Please note: These opinions are soley those of Margaret Hines, current treasurer. They may or may not reflect the views of the other current board members as elected. These were posted without input or revision by other board members.

As a member of the Denton Area Advanced Nurse Practitioner Group, a revised version of the organizations bylaws is hereby submitted for your vote of approval.

Summary of Key Revisions

1. Article I: Name Change to Denton Area Advanced Nurse Practitioner Association.
    
2. Article VIII: Executive Officers-  Add President Elect  to the Executive Committee. The President Elect shall serve for 2 years, President Elect than as President. The President will serve for 1 year only.
    
3. Add  Chairpersons of Committees to the Executive Board. The Executive Board will consist of Elected Officers and chairpersons of the standing committees and current special committees as deemed necessary. Chairpersons shall be nominated by  members in good staning ( aka paid thier dues!) or they will be appointed by the President. We need to vote as to which sytem is most appropriate. The chair can select his/her committee members. The President  will define the the committees responsibilities along with  the chair and committee members at the time of appointment and develop well defined goals. An Advocacy/Legislative Chair (committee). This committee will coordinate activities relating to legislature, interest of membership and prepare a report for each general membership meeting. Scholarship Chair (Dietra has already stepped up to the plate on this one! ) The scholarship chair shall coordinate activities relating to the support and encourgement of students enrolled in Advanced Nurse Practitioner Programs. He/She will inform the board of any recommendations, or changes in scholarship application system for consideration for the board. Community Relationship Chair (committee). ( Pam Quakenbush has stepped up to the plate on this one with the Jazz Fest!) shall coordinate participation in community Activities to increase awareness of NP's in the Denton Area. Philanthropic Chair (committee) ( Mary Katherine stepped up to the plate on this one through her recognition and coordination of a needy family in her church!) This chair/committee shall identify and organize philanthropic gifts by which DAANP may support for the well being of local community members/patients' minds, bodies and spirits. I think we need to take the Membership duties off of the secretary- it it just too much. I recommend a Membership Chair (committee) that shall maintain the official membership list, welcome members to monthly meetings, develop membership growth and retention. They will also be responsible for adding and deleting members from the ENP network if their dues are not paid in a timely manner. Another committee that I am proposing that will go with our goal of educating NP's and students. This can also be a $$ for the organization. DAANP Conference Chair ( committeee) shall oversee with the assistance of the President Elect to establish a yearly local conference.
    
4.  Define how voting and nominations for office are handled. I propose a brief statment of your qualifications to run for office, your visions how to accomplish your goals. This shall be posted on the ENP network.  I would like to propose to vote on line via the enp network ( currently in communications if this is possible) It is not fair if you unexpectantly cannot attend a meeting due to illness or having to work late that you cannot have a voice/vote. 
    
5. I have other suggestions for the Bylaws but these seem to be the most pressing since we have up coming elections ( which I feel need to be postponed until we get the President Elect position established in the Bylaws as directed by our bylaws.)
    
6. I would also like to propose an increase in membership dues to $30. I would like to reward the member that recruites the most new members in a year with a free membership for the following year.
    
7. This ideally should have gone to only the Executive Committee to review By law changes, but I am not a dictator and feel that changes need to come from the bottom up, not the top down!
   
   Margaret Hines