Docent Council Purpose
Operating under the direction of the State Parks, the Docent Council shall promote cooperation and enhance information exchange among docents, volunteers and State Park staff within the Coastal Sector. The council further advises the State Parks of activities and makes recommendations of the needs of the docents and volunteers.
Docent Council Bylaws
For the
Coastal Sector of San Luis Obispo Coast District California State Parks
Approved Oct. 2004
Article I. Name
A. Coastal Sector Docents—The Coastal Sector Docents shall consist of all docents of the Coastal Sector San Luis Obispo Coast District of State Parks
B. Coastal Sector Docent Council—The Coastal Sector Docent Council shall consist of three officers and chairpersons of standing committees. Complete membership details are contained in Article III. In the remainder of these bylaws the terms “Docent Council” and “Council” shall refer to the “Coastal Sector Docent Council.
Article II. Purpose
Operating under the direction of the State Parks, this council shall promote cooperation and enhance information exchange among Docents, Volunteers and State Park staff within the Coastal Sector. The Council further advises the State Parks of activities and makes recommendations of the needs of the Docents and Volunteers.
Article III. Membership
Voting members of the Docent Council are: the president, vice president and secretary and each chairperson (or authorized representative) of a standing committee. Non-voting members of the Docent Council are the designated State Parks Interpreter, the Central Coast Natural History Association (CCNHA) Executive Director and ad hoc committee chairpersons.
1. President. The president or designee shall preside over Docent Council and General Docent meetings. The president shall also represent Docents and Volunteers as a member of the CCNHA Board of Directors.
2. Vice President. The Vice President shall preside over Council meetings in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall ensure the timely formation of the nominating committee (see Article IV, B,1) and shall perform any other duties that the President may designate.
3. Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain minutes of all Council and General Docent meetings and prepare necessary correspondence.
B. Meetings.
1. Coastal Sector Docent Council. The council shall meet monthly at such time and place as determined and duly announced. Council meetings are open to all Docents and Docent Apprentices.
2. Coastal Sector Docents. The Docent Council shall coordinate a minimum of two (2) General Meetings annually. For election purposes one meeting shall be held in November or December.
Article IV. Election of Officers
A. Term of Office. Officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected.
B. Nominating Committee
1. Members. The nominating committee shall consist of five (5) docents. Standing officers shall not serve on the nominating committee. Each park unit (Morro Bay, Montaňa de Oro and Pismo) chairperson shall each appoint one member. These three initial members shall then appoint two additional docents to serve on the nominating committee for a total of five (5) members on the nominating committee. Two of the five members of the nominating committee shall be voting members of the council. The members of the nominating committee will select one of its members to serve as chairperson.
2. Meetings. The following time schedule (months) is based on the General Meeting-at which the officers will be elected- being held in December. If the General Meeting is held in November, the time schedule needs to be moved up one month. That is, instead of “September”, read “August”, etc. The nominating committee shall meet in September of each year to select nominees for office for the following year. They will report to the Council in October of each year. Names of nominees shall be published in the November newsletter.
3. Elections. The officers for the following year shall be elected by the Docents at the scheduled General Meeting in December each year.
a. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted.
b. The Nominating Committee should make an effort to nominate and executive officer from each of the three park units (Montaňa de Oro, Morro Bay and Pismo). Candidates for the executive offices shall be active Docents.
c. Nominations by the general membership may be presented, in writing, to the Docent Council at their October meeting. This will provide time to post the slate of officers 30 days prior to the elections. A nomination can be accepted only if the nominee is able and willing to serve.
d. If the slate of officers is unopposed, a unanimous vote may be made from the floor. If there is more than one candidate for an office, a vote by secret ballot shall be held at the annual meeting, tabulated and announced by the nominating committee.
e. A majority of votes cast elects the officers. In case of a tie vote, a run-off election shall be held immediately.
C. Publication. A list of current officers, standing and ad hoc committee chairpersons shall be published in the newsletter and posted at appropriate park units at the beginning of the year and any other time a change occurs. The purpose of each ad hoc committee shall be included.
Article V. Standing Committees
A. Committee List. The criterion for including a committee in this list is that the activities of the committee are sector wide rather than unique to one of the three park units (Morro Bay, Montaňa de Oro and Pismo). Member of the respective committees will select Standing Committee Chairpersons with input of the State Parks Interpreter. The Council shall be notified as soon as possible of a change in Chairpersons. Standing Committees may have subcommittees at each park unit. The Standing Committees of the Docent Council shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Montaňa de Oro. Coordinates the State Park Docent activities in the Montaňa de Oro Unit.
