Eastern Maine Camera Club

Developing Photographers

EASTERN MAINECAMERA CLUB

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I, PURPOSE

Section 1.  This organization shall be known as the Eastern Maine Camera Club.

Section 2.  Its purpose shall be to encourage and develop interest in amateur photography and to increase the photographic knowledge of club members.  This shall be done by

  1. Providing instruction.
  2. Sponsoring photographic activities.
  3. Providing contacts with other photographic organizations and outstanding photographers.
  4. Promoting social activities, especially those pertinent to the club's photographic program.
  5. Providing family participation and entertainment where practicable.

 

 

ARTICLE II, MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  The membership of the club shall consist of active members and hon­orary members.

Section 2.  Any resident of Eastern Maine may become an active member of the club upon application and payment of dues.

Section 3.  The privileges of active membership shall include the right to vote, to hold office, to participate in all club activities, and to use club facilities in accordance with the rules and regulations pertain­ing thereto.

Section 4.  The executive board, by unanimous vote, shall have the power to deny membership privileges to any member for conduct judged not in the interests of the club.

Section 5.  Any person whose contributions to the club have been significant and distinguished, but who is not a member of the Eastern Maine Camera Club, may be made an honorary member of the club by a majority vote of the executive board.

Section 6.  The privileges of honorary membership shall include a standing invi­tation to attend all general club meetings but not the use of club facilities.  Exceptions may be authorized by the executive board.

Section 7.  Honorary members may not represent the club nor enter club competitions nor exhibitions.  Honorary members do not have power of vote.

 

ARTICLE III, DUES

Section 1.  Active members shall pay regular dues which shall be collected in the amounts and manner prescribed in the bylaws.

ARTICLE IV, OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION

Section 1.  The Eastern Maine Camera Club shall have the following officers:  A president, a vice-president, corresponding and recording secre­taries, an auditor, a treasurer and a technical advisor, all of whom shall be elective officers.

Section 2.  The term of office for elected officers shall be one year.

Section 3.  Elected officers may succeed themselves in office.

Section 4.  Officers shall be nominated and elected in the manner specified in the bylaws.

Section 5.  There shall be an executive board consisting of the president, vice-president, the two secretaries, immediate past president, treasurer, auditor, and a technical advisor. The executive board shall be responsible for establishing, conducting and providing suitable continuity of the club's program.

Section 6.  There shall be a finance committee consisting of the president, vice-president, immediate president, treasurer and a recording secretary. The treasurer shall be the chairman of this committee.

Section 7.  Standing and special committees shall be established to carry out the club's objectives.  They shall make such activities known to the general membership.

Section 8.  If the conduct of any officer or member is such as to warrant his removal from office, his office and/or membership may be declared vacant by a unanimous vote of the other members of the board.  Such action is to be taken only after a thorough investigation has been made and the officer or member given an opportunity to defend his actions.

 

ARTICLE V, MEETINGS

Section 1.  The Eastern Maine Camera Club will meet twice a month from September to May.

Section 2.  Executive board meetings and committee meetings shall be held through­out the year as stated in the bylaws in accordance with the policies and purposes of the club.

Section 3.  A quorum of the executive board shall consist of two-thirds of the board, and shall include at least one of the following officers:  president, vice-president or the recording secretary.

Section 4.  Meetings of the executive board shall be held upon call by the president, recording secretary, vice-president or any three members of the executive board to transact in the nams of the club any business which may coma before it;

Section 5.  "Robert's Rules of Order" shall govern the conduct of all business meetings of the club.

 

ARTICLE VI, AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  An Amendment to this constitution may be initiated by three club members and presented in writing to the president, who shall bring it before the executive board.  If passed by a three-fourths vote of the entire board, it must be published or otherwise made known to the active membership.  If not more than five percent of the membership object in writing to the executive secretary within a period of two weeks following the publication, the amendment shall become effective.  If more than five percent object, as above, the amendment shall be submitted by ballot to the entire membership; a majority vote shall determine whether or not the amendment is approved.

Section 2.  Amendments to this constitution must be made known to the club membership by suitable means within a period of three weeks after enactment.

 

BYLAWS
ARTICLE I, MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Applications for active membership shall be made upon a form provided for that purpose.

Section 2.  Any active member may nominate candidates for honorary membership by writing to any members of the executive board giving full particulars justifying the recommendation.

 

ARTICLE II, DUES

Section 1.  Annual dues shall be as follows:  Families–$25.00; individuals–$20.00; seniors–$15.00; junior–$10.00. Senior is 65 years and over. Junior is 18 years and under. Dues shall be payable to the treasurer and duly collected in accordance with club policy. All members will be billed for club dues in September of each year.

