AlpacaGram 8.31 | Six Bylaws Amendments and One Ballot Issue in the AOA Election

AlpacaGram 8.31
AlpacaGram 8.31April 29, 2021

Six Bylaws Amendments and One Ballot Issue in the AOA Election

Monday, May 3, is the last day to renew your membership to vote in the upcoming election. Contact the office if you are unsure of your status.

This year, in addition to electing three board members, there will be six bylaws amendments and one issue for consideration.

The AOA Board of Directors is recommending a new membership structure for the organization. Although Sections 3.1 and 3.4 of AOA’s Bylaws allow the Board to establish new classes of membership and to determine the rights and privileges for various classes of membership, Section 3.2 of the Bylaws requires that implementation of new annual dues be approved by a vote of the AOA members. Thus, the AOA Board is requesting the members’ approval of the proposed new membership classes and the initial annual dues associated with each class.

Explanation/Recommendation of AOA Board of Directors:

Over the past year, the AOA Board of Directors, Membership Committee, and staff have been reviewing AOA’s membership structure and considering ideas for positive change to that structure. The alpaca industry has changed dramatically in recent years, and many programs and services have been added to AOA’s offerings to its members. However, membership structure and annual dues have not been reviewed since long before the merger of ARI and AOBA in 2014.

The proposed new membership structure includes five classes of membership: Business, Corporate, Primary, Youth, and Alpaca Owner. The intent of having five different membership levels is not only to provide benefits which more closely match the varying needs of different members, but also to allow AOA to communicate more effectively with each group about issues that affect the particular members in that group.

The primary driver for this proposed new membership structure is AOA’s desire to support all business models at a dues level that is commensurate with value and with the cost of the programs and services AOA will be providing to each group.

Candidate statements, amendments, and the ballot issue can all be found at www.alpacainfo.com/about/election. We encourage everyone to take part in the election process and to support the membership updates recommended by the AOA Board.

2021 Election Candidates

  • Tashia Butterfield — Butterfield Alpaca Ranch (NE)
  • Alfredo Cruzat — CruVer Alpacas LLC (ID)
  • Lynn Edens — Snowmass Alpacas, Little Creek Farm, Accoyo America (NY)
  • Brian Houchin — Houchin Family Alpacas (IL)
  • Char (Charissa) Johnson — Happy Tails Alpaca Farm (OH)
  • Michael Livingston — Autumn Sun Alpacas (CO)
  • Scott Miller — Crescent Moon Ranch (OR)
  • Dana Rhoades — Green River Alpacas (UT)
  • Charlene Payne Schmid — Integrity Alpacas & Fiber (CA)

Important Dates

  • May 3, 2021 — Last day to become a paid member to vote in the upcoming election
  • May 5, 2021 — Online voting opens
  • May 26, 2021 — Online voting closes
  • July 10, 2021 — 2021–22 Board of Directors and new officers introduced at the AOA Annual Meeting during the Natural Fiber Extravaganza in Lebanon, Tennessee.

To vote in the upcoming election, you must be an Association or Registry member, at least 18 years old, and own at least 25% of a live AOA-registered alpaca. The deadline for becoming a member is May 3, 2021. If you have not yet renewed or upgraded your membership, you can do so on your dashboard after logging in at www.AlpacaInfo.com. As a reminder, individuals, not farms, are AOA members; therefore, spouses or partners must have their own individual memberships to be eligible to vote in the election.

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