BY-LAWS FOR NEWCOMERS OF SAN ANTONIO
ARTICLE I
Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Newcomers of San Antonio. It is a not-for-profit social organization.
Section 2. The General Meeting shall be held during the luncheon.
ARTICLE II
Object
Section 1. Social: To extend a friendly and neighborly hand to all newcomers by introducing them to each other and their new community.
Section 2. Civic: To promote interest in our city and to encourage community involvement.
ARTICLE III
Membership and Dues Policies
Section 1. Qualifications for Membership:
a.Anyone residing in the greater San Antonio area for two years or less.
b.Membership is extended regardless of race, color, creed, marital status, or gender.
c.Full membership status applies for the first three (3) years of membership, Starting the month your dues are paid and continuing until the last day of the same month three (3) years later.
d.Thereafter, associate membership status begins and continues as long as dues are paid annually.
Section 2. The yearly dues and any special fees shall be set by the Board. Dues are not refundable.
Section 3. All monies shall be used to further the objectives of Newcomers of San Antonio. A minimum of $1,000.00 shall be carried over in the treasury for the following Governing year.
Section 4. The prospective member’s dues shall be required after attendance at two (2) club functions (luncheon, coffee, social event, or interest group).
Section 5. Members shall be responsible for payment of any reservation if not canceled by the specified cancellation time. If a check written for a reservation is not received by the time of the event and the person arrives for the event, they will be asked to pay for the event at that time. If the check is later received, it will be returned or destroyed.
Section 6. Interest groups shall be self-sustaining. Only paid members may join or participate. Interest group leaders may hold the position no longer than two (2) consecutive years: exceptions require Board approval.
Section 7. The membership list shall not be used for personal gain nor made available for commercial or solicitation purposes; nor will solicitations be made of any member at any club function unless previously approved by the board.
ARTICLE IV
The Board of Directors
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the Executive Officers and the Appointed Directors.
a. It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to coordinate plans and activities of the organization and have general management of the organization and its affairs.
b. The Governing year will be from June 1st through May 31st.
c. The Board shall meet once a month.
d. The May Board meeting shall be a joint meeting consisting of the outgoing and incoming boards.
Section 2. The Executive Officers of the organization shall have Full Membership Status.
Section 3. The Executive Officers shall be:
a.President
b.First Vice-President
c.Second Vice-President(s)
d.Recording Secretary
e.Corresponding Secretary
f.Treasurer
g.Parliamentarian/Board Advisor.
Section 4. Executive Officers, with the exception of the Parliamentarian/Board Advisor, shall be selected by the Nominating Committee consistent with request made by the membership per the interest survey and subsequently voted on by the general membership.
Section 5. The Parliamentarian/Board Advisor should be the outgoing President of the previous year. If the outgoing President is unable to serve, the outgoing First Vice-President or next eligible outgoing Executive Officer shall become Parliamentarian/Board Advisor.
Section 6. The Appointed Directors shall be appointed by the incoming President on the advice of the Nominating Committee. Members with full and associate member status may hold Appointed Director positions. No member may hold the same Director position for more than two (2) years. Exceptions require board approval. The Appointed Directors of the organization shall be:
a. Ambassadors
b. Charities
c. Coffees
d. Communication
e. Directory
f. Helping Hands
g. Historian
h. Interest Groups
i. Mailings
j. Newsletters
k. Opportunity Drawings
l. Publicity, Reservations
m. Socials
n. Web Mistress
Section 7. Executive Officers and Appointed Directors may form a committee or appoint additional assistants. The additional assistants or committee members are not voting members of the Board unless they represent the voting member.
Section 8. The Nominating Committee:
a. Shall consist of not fewer than five (5) members: one (1) First Vice-President, one (1) Director and three (3) full Members-at-Large.
b.The Board of Directors shall appoint this committee in November.
c.Their first meeting shall be prior to the January luncheon.
d.The President may serve as an ex-officio member of this committee.
e.The Nominating Committee shall choose their own chairperson.
f.The Nominating Committee shall distribute an interest survey to all members at the January luncheon and the January coffee. Interest surveys will be enclosed in the January newsletter. The Nominating Committee will consider these interest surveys to select the slate of Executive Officers and appointed Directors.
g.The Nominating Committee may consider members for Executive Officer positions who have Full Membership status through June 30th of that year.
h. At the March and April General meetings, the chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall present the slate of proposed officers for the following term. Nominations from the floor may be taken at the March meeting.
i. The slate of proposed officers will be posted in the newsletter before the April General meeting at which time a voice vote for the new slate shall take place unless there is more than one (1) candidate for an office. In that case, election shall be by ballot to be counted by the Nominating Committee. A simple majority of members present will elect.
j. Officers shall be installed at the May meeting.
