Bylaws of the Sussex County Genealogical Society
(as amended on March 19, 2005)

Article I - Name, Purpose and Policies
Article II - Membership and Dues
Article III - Officers
Article IV - Board of Directors
Article V - Nominations and Elections
Article VI - Society Meetings
Article VII - Standing Committees
Article VIII - Special Committees
Article IX - Fiscal Management
Article X - Parliamentary Authority
Article XI - Amendments
Article XII - Dissolution

ARTICLE I
NAME, PURPOSE, AND POLICIES

Section 1.
The name of the organization shall be the Sussex County Genealogical Society, hereinafter known as the Society, a nonprofit organization.

Section 2.
The purposes of the Society shall be as follows:
A. To encourage the affiliation of persons interested in the pursuit of their ancestral heritage and to promote fellowship and cooperation among them.
B. To stimulate interest and provide instruction in the use of genealogical research methodology and adherence to standards of accuracy and thoroughness in genealogical research.
C. To provide a forum for the sharing of knowledge gained by individual members in their own research.
D. To collect, preserve, and disseminate genealogical, biographical and historical knowledge and information.

Section 3.
The Society shall be operated as a nonprofit organization, no part of the funds of which shall inure to the personal benefit of any private individual.

Section 4.
Any person interested in genealogy is welcome to attend any regularly scheduled meeting as a visitor.
Section 5.
The name of the Society, or the names of any members in their official capacities, shall not be used in connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to the purposes of the Society as stated in Section 2 of this Article.

ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1.
Membership shall be available to all those with an interest in genealogy and who subscribe to the purposes of the Society as stated in Article I of these bylaws.

Section 2.
The categories of membership shall be as follows:

A. INDIVIDUAL MEMBER. Any person who meets the requirements of Section I of this Article and has paid the Society dues as specified in Article II, Section 5.

B. HOUSEHOLD MEMBER. Two or more persons, living in the same household, who meet the requirements of Section 1 of this Article may become members upon payment of the Society Household dues as specified in Article II, Section 5. Household membership confers one vote.

C. HONORARY MEMBER. Honorary membership is bestowed on an annual basis for significant service to the Society. Nominations for such membership must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors and confirmed by a simple majority of those members present and voting at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Honorary memberships confer neither the right to make a motion nor to vote.

Section 3.
Society members shall have the right to vote for Society officers, hold any elected or appointed office in the Society, and participate in all Society activities.

Section 4.
Membership shall be for the Society fiscal year, June 1 to May 31 (See Article IX, Section 1)

Section 5.
Annual dues shall be set by two-thirds vote of the members of the Board of Directors present. Annual dues shall be payable June 1. The Treasurer shall notify members whose dues are not paid by July 1. If dues are not received by August 1, his or her name shall be removed from the membership roll.

Section 6.
Membership dues shall not be refunded for any reason, including resignation, death, or dismissal from the Society.

Section 7.
Membership shall cease through the resignation of the member or failure to pay the required membership dues within one month of the beginning of the fiscal year.

Section 8.
Any member may be dropped from membership in the Society for deliberate actions detrimental to the welfare or the good name of the Society by a vote of two-thirds of the total members of the Board of Directors. Such action may be appealed to the Society members by written petition within ninety days after written notification of the Board of Directors' action. A two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular meeting of the Society will be required to overrule the decision of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III
OFFICERS

Section 1.
The duties of the officers shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

A. PRESIDENT. The President shall be responsible for administering the business of the Society and exercising direction consistent with these Bylaws. The President shall be the official spokesman of the Society. and shall be responsible for calling and presiding at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors. The President shall serve as an ex-officio member of all Committees and Sub-Committees, except the Nominating Committee.

B. VICE PRESIDENT. The Vice President shall perform all of the duties of the President in the absence of, or at the request of, the President and shall serve as the President until the next regular election of officers, should that office become vacant. The Vice President shall be Chairperson of the Program Committee and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

C. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall be responsible for preparing the minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings and the Society's meetings and shall maintain other permanent records and a current inventory of the property of the Society. The Secretary shall preside at Society meetings in the absence of both the President and the Vice President. The Secretary shall appoint the Historian, and supervise their duties.

D. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall collect all Society dues and other moneys received by the Society, and shall deposit all Society moneys in the name of, and to the credit of, the Society in such financial institution(s) as the Board of Directors may designate. The Treasurer shall disburse and keep an accounting of all moneys of the Society and shall submit a statement of accounts to the Board of Directors at each meeting of the Board and at such other times as the Board shall specify. The Treasurer shall have custody of the financial records of the Society and shall make them available for audit. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual financial statement for the Society. The Treasurer will comply with applicable state and federal regulations for nonprofit organizations. The Treasurer shall prepare the annual budget in sufficient time to be approved by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall also be available to the Financial Review and Audit Sub-Committee for the annual audit of the Society's account.