2. Morro Bay. Coordinates the State Park activities in the Morro Bay Unit.
3. Pismo. Coordinates the State Park activities in the Pismo State Beach unit.
4. Curatorial. The Curatorial Committee, under the direction of the designated State Parks Interpreter, is responsible for the maintenance of and additions to the collections. Chairperson oversees individual collections, maintains records and obtains required permits.
5. Docent Education. The Docent Education Committee, under the direction of the State Parks Interpreter, is responsible for initial interviewing of Docent applicants and basic training of all Docents.
6. Adventures with Nature. The Adventures with Nature Committee organizes all published Docent-led presentations, resolves scheduling problems, edits descriptions and titles, obtains State Park staff approval of presentations and interpretive brochures for trails and calls periodic meetings of presentation Docents.
7. Library. The Library Committee maintains catalogues, purchases and files books, videos, slides, archives and other resources.
8. Native American Interpretive Group. The Native American Interpretive Group promotes understanding of and interpretation of local Native American cultures.
9. Communications. The Communications committee edits, publishes, and circulates the newsletter for the CCNHA and Docents; sends electronic (email) bulletins; and maintains a web page. These activities shall be conducted in consultation and close cooperation with the CCNHA Executive Director and the State Parks Interpreter.
10. Special Events. The Special Events Committee develops and organizes programs and special events.
11. Youth Education. The Youth Education Committee trains School Docents, produces teacher information packets and schedules and conducts school and youth group programs.
B. Adding a Standing Committee. The Docent Council may create a new Standing Committee by majority vote. Publication of the action shall take place in accordance with Article IV. A Standing Committee created by the Docent Council shall remain actives until the Docent Council deactivates it by majority vote.
C. Ad Hoc Committee. With the approval of a majority of the Docent Council, the President may form any Ad Hoc Committees deemed necessary. The President shall appoint a chairperson of the committee.
Article VI. Parliamentary Authority
A. Hierarchy.
1. Standing Rules of the Docent Council.
2. Bylaws of the Docent Council of the Coastal Sector of the San Luis Obispo Coast District of State Parks
3. Robert’s Rules of Order
B. Standing Rules of the Docent Council. The Standing Rules of the Docent Council are a set of rules that are outside of the Bylaws, but that conform to the Bylaws and extend the Bylaws.
1. Documentation. The Secretary shall maintain the list of Standing Rules of the Docent Council. The rules shall be distributed to voting members of the Docent Council in either electronic or printed form whenever the rules are changed. A printed current reference copy of the Standing Rules will be available at all Docent Council meetings and at the Morro Bay Natural History Museum Library.
2. Adopting or Amending a Standing Rule. Adoption, amendment or removal of a Standing Rule shall require a majority vote of Docent Council.
Article VII. Amendments
A. Vote Requirement. These Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a 2/3 majority of the Docents present at a General Docent meeting, provided the proposed amendment was approved by the Docent Council and a written notice given to Docents thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
B. Availability. These Bylaws and any amendment thereto, shall be available to all Docents and Volunteers.
MINUTES OF DOCENT COUNCIL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2007
BY GINNY RANDALL
In Attendance: Norma Wightman, Ginny Randall, Eilleen Bowen, Sue Fong,
Rouvaishyana, Tyra Solomon, Rich Elliott, Carolyn Frank, Louise Abbott, Jerry
Stanley, Denise Tallman and guest Karen Watts.
President Norma Wightman called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Karen Watts
was welcomed. The April minutes were approved.
Reports:
Report from Rouvaishyana:
• Discovery Map – Rouvaishyana handed out a discovery map that was worked on by
Carolyn Frank, Isobel Hoffman and Bev Hardy.
• New Computers – Louise Abbott and Mike Baird, among others, have been helping
install new monitors and computers in the museum.
• Maintenance Position – Rouvaishyana has requested from State Parks a dedicated
maintenance position for exhibit repairs.
• Docent training at the museum will begin this Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
• ADA Compliance – There was a team from the Southern Service Center of State
Parks to work on modifications to the museum and to the Spooner Ranch for ADA
compliance. Repairs may start in the summer of 2008. Louise Abbott brought up
that the walkway to the Learning Center is very steep and is not ADA compliant
even though it says so in the Adventures with Nature listing. All agreed that
this should be deleted from the listing.
