2025 MI-LMSC Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Michigan Local Masters Swimming Committee (MI‑LMSC) is scheduled on Saturday April 12, 2025 during the 2025 State Championship meet at the Holland Aquatic Center. The annual meeting will take place during the break between the morning and afternoon swimming sessions. This is a non-election year for the MI-LMSC board of directors. The next election for the board of directior positions will take place at the annual meeting in 2026. Any proposed bylaw, policy or agenda items need to be submitted to the MI-LMSC Chair @ MIChair@usms.org, by March 27, 2025.

Tentative Agenda:

• Call to Order and Approval of Previous 2024 MI-LMSC Annual Meeting Minutes
• Welcome Members
• 2026 State Meet
• Treasurer’s Report
• Proposed MI-LMSC Bylaw/Policy Changes – 5 Proposals (outlined below)
• Membership Coordinator’s Report
• Sanction’s & Top 10 Report
• USMS 2025 Spring Nationals in San Antonio, TX
• New Business – Open Discussion
• Adjournment

Proposed MI-LMSC Bylaw/Policy Changes:

PROPOSAL #1 – Power to Select Championship Hosts/Locations

Proposed by the MI-LMSC.

This proposal affects current bylaws 4.4 and 5.4. The purpose of the proposal is to change the power to select championship meet hosts from the general membership to the Board of Directors.

Bylaw 4.4        Responsibilities. The duties and powers of the general membership are to: (a) receive reports from the Board of Directors; (b) elect voting members of the Board of Directors and members of the Review Committee; (c) amend the MI-LMSC bylaws; (d) ratify or rescind policy and programs established by the Board of Directors; (e) determine the host and location of MI-LMSC state championships; and (f e) consider any other business relating to MI-LMSC.

Bylaw 5.4        Powers. The Board of Directors shall have the power to conduct business on behalf of the MI-LMSC between general membership meetings, including the power to (a) establish, maintain, and eliminate MI-LMSC policies; (b) approve MI-LMSC financial reports, budgets, and audits; (c) determine the host and location of LMSC championship swimming meets; and (cd) temporarily suspend the MI-LMSC bylaws in emergency situations per Article 10.4. The Board of Directors shall not have the power to assume responsibilities (a), (b), (c), or (d) of the general membership as described in Article 4.1.3.

Rationale. There is a substantial precedent for administrators to be responsible for site selection. The USMS Championship Committee is responsible for awarding sites of national championship meets. The Board of Directors in several LMSCs (especially the larger LMSCs) are responsible for site selection for their LMSC championships. The two primary criteria associated with site selection are (a) quality of facilities and (b) the expertise and experience of the meet/facility directors in conducting large-scale masters swimming meets. The BOD is in a better position than the general membership to apply these criteria.

• The most desirable competitive swimming facilities in Michigan are in high demand for both championship and regular season meets by a variety of swimming organizations including MI-LMSC, Michigan/USA Swimming, high school and college leagues, etc. MI-LMSC increasingly finds itself in a negotiating position to secure those facilities for our State Championship meet on dates that are acceptable to our members.
• Evaluation of meet director/facility director credentials often is better accomplished in a private setting rather than in a large group general membership meeting, especially if credentials are questionable. There is much precedent in a wide variety of organizations for protecting applicants’ privacy during such evaluations.

PROPOSAL #2 – MI-LMSC Championship Meets

Proposed by the MI-LMSC.

Bylaw 9.2.2        MI-LMSC State Championships. Policies related to bids to host MI-LMSC championship meets, criteria for selecting championship meet hosts/locations, and agreements between the meet host and the MI-LMSC Board of Directors are to be posted on the MI-LMSC website.

9.2.2.1        Conduct of Competition. MI-LMSC State Championships will be held in accordance with the rules of the USMS for conduct of championships and with MI-LMSC bylaws and policies to the maximum extent possible and practical.

