Club rule change delayed for further review

Rule changes to limit the terms of chartered clubs' officers will undergo further study after Recreation Centers of Sun City West board members concluded the measure could force some of the organizations to fold.

Matt Szydlowski, RCSCW board president, said the changes to the Rules, Regulations and Procedures, which serve as the governing documents for the 106 chartered clubs in the community, were sent back to the board's chartered clubs committee for re-evaluation.

The rule change would mean club officers could only serve three years before they would be required to take a year off. For some clubs, which struggle to maintain membership and fill bylaw-required officer positions, the rule could cost them their charter, said Arlene Macy, president of the Garden Club.

"If we couldn't get officers and if you don't have enough people to fill those offices, the club folds up," she said. "Every year we beg for members to take an office or be on the board. Our club is very good when it comes to chipping in and doing things as a project, but no one wants to be saddled with being in officer and having such a responsibility. Therefore the officers do get traded around to keep the club from folding."

Szydlowski said the idea was probably proposed by the chartered clubs committee to ensure that minority rule and "the good old boy's" network don't run the clubs. The chartered club committee doesn't meet again until September, "so it won't be discussed for quite a while," Szydlowski said.

"There were certain clubs that would have a difficult time with the enforcement of officers of the clubs. Situations were brought to our attention from different clubs to the change and the effect it would have on their clubs," he said. "It was best to send it back to committee to study it, revise it and review it and at a later time bring it back if the committee wants to bring it back."

Macy said she believes the idea was proposed so the rules would be in concert with RCSCW bylaws, which limit the terms of governing board members to three years.

"That's a really different situation to these clubs. The Garden Club and the Dance Club are miles apart. (The board) wants to do it for legal purposes because they want the (RR&Ps) that govern the club to match the bylaws. It's comparing apples to oranges," she said.

Further, Macy said the fear of a small group domineering a club is not a threat that needs to be addressed.

"As far as the same old boys running the club - that's a fable. It's a fairy tale," she said. "Everyone's gotten along just fine without any big problems. It was just a hot idea to make the club bylaws correspond with the Rec bylaws."

The governing board will meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday in the R.H. Johnson Social Hall for its regular monthly meeting.

Erin Turner may be reached at 623-876-2522 or eturner@yourwestvalley.com.