2020 Annual Member Letter

 

Dear LRAA Members,

We hope that this letter finds you healthy and safe during this unprecedented health crisis. Your LRAA Board has been working to determine the implications of the governor’s Stay at Home order for LRAA and our annual membership meeting. The purpose of this letter is to explain the board’s decisions and to provide an update on important Association business.

ANNUAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
The first news is that the board has voted to postpone the annual membership meeting originally scheduled for May 24th. We felt this was necessary in order to protect the health and safety of our members. Currently Gov. Inslee’s order extends to May 4th. Even if the meeting is allowed under the new orders, social distancing at a meeting with around 80 people is a challenge. Many of our members who traditionally attend the meeting are of an age that is considered a high health risk. Last year it rained during the meeting and we had to move inside the firehouse, which would not be possible with social distancing requirements.  We debated the option of hosting a phone or video conference but decided that the logistics of doing so would not allow our members to adequately attend or participate in the meeting. Our hope is that we will be able to reschedule sometime later in the summer or fall. We will keep the website updated, and we will send out an email blast and postcards to inform everyone as soon as possible if a new date can be set later in 2020.                  

EMERGENCY BYLAWS
In view of the governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe proclamation, and rules adopted by the county, state, and federal authorities, and on advice of the association legal counsel, the board adopted Emergency Bylaws on April 5thunder the authority of RCW 23B.02.070. These Emergency Bylaws are valid only during the emergency order. They provide the board with the ability to change the date of the annual meeting, allow voting in different formats if needed, clarify the establishment of a quorum, and to fill vacant board positions. The Emergency Bylaws are posted on the website.

WUCIOA
Due to postponement of the Annual Membership Meeting and uncertainties surrounding how many members will be able to attend a later annual meeting, the board has decided to delay addressing some important issues until the 2021 annual meeting. These issues include a discussion of whether to be governed by WUCIOA and revisions to our bylaws required by those provisions of WUCIOA that apply to LRAA, whether we decide to be governed by all of WUCIOA or not. Both topics will be on the agenda at the 2021 meeting. The board will take steps to comply with the mandatory WUCIOA requirements in the meantime. One of those requirements is to have a Reserve Study done. The board has already contracted with a reserve study professional to do that study, which will be completed in the coming weeks. The results will be posted on the website.                            

BUDGET
The board created a budget for 2021 that needs to be approved by the membership. Since our fiscal year ends December 31st, there is no hurry to approve the new budget. Our hope is that this can take place at the rescheduled meeting this summer or fall. If circumstances do not allow our meeting to be rescheduled and the budget is not approved, our bylaws say that we will continue with the previously approved budget (2020). It is our belief that this would not create a hardship for the association since the 2021 budget is not substantially different than the 2020 budget. 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The LRAA currently has five open board positions. One board member has moved and is no longer in our community; two board members are term-limited and must rotate off; one board member is choosing not to run for a second term; and one board member is resigning with one year left in his term.  The board is going to emergency-appoint five new members. This will allow the board to continue with the full complement of nine members. According to our bylaws, emergency appointments last until the next membership meeting, when the members will vote to officially fill the positions. Again, more information regarding the new Board members will be posted on the website.                                                             

Please continue to check the website for updates and information regarding the Annual Meeting. If you have questions or concerns, please send them to us via the “Contact Us” form or to our Business Manager at lraa.business@gmail.com or (509) 996-3215.

Sincerely, 
LRAA Board

 
Lost River Airport Association