SIERRA VISTA AREA GARDENERS CLUB BY-LAWS
(Original draft March 1991, Amended May 1998, Amended February 2001, Amended January 2002, Amended July 2004, Revised February 2008)ARTICLE I: Name: The name of this not-for-profit club is the Sierra
Vista Area Gardeners Club, herein referred to as SVAGC.ARTICLE II: Objectives: The objectives of SVAGC shall be:
• to promote and encourage the art and science of gardening.
• to provide learning experiences about effectively growing plants and
landscaping in our Sierra Vista Area eco-systems.
• to aid in the protection of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
• to aid in the protection and conservation of natural resources, including
water.
• to cooperate with other area agencies and organizations interested in these Objectives.ARTICLE III: Membership:
Section I: Qualifications
Qualifications for membership are an active interest in gardening, a willingness to share in the work of the club and being current in dues.Section II: Definition
One membership shall consist of all adult members in a household.Section III: Voting
Voting is by membership rather than individual. Each membership is entitled to one vote.ARTICLE IV: Dues
Section I: Setting Dues
Annual dues will be determined by a vote of the membership at the May meeting.Section II: Membership Term
Membership year is from July 1 through June 30.Section III: New Member Dues
New members joining the club after April 1 will have their dues credited to the following year and be considered full members at the time of payment.ARTICLE V: Officers and Duties The elected officers of SVAGC shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 1: President
The President shall:
• preside at all meetings of the SVAGC and the Executive Board.
• ensure that by-laws are followed.
• appoint committee chairpersons as needed for club programs, objectives and sponsored activities.
• appoint, with approval of the Executive Board, replacements for officers who
are unable to complete their term of office.
• provide general oversight and coordination of all activities of the club.
• The President may serve no more than two contiguous terms.Section 2: Vice-President
The Vice President shall:
• assume the role of the President if the President is unable to complete the
term of office.
• be responsible for organizing a program of tours of SVAGC
member’s gardens and other botanical resources in the area.
• be a member of the Executive Board.
• arrange for an Installation Ceremony for those assuming new terms of office.Section 3: Secretary
The Secretary shall:
• keep accurate minutes, of SVAGC meetings, making sure all
motions and votes are properly recorded. Once approved by the
membership, the minutes shall be signed by the secretary and
kept in a binder.
• be a member of the Executive Board.
• provide a copy of Minutes to the Newsletter Editor prior to the
deadline for the next Newsletter.
• handle any official club correspondence.
• report briefly on any business and correspondence at each
Membership Meeting.
• maintain a current dated copy (m/d/y) of Approved By-Laws and
procedures.Section 4: Treasurer
The Treasurer shall:
• assume primary responsibility for the SVAGC financial records, accounts and
budget.
• make a report at each monthly meeting, both written and verbal, including
income, expenses and current balance.
• use standard bookkeeping practices to keep accurate records of all SVAGC
income and expenses.
• make timely deposits of all SVAGC funds.
• receive all SVAGC dues.
• maintain a current roster of SVAGC members, providing a listing of new and
renewing members to the Membership Committee and Newsletter
Editor prior to the deadline each month.
• maintain bank accounts in the name of SVAGC using the Club’s
federal I.D. number with the Treasurer and President as signers
of record. Reconcile the bank statements and books monthly.
• prepare checks on the SVAGC account for all SVAGC purchases and
reimbursements to members according to approved procedures.
• ensure that the President has access to the checkbook during
their temporary absence from the area of more than two weeks
duration.
• be a member of the Executive Board.
• ensure that all required federal and state tax reports are filed
as required by law.
• make all financial records available for audit at the end of each term of
office, change in treasurer or at the request of the majority of
the Board.ARTICLE VI Executive Board
Section 1: Membership
• The Executive Board shall be composed of the four elected
officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
• If a member of the Executive Board is absent from a meeting,
another member of the Board shall assume their duties during
that meeting.Section 2: Responsibilities
The Executive Board shall:
• Under the leadership of the President, coordinate all aspects of
SVAGC and ensure the maximum participation of all members in the
work and activities of the organization.
• assist the President in identifying potential leadership
appointments.
• approve any appointments to unexpired officer terms.
• under the leadership of the Treasurer, be responsible for
managing the budget, requesting revisions when needed.
• prepare and present for approval at the Annual Meeting, a budget
for the following year.
• be empowered to transact any ordinary and necessary business of
the club.ARTICLE VII Elections
Section 1: Nominations
a. The President will appoint a Nominating Committee of at
least three (3) current members by the March meeting.
b. The nominating committee shall begin their work in March to
solicit suggestions and volunteers. They will use discernment
in finding the best qualified candidate(s), willing to serve,
for each open position. They are to form a ballot with at least
a single candidate for each open position.
c. The Nominating Committee will make its report to the membership
at the April meeting. The floor will be opened for additional
nominees, with consent of the nominee.
d. The resulting list of nominees shall be published in the
Newsletter and again presented to the membership at the May
meeting.
e. The floor will again be open for nominations following the same
procedure in item “c” above.
f. The President will declare nominations closed and the resulting
ballot will be reported by the secretary.Section 2: Voting
a. Voting shall take place during the May meeting, immediately following the
close of nominations.
b. Each membership has one vote.
c. If there is only a single nominee for each office, the President may:
• ask for a voice vote by position.
