Bylaws of the
GRANTS PASS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
P.O. Box 214
Grants Pass, OR 97528
GRANTS PASS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY BYLAWS
(Revised: February 1973; February 1981; June 1982; December 1988; October 1994; May 13, 1997; February 10, 2009; October 9, 2012; November 12, 2013; April 8, 2014; May 10, 2016; and November 10, 2020)
ARTICLE I- NAME
Section 1
The name of this organization shall be:
GRANTS PASS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY hereinafter called “The Society.”
Section 2
The Society will register its name with the office of the Oregon Secretary of State.
ARTICLE II- MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of this Society is to provide genealogical knowledge to its membership and promote the study of ancestral history to the community at large.
ARTICLE III – POLICIES
Section 1
This Society shall be non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the Society may join other organizations. Other organizations may join the Society but will not have voting privileges in the Society. The Society will share and exchange genealogical information with interested individuals and groups.
Section 2
The fiscal year shall begin January 1 and end December 31st.
Section 3
Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern parliamentary procedures of this Society in matters not covered by these bylaws.
Section 4
Society property, supplies, or equipment shall not be used for anything other than Board of Directors sanctioned Society business and/or activities.
An inventory of all GPGS property shall be maintained by the Society Secretary.
Section 5
Elected Officers, Appointed Directors and Members:
- Promote the mission of the Society.
- Base Society relationships on equality and mutual respect.
- Observe professional standards of conduct when representing the Society.
- Support the good of the Society to meet our mission statement.
ARTICLE IV-MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
Any person who supports the mission of the Society may become an active member by submitting an application and paying the prescribed dues.
Other genealogical organizations may join by paying dues but have no voting privileges.
Section 2
Voting privileges shall be accorded paid members only.
ARTICLE V- DUES
Section 1
Dues shall be payable in January, the beginning of the fiscal year.
Section 2
Any change to the annual dues of this Society shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present.
Dues shall be $15.00 per person or $20.00 for two people or family members living at the same address.
- Dues shall not be pro-rated; however if a new member joins the Society in November or December of the current year, the member will be deemed paid in full for the following year.
Section 3
Members whose dues are not paid by February 1 of the current year shall be dropped from the rolls.
Section 4
Members who have been dropped from the rolls for non-payment of dues and who wish reinstatement shall pay the current annual dues.
ARTICLE VI-BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 1
The governing body of the Society shall be the Board of Directors, hereinafter called the “Board.” The Board shall consist of the four (4) elected officers, the Immediate Past President and appointed Directors.
Section 2
A Board position shall be declared vacant in the event of resignation or of non-attendance for three consecutive Board meetings without valid reason. A vacancy shall be filled by a nomination by the President and approval by the Board.
Section 3
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall precede the regular meetings of the Society as needed upon determination of the Board members. Meetings of the Society may be held at other times agreeable to the Board if needed to conduct business. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Board meetings shall be open to all members of the Society. All members of the Board have a vote on matters coming to their attention at these meetings.
Section 4
Duties of the Board shall be:
- To transact all business relating to the Society.
- To approve all expenditures over $200.00 from the Society Treasury.
- To approve all forms, charts, publications and displays which promote the Society.
- To approve standing committees and their functions, and accept reports of committee chairperson at regular Board meetings.
Section 5
The elected officers of the Society shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. An elected office may be shared by two members.
Section 6
Term of office for each elected officer shall be 2 years starting in 2021.
ARTICLE VII- DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The President shall:
- Preside at all regular and special meetings of this Society and its Board meetings.
- Be ex-officio a member of all committees, except the nominating committee, one member of which shall be appointed by the President.
- Appoint or permit nomination of committees as deemed necessary.
- Appoint an Auditing Committee each November composed of one member of the Board and two members-at-large, to examine the Treasury accounts and present an annual report to the Society. The Auditing Committee Report shall be due at the January meeting.
- Perform all such duties as are incidental to the office of President and which may be properly required of him/her.
- Be a signer on the Society checking account.
The Vice President shall,
in the absence of the President, exercise all the functions of the President and shall be vested with all the powers of the President.
- Be responsible for programs for regular meetings and toform a program committee.
- Be responsible for publicity.
- Be a signer on the Society checking account.
The Secretary shall:
- Keep minutes of all Board meetings and all general membership meetings if a vote is taken.
- Keep a file of committee reports and correspondence, as well as a copy of the Society bylaws and bylaw revisions.
- Perform such duties as are incidental to the office of Secretary and which may be properly required of him/her.
- Prepare and submit all meeting minutes by the first of each month to the Board
- Send thank you notes, get well cards and condolence cards to members.
- Maintain an inventory of Society property.
- Following the election of officers, prepare a letter for the Treasurer to take to the bank notifying the bank of new officers who are authorized to sign on the bank account. The letter will also inform the bank regarding outgoing officers being removed from the account.
