We look forward to seeing you at the May 3 State Council in Birmingham.   
In addition to our morning business session in which we will discuss current challenges and opportunities for the League in Alabama, we will hear from the President-elect of the Alabama State Bar Association at lunch and participate in two workshop sessions in the afternoon.

We invite each Local League to send a written report of your League's activities in the past year to be included in written materials to be distributed at Council.  In addition you are invited to briefly present at Council the how-tos of any recent project or organizational change or initiative of your Local League of which you are proud and which you believe others might want to duplicate.  Please let me know asap if your League would like to reserve 10 minutes to share information about a special project or initiative in our afternoon session.

Detailed Council information will be posted soon in the members' area of the LWVAL web site at  www.lwval.org.  Remember the user name is lwval and the password is alconref . (Please do not share user name and password with nonmembers.)  The specific site is:  www.lwval.org/leagdemoc/LWVALCouncil-2008/.


Voting Delegation
Each local League's voting delegation consists of the Local League President and two other delegates.  All members are encouraged to attend, and guests are welcome.  We will need a registration form for each member and guest from your League area who will attend the Council.  The form and mailing instructions will be available from the website.

Business Meeting
The LWVAL board does not recommend adjustments to the General Fund and Ed Fund budgets or any bylaws amendments.  Your Council Booklet will include a copy of the 2007-09 budget adopted at the Tuscaloosa Convention in May of 2007.   The business meeting is anticipated to also include a report on 2008 legislative advocacy efforts, a financial report and recommendations for the 2008-09 State League agenda.

LWVAL Bylaws, Article IX,  Council.
Section 1.  "A meeting of the council shall be held in the interim year between conventions . . . A formal call shall be sent by the president of the state League to the president of each local and provisional League and MAL unit in Alabama at least thirty days before the opening of a council meeting.  Notice shall be sent to individual MALs at the same time…."

Section 2.  Composition.   "The council shall be composed of a. the presidents of the local and provisional Leagues and MAL units or an alternate in the event that the president is unable to attend; b. two delegates chosen by each local League; c. the state board."

Section 3.  Powers.  "The council shall give guidance to the state board on program, methods of operation and budget as submitted by the state board.  The council is authorized to change the program only in the event of emergency provided a.  notice of proposed changes shall have been sent to the president of each local and provisional League and MAL unit at least two months in advance of the council;  b. the change is adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting. . . "

Section 4.  Quorum.  A quorum for the transaction of business at the council shall consist of not less than 10 members other than the state board.

-- Mary Lynn Bates
President