Part of the proposed bylaw changes include
The Secretary may require members in good standing calling for Member Meetings via petition to pay the costs of notification prior to scheduling such a meeting.
Since regular member meetings have been nixed, member meetings may cost money for a member to raise concerns to the voting membership.
Membership meetings are different than other events on the calendar in that they require notice. Notice must be sent to all voting members in some manner.
I suggested over a year ago that we get all voting members to sign something or click something verifying the method of notification they want. We wouldn’t have to incur cost but no one has been willing or able to setup something.
The board and officers are not required to be at membership meetings, only the President to lead the meeting. I personally think we as a membership should be able to vote to who leads the meetings and how they would be held. It is one of the few ways that the membership gets a real voice. Office hours are ran by the board and officers not the membership. In order for the membership to be able to decide if they need to remove board members, they need information and the ability to speak freely to each other.
So to sum up. No, another forum or event does not do the same because of notice and the power vested in member meetings.