Proposed revision to the
By-Laws of the
Florida Association for Nucleation And Conventions, Inc.
(F. A. N. A. C., Inc.)
ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
-
There shall be two
primary classes of Membership.
- There shall be one
class of Regular Committee Membership which entitles its holders to all
the rights, privileges, and duties of active Regular Committee
Membership in the Association including the right to vote and hold
office.
- There shall be
another class of Associate Committee Membership which entitles its holders
to participate in all association sponsored activities including
meetings, special events and open discussions but it does not
provide them with the right to vote or hold office.
- Special classes of
Membership may be established by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of
Directors. When these are established the Board must designate
requirements, rights, responsibilities and type of Membership.
-
A person becomes an Associate Committee Member when (1) his or her application is accepted by
the Regular Membership and (2) he or she pays the required dues and assessments.
- Membership
requirements:
- To
be a Regular Member, an Associate Member must (1) be active in FANAC
activities, (2) be voted in and invited by the Regular Membership and (3) pay
the required dues and/or assessments.
- Any
person may apply for Associate Membership. Associate memberships will be
limited as decided by the Board of Directors. The application will be voted
upon no later than the second meeting following the date the application is
received by the Secretary.
-
Dues
- All
members must remain in good standing by paying dues and/or assessments as
established for each Membership class by the Board of Directors and by meeting
the appropriate Membership activity requirements designated in these Bylaws or
in the Operating Procedures.
- Whenever
a Member loses his or her membership because of non-payment of dues or
assessments, he or she may reapply for the same category of Membership within
60 days.
- The
Treasurer is responsible for notifying each Member in writing at least one
month before the deadline for the payment of dues or assessments. Whenever such
notice is not given to Members, the deadline for payment of dues or assessments
is extended until one month after written notice is actually given.
- The
Treasurer shall utilize the Dues Schedule as set in the Operating Procedures.
-
Dues may be imposed
for particular periods of time and shall be owed for each period by all
persons who are Members or become Members during such period. Assessments
are advances to the Association by Regular Members that may be imposed
for particular periods of time. Assessments shall be owed for each period
by all persons who are Regular Members or become Regular Members during
such period and, unless the assessment has been refunded, by all who
become Regular Members after such period. Assessments paid by Regular
Members are not refunded because their Regular Membership terminates.
When refunded, assessments shall be paid back to all those who paid them,
whether or not they are still Regular Members.
- The amount of dues and
assessments, refunds of assessments, and the expulsion of any Member
shall be determined by the Regular Membership as serious matters (see,
Section V.1).
- Any Regular Member who
has attended none of
twelve (12) three successive
meetings shall revert to Associate Member status until restored by a
three-fifths (3/5) vote of the Regular Membership by secret ballot. This
may be waived by the Regular Membership as a serious matter. [THIS IS
BEING CHANGED BY AN ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS]
ARTICLE II: MEETINGS OF THE
REGULAR MEMBERSHIP
-
Business meetings of
the Regular Membership shall be held at least once per
calendar
quarter year at such times and places
as the Regular Membership, the Board of Directors, or the President shall
determine. Business Meetings shall be held only in the Florida area.
Members
may, by arrangement with the President, attend meetings through
electronic means, including e-mail and IRC messaging. Meetings
may be held electronically in whole or in part.
- The Secretary shall be
responsible for notifying all Members in advance, in writing, of the
place, date, and hour of each meeting. If the
meeting will take place in whole or in part electronically, the meeting
notice shall include full particulars for full electronic access to the
meeting.
The last meeting in
the October-December quarter One meeting held
between 1 October and 1 March shall be designated
by the President to be
the Annual Meeting in the notice for the meeting at which the Officers
shall be elected, annual reports shall be received, and normal business
shall be transacted.
- A quorum consists of
one Officer and either four (4) Regular Members or
twenty-five
thirty-five percent (2535%)
of all Regular Members, whichever is greater, present in person or, if notice was given that the meeting would be
electronic in whole or in part, electronically. A number
less than a quorum, present at a meeting. may adjourn or reschedule that
meeting to another time and place, without notice other than announcement
at the Meeting.
- Except where
superseded by these by-laws, meetings shall be conducted according to Robert's
Rules of Order, Newly Revised or according to such other rules as the
Regular Membership may adopt.
- Except as otherwise
stated in Section 3.2, in the absence of the President at a meeting, the
Regular Membership shall elect a Temporary Chairman, who shall preside
until the arrival of the President. Until the election of a Temporary
Chairman, any Regular Member may preside. In the absence of the Secretary
at a meeting, the presiding Officer may appoint a Temporary Secretary,
who shall perform the function of Secretary during that meeting.
Presiding Officer means any person lawfully Presiding at a meeting.
- Whenever the Office of
President is vacant, any other Officer may schedule a meeting, and in the
absence of any Officer, any Regular Member may schedule a meeting and
must so notify the Secretary. The person scheduling the meeting shall
perform the function of the Secretary in notifying Regular Members of the
meeting if the Office of Secretary is vacant.
