CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
THE FREDERICK COUNTY CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
Article I
Name and Purpose
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be The Frederick County Civil War Roundtable, hereinafter called the "Roundtable."
Section 2. The general purpose of the Roundtable shall be to cultivate interest in and to advance knowledge of all aspects of the Civil War Period. Specifically, the objectives of the Roundtable are:
To advance knowledge of the history and culture of the Civil War era.
To promote historical projects and activities aimed at increasing the interest of the public in Civil War history and culture.
To heighten awareness of Frederick County's Civil War heritage.
To serve as an advocate for preservation and protection of Frederick County's Civil War treasures, such as battlefield sites, monuments, buildings, documents, equipment, or other Civil War history and culture.
Article II
Membership and Dues
Section 1. Membership in the Roundtable shall be open to any person who supports its objectives.
Section 2. Membership of the Roundtable shall consist of all members whose dues are paid by October 1 of each year and those joining during the year. The membership year shall be from September through May. Those who join from September through December will pay the current annual membership fee. Those who join from January through May will pay one-half of the annual membership fee and their membership would have to be renewed the coming September for a one year period.
Section 3. The annual dues and other fees shall be set by the Board of Directors. Annual dues shall be $30.00 for individuals, $50.00 for family, students 18 years of age or younger are free. Life membership is $300.00.
Section 4. Annual dues for associate members shall be $5.00. Associate membership may be conferred by a majority vote of the Board of Directors on any peson who was formerly an active member of the Roundtable and who, due to circumstances, can no longer maintain active membership.
Section 5. Honorary life membership in the Roundtable may be conferred by a majority vote of the Board of Directors upon any person rendering high and honorable service to the Roundtable or to its objectives. Honorary life members shall pay no dues but shall otherwise enjoy the full benefits and privileges of membership.
Section 6. A member shall have his/her membership withdrawn upon a majority vote of the Board of Directors for either of the following reasons:
Non-payment of dues
Conduct detrimental to the reputation or welfare of the Roundtable.
Article III
Fiscal Year and Procedures
Section 1. The fiscal year for the Roundtable shall run from September 1 to August 31.
Section 2. All meetings of the Roundtable and the Board of Directors shall be conducted as governed by Robert's Rules of Order, except when otherwise provided in this Constitution and By-laws, though it shall be the intention that meetings be as informal as proper decorum permits.
Article IV
Board of Directors
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of eight Directors elected from the membership of the Roundtable. The term of office of members of the Board is two years. The tems of the eight Directors shall overlap so that, under normal circumstances, at each annual election, four new Directors are elected while the other four have one year remaining in their terms.
Section 2. The Board shall direct the affairs of the Roundtable. Specifically, it shall arrange all meetings and events, approve all financial transactions, and perform all other acts necessary for the preservation, well-being, and advancement of the Roundtable.
Section 3. The Board shall meet at the call of the President or upon a call of the majority of the Directors at least once a year. A majority of its members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. All matters shall be decided by a vote of the majority of the Directors present.
Section 4. The Board shall not dispose of any property of the Roundtable without approval by majority vote of the membership. Expenditures in excess of $300.00 require approval of the Board.
Section 5. The Board shall authorize the President, Vice President and Treasurer to execute checks on behalf of the Roundtable from the Roundtable's accounts.
Article V
Officers
Section 1. The Roundtable shall have the following officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Archivist and Treasurer. They shall be elected by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The officers shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors have been elected.
Section 2. The President shall:
Preside at all meetings of the Roundtable and of the Board of Directors
Appoint, with the approval of the Board, the chairperson and members of all committees
Appoint a committee to conduct an audit of the Roundtable's accounts and financial records on an annual basis.
Section 3. The Vice President shall:
Perform the duties of President in his/her absence
Perform any special duties assigned by the President.
Section 4. The Secretary shall:
Keep complete and correct minutes of the meetings of the Roundtable and of the Board of Dirctors
Notify the membership of all meetings and activities of the Roundtable
Prepare and be responsible for the distribution of the Banner of the Blue and Gray newsletter.
Section 5. The Archivist shall:
Safeguard all property and records of the Roundtable and provide an inventory of such property to the Board annually or as directed.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall:
Collect dues, fees, and assessments
Make payments from the Roundtable's account as directed by the Board
Keep complete and accurate records of all financial transactions, receipts, and disbursements
Present financial reports to the Roundtable in the form of monthly statements and annual reports.
Article VI
Nominations for and Election of the Board of Directors
Section 1. The election of the Board of Directors shall be held during the last regularly scheduled meeting of the Roundtable of the calendar year. Only dues-paying members may vote.
Section 2. The President shall call a meeting of the Board at least one month prior to the election for the purpose of selecting at least one nominee for each of the four vacancies to be filled. At the election meeting, nominations of other members, who have agreed to serve if elected, shall be accepted from the floor and placed on the ballot.
Section 3. The four nominees receiving the greatest number of votes in the election shall be declared Directors and shall serve for a two-year term. The terms of the new Directors shall start on the day of the meeting called to elect new officers.
Section 4. Vacancies on the Board occuring prior to the expiration of the term of office shall be filled by appointment by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board. Such appointment shall continue until the next regular election, at which time the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the other directors to be elected.
Article VIII
Committees
Section 1. The President shall appoint, with the approval of the Board, permanent and special committees as he or she may deem necessary. Each Committee shall be composed of not less than three members of the Roundtable.
Article IX
Amendments
Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws of the Roundtable may be amended or replaced by two-thirds majority vote of all active members present at any meeting. Written notice of the proposed changes and the date of the meeting at which the changes are to be considered shall be distributed to the membership at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. However, the Board of Directors may make changes to the schedule of annual dues and other fees (See Article II, Section 2) unless otherwise put before the membership for a general vote.