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Approved
by the Membership on December 20, 2001
Article I Election of Directors
and Officers
Section 1
- At a regular meeting one month prior to the meeting for election
of officers, the presiding officer shall ask a report of the nominating
committee for president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and
four (4) members of the board of directors. The nominations duly
made shall be placed on a ballot in alphabetical order under each
office and shall be voted for at the annual meeting along with nominations
from the floor. The candidates for president, vice president of
fund raising, secretary, and treasurer receiving a majority of the
votes shall be declared elected to their respective offices. The
four (4) candidates for director receiving a majority of the votes
shall be declared elected as directors. The president elected in
such balloting shall serve as a member of the board as president-elect
for the year commencing on the first day of July next following
the election, and shall assume office as president on the first
day of July immediately following the year of service on the board
as president-elect.
Section 2 - The officers
and directors so elected, together with the immediate past president
shall constitute the board of directors. Within one week after their
election, the board of directors-elect shall meet and elect a member
of the club to act as sergeant-at-arms and a member of the club
to act as Bulletin Editor.
Section 3 - A vacancy in
the board of directors or any office shall be filled by action of
the remaining members of the board.
Section 4 - A vacancy in
the position of any officer-elect or director-elect shall be filled
by action of the remaining members of the board of directors-elect.
Article II Board of Directors
The governing body of this club
shall be the board of directors consisting of eleven (11) members
of this club, namely, four (4) directors elected in accordance with
article I, section I, of these bylaws, the president, vice-president
of fund raising, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, bulletin
editor, and the immediate past president.
Article III Duties of Officers
Section 1 - President. It
shall be the duty of the president to preside at meetings of the
club and board and to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain
to the office of president.
Section 2 - President-Elect.
It shall be the duty of the president-elect to serve as a member
of the board of directors of the club and to perform such other
duties as may be prescribed by the president or the board.
Section 3 - Vice-President of
Fund Raising. It shall be the duty of the vice-president of
fund raising to coordinate and preside over all club fund raising
events. This person will simultaneously serve as Chairman of the
West Austin Rotary Foundation.
Section 4 - Secretary. It
shall be the duty of the secretary to keep the records of membership,
record the attendance at meetings, send out notices of meetings
of the club, board and committees, record and preserve the minutes
of such meetings, make the required reports to RI, including the
semiannual reports of membership, which shall be made to the general
secretary of RI on 1 January and 1 July of each year, and including
prorated reports to the general secretary on 1 October and 1 April
of each active, senior active and past service member who has been
elected to membership in the club since the start of the July or
January semiannual reporting period, the report of changes in membership,
which shall be made to the general secretary of RI, the monthly
report of attendance at the club meetings, which shall be made to
the district governor immediately following the last meeting of
the month, collect and remit to RI subscriptions to THE ROTARIAN,
and perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office of
secretary.
Section 5 - Treasurer. It
shall be the duty of the treasurer to have custody of all funds,
accounting for same to the club annually and to the Board monthly
and to perform such other duties as pertain to the office of treasurer.
Upon retirement from office, the treasurer shall turn over to the
incoming treasurer or to the president all funds, books of accounts
or any other club property.
Section 6 - Sergeant-at-Arms.
The duties of the sergeant-at-arms shall be such as are usually
prescribed for such office and such other duties as may be prescribed
by the president or the board.
Section 7 - Bulletin Editor.
The duties of the bulletin editor shall be to edit and produce the
Club's weekly newsletter.
Article IV Meetings
Section 1 - Annual Meeting.
An annual meeting of this club shall be held not later than the
thirty-first day of December, in each year, at which time the election
of officers and directors to serve for the ensuing year shall take
place.
Section 2 - The regular weekly
meetings of this club shall be held on every Thursday at 12:00 noon.
Due notice of any changes in or
canceling of the regular meeting shall be given to all members of
the club. All members excepting an honorary member (or member excused
by the board of directors of this club, pursuant to Article VIII,
Section 2(b) of the standard Rotary club constitution) in good standing
in this club, on the day of the regular meeting, must be counted
as present or absent, and attendance must be evidenced by the member's
being present for at least sixty (60) percent of the time devoted
to the regular meeting, either at this club or at any other Rotary
club or as otherwise provided in the Standard Rotary Club Constitution,
Article VIII, Section 1.
