Eastsound Water announces “virtual” annual meeting plan

||| FROM PAUL KAMIN FOR EASTSOUND WATER |||

Due to the ongoing Covid 19 Pandemic, Eastsound Water has developed an alternative format for our 2020 Annual Meeting this fall. The normal public gathering is simply not a viable option. We are planning on offering a “virtual” Annual Meeting this year. This will be a pre-recorded version of our normal “State of the Association” presentation that will be posted online in mid-November.

To provide the membership the opportunity to interact with the staff and the Board we will be accepting questions though Nov. 13 via email or phone in advance of posting the Annual Meeting presentation. We will answer the most frequently asked questions in the “State of the Association” presentation, and will answer all appropriate questions in a written Question and Answer posting on NEWS section of our website. Please email your questions to General Manager Paul Kamin at pkamin@rockisland.com. Include ANNUAL MEETING QUESTION in the subject line to be included in the public Question and Answer process.

A key component of an annual meeting is the election of Board members. As part of the 2018, and 2019 Annual meetings we used a combination on proxy voting, in-person voting, and online voting. We will continue to offer proxy voting, and online voting this year. In person voting will also be possible, but not at a public gathering. Instead, printed ballots will be available at our office during the open voting period (Nov. 9 – 19). Regardless of how a member chose to vote, each member can cast only one vote for each membership they own.

Two things are required for a successful election. First is a slate of candidates. Current Board members Steve Smith and Patrick Shepler’s terms are expiring. Both Steve and Patrick have expressed interest in continuing to serve and will be on the Ballot. Any member interested in being on the 2020 Election Ballot should contact the General Manager for more information. Oct. 10 is the last day that someone can be added to the 2020 Election Ballot.

The second component of a successful election is a quorum. Eastsound Water Bylaws stipulate that participation of 10% of the membership represents a quorum. In the 2018 and 2019 elections we achieved a quorum by the narrowest of margins. Please take a few minutes to participate in the election, even if it is simply to complete and mail in a proxy vote.

On Oct. 13 Eastsound Water will be mailing out the “Annual Meeting and Election Announcement” to all members. This mailing will include your proxy form, and instructions for casting your vote online. The online Board election will open on Nov. 9 and remain open though 5pm Nov. 19. Eastsound Water will send 2 “election reminders” via email during the open Election period. If you have not received emails from pkamin@rockisland.com, please consider calling us to update your contact information.