Post by Duveldiver on Jul 10, 2009 14:17:00 GMT -5
Bylaws of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club
(Submitted to Membership, XX, YYYY)
ARTICLE I. Name, Non-Profit Status, Principal Office and Governing
Instrument
Section 1. The name of this organization is the "Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club", hereinafter referred to as such or as the "Club."
Section 2. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is a non-profit organization. This does not give it tax exemption status under the rules of the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unless applied for and received at a later date.
Section 3. The principal office for the transaction of business is in Jefferson County, Texas.
Section 4. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is governed by these Bylaws.
ARTICLE II. Purposes
Section 1. The purposes of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club are:
1. To promote interest in and the understanding of beer, beer appreciation and the craft of brewing beer, mead, wine and cider among its members and the general public;
2. To provide educational opportunities in the history and methods of brewing and the development of various beer styles[/b];
3. To advance members’ skills in brewing techniques and formal beer evaluation;
4. To promote, encourage and sponsor opportunities to participate in local, regional and national brewing competitions;
5. To provide opportunities for its members to share in the interest of craft brewing; and
6. To advance the enjoyment and promotion of the tasting of quality beer, mead, wine, and cider both homebrewed and professionally brewed.
Section 2. Throughout its activities, the Club advocates responsibility in the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
ARTICLE III. Membership
Section 1. Eligibility. All persons of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages in the United States are eligible for membership.
Section 2. Acceptance. THIS SECTION MODIFIED
Prospective members need only to make initial application for membership and pay initial dues at a Club meeting or function. The prospective member will then be free to attend meetings and call Club functions for the next six months. At the seventh meeting after the prospect first attended, a secret ballot will determine whether the prospective member is accepted into the Club. A 2/3s majority of the vote is needed for the prospect to be admitted to the Club. At that time, the Treasurer will collect prorated dues and the Secretary will add the new member to the Club membership list. Membership is to be renewed annually, with dues proposed by the Executive Officers and approved by the membership.
THIS SECTION DELETEDProspective members shall be requested to apply for membership after attending no more than two meetings as a guest. Spouses and “significant others” are excluded from the guest requirement.
Section 3. Non-Discrimination.
Membership and participation in the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall not be denied on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, disability and other protected classes as recognized by the State of Texas or the Federal
Government.
Section 4. Types of Membership.
A. Regular members. Regular membership is open to all persons as per Article III, Sections 1 and 2. Regular members in good standing are eligible to vote in all Club elections and shall form the basis for establishing a quorum at meetings.
1. Annual Members. Membership in the Club is conferred to individuals in accordance with Article III, Sections 1, 2, and 3.
B. Institute Members. The Executive Officers may award institute membership to organizations or companies in exchange for services or other benefits to the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. Institute members shall not have voting rights and are not eligible to become officers.
Section 5. Rights and Liabilities of Members
A. Each regular member in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall have the right to vote on all matters that come before the membership. A member is good standing is one who is (1) current in dues, (2) attended a Club meeting within the past 6 (six) months and (3) is not under suspension.
B. Individual members of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall not be personally liable for the debts or obligations of the Club.
Section 6. Dues and Fees.
A. Annual Dues: Annual payment of Club dues enables persons to become
active voting members of the club and are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Club. The annual dues for membership in the Club shall be an amount as the membership shall establish.
B. Renewal: Renewal dues from Club members become due and payable on
January 1 of each renewal year.
C. Initial Application: applications for new members shall be accompanied by payment of Annual dues. If an initial application is accepted Jan 1 through April 30 the dues shall be $24.00. If accepted May 1 through August 31 dues shall be $15, and if accepted Sept 1 through Dec 31 the dues shall be $5.00. These dues shall be applied to the current Club year and dues for the following year are due and payable, January 1.
D. Initiation Fee: New and reinstated members may be required to pay an
initiation fee in an amount to be established by the Club membership.
E. Arrears: Any member whose dues remain unpaid for more than 60 days
after becoming due shall be considered delinquent; after 90 days, membership
will be canceled.
Section 7. Participation.
