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OCBC Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE OGLETHORPE COUNTY BEE CLUB, OGLETHORPE COUNTY GA

Article 1. Name:

The name of this organization shall be Oglethorpe County Bee Club (OCBC)

 

Article 2. Objectives:

Oglethorpe County Bee Club is a nonprofit organization.

 

OCBC's objectives are to:

  • Serve as a resource to local beekeepers through workshops and discussions.

  • Educate the community about the joys, skills and fruits of beekeeping.

  • Encourage development of future beekeepers.

  • Foster interactions with the agricultural community and other beekeeping organizations.

 

Article 3. Membership, Members, Dues

 

Membership. Any person interested in bees and beekeeping and who is 12 years of age or older is eligible to join the Club upon payment of the dues.

 

Member. Any person or immediate family whose dues are current is a member. The right to vote shall be limited to members. New Members will be eligible to vote following the paying of dues. Each paid membership has a single vote.

 

Dues. Annual Dues collected in January by the Treasurer shall be twelve dollars ($12.00) per calendar year, payable to Oglethorpe County Bee Club. Dues cover a member's immediate family. Any member who fails to pay his/her Dues when they expire forfeits the right to vote. Member status will be restored upon payment of Dues.

 

Article 4. Governance

 

Board of Directors. The Board of Directors (BOD, Board) shall be members of the club and include as Officers: a President; a Vice President; a Secretary; a Treasurer; a Communications Director; a Librarian,  and two At-large Members. The newly elected Board members shall serve for a 1 year[1] [2]  term that may be extended with re-election.

 

Nominations for the BOD will be taken in October, with a full slate of accepted nominees presented at the November meeting.  Nominees for the BOD must be current paid club members and shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the Club members present at the Annual Business meeting in December, their proxies, or via a secure, online voting mechanism sent to paid members. No person shall be elected to the BOD without his/her consent.

 

If a vacancy occurs during the year, the BOD will seek an immediate replacement, with the approval of the replacement requiring a majority vote by the Club members in attendance at the next available club meeting.

 

Article 5. Duties of the Board of Directors

 

Board of Directors shall:

  • Advise and make recommendations to the Club members with respect to the conduct of the activities and objectives of the Club. The Board can act, with a majority vote, upon matters of immediate concern without a vote of club members, but are obligated to present their actions at the next Club meeting[3] [4] .

  • Manage the business and affairs of the Club and oversee that the use of its services by its members are consistent with the rules and regulations in these Bylaws.

  • Have the authority to request permanent dismissal of any member that causes discord in the club. Discord is defined as anything that is harmful to the successful operation of the Club      and includes such things as hateful speech/emails towards others, disparaging comments on social media, constant undermining of Club’s activities, failure to perform duties as assigned, stealing or abuse of Club’s monies and equipment. The BOD decides the removal of said person by a majority vote of Board members only. 

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No Board member or Club member shall receive, directly or indirectly, any salary or compensation for services rendered to this Club.

A simple majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board.

Club members may overrule the decisions of the Board by a majority vote of the Club members present at a normally scheduled meeting.

 

Article 6. Duties of the Officers and At-Large Members

 

President shall:

  • Preside over all meetings of the Club and the Board of Directors.

  • Perform all acts and duties required of an executive and presiding officer, including the preparation of agendas for the BOD and Club meetings. The agendas must be submitted to the BOD for their comments.

 

Vice-President shall:

  • Perform all duties of the office of President in President’s absence, or because of his/her disability or inability to serve

 

Secretary shall:

  • Keep notes of Club activities, and present notes at each meeting.

  • Keep the BOD in compliance with the Club Bylaws.

 

Treasurer shall:

  • Keep a record of income to the Club.

  • Maintain a complete list of all fixed assets of the Club, and the location of the same.

  • Keep record of and collect members' annual Dues.

  • Be responsible for timely payment of any bills.

  • Be custodian of all monies received by the Club and keep full and accurate records showing the receipts and disbursements of the same.

  • At regular Club meetings, make a monthly report on the membership and financial standing of the Club.

  • Make an Annual Financial Report at the end of the accounting period of December 31 of each year.

  • At the end of the Treasurer's term, have all records and books reviewed by the BOD and deliver them to the Treasurer's successor, including papers, monies, and all other property of the Club which may be in his/her possession.

 

Communications Director shall:

  • Keep a list of members and their contact information.

  • Send      notices for the Club's upcoming regular meetings and special events and activities.

  • Complete and submit applications for special events, fairs, shows.

 

Librarian shall:

  • Keep club books and bring them to each meeting.

  • Keep records of books checked out and returned.

  • Notify borrowers when books are overdue.

  • Suggest future books to order.

 

At-large Members shall:

  • Directly represent the Club membership in all matters before the BOD.

  • Have the same governance and oversight duties, as well as voting rights, as the BOD.

 

Article 7. Meetings

  • Club meetings shall be held at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of every month.  Meetings may be conducted through electronic media when conditions are not appropriate to hold meetings in person.

  • The meetings will be conducted as designed by the current President with the approval of the other BOD members as communicated through the meeting Agendas.

  • The Annual Business meeting shall be the Club meeting in December, in conjunction with the election of    the new BOD.

  • The BOD will hold officer meetings as needed and may use email or other electronic means as official meeting occurrences.

 

Article 8. Amendments

Amendments to the Bylaws shall be presented to each member of the Club, at least ten working days prior to the next scheduled Club meeting as a "discussion" item, and then at the following meeting as a "voting" item.  To be adopted, amendments to the Bylaws shall require an affirmative vote by a two-thirds majority of eligible members present and voting, their proxies, or by a secure, online voting system sent to paid members.

 

Article 9. Insurance

OCBC will not carry any type of insurance for the Club or any of its members.

 

Article 10. Acceptance of Bylaws

Creation, and adopted changes and amendments to these Bylaws shall be recorded and dated (refer to Secretary notes for explanation if records exist).

 

Amended:

Agatha Coggins 12/21/2009; 09/19/2011…Betty Ward 01/20/2014….Joe Conti 02/19/2018…

Cory Momany 5 /17/2021

 

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