Marshall Historical Society

Constitution and Bylaws


CONSTITUTION

Approved: October 20, 1994
Revised: April 2003

ARTICLE I
Name

The name of this Society shall be Marshall Historical Society.

ARTICLE II
Purposes

The purposes of this Society shall be:
  1. To promote and encourage original historical research.
  2. To disseminate and encourage a greater knowledge of the history of the State of New York and particularly Town of Marshall and its environs;
  3. To gather, preserve, display and make available for study artifacts, relics, books, manuscripts, papers, photographs and other records and materials relating to the history of the state of New York and particularly of Town of Marshall and the surrounding area;
  4. To encourage the suitable marking of places of historic interest; and
  5. To acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or otherwise the title to or the custody and control of historic sites and structures, and preserve and maintain such sites and structures.

ARTICLE III
Membership

Membership shall be open to any person and shall not be restricted to Town residents. All members shall have equal rights and privileges.

ARTICLE IV
Annual Meeting

The Annual meeting of the Society shall be held in September.

ARTICLE V
Officers and Board of Trustees

  1. The officers shall be a president, a vice-president, and a secretary and treasurer, the latter two positions may be combined if necessary, who shall be elected for a term of one year, and five trustees, who shall be elected for a term of five years. One elected each year.
  2. The officers and trustees shall constitute the Board of Trustees. Their number shall not be less than eight or more than twenty five.

ARTICLE VI
Election of Officers and Board of Trustees

  1. All officers and trustees shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast by secret ballot at the annual meeting.
  2. A committee on nominations, appointed by the President, shall two months prior to annual meeting select the candidates for the ensuing year.
  3. Nominations may also be made by any member of the Society at any time prior to balloting at the annual meeting. Any nominations shall be added to the slate of candidates upon affirmative vote of a majority of members present at the annual meeting. A candidate for election shall be an individual active member.
  4. A person who has been elected to the Board of Trustees for two consecutive terms, or elected a president or vice- president for five consecutive terms, shall not be nominated to the same office unless one year elapse between the end of his or her last term and the beginning of the term for which he or she is nominated.
  5. Officers and trustees shall be installed at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected and installed. In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer except the president, the vacancy may be filled by a vote of the Board of Trustees for the unexpired term of office.

ARTICLE VII
Distribution of Assets upon Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of the Society, all proceeds and acquisitions of the Society shall become the property of the Town of Marshall: to be restored to the Society in event of reactivation.

ARTICLE VIII
Amendment

This constitution may be amended at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided notice was given at the previous meeting, or it may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with previous notice and a two- thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.

 


BYLAWS

Approved: October 20, 1994
Revised: October 18, 2007

ARTICLE I
Membership and Dues

  1. Any person who is interested in the history of the Town of Marshall and its adjoining areas, who applies for membership by tendering the necessary dues, shall thereby become a member.
  2. Annual dues for individual active members shall be determined from time to time.
  3. Annual dues for family members shall be determined from time to time.
  4. Annual dues shall be payable in advance, (1 Sept. to 31 Aug.) and members in arrears more than six months after payment is due shall be dropped from membership.

ARTICLE II
Schedule and Quorum of Meetings

  1. Regular meetings of the Society shall be held on the third Thursday of the months of September, October, November, February, March, April and May.
  2. Special meetings of the Society in lieu of a regular scheduled meeting may be called at the direction of the President. Trustees shall meet a minimum of twice a year.
  3. Ten members in attendance at any regular or special meeting of the Society shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE III
Duties of the Officers and Trustees

  1. The President shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society within the scope provided by these bylaws and shall preside at all meetings. The President shall report annually on the activities of the Society and shall appoint the members of committees and delegates not otherwise provided for.
  2. The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in the event of absence, incapacity, resignation or removal of the president.
  3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of the Society and the Board of Trustees, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report.
  4. The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of Society funds, for maintaining adequate financial records, and for depositing all monies with a reliable banking company in the name of the Marshall Historical Society. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by the treasurer and the president. The treasurer will collect dues, and shall render an annual report. The Society shall be a non-profit organization. No member or officer shall receive any benefit or profit from Society monies or holdings except as reasonable compensation for expenses incurred in effecting one or more of the Society's purposes. Compensation for expenses shall be paid by majority vote of members present.
  5. The Board of Trustees shall have the power to conduct all affairs of the Society. The Board of Trustees shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the Society and perform such other functions as designated in the bylaws or otherwise assigned to it. At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, four members plus the President shall constitute a quorum. The Board of Trustees, through the Chairperson, shall render an annual report at each annual meeting.

ARTICLE IV
Committees

  1. The following committees shall be appointed as required:
    1. Library Committee
    2. Museum Committee
    3. Publications Committee
    4. Historic Site Committee
    5. Program Committee
    6. Membership Committee
    7. Nominations Committee
    8. Refreshment Committee
  2. Committees, standing or special, may be appointed by the President as directed by the Society or Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE V
Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Society except in such cases as are governed by the Constitution or the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI
Amendment to the Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting by two-thirds vote of those voting, provided notice was given at the previous meeting. Or they may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with previous notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.





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