Section 3 - One-third of
the membership shall constitute a quorum at the annual and regular
meetings of this club.
Section 4 - Regular meetings
of the board shall be held monthly, at a date, time, and place determined
by the board of directors. Special meetings of the board shall be
called by the president, whenever deemed necessary, or upon the
request of two (2) members of the board, due notice having been
given.
Section 5 - A majority of
the board members shall constitute a quorum of the board.
Article V Fees and Dues
Section 1 - The admission
fee shall be $100.00 to be paid before the applicant can qualify
as a member.
Section 2 - The membership
dues shall be determined annually by the board of directors with
the understanding that six dollars (US$6.00) of each semiannual
payment shall be applied to each member's subscription to THE ROTARIAN
magazine. (Note: The subscription price of THE ROTARIAN is US$12.00
per annum).
Article VI Method of Voting
The business of this club shall
be transacted by viva voce vote except the election of officers
and directors, which shall be by ballot.
Article VII Committees
Section 1 -
(a) The president shall, when recommended by the
board, appoint the following standing committees:
Club Service committee
Vocational Service committee
Community Service committee
International Service committee
(b) The president shall, subject to the approval
of the board, also appoint such committees on particular phases
of club service, vocational service, community service and international
service as deemed necessary.
(c) The club service committee, vocational service
committee, community service committee, and international service
committee shall each consist of a chairman, who shall be named by
the president from the membership of the board, and not less than
two (2) other members.
(d) The president shall be ex-officio a member of
all committees and, as such, shall have all the privileges of membership
thereon.
(e) Each committee shall transact such business
as is delegated to it in the bylaws and such additional business
as may be referred to it by the president or the board. Except where
special authority is given by the board, such committees shall not
take action until a report has been made to the board and approved
by the board.
(f) The president may appoint one or more committees
dealing with various aspects of youth activities, which, depending
on their respective responsibilities, may be under any, or all,
of the vocational service, community service, or international service
committees.
Where feasible and practicable in the appointment
of such committees, there should be provision for continuity of
membership, either by appointing one or more members for a second
term or by appointing one or more members for a two-year term.
Section 2 - Club Service Committee.
(a) The chairman of the club service committee shall
be responsible for all club service activities and shall supervise
and coordinate the work of all committees appointed on particular
phases of club service.
(b) The club service committee shall consist of
the chairman of the club service committee and the chairmen of all
committees appointed o particular phases of club service.
(c) The president shall, when recommended by the
board, appoint the following committees on particular phases of
club service:
Attendance committee
Club bulletin committee
Fellowship committee
Magazine committee
Membership committee
Membership development committee
Program committee
Public relations committee
Appoint one member each year to the following
committees:
Classifications committee
Rotary information committee
(d) The president shall appoint the president-elect
or vice-president to oversee and coordinate the work of the classifications,
membership, membership development and Rotary information committees.
(e) Where feasible and practicable in the appointment
of club committees, there should be provision for continuity of
membership, either by appointing one or more members for a second
term or by appointing one or more members to a two-year term.
(f) The classifications and Rotary information committees
shall each consist of three (3) members, one member of each committee
to be appointed each year for a term of three (3) years. The first
appointments made under this provision shall be as follows: one
member for a term of one year; one member for a term of two (2)
years; one member for a term of three (3) years.
(g) The magazine committee shall, wherever feasible,
include the editor of the club publication and a local newspaper
or advertising member of the club.
Section 3 - Community Service Committee
(a) The chairman of the community service committee
shall be responsible for all community service activities and shall
supervise and coordinate the work of all committees appointed on
particular phases of community service.
(b) The community service committee shall consist
of the chairman of the community service committee and the chairman
of all committees appointed on particular phases of community service.
(c) The president shall, when recommended by the
board, appoint the following committees on particular phases of
community service:
Human development committee
Community development committee
Environmental protection committee
Partners in service committee
Article VIII Duties of Committees
Section 1 - Club Service Committee. This
committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will guide
and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities
in matters relating to club service. The chairman of the club service
committee shall be responsible for regular meetings of the committee
and shall report to the board on all club service activities.
