Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Audrain County Area Genealogical Society and shall hereinafter be referred to as the 'Society'.
Article II - Purpose
The objective and purpose of the Society shall be to encourage, and assist in, the study, research and recording of genealogical data and family history.
Article III - Membership
Section 1. Membership shall be open to any person who subscribes to the purpose of the Society, without regard to residence.
Section 2. Dues shall be $12.00 per year (effective Fall of 2007), payable upon first joining and then renewable 12 months after date last paid. Memberships shall not be accepted for periods of more than two years.
Section 3. A one-year membership may be granted by a majority of the Board of Directors to any individual, not already a member, who has performed a substantial service to the Society.
Article IV - Board of Directors
Section 1. The BOARD OF DIRECTORS shall consist of the Elected Officers: President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, Newsletter Editor, and Membership Chair, officers appointed by the President, consisting of the Institutional Representative (member of Library Staff), Publication Chair and Projects Chair, and the immediate past President.
Section 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Term of office shall be one year. The President shall appoint a 3-member Nominating Committee annually to select a slate of officers willing to serve. This slate shall be nominated in May and be voted upon at the June meeting. Other candiates known to be willing to serve may be nominated from the floor. If only one candidate per office is nominated, election is by voice vote. If two or more candidates are nominated for any office, the election for that office is by paper ballot.
Section 3. BOARD MEETINGS. The Board of Directors shall meet routinely at the Genealogy Library six times per year. Time, date and/or place of routine meetings shall be set or changed by the Board. Special Board meetings may be called, at the discretion of the President. A quorum of the Board shall constist of 5 members.
Article V - Duties of Officers
Section 1. The PRESIDENT shall preside at business meetings, see that by-laws are enforced and updated periodically, appoint all committees, and be an ex-officio member of all except the Nominating Committee, and exercise general supervision over all affairs of the Society.
Section 2. The VICE-PRESIDENT shall assist the President as required, and perform the duties of the President when the President is absent. The incumbent shall also serve as Librarian of the Society, taking charge of all items donated to, purchased by, or loaned to the Society and being responsible for maintenance, repair and replacement of all items used in the Society's normal library operations; organize and staff the Society's library so it will be open to the public during hours mutually agreed upon by the Society and the Public Library; and keep volunteers who staff the Society's library, and those who do research to help answer inquiries, informed as to inventory and location of research and reference materials.
Section 3. The SECOND VICE PRESIDENT/CORRESPONDING SECRETARY shall be responsible for all correspondence pertaining to the Society's affairs, to include set-up and maintenance of appropriate files, and shall act as the Recording Secretary in that officer's absence. The incumbent is designated as the officer to act as the President in the absence of both the President and the Vice-President, and to become President if such absence should be permanent. The incumbent shall also be the INQUIRY CHAIR and as such, manage the answering of inquiries in a timely and appropriate manner. This responsibility includes reading new inquiries to the membership, maintaining suitable files, selecting and training volunteers to do the required research, and supervision of transmission of timely and appropriate responses.
Section 4. The RECORDING SECRETARY shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of all meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors, and read or distribute recorded minutes upon request. The incumbent shall also act as the HISTORIAN of the Society collecting and preserving copies of documents, clippings, photos, etc. to constitute a historical record of the activities of the Society.
Section 5. The TREASURER shall be custodian of all funds, keep itemized accounts of all receipts and disbursements, prepare and distribute reports of the financial status of the Society for each regular meeting of the Society or the Board, and prepare and submit such annual reports as are required. An itemized bill or receipt, and the approval of the president shall justify each expenditure.
Section 6. The PROGRAM CHAIR shall select and arrange for programs at all regular meetings of the Society not reserved for all-business, or designated as work sessions. Suggestions from, and the needs and interests of, the membership shall be considered in scheduling programs, as will the availability of suitable speakers.
Section 7. The NEWSLETTER EDITOR shall be responsible for compiling, editing, printing and distributing the Newsletter in accordance with the established format.
Section 8. The MEMBERSHIP CHAIR shall recieve all new members and their dues, prepare and maintain an up-to-date membership list, notify any member who is delinquent in the payment of dues, and request five-generation (minimum) Pedigree Charts from members.
Section 9. The appointed PROJECTS CHAIR shall define the objective of each new project undertaken by the Society; select and have appointed a Project Manager; assist each manager select and have appointed the required staff assistants; and supervise and report upon status of each project as required.
Section 10. The appointed INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE shall be a senior staff member of the sponsoring Public Library, who is also a member of the Society, with duties also acting as liaison between the Society and the sponsoring institution, representing each party to the other. The incumbent is also to act as PUBLICITY CHAIR with the local newspaper.
Section 11. The IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT is automatically a member of the Board of Directors.
Article VI - Meetings
The regular meetings of the Society shall begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Mexico-Audrain County Library on the third Sunday of each month except July, August and December when no meetings will be scheduled. Special meetings may be called by the President, or the time and/or place of regular meetings may be changed by advance scheduling. A quorum for voting at business meetgins shall consist of 15 members in good standing.
Article VII - Amendment of By-Laws
These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Society by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, provided the amendment change has been submitted in writing at a previous regular or special meeting.
Article VIII - Dissolution or Disbandment
In the event that the Audrain County Area Genealogical Society, Inc. organization is dissolved or liquidated, all of the assets and property remaining after all debts, obligations, and expenses have been paid will be distributed to an organization Section 501 C 3 that qualifies under U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954. This shall be determined by the organization's final board of directors, and by a 2/3 vote of the membership attending the final meeting.
