PROTECT Hemlock News FROM CENSORSHIP

AMEND BYLAW SECTION 3.13

Empowered with the right to petition under Bylaw Article 2, Section 2.3E, we the undersigned, Members in good standing of the Hemlock Farms Community Association (HFCA), each signature representing up to two (2) votes as indicated, request the following Proposed Change to Article 3, Section 3.13 of the Hemlock Farms Community Bylaws to be presented on the 2023 HFCA Election Ballot to the Membership for consideration by Member vote.

PROPOSED CHANGE

BYLAW ARTICLE 3 - DIRECTORS

SECTION 3.13 Official Publication

The Directors shall cause an official publication to be published by the Hemlock Farms Community Association no less than twelve (12) times a year. ­THE DIRECTORS SHALL NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO LIMIT OR RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF PAGES OF CONTENT IN THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. FURTHERMORE, TO THAT PURPOSE, the editor of the official publication shall be selected by AND REPORT to the Board and SHALL not be a member of the Board NOR HAVE ANY CURRENT OR PRIOR AFFILIATIONS WITH ANY DIRECTOR.

Rationale: Without these prohibitions in Section 3.13, the Board is currently empowered with the authority to limit or restrict the number of pages of content in the official publication. This facilitates de facto censorship by enabling those charged with the content of the official publication to subjectively judge what is and is not relevant to the HFCA Membership. And to ensure that no censorship is imposed by the Directors by another means, the editor shall not have any current or prior affiliations with any Director.

The breadth and depth of the news and events of the Community should be the factors that determine the number of pages of content in any given issue of the official publication.

The official publication is the voice of the community in so far as it publishes “Letters to the Editor” submitted by HFCA Members. The authority to limit or restrict the number of pages of content effectively places this “voice” in jeopardy.

**CRITICAL** FOR HFCA SIGNATURE VERIFICATION AND **CERTIFICATION**:

In the “Comments” Box, please enter your **Hemlock Farms property address**;

(example: 999 Drive/Lane/Court, etc.)

and indicate under the address if the signature represents **1 vote** or **2 votes**