By laws updated November ‘09

 Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers

By-Laws

 

Article I – General Provisions

 

 

I.   MEMBERSHIP

 

Dues paying members shall have full access to Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers events, Sea Hawker benefits, and voting rights at chapter meetings, subject to Article II #2.

 

II. CHAPTER DUES AND ENROLLMENT

 

A.  The annual dues of members shall be established by the By-Laws of the Sea Hawkers Central Council.  Dues are currently $15.00 for a single membership and $25.00 for two adults in same household.  For each additional adult in same household, add $10.00.  18 years of age constitutes an adult.■

 

B.  Members dues are due with initial application and at time of renewal of membership.  Membership is by calendar year (January thru December) Members joining after 1 October of a given year are paid for the remainder of that year and the following calendar year.  Renewals not paid by February 28■ will be dropped from the membership list until paid.

 

III. MEETINGS

 

A.  REGULAR - Regular meetings shall be held the 3rd Wednesday of each month, ♦except in the month of November, when Thanksgiving falls in the third week, then the meeting will be the second Wednesday♦ unless otherwise set.■ Appropriate notice of the meeting time and place shall be given.  Additional meetings will be held at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  There will be no general meetings in July and December due to annual picnic and Christmas party.■

 

B.  ANNUAL – The Regular meeting in January shall be the Annual meeting.

 

C. QUORUM – At any meeting of the chapter, a minimum of 15 members is required in order to constitute a quorum to do official business. 

 

D.  MEETING PLACE AND TIME – The place and time of Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers meetings shall be announced to all members with appropriate notice.

 

 

Article II – Board of Directors

 

1.  The business and property of the chapter shall be managed by the Board of Directors (here after referred to as the Board).  The Board shall consist of seven (7) members initially.  When membership reaches fifty (50) the board shall be increased to nine (9) members.

 

2.  Effective January 1, 2009, Board members shall be elected to serve for a two-year term ♦.  Four persons are to be elected in even years and the remaining five positions are to be elected in odd years.  Nominations of members for these positions must be made in good faith and with a commitment that such nominees, if elected, would attend a minimum of eight meetings a year.■

 

 The voting members must have a current membership and voting rights shall be granted at the members 2nd general meeting.  To be elected to the Board, the nominee must have been a member for three months and in attendance at two of the three meetings prior to election day.■

 

3.   The Board shall meet monthly to manage the chapter’s affairs outside of the Regular meetings.  These meetings shall be the first Wednesday of every month. Appropriate notice must be given of change of time or venue.

 

4.  At Board meetings, five Directors shall be present to constitute a quorum.  Each Director shall possess one vote.  Voting by proxy shall not be allowed. 

 

5.   Any Director who is absent from three (3) unexcused consecutive Board meetings may be removed from the Board by a majority vote of the Directors.  This vote of removal must be taken within one month of the third meeting from which the Director was absent. 

 

6.  Any vacancy occurring on the Board shall be appointed by the president, subject to approval of the general membership.■

 

7.   At the annual meeting the general membership shall elect the following Directors:■

 

                          1.  President

                          2.  Vice President

                          3.  Secretary

                          4.  Treasurer

                          5.  ♦Additional open Board Positions as per Article II, Section II. ♦

 

8.  Committees shall be established from the General Membership. The President shall appoint the chairperson(s) of such committee.

 

9.  The Officers shall not serve in the same position for more than two (2) consecutive one year terms.■♦

 

10.  ♦In the event that a returning Board member is elected as an officer, their vacated Board position shall be filled in a special vote to be held immediately following the elections during the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for these vacant positions may be taken from the floor for this special election.♦

 

 

Article III – Duties of the Board of Directors

 

President

The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers and its Board and shall preside at all their meetings.  He/She shall have the general and active management of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers and its Board; may execute all instruments in their behalf; and shall see that their business and policy is carried into effect.  He/She shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and have such other powers and perform such other duties as is usually inherent to such office.  The president has the power to appoint and fill any vacancies on the executive Board subject to approval of the general membership.■

Vice President

The Vice President shall have the primary responsibility of assisting the President and the other officers of the Board as requested by the President.  The Vice President will also maintain order and structure at the General Meetings and the Board Meetings.  The Vice President shall assume the position of the President in the event that the President resigns or is removed by the executive Board.■

Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all Spokane Valley Sea Hawker Board meetings; make available the minutes to all chapter members and board members of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers;■ distribute all official notices of such meetings; maintain a central mailing address for receipt of mail; maintain addresses for Board members and chapter members; carry on all correspondence of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers and its Board; and perform such other duties pertaining to the secretarial requirements of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers and its Board.  The minute books, records, correspondence files and all central files shall be maintained by the Secretary and belong to the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers.

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall receive and be accountable for all General Funds belonging to the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers.  He/She shall deposit all such funds in the name of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers.  He/She shall disburse such funds as the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers or its Board may direct and shall sign all checks together with such other officer as the Board may direct.  He/She shall keep accurate books and records, provided by and belonging to the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers, of all receipts and disbursements and make available a copy of the monthly financial statements.

 

Article IV – Elections■

 

 

1. ♦Nominations will be held at the November General Membership Meeting for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and open board positions.♦

a.  He/She must be nominated from the floor

b.  If a member cannot be present for the nomination meeting, he/she must have a letter on file with the Board accepting the ♦Nomination♦.

 

2           Elections will be held at the Annual General Meeting (January).

      

 

Article V – Chapter Funds

 

1.  The funds of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers must be deposited in the chapter name in a financial institution approved by the Board of Directors.  At least two current Board members must have authority to deposit/transfer/withdraw funds.  The designated board members cannot be of the same household.■

 

2. All checks/withdrawals of more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) must be voted on and approved by a quorum at a Regular or Board meeting.■

 

Article VI – Affiliation

 

1.  The Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers shall affiliate with the Sea Hawkers Central Council and other Sea Hawker chapters recognized by the Sea Hawkers Central Council.  The Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers Board of Directors may appoint representatives to attend Central Council meetings, as necessary.  They may only take part in the discussion of agenda items, but have no vote.               2. The Board of Directors is authorized to submit dues from the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers funds each year to the Central Council.  The amount of dues is to be determined by the Central Council and consistent with the amount paid by other associate satellite Sea Hawker Chapters.■

 

Article VII – Dissolution

 

The Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers shall be considered “dissolved” when it is considered inactive by Sea Hawkers Central Council or has less than fifteen (15) active members.

 

Upon dissolution, all property of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers shall be forfeited to the Sea Hawkers Central Council or to charity.  The last members of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers would direct Central Council to this decision.

 

 

Article VII – Amendments

 

These By-Laws may be amended by a sixty percent (60%) majority vote of the regular members present at a meeting of the chapter.  Members should receive notice of a potential by-law change at least twenty-one days before the meeting to make such a change takes place.

 

The above and foregoing By-Laws and Amendments were duly adopted by at least a sixty (60%) vote of the members of the chapter as the By-Laws of the Spokane Valley Sea Hawkers on the 18th day of November, 2009.

 

 

Secretary

■Denotes April 2008 Amendment

♦Denotes November 2009 Amendment