CONSTITUTION
(As amended through May 2007)
ARTICLE I NAME
Section 1 The name of this Society shall be Midland Gem & Mineral Society, Inc.
Section 2 The term or duration of the Society shall be perpetual, and it shall be a
non-profit organization (Approved 1998 as 501,c,3 organization by the IRS)
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
Section 1 The purpose of this society shall be:
(1) To associate as members, persons interested in the study, collecting, and/or lapidary treatment of rocks and minerals
(2) To disseminate knowledge, methods and procedures for collecting, identifying, cutting, polishing, setting, and mounting or specimens
(3) To promote good fellowship, proper ethics and conduct, good relationship of members with each other and with members of other (earth societies) LIKE ORGANIZATIONS AND WITHIN TH COMMUNITY in pursuit of these activities
(4) TO STIMLATE INTEREST AMONG THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY INEARTH SCIENCE/GEOLOGY AND TH EAPPRECIATION OF ROCKS, MINERALS, AND PRECIOUS STONES THROUGH SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 Membership in this Society shall be open to persons twelve (12) years of age and older, who are interested in rocks, minerals, fossils, and the lapidary art. Membership requirements are that a person be interested in the purpose of the Society and willing to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws. Membership shall be contingent upon the payment of the required dues AND FEES.
Section 2 There shall be two (2) types of membership:
(1) Adult
(2) Student – twelve (12) to eighteen (18) years of age, without voting privileges
Section 3 To become a Member of this Society:
(1) An adult must complete and submit to the Society the So
ciety’s Application for Membership form.
(2) A student, in addition to (1) above, must be sponsored by one of his/her parents who is a member of the Society, or by an adult member who is willing to be responsible for him/her.
ARTICLE IV ELECTED OFFICERS
Section 1 The elected officers of the Society shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall compose the Executive Board of Directors.
Section 2 The board of Directors which shall be composed of four (4) men and four (4) women with the President making the ninth member.
ARTICLE V NON-ELECTED BOARD OF ADVISORS
Section 1 THE BOARD OF ADVISORS SHALL CONSIST OF NO LESS THAN TWELVE (12) AND NO MORE THAN TWENTY-FOUR (24) NON-ELECTED MEMBERS WHO, BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE SOCIETY’S PURPOSE, VOLUNTARILY AGREE TO SERVE AND UNSPECIFIED TERM.
ARTICLE VI MEETINGS
Section 1 There shall be one (regular) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting AND one BOARD OF DIRECTORS meeting each month.
Section 2 Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President.
Section 3 Committee meetings shall be subject to call by their respective chairman.
Section 4 Thirty (30) adult voting members present shall constitute a quorum on items brought before the general membership.
ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS
This Constitution must be amended by APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BY
two-thirds of the voting members at a (regular) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting, a quorum being present, and the proposed amendments(s) having been presented to the Society at the previous (regular) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting of the Society, and notification by mail.
By-Laws
ARTICLE I DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1 President – The President shall call and preside over meetings and shall and shall supervise the activities of the Society. The President shall appoint all Standing Committees and all other Committees deemed necessary. The President shall be the Registered Agent on our Charter.
Section 2 Vice-President – The Vice-President shall preside in t
he absence of the President and shall assist in coordinating the affairs of the Society. The Vice-President shall be the Program Chairman.
Section 3 Secretary – The Secretary shall keep a complete record of the minutes of the meetings of the Society. If, for any reason, the Secretary is not able to attend a meeting, the Secretary shall see that the minutes book is in the hands of the President for such meeting. The Secretary shall oversee publication of the monthly newsletter.
Section 4 Treasurer – The Treasurer shall receive all monies and fees into the Society and shall take all disbursements as directed and approved by the President. He shall account for all monetary and other financial transactions of the Society, and shall make a monthly report thereof.
