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Notice of Annual General Meeting - Autism Ontario – London Chapter

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Rick Walker, Special Olympics and his son James Walker (adult with ASD)

Tuesday April 20, 2010, 6:00 pm at the Hilton Hotel on King Street in London, Ontario

We invite you to attend. Elect the 2010/2011 Chapter Leadership Council.

6:00 PM - Business Meeting – voting for CLC members
7:00 PM - KEY NOTE SPEAKER: Rick and James Walker
Rick will speak on his experiences with Special Olympics and James will speak about living with ASD and his experiences with Special Olympics
8:00 – Wine and Cheese Social

Questions or comments may be directed to the Autism Ontario – London Chapter at 519-433-3390 or autismlondon.office@gmail.com

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Call for Nominations

For the Chapter Leadership Council – London Chapter

The 2010-2011 Chapter Leadership Council of Autism Ontario’s London Chapter will be elected on Tuesday April 20, 2010. We are now accepting nominations for the Leadership Council until April 2, 2010. Bios will be sent

What is a Chapter Leadership Council?
The Chapter Leadership Council (CLC) is the heart of each Autism Ontario Chapter. The members of the CLC ensure that the business and general operations of the Chapter run smoothly. Joining the CLC is a tremendous way to both give back to a dedicated organization and to push forward in assisting Autism Ontario accomplish its mission. CLCs are not advisory boards or tasked with governance issues. They are vibrant and energetic groups of people who are working to make a difference in their communities.

How does the election work?
Nominations are submitted using the attached form. The elections will be held at the AGM. Anyone who is a member-in-good-standing of London Chapter as of March 20, 2010 is eligible to vote in the elections. Voters must be present at the meeting.

The election is held with members-in-good-standing voting to fill 12 spots on the CLC. Members do not vote specific people to specific roles; for instance, one would vote for Jane Doe to become a member of the CLC. One would not vote for Jane Doe to become President.

Anyone who is elected must be a member-in-good-standing or become one immediately upon election.

Once the 12 people have been voted to make up the CLC, then the CLC decides which member will take on which role. This discussion will focus on who has necessary skill sets, willingness to take on specific tasks, etc. When more than one person is interested in the same role, the CLC must work to a consensus agreement on who will take the position.

What roles might be assigned once the CLC has been voted in?
There will definitely be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The other members are referred to as “members-at-large”. The CLC might decide to have one member take care of organizing family fun days, or perhaps put together a schedule of workshops. The possibilities are endless!

The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer terms of office are one year, and may be elected to a second term/year. Under special circumstances, a third term might be approved.

What if I am interested in being on the CLC but don’t want to be President?
It’s great that you want to get involved! Ask another member to nominate you. Being on the CLC does not mean you have to be President. You may make a fantastic parent support group organizer or newsletter editor.

But remember, being President isn’t a big, scary thing. It is really as much work as you allow it to be. Good Presidents are not afraid to delegate tasks to other volunteers. A President’s role can be leading meetings, being the public face of the Chapter, and checking in with the rest of the team to ensure they are doing well in their assigned roles.

What’s in it for me?
Being elected to the CLC can have many benefits. Are you a stay-at-home parent looking to get out of house or to boost up a resume? Are you new to the community and looking for a way to meet people in the ASD community? Are you compelled to make a difference in the life of a child, an adolescent, or an adult with ASD? Looking for that ‘feel-good feeling’ you get from giving back to your community?

There are many personal reasons that you may have for considering involvement in the Chapter Leadership Council. Each reason is valid. We welcome your involvement at whatever level you are able to give. For us, your involvement pushes our cause one step further to fulfilling our mission of ensuring that each individual with ASD is provided the means to achieve quality of life as a respected member of society.

2010 Nomination Form.pdf

Send in your nomination forms to:

Autism Ontario – London Chapter
1340 Dundas Street, East
London ON N5W 3B6
Attn: Judy Wright

Or fax them to:

519-433-3390
Attn: Judy Wright

Nominations Deadline is April 2, 2008. If you have questions or would like further information, call the office at 519-433-3390 or email robwright@rogers.com.

Chapter Leadership Council Elections Guidelines

The Election – An Overview
Following the change in Autism Ontario’s By-Laws (June 2004), Chapter members no longer vote in a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer; rather, Chapter members vote for individuals to become members of the Chapter Leadership Council (CLC).

Once elected, the members of the Chapter Leadership Council adjourn themselves to another area/room to discuss and decide which person will take on which role. This discussion focuses on who has necessary skill sets, interests, abilities and willingness to take on specific tasks, etc. When more than one person is interested in the same role, the CLC must work to a consensus agreement on who will take the position.

After arriving at a decision on roles, the members of the newly elected CLC will return to the meeting to announce who has taken on which key role.

Eligibility to Vote
You are eligible to vote and will be issued a ballot if you were a member-in-good-standing 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. In the case of the London Chapter, those able to vote must have been a member-in-good-standing on March 20, 2010.

Segregated Ballots
For those who contest the voters list, you will fill in a segregated ballot. This means that you will fill in your ballot, place it inside an envelope, seal the envelope and write your name on the outside. This ballot will then be placed inside the ballot box.

We do not open or count this ballot at the Annual General Meeting. It will be returned to the office (still sealed!) and Provincial Office will be contacted to go through the membership database to determine whether or not the voter was a member-in-good-standing on March 20, 2010.

If the voter was not a member-in-good-standing, then the envelope will be destroyed without being opened.

If it is determined that the voter was, in fact, a member-in-good-standing, then the envelope will be opened and the vote counted.

In most cases, this vote will not create a change to the Chapter Leadership Council unless the margin of “yes” votes versus “no” votes is within a one vote difference, or very close – in the case of numerous segregated ballots.

The Ballot
The ballot for Chapter Leadership Council elections is a yes/no ballot containing the names of those who:
 Had nomination forms filed by the deadline, with appropriate signatures of support,
 Allowed his/her name to stand for election,
 Submitted a biography by the deadline.
Beside each name, please mark either “yes” or “no”. If neither box is marked, it will be counted as a “no” vote.

Nominations from the floor
Nominations from the floor will be accepted if, once the ballots are counted, less than three individuals have been elected to the Chapter Leadership Council.