Delegates to the AAPG House meeting at the New Orleans annual meeting approved two changes to the Bylaws, including the long-discussed changes to the elected editor's term on the Executive Committee and duties of office.
Also, a proposal to change the process of nominating candidates for AAPG office garnered 108 "for" to 95 votes "against," falling far short of the two-thirds vote required for a bylaws change. Delegates approved a Bylaws amendment dealing with grievance procedures.
With HOD Chairman John Hogg presiding, delegates also approved five resolutions, which will be considered by the House Constitution & Bylaws Committee for further House action.
The elected editor proposal has been discussed in the House, the Advisory Council and the AAPG Executive Committee beginning in 1996. The proposal decided at the New Orleans session was a result of a special House-Executive Committee Elected Editor Committee formed in 1998 to bring forth an amendment.
The new Bylaw provides for the elected editor to serve one non-succeeding three-year term, as opposed to the present two-year term with a succeeding renomination allowed.
The new Bylaw also calls for two or more candidates to stand for election as editor, as opposed to the past Bylaws allowing "one or more" candidates to be brought to the vote of the membership.
Also, the Bylaw gives the AAPG secretary policy oversight, subject to full Executive Committee approval, of non-technical publications of the association.
The Elected Editor Amendment passed the House by a two-thirds majority by voice vote.
The Grievance Procedure Amendment provides procedures for investigation, prosecution, hearing and appeals regarding certain charges of misconduct against AAPG members.
The new procedure includes the formation of a new standing Ethics Committee, which will consider charges that are brought forth, and also delineates the procedure to form a Hearing Body under the aegis of the Advisory Council to adjudicate the charges.
The Amendment passed by voice vote.
The Nomination Process Amendment drew 10 people speaking for the amendment, 14 speaking against and one who said both options were attractive. The proposal would have placed the nomination process for AAPG office under the complete control of the Advisory Council.
With the defeat of the proposal, the Advisory Council maintains its role as the recommending to the Executive Committee the list of potential nominees for office. The Executive Committee remains responsible for the final candidate slate.
The 53 to 47 percent vote fell 32 votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary for passage, according to secretary-editor Deborah K. Sacrey.
Delegates also approved the following resolutions.
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Bylaws Amending Time Period Equivalency Amendment -- will offer the potential to speed proposed legislation for House consideration.
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Legality Requirement Elimination Amendment -- will eliminate the requirement for the Executive Committee to affirm the legality of proposed legislation.
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Election Results Release Amendment -- will allow candidates for AAPG office to find out the vote tallies in their race, if both candidates choose to do so.
(The Bylaws are silent on the subject, but the practice is for the vote tallies to remain confidential within the Ballot Committee.)
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Eliminate "Suitable" Amendment -- will remove the word "suitable" as a requirement for the selection of officer candidates.
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International Region Delegate Election Clarification -- described as a "housekeeping" clarification concerning the mailing of Delegate ballots to all region members.
The House also approved three applications by groups to become affiliated societies of AAPG. Those approved were:
- Bulgarian Geological Society.
- Czech Geological Society.
- Romanian Association of Petroleum Geologists.
Delegates also elected Edward Dolly, with Anschutz Exploration, Evergreen, Colo., as chairman-elect; and Sandi Barber, of Barber & Associates, Houston, as secretary-editor.
The two will assume office on July 1, and Dolly will serve as HOD chairman in 2001-2002.
Lowell Lischer, a San Antonio consultant, will become HOD chairman on July 1, having served this year as chairman-elect.