AMITE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
of Amite
County, Mississippi
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
WHEREAS,
it seems both necessary and desirable that an organization shall be formed in
order to attain certain objectives consistent with the history, development,
and heritage of Amite County, Mississippi and the surrounding area,
BE IT
RESOLVED, that such organization shall be known as the "Amite County
Historical and Genealogical Society", hereinafter called "the
Society" for the purpose of brevity, and of which these By-Laws are a part
thereof.
Article I. PURPOSE
AND OBJECTIVES
The
purpose and objectives of the Amite County Historical and Genealogical
Society shall be to provide for the discovery, preservation, and
dissemination of materials and knowledge, about the history of peoples,
families, structures, objects, and items of interest, importance, and value, in
relation to Amite County, Mississippi, and its vicinity. More specifically:
- To promote interest and
encourage research in the history of places, events, and families of
Amite County, Mississippi.
- To discover and collect any
materials that may help establish or illustrate the founding and history
of Amite county, Mississippi and its surrounding environs; such as
histories, genealogies, journals, biographies, family histories,
photographs, family bibles, diaries, historical letters, books, maps,
newspapers, church and cemetery records, pictures, paintings, Indian
relics, military records, memorabilia, and historical objects, etc.
illustrative of life, conditions, and events.
- To provide for the
preservation of such materials and acquire the necessary tools, equipment
and technologies for its accessibility, as far as may be feasible, to all
who wish to examine or study it; establish a place(s) [such as a museum,
library, and/or research center] with appropriate environ to display and
store items of historical interest, and supportive of genealogical and
historical research; and to bring about the preservation of historic
buildings, monuments, and markers; and provide a repository for items of
historical or genealogical interest.
- To educate, disseminate
historical information, and arouse interest in the past by publishing
materials, books, and papers; by holding meetings, lectures, and
discussions; encouraging efforts to celebrate events of historical
significance; by promoting classes in historical subjects, and field
trips to historical sites and museums by the schools; and by marking
historic buildings, and sites.
Article II. ORGANIZATION
AND GOVERNMENT
- The first meeting shall
officially organize the Society in accordance with all legal requirements
of the State of Mississippi. The Society should pursue the establishment
of non-profit status according to the United States Internal Revenue Code
of 1954, described as sections 501 (c) (3), and corresponding sections,
as required by federal law.
- An Executive Board
shall be responsible to direct the affairs of the Society. The Executive
Board [hereafter called the "Board"] shall be composed of five
members, including the four primary officers named below and one member
at large. The officers, and Executive Board, as set forth in this
constitution and by-laws, shall be elected by a majority vote of those
present at the organizational meeting.
- The Executive Board shall
manage the affairs of the Society subject to such regulations and
restrictions as may be prescribed by law, approved actions of the active
members of the Society at the Annual Meeting, and by these by-laws. A
quorum shall be constituted by three Board members.
- After establishment of the
Society, the officers and "member at large" serving on the
Executive Board, shall be elected by majority vote of the membership of
the Society in attendance at the Annual Meeting, with the President
presiding over the elections.
- The primary officers of the
Society shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer,
all of whom shall be members of the Executive Board.
- The officers shall hold office
for one year and remain in office until their successors have been duly
elected and qualified. Consecutive terms by officers and/or Executive
Board members are allowable, if re-elected, for consistency and
continuity serving the best interests of the Society. In case of vacancy
in any office, it may be filled for the remaining term by action of the
Board.
- Voting shall be conducted by
the President. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one
vote. The voting may be by either secret ballot or voice, as determined
by the President. No person shall be entitled to vote who is concurrently
in arrears in his dues or is otherwise disqualified.
- The fiscal year shall run from
July 1 of each year to June 30 of the succeeding year.
Article III. DUTIES
OF OFFICERS
- The President shall
preside at all meetings of the Society, and of the Executive Board, and
shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. He shall be responsible
that all legal and financial obligations are in order. The President
shall have authority to delegate duties and responsibilities, as needed.
He may form committees to assist in carrying out the duties, purposes,
and objectives of the Society, and appoint committee chairmen, with
consultation to the Executive Board. He shall have authority to convene
meetings of the Executive Board, in addition to the general membership
meetings, to plan, organize, and discuss matters of importance to the
Society. Actions may be taken that are in agreement with the purpose and
objectives of the Society.
- In the absence of the
President, the Vice President shall discharge the duties and
responsibilities of the President in his place and stead. The Vice
President shall also assist in carrying out the duties, purposes, and
objectives of the Society as assigned by the Board.
