Article I                  Name

 

                This organization shall be known as the Shrewsbury Historical Society, Inc.

 

Article II                Purpose

 

                The purpose of the Shrewsbury Historical Society shall be to keep alive and increase interest in the history of the Town of  Shrewsbury; to collect and preserve items of special value, traditions, and curiosities; to encourage general public interest in  its work and to maintain such personal properties and real estate that may come under the control of the Society.

 

Article III                Membership

 

                Item 1                Membership is open to all persons or institutions interested in the purpose of the Society.

 

                Item 2                There shall be four categories of membership:  Junior, Active, Life, and Institutional:

                               

                                Junior Member is under the age of 18, exempt from dues, and cannot make motions, vote, or hold office.

                               

                                Active Member is age 18 or older in good standing.  After a tenure of 60 days, an Active Member is entitled to make motions, vote, and hold office.

 

                                Life! Member is a member with all the rights and privileges of membership.

 

                                Institutional Member pays dues but cannot make motions, vote, or hold office.                           

 

                Item 3                  Active Members and Institutional Members shall pay dues annually.  The amount of annual dues for Active and Institutional Members and the one time payment of dues for Life Members shall be determined by Society membership vote upon the recommendation of the Executive Board.  The Treasurer, with the consent of the  Executive Board, may dispense with the payment of annual dues of any Active Member whenever it may be advisable. 

 

                Item 4                The fiscal year ends with the Annual Meeting.

 

Article IV               Meetings

 

                Regular meetings shall be held on the fourth Wednesday from September through May, with a notice sent to all members                 at least one week in advance.  Additional meetings or meeting schedule changes may be made by the Executive Board upon  one week’s written notice to members.  The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be held in May.  The Executive Board  shall determine the place and time of the meeting.  Twenty-five members shall constitute a quorum.

 

Article V                Executive Board

 

                Item 1                The Executive Board shall be made up of the Officers and Directors of the Society and shall be responsible for the control and general management of the Society.

 

                Item 2                The Officers shall be:  President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Curator, and Assistant Curator.  Officers shall be elected for a term of one year.

 

                Item 3                There shall be three Directors of the Society.  The Directors shall be elected to a three-year term with one Director elected each year.  All Directors must have been! members of the Society for three or more years before being                 nominated.  

 

               

 

 

Article V                Executive Board   (continued)

 

                Item 4                Directors shall be eligible for re-election to the same office after an interval of one  year following the completion  of their term.  Officers may serve two consecutive terms in any one office and shall be eligible for re-election to                that same office after an interval of one  year.   Officers and Directors shall not hold more than one office simultaneously.

 

                Item 5                Members of the Executive Board shall assume the duties of their office immediately following their election.

 

                Item 6                The Executive Board may make or authorize disbursements for current expenses of the Society to an amount not exceeding the annual income.  Expenditures in excess of this amount shall be approved by the Executive Board and by a majority vote of the Society.

 

                Item 7                The Executive Board shall prepare and present to the general membership an Annual Report on the condition of  the Society including, but not limited to, its activities, acquisitions, artifacts, finances, and property.

 

                Item 8                The Executive Board may meet at such times and places as they may deem necessary, but not fewer than eight times a year.

 

                Item 9                The Executive Board shall be bonded with sureties to adequately cover the liquid assets of the Society.

 

                Item 10                Six  members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board.

 

Article VI                     Powers and Duties of Officers and Directors

 

                Item 1                  The President shall set the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Executive Board.  The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint Chairpersons of the following Standing Committees:  Finance, Fundraising, Hospitality, Membership, Museum, Nominating, Program, and Publicity no later than June 30.  Other committees may be appointed, when necessary, by the President with approval of the Executive Board.

 

                Item 2                The Vice President shall assist the President in the duties of the office and preside in the absence of the President.

               

                Item 3                The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all the meetings and activities of the Society and serve as secretary of the Executive Board.

 

                Item 4                The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Society and shall record the minutes in the absence of the Recording Secretary.

 

                Item 5                 The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds and securities of the Society.  The Treasurer shall pay all bills of the  Society with the co-signature of the President and keep accurate accounts of receipts and expenditures.  The Treasurer shall provide reports at regular Society meetings, provide additional reports as deemed necessary by the Executive Board, and present an audited report at the Annual Meeting.

 

                Item 6                The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer, reconcile the monthly bank statements, and give the Treasurer’s report in the absence of the Treasurer.

 

                Item 7                The Curator shall have custody of all books, papers, and articles of historic interest belonging to the Society.  The Curator shall report at each meeting the additions to the collection of the Society and shall maintain an accurate                inventory of all artifacts.

 

                Item 8                  The Assistant Curator shall assist the Curator in all duties and make reports in the absence of the Curator.

 

                Item 9                The Directors shall be responsible for the strategic long-range planning of the Society.

 

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Article VII               Nominating Committee

 

                Item 1                A Nominating Committee shall consist of three members of the Society and shall be appointed to a one-year term  by the Executive Board.  The duty of the Nominating Committee shall be to present a slate of Officers and one Director at the regular meeting prior to the Annual Meeting.

 

 

 

Article VII                Nominating Committee (continued)

 

                Item 2                In the event of a vacancy, the Nominating Committee will nominate a candidate who shall be voted on by the                     membership at the next meeting.

 

                Item 3                Additional nominations may be made from the floor by voting members of the Society for all elections.

 

Article VIII            Nonprofit Policy

 

                Item 1                The organization is organized exclusively for educational purposes under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue                                Code.

 

                Item 2                No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members,  trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay  reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof.  No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the  carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on  behalf of any candidate for public office.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization  hall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)2 of the Internal                Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

 

                Item 3                Upon the dissolution of the organization cash assets shall be used to protect and preserve the artifacts within the Town of Shrewsbury for public education.

 

Article IX                Amendments

 

                These bylaws may be amended at any meeting providing that the proposed amendments have been reviewed by the                 Executive Board and that notice of the amendments have been mailed to every member of the Society one month in advance of the vote.  A vote of two-thirds of the members present is necessary to pass an amendment to the bylaws.

 

Article X                Procedure

 

                Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall be the authority for all points not herein specified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised June, 2001

 

 

Ratified:        October 10, 2001                                  

                                Date