BYLAWS
(Adopted:
ARTICLE I
(Name)
A. The name of the organization is
SANGAMON ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
ARTICLE II
(Objective)
A. The purposes
for which the corporation is organized are to promote the science of astronomy
to a research level, including education of junior and senior high school and
college level students as well as the general public. To these purposes, the
goal of the corporation is to construct a public observatory on public ground
and to receive tax exempt status so that the corporate funding may be obtained.
Members' efforts to obtain these goals shall be
strictly volunteered.
ARTICLE III
(Membership)
A. An Individual may become a
member by completing a membership application form (see ARTICLE X - Application
for Membership) and mailing or delivering the application to any officer or
member of the Board of Directors.
B. Individual membership is
available to any person submitting a completed application who is at least 18
year of age, or minors joining along with a sponsor both completing a required
application of membership and dues.
C. Annual membership dues shall be
set by a majority of the membership voting at a regular meeting. Upon payment of dues, a member is considered
in good standing.
D. Membership privileges shall
include: Attendance at meetings, voting rights to members 18 and older, access
to the SAS web site message billboard, and use of society property and
equipment subject to restrictions placed by the Board of Directors.
E. All members in good standing
are encouraged to periodically present an educational talk or workshop to the
membership at regularly scheduled meetings or at public and/or private events.
Members are additionally encouraged to seek out members of the community who
are willing to give a presentation to the members at regularly scheduled
meetings as well as public and private events.
ARTICLE IV
(Meetings)
A. At this date, meetings are held
at
B. Special meetings may be called
at any time by the President or two or more members of the Board of Directors.
C. For the purpose of transacting
business at regular or special meetings, exclusive of meetings of the Board of
Directors, the number nearest to ten (10) percent of the Society’s current
total voting members shall constitute a quorum.
For these purposes, transaction of business shall be defined as any
business requiring a vote. Society issues requiring a vote of the membership,
outside the regular meeting date may be electronically transmitted to the
members. Voting may be made electronically to the secretary of the
organization at the societies email address SAS_SKY@HOTMAIL.COM.
D. In order for action to be taken
at quorum meetings, there shall be a motion, a second to the motion, and a vote
in favor or against by a simple majority of the quorum present.
E. Meetings shall be held with or
without a quorum.
F.
Non quorum meetings may be held for planning and presentation of
programs, observing sessions, collection of dues, and other activities that
would not normally require membership vote for action.
G. An agenda for all regular
monthly meetings shall be made known to members 10 days in advance of the
meeting. Given that there may be
emergencies that require immediate action by Society officers/directors to
maintain the integrity of the organization’s corporate status,
officers/directors shall do their best to notify members of any agendas in
advance of special meetings.
ARTICLE V
(Board of Directors)
A. The Board of Directors shall
consist of five members elected at the regularly scheduled members’ meeting to
be held in December of each year.
B. Board members are elected to a
one year term by a vote of the membership.
The top five candidates, based on the most number of votes, are elected
to the Board.
C. Following election at the
December meeting of members, the Board of Directors shall meet for the purpose
of organizing and they shall select the following officers: Board Chairman,
President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
D. The Board may meet at any time
during the year, to conduct business, as called by the President and Board
Chairman.
E. The Board of Directors is
authorized to conduct any vote it deems necessary to conduct business
transactions specifically for the purpose of allowing the treasurer to pay
outstanding bills without a vote of the general membership. All members of the
Board are required to be present or acknowledge their vote by written or
electronically transmitted proxy. Simple majority rules.
F. The Board of Directors is responsible for maintaining the integrity of
the organization to qualify for 501c3 designation from the Internal Revenue
Service and providing any documentation necessary to any government entities to
maintain the tax exempt status.
G. The Board of Directors has the ability to revoke membership to any
member whom in the opinion of the Board is a detriment to the integrity of the
organization or its public reputation. Any revocation of membership will be in
writing to the member and signed by all members of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
(Officers)
A. President: It shall be the duty of the President to enforce
all provisions of the society’s by-laws.
The President shall preside over all society meetings.
(1).
The President shall make all appointments to Society committees
to include at a minimum the following committees:
Illinois Dark Sky Star Party Chairman
Public and Private Events Chairman
Observing Program Chairman
Planning and Grants Chairman
International Dark Sky Liaison
Public Relations Liaison
Society Equipment Chairman
Web Master
(2).
The President shall have the authority to appoint assistants to
the Treasurer and/or Secretary as needed.
(3).
