BY-LAWS OF THE SOCIETY

Revised May 8, 2008

ARTICLE I - NAME:

The name of this Society shall be Tuolumne County Genealogical Society.

ARTICLE II - LOCATION:

The principal location of the Society shall be in the county of Tuolumne, State of California.

ARTICLE III - NON-PROFIT CHARACTER:

The Society shall be operated as a non-profit and charitable corporation under the laws of the State of California, no part of the net earnings or assets of which shall inure to the benefit of any member. (Reference: Sec. 9200 California Corporation Code.)

ARTICLE IV - OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of this Society shall be:

A. To promote interest in genealogical and related historical and biographical research.

B. To provide instruction in research techniques involving evidence, proof and documentation, stressing accuracy and ethics.

C. To accumulate and preserve manuscripts, documents, records, family histories and other genealogical holdings through the establishment of a Genealogical Library.

ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP:

Membership is open to any individual or institution interested in the objectives of our Society, and eligibility for membership is subject to the following:

A. An application for membership in the Society shall be submitted in writing.

B. Upon receipt of dues the new member will be presented at the next general meeting.

C. The Board of Directors, upon review of the amount necessary to sustain the fiscal integrity of the Organization, may recommend changes in dues subject to the approval of the General Membership.

D. Type of membership:

1. Individual

2. Family

3. Patron/Organization

4. Life (Individual or family)

5. Honorary - No fee. In recognition of service to the Society by a non-member, the Board of Directors may award a one-year honorary membership.

6. Honorary Life - No fee. In recognition of extraordinary service to the Society by a non-member, the Board of Directors may award a lifetime honorary membership.

E. Individual, family, or patron/organization memberships are for a period of one (1) year starting the month (anniversary date) in which the membership dues and application is received. Members of record as of the 1998 Annual Meeting will have an anniversary date of June. Dues are renewed in the anniversary month of each calendar year.

F. If a membership is not renewed within sixty (60) days of its anniversary date, that membership is dropped from the Roster. To again become a member of the Society, that party must reapply for membership in accordance with this Article (V).

G. Voting Rights - All members with current paid dues shall be entitled to all benefits of the Society, as well as the right to vote and hold office. Except as follows:

1. A Patron/Organization shall not be eligible to hold office.

2. No Honorary Member shall have the right to vote or to hold office.

3. To be able to be nominated for, or to hold office, one must be a member in good standing for six (6)months prior to nomination.

H. The first one hundred (100) memberships, or all those accepted in the Society by January 1, 1981, shall have their names inscribed as "Charter Members."

I. A membership in the Society may be terminated by vote of the Board of Directors for just cause. Grievances shall be submitted in writing, signed by ten (10) members, to the Board of Directors. The member shall have an opportunity to respond in his or her own behalf.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS & DIRECTORS:

A. The elected officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer.

B. The elected directors shall consist of a Corresponding Secretary, Library Director, Registrar, Education Director, and Ways & Means Director.

C. The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected officers and elected directors, the immediate Past President and the Periodical and Newsletter Editors, and Website Administrator. All shall be voting members of the Board. Any member holding more than one (1) office at a time shall be entitled to only one (1) vote.

D. The term of office for elected officers and directors shall be for one (1) year.

E. The Board of Directors shall make appointments to fill all vacancies on the Board until the next annual meeting.

F. Each Board and committee chairperson shall keep a portfolio, which shall include the Society by-laws, a job description, and the Policies & Procedures of the office or committee and deliver said portfolio to his or her successor within thirty (30) days after elections.

G. In the event that a member of the Board is absent without a valid excuse for three (3) consecutive Board meetings, or fails to discharge the duties of that office, the Board may declare that position vacant.

ARTICLE VIIa - DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

A. The President shall be the principal Executive Officer and shall be the official spokesperson of the Society. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors, and shall decide all points of order, except that the Parliamentarian will be directed to rule on questions not covered in the Society’s by-laws.

1. The President shall appoint all committee chairs and serve as an ex officio member of all committees.

2. The President shall not vote, except in case of a tie-vote or a secret ballot vote, however the President shall serve as a voting member of the Budget Committee.

3. The President shall appoint an Auditing Committee to audit the Society’s books and financial records annually, with the audit to be completed within four (4) weeks before the ANNUAL MEETING. Findings and recommendations shall be presented in writing to the Board.

B. The Vice President shall have all the duties and powers of the President in the absence or inability of the President to act, and shall automatically assume the presidency should the office become vacant. The Vice President shall chair the Program Committee.

C. The Recording Secretary shall keep the Official Seal of the Society and shall have the following duties:

1. Shall keep a record of minutes of the proceedings of the Society.

2. Shall see the copies of minutes are given to the Board Members, Parliamentarian, Newsletter Editor, and a copy shall be kept in the Society Library.

