Changes to SLMMS and SLSMSE Bylaws Approved

UPDATED POST

AMENDMENTS TO SLMMS AND SLSMSE BYLAWS APPROVED BY SLMMS COUNCIL

At their meeting on Monday, December 11, 2023, the SLMMS Council unanimously approved the amendments to the SLMMS and SLSMSE Bylaws proposed by the Bylaws Committee. The changes will be effective January 1, 2024.  The changes make the bylaws more current and in line with medical society policies and procedures, and reflect changes anticipated with the upcoming retirement of the Executive Vice President.
On November 6, 2023, the SLMMS Bylaws Committee met in response to requests from the SLMMS Council and the SLMMS Strategic Planning Committee to propose amendments to the Bylaws of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society (SLMMS), and amendments to the Bylaws of the St. Louis Society for Medical and Scientific Education (SLSMSE).
The Bylaws Committee reviewed, drafted and proposed a total of 23 amendments or changes – 19 to the SLMMS Bylaws, and 4 to the SLSMSE Bylaws. These changes were presented to the membership for review and comment via a posting on the Society website during a comment period from November 9 through December 10, 2024.  During that period, no comments were received from the membership.
The motion to revise the bylaws was made by Council Members Drs. Robert A. Brennan, Jr., Erin S. Gardner, Sara Hawatmeh, and Richard Wieder, and the changes were approved by a unanimous Council vote.
You may review the changes to the Bylaws by clicking HERE.
In summary, the changes to the SLMMS and SLSMSE Bylaws include:
– Updating all references to the Executive Vice President to Executive Director in anticipation of changes following the upcoming retirement of the SLMMS EVP
– Clarification of short-term suspension of members for non-payment of dues as opposed to immediate drop from membership
– Reducing the number of regular meetings of the Council
– Removing specific gender references
– Clarification of proration of new applicant dues when joining mid-year
– Elimination of the election of Alternate Delegates to the annual MSMA Convention
– Changing the requirement of an annual SLMMS and SLSMSE audit to an annual review of financial statements
– Requiring Council action to review or grant Honor or Life Member status (current standard procedure).

EARLIER POST DATED NOVEMBER 9, 2023:

Note to SLMMS Members: These proposed amendments were posted on November 9, 2023 in accordance with the existing SLMMS Bylaws (Chapter XIV. Section 1. Amendments) to provide members at least thirty (30) days’ notice prior to the time of the Council vote on the amendments. The St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society Council will discuss and vote on these proposed amendments at their December 11, 2023 Council meeting, to be held at 6:00 via a Zoom teleconference. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Council will be required to pass the amendments. If passed, the amended bylaws will become effective January 1, 2024.
Members wishing to comment on the proposed amendments prior to the meeting may do so in writing no later than Sunday, December 10, 2023. (NOTE the comment period is now closed)
You may submit your comments via email to David Nowak, SLMMS Executive Vice President, at dnowak@slmms.org or by mail to:
Bylaws Committee Chairman
St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society
1023 Executive Parkway, Suite 16
St. Louis, MO 63141-6323
Please reference the Bylaw (SLMMS or SLSMSE) by both section number and title for which you are commenting.
Only comments submitted by current SLMMS members will be reviewed and considered by the Bylaws Committee and the SLMMS Council.