The President shall have the authority to appoint liaisons to
various astronomical-related organizations such as, but not limited to, the
Astronomical League or the International Dark Sky Association.
(4). The
President shall be considered the official spokesman for the Sangamon
Astronomical Association, but he or she may at any time appoint someone to fill
that duty, as needed.
(5). The current year’s president will at the November
meeting present a working budget for the next fiscal year to the membership for
approval.
B.
Vice President: It shall be the duty of the Vice President to
assist the President. In the temporary
absence of the President, the duties pertaining to that office shall be
performed by the Vice President. If the
President is unable to continue serving for whatever reason, the Vice President
shall assume the presidency.
(1).
The Vice President shall be a member of all committees appointed
by the President.
C. Secretary: The Secretary
shall be responsible for writing, maintaining, and distributing minutes of all
Society and Board of Directors’ meetings.
(1).
The Secretary shall maintain membership records and a current
roster. The Secretary shall advise
members of forthcoming meetings.
(2).
The Secretary shall also be responsible for posting official
Society news, messages and bulletins on the web site.
(3.) The Secretary shall be responsible for holding
the keys to the post office box, and at his/her discretion giving one other
good standing member an additional key. The Secretary and or appointee are
responsible to visit the post office box regularly and forward any
correspondence to the Society at Board meetings or regular scheduled meetings of
the Society.
(4.) The Secretary will be responsible for responding
to all emails received via the web site, and either answering them or
forwarding to the appropriate committee chairperson for action.
D. Treasurer: It shall be the
duty of the Treasurer to have custody of all funds and securities of the
Society, to collect annual dues and other receipts (such as Sky & Telescope
subscriptions), and to distribute moneys under the direction of the Board of
Directors.
(1).
The Treasurer shall be empowered to sign and endorse checks and
make payments on behalf of the Society.
(2). The Board
of Directors shall, at the June meeting, cause all society financial records to
be available for inspection by members and anytime by request of two or members
of the Board of Directors.
(3.) After June meeting, all members in good standing
will be mailed to their address of record a complete financial report of the
organization to include disbursements, equipment inventory, balances and
budgets. An annual audit will be presented at the June meeting. The Board of
Directors shall, at the February meeting, cause all society financial records
to be available for inspection by members, or at any time through out the
fiscal year at the request of two members of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
(Committees)
A. The President makes all
appointments to standing committees.
(1).
Nomination Committee, responsible for presenting a nomination
report at the November meeting.
(2). Events and
Meetings Committee, responsible for setting times and places for all meetings
and for arranging refreshments; organization will reimburse for expenses.
(3). Web Page
Manager, responsible for maintenance of the organization's web page including a
schedule of upcoming meetings.
(4). Audit
committee, responsible for annual audit of Treasurer's records.
B.
The President may make other appointments and may appoint other
committees as the President sees fit.
C.
Terms of individual appointments and committees expire with the
President's term.
D.
The President shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the
Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE VIII
(Facilities and equipment)
A.
Members in good standing shall have access to club facilities and equipment.
Each member is responsible for care of facilities and equipment used. In the
event the organization is dissolved the assets of the organization would be
given to
ARTICLE IX
(Amending By-laws)
A.
The bylaws of the Sangamon Astronomical Society may be amended through
the following process:
(1).
A proposal must be made in person, in writing and in detail,
along with signatures of two other members, at any Society or Board of
Directors’ meeting. A proposed change
may be withdrawn at any time prior to the preliminary vote.
(2).
The Board of Directors or President shall forward the proposal to
the Bylaws Committee along with recommendations within seven (7) days.
(3). The Bylaws
Committee shall create a draft of all changes required by the proposal and
return it to the Board of Directors, along with the committee’s recommendation
to adopt or reject the proposal. This
shall be completed within three months of the receipt of the proposal. The Board of Directors will immediately
inform the committee of its recommendation of approval or rejection of the
proposed change.
(4). The Bylaws
Committee shall publish a notice on the Society’s web site and by direct
correspondence to members, explaining the suggested changes and giving notice
of a open member discussion to be held at the next regularly scheduled Society
meeting.
(5).
Any subsequent changes, because of input from the membership
would then be returned to the By-Laws Committee which will be responsible for a
final draft. The final draft shall be
submitted to the entire membership by formal letter or email with notice that
motions will be accepted to adopt or reject at the next regularly scheduled
monthly meeting or by electronically transmitted proxy or at a special meeting
called by the President.
(6).
Changes to the Bylaws would require a simple majority of votes
cast by members present.
ARITCLE X
(Application for membership)