Section 1: Name: The name of the organization shall be the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association ("FCBA", or "association"), a member chapter of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA), and is covered under the NCSBA rules and regulations with the IRS as a non-profit organization under Articles 501 (C) (5); the NCSBA is also recognized and registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State as a non-profit organization.
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 honey bees (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 undergo dissolution, its assets will be given to the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association, a non-profit organization.
Section 1: Members: The Forsyth County Beekeepers Association does not discriminate in respect to gender, age, physical ability, or race in acceptance of members. Anyone interested in beekeeping and the beekeeping industry may join the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association upon payment of its regular annual dues (Article 6).
Section 1: Meetings: The association shall meet regularly at a time and place to be decided by the members before the close of the last meeting of the preceding year. 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 any future meeting time and place.
Section 1: Officers: The Officers of the association shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Program Chairman. 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. 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. Officers may also serve on or be Chairmen of Standing or Special Committees. 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.
Section 1: Dues: The annual dues for regular members shall be the sum of the NCSBA dues (currently $15) for at least one member of a family or household, plus the annual dues of the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association for each individual member, payable in advance to the Treasurer of the association. Annual dues shall be due on January 1 of the fiscal year covered by said dues. NCSBA dues for Honorary Life Members (Article 7: Section 1) will be paid to the NCSBA by the FCBA when required by the NCSBA and when requested by the FCBA Honorary Life Member. The annual dues for the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association can be changed by a vote of a simple majority of its members present at any scheduled meeting of the Association. Annual dues of five dollars ($5) were adopted by the FCBA on February 7, 2009.
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. 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.
Section 1: Honorary Life Membership: Honorary life membership in the association may be given to a person for distinguished service to the association or the 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. Honorary Life Members may vote or hold office in the FCBA. Honorary members will be excused from the payment of dues (Article 6: Section 1). Honorary Life Members elected to date by the FCBA are listed in Appendix I.
Section 2: Forsyth County Beekeeper Association Drone and Queen Awards: These awards may be given to a FCBA member only. The member 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 President, who will present the nominee to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will review the nominees, make a selection or selections and report back to the President within two scheduled meetings. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Committee will be required to validate the nominations. A framed certificate or plaque will be presented to the recipient(s) at the following meeting of the same year. FCBA Drone and Queen Award recipients are listed in Appendix II.
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, and the immediate past President, who shall also be a voting 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: Standing Committees: The following committee chairpersons will be appointed each year by the President. Committee chairpersons may serve individually, or appoint other members as necessary to perform their duties.
Special Committees: Special Committees shall be appointed by the President consisting of members whose duty will be to serve as directed by the President, or as requested by the membership.
Section 1: Quorum: Ten percent of the active membership 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.
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 fill vacancies of any offices, and perform such duties as the association may direct. He will appoint Chairmen and members to all the Standing Committees (Article 8: Sections 2-6: Auditing, Nominating, Benevolence, Website, Librarian) as well as any Special Committees as he deems necessary, or as directed by the members. 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 shall pay dues to the NCSBA on behalf of all FCBA Honorary Life Members (Appendix I) from whom NCSBA dues are required and who also have requested membership in the NCSBA. They will collect the NCSBA dues and forward the same to the Membership Secretary or Treasurer of the NCSBA, and notify each member as to their NCSBA membership status. They will prohibit membership to the FCBA by any person that fails to show evidence of active NCSBA membership for at least one member of their family or resident of their household as well (except Honorary Life Members that do not wish to be members of the NCSBA). Such evidence would include NCSBA Life Membership, Honorary Membership, Permanent Paid Membership, or receipt of previous payment of annual NCSBA dues for the current year.
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. 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 (Auditing Committee) 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 or electronic notice.
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 is authorized to make appropriate expenditures in order to secure speakers and reimburse them for their travel and lodging expenses (Article 13: Section 2).
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.
Section 1: Honey Queen: Forsyth County Beekeepers Association may sponsor and select a girl from Forsyth County or surrounding area to represent the association in the state honey queen contest. The FCBA may also organize a local honey queen program apart from 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 vote of the members attending any regular meeting.
Section 1: Operating Expenses: Reasonable operating expenses, including but not limited to the purchase of paper and mailing products, food, drinks and dinnerware for the smooth operation of association functions, and in accordance with the FCBA purpose (Article 2) do not require advance approval by the membership or the Executive Committee. Expenses over $500 require the prior approval of the Executive Committee and may be brought to the membership for a majority vote approval.
Section 2: Speaker Fees: Speakers shall receive honorariums of $50 to $200, as well as reimbursement of appropriate travel and lodging expenses, at the discretion of the Program Chairman, with the approval of the Executive Committee. The cost thereof will be paid from the general fund by the Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 3: Educational Resources: Educational resources, such as but not limited to library books and materials and other beekeeping-related materials may be purchased by the Librarian or President, with the prior approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 4: Donations: Donations may be made to any bee or beekeeping-related charity in accordance with the FCBA purpose (Article 2) and must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members attending any regular meeting. All donations from the FCBA must be to a bee or beekeeping-related charity.
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 communicated to the membership no later than the last meeting of the year; no action will be taken until the first meeting of the next year.
Section 1: Adoption of Constitution and 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 communicated at a regular meeting on December 6, 2008 and communicated again on February 7, 2009 and adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present at the regular meeting held on February 7, 2009 in Winston-Salem, NC.
Tommy White (President), Christopher Petree (Vice-President), Marilyn Styers (Secretary), Debbie Moody (Treasurer)
Brady Mullinax, Mary Mullinax, George Settle, Christine Settle, Don Grigg, Ruth Grigg, Darrell Hampton, Jack Horn, Lucille Horn, Tommy Shutt, Martha Shutt, Clinton Parker, Elaine Styers, Jo Ann Wilhelm
Jim Barnes (December 6, 2008), Brady Mullinax (March 7, 2009), George Settle (March 7, 2009)