Section 9. Executive Officer vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors, with the exception of the office of President, in which case the First Vice-President shall be named President.
Section 10. The outgoing Board shall appoint a committee of three (3) members to audit the treasury no later than 15 June.
ARTICLE V
Duties of Executive Officers
Section 1. President: Appoint Directors, conduct General Meetings and monthly Board meetings, oversee and advise the Board members.
Section 2. First Vice-President: Maintain and update the membership files, share files with appropriate board members regularly, collect dues, introduce new members at the general meetings. Be prepared to perform all duties of the President when called upon to do so. Initiate and serve as a member of the Nominating Committee.
Section 3. Second Vice-President(s): Plan and make all necessary arrangements for monthly luncheon meetings and programs.
Section 4. Treasurer: Receive all dues and income, pay all bills with the approval of the Board, maintain accounts, and submit a monthly report for approval by the Board. Treasurer shall also cause to be prepared an annual federal tax return.
Section 5. Parliamentarian/Board Advisor: Guide all matters of organization policies.
Section 6. Recording Secretary: Keep records of all meetings and supply a copy of minutes to the Board members. Be the custodian of the permanent minute records.
Section 7. Corresponding Secretary: Maintain all organization correspondence, send notes for births, congratulations, get well, sympathy, thank yours, etc. to members as needed.
Section 8. A year end report shall be presented by each outgoing Executive Officer and appointed Directors to the current President and Recording Secretary and to the respective incoming Executive Officers.
Section 9. A personal computer with web access is necessary for Executive Officers.
ARTICLE VI
Duties of the Appointed Directors
Section 1. Ambassadors: Serve as the Welcoming Committee and contact potential members. Supply gifts for the new members at the coffees.
Section 2. Charity: Present a list of charities from the Members-at-Large to the Board for approval at the May Board meeting, collect monies and/or items from the members at coffees and luncheons for the designated charities, and see to the distribution of collection.
Section 3. Coffees: Organize monthly coffees, recruit hostesses and co-hostesses. Make sure supplies are available to the hostess in a timely manner.
Section 4. Communications: Correspond with potential new members. Maintain an up-to-date database of e-mail addresses of all members for correspondence from the Board and the Interest Group Leaders. Email special notices to the members as deemed necessary by the Board or the President. Check the voice mail and e-mail account on a regular basis and forward information to the appropriate parties.
Section 5. Directory: Format the membership information to produce and distribute the membership directory including supplement as needed.
Section 6. Helping Hands: Organize and supervise volunteers to help members and families when they are experiencing life changes.
Section 7. Historian: Attend luncheons, socials, and coffees and take pictures. Make a photo album/scrapbook of the year to be presented to the outgoing President. Periodically update organization scrapbook.
Section 8. Interest Groups: Organize and supervise the interest group leaders. Act as liaison between leaders and Board.
Section 9. Mailings: Mail newsletters and distribute monthly newsletters to organization members via e-mail and USPS. Maintain the newsletter mailing lists.
Section 10. Newsletter: Prepare monthly newsletter to be distributed to the membership.
Section 11. Opportunity Drawing: Purchase and distribute gifts at the luncheons.
Section 12. Publicity: Conduct all activities to promote the organization to the public.
Section 13. Reservations: Collect reservation payment for luncheons, maintain list of attendees and greet attendees at the luncheons. Prepare nametags and place cards for attendees of the luncheons.
Section 14. Socials: Plan, organize and implement social activities.
Section 15. Web Mistress: Maintain and update the web site.
Section 16. A year-end report shall be presented by each outgoing Director to the current President, Recording Secretary and respective incoming Director.
Section 17. A personal computer with web access is necessary for Appointed Directors.
ARTICLE VII
Amendments and Revisions
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended or reviewed at any General Meeting by a majority vote of the membership in attendance, provided notice was given at a previous meeting and posted in the newsletter.
Section 2. By-Laws Committee
a. The Board of Directors shall appoint a by-laws committee of not fewer than five (5) members; two (2) Executive Officers, one of whom shall be the parliamentarian; two (2) Appointed Directors and one (1) Member at Large.
b. The Chairperson will be chosen by the committee.
c. Any proposed amendments and / or revisions of the By-Laws must be agreed upon by a minimum of five (5) of the By- Laws Committee Members.
d. This committee shall review the by-laws every (2) years and make recommendations for revisions as necessary.
e. The committee shall present the revisions to the Board for approval.
f. Revisions shall be printed in the newsletter and presented to the membership for approval at the next General Membership Meeting.
Newcomers of San Antonio
PO Box 592539, San Antonio, TX 78259-2539
