Guy get the Board of Directors that are still there and have them have an emergency meeting this week ASAP. I'm looking out for you bro. Every state and every city may be different but so far from what I can the State of California you just need at least one board of director. You have to find what City in Cali the UAMCC is egistered in and look up there rules. It's probably going to be no more then 3 Board of Directors needed and you have that.
Matt is trying to get you to cover this orgs azz. Ron is excited and many want to see him succeed. For the record so do I but most importantly right now you need to get your ducks lined up and fast. It's not hard but if you don't... You didn't bullet proof yourself..
The first bylaw has you in hot water already....and that's an easy fix. Follow this fast and then I'll give you a quick solution. Non profits are held in very high regard and there are reasons why the IRS gives them tremendous tax breaks but the flip side they will hold you under a microscope and then... Problems.
Follow me for a minute and I'm only doing this so Ron and you guys can reach your goals and if you don't it shouldn't be because you didn't follow a couple of what you thought were obsolete bylaws and then BANG.. The whole thing blows up.
So read this:
nonprofit’s bylaws are considered a legal document that dictates how the organization must be governed. Failure by a board to follow the stipulations outlined in the bylaws can have devastating consequences to the organization…and potentially even to the board members themselves. Since bylaws are such a big deal, it stands to reason that what they contain and how they are used should be taken extremely seriously.
And this:
http://www.blueavocado.org/node/533
Your lucky the UAMCC is a non profit based out of California because you only need 20% of the board to do a quorum.
You can change the Bylaws and keep the new ones posted next to them so the membership can see them.
It looks like Guy the easiest way to do this is do not take any memberships money yet except for the 3 BOD's and yourself immediately and if you have the TT counted as having there memberships good for 5 yrs then you have to include them. Your running out of time but you can do this in a week. So basically now you have a non profit with 3 BOD's and just a couple of members to vote on changes. This makes it easy. Now rewrite the bylaws that work for now and they must be stapled or attached to the old Bylaws and keep them like like that to hand over to your new ED when he comes in.
If I remember correctly Michael T's wife knows alot about non profits. If you want keep what your doing but be aware your not following your position as the bylaw states. I'll send in my membership money and either with you are John Orr or whoever you pick or I'll do it myself and then submit a draft back to you and then the BOD's change what has to be changed and then do a vote with your only official members...and once that's radified start taking all the renewals because officially probably according to the bylaws 90% of us are not members in good standing..and then finish what you started here...and it becomes official.. Then radify the bylaws again down the road to where a person like yourself would be the past immediate president who now is the nominating Committee chair.
I don't have much time because of alot of issues but I see potential disaster here that could stop you right in your tracks and it needs to be taking care of yesterday but it still can be fixed.. Then if the this org becomes great we all win.. But if it becomes great and one piss ant wants to bring it all down for you because of a bylaw not being followed... Well....Enthusiasm won't save ya.
Sorry if I made this seem difficult keep your chin up and this can be fixed but you have to do it ASAP and I'll help on that if you want.. Then I'll go back to what I'm doing and wishing you guys nothing but success.