Section 2.
The term of office for the officers shall be one year. No member may be elected to serve more than three consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 3.
The President shall appoint a person to serve in any office that becomes vacant or temporarily vacant due to illness or extended absence. The term of the person selected to fill the vacancy shall not extend beyond the end of the term of the person who vacated the office.

ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1.
The members of the Society's Board of Directors shall be as follows:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Immediate Past President
Chairmen of all Standing Committees

Section 2.
The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the President. Any four members of the Board may, by written request, demand a special meeting of the Board. Upon such demand, the President shall call a meeting within seven days of his receipt of the request. A quorum for the conduct of business at any Board meeting shall be a simple majority of the members of the Board. No member of the Board shall have more than one vote, regardless of the number of positions held.

Section 3.
The Board of Directors shall administer and manage the business and affairs of the Society and shall be responsible for establishing policies and furthering Society purposes. The Board shall approve all committee and officer budgets and all individual expenditures not already approved as part of a committee or officer budget.

Section 4.
Any member of the Board being absent from three consecutive Board meetings, without acceptable reason as determined by a simple majority of the total Board membership, shall be considered as having resigned from the Board. After the second absence, the President shall remind the member of this Section.

Section 5.
Any member of the Board of Directors charged with actions in violation of these bylaws or acts contrary to the interests of the Society may be removed from office at any regular meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of members present and voting.

ARTICLE V
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1.
A nominating Committee, consisting of three members, shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, at least 60 days prior to the Annual meeting in May.

Section 2.
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a single slate of officers to be voted on by the membership at the election meeting and shall cause its report to be transmitted to the membership not later than the regularly scheduled meeting preceding the election meeting.

Section 3.
Opportunity shall be given at the election meeting for additional nominations to be made from the floor.

Section 4.
No nominees shall be named, either by the nominating committee or from the floor, without their consent and acknowledgment of ability to serve.

Section 5.
New officers shall be elected by a majority of the members present and voting at the election meeting.

Section 6.
Following the election, the Secretary shall inform all persons elected of their election and shall provide new members of the Board of Directors with copies of the Society's Bylaws and the latest Treasurer's Report. The Secretary shall also cause the election results to be publicly displayed for the membership on the bulletin board, the newsletter, and in such other media as shall be deemed appropriate.

Section 7.
New members of the Board of Directors shall assume their positions at the beginning of the fiscal year following the meeting at which they are elected. Outgoing Board members shall turn over any files or records pertaining to their positions to their successors by the end of the fiscal year.

ARTICLE VI
SOCIETY MEETINGS

Section 1.
Regular Society meetings shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors, excepting in June, July and August. Special meetings may be called at any time.
Section 2.
The regular meeting held in May shall be known as the Annual Meeting, unless otherwise specified by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.
At all regular and special meetings of the Society, fifteen per cent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 4.
Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President, the Executive Board, or the written request of ten members. The call for such a meeting shall be given at least ten days written notice which shall state the purpose of the meeting. No business other than that stated shall be conducted.

ARTICLE VII
STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1.
The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, may appoint persons to serve as standing committee chairpersons, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the members of the Society present and voting at a regular meeting. These persons shall serve as Board members with the responsibilities and privileges as described in Article IV. The terms of Standing Committee chairpersons shall expire at the end of the fiscal year. They may be reappointed by the newly elected President.

Section 2.
The Society's Standing Committees shall be as follows:

A. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for maintaining records of all active members and prepare rosters and membership materials for distribution. In addition, for membership meetings, the committee shall be responsible for hospitality, to include greeting, recording of attendance, refreshments, and assisting newcomers with applications for membership.

B. NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE. The Newsletter Editor shall publish and distribute to Society members and other genealogical and interested organizations, a newsletter to inform them of Society activities and other matters of genealogical interest. The Committee shall also be responsible for obtaining newsletters from other organizations and providing them to the Historian.

C. PROGRAM COMMITTEE. The Program Committee shall, in coordination with other affected committees, schedule all meetings and events, and make arrangement for guest speakers, necessary rooms and equipment, and the set up of equipment.

D. RULES COMMITTEE. The Committee shall conduct an ongoing review of the Society's bylaws and recommend necessary changes. The chairperson shall be responsible for advising the President and the Board of Directors of the interpretation and application of the Bylaws requirements. When necessary, provide a parliamentarian and/or a sergeant at arms.

