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Some Goals of Concerned Corporators of the Winsted Health Center
By Dick Ackermann, Winsted
For two years a group of concerned corporators has tried to make changes in the governance and operations of the Winsted Health Center. Perhaps the best way to present their program is to put it in the form of proposed bylaw changes. Below are some of the changes contemplated:
(1) All corporators shall live in one of the eight towns named in the bylaws: Winsted, Barkhamsted, Hartland, Norfolk, Colebrook, New Hartford, Tolland and Sandisfield. This is a clarification of the present bylaws.
(2) A new class of members shall not be required to reside in the eight-town area that comprises the service area of the Winsted Health Center. They shall be called Friends of the Health Center and may participate in all of the activities open to corporators, except the right to vote. There may be persons living outside the service area as well as persons living inside the service area who would like to participate in some activities, but who do not wish to become involved in the governance of the Health Center. For example, a Grounds Committee might be something gardeners would like to join.
(3) The Nominating Committee shall be composed of five non-trustee corporators. Nominations for this committee shall be made from the floor by non-trustee corporators at the Annual Corporator Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall screen applications using two criteria for corporator: residency in the service area and willingness to work for the goals of the Winsted Health Center. This bylaw is designed to keep the ideal of democratic participation paramount in the governance of the Health Center.
(4) A second path to corporator membership shall be by petition signed by 15 voters of the town where the would-be corporator resides. This simplifies the current procedure, which is overly cumbersome.
(5) Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the Winsted Health Center. When rules controlling the conduct of meetings are not widely known or when no rules are in effect, chaos may result. No democratic organization can long endure without agreed upon rules of governance or procedures.
There are other areas that need to be addressed. More suggestions for change will be offered in the future.
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