(a) Attendance Committee. This committee
shall devise means for encouraging attendance at all Rotary meetingsincluding
attendance at district conferences, intercity meetings, regional
conferences, and international conventions by all club members.
This committee shall especially encourage attendance at regular
meetings of this club and attendance at regular meetings of other
clubs when unable to attend meetings of this club; keep all members
informed on attendance requirements; promote better incentives for
good attendance; and seek to ascertain and remove the conditions
that contribute to unsatisfactory attendance.
(b) Classifications Committee. This committee
shall as early as possible, but no later than 31 August of each
year, make a classification survey of the community; shall compile
from the survey a roster of filled and unfilled classifications,
applying the classification principle; shall review, where necessary,
existing classifications represented in the club; and shall counsel
with the board on all classification problems.
(c) Club Bulletin Committee. This committee
shall endeavor, through the publishing of a weekly club bulletin,
to stimulate interest and improve attendance, announce the program
of the forthcoming meeting, relate highlights of the previous meeting,
promote fellowship, contribute to the Rotary education of all members,
and report news of the club, of its members and of the worldwide
Rotary program.
(d) Fellowship Activities Committee. This
committee shall promote acquaintance and friendship among the members,
promote participation by members in organized Rotary recreational
and social activities, and do such work in pursuance of the general
object of the club as may be assigned by the president or the board.
(e) Magazine Committee. This committee shall
stimulate reader interest in THE ROTARIAN; sponsor a magazine
month; arrange for brief monthly reviews of the magazine on regular
club programs; encourage the use of the magazine in the induction
of new members; provide a copy of the magazine for non-Rotarian
speakers; secure international service and other special subscriptions
for libraries, hospitals, schools and other reading rooms; send
news items and photographs to the editor of the magazine and in
other ways make the magazine of service to the club members and
non-Rotarians.
(f) Membership Committee. This committee
shall consider all proposals for membership from the personal side
and shall thoroughly investigate the character, business, social
and community standing, and general eligibility of all persons proposed
for membership and shall report their decisions on all applications
to the board.
(g) Membership Development Committee. This
committee shall review continually the club roster of filled and
unfilled classifications and shall take positive action to initiate
and present to the board the names of suitable persons to fill unfilled
classifications.
(h) Public Relations Committee. This committee
shall devise and carry into effect, plans (1) to give the public
general information about Rotary, its history, object, and scope;
and (2) to secure proper publicity for the club.
(i) Rotary Information Committee. This committee
shall inform prospective members about the privileges and responsibilities
of Rotary club membership; keep members informed about the history,
object, and activities of Rotary at all levels; and oversee the
orientation of new members during their first year in the club.
Section 2 - Vocational Service Committee.
This committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will
guide and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities
in their vocational relationships and in improving the general standards
of practice in their respective vocations. The chairman of this
committee shall be responsible for the vocational service activities
of the club and shall supervise and coordinate the work of any committees
that may be appointed on particular phases of vocational service.
Section 3 - Community Service Committee.
This committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will
guide and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities
in their community relationships. The chairman of this committee
shall be responsible for the community service activities of the
club and shall supervise and coordinate the work of any committees
that may be appointed on particular phases of community service.
(a) Human Development Committee. This committee
shall devise and carry into effect plans which will guide and assist
the members of this club in dealing within the community with the
welfare of human beings of all kinds throughout the whole span of
life by providing assistance and support to those in need.
(b) Community Development Committee. This
committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will guide
and assist the members of this club in working to make the community
a better place to live by improving the physical condition of the
community and its facilities.
(c) Environmental Protection Committee. This
committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will guide
and assist the members of this club in monitoring and improving
the quality of the community's environment.
(d) Partners in Service Committee. This committee
shall devise and carry into effect plans which will guide and assist
the members of this club in building relationships with other Rotary-sponsored
organizations within the community and in cooperating with them
in service.
Section 4 - International Service Committee.
