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BYLAWS OF BAY AREA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Amended April 2005

 

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership Application

Application for membership shall be made to the Registrar or Treasurer and must be accompanied by the appropriate dues.

Within three (3) months following membership acceptance, the member shall furnish a Five-generation Pedigree Chart of the applicant's family line. As much information as possible should be included, except that information on living relatives may be omitted if desired.

 

Section 2: Prospective members

Prospective members may attend up to two (2) Society meetings without the obligation to apply for membership and pay the requisite fees. After attending two (2) meetings, such prospective member shall be obligated to become a member in order to attend any future functions.

 

Section 3: Dues and Assessments

Dues are recommended by the Board and must be approved by a majority of voting members. Notice of proposals to change dues must be given to members in sufficient time to attend the General Membership meeting in which the proposal will be presented.

 

Dues shall become payable at the regular General Membership meeting In September of each year. Any member whose dues remains unpaid at the last day of October will be dropped from the membership rolls as of that date. Upon receipt of the dues, member shall be reinstated without inclusion in the Society's Yearbook.

The following classification of membership shall be applicable:

A. Individual $20

B. Family (related individuals receiving only one copy of the Society's publications) $25

C. Contributing $30 to $50

D. Patron $50 to $600

E. Lifetime (any person, business or organization making a one-time contribution) $600.00 or more

F. Honorary (an Honorary Membership may be bestowed upon anyone recommended to and voted upon by the majority of the Board; this will be a non-voting classification)

 

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

Section 1: Board of Directors

All elected officers, committee chairmen and the immediate past president shall make up the governing body of the Society. Eight (8) members shall constitute a quorum for the Board.

 

The immediate past president shall serve on the Board the year following their term of office in an advisory (non-voting) capacity. However, if the immediate past president is also serving on the Board in any capacity which otherwise entitles them to vote, then the immediate past president shall be entitled to vote.

 

Section 2: Officers

It shall be the responsibility of each officer to attend all meetings. If unable to attend, the officers are obligated to inform the President and to arrange for a temporary replacement. Failure to comply with these requirements two (2) times during a fiscal year shall result in immediate replacement as determined by the board and voted on by the membership. The Board has the option to review and/or rescind this amendment on an individual basis. Each officer shall maintain a current notebook of their duties and the activities of their office and shall present this notebook to their successor.

 

Section 3: Functional Positions

The President will appoint the persons needed to fill the standing committee positions. Other committee chairmen may volunteer as necessary to carry out the duties and responsibility of the Society. General membership ratification of these appointments is not required. The President may consult with members of the Board and the general membership, if they so desire, but it is not mandatory. The President shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.

 

ARTICLE III

ELECTIONS

Section 1: Timing of Elections

Officers and members of the Board serve at the will of the general membership and shall be elected to two year terms.  Elections shall be held bi-annually according to the following schedule:  In March of the election year, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee composed of two (2) Board members and (3) from the general membership.  (Amended April 2005)

Nominees for President must have served a minimum of one (1) year as a member of the Board of Directors. Other officer and director positions require only that the nominee be a voting member of the Society.

 

The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of officers to the Board of Directors at their May meeting.

 

The Board of Directors will present the slate of nominations for Officers and Directors for election to the general membership at the June general membership meeting.

 

The general membership will vote on the nominations at the July general membership meeting. Votes will be tabulated by the Secretary and election results will be announced prior to ending the meeting.

 

Installation of newly elected officers will take place as the first order of business at the September meeting and they shall assume their responsibilities immediately.

 

ARTICLE IV

DUTIES OF BOARD

Section 1: Directors

The Board of Directors has the responsibility to guide and shape the future direction, goals and activities of the Society. The directors shall perform special studies and projects to enable the Board to set appropriate policy and direction for the Society. The Board of Directors will appoint an Audit Committee composed of directors and members from the general membership.

 

Section 2: President

The President is the official representative of the Society. The President shall preside over all Society meetings, both Board of Director and general membership meetings, and perform such duties as set out in these Bylaws that pertain to the Office of the President. The President is responsible for guidance and leadership of the Society.

Upon installation of the new officers, the President shall submit a Texas Franchise Tax Public Information Report listing all of the newly-elected officers of the Society.

 

Section 3: First Vice President

The First Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President and perform all other duties that pertain to the office. The First Vice President shall chair the Bylaws Committee and oversee all of the Society's special projects and their committees. The First Vice President in conjunction with the appropriate officer will be responsible for the development of position documents that describe the responsibilities, duties and activities of the position or committee. The President and Board of Directors will attach these documents to the Society's Bylaws as Attachment "A" after approval. Their attachment as part of the Bylaws does not constitute an amendment to the Bylaws and voting by the general membership is not required.