E. SERVICE COMMITTEE. The committee shall plan and coordinate projects that will enhance an interest in and knowledge of genealogical matters and assist not only members of this Society but also others from afar who may be seeking information available in the Sussex County area. In addition, under the guidance of the Board of Directors, the committee shall establish and maintain a program of awards to deserving members of the Society and to non-members who have made significant contributions to the Society. Decisions of the type, nature, contents and recipients of the Awards shall be made by the committee independent of the Board. The President's Award for Meritorious Achievement requires the approval of the President and the Service Committee Chairman. Awards may be made at any time of year.

F. PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE. The Public Relations Committee shall coordinate with the Membership Chairman and the Service Committee Chairman to maintain all necessary communication in a timely manner with Society members and the community regarding Society meetings and activities.The committee is also required to bring information to our members regarding meetings and pertinent information from other genealogical organizations or sources for the benefit of Society members.

Section 3.
The Society's Sub-Committees shall be follows:

A. FINANCIAL REVIEW AND AUDIT SUB-COMMITTEE. The Financial Review and Audit Sub-Committee shall be responsible for fiscal analysis, and the conduct of an annual audit of the Society's accounts. The audit must be completed by one month following the end of the fiscal year. Procedures that the Treasurer establishes for maintaining the Society's financial records and all the financial reports are subject to review by the Committee. The Sub-Committee will consist of the Chairperson, appointed by the President, and two other persons. The Sub-Committee shall recommend fiscal policies to the Board.

B. HISTORIAN. The Historian shall insure the preservation of historical material, and maintain all minutes of past meetings and preserve the non-current material of historical value from the files of all officers and committees. The historian's records should include minutes of the organizational meetings, the By-Laws, including amendments as instituted, Record of Incorporation, Charter Members, important correspondence, minutes of meetings, publicity, biographies and photos of the Society's officers, and other essential material. The Historian shall report to the Society's Secretary.

The chairpersons of the Sub-Committees are not members of the Board of Directors.

Section 4.
Teams or subcommittees may be established by standing committee chairmen as required to carry out applicable committee functions. The standing committee chairman shall approve all subcommittee projects and activities, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 5.
All committee and sub-committee chairpersons shall maintain complete records of committee and sub-committees activities and turn them over to succeeding chairmen by the end of the fiscal year. They should also maintain an on-going inventory of Society property within their control and provide the Secretary with an up-to-date copy.

ARTICLE VIII
SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Section 1.
As need arises for special committees, such as a nominating committee, the President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a chairperson and assign responsibilities.

Section 2.
Unless a shorter term is specified at the time of appointment, all special committee appointments shall expire at the expiration of the term of the President who makes the appointments.

ARTICLE IX
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Section 1.
The Society's fiscal year shall be from June 1 to May 31.

Section 2.
At such time as the President may direct, each committee and sub-committee chairperson shall submit a proposed budget for committee activities for the year, detailing briefly the amount desired and the purpose for which the money will be expended.

Section 3.
The Board of Directors shall approve an annual budget for the Society providing a specific amount for each committee and sub-committee or officer requiring Society funds.

Section 4.
Except for moneys donated for specific purposes, Committee and sub-committee chairperson may authorize expenditures, not already included in the annual budget, only if approved by the Board of Directors, and only up to the amount and for the purposes approved by the Board. Money donated for specific purposes should be reported to the Treasurer and expended only for the purpose of the donation.

Section 5.
Any checking account established in the name of the Society shall provide for two signatures on any check in an amount over $500.00. Each such check must be signed by the Treasurer and the President, the Vice-president or the Secretary.

ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, shall govern the Society in all cases in which it is applicable and in which the rules are not in conflict with these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS

Section 1.
Amendments to the bylaws may be made as follows:

A. Amendments to these bylaws may be originated by the Board of Directors, the Rules Committee, or by petition signed by at least ten Society members. Amendments originated by the Rules Committee shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to their being submitted to the membership.

B. Any amendment originating outside the Rules Committee shall be submitted to that committee in writing for review and refinement into parliamentary language. The committee, in so doing, shall not change the essence of the proposal. The proposed amendment shall then be referred, with any recommendations, to the President for transmission to the Board of Directors for its recommendation, and must be submitted to the entire membership of the Society in accordance with Section 2, below.

Section 2.
Proposed amendments shall be reported to the entire membership in writing at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which they will be considered. Approval of amendments to the Bylaws requires a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at the meeting.

Section 3.
Amendments shall become effective upon adoption, unless otherwise specified in the amendment(s).

ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION
In the event of any dissolution of the Society, its assets shall be distributed to such other nonprofit or tax-exempt organization(s), as may be selected by the Board.