KNOX HISTORICAL SOCIETY BYLAWS
BYLAWS
as proposed by the Charter Committee on December 1, 2009; amended August 2018
ARTICLE I Membership and Dues
Section 1. Any person interested in the history of the Town of Knox, County of Albany, State of New York, may become a member of the Society by submitting an application accompanied by the first year’s annual dues.
Section 2. Voting members must be eighteen (18) years of age or older
Section 3. Annual dues for Individual Member shall be $10.00.
Section 4. Annual dues for Family Member shall be $20.00.
Section 5. Annual dues for Institutional Member (non-voting) shall be $30.00.
Section 6. Annual dues for Contributing and Sustaining Member (non-voting) shall be $75.00.
Section 7. The annual dues shall be payable by all members on or before the annual meeting and shall be paid to the Treasurer.
Section 8. Any member whose annual dues remain unpaid for three (3) months after the annual meeting shall automatically cease to be a member.
Section 9. Any member may withdraw from the Society upon fulfilling all obligations to it by giving written notice of such intention to the Secretary, which notice shall be presented to the membership at the first meeting after its receipt.
ARTICLE II Meetings
Section 1. The regular monthly meeting of the Society shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month, excepting the months of December and January. There will not be a meeting in November if Election Day falls on the first Tuesday of November.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President at any time or by the President or the Secretary upon written request of a quorum of voting members. Notice of the special meeting shall be communicated to each member at least ten (10) days previous to the meeting. At such special meeting, there shall be considered only such business as is specified in the notice of the meeting.
Section 3. At all meetings of the Society (annual, regular, or special), 20% of all voting members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. If a quorum is not present, the presiding officer shall not conduct business of the Society and may adjourn the meeting to a day and time fixed by the presiding officer.
Section 5. At all meetings of the Society, the order of business shall be as follows:
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Approval of the minutes of the prior meeting
3. Reports of Officers and Trustees
4. Reports of Committee, Task, and Project Leaders
5. Election of Officers and Trustees
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business
Section 6. Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be called by the President whenever it may be deemed necessary, or by the Secretary upon request of any two (2) members of the Board of Trustees. Notice of meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be given to all Trustees prior to the meeting.
Section 7. A majority of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE III Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board of Trustees. The President shall make a written report at the annual meeting on the activities of the Society. This report shall satisfy the State chartering requirements. The President shall appoint representatives not otherwise provided for. The President shall have executive supervision over the activities of the organization within the scope provided by these Bylaws.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the event of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the President. The President or the Board of Trustees may assign the Vice-President special duties.
Section 3. In the absence of the President and Vice-President, the Treasurer shall preside and assume the duties of the President. The Treasurer shall have charge of all receipts and monies of the Society, deposit them in the name of the Society in a financial institution(s) designated by the membership, and shall disburse funds as ordered or authorized by the membership. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by the Treasurer and the President. The Treasurer shall collect dues, issue membership cards, and render an annual financial report at the annual meeting.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Society and the Board of Trustees, maintain a list of members, and communicate all notices for the annual meeting or special meetings of the Society or the Board of Trustees. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Bylaws, the President, or the membership.
Section 5. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall, on being so directed by the membership, sign all leases, contracts, and other instruments in writing.
Section 6: All Officers shall be required to attend no fewer than five (5) business meetings annually. Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in removal from office by the membership.
ARTICLE IV Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. The Board of Trustees shall have general charge and management of the affairs and property of the Society. It shall be their duty to carry out the purposes of the Society according to its Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2. The Board of Trustees may recommend policies to the membership for the conduct of the members and the use of Society properties not inconsistent, however, with anything herein set forth. Policies approved by the membership shall be documented and published.
Section 3. The Board of Trustees shall not impose any liability or levy any assessment upon the members.
Section 4. Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held in the Town of Knox.
Section 5. The Board of Trustees shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the organization and perform such other functions as designated in the Bylaws or otherwise assigned to it.
ARTICLE V Notices
Section 1. All notices to members shall be communicated to each member using the member’s preferred method of communication, and such notice shall constitute presumptive evidence of service thereof.
ARTICLE VI Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII Compensation of Officers and Trustees
Section 1. The Officers, Trustees, and members shall not receive any salary or compensation for services rendered to the Society.
ARTICLE VIII Committees
Section 1. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2. The President shall select the chairperson of all standing and ad hoc committees.
Section 3. Committee Quorum: A majority of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless any committee shall by a majority vote of its entire membership decide otherwise.
Section 4. Committee Vacancies: The various committees shall fill vacancies in their membership with the approval of the President.
Section 5. Ad Hoc Committee: The President may, at any time, appoint committees on any subject for which there is no standing committee.
ARTICLE IX Standing Committees
Section 1. The Auditing Committee shall consist of three (3) members and be responsible for the annual examination and audit of the financial records of the Society during the month prior to the annual meeting and for making a written report of their findings and recommendations at the annual meeting. The Collections Committee is headed by the accessionist and the final decision to accession, to acquire without accessioning, or to deaccession items to or from the collections of the Society shall rest with the membership. If deemed necessary, the advice of a professional will be sought.
ARTICLE X Amendment
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present, providing that content of the proposed amendment and notice were given at the previous meeting.
Section 2. This Constitution may be amended at any special meeting of the Society by a majority vote of the voting members present providing that ten (10) days previous notice of the meeting and content of the proposed amendment have been given.
