VGS By-Laws
Villages Genealogical
Society
The Villages of Lake/Sumter, Florida By-Laws Article 1 - Name and Office The name of this organization shall be Villages Genealogical Society. The principal office of the Society shall be at the residence of the Society's President. Article 2 - Purpose The purpose of the Society is to promote and stimulate knowledge and interest in the study of genealogy; to provide an opportunity for exchange of information among members; provide educational programs and workshops; assist members in genealogical research. The Society is a not-for-profit organization. Article 3 - Membership and Dues 1. Membership shall be open to all residents of The Villages of Lake/Sumter, (hereafter referred to as The Villages). 2. A one-time new member fee of $5.00 will be charged at the time of joining the Society. Thereafter, annual dues of $1.00 will be required to keep the membership current. The membership year begins September 1st and ends August 31st. Any changes in dues shall be proposed by the President and voted upon by the members. After the May meeting the membership roster will be culled to delete those members who have not renewed their membership in the Villages Genealogical Society. To rejoin after that time, they will need to pay the new member fee. 3. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to participate in all Society functions and vote on all matters that come before the membership, including election of officers and amendments to the By-Laws. A member is in good standing if he or she has paid the current year’s dues. Article 4 - Meetings 1. Meetings of the Society shall be held at 10 o’clock in the morning on the fourth Wednesday of the month, in the La Hacienda Center of The Villages or at other times and places designated by the Board of Directors. 2. At general membership meetings, members present
shall constitute a quorum and a majority vote will rule on all
matters. At Board of Directors meetings, the President and 5 Directors
will constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.
A simple majority vote will approve issues before the Board. 4. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with these By-Laws and Robert’s Rules of Order. Article 5 - Officers and Directors Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Their elected terms shall be for two years. The President shall appoint Directors for functional areas/committees, whose terms shall be for two years. Officers President - presides over Board of Director and general membership meetings; appoints committee Directors; acts as central point of contact for the Society. Vice-President - assumes duties of President during his/her absence. Secretary - keeps minutes of Board and general membership meetings. Treasurer - collects membership dues; maintains financial records; disburses funds as needed. Directors Historian – selects and archives documents generated by the Society; maintains Society scrapbook. Library - maintains Society's books and materials. Membership - registers new members; maintains/updates membership list. New Members – welcomes and briefs new members about Society’s programs and resources. Programs - arranges for programs and speakers. Publicity - places articles with local news organizations. Web Page – maintains Society’s web page; maintains index of surnames being researched by members; informs members of Society’s activities. Additional committees may be organized when required. VACANCIES In case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall become President. Vacancies in other offices shall be appointed by the President to serve until the next regular election. Article 6 - Finances 1. Funds received by the Society shall be used by the Board of Directors to pay for expenses incurred by the Society during its regular operations. Expenditures in excess of $300.00 shall be approved by the Board of Directors. 2. Society funds shall be kept at the Citizens First
Bank of The Villages or at a financial institution designated
by the Board of Directors. The President and/or the Treasurer
will be able to sign checks for Society expenditures that have
been approved by the Board of Directors. Article 7 - Elections 1. In September, the President shall appoint an Election Committee to seek qualified candidates for positions that will become vacant the following year. Whenever possible, the Election Committee will nominate at least two candidates for each vacancy. Candidates for office must have been members in good standing for six months prior to the elections. 2. In October, nominations will be presented to the general membership. At this time, nominations will also be accepted from the floor. 3. In November, election of officers will be held at the general membership meeting. All nominees presented at the October meeting will be placed on the ballot and voted upon. 4. The Election Committee will be responsible for preparing, distributing, collecting and counting the ballots. Candidates receiving the most votes will be declared the winner. Run-off elections will not be held unless the top two candidates are tied. Run-off elections will also be held at the November meeting. 5. Newly elected officers will begin their 2-year term at the January meeting. Officers may be re-elected to a second term. Article 8 - Revisions of By-Laws These By-Laws may be revised or amended by a request from the majority of the membership. All requests for revision or amendment must be made in writing and distributed to the membership at least one month in advance of any discussion and/or vote. Article 9 - Indemnification and Liability No individual member or officer of the Society shall be held liable for debts, liabilities or obligations of the Society. These By-Laws were adopted by the general membership May 1999. The revised By-Laws were adopted by the general
membership in May 2002, May 2003 and October 2007.
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