3. Shall be custodian of the Charter and other important Society documents.

4. Shall keep a list of Chairs of each committee.

5. Shall sign with the President all official documents.

6. Shall keep a list of the members present at all Board of Directors’ meetings.

7. Shall be responsible for notifying all Board members of meetings called by the President.

D. The Treasurer shall have the following duties:

1. Shall receive and be responsible for all funds received by the Society, and shall keep accurate records.

2. Shall deposit funds in a bank or other financial institution approved by the Board of Directors.

3. Shall pay bills and make purchases within the budget or approved by the Board of Directors. All checks shall be signed by either the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary or Treasurer.

4. Shall submit financial statements to the Board of Directors at their monthly meetings. Will post a written report showing the total amount of funds in all society accounts to the membership at monthly General Meetings. Shall present an annual (calendar) report statement to the membership at the annual meeting.

5. Shall be Chair of the Budget Committee, which shall consist of the President, Treasurer, Ways & Means Director, and the Library Director.

ARTICLE VIIb ‐ DUTIES OF DIRECTORS:

A. The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the Society.

B. The Library Director shall preside over the Library Committee and shall have the following duties:

1. Shall appoint an Assistant Library Director.

2. Shall appoint a Special Projects Chair.

3. Shall submit a monthly written report to the Board of Directors.

4. Shall serve on the Budget Committee.

C. The Registrar shall have the following duties:

1. Shall accept membership applications and receive and be responsible for all membership dues and funds until turned over to the Treasurer.

2. Shall make a written report on new membership applications to the Board of Directors.

3. Shall make an oral report at the General Meeting.

4. Shall maintain an up-to-date membership file and membership book.

D. Education Director is responsible for classes, workshops, and seminars.

E. The Ways & Means Director shall be responsible for the fund raising activities of the Society.

ARTICLE VIII ‐ COMMITTEES:

A. The Standing Committees shall be Society History, Publicity, Hospitality, Publication, Budget, and Research trips.

B. The Board of Directors may appoint other ad hoc committees as directed by these By-Laws or as deemed necessary.

ARTICLE IX ‐ ELECTIONS:

The regular meeting in May shall be known as the ANNUAL MEETING, and shall be for the purpose of electing and installing officers and directors, receiving reports of officers, directors and committees, and for any other purpose that may arise.

A. The President shall appoint in January a Nominating Committee of five (5) members, consisting of two (2) from the Board of Directors, and three (3) from the general membership.

B. The proposed slate of officers shall be mailed to all members not less than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

C. Nominations will be accepted from the floor; however those nominated must express their consent.

D. No write-in names will be accepted.

E. Absentee ballots will be accepted, if requested at least twenty (20) days before the Annual Meeting and received by the Society by mail, before the Annual Meeting.

F. The President will appoint an Election Committee, which will count the ballots and announce the results after a secret ballot.

G. Each member or institution voting shall be entitled to one (1) vote.

H. A simple majority of votes of members voting is necessary to elect.

I. A second ballot will decide a tie-vote.

J. The President and the Recording Secretary may not hold more than one (1) elected office at a time.

ARTICLE X - GENERAL MEETINGS:

The Society shall meet monthly for a general-purpose program or workshop unless members are otherwise notified. There shall be no less than one (1) workshop annually. Twenty (20) members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XI ‐ BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

The Board of Directors shall consist of all elected officers, directors, the immediate Past President, and the editors of the Newsletter and Periodical.

A. Unless members are otherwise notified, the Board of Directors shall meet monthly to conduct the business of the Society, or at the call of the President, or upon written request of five (5) from the general membership.

B. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum. In the event of a lack of quorum, the Board may continue with business provided that final disposition of such business is made only after obtaining, in absentia, the necessary votes to carry the motion.

C. The general membership shall be expressly invited to attend the Board of Directors’ meetings and make known their views.

D. Neither the Board of Directors nor the Society at a general meeting shall consider any business, or act upon, or discuss any correspondence without a signature thereon or open knowledge by the Board of Directors of the parties concerned.

ARTICLE XII ‐ FISCAL YEAR:

The fiscal year of the Society shall begin the first day of January and end the last day of December in each year.

ARTICLE XIII ‐ AMENDMENTS:

A by-laws committee, authorized by the Board of Directors, shall recommend changes to the Board. Following review and approval by the Board, the proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the voting members of the Society at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Any proposed by-laws amendments must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting, provided a quorum is present.

ARTICLE XIV ‐ PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY:

The President will appoint a Parliamentarian. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern this Society in all cases, except where there is conflict with these by-laws.

ARTICLE XV ‐ DISSOLUTION:

Should this Society dissolve, all properties of this Society shall become the property of a non-profit agency of Tuolumne County as determined by the Board of Directors. In the absence of a Board of Directors, all properties shall be offered first to the Tuolumne County Library, and if rejected, to the Tuolumne County Historical Society. Properties shall remain in the county of Tuolumne.

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