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Constitution and By-Laws
Article 1
Section 1: Name: The name of the organization shall be the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association, a member chapter of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCBSA) and is covered under the NCBSA rules and regulations with the IRS as a non-profit organization under Articles 501(c)(5); the NCBSA is also recognized and registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State as a non-profit organization.
Article 2
Section 1: Purpose: The purpose of this organization is to foster closer relations among beekeepers, to share ideas, to improve beekeeping methods, to educate the general public relating to honeybees (NC Official State Insect) adopted March 5, 1973, and the beekeeping industry, and to encourage and assist people who may wish to enter the field of beekeeping. Should this association become dissolution, its assets will be given to the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association, a non-profit organization.
Article 3
Section 1: Members: The Forsyth County Beekeepers Association does not discriminate in respect to sex, age, physical ability, or race in acceptance of members. Anyone interested in beekeeping and the beekeeping industry my join the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association upon payment of its regular annual dues.
Article 4
Section 1: Meetings: The association shall meet at a time and place to be decided by the members before the close of each meeting. Members will decide on the time and place of the meeting to follow a majority vote of the members at the meeting. However, if no decision is made, the members may direct the President to make arrangements and contact the Secretary/Treasurer or person who is in charge of mailing out notices to the membership regarding the meeting time and place.
Article 5
Section 1: Officers: The officers of the association shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Program Chairman, and Three Directors. The office of the Secretary/Treasurer may be served by one person or by two people, one serving as Secretary and the other person serving as Treasurer. The association shall elect by a majority vote, three Directors, one to serve one year, one to serve two years, and one to serve three years. At each succeeding election of officers, one director shall be elected to serve three years, replacing the director who served three years. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present at the last regular meeting held each year, and installed at the next meeting and serve and hold office until the following year or until their successors are elected. In case of a vacancy, the President may appoint a member to serve during the remainder of the term. No person shall be elected or appointed for any office without his or her consent.
Article 6
Section 1: Dues: The annual dues for the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association can be changed by a vote of a simple majority of its members present at a meeting of the Association.
The annual county dues will be payable in advance to the Secretary/Treasurer or the person or persons who is elected to receive monies of the association, and shall be due on January 1st of the fiscal year covered by said dues. All dues expire on December 31st of each year. Any member of the association who becomes delinquent in payment of dues after December 31st will be dropped from the roll of membership after the first meeting of the new year. A person who has been dropped from the roll of membership for non payment of dues, may be restored to active membership by paying the current year's dues and can not be pro-rated for any part of the year, as a new member.
Any new member joining after July 1st, the new dues will be pro-rated for the remaining fiscal year and any new member joining before July 1st, will pay full dues as required to be a member in good standing.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall be excused from payment of dues, and if this office is served by two people then each of them are excused from payment of dues while they are serving as officers.
Article 7
Section 1: Honorary Membership: Honorary membership in the association may be given to a person for distinguished service to the association or beekeeping industry, which would be beneficial to the people in our state or nation. This membership may be granted by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting. It may also be granted by a majority vote of the executive committee on behalf of the association when it is not in session. An honorary membership confers no right to vote or hold office and is not liable for dues.
Section 2: Drone and/or Queens Award: This award may be given to a member only. They must have contributed in an outstanding way to the aims and ideals of the association, for meritorious service to the association or for meritorious service to the community while representing the association. Nominees for this award should be presented in writing to the executive committee and the board of directors no later than the August meeting of each year. The executive committee and the board of directors will review the nominees, make a selection or selections and report back to the association at the September meeting. The selected nominee will be presented in the News Letter and voted on at the October meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present at the October meeting will be required to validate the nominations. The award will be a framed certificate presented at the December meeting each year.
Article 8
Section 1: Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of all the elected officers of the association namely: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Program Chairman, Three Directors, and the immediate past President, who shall be an exofficio member. The executive committee shall have authority to transact business on behalf of the association when it is not in session, and to make recommendations of any amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 2: Auditing: The Auditing Committee shall consist of three elected Directors, whose duty shall be to audit the books of the Secretary, Treasurer, and make recommendations on their findings at the first meeting of the association each year.
Section 3: Nominating: The nominating committee shall consist of three members appointed by the President, whose duty will be to nominate and present a slate of officers for the year. Other names may be submitted from the membership at large at the time of election of officers.
Section 4: Special Committee: Special Committees shall be appointed by the President consisting of three members whose duty will be to serve as directed by the President, and or requested by the membership.
