The Choctaw County Genealogical Society

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Society By-Laws

ARTICLE I - NAME The name of this society shall be known as THE CHOCTAW COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.

ARTICLE II - INCORPORATION Section 1. The society shall operate as a nonprofit organization, no part of the net earnings of which shall inure to the benefit of any individual.
Section 2. In case this society shall become extinct due to lack of interest or other cause, all moneys, books and records shall be donated to a going society of like interest, to the Choctaw County Public Library, the Choctaw County Historical Society, the Utah Genealogical Society, or the Alabama State Archives for the purpose of preservation.

ARTICLE III - PURPOSE The purpose of this organization shall be:
Section 1. To create and maintain a society for the study of genealogy and history.
Section 2. To collect genealogical and historical records, depositing them in libraries and archives where they will be accessible to students of genealogy.
Section 3. To aid members in tracing their ancestry.
Section 4. To foster careful documentation and otherwise promote scholarly writing and publications.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Any individual or institution in the aims and purposes of this society is eligible for membership upon submission of a completed application form and dues for the current year.
Section 2. Classification of membership:
A. Active members are participating members and are entitled to vote when present.
B. Life membership may be conferred upon any active member in recognition of outstanding service to the society and have voting privileges, but pays no dues.
C. Honorary membership for one year with a copy of the current magazine may be conferred upon a guest speaker (see Standing Rules) or any other person agreed upon by the Executive Board. Honorary membership does not include voting privileges.

ARTICLE V - DUES Section 1. The dues shall be determined from time to time as recommended by the Executive Board, approved by the membership and are payable annually on, or before, January 1.
Section 2. A member whose dues are not paid by March 1st will be delinquent and will be removed from membership.
Section 3. Membership received after October 1 will begin January 1 of the following year unless specifically requested otherwise.

ARTICLE VI - NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS Section 1. The election of officers shall take place annually at the October meeting.
Section 2. At the October meeting the nominating committee shall present a slate of one nominee for each office of President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, Curator, Historian, Chaplain, and three Directors.
Section 3. Following the nominating committee report, nominations may be made from the floor, provided permission has been given by those nominated from the floor.
Section 4. Officers shall be elected at the October meeting by a simple majority of votes by members present unless there is more than one nominee for an office. At which time, there will be a secret ballot.
Section 5. Elected officers shall be eligible to succeed themselves in office for a second term, with the exception of the Secretary/Treasurer, who may serve for three consecutive terms.
Section 6. A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled for the un-expired term by a member elected by the Executive Board, with the exception of the President whose un-expired term shall be filled by the First Vice-President.
Section 7. Officers shall be installed at the December meeting to take office in January.

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS Section 1. Elected Officers

A. President
  1) Shall be official spokesman for the Society
  2) Preside over all meetings of the Society
  3) With the approval of the Executive Board, appoint the following officers:

Newsletter Editor
Parliamentarian
Publicity and all standing committee chairmen 4) Ex officio member of all committees with the exception of the nominating committee.
5) Serve as Program Chairman

B. Vice-President
  1) Preside in the absence or inability of the President to perform or discharge his/her duties.
  2) Assume the office of President if that office is vacated.
  3) Serve as membership chairman.

C. Secretary/Treasurer
  1) Keep current membership roll and by-laws in minutes book.
  2) Record and read minutes at each board and general meeting.
  3) Send copy of minutes to President no later than 2 weeks after each meeting.
  4) Receive and record dues and date received.
  5) Pay all expenses of the Society.
  6) Present copy of monthly financial report at each scheduled monthly meeting.
  7) Notify Membership Chairman of member dues recieved.
  8) Notify delinquent members of status.

D. Corresponding Secretary
  1) Read incoming correspondence.
  2) Answer queries other than those for publication in newsletter.
  3) Assist President with correspondence.

E. Curator
  1) Shall handle placement of donations of memorial, honorary books and other genealogical materials in the places voted on by membership, except on special occasions at the discretion of the Executive Board.
  2) Shall confer with head of said department in purchasing or securing the above items.
  3) Shall be responsible for all memorial correspondence.

