GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUB -

SWARTZ CREEK BYLAWS

 ARTICLE I
Purpose

These Bylaws are drawn up to insure the smooth and intelligent working of the General Federation of Women=s Club - Swartz Creek, hereinafter referred to as GFWC Swartz Creek.

ARTICLE II
Name and Affiliations

This organization will be known as the General Federation of Women=s Club - Swartz Creek (GFWC Swartz Creek).

GFWC Swartz Creek, working under a charter granted by the General Federation of Women=s Clubs - Michigan, and the national General Federation of Women=s Clubs, comprise of active members as described in Article III Membership.

ARTICLE III
Membership

Each member in good standing of this organization has the right to nominate and vote, express views and opinions on all matters and business before the GFWC Swartz Creek, and to participate in activities of this organization.  All questions of Parliamentary nature will be decided by Roberts= Revised Rules of Order - Newly Revised.

Active members will strive to obtain the objectives set forth in the Constitution and additional objectives as established as the policy of the organization, to maintain free relations with other organizations, to do all in its power to strengthen and promote intellectual and moral culture in our community through service projects which enhance lives by meeting needs, as well as improve our community.

Membership will be composed of three classes:

1.   Active Members.  Active members will be willing to contribute to the betterment of the community to the best of their ability.

2.   Honorary Membership.  Any active member may nominate another active member (the Anominee@) for honorary membership at a general membership meeting where the nominee does not have the ability to attend meetings.  The designation of Honorary Member will be conferred upon the nominee with a 2/3 vote of the active membership present during the general membership meeting.

3.   Associate Members.  The Board of Directors is empowered to vote Associate Membership to active members, while the member is not residing in the community.

Request for termination of membership by any member will be accepted with written notification presented to the President of GFWC Swartz Creek, at which time the member=s name will  be removed from the membership=s roster.


ARTICLE IV
Membership Dues

All active and associate members will pay annual dues in the amount of thirty-two dollars ($32), payable to GFWC Swartz Creek for deposit with the Treasurer at the annual meeting held during the month of June.  Dues will be allocated as follows:

1.   Fifteen dollars ($15) GFWC Swartz Creek; and,
2.   Seventeen dollars ($17) General Federal of Women=s Clubs - Michigan and national.

Dues are optional for all honorary members.  New members will pay the balance of dues pro rated per meeting to June of the current year.

ARTICLE V
Meetings

General membership meetings will be held as follows:

1.   The first Tuesday during the months of February, April, June, August, October, and December, at 1:00 p.m., at Murbach Hall located at the United Methodist Church of Swartz Creek; and,

2.   The first Tuesday of each month, at 6:30 p.m. at locations announced to the active members by the President at the preceding meeting.

Annual membership meeting will be held for the election of officers during the month of June with the date and location being announced to the active members by the President at the preceding meeting.

Special meetings may be called by the President or by any three officers.  The call for a special meeting must state the business to be transacted and no other business may be conducted at the special meeting.  A majority of the active members present for the special meeting will constitute a quorum

The agenda for general membership meetings will be as follows:

1.         Call to Order
2.         Club Collect
3.         Roll Call
4.         Minutes of previous meeting
5.         Treasurer=s report
6.         Correspondence
7.         Old Business/Committee Reports
8.         New Business
9.         Other Discussion
10. Adjournment


ARTICLE VI
Officers

The elective officers for the GFWC Swartz Creek will be:

President
Vice-president
Chairperson
Vice-chairperson
Recording Secretary - Day
Recording Secretary - Evening
Treasurer
Director

The officers will be elected by ballot at the annual meeting held in June with a term of two (2) years.  No officer may retain their position for more than two (2) consecutive terms.  The officers will constitute the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII
Duties of the President

The President will preside at either the afternoon or evening meetings.  She will appoint all standing committees, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, and be an ex-officio member of each committee with the right to vote.  Special committees may be appointed by the President when needed. 

ARTICLE VIII
Duties of the Vice-president

The Vice-president will assist the President in the discharge of her duties.  She will attend all Executive Board and General Membership meetings.  The Vice-president will preside at meetings in the absence of the President.

ARTICLE IX
Duties of the Chairperson

The Chairperson will preside at the alternate meeting attended by the President of the organization on behalf of the President.  The Chairperson will attend all Executive Board meetings.

ARTICLE X
Duties of the Vice-chairperson

The Vice-chairperson will assist the Chairperson in the discharge of her duties.  She will attend all Executive Board meetings.  The Vice-chairperson will preside at meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.

ARTICLE XI
Duties of the Recording Secretary


It will be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep a correct record of the Executive Board and General Membership meetings, including an attendance sheet of all meetings.  The Recording Secretary will keep a current membership roster of all members in good standing, including the address and telephone numbers for each member.  The Recording Secretary will attend all Executive Board and General Membership meetings.