Section 3. All proposed amendments shall be submitted to the membership in writing.
as proposed by the Charter Committee on December 1, 2009; amended August 2018
ARTICLE I Membership and Dues
Section 1. Any person interested in the history of the Town of Knox, County of Albany, State of New York, may become a member of the Society by submitting an application accompanied by the first year’s annual dues.
Section 2. Voting members must be eighteen (18) years of age or older
Section 3. Annual dues for Individual Member shall be $10.00.
Section 4. Annual dues for Family Member shall be $20.00.
Section 5. Annual dues for Institutional Member (non-voting) shall be $30.00.
Section 6. Annual dues for Contributing and Sustaining Member (non-voting) shall be $75.00.
Section 7. The annual dues shall be payable by all members on or before the annual meeting and shall be paid to the Treasurer.
Section 8. Any member whose annual dues remain unpaid for three (3) months after the annual meeting shall automatically cease to be a member.
Section 9. Any member may withdraw from the Society upon fulfilling all obligations to it by giving written notice of such intention to the Secretary, which notice shall be presented to the membership at the first meeting after its receipt.
ARTICLE II Meetings
Section 1. The regular monthly meeting of the Society shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month, excepting the months of December and January. There will not be a meeting in November if Election Day falls on the first Tuesday of November.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President at any time or by the President or the Secretary upon written request of a quorum of voting members. Notice of the special meeting shall be communicated to each member at least ten (10) days previous to the meeting. At such special meeting, there shall be considered only such business as is specified in the notice of the meeting.
Section 3. At all meetings of the Society (annual, regular, or special), 20% of all voting members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. If a quorum is not present, the presiding officer shall not conduct business of the Society and may adjourn the meeting to a day and time fixed by the presiding officer.
Section 5. At all meetings of the Society, the order of business shall be as follows:
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Approval of the minutes of the prior meeting
3. Reports of Officers and Trustees
4. Reports of Committee, Task, and Project Leaders
5. Election of Officers and Trustees
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business
Section 6. Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be called by the President whenever it may be deemed necessary, or by the Secretary upon request of any two (2) members of the Board of Trustees. Notice of meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be given to all Trustees prior to the meeting.
Section 7. A majority of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE III Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board of Trustees. The President shall make a written report at the annual meeting on the activities of the Society. This report shall satisfy the State chartering requirements. The President shall appoint representatives not otherwise provided for. The President shall have executive supervision over the activities of the organization within the scope provided by these Bylaws.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the event of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the President. The President or the Board of Trustees may assign the Vice-President special duties.
Section 3. In the absence of the President and Vice-President, the Treasurer shall preside and assume the duties of the President. The Treasurer shall have charge of all receipts and monies of the Society, deposit them in the name of the Society in a financial institution(s) designated by the membership, and shall disburse funds as ordered or authorized by the membership. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by the Treasurer and the President. The Treasurer shall collect dues, issue membership cards, and render an annual financial report at the annual meeting.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Society and the Board of Trustees, maintain a list of members, and communicate all notices for the annual meeting or special meetings of the Society or the Board of Trustees. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Bylaws, the President, or the membership.
Section 5. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall, on being so directed by the membership, sign all leases, contracts, and other instruments in writing.
Section 6: All Officers shall be required to attend no fewer than five (5) business meetings annually. Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in removal from office by the membership.
ARTICLE IV Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. The Board of Trustees shall have general charge and management of the affairs and property of the Society. It shall be their duty to carry out the purposes of the Society according to its Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2. The Board of Trustees may recommend policies to the membership for the conduct of the members and the use of Society properties not inconsistent, however, with anything herein set forth. Policies approved by the membership shall be documented and published.
Section 3. The Board of Trustees shall not impose any liability or levy any assessment upon the members.
Section 4. Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held in the Town of Knox.
Section 5. The Board of Trustees shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the organization and perform such other functions as designated in the Bylaws or otherwise assigned to it.
ARTICLE V Notices
Section 1. All notices to members shall be communicated to each member using the member’s preferred method of communication, and such notice shall constitute presumptive evidence of service thereof.
ARTICLE VI Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII Compensation of Officers and Trustees
Section 1. The Officers, Trustees, and members shall not receive any salary or compensation for services rendered to the Society.
ARTICLE VIII Committees
Section 1. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2. The President shall select the chairperson of all standing and ad hoc committees.
Section 3. Committee Quorum: A majority of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless any committee shall by a majority vote of its entire membership decide otherwise.
Section 4. Committee Vacancies: The various committees shall fill vacancies in their membership with the approval of the President.
Section 5. Ad Hoc Committee: The President may, at any time, appoint committees on any subject for which there is no standing committee.
ARTICLE IX Standing Committees
Section 1. The Auditing Committee shall consist of three (3) members and be responsible for the annual examination and audit of the financial records of the Society during the month prior to the annual meeting and for making a written report of their findings and recommendations at the annual meeting. The Collections Committee is headed by the accessionist and the final decision to accession, to acquire without accessioning, or to deaccession items to or from the collections of the Society shall rest with the membership. If deemed necessary, the advice of a professional will be sought.
ARTICLE X Amendment
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present, providing that content of the proposed amendment and notice were given at the previous meeting.
Section 2. This Constitution may be amended at any special meeting of the Society by a majority vote of the voting members present providing that ten (10) days previous notice of the meeting and content of the proposed amendment have been given.
Section 3. All proposed amendments shall be submitted to the membership in writing.