BYLAWS
LAKE MONTICELLO COMPUTER USER GROUP (LMCUG)
Section 1. LMCUG is organized and operated exclusively for
charitable, educational, and scientific purposes.
A. to exchange
computer-related ideas and information among its members and the community at
large;
B. to engage
in computer-related activities for the benefit of the membership and the
community at large;
C. to increase the understanding and
utilization of the personal computer;
D. to provide
an opportunity for the formation of special interest groups (SIGs);
E. to provide an opportunity for both formal and
informal education in computer hardware, applications, and software
technologies;
F. to
provide a medium of communication with user groups in other areas.
ARTICLE
III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Classification
A. Membership in LMCUG shall be open to any
person, without regard to sex, race, or religion, who is a resident or property
owner in the community of Lake Monticello, Virginia, and who accepts the
purposes of LMCUG as stated in these Bylaws.
B. LMCUG is
to have the following two (2) classes of members: individual and family. A
family is defined as two people residing at the same address. Each individual
member and each person who has joined LMCUG as part of a family membership
shall have full voting rights and all other rights of membership.
C. Each member shall have one vote on matters
brought before the membership.
Section 2. Dues
In order to insure that LMCUG has sufficient funds to
administer to its needs, the Executive Board shall determine the amount of
individual and family dues for the upcoming fiscal year. Notice of the amount
shall be given to the membership one month before collection commences.
A. Annual dues shall be payable in advance on or
before January 31 of each year. The Treasurer shall notify members who are two
months in arrears, and those whose dues are not paid within one month
thereafter shall be dropped from membership.
B. Dues shall not be prorated except on a
quarterly basis for new members.
C. If membership ceases, either voluntarily or
involuntarily, no refund of fees or dues shall be made.
Section 1. Elected Officers
The elected officers shall be a
President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Representative to
the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG).
Section 2. Duties
All officers shall perform the
duties prescribed by these Bylaws and such other duties applicable to the
office, as prescribed in the adopted parliamentary authority.
The President shall:
A. be the official representative of LMCUG;
B. serve as chairman of the Executive Board;
C. preside
at all annual, regular and special meetings;
D. designate the time and place for all meetings
of the Executive Board;
E. appoint
the necessary standing and special committee chairpersons;
F. approve
all meeting programs;
G. be an ex-officio member of all committees;
H. along with the Treasurer, be a signatory on
all contracts and other obligations;
J. be
responsible for arranging the safe storage of any equipment owned by LMCUG but
is not responsible for any subsequent loss or damage.
The Vice President shall:
A. assist the President in the work of LMCUG,
and, in the absence of the President, perform all duties of the office;
B. serve as the Program Director and select
topics and speakers for scheduled meetings.
The Secretary shall:
A. record minutes of regular, annual, and called meetings of the
membership and the Executive Board;
B. maintain the archives of LMCUG;
C. keep a current list of members and disseminate
information to the membership as directed;
D. post notice of LMCUG general
meetings in the Friday Flyer.
The Treasurer shall:
A. collect and deposit all monies belonging to LMCUG in banks approved
by the Executive Board;
B. be responsible for collecting dues and fees;
C. keep an accurate record of all assets and expenditures;
D. maintain bank accounts and insurance policies;
E. along with the President, sign all contracts and other
obligations;
F. pay bills in a timely manner;
G. give a monthly financial status report to the membership;
H. make no changes to bank accounts, investments
or insurance policies without approval of the Executive Board or the
membership;
J. transfer all records and LMCUG funds at the
end of the term of office, or within thirty (30) days of leaving office.
The Representative to APCUG (Association of Personal
Computer User Groups) shall:
A. be responsible for voting in APCUG elections and recommending
activities and directions for APCUG;
B. provide input to LMCUG regarding APCUG activities;
C serve as LMCUG’s point of contact with vendors;
D. in coordination with the Newsletter Editor,
disseminate vendor products to members for written reviews that will be
published in the LMCUG newsletter.
Section 1.
Nominating Committee
A. A
Nominating Committee of three (3) members shall be appointed by the Executive Board
prior to the first October business meeting.
B. It shall
be the duty of the committee to nominate candidates for the offices to be
filled and to report its recommendations to the Executive Board at least one
week before the annual meeting.
C. A
representative of the committee shall present candidates for each office to the
membership at the annual meeting, at which time additional nominations from the
floor shall be permitted.
D. Any member
in good standing is eligible to serve as an officer of LMCUG.
Section 2.
Elections
A. Election
of officers shall take place at the annual business meeting with a quorum
present, and shall be by majority vote of the members in good standing in
attendance.
B. Election
shall be by ballot. If there is only one
nominee for an office, the election for that office may be by voice vote.
C. The term of office shall be for one (1) year or until their
successors are elected, and shall begin at the adjournment of the annual
meeting at which they are elected.