Article 9
Section 1: Quorum: Ten (10) voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting. Five (5) shall constitute a quorum of the executive committee.
Article 10
Section 1: President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the association, using regular parliamentary usage and Robert's Rules of Order. He shall appoint the special committees, as he deems necessary, or as directed by the members, fill vacancies, or any officers, and perform such duties as the association may direct. He will be authorized to make deposits, disburse all monies should the Secretary/Treasurer be unable to perform his or her duties.
Section 2: Vice-President: It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to perform the duties of the President in his or her absence, or at his or her request. If the Vice-President is unable to perform this duty in the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall appoint any member to act in his or her stead.
Section 3: Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall collect the annual dues from the members, issue membership cards, and notify all members after December 31st who are delinquent in payment of dues. If there are two members serving as Secretary/Treasurer, that is one serving as Secretary and the other person serving as Treasurer, then the duties of the Secretary/Treasurer may be divided among the two as they work out the duties among themselves.
They will collect the State Association dues and forward the same to the Secretary/Treasurer of the State Association, and give each member their membership card.
They will be the custodians of all monies received by the association, keep full and accurate records showing the receipts and disbursements of all monies.
They shall close their books showing the totals on December 31st of each year. They shall make a complete report on the membership and financial standings of the association at the first meeting held each year. They shall make an annual financial report at the end of the accounting period of December 31st of each year and file the necessary information returns to the Internal Revenue Service. They will see that the President is authorized to make deposits and disburse all monies if they are unable to perform their duties. They shall present their records and books to the Directors for examination and auditing before the first meeting of each year. They shall keep an accurate record of the minutes an all transactions of the association.
They shall notify the members and the general public of each meeting by written notice and/or newspaper publication and send a copy of the minutes to each member unless directed otherwise by a majority vote of the members attending a regular meeting.
They shall transact such other business as they and the association may direct and prepare for distribution any news or materials which will be beneficial and advantageous to the members of the association and the general public.
They shall, at the end of their terms, have all records and books audited and deliver them to their successors, including papers, monies, and all property of the association which may be in their possession.
Section 4: Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes and proceedings of the association at each meeting and turn them over to the Secretary/Treasurer, who will keep a permanent copy thereof and also send out other copies to each member, unless otherwise directed. If the Recording Secretary is unable to perform his or her duties, he or she may appoint any member to fill in his or her stead or the President may appoint someone to record the minutes.
Section 5: Program Chairman: The Program Chairman will make the necessary arrangements for programs and secure speakers for the same. He will work closely with the President and the Secretary/Treasurer well in advance of the next meeting so proper notices can be sent to the members.
Section 6: Directors: The Directors shall examine and audit the books of the Secretary/Treasurer at the end of the year and/or as necessary and report their findings and make recommendations to the members at the first meeting each year and/or as necessary should there be a vacancy in either officer. Should a director be unable to perform his or her duty, each director may appoint a member to act and serve in his or her stead, otherwise, the President of the association may appoint a member to serve.
Article 11
Section 1: Honey Queen: Forsyth County Beekeepers Association may sponsor and select a girl from Forsyth County or surrounding area to represent our association in the state honey queen contest. The association may organize a local county queen program which would be no part of the state program, however the association could sponsor our local queen in the state program. Basis of support, rules and regulations, honey queen committee, and the continuation of the contest and program may be decided upon by a majority note of the members attending the first meeting of each year.
Article 12
Section 1: Benevolence Committee: Flowers or an appropriate memorial will be sent upon the death of one of our members in good standing or their spouse. This will be handled by the Benevolence Committee and the cost thereof will be paid from the general fund by the Secretary/Treasurer.
The cost of the flowers or memorial and the continuation of this expression of love will be decided upon by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members attending the first meeting of each year.
Article 13
Section 1: Amendments: Any article or section of any article of the Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at the first meeting of each year by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members present. Proposed amendments must be presented to the executive committee for their recommendation and presented in writing to the entire membership at least ten days before the first meeting in the new year. Proposed amendments shall be read at the last meeting of the year and for information only and no action taken till the first meeting of the new year.
Article 14
Section 1: Amendments of By-Laws: Upon acceptance by vote of the association, this Constitution and By-Laws supersedes all previous Constitutions and By-Laws.
This Constitution and By-Laws was read at a meeting on December 1, 2007 and read again on February 2, 2008 and adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present at the regular meeting held on February 2, 2008 in Winston-Salem, NC.