- The Secretary shall keep
accurate minutes of all general membership meetings of the Society;
maintain a roll of the members; conduct the correspondence of the
Society; give notice of all general membership meetings; and make a
report at the Annual Meeting upon the work, actions, and accomplishments
of this Society during the prior year. This report shall be in writing
and after acceptance shall be filed in the archives of the Society.
- The Treasurer shall
receive and disburse funds, including dues and donations. He shall have authority
to establish an appropriate bank account to manage the Society funds. He
shall keep a complete, accurate account of all funds and shall make a
report thereof at the Annual Meeting and whenever required by the Board.
He shall act as a prudent manager of all Society monies, keeping required
records and following established procedures set up by the Board. All
records of the Society shall be subject to independent audit as requested
by the Board.
- In consultation with the
Board, the President may appoint assistant secretaries and/or other
officers assigned to specific duties under the direction of the
Secretary, or other officer as designated:
- Membership Chair- To promote
and record membership of the Society, to assist in dues collection, and
to serve as chairman of the Membership Committee.
- Corresponding Secretary- To
maintain the correspondence of the Society including the coordination
and cooperation with other historical societies.
- Newsletter Chair- To create,
publish, and distribute an informational newsletter regarding the
Society business and articles of interest.
- Archivist/Historian- To
catalogue and preserve materials and objects that are the property of,
or on loan to the Society, to keep record of, and display as
appropriate.
- Genealogy Historian- To
collect, organize, and preserve genealogies and family histories that
may be published, or otherwise made available for research, and the
promotion of interest in ones’ ancestry.
- Such other persons to
perform either temporary or permanent obligations of the officers or
requirements of the Society as deemed necessary by the Board.
6.
All officers and Board members shall serve without pay or other remuneration
for their services.
Article IV. MEETINGS
- The Annual Meeting of the
Society shall be held in June of each year, with the exact date, time,
and place set by the President.
- The Board shall hold executive
meetings as needed, upon call of the President or Vice President, or any
two members of the Board, but at least once a year. Three members thereof
shall constitute a quorum.
- Regular Meetings, scheduled
and published in advance; and any Special Meetings for specific purposes,
may be called by direction of the President at any time, or by request of
a majority of the Board.
- A majority of Society members,
in good standing, present at any general membership meeting shall
constitute a quorum for that meeting.
Article V. MEMBERSHIP
AND DUES
- Membership shall be open to
all those genuinely interested in promoting the purpose and objectives of
the Society, with no residence requirement. Regular and family annual
memberships, as well as life memberships, will be available.
- All dues, fees, and
assessments shall be determined by order of the Board and shall continue
in force and effect until otherwise changed by majority vote of any
succeeding Board. The dues of annual members shall be paid each year to
remain a member of the Society in good standing. The dues of life members
shall be a single payment of an amount determined by the Board.
- All applications for
membership shall be submitted to the secretary, properly completed, and
accompanied by payment of the appropriate annual dues.
- Annual dues shall be due and
payable on or before July 1 of each year. Dues shall be considered late
thirty days after that date. A late fee may be levied as determined by
the Board.
- Members failing to pay their
dues by October 1, shall be dropped from the rolls. They shall not be
entitled to benefits of membership, such as receipt of official
publications, or voting privileges, while they are in arrears.
Article VI. AMENDMENTS
This
Constitution and By-Laws may from time to time be amended in the following
manner:
- At any Annual Meeting of the
Society, provided the proposed amendment shall first have been submitted
to the Secretary in writing at least sixty days prior, and been reviewed
by and approved by the Board, for presentation before the general
membership. A majority vote of all members present that are qualified to
vote, and voting, shall be necessary before such proposed amendment is
adopted.
- Amendments to the By-Laws may
be proposed and voted on, only by members in good standing.
- The Executive Board by a
majority vote, may from time to time at their discretion, enact
amendments that shall have the same force and effect as though enacted by
vote of the membership in an annual meeting, provided however,
that such By-Law amendment shall only remain in effect until the next
succeeding Annual Meeting, whereupon it shall be submitted to the
membership for adoption in the manner prescribed in section one (1) of
this article.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF for the purpose of founding the Amite County Historical and
Genealogical Society, of Amite County, Mississippi, the undersigned,
constituting the founding members of this Society, have executed this
Constitution and By-Laws this July 23, 2004.
Signatures:
Print Name:
Joey Howell
Wall, President
William Greg
Barron, Vice President
Sue Clark
Severson, Secretary
Nora Gay
Blalock, Treasurer
Cheryl Rape-Ott
Ralph F.
Severson
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