QLD Limiting members of a community association

[Maria Pickles]

I am writing the membership classifications for a community association using the model rules.
The members wish to limit membership, we are receiving many applications and cannot cater for everyone.
this is a pottery club with a venue with limited resources.
If we put limits on classes of membership can we still use the model rules?

 

[Tim W]

1. Subject to a few ifs and buts, then you can set a maximum number of members, yes.
--> It can help to understand though, that capping membership is not the same thing as
capping the number of people who can attend classes/ meetings/ activities
in a venue of genuinely finite capacity.

2. Is "limit membership" really code for "they want to kick out somebody in particular?"

 

[Maria Pickles]

Hi Tim
Thank you for your information.
No disputes and not wanting to bar anyone from membership.
There is a long waiting list of beginners.
The club has limited volunteers and resources to offer more induction and learner activities for beginners.

Is the club better to operate under the model rules and not limiting numbers of members, however limiting beginner classes?

Will this be strong enough if there is a complaint by an unhappy beginner who has to wait a number of months before we can provide an induction?

Maria P

 

[Tim W]

What's the thing that somebody* has said,
that you are worried about in particular?


----------------------------------
* perhaps some busybody who uses pretend-legal language
as though they know what it means, and
as though they know what they are talking about?

 

[Maria Pickles]

A non member is insistent on being able to join the club and have access to a beginner workshop.
There are over 30 people waiting.

 

[Rod]

Is the club better to operate under the model rules and not limiting numbers of members, however limiting beginner classes?

Will this be strong enough if there is a complaint by an unhappy beginner who has to wait a number of months before we can provide an induction?

These questions cannot be properly answered in an online forum as someone would need to review your constitution and better understand how you want the association to work.

For instance it might be better to separate membership from attendance in courses.

Alternatively membership can be a necessary pre-condition before being eligible to start a course, but eligibility does guarantee a spot, merely being considered.

You likely need to tighten up your wording to make it clear no-one is guaranteed a spot in a course.

 

[Maria Pickles]

Thank you for the advice.