 

Section 4: Second Vice President

The Second Vice President shall serve as Program Chairman, selecting the program and speakers for the Society's general membership meetings. The Second Vice President shall be responsible for providing all facilities and material to conduct the meetings and serve as host/hostess for the speaker during the meeting.

 

Section 5: Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary is responsible for all of the functional activities which pertain to the documentation of the organization and its activities. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the Society and of the Board. A copy of the Minutes of each meeting and notice of any matter of unfinished business for the following meeting shall be provided to the President.

 

Section 6: Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for giving prompt attention to all correspondence of the Society and see that all required paperwork of the Society is completed. Responsibilities include maintaining a permanent correspondence file; sending thank you notes to speakers and any individual who aids the Society; and also sending personal cards in times of Illness, loss of loved ones or other special needs of members and their families.

 

Section 7: Treasurer

The Office of the Treasurer is the financial arm of the organization. The Treasurer is responsible for the accounting and control of the organization's financial resources. The Treasurer is responsible, with the Registrar, for developing procedures for the receipt, disbursement and accounting of funds. The Treasurer is responsible for projection and collection of revenues, development of a budget for expenditures and their accounting. The Treasurer is authorized by the Board to make disbursements for budgeted expenditures with approval of the President. Off-budget expenditures should be approved by the Board, if the Board so delegates, prior to the expenditure. The Treasurer will prepare financial reports for the Board of Directors and President for presentation at Board and general membership meetings.

 

The Society's authorized depository requires a minimum of $100.00 to remain in the account at all time. The Treasurer shall assure that a minimum of $300.00 of unencumbered funds is on deposit at all time. No disbursements shall be made or liabilities incurred, whether budgeted or not, which will or could reasonably be expected to reduce the unencumbered funds below $300.00.

 

The Treasurer will prepare a written annual financial statement to the membership. It will consist of a balance sheet, income statement, statement of expenditures and the approved budget sheet. This statement may be independently audited at the discretion of the general membership.

The Treasurer will assure that the checking account contains authorization for designated persons to sign checks. However, only the President can authorize disbursements not contained in the budget.

The Treasurer shall submit a Texas Franchise Tax Report to the state of Texas.  This Report shall be based upon the information at the end of the Society's fiscal year which ends on August 31.

 

Section 8: Historian This has been removed from an officer position to an appointed position.

 

Section 9: Registrar

The Registrar is responsible for the membership of the Society. The duties are to receive, record and process all applications for membership into the Society, provide each new member with a nametag and maintain all membership records and databases pertaining to membership. In addition the Registrar is to devise ways and means of increasing its membership and coordinate with the E-mail Chairman a current list of electronic addresses. The Registrar shall maintain a current list of all members and provide a copy of this list to all officers.

 

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

Section 1: Schedule

General membership meetings will be held monthly from September through August. The Board of Directors will determine a schedule for monthly general meetings at the beginning of the year. The schedule will identify the date, time and location of meetings. This schedule will be published in the yearbook and monthly Newsletter. Any changes in the schedule must be published in the Newsletter one (1) month prior the change. A quorum for the general membership meetings will be met if twenty-five (25) of the total voting members are present.

 

The Board of Directors will meet monthly. The Board will determine a meeting schedule at the beginning of the year. The President will prepare an Agenda for the meeting and distribute it to the members. A quorum for Board of Director meetings will be met only if eight (8) or more of the members are present.

 

Special Meetings may be called by the President, the Board, or upon written request of ten (10) members of the Society.  In the event the President does not call the meeting within ten (10) days after being requested by the Board or upon written request of ten members, any elected officer may call the meeting.

 

Section 2: Attendance

Officers and Standing Committee Chairmen have the responsibility to attend all meetings.  An Officer or Committee Chairman who is unable to attend should notify the President and arrange for a substitute to represent them.

 

Failure of the Officer or Committee Chairman to comply with these requirements more than two times during the fiscal year can result in their removal and replacement.   Such action will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and their recommendation shall be voted upon by the general membership.

 

ARTICLE VI

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER SUCCESSION AND REPLACEMENT

 

Section 1:  Resignations

An officer who intends to resign their position shall submit a written letter of resignation to the President and Board of Directors at least two (2) weeks prior to the effective date.

 

Section 2: Filling Vacant Officer or Director positions

The First Vice President shall automatically fill a vacancy occurring in the office of the President.  The First Vice President will serve the remainder of the President's elected term.

 

Officer vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person nominated by the Board of Directors and voted upon by the general membership at the next scheduled meeting after notice of such election has been published in the monthly Newsletter.

 

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENTS

The Constitution and Bylaws of the Bay Area Genealogical Society may be amended by a majority vote of members in good standing regularly scheduled general membership meeting, providing that a quorum is present.   The Board of Directors shall develop procedures for presentation of Amendments to the membership.