ARTICLE I-OBJECTIVES:
Section 1. The objectives of the FGS, Inc. are to educate, promote, and encourage the culture and crafting of gourds.
ARTICLE II- MEMBERSHIP:
Section 1. Membership shall be open to all persons who are interested in gourds and are willing to pay the declared membership dues.
a) Individual membership to the FGS, Inc. is open to anyone.
b) A family membership shall include those members of the family who are living at one address.
c) The dues
for an individual or family membership shall be the same.
Section 2.
Dues: The membership dues shall be an amount recommended by the Board of
Directors and approved by the membership at a regular business meeting of the FGS, Inc. Full membership will be granted upon receipt of the dues.
Section 3. Benefits: All current members will be entitled to hold office, attend, and vote at the business meetings and receive the FGS, Inc. newsletter.
ARTICLE III-BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall consist of four elected officers, the editor of the
Chapter newsletter, and three directors at large appointed by the president.
Section 2.
The Board of Directors shall meet at the call of the President as often as
deemed necessary to conduct the business of the FGS, Inc.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet prior to the Annual Business Meeting and prepare a budget for submission to the membership at the fall meeting. The meeting of the Board of Directors may be by e-mail or telephone if meeting physically is inconvenient.
ARTICLE IV-OFFICERS:
Section 1. The officers shall be: PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, and TREASURER.
a) The officers shall be elected by ballot at the fall business meeting of the FGS, Inc.
b) The Board of Directors of FGS, Inc. shall include four elected officers, the Newsletter Editor, and the three directors at large appointed by the president.
c) In the
event a vacancy should occur in any of the offices, except President, the Board
of Directors should appoint a member to fill the remaining term.
Section 2.
It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Board of
Directors and the general membership. The President shall be the official
representative of the FGS, Inc. at all meetings or functions that involve or
pertain to the membership of the FGS, Inc. The President may appoint three
Directors at large and set up committees as deemed appropriate to help manage
Chapter affairs and activities. The President shall be an ex-officio
member of all committees unless he/she appoints someone to assume this
responsibility.
Section 3.
The Vice President shall assist the President and assume all duties of the
Presidency in the absence of the President, and shall continue to do so until
his/her return, or until the next election.
Section 4.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a full record of business, the
meetings and activities of the FGS, Inc. and conduct all necessary
correspondence. The Secretary shall provide copies of all official
business and proceedings of the FGS, Inc. to the Board of Directors and to the
Editor of the Chapter newsletter.
Section 5.
The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of monies received and issue a
receipt for it. All monies shall be deposited in a bank (location
convenient for the Treasurer) in the name of the FGS, Inc. All bills or
expenses incurred must be presented to the Treasurer in writing for
payment. All bills shall be paid by check. A written detailed
report of all receipts and disbursements shall be presented at the annual
meeting of the FGS, Inc. The Society may require the Treasurer to be
bonded and shall pay for such bond.
Section
6: One of the elected officers, to be decided by mutual agreement of the
officers then serving, shall be designated as the Membership Person. This
designated Membership Person shall collect membership dues from members,
establish and keep a record of membership expiration dates, and forward all
monies collected for dues to the Chapter Treasurer. The Membership Person
shall devise suitable form letters to be mailed out to new members and renewing
members, acknowledging receipt of their dues and imparting appropriate
information about Chapter activities and policies. Suitable notices shall also
be devised and mailed out to members in arrears on dues payment.
Periodically, and upon request, the Membership Person will provide up-to-date
copies of the Chapter membership roll to the newsletter editor for purposes of
creating necessary mailing lists and/or publication of lists for other Chapter
purposes.
Section 7. It shall be the duty of all officers or their heirs to promptly surrender all records, papers, and other pertinent information along with any properties belonging to the FGS, Inc. to their elected or appointed successors in an expedient manner.
ARTICLE V-TERMS OF OFFICE:
Section 1.
All officers shall be elected for 2-year terms, at the end of which they will be
eligible for re-election if they are willing to serve.
Section 2. All officers shall assume the duties of their offices on the first day of January following their election.
ARTICLE VI-PUBLICATIONS:
Section 1.
An informative newsletter or bulletin shall be published for the benefit and
edification of the membership.
Section 2.
The Editor of the Chapter newsletter shall be appointed by the membership and
shall be one who is qualified, capable, and willing to assume the-responsibility
of editing and publishing the newsletter.
Section 3.
The Editor shall remain the Editor for as long as he/she is willing and able to
so serve.
Section 4. The Editor may solicit the help of as many volunteers as needed for preparing the Chapter newsletter for mailing.
ARTICLE VII-ANNUAL GOURD SHOW:
Section 1. The President shall appoint a committee to plan and stage an annual FGS, Inc. gourd show. Establishing an appropriate time, place, and all details relating to the show shall be the prerogatives of the show committee. While show income and expenses will be co-mingled with other FGS, Inc. funds in the FGS, Inc. Treasury, the show committee shall maintain separate records of all show-related income and expenses so that an accounting of show financial results can be made to the chapter membership.
ARTICLE VIII-MEETINGS:
Business of the FGS, Inc. will come before, and be transacted at meetings held in the spring and fall at times and locations chosen to be convenient to the membership. The times and dates shall be published in the Chapter newsletter or other media at least 30 days prior to the meeting. The fall meeting will be considered the Annual Business Meeting of the FGS, Inc. for purposes of election of officers, submission and approval of operating budgets, etc.
ARTICLE IX-COMMITTEES:
Section
1. Standing Committees include, but are not limited to the following
committees: Nominating, Audit, Ways & Means, Publicity, Historian,
Show, and Internet.
Section
2. The Executive Board shall approve all additional committees.
Section
3. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three (3) members. This
Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for presentation to the membership
and make personal contact with each nominee prior to presenting his/her name.
Section
4. An Auditor shall audit and verify all Treasurer’s records at the end of
each fiscal year and whenever a new Treasurer takes office. The Auditor
will provide a written statement of approval and/or comments.
Section
5. The Ways & Means Committee Chairman shall select all committee
members necessary to assist in the performance of his/her duties. The
duties of the Ways & Means Committee are to provide plans and activities to
supplement the income of the Society.
Section
6. The Publicity Committee Chairman shall select all committee members
necessary to assist in the performance of his/her duties. It shall be the
duty of this committee to announce all Society functions and promote the
objectives of the organization through the news media, other publications and
organizations.
Section
7. The Historian Committee Chairman shall select all committee members
necessary to assist in the performance of his/her duties. The duties of
this committee shall include compiling a scrapbook of pictures, clippings, etc.,
which tell the activities and accomplishments of the Society. This
information may be displayed at the Show.
Section
8. The Show Chairman shall appoint all the necessary subcommittees
to conduct the Annual Show. The Treasurer, Ways & Means Chairman,
Publicity Chairman, Newsletter Editor and Website Chairman shall be members of
the Show Committee.
Section 9. The Web Site Coordinator shall select all committee members necessary to assist in the performance. Of his/her duties. The duties of this committee shall be to maintain a current web site for the use and education of members and other interested users.
ARTICLE X- AMENDMENTS:
By-laws may be amended at the Annual Business Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all the members present, provided the announcement of the amendment is published in the Chapter newsletter at least 30 days prior to the meetings. The text of the amendment shall be made available to The Board of Directors prior to the 30-day announcement. Copies of the amendments shall be available at the meetings.
ARTICLE XI-DISSOLUTION:
In the event of dissolution of the Florida Gourd Society, Inc., all debts shall be paid. Any remaining assets of the Society shall be given to the American Gourd Society and no funds shall inure to members as individuals.
Revised 8 October 2005