A. Members will recognize that participation in Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club activities is entirely voluntary. Participation in these activities may involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages which may affect perception and reactions. Members will accept individual responsibility for their conduct and behavior and the conduct and behavior of their guests. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club, its Officers or the event host will neither assume nor accept
responsibility for any individual's actions.
B. Members will agree to abide by these bylaws and will be expected to contribute to the organization, administration or execution of at least one Club event per year. This may include, but is not limited to: hosting a meeting, hosting a Club brew, participation in committee activities; participation in a competition as an entrant, judge or steward; organizing or conducting a workshop or brewing
demonstration, or volunteering at a club event.
Section 8. Suspension and Removal of Members.
A. Each member is expected to maintain responsible decorum at Club events. In the event a member does not maintain proper conduct, immediate and corrective measures will be taken by the Club host and/or Club Officers members. COMMENT - We need to provide some definition or examples of improper conduct.
B. A member engaging in improper conduct may be suspended or expelled by vote of the Club Officers . The member must be given at least fifteen (15) days' written notice prior to such an action. Notice must include reasons for considering the suspension or expulsion of the member. The Club Officers must provide the member with an opportunity for presenting arguments opposing suspension or expulsion. Suspended members may not participate in club activities for a period
specified by the Club Officers. Suspension will require a majority vote of the Club Officers and members present.
THIS SENTENCE REMOVED - A unanimous vote of all Club Officers and members present shall be required to expel a member.
C. A member may be expelled from the Club only when the member's continued presence would be detrimental to the organization as a whole. Grounds for possible expulsion include, but are not limited to, sexual harassment of other members, physical or verbal abuse of other members, insistence on driving to or from club activities when visibly intoxicated, or ADDED NEXT WORD = deliberate physical destruction of a host's facilities.
D. The Club Officers shall have the authority to appoint a member or members to investigate any incident which might be cause for a member's suspension or expulsion and to report the results of such investigation to the Club Officers and the membership at large.
ADDED THIS SECTION
E. If a member is found to be in violation of section C above; a secret ballot will be initiated with a simple majority required to place it on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled club meeting for a final vote. The final vote is also to be held as a secret ballot with a 2/3s majority needed to remove the member from the Club roster.
ARTICLE IV. Structure
Section 1. Executive Committee
A. Annual Meeting - The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall have an annual meeting in November of each year. This meeting will be subject to the rules for notification outlined below. This notification shall include an agenda for the meeting. The agenda shall include the election of officers , and approval of the next fiscal year's budget. The membership will also approve the amount that the Club Officers may spend on an activity without requiring an additional vote of the membership.
B. Regular Business Meetings – Regular monthly meetings will be held unless otherwise advised by the Club Officers. Monthly meetings must include routine business matters during at least eight of the twelve meetings each year. "Routine business matters" shall include all items that require membership approval and new business brought up by members for consideration.
C. Special Business Meetings – Special business meetings may take place with the proper notification.
D. Notice of Meetings - An appropriate method for notifying members of the time and place of meetings shall be established and maintained. If the time or place of the monthly meeting has been changed, the membership will be notified as soon as the change is known. If a special business meeting is called, the membership shall be notified as soon as possible. Notification must be made a minimum of two weeks before the special business meeting.
E. Meeting Procedure.
The President of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be the presiding officer at all Club meetings. In the absence of the President, the order of succession as presiding officer shall be: Vice President, Secretary then Treasurer. The presiding officer shall determine the order of business and shall use accepted parliamentary procedure to conduct the meeting. Subjects discussed at each monthly meeting may include, but are not limited to, minutes from the previous monthly meeting, Treasurer's report, standing committee
reports, introduction of visitors and new members, and unfinished and new
business. In the event that a monthly meeting is held where regular business
cannot be conducted, Club business may be tabled until the next business
meeting.
Section 2. Voting
A. All members with voting rights as described in Article III Section 5.A shall be eligible to vote.
B. Quorum - At least two officers and forty per cent (40%) of the regular members attending shall be considered a quorum to conduct business.
