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Sun City West residents concerned about a change in bylaws limiting service on club boards will have the summer to consider the proposal before it comes to the Recreation Centers of Sun City West Governing Board.

RCSCW board members were scheduled to discuss a proposal June 12 in its monthly work session that would limit club board officers to three consecutive terms. The proposal, brought forward by Flora Capps, board member, would also limit club members to three consecutive terms as a member of their club board.

Under the proposal, officers and directors who did serve three consecutive terms could serve in that capacity again only after one year of non-service.

However, Ms. Capps had the agenda item pulled from the agenda at the beginning of the meeting.

"I recommend this be sent back to the chartered clubs committee for further review," she said.

The item was to be on the RCSCW board’s regular June meeting — 9 a.m. Thursday, June 25 at 19803 R.H. Johnson Blvd. — but will also be taken from that agenda as well, according to Matt Szydlowski, board president.

"This means there will not be an agenda item regarding this for the June 25 meeting and it will not be up for consideration until after it has had further review by the chartered clubs committee," he said.

The RCSCW board will, in its regular meeting June 25, consider a bylaw change that will open the door for more special events in the community involving nonresidents.

With the summer recess, the chartered clubs committee is not scheduled to meet again until September. Ms. Capps hopes that delay will give club members time to review the proposal and possibly bring their own bylaws in conformity with it.

"This delay is an opportunity for the clubs to move toward this," she said.

Sun City West resident Arlene Macy believes if approved the measure would effectively eliminate some clubs. She expressed her thoughts in a letter to the editor.

"If one cannot fill the required offices from willing club members, then the club ceases to exist," she stated.

Ms. Macy said several clubs struggle finding willing members to serve on the board or in officer positions annually.

"I know of one club that failed this year for lack of officers," she explained.

Ms. Capps, an active participant in several Sun City West clubs, acknowledged filling board and officers positions is an issue. However, she proposed the measure to bring chartered clubs into conformity with the RCSCW board structure. She is concerned some clubs have the same leadership year in and year out.

"We don’t want to have a ‘good ol’ boys’ system," she said. "And that can happen."

Each club is different, with their own set of bylaws, and one policy does not fit them all, according to Ms. Macy. She wondered whether the measure was designed to fix an existing problem and if board members thought the proposal through.

In addition to giving club members time to digest the proposal, Ms. Capps said her decision to delay the matter will provide an opportunity to iron out some points.

"This has created a lot of dissension among the clubs, and we want to honor their wishes," she said.

However, she believes clubs need to work harder to attract new members, including people willing to serve in leadership positions.

"We have to continue to grow the interest in the clubs," she said.

The proposal, the implementation of an existing bylaw, would establish and publish policies, rules and regulations governing tournaments, special events and programs for golf involving nonresidents. The bylaw does specify any special events would be permitted only if they do not create difficulties for cardholder use of RCSCW facilities.

"Special events should be allowed when space is available," said Ginger Welch, RCSCW board member. "But they should have no adverse impact on owner members."

Other activities, including bowling and softball, have utilized the bylaw to host special events, but there have been none for golf, according to Ms. Welch.

"As far as I know, golf is the only activity that has not hosted these kinds of events," she said.

The proposal is not designed to open the door for nonresident play on Sun City West golf courses on a regular basis, Ms. Welch stressed.

"This is a temporary measure, nothing meant to be permanent," she said. "Summer is a good time to test this and see if we can get some use out of our under-used inventory during this time when things are slow."