ARTICLE XII
Duties of the Treasurer

The duties of the Treasurer will be to receive all dues and receipts of the organization and to deposit all funds into the account for GFWC Swartz Creek.  The Treasurer will pay all bills as directed by the membership, keeping an itemized account of all expenditures and receipts.  She will provide a written report for the general membership meeting each month, providing a written copy to the President and the Recording Secretary. 

She will keep a record of all members whose dues have been paid, showing that the member is in good standing.  She will notify all members in arrears of the amount of their indebtedness either by telephone or my mail.

Membership cards will be made available to the members in the following manner:

1.   As soon as possible after the annual meeting held in the month of June, or upon receipt of dues paid by a new member

The fiscal year of this organization will begin on July 1st and end on June 30th.

The Treasurer will prepare an annual report of all receipts and disbursements for the fiscal year and provide the report and turn over her books to the President for audit and approval within 10 days after the close of the fiscal year.  The President will appoint a member in good standing (the Aauditor@) to review the records and reports annually for audit purposes with the auditor signing a receipt showing possession of the records and reports.  The auditor will prepare a written report of her audit to be presented at the next general membership meeting, at which time the auditor will return all books and reports to the President with a receipt signed by the President for delivery to the Treasurer.

The Treasurer will attend all Executive Board meetings.

ARTICLE XIII
Duties of the Director

The Director will attend all Executive Board meetings.  The Director will be responsible for the GFWC Swartz Creek reporting requirements to the General Federation of Women=s Clubs - Michigan and national General Federation of Women=s Clubs, and record all reports as required.

ARTICLE XIV
Standing Committees

The following Committees will constitute the Standing Committees:

1.   Hostess/program Committee.  Members are responsible for taking turns hosting meetings.  Each hostess may provide a program.  Members will sign up for meetings at the annual meeting held during the month of June for publication in the Year Book.


2.   Year Book Committee.  This Committee will be responsible for preparing and reproducing a copy of the Year Book for each member, to be distributed not later than the August meeting.  Cost of the book will be reimbursed from the Treasury producing this Year Book.  The estimated cost will be brought to the members for approval prior to printing the Year Book.

3.   Historian.  This Committee will be responsible for collecting and assembling pictures, articles, and miscellaneous items for the scrapbook.

4.   Membership/Public Relations Committee.  This Committee will contact the members prior to each meeting and will be responsible for press releases as approved by the Executive Board.

Each Committee may consist of two active members.

ARTICLE XV
Project Committees

All Committee Chairpersons will record the volunteer hours and activity on behalf of the GFWC Swartz Creek for reporting with the General Federation of Women=s Clubs - Michigan.  Upon completion of the project, the Committee Chairperson will deliver the report to the Director for processing.

ARTICLE XVI
Finance

Any checks drawn on funds of the GFWC Swartz Creek account(s) are to be first approved at a general membership meeting by motion and signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the President.

ARTICLE XVII
Election and Eligibility

The election of the officers will take place during the month of June in accordance with the Constitution, and installation of officers will take place at the next regular meeting following the election, except as otherwise authorized by the Executive Board.

The officers will serve for a period of two (2) years.  No officer may retain their position for more than two (2) consecutive terms.  If a vacancy should occur for the office of President, Vice-president, Chairperson, Vice-chairperson, Recording Secretary, Treasurer or Director, a special membership meeting will be called to establish the date for nomination and the date of the election.

Any member is eligible as nominee and candidate for any Executive Office for the organization, who has been in good standing for one (1) year prior to the deadline for accepting nominations.


Nominations of officers will take place at the general membership meeting of April.  At this meeting the membership will proceed with the nomination and election of an Election Committee of three (3) members to serve for the next three (3) years.  Candidates receiving the highest votes will act as Election Committee.  Only members who are eligible to be elected to office will be members of the Election Committee.  The Election Committee will meet immediately after its election and report back to the same meeting.

This Committee will arrange for written ballots to be used for the election to be held during the month of June at the annual meeting of the GFWC Swartz Creek.

The Election Committee will supervise the election and will tally the ballots which will be counted immediately with the results being reported to the membership at the annual meeting.

All officers will be elected by secret ballot. 

ARTICLE XVIII
Convention

Upon the receiving of notice from the General Federation of Women=s Clubs - Michigan and/or national General Federation of Women=s Clubs, the Director will notify the membership stating that the Delegates are to be nominated at that meeting and the number of Delegates the GFWC Swartz Creek is entitled to have.

No member is eligible to serve as Delegate unless she has been a member in continuous good standing for twelve (12) months immediately preceding the first day of the month in which the Convention is held.

ARTICLE XIX
Change of Address

Members will immediately notify the Recording Secretary and Treasurer of any changes of an address.

ARTICLE XX
Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by presenting a motion in writing setting forth any amendments sought to a general membership meeting.  The motion will be read to that meeting and referred to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, which will report to the succeeding general membership meeting, the notice of which must contain a notification that a particular Bylaws Amendment will be considered.  If approved by two-third (2/3) of the members present during the general membership meeting, thereon at this succeeding meeting, the amendment will be considered adopted by the membership.