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Delegates approve bylaw changes adding regions


By Christopher L. Walton
6.22.13

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In the first year of a two-year process, delegates approved changes to the UUA’s “C” bylaws that introduce a new intermediary structure between congregations, districts, and the Association. The current bylaws define geographic districts, but several districts have started working together as multi-district regions. Delegates voted to amend four parts of the C bylaws to change references to “districts” to “districts and regions.”

As part of the same motion, delegates approved amendments to Rule G-13.2.1 that removed references to the three districts that voted earlier this year to cease existence and reorganize as a single MidAmerica Region.

A few delegates raised questions or objections to a difference between the C-bylaw changes and the G-rule changes. The G-rule change adds the name “MidAmerica” to the list of districts and does not use the term “region.” One delegate asked why the term “district” couldn’t be understood to include “region.” UUA legal counsel Tom Bean explained that because a C-bylaw requires votes over two years before it goes into effect, the rule change needed to recognize the MidAmerica Region as a “district” for one year.

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