• or entertain a motion for a unanimous ballot to be cast for all nominees
and recorded by the secretary.
d. For offices with more than one nominee a secret paper ballot shall be cast.
e. The President shall appoint 3 tellers from the membership who are not
current officers or on the ballot to tally the vote and report the results
to the President.
f. The President shall declare the election results.Section 3: Transition
The President shall, with the assistance of the Executive Board, arrange a joint meeting with the new officers for the purpose of orientation and transition. At the President’s discretion this may be a part of the regular June Executive
Committee Meeting.Section 4: Installation
The current Vice-President shall coordinate planning for a ceremony of Installation at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting.Section 5: Term of Office
a. Officers shall be elected to a two year term of office, with:
∙ the President and Secretary elected in even numbered years.
∙ the Vice-President and Treasurer elected in odd numbered years.
b. Officers shall serve until their replacement has been installed.
c. The President shall be limited to no more than two consecutive terms.Section 6: Recognition of Retiring Officers
The Membership Chairman shall be responsible for arranging for recognition of officers completing their terms.Section 7: Replacement for uncompleted terms
In the event an officer is unable to complete a term of office, the President shall appoint, with the approval of the Executive Board, a member to complete the remainder of that term of office.ARTICLE VIII: Committees and Leadership Positions
Section 1: Standing Committees
There shall be three Standing Committees responsible to the membership through the Executive Board. The Committees are Nominating Committee, By-Laws Committee and Membership Committee.
a. The President shall appoint, with approval by the Executive Board, the
members and chair of the Standing Committees.
b. Standing Committees shall have at least three members.
c. Members of committees shall not serve for more than three consecutive
years.1. Nominating Committee:
The Nominating Committee shall be responsible for preparing the ballot
according to the procedures outlined in these By-Laws.
2. By-Laws Committee:
The By-Laws Committee shall be responsible for reviewing
the By-Laws and monitoring the organization for compliance
and shall be responsible for drafting all revisions to the By-Laws
as might be proposed by the Executive Board or general
membership.
3. Membership Committee:
The Membership Committee shall be responsible for:
a. maintaining and publishing a current roster of membership.
b. designing and leading a program of membership
recruitment and retention.
c. ensuring that visitors are welcomed, introduced and provided
with information about the club.
d. planning for recognition of retiring officers of the club.Section 2: Other Committees
The President may, with concurrence of the Executive Board appoint other committees or task forces as needed.Section 3: Leadership Positions
The President shall appoint, with concurrence of the Executive Board, individuals to serve in various leadership positions. These leaders may
gather other members to assist them as needed. A member may not hold one of these positions for more than three consecutive years.
a. Standing Leadership Positions:
• Historian
• Newsletter Editor
• Publicity
• Refreshments
• Sunshine
• Door Prizes and Raffles
• Seed Collecting
b. Special Events and Project Leaders
Individuals appointed to organize a social event, fund-raiser or service
project.ARTICLE IX: Meetings
Section 1: Regular Meetings
Regular Meetings shall be held on the third Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m. or at a time and place determined by the Executive Board and announced in the Newsletter.Section 2: Annual Meeting
The June meeting shall be designated as the Annual Meeting at which time the Budget for the next year shall be voted on and Installation of newly elected officers shall be the last order of business.ARTICLE IX: Finances
Section 1: Budget
a. A budget shall be developed by the Treasurer and approved by Executive
Board. It shall be published in the May newsletter and presented to the
membership for approval at the Annual Meeting.
b. The budget shall hold in reserve five hundred dollars ($500).
c. Any proposed expenditure in excess of budget must be approved
by the Executive Board. All expenditures in excess of $100
over budget shall be approved by the membership.Section 2: Income
a. The Treasurer shall use a numbered duplicate receipt for all income.
b. All fundraising event proceeds shall be counted by the Treasurer and
verified by another member.Section 3: Deposits
All income received, whether in cash or check, shall be deposited in a timely manner to the SVAGC checking account.Section 4. Disbursements:
All disbursements shall be by check drawn on the SVAGC checking account and be supported by club voucher with attached bills or receipts.ARTICLE X Amendments
1. Either the Executive Board or the Membership may request a by-law revision. The request will be forwarded to the By-Laws committee for drafting.
2. If the draft is approved by the Executive Board, it will be published in the
next Newsletter and referred to the membership for ratification.
3. Ratification requires approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the member units
present and voting. Abstentions are counted as not voting.
4. When rejecting a proposed amendment, membership may send it
back to the By-Laws Committee for further work.
5. Unless otherwise stated, changes will be effective upon
ratification.ARTICLE X1: Dissolution
In the event the club chooses to disband or diminishes in size to 3 or fewer members, the last remaining members shall act to distribute any remaining assets
to a bona fide 501 (c) (3), or subsequent equivalent, organization, which has compatible purposes. Preference shall be given to local organizations.