The Treasurer shall:
- Receive all monies of this Society and make disbursements as approved by the Board, keeping the appropriate records of all action taken.
- Accept membership dues and issue receipts and membership cards.
- Submit a financial report to the Board at each board meeting.
- Deliver all financial records to the Auditing Committee by the first week of January.
- Maintain an accurate up-to-date membership roll consisting of names, phone numbers, mailing and email addresses and provide a copy to the Board.
- Be a signer on the Society checking account.
- Preside as the Budget Committee chairman.
ARTICLE VIII- COMMITTEES
Section 1
The Nominating Committee shall be formed in September for the annual election being held in November. The committee shall consist of three (3) members, one (1) member appointed by the President and two (2) volunteers. The Nominating Committee shall present at least one person for each elected office at the October meeting.
Section 2
The Auditing Committee, appointed by the President, shall be composed of the Treasurer and two (2) members-at-large. The committee shall make an annual audit of the Treasury accounts and present a written report to the Board at the January meeting. The Society will be advised of the report in the newsletter.
Section 3
The Budget Committee, appointed by the President, shall be composed of the Treasurer and two (2) members-at-large. Working with the Treasurer the committee shall prepare an annual budget report consisting of last fiscal year’s income and expenditures and a suggested operating budget for the coming year.
A written budget report shall be presented to the Board at the February meeting and published in the March newsletter.
Section 4
A Research Committee will be appointed by the President to handle “look ups” as received via the Internet, FaceBook or from mailed-in requests. There shall be no charge for these “look ups” but it is suggested a donation would be accepted to benefit a scholarship awarded to a deserving local student.
Additional committees may be nominated or appointed by the President with the approval by the Board.
ARTICLE IX- ELECTIONS:
Section 1
Election of Officers of this Society shall occur at the November meeting.
Section 2
The Nominating Committee shall present its slate to the Society at the October meeting. Following a report of the Nominating Committee, an opportunity shall be given for nominations from the floor.
Section 3
Officers shall be elected by a majority of the membership present at the November meeting and shall be installed and assume their official duties at the December meeting. Voting shall be by ballot if more than one candidate is nominated for any one office. The Secretary will prepare a paper ballot in the event more than one candidate runs for any office.
ARTICLE X- MEETINGS:
Section 1
Regular meetings of this Society shall be held each month January through June and September through November on a day convenient to the majority of the members of the Society. Informal study or social meetings are optional during July and August. Officers shall be installed at the December luncheon meeting.
Section 2
Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Board. Meetings may be presented via ZOOM, FaceTime, YouTube or other electronic medium at the suggestion of the Vice President/Program Chairman.
ARTICLE XI- LIABILITY OF MEMBERS:
Section 1
No officer or member shall be personally liable for any bills or obligations of the Society, past or present, except for the payment of his/her own dues.
Section 2
No officer or member shall disburse any funds or monies in his keeping and belonging to this Society over $200.00 without authorization of the Board.
Section 3
No person shall use the name or official insignia of this Society for other than Society business.
Section 4
The roster for this organization shall be used for Society business only and provided to the membership.
ARTICLE XII- AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS:
Section 1
These bylaws may be amended or revised upon recommendation by the Board.
Section 2
Any proposed revisions shall be presented to the Board. The newsletter editor shall send copies of the proposed revisions via email or mail to all members prior to the next regular meeting. An opportunity will be provided for members to discuss the changes at a regular meeting one month before a final vote is taken.
Section 3
Adoption of such amendments or revisions shall be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present.
ARTICLE XIII- DISSOLUTION OF THE
GRANTS PASS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY:
This Society shall be perpetual, except that dissolution of the Society may be accomplished by a vote of the members thereof on the following terms:
- Only members are eligible to vote on the issue of dissolution.
- Dissolution of this Society may be accomplished only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the membership, or in the event of a lack of an adequate voting membership, dissolution of the Society shall be the responsibility of the outgoing Board of Directors by majority vote.
- In the event of dissolution of this Society, all genealogical or historical materials owned by the Society shall be preserved as a unit to a genealogical oriented organization to be used by the general public. The Board will make a decision at the time of dissolution as to the placement of the materials.
- Any monies remaining in the Treasury of this Society shall, in the event of the dissolution of the society, be given to a genealogical oriented organization for the purchase of genealogical or historical reference material. The Board will make a decision at the time of dissolution as to the receivership of the funds.
APPROVAL SIGNATURE SHEET
Grants Pass Genealogical Society
Amended Bylaws November 10, 2020
Barbara Ruffner 11-10-2020
___________________________________________
Barbara Ruffner, President Date
Celeste Guillory 11-10-2020
___________________________________________
Celeste Guillory, Vice President Date
Kim Guthrie 11-10-2020
_____________________________________________
Kim Guthrie, Secretary Date
Mary B. Slater 11-10-2020
___________________________________________
Mary B. Slater , Treasurer Date
"Educating Family Historians
For Over 50 Years"