ARTICLE III: OFFICERS
-
At the Annual Meeting,
the Regular Membership shall elect, in order, a President,
a Treasurer, a Secretary and two (2) at-large Board members to whom the
President
shall assign specific duties. The Officers so elected shall assume office
at the conclusion of all elections and their term of office shall be
until the next Annual Meeting and thereafter until their successors are
elected.
- At the meeting before the Annual Meeting a Nominating
Committee appointed by the President shall propose one Person as a
candidate for each Office. Other nominations, with two seconds, shall be
accepted from the floor at that meeting. Nomination of an absent person is
inadmissible unless the written consent of the nominee is submitted to the
presiding Officer.
- A
majority of votes cast is required to elect. A preferential ballot shall be
used for any Office for which there are more than two candidates. Voting shall
be by secret ballot. Only Regular Members are eligible for Office. No person
can
exercise the powers of
hold more than one Office at any one time.
-
Each Officer may
appoint a Deputy who shall have the powers and duties of the Officer in
case of the Officer's absence or disability. Such Deputies can be removed
at the pleasure of the appointing Officer but their appointment must be
approved by the Board of Directors or by the Regular Membership.
- Any Officer and/or
Deputy may be recalled by the Regular Membership as a serious matter.
- Whenever a person
elected to Office becomes permanently unavailable, a special election
shall be held without undue delay to fill the Office regardless of the
existence of a Deputy for the Office. Whenever the person elected to
Office and the Deputy are both unavailable, the Board of Directors shall
temporarily Fill the vacancy by appointing a Regular Member who is not an
Officer to serve until the vacancy is filled by election or by the return
of the Officer or Deputy.
- The President
shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Society and shall have
general and active management of its business. The President shall have
the powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the
office of president of a Corporation and shall have final authority on
all matters relating to the day-to-day business of the Society. The
President's decisions shall, conform to the policies set by the Board of
Directors and Regular Membership and the President shall see that all
orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and Regular Membership
are carried into effect. The President shall preside at meetings of the
Regular Membership and of the Board of Directors.
- The Treasurer shall be
the Chief Financial Officer of the Association. The Treasurer shall have
custody of the Association funds and securities and shall keep full and
accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the
Association. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys and other valuable
effects in the name and to the credit of the Association, in such
depositories as the Board of Directors may designate. The Treasurer shall
collect all funds due and owing to the Association and shall disburse the
funds of the Association as directed by the Board of Directors and the
Regular Membership. The Treasurer shall report to the Regular Membership
and the Board of Directors at such times as they shall direct, but at
least quarterly, on the financial transactions and condition of the Association.
- The Secretary shall be
the Clerk of the Corporation for purposes of law. The Secretary shall
notify the Regular Membership and the Board of Directors of their
respective meetings in the manner prescribed by these by-laws. The
Secretary shall attend such meetings and shall maintain full and accurate
records of the business transacted thereat. The Secretary shall have
custody of the Association's Corporate seal, Articles of Incorporation
and other legal papers and records of the Society. The Secretary shall be
responsible for filing such reports as may be required by state and
federal law.
- The Officers shall
perform such additional duties pertaining to their respective Offices as
may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or by the Regular Membership.
ARTICLE IV: Management
-
The "Board of
Directors" as used in these by-laws and within the meaning of
Chapter 717 Sect. 026, of the Florida statutes shall consist of the three
Officers, and two at-large Board Members. Except as otherwise provided,
the Board of Directors shall have general control and management of the
property and business of the Association.
- In addition to the
powers and authority expressly conferred upon them, the Board of
Directors and the Regular Membership may each exercise any powers of the
Association and do any lawful acts and things the doing of which is not
otherwise prohibited by law or in these by-laws.
- Meetings of the Board of Directors
-
At each meeting of the Regular Membership, the Board of
Directors and the individual Officers shall give complete reports of their
official activities since the last meeting.
- Any
decision voted by the Regular Membership is binding on the Board of Directors
and on each Officer. The Regular Membership may, as a serious matter, overrule
any decision already taken by the Board of Directors. The Regular Membership
may, by a three-fifths (3/5) vote, overrule any decision already taken by any
Officer. Where any expenditure has been incurred or made, or where any contract
has been signed, on behalf of the Association, by any Person authorized to do
so under any provisions of these by-laws, the Association's obligation
therefore may not be abrogated by any decision of the Board or Membership.
- Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and
places as the Board or the President shall determine. Whenever the Office of
President is
vacant, any other Officer may schedule a meeting of the Board.
- A
quorum of the Board consists of two Officers or one Officers and two other
Board Members.
- Each
Officer shall be notified of the place, date, and hour of each meeting of the
Board.
Notice may be given orally, by telephone, or in writing, and is valid if
given in time to enable the Officer to attend, or if given according to Article
V, Section 4(E) of these by-laws.
- A
meeting of the Board is valid without prior notice if all Officers are present,
or if each Officer not present waives such notice by a writing included with
the records of the meeting. Any action that could be taken by the Board at a
meeting may be taken without a meeting if all the Officers consent to the
action in writing and the written consents are filed with the minutes of Board
meetings. Such written consents shall be treated for all purposes as a vote at
a meeting.