F. Historian
1) Prepare comprehensive report of Society's activities and accomplishments of the year
2) Prepare and keep a scrapbook of the above

G. Chaplain
Shall give the invocation at each meeting.

H. Directors
  1) To provide continuity of leadership and responsibility.
  2) To provide assistance for newly elected officers.
  3) In event of vacancy, a successor shall be elected for the un-expired term by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Appointed Officers
A. Parliamentarian
  1) Shall settle all questions of parliamentary procedure.
  2) Shall be responsible for presenting any changes to the By-Laws.
  3) Keep a current copy of the By-Laws on hand at all times.

B. Newsletter Editor
  1) Shall edit and publish the Society's monthly newsletter.
  2) Shall send out the newsletter to all members no less than 10 days before each meeting announcing the date, time, place and , if possible, the program.
  3) Shall include any information or announcements of interest to the membership.

C. Publicity Director
Shall prepare and submit notices of monthly meetings and other appropriate matters of the Society to the news media.

ARTICLE VIII - EXECUTIVE BOARD Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of elected and appointed officers, Directors, immediate past President and standing committee chairpersons.
Section 2. Duties of the Executive Board:
A. Transact the business of the Society.
B. Create standing committees and approve their plan of work.
C. Present a report at the general meetings
D. Fill office vacancies occurring between elections.

Section 3. The Executive Board may meet at any time with one-third of its members constituting a quorum.

ARTICLE IX - STANDING COMMITTEES Section 1. Standing committees include Program Committee, Membership Committee, Nominating Committee, Publications Committee and other committees deemed necessary.
A. Program Committee
  1) Shall consist of First Vice-President as chairman and two other members approved by the Board.
  2) Shall arrange for a meeting place, if different from current meeting place, a year in advance.
  3) Shall arrange programs for each regular meeting (speakers, necessary equipment) including special activities.
  4) Notify Publicity Chairman of programs 3 weeks before meetings or activities are to take place.

B. Membership Committee
  1) Shall consist of Second Vice-President as chairman and 2 members approved by the Board.
  2) Have membership forms available at every meeting.
  3) Send membership form when requested.
  4) Have attendance register and name tags at each meeting.
  5) Introduce new members and guests.
  6) Publish Membership Roster, including the By-Laws, every 2 years or whenever feasible.

C. Nominating Committee
1) Shall consist of a chairman and 2 members approved by the Executive Board.
2) At the October meeting, shall present a slate of one nominee for President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Curator, Historian, Chaplain, and three Directors.

D. Publications Committee
1) Consists of chairman and 2 members as approved by the Board.
2) Be responsible for having material submitted to the editor of the newsletter at regular intervals including, but not limited, to the following categories:

marriages, cemetery, Bible and legal.

ARTICLE X - MEETINGS Section 1. A regular monthly meeting will be held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, January through October. No meeting will be held in November.
Section 2. Installation of officers will be held in December followed by a social hour, usually the second Saturday.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall have the authority to change the meeting date and place if necessary.

ARTICLE XI - QUORUM A quorum at any general meeting shall consist of 10 members including at least 3 elected officers.

ARTICLE XII - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall be the parliamentary authority for the Society.

ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS The By-Laws may be amended at any general meeting of the Society by two-thirds vote of members present. Notice must be given in writing to the membership at least 15 days before said meeting.

STANDING RULES Standing Rules may be added or deleted at any general meeting by a simple majority vote.
1. Officers and committee chairmen whose duties relate to records, books, or any other item belonging to the Society, when vacating office shall no later than the first meeting of the new administration pass such material to the succeeding officer or chairman. Any person no longer a member of the Society shall immediately relinquish any property of the Society to the Executive Board.
2. The Executive Board shall determine which records shall be given to the different libraries, schools, other societies, or organizations with it being understood that records can not be removed from the Archives at any time, for any purpose.
3. A guest speaker (excluding those who require a fee or honorarium), not already a member of the Society, shall be given a temporary honorary membership plus a copy of the current newsletter and at the beginning of the next fiscal year be sent a letter and application by the Membership Chairman inviting active membership.
4. In instance of death of active member, the curator shall select a book in memory to be donated to the Choctaw County Public Library. In instance of a family member, a sympathy card shall be sent by the Curator.
5. The Treasurer's books shall be audited at the discretion of the Board and shall always be audited at the termination of the current Treasurer before turning books over to a new Treasurer.

(Revised October 27, 2001)

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