2023 Realignment by Chairperson Kate Mills
As the Toastmaster year enters the final quarter of programming, it is very important YOU are offered the opportunity to direct your communication in shaping the district. The district is required to submit a Realignment plan at the annual business meeting scheduled May 20, 2023. Therefore, as this year’s D57 realignment chair I am collaborating with your respective Division and Area Director teams to set up a Town Hall meeting on Friday, May 5, 2023 from 7PM to 9PM so that your club officers and members can express their feeling in support or opposition of the respective proposals.
What is the realignment?
Once each year, Districts must review and amend, if necessary, the alignment of the clubs, Areas, and Divisions within their boundaries.
Why is District alignment necessary?
Just as physical bodies need checkups that may reveal we are changing for better or for worse, the district as a living organization must also consider making changes. Based on the information garnered from the Area director’s reports, the club moments of truth, and TI dashboards, the 2023-24 District 57 proposed alignment will be presented.
What factors are taken into consideration?
The top five reasons for realignment are:
- Club size and strength
- Prospective new clubs and expected growth
- Strategy focused on the benefits for all e.g. Hybrid, In-person, or virtual club settings
- Low and ineligible clubs must be included
- Changes anticipated by current District leaders*
Why hold town hall meetings?
In light of the current environment along with past observations, we found that the number doesn’t always tell the story of how members FEEL about their clubs and the possible changes that can take place. These meetings allow the time and space to give air to the ideas and support to your respective area and division along with the current and future leaders are at each level. You can speak with your power to influence the direction that we will go beginning July 1, 2023 for the next 12 months.
How can you participate?
The Division Director will send out invitations with Zoom links to the date and times Town Hall Mtg Dates to attend. Details also will be posted on the D57tm.org calendar..
Current District leadership gets to lay out the blueprint of growth and opportunity for the next term leaders. We plan to hold town hall meetings between now and the District Conference to hear and feel the pulse of clubs within each area. The goal is to submit a fully vetted and substantially agreeable realignment plan presented to the DEC at the Business meeting scheduled 8:00 am May 20, 2023.
We are looking to recruit at least 1 representative from each division vetted by the Division director. If you’re looking for an opportunity to grow as a strategic leader to apply your analytical and interpersonal skills then I invite you to join us.
District 57 alignment between divisions, 3/13/2023 Map from George Marshall
Usage:
- You can zoom in and out etc like any other Google map.
- In the block on the left, you can show/hide any division or combination of divisions. This can be very helpful when the realignment team is trying to decide whether to realign a club into another area or division, just turn off all the other divisions to reduce map clutter.
- Clicking on any club icon brings up a window with information on the club, including the base and current membership as of 3/12/2023.
Notes:
- A few pairs of clubs meet at the same address. I have tried to put their map icons far enough apart that you can tell there are two clubs, but you may need to zoom way in.
- Stagecoach Speakers Transformers, A1, lists a Virginia address, since the club is actually spread across the U.S. I put its icon in the Bay, as a reminder that its remote.
- Many clubs meet online, so technically don’t have a physical address. I used their last known physical meeting place.
Map: CLICK HERE
