Dear NFHR Members,
Three terms on the NFHR Board of Directors expire on December 31, 2023. We are calling for nominations from these seats on the Board of Directors.
Who is eligible?
The NFHR Bylaws Article V, Board of Directors, D. Qualifications states that a board member has to be
1. An adult member in good standing and current on all dues and fees for at least two (2) consecutive years immediately prior to being a candidate for the Board
2. An owner of an NFHR-registered Fjord Horse, and
3. Agree to uphold and abide by the Bylaws, the Rules of Registration and Transfers, Ethics Policies and any other policies adopted by the NFHR.
We encourage anyone interested to apply for the openings. Please send a letter of interest with information on your experience and qualifications. Our Board would benefit from candidates with experience with marketing, fundraising, communications, and finances as well as prior experience serving on a volunteer board. However, the Board is casting a wide net and wishes to encourage anyone who is interested to become a candidate.
The NFHR Board meets monthly as a whole and throughout the year in committees. Calls are conducted on Zoom. There is regular communication and business conducted by email. Board members can expect to dedicate 15 - 20 hours a month on board activities depending on the business at hand. We expect that 2024 will have a strong focus on finances and fundraising.
The NFHR Board holds a Face-to-Face Board meeting in conjunction with the NFHR Membership Meeting. This meeting is mandatory for all Board members. Board members pay their own travel and hotel costs. The 2024 Face-to-Face meeting will be held in Denver, Colorado at an airport hotel location on February 3 - 4, 2024. The Membership Meeting will be held at midday on February 4, 2024. Further notice related to location and time will be announced later this year.
Election or Appointment?
NFHR Bylaws Article X, Elections calls for an election by the membership as a first means of section. "If there are an equal number or more openings for the Board of Directors than there are nominees, the Board must accept the nominees as having been elected and must appoint additional eligible members to fill the remaining opening(s)." Therefore, nomination is critical for either election or appointment. If there are more than three nominations, there will be an election. If there are three or less nominations there will be a guaranteed appointment.
When is the Nomination Period?
The nomination period for the NFHR Board of Directors is August 1 - August 31, 2023. Nominations will not be accepted outside of these dates. The Election Committee will verify eligibility and contact candidates with specifications for candidate statements, photos, and videos in the event of an election.
How will the Election work?
The NFHR will post a list of candidates on the website and on its main FB group page on or after September 1.
There will be a Candidates' Forum via Zoom that will be recorded and made available. Candidates will be given a list of questions to answer in an allotted time frame. The call will be recorded and available to members during the voting period. This town hall is tentatively scheduled to be held on October 17, 2023 at 6 p.m. MDST. Please hold that date and time. More detailed instructions will be sent to candidates closer to the date.
Candidates are allowed to campaign on their own social media, by email, USPS, and telephone. The NFHR is taking a neutral position on all candidates and will not allow campaigning by candidates and proxies on our official Facebook groups. More details will be provided to candidates in the event of an election.
When is the Voting Period?
The voting period is from October 1 to November 17, 2023.
Mail in paper ballots will be sent to members, who have been members for the 2023 year. Ballots will arrive no sooner than October 1 depending on the US Postal Service.
When will we know the results?
Results will be announced as soon as the ballots received have been counted by the third-party administrator. This announcement typically occurs in late November if there is an election or in early September if there is an appointed board.
What to do next?
Members will be sent ballots with their NFHR membership renewal letters, scheduled to go out the first part of October.
If you have any questions about serving on the NFHR Board, please feel free to contact Jeanne Poirer,
jeanne@nfhr.com.
