South Willard Water users have an opportunity to reject or accept new bylaws and rules and regulations being put forward by the Board of Directors. A meeting of the users (members) has been scheduled for September 5th at 7:00 pm at the Willard City offices. The new bylaws (and changed articles of incorporation) have increased nearly 700% in size according to documents obtained by the Sentinel News. The original documents comprised about 5 pages whereas the new documents comprise 39 pages.
The documents available for the April meeting, where there were substantial questions put forward by water users, showed that the founding documents were going to be changed substantially. The Sentinel News has received reports that South Willard Water Company has been unwilling to share updated proposals, if any since April, with at least some of its members. The Sentinel News met with the South Willard Water Board earlier this summer at the invitation of Jayson Harames, the current Board President. The Board told the Sentinel News that the April meeting was simply informational for the water users. Yet, the document in possession of the Sentinel News clearly states that the changes were deemed “necessary” by the Board, and on page 36 in an area clearly marked for signature, the following last paragraph is found:
“WE, THE BOARD, HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing constitutes the Amended and Restated By-Laws and Regulations adopted by South Willard Water Company this ____ day of April, 2013.”
Therefore, the statement given by the South Willard Water Board as to the purpose for the April meeting seems contrary to the wording in the April document for the proposed bylaws.
Don Visser, a S. Willard Water user expressed the following opinion: “No changes are required to South Willard Water articles and bylaws until 2020. Given the suggested annexation to the city of Willard and the possible needs of developers…I think we should wait for the dust to settle before making changes.
“If the new articles and bylaws are passed, board members would function like members of congress. Once elected(,) they would not be required to have the consent of share holders for any actions they find necessary. Government has balance with the House, Senate and Governor. The board has no balance. The manner they are elected should be changed to match government. Candidates for the board would submit a petition stating the reasons share holders would vote for them. The petition would require the signatures of twenty share holders to have their name placed on the ballot. One month before election(-)day every share holder would be mailed a ballot which they should fill out, sign and return. This will require change to the proposed new documents.
“I believe we should use the time we have to make the best decisions for our future.
Member water users of the South Willard Water Company will have the say on whether they trust the current Board to change things so extensively or not.
