We, the signers of this petition, support the following amendment to the Council bylaws and petition (1) for this proposed amendment to be added to the notice and agenda for the spring meeting of the council and (2) for this proposed amendment to voted on by the delegates of the council.

Amend By-Laws, Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, Inc., Article V, by adding the following after Article V. 3:

4. Open Meetings. The Council’s annual meeting and any additional and special called meetings of the Directors, Officers, and Delegates of the Council shall be open to individuals age 14 and older who are members of the Girl Scout Movement and who are currently registered through the Council. Announcements regarding date, time, place, and purpose of any such meetings, inviting attendance by those eligible to attend, shall be made through council communication channels no later than the time formal written notice is sent to Directors, Officers, and Delegates.

Rationale for Proposed Amendment:

GSSC-MM’s delegate meetings are currently closed; only the council officers, board members, and delegates may attend. In the spirit of transparency, we believe that our council’s meetings should be open to any registered member of GSSC-MM (includes lifetime) who is at least 14 years of age and who desires to attend to witness the proceedings. Allowing meetings to be open allows any member eligible to be elected to be a Service Unit delegate to:

(1) learn more about our council’s purpose, strategies, and objectives,

(2) learn how our council is governed, and

(3) be more prepared for a future delegate role in our council.

Both our girls and our adults deserve the chance, if they so desire, to witness our council’s governance in action so they can be better prepared to participate in council governance in the future, thus strengthening our council’s governance and democratic processes.

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