Page 5 - Rotary Matters - September 2022

Port Lincoln innovates with a new governance structure

Every year many clubs struggle to find a President Elect to lead the club in the following year. Even when
clubs have succession plans in place governance can easily go awry if a designated officer gets transferred
interstate or has to decline for work or personal reasons or in extreme cases, passes away.

Three clubs this year were faced with this issue and tackled it in different ways.

RC Port Lincoln, a strong club of 39 members, could not find a President for 2022-23. So it decided to
run the club through a Board of 8 members. Four of them are Past Presidents, all men, and four of them
are newer members, all women. Four of them are designated chairs and the others given designated
administrative roles. However, through the strategic plan for the year, the Board works as a collective unit
and the work is divided up and allocated among them depending on the size of each project and event.
They take turns at chairing board meetings and club meetings as well.

Port Lincoln changeover

PP Tony Stockham Tracey Decoster Glenn Karutz Pat Callaghan Robyn Rowsell Leon Newman

Marie and Pat Callaghan Margot and Leon Newman

RC Burnside faced a similar problem and a new member Margie Maloney put her hand up. Past President
Des Munro agreed to share the responsibility and mentor her through the year. Margie will then go solo in
23-24.

RC Kidman Park also is being led by a dual Presidency this year. Robert Chambers and Warren Hobbs are
sharing the duties.

These are examples of clubs solving their own problems within their own cultures so they can continue to
be vital clubs serving their communities by finding innovative ways of sharing the administrative burden.

Page 5