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  • Proposed changes to Bylaws

    Proposed Bylaws at the January 13, 2019 Annual Meeting

    Printable .pdf: Bylaws January 2019
    Word Document Download: Bylaws January 2019

    Bylaws of the Northern Wisconsin Hosta Society

    ARTICLE I      NAME & PURPOSE

    Section 1.        The name of the organization shall be the Northern Wisconsin Hosta Society (hereafter referred to as the Society).

    Section 2.        The Society shall promote the genus ‘Hosta’ for educational purposes with emphasis on culture in northern Wisconsin.

    ARTICLE II    MEMBERSHIP & DUES

    Section 1.        Membership is open to the public, without reservation, with payment of membership dues.

    Section 2.        Membership shall be individual (includes family) or life.  Life membership in the Society may be bestowed on an individual by approval of the Executive Committee.

    Section 3.        Dues shall be set by the Executive Committee and payable January 1 of each calendar year.

    ARTICLE III   FINANCE

    Section 1.        The fiscal year of the Society shall be January 1 to December 31.

    Section 2.        The Society shall be supported by membership dues, plant auctions, and other fund raising and donations.

    Section 3.        In the event of dissolution of the Society, all assets remaining after payment of legitimate expenses incurred shall be contributed to the American Hosta Society.

    Section 4.        A budget shall be prepared by the Executive Committee on an annual basis.  The proposed budget shall be presented for review and approval of the membership.  Changes to budget may be amended at any time with the approval of the general membership.

    Section 5.        Requests for donations and other non-recurring expenditures exceeding $100 must have approval by the Executive Committee.                              

    ARTICLE IV   MEETINGS

    Section 1.        The Society shall hold three summer garden events and at least four other meetings per year.  January will be designated as the annual meeting.

    Section 2.        Meeting day, time, and place will be flexible.

    Section 3.        Garden tours to be June through August. The dates and times are to be agreed upon by the Executive Committee and membership.

    Section 4.        A quorum at any regular meeting will consist of members present.

    Section 5.        Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, unless otherwise specified herein, shall govern all business meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws, and any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

    ARTICLE V    OFFICERS AND DUTIES

    Section 1.        The officers/Executive Committee of the Society shall consist of a president, vice president, membership secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, three members-at-large, and the editor of the Society newsletter. 

    Section 2.        The President shall:

    1. Preside at all meetings of the Society and Executive Committee.
    2. Appoint all necessary committee chairpersons with the exception of the nominating committee.  Nominating Committee members must be approved by the Executive Committee  
    3. Appoint members to vacancies, occurring between elections.
    4. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
    5. Ask for a volunteer or appoint a member to record the minutes of the January business meeting, and any other meetings deemed necessary.
    6. Maintain the By-Laws and preserve all records of value in a permanent file for the Society.

    Section 3.        The Vice President shall:

    1. Preside in the absence of the president.
    2. Become president in the event of a resignation, death, or disability of the president.
    3. Be given the opportunity to serve as president, succeeding the current president after completion of his/her term(s) of office, with a majority vote of members present at the annual meeting.
    4. Serve as chairperson of the Program Committee.

    Section 4.        The Treasurer shall:

    1. Be responsible for all of the Society monies.
    2. Collect all funds from membership dues and all other funds of the Society.
    3. Pay all Society debts, and keep an accurate record of all collections and disbursements.
    4. Prepare an annual financial report for the general membership of the Society.

    Section 5.        The Membership Secretary shall:

    1. Receive all new memberships, maintain a current membership list and publish to the general membership annually.
    2. Forward all membership dues received to the treasurer for deposit.
    3. Advise Newsletter Editor and others, as necessary, of additions and deletions to the membership roster.

    Section 6.        The Members-at-Large shall:

    1. Be assigned by the president to serve as chair or coordinator of standing and/or special committees.
    2. Be assigned by the president to chair or coordinate special projects, activities, and fund raising events, e.g., plant sale, auction, donations, door prizes, publicity/advertising, holiday party, and bus trips, etc.

    Section 7.        The Newsletter Editor shall:

    1. Prepare and distribute to the membership on a regular basis, a newsletter detailing the business and activities of the Society and other articles of general interest concerning the genus ‘Hosta’.
    2. Serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.
    3. Not be subject to the term limitations imposed on other members of the Executive Committee.

    ARTICLE VI   COMMITTEES

    Section 1.        The president shall appoint, with the approval of the Executive Committee, chairpersons of any standing, program or civic committees deemed necessary for the operation and betterment of the Society.

    Section 2.        The nominating committee shall consist of at least three members.  This committee will be appointed by the president with the approval of the Executive Committee.

    Section 3.        The nominating committee shall present a slate of officers to the membership prior to or at the annual meeting which elections are to be held.  Whenever possible this slate of candidates should be published in the newsletter prior to this annual meeting.     

    Section 4.        The program committee shall arrange for speakers and other programs for all meetings where appropriate to promote the genus ‘Hosta’.

    ARTICLE VII  TERMS OF OFFICE

    Section 1.        The term of all officers who constitute the Executive Committee is two years.  Two terms constitute maximum tenure excluding appointments for vacancies occurring to fill unexpired terms.  Due to the difficulties in transferring bank accounts, the Treasurer may serve more than two terms.  In the event that maximum tenure has been served by an officer/member of the Executive Committee, and no nominee has been secured to stand for election for said office, the current officer may continue to serve in an interim capacity for a period not to exceed one year.

    Section 2.        Chairpersons of standing, program, and civic committees serve as requested by the president.

    Section 3.        Officers shall begin official duties following the January annual meeting.

    Section 4.        As a non voting and non elected member of the Executive Committee,             the newsletter editor is not subject to the term and maximum tenure limitations imposed on the other officers of the Executive Committee in Article VII, Section 1 of the bylaws.

    ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS

    Section 1.        These bylaws shall be amended when a proposed amendment has been submitted and approved by the Executive Committee approved by a two-thirds vote of those present at any Society meeting.

    Section 2.        These bylaws shall be reviewed regularly to assure they continue to reflect the purpose and operations of the Society.

    ARTICLE IX   ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

    Section 1.        These bylaws shall be declared adopted when approved by the majority vote of the members voting.

    ADOPTED MARCH 29, 1998; AMENDED FEBRUARY 24, 2002; AMENDED APRIL 29, 2007 AMENDED JANUARY 31, 2016 (changed Annual meeting to January, officers begin official duties following the annual meeting, and Member-at-Large duties were revised); AMENDED JANUARY 28, 2018 (changed meeting day from last Sunday to 2nd Sunday); AMENDED JANUARY 13, 2019  (removed Recording Secretary, added some of those duties to President, Treasurer may serve more than two terms, meeting day changed from designated to flexible, non-garden tour meetings went from six regular to at least four other)


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