ICGS By-Laws
ARTICLE l: NAME
The name of this organization shall be "Ingham County Genealogical
Society"
ARTICLE ll: OBJECTS
The objects and purposes for which this Society is formed are to do any
and all things herein set forth:
Section 1. To preserve and make available for research the
genealogical records of our members.
Section 2. To encourage and assist the study of family history,
to promote the exchange of knowledge, and to encourage the deposit of
genealogical records.
Section 3. To cooperate with other genealogical groups and
societies and to assist the area libraries in expanding and publicizing
their genealogical holdings.
Section 4. To publish materials of interest and use to
genealogists.
Section 5. Any other legal educational activity.
ARTICLE III: BASIS OF ORGANIZATION
Section 1. The Ingham County Genealogical Society shall be
conducted as an independent non-profit organization.
Section 2. The operating expenses of the Society shall be covered by
membership dues, service charges, donations, and fund-raising activities
approved by the Society.
Section 3. All facilities of the Society shall be available
equally to members in good standing. For the purpose of this
section, a member in good standing is defined as one who is current in
payment of dues and not subject to disciplinary action.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any person interested in genealogy, history, or
biography, either amateur or professional, may become a member of the
Society.
Section 2. Membership shall be either Active, Honorary, or
Associate.
Section 3. Active members only shall vote, hold office, and
serve on committees.
Section 4. Active membership (open only to individuals) shall
be obtained by the payment of dues, the amount of which shall be
determined by vote of the Society. Annual dues
shall be payable at the Sept. meeting of the Society, and any member
failing to pay the dues following the expiration of the paid-up
membership shall be notified in writing of the delinquency. If the dues
are unpaid by December 31, the member shall be dropped from membership.
Dues from new members paid after June 1 will apply to the new fiscal
year.
Section 5. Honorary membership (without dues) shall be
conferred by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active membership present at
a regular meeting of the Society.
Section 6. Associate membership (without vote) shall be
available to organizations upon payment of regular annual dues.
Section 7. All records and data compiled by the Society shall
be accessible to members. Members using such data in publications shall
make acknowledgment of the source. The Society is entitled to authorize
publication of any material in its holdings.
ARTICLE V: FISCAL YEAR -
The fiscal year shall begin October 1, and end September 30
of the following year.
ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Society shall be the
President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary,
Treasurer, Librarian, and two Trustees. Any additional officers as
may be deemed necessary shall be elected by a majority vote at any
regular business meeting.
Section 2. The President will appoint a nominating
committee June 1. This committee will nominate candidates
for the offices to be filled for the next fiscal year, and report to the
members in August. Additional nominations from the floor will be
permitted with approval of the persons so nominated.
Section 3. All officers shall be elected annually at the
September meeting and shall take office as of October 1, and continue in
office for one year or until their successors are elected and qualify.
Section 4. A majority of all votes cast shall be
necessary to constitute an election.
Section 5. Vacancies in office, other than the President,
shall be filled by appointment of the President to fill out the
unexpired term, with the approval of the Executive Board. In case of a
vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice President shall become
President.
ARTICLE Vll: EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Current elected officers and the immediate Past
President shall constitute the Executive Board.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall have general supervision
of the affairs of the society except as limited herein. The
Executive Board shall be subject to the orders of the Society.
Section 3. The Executive Board will meet at the call of the
President.
ARTICLE Vlll: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The duties of officers shall be such as are
indicated by their respective titles, and such as are specified in these
by-laws.
Section 2. The President shall, upon election to office,
appoint all standing committees. The President shall be ex-officio
as a member of all committees without right to vote. The President
shall be authorized to sign checks in case of absence or disability of
the Treasurer. The President presides at all general, special, and
Executive Board Meetings.
Section 3. The Vice-President shall act as chairperson of the
Program Committee and in the absence of the President shall assume all
the duties and authorities of that office.
Section 4. The Recording Secretary shall conduct general
correspondence of the Society and record minutes of the regular and
Executive Board meetings.
Section 5. The Membership Secretary shall keep an accurate
record of all members, give due notice of all meetings, and act as
chairperson of the Membership Committee.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall receive all dues and other
monies, attend to all disbursements, and keep all the account of the
society.
Section 7. The Librarian shall be responsible for the contents
and operation of the Society's Reference Room.
Section 8. Trustees shall review bills, and audit the accounts
every six months.
Section 9. All officers, upon retiring from office, shall
deliver to their successors, all records and other property belong to
the Society.
ARTICLE lX: COMMITTEES AND SPECIAL OFFICERS
Section 1. There shall be standing committees, namely Computer,
Social, Program, Publicity, Fund-raising, Publications, and Newsletter.
Section 2. The chairperson of each standing committee shall, by
November 1, file with the President an annual report of the committee's
activities for the preceding membership year.
Section 3. The President shall appoint special committees as
necessary.
Section 4. The President shall appoint a Historian (to collect
and file documents and other material pertaining to the history of the
Society), Michigan Genealogical Council Representatives and
Alternates (to attend meetings of the Michigan Council and make reports
thereof at the regular meeting of the Society) and a Delegate to the
Federation of Genealogical Societies.
ARTICLE X: MEETINGS
Section 1. There shall be at least eight meetings of the
society per year, at the direction of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President or
upon request of three members of the Executive Board.
Section 3. The practice of absentee or proxy voting shall not
be followed by this Society.
ARTICLE Xl: QUORUM
Section 1: A quorum for the purpose of business transactions,
at any meeting of the general membership shall be composed of not less
than twenty active members.
Section 2: A quorum for the purpose of business transactions,
at any meeting of the Executive Board shall be composed of not less than
5 (Five) Board Members.
Section 3: A quorum is not required for Committees.
ARTICLE Xll: ORDER OF BUSINESS -
The order of business of all meetings shall be as follows:
a. Call to ordernbsp;
b. Approval of the minutesbsp;
c. Reports of officers
d. Reports of committees
e. Unfinished business
f. New business
g. Election of officers (annually)
ARTICLE Xlll: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the latest edition of "Robert's Rules of Order
Newly Revised" shall govern the society.
ARTICLE XlV: AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be adopted, amended or repealed at any regular
meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting,
providing proposed amendments shall have been submitted to the
membership in writing at least 10 days prior to the meeting at which
voted upon.
ARTICLE XV: DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution of this Society, its assets, both
financial and material, shall be transferred to another 501(c)(3)
organization as may be decided at the last general meeting or the last
meeting of the Executive Board, provided that items on loan to the
Society will be returned to the owners or lenders; but such assets shall
not in any event be divided among the members of the Society at any
time.
RESIDENT AGENT - Ernest Pardee
INGHAM COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Founded - August, 1995
Incorporated - October 25, 1996
These By-Laws, as above written
Adopted - November 8, 1995
Revised - July 8, 1999
Revised - October 12, 2006
Revised - February 9, 2012
Revised - February 14, 2013
Revised - September 11, 2014