The House of Delegates voted to increase International dues by $10, but defeated a request that the International Board have the power to do annual increases not exceeding 5 percent.

Delegates also voted against having voting done online instead of at the convention.

Other bylaw amendments also were considered by the delegates during the five-year marathon business session.

Elections:

• President, Susan A. Petrisin, Michigan District
• President-Elect, Jane M. Erickson, Nebraska-Iowa District
• Vice President, James M. Rochford, Illinois-Eastern Iowa District
• Board of Trustees (3-year terms):
  • John DeVilbiss, Ohio District
  • Lance Incitti, New Jersey District
  • Terry White, Indiana District

Administrative Resolution

Delegates approved a resolution ending a temporary provision allowing Company Clubs. Only three such clubs were formed and only one still exists. Delegates approved the measure with a 92 percent in favor.

Amendment #1, Club Meeting Frequency

Approved a bylaw change to remove a ban on a satellite club and a Kiwanis club from meeting more than once in a week; 98 percent were in favor.

Amendment #2: Substitution for Governor at International Council meetings

Approved, with 97 percent support, giving districts the right to send a replacement if a governor is unable to attend an International Council meeting.

Amendment #3: Permissible Time Frame for District Conventions

Approved, with 98 percent approval, to move the deadline for the conduct of district conventions from Sept. 15 to Sept. 25 each year.

Amendment #4: Vice-Governor as Delegate at Large

Approved, with 88 percent in favor, allowing vice governors, where they exist, to be at-large delegates to International Conventions.

Amendment #5: Corporate Membership

Approved, with 97 percent in favor, making Corporate Memberships a permanent type of club membership.

Amendment #6: Online Voting

A hotly debated proposal to allow clubs to vote online instead of requiring attendance at International Conventions in order to vote was defeated. Supporters said it would allow all clubs to participate, noting that a relatively small number are represented at the convention each year. Critics feared the change would hurt convention attendance and eliminate in-person debate and the opportunity to amend proposals. The measure was defeated, with 36 percent in favor and 64 percent opposed.

Amendment #7: Proposed $10 dues increase

As usual it was the dues increase proposal which drew the most heat. Board members noted that dues had not increased since 2003, and that more money was needed in order to carry out efforts designed to reverse declining membership. "You can't cut your way to prosperity," said one of the proponents, International Trustee Kevin Dean of the West Virginia District.

First an amendment was proposed to reduce the increase to $3 instead of $10. It was defeated with 24 percent in favor and 76 percent opposed.

Then the vote to approve the $10 increase, effective Oct. 1, was approved by nearly the same margin. With a two-thirds vote required, 75 percent voted in favor and 25 percent opposed.

Amendment #8: Annual Adjustment Option

A second dues proposal which would have allowed the International Board to increase dues by no more than 5 percent per year, was defeated after three amendment votes.

The first effort, to set a cap of no more than 10 percent over 10 years, was defeated with 26 percent in favor, and 74 percent opposed.

A second, to make it 3 percent rather than 5, also was defeated, with 30 percent in favor and 70 percent opposed.

A third, requiring any board vote to have a two-thirds margin rather than a simple majority, was approved with 52 percent in favor and 48 percent opposed.

The vote on the amended motion was taken and it lost, with only 27 percent voting in favor and 73 percent opposed.

Amendment #9: Affiliated Entities

The amendment would have provided for greater oversight by Kiwanis International for groups which have been given permission to use the word Kiwanis as part of their names.

Although 61 percent were in favor and 39 percent opposed, the proposal required two-thirds approval and so failed.