C. Items Requiring Approval by Membership.
1. Election of officers
2. Annual budgets
3. Changes to bylaws
4. Setting an expenditure threshold for discretionary spending by the Club Officers
5. Spending of funds greater than that threshold
6. Any other issues offered by an officer
7. Any issues offered by members
D Voting Eligibility Requirements.- Eligible voters must be in good standing. The following articles establish requirements for passage, approval, of elections:
1. By-laws amendments and changes: two-thirds of the votes cast.
2. Elections of officers determined by plurality of the votes cast.
3. Other club business: a majority of the votes cast.
E. Election Dates - Elections shall be held at the annual meeting, the second Thursday in November, with new officers taking office on January 1.
F. Nominations - Nominations for officers may be made by any member with voting rights.
G. Voting Methods - Elections for officers and other shall be by controlled ballot. Ballots will be validated and counted by one or more election judges appointed by the Secretary. Votes on other issues may be conducted by any appropriate method that ensures that voting requirements are met. Proxy voting is prohibited.
ARTICLE V. Officers
Section 1. Executive Officers
The following Executive Officers shall be chosen by the membership at the annual meeting:
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Section 2. Responsibilities of Executive Officers
All Executive Officers are expected to promote the objectives of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club as stated in Article II, and will adhere to the principles and procedures as set forth in the bylaws of the Club. In addition, Executive Officers are responsible for the following, specific to their office.
1) President. This officer will preside at all Club Officers and monthly membership meetings. The President will be responsible for securing the meeting place. The President will be responsible for planning and preparing an agenda for meetings of the membership. The President shall appoint chairs and members of ad hoc committees established by the Club Officers. The President shall review the financial records of the club on a regular basis. The President shall be the liaison with the American Homebrewers Association ("AHA") and/or other national organizations. The President will serve as ex-officio member of all
committees.
(2) Vice-President. This officer shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform all of the duties of the President and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to the restrictions on the President. The Vice-President shall maintain a record of all property owned by the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club and shall supervise its proper use and safekeeping. The Vice-President shall perform such other duties and have such other authority and powers as the President, within his or her authority, may from time to time delegate.
3) Secretary. This officer shall record, or cause to be recorded, all votes, actions, and minutes of major proceedings at meetings of the Club Officers and at all regular meetings of the membership. The Secretary will be responsible for
· Distributing minutes to the Club Officers in accordance with Club Officers policy.
· Managing the Club web site at groups.msn.com/gthc/ <http://groups.msn.com/gthc/> .
· Updating and correcting information as necessary. This can be accomplished
through a Webmaster assigned by the President if required.
The Secretary shall assure that elections are conducted in accordance with these bylaws, including, but not limited to, preparation, validation, and counting of
ballots. This officer shall oversee all official correspondence of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. This officer shall supervise the maintenance and safekeeping of all records and historical archives of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. The Secretary will be responsible for notification of meetings to the relevant parties. The Secretary is an ex officio member of the Communications Committee.
(4) Treasurer. This officer will have custody of all funds and securities of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club and will be responsible for properly accounting of all income and disbursements. The Treasurer, or his/her designate, shall report on the current financial condition of the Club at all Club Officers meetings, and shall render, upon request, to the President an accounting of all financial transactions. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget showing expected revenues and expenditures for the coming year. This will be presented to the Club Officers prior to the annual meeting of the membership and thereafter
to the membership for approval at the annual meeting. The Treasurer shall file, or cause to be filed, any tax returns or related forms that may be required by law, pertinent to the finances of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. This officer will maintain the Club's non-profit status and will advise the President and Club Officers of any Club actions that could jeopardize such status.
Section 3. Vacancies.
Upon resignation or removal of the President, the Vice-President shall be elevated to fulfill the balance of the President's term of office. For all other Executive Officers, the President shall appoint an interim Officer with nominations made at the next scheduled monthly meeting and Club vote the following meeting.
