NOTE: These By-Laws were originally prepared during the 2012 administration of Charles Higginson but never ratified by the membership. They were edited in 2014 by a committee of Board Members, approved by the Board of Directors on October 2, 2014, and ratified by the Membership at the November 20, 2014, General Meeting.
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NOTE: These By-Laws were originally prepared during the 2012 administration of Charles Higginson but never ratified by the membership. They were edited in 2014 by a committee of Board Members, approved by the Board of Directors on October 2, 2014, and ratified by the Membership at the November 20, 2014, General Meeting.
BY-LAWS
VIDEO CLUB OF LAGUNA WOODS
LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA
A R T I C L E I
NAME
The organization shall be known as VIDEO CLUB OF LAGUNA WOODS. The principaloffice shall be located in Laguna Woods Village, City of Laguna Woods, County of Orange,State of California.
A R T I C L E II
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Video Club is to promote amateur videography and appreciation of the art among Members of the Club and residents of LAGUNA WOODS VILLAGE, through:
A. The accumulation, dissemination, and exchange of pertinent information and knowledge, including such activities as:
1. Maintaining a library of pertinent DVD’s, journals, buying guides, and other literature useful to Club Members.
2. Arranging for and/or conducting workshops or classes in amateur videography and the art of making videos.
3. Familiarizing Members with state-of-the-art equipment and software through1fairs, hands-on training, written instructions and “how-to” videos.
B. Fostering mutual assistance among Members by encouraging and arranging forsuch activities as:
1. Critiquing each others’ productions, selection of video subject matter anduse of editing enhancements.
2. Assisting each other in the production and editing of video clips and otheramateur video productions.
C. The organization of group projects, especially among Members:
1. To produce videos which are best done by a group using a variety of skills, multiple cameras, stage lighting and stage sets.
2. To present to LAGUNA WOODS VILLAGE audiences, periodically, the work and products of the Club.
D. Arranging with commercial vendors and others for equipment purchase and use byClub Members at an advantageous price.
A R T I C L E I I I
MEMBERSHIP
A. Residents of LAGUNA WOODS VILLAGE are eligible for membership in the Club,provided they meet the entrance requirements as may be established by the Club.Non-residents are eligible for membership, subject to the Golden Rain FoundationRecreation Division Policy requirements for Access to GRF Recreation Facilitiesand to the Club’s entrance requirements.
B. Dues and assessments consistent with the Club’s financial needs shall be leviedequally to all Members, except that a reduced rate of one and one-half times thesingle membership rate may be levied against a husband and wife joint membership or two persons occupying the same residence.
C. The dues shall be payable by January 1st and become delinquent on February 15theach year, after which time a delinquent member may forfeit his/her membership.Dues paid after September 1st of any year shall apply to the remainder of that yearplus the complete following year for no additional fee.
D. Courtesy memberships may be conferred by the Board on persons who have madesignificant contribution to the development and progress of the Club’s purposes.
A R T I C L E I V
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
A. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club and shall preside at allmeetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors.
The President shall have all the duties usually invested in the office of the President, including, but not limited to, the power to appoint committee chairs from among the Membership and shall serve as an ex officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
The President shall report periodically on the progress of the Club to the Board of Directors and to the Membership at large.
B. The Vice-President(s), (at the pleasure of the President multiple Vice-Presidents maybe appointed) shall perform the duties of the President, as prescribed in these ByLaws, in the absence of the President and shall perform such other duties as may beassigned by the President.
C. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors; shallattest documents; shall keep and be the custodian of the records of the Club; shallconduct the Club’s correspondence; and shall perform all the duties incident to theoffice of Secretary.
D. The Treasurer shall act as custodian of all Club funds, shall pay bills as directed bythe Board of Directors, and shall keep an account of all receipts and expenditures. The Treasurer shall make monthly reports at Board Meetings and an annual, written report to be presented at the General Meeting in the month of February covering the condition of the Treasury and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors and the President may direct.
A R T I C L E V
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body to carry on the Club’s businessand to supervise the activity of the Club’s Officers.
B. The Board of Directors shall consist of the current, elected Officers, current Chairs ofStanding Committees, and such other Board Members as appointed by the Presidentand ratified by a majority vote of the other Board Members. The immediate past President of the Club shall be an ex officio Members of the Board of Directors for oneyear following his/her term as President.
C. Regular Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at least monthly.
D. Special Meetings may be called by the President. Upon receipt of a written request, signed by at least three Members of the Board, the President shall call a Special Meeting of the Board following the manner as described in this paragraph. To call a Special Meeting, the President must give Board Members adequate notice of the meeting by mail, telephone, e-mail, or other appropriate means, at least three days in advance. The notice shall contain the starting time, place, and purpose(s) of the Special Meeting.
E. The Board of Directors shall arrange for such property and liability insurance as the Board shall deem necessary.
F. Vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be filled by vote of the majority of theremaining Directors at a Regular or Special Meeting.
G. A Quorum at all Meetings of the Board shall consist of a majority of the currentMembers of the Board.
H. Each year, at the February Board Meeting, the prior year’s Officers shall give a reportto the Board of Directors on the activities of the Club during the Officer’s term of office. The Chairman of the Financial Review Committee shall read the Annual Financial Report at the same Meeting. These reports shall be repeated at the Club’s February General Meeting.
A R T I C L E V I
NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A. The Nominating Committee, consisting of two or more Members of the Club, shall be appointed by the President not later than the August Meeting of the Board of Directors.
B. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one member of the Club for each of the four offices, President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and shall report first, to the Board of Directors and then to the General Membership at their regular October meetings. Nominations from the floor may be taken at both meetings, when the Nominating Committee’s report is presented. All nominated candidates must have given their consent to serve in the office for which each is nominated. Self nomination is allowed.
C. The election of Officers shall take place at the November Meeting of the Club’s General Membership, when nominations from the floor will also be accepted. (Term of Office is dealt with in Article IX.) Where there is only one nominee for an office, the voting shall be taken by the uplifted hands of the Members present. Where there is more than one nominee for a given office, a printed ballot shall be used for that office. Ballot counts shall be made by the Club Secretary and checked by the Club President and Vice-President. A simple majority is sufficient to elect.
A R T I C L E V I I
COMMITTEES
A. The President may establish Committees as necessary to carry out the purposes of the Club and he shall appoint the Chair of each Committee. Each Chair of a Committee may, with the approval of the President, select a Vice-Chair and other Members of the that Committee and the Chair shall instruct the Committee Members in their duties. Except for “Standing” Committees, the term of the Committee shall be as determined by the President.
B. Committees such as Education, Equipment Maintenance, Lab Supervision, Membership, Program, Publicity, Purchasing, Studio Supervision, Equipment Controller and Webmaster shall be considered “Standing” Committees and shall operate for the full year.
C. In addition to their other duties, as may be assigned by the President, the Financial Review Committee shall prepare a written, annual report to the Board of Directors of their findings based on a review of the Club’s financial practices and condition during the year of the Committee’s service. The report shall be presented as provided in Article V, Paragraph H of these By-Laws.
A R T I C L E V I I I
BANK ACCOUNT
A. Club funds shall be kept in a commercial bank which has the approval of he Board of Directors. The Account shall include the name of the Club and be listed in the name of the Finance Chair, if so required by the Bank. The Bank Account shall conform to Bank’s standard requirements of Clubs similar to the Video Club.
B. Club funds shall be disbursed only by bank drafts or checks with the signature of the Treasurer. Expenditures totaling more that $500.00 shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to the issuing of a check.
C. Reimbursement to Club Members for Club related expenses shall be based on the submittal of a receipt that includes the name of vendor, the purchase date, the amount and a description of the item or service purchased.
D. Cash, checks and other payments made to the Club shall be deposited as soon as practical. Prior to deposit, all forms of payments shall be kept in locked drawers or cabinets located in the Video Lab. Copies of payment checks, membership cards or other accompanying documents, that need to be shared with other persons or committees, shall be made and distributed immediately upon receipt of the donation or fee. The funds to be deposited shall be taken directly to the Bank by the Treasurer or the alternate signer. Funds shall not be held for more than 10 days prior to deposit.
A R T I C L E I X
TERM OF OFFICE
A. All Officers shall serve for the year following their election, from the day following the Awards Banquet of one year to the Awards Banquet of the following year.
B. Club Officers shall be formally introduced at the annual Awards Banquet.
C. All committee Chairs and Members serve at the pleasure of the President. For Standing Committees, the appointed term of Chairs and Members shall terminate with the president’s term of office. For standard Committees, the term of office for chairs and Members shall be as determined by the President. Exceptions may be made for a Committee where a short carry-over (not to exceed 60 days) would make for a smoother transition from one administration to the next.
A R T I C L E X
CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
A. The conducting of meetings shall be governed by “Roberts Rules of Order” insofar as they are applicable to and consistent with the Club’s By-Laws.
A R T I C L E X I
AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS
A. Amendments to these By-Laws shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors at any Regular or Special Meeting called for that purpose. Amendments to the By- Laws must then be presented to the Membership for ratification at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Club no sooner than one month after the notice of the proposed amendment has been published and distributed to the Club Membership. For ratification, the proposed Amendments to By-Laws must receive a vote of support by a two-thirds majority of the Membership present.
A R T I C L E X I I
DONATIONS
A. Along with subsidies from the Recreation Division of the Golden Rain Foundation and annual membership dues, funding for the Club’s expenses comes from voluntary donations and fees collected for services and materials provided to Club Members and Village residents. The Board of Directors shall approve a schedule of suggested donations and the schedule shall be posted in a prominent location in the Video Club Lab and in the Video Club Studio to advise all users of the facilities of the donation procedures and suggested amounts. The notice shall emphasize that the donations are strictly voluntary and shall also advise that the donations are not tax deductible, since the Club is not certified as a not-for-profit or non-profit organization.
A R T I C L E X I I I
AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES
A. Since the Golden Rain Foundation, Recreation Division, is the Club’s sponsor and majority financial supporter, the Video Club’s equipment and facilities belong to the Golden Rain Foundation. The Video Club is required by the Golden Rain Foundation to make all equipment and facilities reasonably available to all Village residents. Of primary importance is the safety of the user and others in the vicinity. The next consideration is the safety of the equipment being used. The Club may demand that appropriate training be completed along with a showing of proficiency prior to allowing any resident or member to use a piece of equipment.
B. Where there is significant demand for equipment, the Video Club shall make an effort to provide training and assistance for those who desire to use the Club’s equipment and facilities. Where the demand is minimal, training shall be at the pleasure of the Club or on a negotiated timetable convenient to all parties. Appropriate donations to the Club may be recommended to those who require special training and use of equipment.
Approved by:
Two-thirds of the Board of Directors of the Video Club of Laguna Woods at their regularly scheduled meeting, this second day of October, 2014.Two-thirds of the Members of the Video Club of Laguna Woods present at the Club’sregularly scheduled General Meeting, this _____ day of ____________ , 2014
videocluboflagunawoods.com 