Date: 3 February 2002, Issue 25

Role of the District Governor

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It may appear that this month's column has limited interest to our readers, however, a governor who performs his responsibilities as outlined will indeed make a difference that can benefit every member in his district. It is my hope that one result of this article will be an increased awareness of the importance of this position in the structure of our association and perhaps a new respect for this very important office.

From time to time I have been asked the question in one form or another, "What is the job of the District Governor?". If one looks into our Constitution and By-Laws, you will find that the only references are to the voting rights of a governor but nothing to indicate what his job actually entails. Since the role has not been defined, I have drawn on my own interpretation based on a quarter century of AMCA experience at the International level. What follows therefore is not in any way an official description of the role, but in my humble opinion it is a very good model to adopt.

The most recent person to enquire about the role was our intrepid Wisconsin Upper Michigan President, George Pecor. What follows is my response to his question.

We have nothing written regarding the responsibility of the Governor's position. The office is referred to in the Constitution but not defined. Where it is mentioned it is paralleled with "President" since some districts; such as Ontario, do not have a governor's position but choose to have their elected president (or his designate) fulfill that role.

Governor A Link

The District Governor serves as the liaison between his district and the International. He should be in attendance at meetings and be prepared to vote on agenda issues as a representative of his district. This implies that the district discuss the agenda prior to the International meeting. That is one reason, the agendas are mailed out about six weeks prior to business meetings. The other of course, is to allow time for the election/appointment of delegates and the booking of room reservations. Where there is a position of District Governor it is usual that it be elected not appointed; however, the method of choice is a district decision.
Must Be Knowledgeable
In summary, the District Governor should be the most informed person in his district about AMCA matters. He should make it his responsibility to know the Constitution and how his district fits in and is effected by it. He also has a responsibility to be knowledgeable about his district's business and views so that he can adequately and effectively represent them at AMCA meetings. Perhaps this suggests why some districts choose to give this responsibility to their elected head/president.
Governor VS President
One definite advantage in having a Governor rather than attaching these responsibilities to the president's office, is that of continuity. He can and possibly should be in his position for a longer period of time than other elected or appointed officers. When the President serves out his term the district representative then starts from zero as far as his knowledge of AMCA business (unless he has been in attendance in another capacity) and this has minuses for both the district and International Board of Directors.

Current Governors

On behalf of the Associated Male Choruses of America may I extend the appreciation of our association to those men who have taken on this important task and wish them well in fulfilling the expectations of their role. They are listed here for your information and I am certain that they would appreciate hearing from members of their district whether it be a query or simply a message of thanks:

Michigan - David Waite c/o sgt_cavanaugh@hotmail.com
New York Penn - Edwin Schwer peenschwer@alltel.net
Ontario - Gordon Jarvis gordonjarvis@home.com
Upper Midwest - Roger Caine roger_caine@hotmail.com
Wisconsin Upper Michigan - Don Fredrickson c/o gepecor@aol.com

Right to Vote

I have not dealt in this article with the voting rights of the District Governor at International business meetings, a subject detailed in our Constitution. However, if readers have questions in this regard, I would be pleased to respond to them.

Note: Chorus "Governors" are beyond the International's influence and where they exist, I would think that the role would be similar to the role of the District Governor - ie. to liaise with the District Executive and with a full knowledge of chorus and district activities and policies.

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Bill

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Article placed online - 4 Feb 2002