Section 4. Removal of Officers
Any officer of the club may be removed by the vote of a majority of the regular members. The vote for removal must be conducted at a legitimate and scheduled club meeting, with more than two-thirds of the regular members voting. Notification to the membership that a special election will be held on the removal of an officer must be included in the agenda of the monthly meeting at least 7 days in advance.
ARTICLE VI. Executive. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
Section 1.
A. Membership - The Executive Committee consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the immediate Past President.
B. Responsibilities - The Executive Committee may make decisions on behalf of the Club Officers in emergency situations when a full Club Officers meeting cannot be called. Decisions of the Executive Committee are made by a majority vote, which may be placed by telephone poll or e-mail vote. Actions or decisions of the Executive Committee shall be presented to the next meeting of the Club Officers for approval. A quorum for such actions shall consist of three Executive
Officers including either the President or Vice President.
Section 2. Standing Committees.
A. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club's Standing Committees are described in Section B. The chair of each standing committee shall solicit committee members from among the Club Officers and membership. Committee members must be members in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club unless otherwise approved by the Club Officers. Service on a committee is for one year and may be renewed. Committee members may be removed from their duties before their term limit by the committee chair who will report such actions to the Club Officers. Each standing committee chair is responsible to the Club Officers of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club.
B. Responsibilities The responsibilities of the standing committees listed in this document include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Communications Committee. Responsible for the creation, publication and distribution of the monthly Club newsletter via the Club web site. This committee shall also be responsible for the maintenance of electronic communications including the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club web site.
(2 Education/Competition Committee. Responsible for educational aspect of club activities. This may include, but is not limited to, organization of workshops, public homebrewing demonstrations, tours of commercial brewing related businesses, and the Beer Judge Certification training series. As a practical application of these educational efforts, the committee shall organize a regular styles competition program and encourage members' participation as entrants, stewards, judges or organizers at AHA-sanctioned or other brewing
competitions.
Section 3. Ad hoc Committees.
A. Ad hoc committees, such as for special events, may be established at the request of the President with approval of the Club Officers. The President shall appoint the chair and members of an ad hoc committee. Ad hoc committee members must be members in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. Committee chairs are responsible to the President and Club Officers.
B. Ad hoc committee members may be removed from their duties by the President upon request of the committee chair.
ARTICLE VII. Finances
Section 1. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is January 1 through December 31.
Section 2. Annual Budget
The annual budget of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be presented by the Treasurer at the annual meeting and approved by a majority of the votes cast.
Section 3. Reports and Records.
A. The Treasurer, or his/her designate, shall report on the current financial condition of the Club at all Club Officers meetings. The Treasurer also shall be prepared to report on the financial status at all monthly meetings of the members. The Treasurer shall co-operate fully with the President in any audit or review of financial
records.
B. Financial records shall be made available to all members in good standing upon request.
Section 4. Disposition of Assets.
Should the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club ever be dissolved or cease to exist, its financial assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to a non-profit entity that is organized and operated exclusively for scientific, educational or community service purposes, and has established its
tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and
Taxation Code. Priority shall be given to brewing-oriented educational
organizations. The remaining real property of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be made available to other home brewing organizations established in the State of Texas.
ARTICLE VIII. Bylaws Adoption and Amendments
Section 1. Acceptance.
These Bylaws are accepted at the time of their adoption by a majority vote of the current membership. These Bylaws shall take effect immediately upon acceptance, except for Articles V, VI, and VII, which shall take effect at the next annual meeting after their acceptance. The Club shall hold elections for officers and members of the Club Officers as defined in Articles V, VI, and VII at the next annual meeting after the acceptance of these Bylaws.
Section 2. Amendments or Changes.
Any member or members may petition for a change or amendment to the bylaws. The petition must be submitted in written form at a regular meeting prior to that at which the vote will be taken. The proposed changes or amendments shall be published for review by the membership in the website or by a special emailing to
voting members at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting at which the changes will be voted on. Amendments or changes must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast.
Section 3. Notification of Changes
Copies of changes, additions, amendments or revisions to these bylaws shall be forwarded to the Club membership by email and posted on the Club website.
Blue text = Proposed changes
Red = Items needing resolution or wording cleaned up[/color].