 

ARTICLE III, DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.  The president shall:

  1. Preside at meetings of the executive board and at all regular meetings of the club.
  2. Appoint committee chairmen, subject to executive board approval.
  3. Approve bills and vouchers for payment by the treasurer.
  4. Be an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all club committees, or delegate this responsibility to other elected club officers.
  5. Assume active leadership in the club, and, with the other elected officers help formulate club policies and practices.
  6. Sign official documents in the name of the club as required.
  7. Appoint individuals to carry out specific promotional assign­ments.

 

Section 2.  The vice president shall:

  1. Familiarize him/herself with the duties of the president and assume those duties in "the president's absence.
  2. Act as consultant to the president and carry out special assignments.
  3. Chair the program committee.
  4. Oversee social media for the club, with the authority to delegate specific tasks to volunteers in the club membership.

 

Section 3.  The treasurer shall:

  1. Have charge of the funds of the club.
  2. Establish accounting procedures to collect, handle and record club dues and other income.
  3. Draw checks or money orders on club funds for the payment of club bills as authorized by the president.
  4. Make regular financial reports to the executive board.
  5. Maintain membership records, including mailing lists.

 

Section 4.  The recording secretary shall:

  1. Call meetings of the executive board as directed by the club officers.
  2. Arrange for minutes to be taken at all executive board meet­ings and club meetings;.
  3. Act as a voting member of the executive board and all com­mittees on which he 01; she serves, or delegate this responsi­bility to a member.
  4. Preside at meetings of the executive board in the absence of the president and vice-president, and at all regular meetings of the club at which the president and vice-president may be absent.
  5. Prepare ballots and do whatever is necessary to have ballots counted, election results published, etc.
  6. Sign official documents in the name of the club as required in the absence of the president and vice-president. 

 

Section 5. The executive board shall:

  1. Meet in executive session when called upon to do so.
  2. Recommend camera club operating procedures or policies which will be of benefit to the club membership.
  3. Approve committee chairmen.
  4. Approve committee recommendations and requests for expendi­tures, and have authority to sanction or disapprove any part of or all of any committee program.
  5. Approve educational course instructors.
  6. Appoint nominating committee.
  7. Approve the annual Eastern Maine Camera Club budget.
  8. Approve expenditures over $30.00.

 

Section 6. The corresponding secretary shall:

  1. Chair the publicity and publications committee.
  2. Edit the monthly bulletin, "The Viewfinder."
  3. Be responsible for club correspondence and the maintenance of the club correspondence files.

 

ARTICLE IV, ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  Eastern Maine Camera Club officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting in April for a one year term of office.

Section 2.  During the months of January and February preceding the annual meeting in April, the executive board shall appoint a nominating committee of five club members.  None of the committee members shall be officers of the club.  The chairman of the committee shall be designated at the time of the appointments.  The president of the Eastern Maine Camera Club shall notify the nominating com­mittee members of their appointment.

Section 3.  The nominating committee shall present candidates for the offices of president, vice-president, the two secretaries, the auditor, the treasurer and the technical advisor.

Section 4.  Officers-elect shall be elected and take office at the annual meeting in April.  If the office of president becomes vacant, this office shall be taken over by the vice-president.  If the offices of president and vice-president become vacant, the executive board shall select one of its members to become president pro-tem.

 

ARTICLE V, COMMITTEES

Section 1.  The president shall, subject to executive board approval, appoint committee chairmen to carry out the activities of the club.  The president or vice-president of the club shall be ex-officio members of all committees except the nominating committee.  The president and secretary may delegate some of these responsibilities as provided in Article III, Sections 1 and 4 of the bylaws.

Section 2.  Standing committee chairmen shall be appointed for a term of one year by the president.  The term shall not exceed the president's term of office.  However, each committee chairman and his com­mittee shall remain in office until their successors have been appointed or the committee is disbanded.  Committees shall consist of a chairman and at least four members, exclusive of the secretary and the president, or their delegates.  Their duties and responsi­bilities shall be those designated by the executive board.

The standing committees shall be:

  1. Program committee
  2. Refreshment committee
  3. All-Maine contest committee
  4. Intra-club contest committee
  5. Publicity and publication committee
  6. Property and supplies committee

Section 3.  Special committees shall be appointed for specific duties by the president.

 

ARTICLE VI, GENERAL

 

Section 1.  The fiscal year for the club shall be from September to September.

 

ARTICLE VII, AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  Upon recommendation of the executive board, these bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those voting at any regular meeting, provided that written notice shall have been given of the proposed amendment at least one month before the meeting at which the amendment is to be acted upon.