Section 5 Board of Directors – The Board of Directors shall make all decisions on matters of policy for the Society. They should not be concerned with and make decisions on routine Society activities until, and only after, subject matter is presented, and facts compiled by the Committee Chairperson regulating those matters and same being duly submitted to the Board for policy consideration. They shall hold monthly meetings, time and place being announced in the newsletter. These meetings will be open to the membership of the Society. The minutes of the Board of Directors shall be reported in the newsletter. The board of Directors may appropriate monies as needed to conduct the business of the Society
Section 6 BOARD OF ADVISORS – THEBOARD OF ADVISIORS SHALL HAVE NO OFFICIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN OR AFFECTING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SOCIETY.
THESE MEMBERS VOLUNTARILY LEND THEIR NAME/PRESENCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE SOCIETY AND ITS PURPOS. MEMBERS WILL BE KEPT INFORMED OF SOIETY ACTIVITIIES BY MEANS OF THE MONTHLY NEWLETTER. THEIR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS WILL BE WELCOMED AND DULY CONSIDERED AS TO ROUTINE OR SPECIAL SOCIETY ACTIVITITIES.
ARTICLE II NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1 Before the September meeting, a Nominating Committee of three members shall be selected by the President. This Committee shall (report) PRESENT A LATE OF OFFICERS at the September meeting. At the Thursday meeting before the Annual Show, nominations will be accepted from the floor, provided the nominee has previously consented to serve if elected. The new officers shall be elected at the same Thursday meeting before the show and shall take office in January following election.
Section 2 If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice-President automatically becomes the President. If another vacancy occurs, the Board of Directors shall select a replacement to be approved by the voting membership.
Section 3 Two members of the Board of Directors, one man and one woman, will be rotated off the Board of Directors at the end of each year. These members shall be replaced by the (club) SOCIETY members, electing one man and one woman for a three (3) year term by vote from (a list of consenting) A SLATE eligible members PRESENTED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. This election will take place at the Thursday meeting be
fore the annual show.
ARTICLE III DUES
Section 1 The fiscal year shall begin on January 1st AND EXTEND through December 31st.
Section 2 Annual membership dues (to be designated) SHALL BE SET by the Board of Directors.
Section 3 Any person 65 years of age, who has been a member of the Society for ten (10) years has the option of two types of membership; #1, a regular paying membership with voting privileges or #2, an honorary membership not required to pay dues and without voting privileges. Honorary members must notify the Secretary each January of their desire to be a member.
Section 4 Any member who has not paid their annual dues on or before February 1st shall automatically be suspended from the membership roll along with all privileges and rights of membership. Membership privileges will be reinstated upon payment of dues within that calendar year. If, at the end of that calendar year, dues have not been paid, membership will be terminated.
ARTICLE IV ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1 No absentee or proxy vote shall be recognized by the Society. One must be present to vote.
Section 2 The Society will not be responsible for any indebtedness incurred by any member without authorization to incur such indebtedness.
Section 3 The Society will assume no responsibility incurred on any field trips. Any member or guest who participates on a field trip sponsored by the Society does so at his/her own risk.
Section 4 Only members of this Society shall be allowed to go on field trips except by permission of the President or a Board Member. A student member must be accompanied by his/her parent or an adult member who is willing to assume responsibility of the student member.
Section 5 Any disposition of Society property shall be under the direction of the Board of Directors. DISPOSTIIOIN OF ANY SINGLE property ITEM valued at more than $500 shall be approved by the voting membership with a quorum being present.
Section 6 The standing committees shall be: Show Committee, Shop Committee, School Committee, Nominating Committee, Audit Committee, Social Committee, Finance/Building Committee (Summer picnic, Christmas party), and any other committee deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
Section 7 All Society monthly meeting minutes, all Board of Directors meeting minutes and all other papers and records of the Society shall be kept in a locked file at the Society (club) shop building.
Section 8 Any changes in the Constitut
ion or By-Laws must be attached to and made part of the Master Copy of the Constitution and By-Laws by the next meeting date, to be accomplished by an archives chairman.
ARTICLE V PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
All questions of parliamentary matters not covered by this Constitution and By-Laws shall
be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.
ARTICLEVI AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws must be amended by APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BY
two-thirds of the voting members at a (regular) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting, a quorum being present, and the proposed amendments(s) having been presented to the Society at the previous (regular) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting of the Society, and notification by mail.