Report from CCNHA: Denise Tallman:
• Secret Safari will be on September 8. Robin Hendry is doing a silent auction.
People are needed to bring in small donated items, such as a certificate for a
hair cut, a dinner out, etc. A special fund for the safari will be the whale
bone exhibit at the museum.
• There may be a connection with a professor at Cal Poly who will cooperate with
the museum in having students help build exhibits.
• Montana de Oro Ranch House is still a priority and Denise will be working to
get large donations and grants for improvements needed there.
• The Art Show starts tomorrow, May 3.
• Calendar photos are due on May 15.
• There will be a Chairman’s Council walk this Saturday. Louise Abbott will take
them to see the Heron Rookery.
• The CCNHA Board is talking about selling ads in the newsletter. She will bring
this to the Communications Committee.
• She urged everyone not to forget e-scrip as it is bringing in money to CCNHA.
• The budget is still uncertain. If one of the committees needs something,
please let Rouvaishyana and Denise know.
Old Business
Docent Website Update: Louise Abbott said that the next step is for her and
Rouvaishyana to meet with Juvie Ortiz.
Meeting with Katy Budge: Norma Wightman said that she, Ginny Randall and Susan
Fong met with Kay Budge for lunch today and came away with many good ideas for
recruitment of new volunteers. She mentioned some, such as getting docent
profiles into some of the freebie magazines, people who belong to other groups
spreading the word in that group, business cards urging people to become a State
Park volunteer to hand out on walks, etc. She said she will send docents a
complete list later. Ideas brought up at the meeting were to do a mailing for
CCNHA membership and to have a notice (a paragraph about recruitment) on the
calendar. All this will be brought up at the Communications Committee meeting.
Tri-fold Table Top Exhibit: Norma Wightman said there are three modules and each
is 24 feet x 36 inches high. There are photos of people enjoying State Parks.
The exhibit is now at Shari Sullivan’s studio.
New Business
Which Events to Become Involved In: Denise Tallman said that she had received
several calls from the kite flying organizers asking her if she wanted a booth
at the event. It was decided that she should forward the request to Norma for
Docent Council to discuss. Denise then asked how we decide which events we want
to get involved in and it was agreed that we would put this on the agenda for
next time.
Articles in Area Newspapers: Carolyn Frank said that many of the articles she
writes about docent training do not make it into area newspapers since Dan Eller
has taken over publicity. Ginny Randall asked if Dan calls the newspapers to get
a contact and to urge that the articles get in. Rouvaishyana said that he
doesn’t think this is happening. Since AWN schedules do get into area
newspapers, he will ask Gwen Infante if she can call the newspapers about the
other articles also.
Mind Walks Coordination: Norma Wightman said that the following are on the Mind
Walks Committee as of now: Karen Watts, Nancy Hartwick, Jim and Phoebe Adams,
Norma Wightman and Rouvaishyana. Louise Abbott will contact the Beebes and see
if they want to be on the committee. Karen Watts has put together a list of
topics and speakers from the past four years.
New Staff: Denise Tallman reported that the new Americorps person is Katarina,
who will be working 40 hours per week during the summer. She has also hired a
new bookkeeper, David Phillips, for 15 hours per week.
Committee Reports
Curatorial: Rouvaishyana said that Jack Morrow has offered to step in to take
Emmie Nieman’s place after her resignation. The 1:00 p.m. curatorial tour
scheduled for next month will be postponed.
Docent Education: Carolyn Frank reported that there are 14 to 15 trainees as of
now. She is telling people that volunteers are most needed for the front desk
and for school groups.
Library: Eilleen Bowen stated that a successful inventory was completed this
year with only two books missing and both of those located. They have received
boxes of books from Mary Coffeen’s daughter.
Montana de Oro: Rich Elliott reported that he and Ray Smith hosted eight travel
writers who are writing about San Luis Obispo and vicinity. Some were from
newspapers and others were from magazines, such as the AAA magazine. Since the
sign has been put up, attendance at the Ranch House is up almost 20%.
Morro Bay Unit: Rouvaishyana presented Louise Abbott with the award she won
earlier at the awards dinner.
Norma Wightman urged all to remember the semi-annual docent meeting on June 2
from 10 a.m. to noon with Pismo hosting. The next meeting of the Docent Council
will be on June 6 at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum Auditorium. There will be no Docent
Council meeting in July.
Return to slodocents.org home
(do not edit below this line)