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COVID-19 Meeting guidance from Commander Jan C. Brown
Attention AMVETS Post and Department Commanders:
At this time, most or all posts nationwide have been closed by state or local government directives. All posts should comply with those directives. Federal government directives now state no meeting of 10 or more people should be conducted until further notice, which will be based on public health guidance.
A number of posts and departments have already canceled meetings or will need to cancel/postpone scheduled meetings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is understood that those meetings were needed to conduct official business. We do not want these cancellations to leave you in bad positions. The guidance in this memo was created with that in mind.
Post and Department executive committee meetings may be conducted via teleconference, provided members of those committees are notified ahead of time. The commander or committee chair shall conduct the meeting. Minutes must be taken, written and distributed to all the committee’s members. The meeting should begin with a by-name rollcall. Motions should be made, seconded and discussed in the normal fashion. Each motion should be voted on via a roll call vote. The minutes should note each vote, by name. Those minutes must be ratified at the next possible in-person meeting.
We understand there is a potential meeting postponements may delay some post elections. Teleconferencing should not be used for elections. With that in mind, National Headquarters will not, and Departments should not, hold any post in jeopardy because they are not allowed by state law to meet and elect new officers. The legal orders we’ve seen, so far, are only effective through April. If they are extended, that could also affect Department elections. National will also not hold that against Departments if that is the case. In both instances, the existing officers would remain in place until elections can be legally held.
Further guidance will be issued should the ban on meetings remain in effect when elections season begins.
Please ensure all commanders in your states receive this guidance as soon as possible.
Yours in Service,
Jan C. Brown
AMVETS National Commander
4647 Forbes Blvd.
Lanham, MD 20706
(301) 683-4002
(833) VET-HEAL