(Submitted to Membership, XX, YYYY)
ARTICLE I. Name, Non-Profit Status, Principal Office and Governing
Instrument
Section 1. The name of this organization is the "Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club", hereinafter referred to as such or as the "Club."
Section 2. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is a non-profit organization. This does not give it tax exemption status under the rules of the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unless applied for and received at a later date.
Section 3. The principal office for the transaction of business is in Jefferson County, Texas.
Section 4. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is governed by these Bylaws.
ARTICLE II. Purposes
Section 1. The purposes of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club are:
1. To promote interest in and the understanding of beer, beer appreciation and the craft of brewing beer, mead, wine and cider among its members and the general public;
2. To provide educational opportunities in the history and methods of brewing and the development of various beer styles[/b];
3. To advance members’ skills in brewing techniques and formal beer evaluation;
4. To promote, encourage and sponsor opportunities to participate in local, regional and national brewing competitions;
5. To provide opportunities for its members to share in the interest of craft brewing; and
6. To advance the enjoyment and promotion of the tasting of quality beer, mead, wine, and cider both homebrewed and professionally brewed.
Section 2. Throughout its activities, the Club advocates responsibility in the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
ARTICLE III. Membership
Section 1. Eligibility. All persons of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages in the United States are eligible for membership.
Section 2. Acceptance. THIS SECTION MODIFIED
Prospective members need only to make initial application for membership and pay initial dues at a Club meeting or function. The prospective member will then be free to attend meetings and call Club functions for the next six months. At the seventh meeting after the prospect first attended, a secret ballot will determine whether the prospective member is accepted into the Club. A 2/3s majority of the vote is needed for the prospect to be admitted to the Club. At that time, the Treasurer will collect prorated dues and the Secretary will add the new member to the Club membership list. Membership is to be renewed annually, with dues proposed by the Executive Officers and approved by the membership.
THIS SECTION DELETEDProspective members shall be requested to apply for membership after attending no more than two meetings as a guest. Spouses and “significant others” are excluded from the guest requirement.
Section 3. Non-Discrimination.
Membership and participation in the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall not be denied on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, disability and other protected classes as recognized by the State of Texas or the Federal
Government.
Section 4. Types of Membership.
A. Regular members. Regular membership is open to all persons as per Article III, Sections 1 and 2. Regular members in good standing are eligible to vote in all Club elections and shall form the basis for establishing a quorum at meetings.
1. Annual Members. Membership in the Club is conferred to individuals in accordance with Article III, Sections 1, 2, and 3.
B. Institute Members. The Executive Officers may award institute membership to organizations or companies in exchange for services or other benefits to the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. Institute members shall not have voting rights and are not eligible to become officers.
Section 5. Rights and Liabilities of Members
A. Each regular member in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall have the right to vote on all matters that come before the membership. A member is good standing is one who is (1) current in dues, (2) attended a Club meeting within the past 6 (six) months and (3) is not under suspension.
B. Individual members of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall not be personally liable for the debts or obligations of the Club.
Section 6. Dues and Fees.
A. Annual Dues: Annual payment of Club dues enables persons to become
active voting members of the club and are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Club. The annual dues for membership in the Club shall be an amount as the membership shall establish.
B. Renewal: Renewal dues from Club members become due and payable on
January 1 of each renewal year.
C. Initial Application: applications for new members shall be accompanied by payment of Annual dues. If an initial application is accepted Jan 1 through April 30 the dues shall be $24.00. If accepted May 1 through August 31 dues shall be $15, and if accepted Sept 1 through Dec 31 the dues shall be $5.00. These dues shall be applied to the current Club year and dues for the following year are due and payable, January 1.
D. Initiation Fee: New and reinstated members may be required to pay an
initiation fee in an amount to be established by the Club membership.
E. Arrears: Any member whose dues remain unpaid for more than 60 days
after becoming due shall be considered delinquent; after 90 days, membership
will be canceled.
Section 7. Participation.
