In fall, 1972, the Association officially requested that the district directors, through their VTAE administrators association, appoint a liaison to the Boards Association.  In December, William Sirek, district director at Fox Valley, was named as the first liaison.

A major structural change was made in the Association’s governance in 1974 by placing a voting representative from each local district on the executive committee. The committee would be renamed the board of directors in the 1980’s.  Throughout the 1970’s, the executive committee met separately one month before each quarterly general delegate meeting.

The Executive Secretary Debate

The Association began as a volunteer-managed organization.  That quickly changed on July 29, 1972, when the executive committee engaged Clare Rejahl as part-time executive secretary of the organization beginning on September 1, 1972.  He was to be paid $1,000 annually.   The position description set forth the responsibilities principally as organizational and planning, with no mention of legislative or state board involvement.  Rejahl served as executive secretary until his untimely death in May, 1975.  His passing forced the executive committee to reassess the situation at its June meeting.

Meeting on June 13, 1975, President Kirchner announced to the executive committee that a small group of Association members and district directors had met to discuss the feasibility of employing a full-time executive secretary.  The executive committee formalized this process and appointed an ad hoc committee of three board members and three district directors to study the issue.  In the interim, William Pierce, Association secretary/treasurer and Waukesha County board member, was empowered to act as executive secretary.

The ad hoc committee recommended to the executive committee that the Association engage a person who would:

·          demonstrate to all concerned that the Boards Association strongly supported the concept of local autonomy;

·          keep the board informed on all matters as they relate to the VTAE system;

·          act as the organization’s executive secretary;

·          be responsible for the mechanics involved in meetings of the Association; and

·          be involved in legislative matters.

MATC-Milwaukee board member Ralph Bowes reminded the members that the Association’s current bylaws prevented legislative activities by the Association.  In January, 1976, Kermit Goertz, of the North Central board, reported back that the estimated cost of the executive secretary would be approximately $35,000 per year.  The committee decided to table the idea for the time being and the ad hoc committee was discharged by President Kirchner.

The executive secretary and lobbying issues rose again at the April 22, 1977 meeting in Janesville.  A committee of