Section 3. Vacancies:
A. In case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President
shall accede to the office and shall serve for the remainder of the term.
B. Vacancies occurring
in other elected offices shall be filled by the Executive Board for the
remainder of the term. An elected officer may be appointed to fulfill the
duties of a vacant office but may assume the duties of no more than two (2)
offices in a term.
C. Any member
filling a vacancy in office for more than half a term shall be considered to
have served a full term.
Section 1. Business
meetings and programs shall be held on the first Wednesday of each month or at
such other times as the membership decides. There shall be no business meetings in
January and July. Meetings shall normally be held at the
Section 2. The
annual business meeting shall be the first December meeting of the calendar
year, at which time election of officers and annual reports shall take place.
Section 3. A quorum
for all business meetings of the membership shall be twenty (20).
ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE
BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board shall be composed of the
five (5) elected officers of LMCUG.
Section 2. The affairs
of LMCUG shall be conducted and administered between regular meetings by the
Executive Board. It shall be responsible for authorizing major expenditures and
formulating policy proposals to bring before the membership.
Section 3. The
Executive Board shall be subject to the orders of LMCUG and none of its acts
shall conflict with action taken by LMCUG.
Section 4.
Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held each quarter and at such
other times as the Board may determine.
Section 5. The
quorum for meetings of the Executive Board shall be three (3) members.
ARTICLE VIII: FINANCES
Section 1. The fiscal year shall be from January 1
through December 31.
Section 2. LMCUG shall not borrow money to finance its
operations or the acquisition of capital equipment unless such loans are
approved, in advance, by the membership.
Section 3. The
Executive Board shall approve expenditures of fifty dollars ($50.00) or
greater. However, amounts in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) may be
disbursed only with the approval of the membership. Members shall be advised of
the details of the proposed expenditure by e-mail or through publication in the
LMCUG newsletter at least thirty (30) days prior to voting.
Section 4. The
Executive Board is authorized to make contributions of up to fifty dollars
($50.00) to charitable groups. The membership shall approve charitable
donations of over fifty dollars ($50.00).
Section 1. Standing
committees shall, at the discretion of the Executive Board, be established for
programs, fund-raising, and providing assistance to the members.
A. A Program Committee shall be established in
the event that there is no Vice President to fulfill that duty.
B. A Fund-raising Committee, with the approval of
the Executive Board, shall engage in activities to bring in additional funds so
that LMCUG can purchase equipment and pay other expenses incurred in the
performance of its educational function.
C. A “Help Squad” committee shall be established to give education and
troubleshooting assistance to members. The chairperson of this committee shall
decide how, where, and when this service is given.
Section 2. The
Executive Board may establish additional standing and/or special committees as
necessary to carry out the objectives of LMCUG.
Section 3. The Executive
Board may form Special Interest Groups to allow a subset of the membership to
share their interest in selected areas of computing, such as genealogy or the
Internet.
A. Special Interest Groups shall be named as
follows: The first portion of the name will convey the basic interest of the
group, i.e., Genealogy, Online, etc., and the name will end with the words
"Special Interest Group (SIG)" (Example: Genealogy Special Interest
Group).
B. The Executive Board shall designate an
individual who will be called the “Group Leader" to be the overall
coordinator for each Special Interest Group.
Section 4. Committees and Special Interest Groups shall
operate as part of LMCUG and as such shall be eligible for funding support from
LMCUG, not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each per year, or as decided
by the Executive Board. Requests for such funds should be made (in writing) to
the Treasurer.
Section 1. LMCUG
shall publish a newsletter. The Executive Board shall appoint the editor, who
may select a staff to assist in this endeavor.
Section 2. A
Webmaster, appointed by the Executive Board, shall be responsible for creating
and maintaining the LMCUG Web site. The Webmaster may select a staff for
assistance.
Section 1. No part of the net earnings of LMCUG shall
inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees,
officers, or other private persons, except that LMCUG shall be authorized and
empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make
payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article
II hereof.
Section 2. No substantial part of the activities of
LMCUG shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to
influence legislation, and that LMCUG shall not participate in, or intervene in
(including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign
on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for pubic office.
ARTICLE XII:
DISSOLUTION
Upon the
dissolution of LMCUG, its assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt
purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code,
or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be
distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a
public purpose.
ARTICLE XIII:
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current
issue of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the
proceedings of LMCUG in all cases to which they are applicable and to which
they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XIV: AMENDMENT
These Bylaws may be amended at any
regular meeting by a 2/3 vote of the members present and voting, provided that:
A. the amendment has been submitted in writing to
the Executive Board, who shall insure the correctness of the amendment format;
B. following approval of the amendment format by the
Executive Board, the membership has been
notified of the amendment thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which it
shall be considered. Notification shall be given at a general meeting and/or by
e-mail.
Revised
June 4, 2003 and April 7, 2004