A. Members will recognize that participation in Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club activities is entirely voluntary. Participation in these activities may involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages which may affect perception and reactions. Members will accept individual responsibility for their conduct and behavior and the conduct and behavior of their guests. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club, its Officers or the event host will neither assume nor accept
responsibility for any individual's actions.
B. Members will agree to abide by these bylaws and will be expected to contribute to the organization, administration or execution of at least one Club event per year. This may include, but is not limited to: hosting a meeting, hosting a Club brew, participation in committee activities; participation in a competition as an entrant, judge or steward; organizing or conducting a workshop or brewing
demonstration, or volunteering at a club event.
Section 8. Suspension and Removal of Members.
A. Each member is expected to maintain responsible decorum at Club events. In the event a member does not maintain proper conduct, immediate and corrective measures will be taken by the Club host and/or Club Officers members. COMMENT - We need to provide some definition or examples of improper conduct.
B. A member engaging in improper conduct may be suspended or expelled by vote of the Club Officers . The member must be given at least fifteen (15) days' written notice prior to such an action. Notice must include reasons for considering the suspension or expulsion of the member. The Club Officers must provide the member with an opportunity for presenting arguments opposing suspension or expulsion. Suspended members may not participate in club activities for a period
specified by the Club Officers. Suspension will require a majority vote of the Club Officers and members present.
THIS SENTENCE REMOVED - A unanimous vote of all Club Officers and members present shall be required to expel a member.
C. A member may be expelled from the Club only when the member's continued presence would be detrimental to the organization as a whole. Grounds for possible expulsion include, but are not limited to, sexual harassment of other members, physical or verbal abuse of other members, insistence on driving to or from club activities when visibly intoxicated, or ADDED NEXT WORD = deliberate physical destruction of a host's facilities.
D. The Club Officers shall have the authority to appoint a member or members to investigate any incident which might be cause for a member's suspension or expulsion and to report the results of such investigation to the Club Officers and the membership at large.
ADDED THIS SECTION
E. If a member is found to be in violation of section C above; a secret ballot will be initiated with a simple majority required to place it on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled club meeting for a final vote. The final vote is also to be held as a secret ballot with a 2/3s majority needed to remove the member from the Club roster.
ARTICLE IV. Structure
Section 1. Executive Committee
A. Annual Meeting - The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall have an annual meeting in November of each year. This meeting will be subject to the rules for notification outlined below. This notification shall include an agenda for the meeting. The agenda shall include the election of officers , and approval of the next fiscal year's budget. The membership will also approve the amount that the Club Officers may spend on an activity without requiring an additional vote of the membership.
B. Regular Business Meetings – Regular monthly meetings will be held unless otherwise advised by the Club Officers. Monthly meetings must include routine business matters during at least eight of the twelve meetings each year. "Routine business matters" shall include all items that require membership approval and new business brought up by members for consideration.
C. Special Business Meetings – Special business meetings may take place with the proper notification.
D. Notice of Meetings - An appropriate method for notifying members of the time and place of meetings shall be established and maintained. If the time or place of the monthly meeting has been changed, the membership will be notified as soon as the change is known. If a special business meeting is called, the membership shall be notified as soon as possible. Notification must be made a minimum of two weeks before the special business meeting.
E. Meeting Procedure.
The President of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be the presiding officer at all Club meetings. In the absence of the President, the order of succession as presiding officer shall be: Vice President, Secretary then Treasurer. The presiding officer shall determine the order of business and shall use accepted parliamentary procedure to conduct the meeting. Subjects discussed at each monthly meeting may include, but are not limited to, minutes from the previous monthly meeting, Treasurer's report, standing committee
reports, introduction of visitors and new members, and unfinished and new
business. In the event that a monthly meeting is held where regular business
cannot be conducted, Club business may be tabled until the next business
meeting.
Section 2. Voting
A. All members with voting rights as described in Article III Section 5.A shall be eligible to vote.
B. Quorum - At least two officers and forty per cent (40%) of the regular members attending shall be considered a quorum to conduct business.