-
Finances
- The President may, in the ordinary course of business, make or
authorize the making of any expenditure or obligation in any amount not
exceeding $500
one hundred dollars ($100.). The Board of Directors may make or
authorize the making of any expenditure or obligation in any amount not
exceeding $2500two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.). The Regular Membership may
make or authorize the making of any expenditure or obligation in any amount
whatsoever by a vote of three-fifths.
- Every
check, promissory note, draft, or demand for money of whatever amount shall be
signed on behalf of the Association by authorized officers. Every contract,
deed, or other instrument shall be signed on behalf of the Association by the
President.
- The
fiscal year of the Association begins on the first day of January and ends on
the last day of December of the calendar year. The Treasurer holding office at
the end of the fiscal year shall be responsible for closing the books of the
Association and for the completion of any tax forms required for that fiscal
year.
- The
Association shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, by
reason of such person's being or having been an Officer or Deputy of the
Association or an agent approved by the Regular Membership, against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement,
actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with such action, suit,
or proceeding, to the full extent permitted by law, except where such person is
finally determined to have been guilty of bad faith or improper conduct as such
Officer, Deputy, or agent.
- The
Association shall pay expenses incurred in defending any such action, suit, or
proceeding in advance of its final disposition to the extent authorized by the
Regular Membership, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
person or persons involved to repay such amount unless it is ultimately
determined they were entitled to be indemnified by the Association.
-
The Regular Membership
may require of any Officer, and the Regular Membership or the Board of
Directors may require of any agent or Deputy, a bond in such sum and with
such sureties as they may prescribe for the faithful performance of said
Officer's, Deputy's, or agent's duties and for the faithful restoration
to the Association, in case of death, resignation, retirement, or removal
from office, of all books, papers, moneys, checks, and other property of
whatever kind in the possession of or under the control of such Officer,
Deputy, or agent and belonging to the Association.
- Standing or special
sub-committees and other positions or agencies may be established or
dissolved, and the authority and procedure whereby persons may be
appointed thereto or removed therefrom may be defined, by the President
with the consent of the Board of Directors or the Regular Membership. If
other provisions are not made, appointment and removal shall be at the
pleasure of the President. Every entity created under this Section shall
keep general records of its activities and shall submit such records to
the Secretary for inclusion in the records of the Association.
ARTICLE V: MISCELLANEOUS
-
The specification of
any action in these by-laws as a serious matter shall mean that the
action shall require a secret ballot and four-fifths (4/5) majority for
adoption, except that a three-fifths (3/5) majority shall be sufficient
if the following conditions are met:
- written notice has been given of the type of action and the
meeting at which it is to be brought up; and
- in
the case of an action against a Regular Member, to remove a privilege or
disqualify the Member from holding a privilege, the Member is given written
notice of the action and a reasonable opportunity to argue against it.
- Nothing in this section or the rest of these by-laws shall be construed to
require that any reason other than the good of the Society be given for any
action including serious matters.
- These
By-Laws may be amended by the Regular Membership as a serious matter.
- Every
Member when admitted and on reasonable request shall be provided with access to an up-to-date copy of these By-Laws and the
current Operating Procedures.
-
Except where the
context clearly requires another meaning:
- "Meeting" means any meeting of the Regular
Membership, including the Annual Meeting,
- "Three-fifths
vote" or other fractional vote of the Regular Membership means that
fraction of votes cast. "Votes cast" means valid votes cast for or
against a proposal or candidate and does not include abstentions.
- "Officer"
and "Office" refers to the Officers named in Section III.1 and to the
positions which they hold, or their Deputies in case of their unavailability.
An Office is "vacant" if the elected Officer and the Deputy are both
permanently unavailable and the Board of Directors has not yet temporarily
filled the position by appointment.
- "Members"
and "Membership" refer to all Members (Regular, Associate, or any
Special categories defined by the Board), except in reference to voting on
issues or in elections or where specified. In these cases, "Members"
and "Membership" refer only to Regular Members in good standing.
- Written
notice is given to any person if and when it is left with him or
her in person, or is left at his or her residence or usual place of work, or if
and when it is sent by mail, telephone, email, telegraph,
or other carrier to his or her address as it appears in the records of the
Association, or if and when it is sent to him or her by any other means. Any
means enumerated in this subsection and used to give any notice to any person
must be calculated to reach him or her within a reasonable length of time.
Such notice must be given sufficiently in advance to
allow all members a reasonable opportunity to participate in person or
electronically.
- A member is "present" at or "attends" a meeting if he attends it
either physically or electronically for at least half of its duration.
- A "secret" ballot is any ballot in which
individual votes are not recorded and which is either conducted using
unmarked paper ballots or, if conducted by electronic means, is sent to a
teller who reports only the result.
Prepared by Joe Siclari and Edie Stem Adopted:
December 28, 1986
Proposed Revision: June 20, 1988, by Joe Siclari
Revision adopted: July 17, 1988
Proposed revision, Jan 30 2003, prepared by Tom Veal, Ben Yalow, and Mark L.
Olson