Board Briefing of May 1, 2026

​Up Coming Events:
The GCC fiscal year 2025-2026, which ends on June 30, 2026, is rapidly winding down.  Several important events are just around the corner: the election of new Board members and the annual meeting.  A Board election announcement was recently sent to members who are eligible to vote in the June election and run for a Board seat, (membership dues must have been received by March 14, 2026, to be eligible to vote in the June election and run for a Board seat). The annual GCC membership meeting will be held on June 13, 2026, at the Gualala Baptist Church at 1:00pm, when the results of the election will be announced.  The new Board will hold their first Board meeting on July 8, 2026. If you are interested in being a candidate for a Board seat, May 5th is the last day to declare your candidacy.
 
GCC Bylaws:
The GCC Bylaws committee, headed by the GCC Secretary, Laverne Hancock, has been exploring the best way to restate GCC Bylaws, which have undergone piecemeal revisions over the years and do not adhere to the CA codes for non-profit organizations.  The original Bylaws, written on onion skin paper in 1955, reflect the financial and social norms of that period along with language to match.  For example: “The dues of each member shall be One Dollar ($1.00) per year, payable in advance at such time as may be determined by the Board of Directors.” And “All names proposed for active membership shall be submitted to the Board of Directors, who shall investigate the fitness of applicants and recommend to the membership the election of the approved person, and such election shall be held at the regular meeting of the membership.” 

Also, there is a long section devoted to the expulsion of members “Should any member of the Community Center be convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, or be connected with any notorious public scandal, or conduct himself in such a way that his connection with the Community Center may injure its good name, neither the Board of Directors nor the membership shall take any action to terminate his membership until he or she is given a private hearing by five members of the Board at a closed meeting.” And it goes on from here about steps to be taken to expel the offending member.  It makes me wonder how the GCC Bylaws will be scrutinized 70 years from now.

Although Laverne and her committee will not have to deal with the terms of the 1955 Bylaws, there are significant issues with the current Bylaws which need to be addressed such as the length of time someone must be a member before such person can vote or be elected to the Board.

GCC Re-Building News:
Mendocino Building Department has notified Adrian Adams, the Structural Engineer for the Community Center, that the building permit is being prepared and will be ready for pick-up soon.  A fee for the permit has not yet been established.

Recently, Reef Atwell-Smith, from the USDA regional office in Santa Rosa, met with several of the Board members and members of the Build Local Plan Construction Group to discuss the most effective means of using the USDA grant.  Questions about what the grant could specifically be used for were discussed. Reef indicated he would have some answers within a week.
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May GCC Board Meeting:
As always, we invite you to attend our next Board meeting Wednesday, May 13th at 2:30 p.m. at the Gualala Baptist Church, 37300 Church Street, Gualala. We are interested in your ideas, feedback, and participation.  Also, Check out the two attachments!
 
Best wishes from your GCC Board of Directors.
 
President, Janet Pierucci
Vice President, Darla Buechner                      Member: Paul Cupich
Secretary: Laverne Hancock                           Member: Nancy Howard
Treasurer: Colby Bibb                                    Member: Whyte Owen