C. Items Requiring Approval by Membership.
1. Election of officers
2. Annual budgets
3. Changes to bylaws
4. Setting an expenditure threshold for discretionary spending by the Club Officers
5. Spending of funds greater than that threshold
6. Any other issues offered by an officer
7. Any issues offered by members
D Voting Eligibility Requirements.- Eligible voters must be in good standing. The following articles establish requirements for passage, approval, of elections:
1. By-laws amendments and changes: two-thirds of the votes cast.
2. Elections of officers determined by plurality of the votes cast.
3. Other club business: a majority of the votes cast.
E. Election Dates - Elections shall be held at the annual meeting, the second Thursday in November, with new officers taking office on January 1.
F. Nominations - Nominations for officers may be made by any member with voting rights.
G. Voting Methods - Elections for officers and other shall be by controlled ballot. Ballots will be validated and counted by one or more election judges appointed by the Secretary. Votes on other issues may be conducted by any appropriate method that ensures that voting requirements are met. Proxy voting is prohibited.
ARTICLE V. Officers
Section 1. Executive Officers
The following Executive Officers shall be chosen by the membership at the annual meeting:
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Section 2. Responsibilities of Executive Officers
All Executive Officers are expected to promote the objectives of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club as stated in Article II, and will adhere to the principles and procedures as set forth in the bylaws of the Club. In addition, Executive Officers are responsible for the following, specific to their office.
1) President. This officer will preside at all Club Officers and monthly membership meetings. The President will be responsible for securing the meeting place. The President will be responsible for planning and preparing an agenda for meetings of the membership. The President shall appoint chairs and members of ad hoc committees established by the Club Officers. The President shall review the financial records of the club on a regular basis. The President shall be the liaison with the American Homebrewers Association ("AHA") and/or other national organizations. The President will serve as ex-officio member of all
committees.
(2) Vice-President. This officer shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform all of the duties of the President and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to the restrictions on the President. The Vice-President shall maintain a record of all property owned by the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club and shall supervise its proper use and safekeeping. The Vice-President shall perform such other duties and have such other authority and powers as the President, within his or her authority, may from time to time delegate.
3) Secretary. This officer shall record, or cause to be recorded, all votes, actions, and minutes of major proceedings at meetings of the Club Officers and at all regular meetings of the membership. The Secretary will be responsible for
· Distributing minutes to the Club Officers in accordance with Club Officers policy.
· Managing the Club web site at groups.msn.com/gthc/ <http://groups.msn.com/gthc/> .
· Updating and correcting information as necessary. This can be accomplished
through a Webmaster assigned by the President if required.
The Secretary shall assure that elections are conducted in accordance with these bylaws, including, but not limited to, preparation, validation, and counting of
ballots. This officer shall oversee all official correspondence of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. This officer shall supervise the maintenance and safekeeping of all records and historical archives of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. The Secretary will be responsible for notification of meetings to the relevant parties. The Secretary is an ex officio member of the Communications Committee.
(4) Treasurer. This officer will have custody of all funds and securities of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club and will be responsible for properly accounting of all income and disbursements. The Treasurer, or his/her designate, shall report on the current financial condition of the Club at all Club Officers meetings, and shall render, upon request, to the President an accounting of all financial transactions. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget showing expected revenues and expenditures for the coming year. This will be presented to the Club Officers prior to the annual meeting of the membership and thereafter
to the membership for approval at the annual meeting. The Treasurer shall file, or cause to be filed, any tax returns or related forms that may be required by law, pertinent to the finances of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. This officer will maintain the Club's non-profit status and will advise the President and Club Officers of any Club actions that could jeopardize such status.
Section 3. Vacancies.
Upon resignation or removal of the President, the Vice-President shall be elevated to fulfill the balance of the President's term of office. For all other Executive Officers, the President shall appoint an interim Officer with nominations made at the next scheduled monthly meeting and Club vote the following meeting.
Section 4. Removal of Officers
Any officer of the club may be removed by the vote of a majority of the regular members. The vote for removal must be conducted at a legitimate and scheduled club meeting, with more than two-thirds of the regular members voting. Notification to the membership that a special election will be held on the removal of an officer must be included in the agenda of the monthly meeting at least 7 days in advance.
