Our guild is having problems with a member of our guild. Our by-laws state that we can remove anyone who is causing trouble. Some board members think we have to get a lawyer so we do not get sued. Any thoughts?

I would think that the board would be able to remove the membership. But where the problem lies is the word trouble. That is a very relative statement. Has anyone brought it to the members attention the problems? I would think that would be the first step.

'Similar incident with our guild. Troublemaker was simply uninvited by the president in a private conversation. She was told that her presence had become a disruption. She was known for writing letters to selected members outlining "their" problems. Several of the members had resigned thinking her "words" were the consensus of the members.
After the private conversation, she just never came back. Good riddance!

Is what she doing Illegal? Is it slander? Theft? I guess I would start with how serious the crime (?) is. And take my cue from that. I do not belong to a Private guild, the only one I belong to is this one and I have my card to prove it!!

Are your meetings open to the general public?

It's always best to try to resolve these things without extreme measures, but sometimes they are necessary. You need to read the bylaws carefully, and make sure there is a good definition of what "causing trouble" is - that might be the only gray area where a lawsuit might arise. Although there has to be damages experienced by the other party - this is a private club, and there is precedent set that private clubs are allowed to discriminate or limit membership by whatever means they decide.

I'm actually on the board of a guild, but I'm really new to that position and I haven't attended any meetings yet. However, I've been on the boards (and officers) on other non-profits. I have never seen someone ejected from a group; however I have seen the situation get so uncomfortable and unpleasant that group members have left (me included).

This is one of our many issues. She and another member have been talking very badly about our guild and other members at workshops (other than ours); at quilt shops, and at a local quilt show. We are losing members because she is very intimating. We also was asked to please stop whistling when she wants attention. And it is a loud whistle. We can't figure out why they are staying because they do not take part in anything the guild does.

They are staying because it gets attention! Quit giving her attention and maybe she will stop. Pretend you are deaf to the whistle, As for the bad talk, is that a type of slander? Or is it just freedom of speech? Heck what do I know!!

I know of a few of these... so we gave them a job at guild meetings. They now have a new found respect for the guild and the work that goes into it all. Have to pulled the person aside and spoke with them? it may be best just to talk to them to see what the real issue is.

Throwing them out of the guild is only going to escalate the "bad press" you get from these women.

There are plenty of "followers" that like to be part of a group and yet never participate or pull their own weight. I like the idea of giving them something to do for the guild - kind of a "put up or shut up" thing. If they fail at it, you have a good reason to oust them. If they succeed at it, there's a good chance they'll change their attitude.

Not sure how to handle the whistling thing, other than to possibly come up with a more formal and rigid method of group participation ("talking stick" or Robert's rules or something). An obnoxious "solution" would be to hand everyone in the room a whistle (or a vuvuzela) and then everyone will use it to get attention.

Oh, one more thing. Giving them a guild job that requires them to do something/announce something/be responsible for something at every meeting may get them to disappear because they won't be prepared and will be to embarrassed to show up.