This committee shall devise and carry into effect plans which will
guide and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities
in matters relating to international service. The chairman of this
committee shall be responsible for the international service activities
of the club and shall supervise and coordinate the work of any committees
that may be appointed on particular phases of international service.
Article IX Leave of Absence
Upon written application to the board, setting forth
good and sufficient cause, leave of absence may be granted excusing
a member from attending the meetings of the club for a specified
length of time.
(Note: Such leave of absence does operate
to prevent a forfeiture of membership; it does not operate to give
the club credit for the member's attendance. Unless the member attends
a regular meeting of some other club, the excused member must be
recorded as absent except that absence authorized under the provision
of Art. VIII, Sec. 2b of the standard Rotary club constitution is
not computed in the attendance record of the club.)
Article X Finances
Section 1 - The treasurer shall deposit all
funds of the club in some bank to be named by the board.
Section 2 - All bills shall be paid only
by checks signed by the treasurer or other officers, as designated
annually by the board of directors. A thorough audit by a certified
public accountant or other qualified person may be made generally
once each year at the discretion of the club's incoming treasurer,
of all the club's financial transactions.
Section 3 - Officers having charge or control
of funds shall give bond as may be required by the board for the
safe custody of the funds of the club, cost of bond to be borne
by the club.
Section 4 - The fiscal year of this club
shall extend from July 1st to June 30th. The payment of per capita
dues and magazine subscriptions to RI shall be made on July 1st
and January 1st of each year on the basis of the membership of the
club on those dates.
(Note: Magazine subscriptions for members
joining during a semiannual period are payable upon invoice from
the Secretariat.)
Section 5 - At the beginning of each fiscal
year the board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a budget of
estimated income and estimated expenditures for the year, which,
having been agreed to by the board, shall stand as the limit of
expenditures for the respective purposes unless otherwise ordered
by action of the board.
Article XI Method of Electing Members
Section 1 - The name of a prospective member,
proposed by an active, senior active or past service member of the
club, shall be submitted to the board in writing, through the club
secretary. A transferring or former member of another club may be
proposed to active membership by the former club. The proposal for
the time being shall be kept confidential except as otherwise provided
in this procedure.
Section 2 - The board shall ensure that the
proposal meets all the classification and membership requirements
of the club constitution.
Section 3 - The board shall approve or disapprove
the proposal within 30 days of its submission, and shall notify
the proposer, through the club secretary, of its decision.
Section 4 - If the decision of the board
is favorable, the prospective member shall be informed of the purposes
of Rotary and of the privileges and responsibilities of membership
(including the kind of membership proposed), following which the
prospective member shall be requested to sign the membership proposal
form and to permit his or her name and proposed classification to
be published to the club.
Section 5 - If no written objection to the
proposal, stating reasons, is received by the board from any member
(other than honorary) of the club within seven (7) days following
publication of information about the prospective member, that person,
upon payment of the admission fee (if not honorary membership),
as prescribed in these bylaws, shall be considered to be elected
to membership.
If any such objection has been filed with the board,
it shall vote on this matter at its next meeting. If approved despite
the objection, the proposed member, upon payment of the admission
fee (if not honorary membership), shall be considered to be elected
to membership.
Section 6 - Following the election, the president
shall arrange for the induction of the new member, the club secretary
shall issue a membership card and shall report the new member to
RI; and the Rotary information committee shall provide appropriate
literature for presentation at the induction and assign a member
to assist the assimilation of the new member.
Article XII Resolutions
No resolution or motion to commit this club on any
matter shall be considered by the club until it has been considered
by the board. Such resolutions or motions, if offered at a club
meeting, shall be referred to the board without discussion.
Article XIII Order of Business
Meeting called to order.
Introduction of visiting Rotarians.
Correspondence and announcements.
Committee reports if any.
Any unfinished business.
Any new business.
Address or other program features.
Adjournment.
Article XIV Amendments
These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting,
a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all members present,
provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall have been
mailed to each member at least ten days before such meeting. No
amendment or addition to these bylaws can be made by which is not
in harmony with the club constitution
and with the constitution and bylaws of RI.
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