ARTICLE VI. Executive. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
Section 1.
A. Membership - The Executive Committee consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the immediate Past President.
B. Responsibilities - The Executive Committee may make decisions on behalf of the Club Officers in emergency situations when a full Club Officers meeting cannot be called. Decisions of the Executive Committee are made by a majority vote, which may be placed by telephone poll or e-mail vote. Actions or decisions of the Executive Committee shall be presented to the next meeting of the Club Officers for approval. A quorum for such actions shall consist of three Executive
Officers including either the President or Vice President.
Section 2. Standing Committees.
A. The Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club's Standing Committees are described in Section B. The chair of each standing committee shall solicit committee members from among the Club Officers and membership. Committee members must be members in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club unless otherwise approved by the Club Officers. Service on a committee is for one year and may be renewed. Committee members may be removed from their duties before their term limit by the committee chair who will report such actions to the Club Officers. Each standing committee chair is responsible to the Club Officers of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club.
B. Responsibilities The responsibilities of the standing committees listed in this document include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Communications Committee. Responsible for the creation, publication and distribution of the monthly Club newsletter via the Club web site. This committee shall also be responsible for the maintenance of electronic communications including the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club web site.
(2 Education/Competition Committee. Responsible for educational aspect of club activities. This may include, but is not limited to, organization of workshops, public homebrewing demonstrations, tours of commercial brewing related businesses, and the Beer Judge Certification training series. As a practical application of these educational efforts, the committee shall organize a regular styles competition program and encourage members' participation as entrants, stewards, judges or organizers at AHA-sanctioned or other brewing
competitions.
Section 3. Ad hoc Committees.
A. Ad hoc committees, such as for special events, may be established at the request of the President with approval of the Club Officers. The President shall appoint the chair and members of an ad hoc committee. Ad hoc committee members must be members in good standing of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club. Committee chairs are responsible to the President and Club Officers.
B. Ad hoc committee members may be removed from their duties by the President upon request of the committee chair.
ARTICLE VII. Finances
Section 1. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club is January 1 through December 31.
Section 2. Annual Budget
The annual budget of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be presented by the Treasurer at the annual meeting and approved by a majority of the votes cast.
Section 3. Reports and Records.
A. The Treasurer, or his/her designate, shall report on the current financial condition of the Club at all Club Officers meetings. The Treasurer also shall be prepared to report on the financial status at all monthly meetings of the members. The Treasurer shall co-operate fully with the President in any audit or review of financial
records.
B. Financial records shall be made available to all members in good standing upon request.
Section 4. Disposition of Assets.
Should the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club ever be dissolved or cease to exist, its financial assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to a non-profit entity that is organized and operated exclusively for scientific, educational or community service purposes, and has established its
tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code and the Revenue and
Taxation Code. Priority shall be given to brewing-oriented educational
organizations. The remaining real property of the Golden Triangle Homebrewers Club shall be made available to other home brewing organizations established in the State of Texas.
ARTICLE VIII. Bylaws Adoption and Amendments
Section 1. Acceptance.
These Bylaws are accepted at the time of their adoption by a majority vote of the current membership. These Bylaws shall take effect immediately upon acceptance, except for Articles V, VI, and VII, which shall take effect at the next annual meeting after their acceptance. The Club shall hold elections for officers and members of the Club Officers as defined in Articles V, VI, and VII at the next annual meeting after the acceptance of these Bylaws.
Section 2. Amendments or Changes.
Any member or members may petition for a change or amendment to the bylaws. The petition must be submitted in written form at a regular meeting prior to that at which the vote will be taken. The proposed changes or amendments shall be published for review by the membership in the website or by a special emailing to
voting members at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting at which the changes will be voted on. Amendments or changes must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast.
Section 3. Notification of Changes
Copies of changes, additions, amendments or revisions to these bylaws shall be forwarded to the Club membership by email and posted on the Club website.
Blue text = Proposed changes
Red = Items needing resolution or wording cleaned up[/color].
