/her Committee/MAL openings accordingly.
Any departing Committee Chair/Lead MAL will provide the name for his/her replacement from the existing Committee members or MALs to the BOA for approval. Once approved, it is acceptable for the Committee Chair/Lead MAL to discuss the potential nomination with the Chair candidate to confirm willingness to serve. This information will be provided at this time as it may affect the number of positions open.
June
- The BOA Chair will send out an e-mail invitation to all Club Members at the start of the application process (June 15) seeking volunteers to fill open Committee positions.
- The BOA Chair will send out an e-mail invitation to all current Committee members who will have completed at least one year’s service on a Committee to volunteer to serve as an MAL.
- Committee Chairs and Lead MAL will acknowledge to all candidates that their applications have been received, the process for selection, and the date by which they will be notified of the results.
July
- After the application process ends (July 15), the MAL in charge of the application process will provide an entire list of candidates to RLO Management, as soon as possible.
- Applicants should not be interviewed until it is confirmed they are eligible to serve on the BOA as an MAL or as Committee member.
- RLO Management will confirm with Committee Chairs/MALs that candidates are Members in good standing. Applicants who have applied to multiple Committees will be identified. RLO Management will provide specific data relative to the selection criteria as requested by the Committee Chairs. Members who have submitted applications to multiple Committees/MAL positions will be contacted by the Committee Chairs and/or Lead MAL to prioritize their selections. This way there will be no confusion as to which Committee has the right of first refusal in its selection process.
- Once RLO Management has completed its review of the applicants, the Committees/MALs will begin interviewing applicants.
August Committee/MAL Meetings
- Each Committee Chair with an ending term will provide the name of his/her successor to the Committee.
- The name of the newly elected BOA Vice-Chair will be announced to the Committees.
- Committees and MALs will review all candidates interviewed to select new Committee members/MALs.
- Given that MALs are selected from existing Committee members, the Lead MAL will advise the Chair(s) of the Committee(s) as to each Committee member who applies for a new MAL position. If that Committee member is not one who will be rotating off the Committee at the end of the year, the Committee Chair should ensure there is a replacement for the Committee member applying for the MAL position in the event such Committee member is selected.
- Once each Committee and MALs make their selections for open Committee member/MAL positions, such selections are immediately effective without further approval of the BOA or RLO Management. However, the list of newly selected Committee members/MALs will be sent to all BOA members and RLO Management as soon as possible after the August meetings.
- Notification by the Committee Chair and Lead MAL to successful candidates, as well as notification to unsuccessful candidates, should be made as soon as possible after the August meetings.
- Each Committee and the MALs should select an alternate for each open position in the event that a candidate declines the appointment. In the event that an alternate fills an open position, the Committee Chair and/or Lead MAL should contact the BOA Chair as soon as possible to update the composition of the Committee membership/MALs.
The Board of Advisors may amend these guidelines at any time it is deemed necessary subject to the approval of RLO Management.