9.2.2.2        Rotation Award System. The MI-LMSC State Swimming Championships shall be held at various locations in different geographical areas of the state in a rotation that accommodates the majority of members fairly, using the facilities that are best able to hold such a meet. (3-24-12)

9.2.2.3        Bid Procedures. A club or workout group wishing to host the state championships shall use a bid form provided by the Sanctions Officer. The completed bid form must be returned to both the Chair and the Sanctions Officer at least 14 days prior to the date of the annual general membership meeting. A vote of the MI-LMSC members in attendance at the annual general membership meeting shall determine the bid winner/site of the next state championship meet. (3-24-12)

Policy 6.2.2.2        Bidding to host the MI-LMSC State Championships. Bids shall be submitted to the Sanctions Officer at least two weeks (14 days) before the annual general membership meeting in the year prior to the proposed competition. (e.g., Bids for 2014 MI-LMSC championships submitted at least two weeks before 2013 annual meeting.) Bids must include the proposed and any alternate dates, description of the proposed facility, the planned schedule of events, the likely meet personnel, and contact information for the meet director. Bids must be in writing as attachments to electronic mail. (6/26/2022)

Policy 6.2.2.3        Presentation of bids. Determination of state championships hosts is made by the general membership at the annual meeting. Bidders are encouraged to prepare formal presentations to enable members to make informed choices about proposed dates, facilities, host community, and meet personnel. (3/24/2012)  )

Rationale. The purpose of this proposal is to remove conflicting bylaws and policies.

• New Bylaw 9.2.2 is substituted for existing Bylaws 9.2.2, 9.2.2.2, and 9.2.2.3. The content of the deleted sections should be moved to the MI-LMSC website, where a more comprehensive description of meet host/location selection criteria can be included.

PROPOSAL #3 –Reorganize and revise Bylaw 8.1

Proposed by the MI-LMSC.

By (a) moving the paragraph about candidate’s qualifications to new number 8.1.1, (b) clarifying that there are two methods for nominating candidates, and (c) eliminating from-the-floor nominations for officer and Review Committee positions.

Bylaw 8.1        Elections of Officers and Members of the Review Committee

Renumber old 8.1.2.2 to new 8.1.1        Candidates qualifications. Any individual registered with USMS through the MI-LMSC may be considered for an officer position, and any individual registered with USMS through the MI-LMSC for at least five years may be considered for Review Committee membership. To facilitate elections, candidates are encouraged to submit a brief resume and statement of intent to run at least 14 days prior to the annual general membership meeting.

8.1.1        Nominating Committee. The Vice-Chair shall may head an Ad Hoc Nominating Committee of members who are appointed by the Chair with approval from the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee shall recommend candidates for each elected position.

8.1.2.1        Nominations Candidates for Office. Two methods are used to nominate solicit candidates for officer and Review Committee positions.

8.1.2.2        Methods General Membership. The Vice Chair shall solicit candidates from the general membership Nominations for officer and Review Committee positions shall be solicited by the Vice-Chair using various methods including electronic mail, and the MI-LMSC web site. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the annual general membership meeting.

New Bylaw 8.1.3         Appointments. When the processes described in 8.1.1 and 8.1.2 do not yield nominations, the Board of Directors shall appoint a member of MI-LMSC to fill the vacancy until the next scheduled election.

Rationale. There are ample opportunities for both the Board of Directors and the general membership to declare their candidacy without need for from-the-floor nominations. If all nominations are achieved by the proposed February 15 deadline, it will be possible for the general membership to be well informed about candidate credentials and thus be prepared to vote.

PROPOSAL #4 – Required Deadlines

Proposed by the MI-LMSC.

Currently the bylaws and policies specify different deadlines associated with the annual general membership meeting. Proposal #3 offers standardized deadlines.

Bylaw 6.1.1.1.  Deadlines. Whenever the annual general membership meeting is not held in concurrence with the MI-LMSC Championships, the Board of Directors shall establish alternate deadlines for (a) members to submit championship meet bids, resumes of election candidates, and proposed bylaw and policy amendments and for (b) the Board of Directors to share those data with the general membership.

Proposed changes to Existing Bylaws and Policies. For clarity and brevity, proposed changes are summarized in this table. If these proposed deadlines are adopted, appropriate changes will be made to each identified bylaw.

Rationale. Standard dates should be easier to administer than the current “so many days before” deadlines. The proposed deadlines are earlier than existing deadlines, providing more time for the BOD to accomplish their due diligence and to share information with the general membership in a timely way before the annual meeting.

PROPOSAL #5 – Proposed Policy Change: State-Wide Elections, Electronic Ballot, Website Published Results, Non-Partisan MI‑LMSC Designated as Election Official

Proposed by April Wycott, Ann Arbor Masters