ARTICLE I - REORGANIZATION
Section 1
The annual reorganization meeting of the Bergen County Young Republican Club, Inc., which shall be referred to in this document as BCYRs, shall be held in February, on a date to be determined by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, and shall be for the purposes of electing officers and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.
Section 2
At the November Meeting of the BCYRs, the Chairman shall appoint a Nominating Committee made up of three (3) members in good standing. The Nominating Committee shall meet between the November and January meeting of the BCYRs for the purpose of selecting candidates for office in the BCYRs. Appointed positions, including Counsel, Sergeant at Arms, and State Delegates and Alternates shall be appointed by the Chairman. The Nominating Committee shall give a report at the January meeting of the BCYRs, specifying the names of those persons recommended for election to office in the BCYRs. There shall be no nominations from the floor at the February reorganization meeting. Nominations other than those submitted by the nominating committee must be presented in writing to the Executive Committee at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date set for the February reorganization meeting and must be signed by at least ten (10) members in good standing. The Recording Secretary shall report such nominations at the February reorganization meeting.
Section 3
The election of the officers shall be held at the February reorganization meeting. Voting shall be by written ballot and each member in good standing present at the reorganization meeting shall be entitled to vote provided that member has attended three (3) meetings in the current year and has paid dues for the current and next fiscal year. Meeting attendance shall be confirmed by the Recording Secretary. Payment of dues shall be confirmed by the Treasurer. If the candidates endorsed by the Nominating Committee face no opposition, a motion may be made from the floor to dispense with the written ballot and have a voice vote. This motion must be seconded. The chairman of the Nominating Committee will determine what the outcome of the voice vote will be.
Section 4
If there is a contested election, a written ballot will be made available at the February reorganization meeting for all members in good standing who qualify to vote, as outlined under Article I Section 3 of the By Laws. The written ballot shall be a secret ballot. There shall be no absentee voting. The Chairman will designate an Election Committee to oversee the election. Rules regarding the election procedures shall be provided in writing at the February reorganization meeting. In the event of a tie vote involving the nominating Committee's recommended candidate, the recommended candidate will be declared the winner.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
Every applicant eligible for admission to membership or associate membership in the BCYRs shall be sponsored by at least one member in good standing. Applicants for membership in the BCYRs shall be written on a form designated by the Executive Committee. The sponsoring member shall sign the application as well as the applicant. Upon receipt by the treasurer of the application and the dues of the application and presentation to the Executive Committee of the application, the applicant automatically becomes a member of the BCYRs in good standing at the next regular meeting.
Section 2
Race, ethnicity, gender, place of national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or stands on specific political issues may not be used as criteria for accepting new members. The only screening test that may be done on prospective members concerns political party affiliation and verification of age and residence in Bergen County.
Section 3
any member in good standing shall be eligible to vote on any matter before the BCYRs, except that newly admitted members and inactive members paying their dues to become members in good standing, shall not be eligible to vote until the next meeting succeeding their admission to membership.
Section 4
A member in good standing shall be defined as having paid dues as provided under Article II, Section 1 of the By Laws. The treasurer's list of members who have paid their dues shall constitute the official membership roll of the BCYRs. To renew membership and be eligible to vote at the reorganization meeting, a member must have paid up dues for the current and following fiscal year as of the beginning of the annual reorganization meeting.
ARTICLE III - MEETINGS
Section 1
Meetings of the BCYRs shall be determined by the Chairman with the consent of the Executive Committee. the Chairman may change the date of any regular meeting of the BCYRs provided that notice of such change shall be given in writing postmarked seven (7) days prior to the rescheduled meeting. Special meetings of the BCYRs may be called by the Chairman upon written request of ten (10) members in good standing, as received by the Corresponding Secretary. The special meeting shall be set by the Corresponding Secretary for a date no less than ten (10) days from the date the written request is received, except that where a regular meeting of the BCYRs is scheduled to fall within ten (1) days of the receipt of said written request, the Corresponding Secretary shall inform the members making said request that their business shall be taken up at the regular meeting. Written notice of all meetings shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member in good standing.
Section 2
Ten (10) members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting.
Section 3
Robert's Revised Rules of Order shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the BCYRs except where the same are inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the BCYRs.
Section 4
The By-Laws may be temporarily suspended, for the purpose of conducting extraordinary business, by a two-thirds vote of all voting members present at any duly called meeting. The reason for the suspension of the by-laws must be clearly stated in the motion to temporarily suspend. Business unrelated to the reason stated in the motion to temporarily suspend shall not be recognized if the motion to temporarily suspend the by-laws is approved.
ARTICLE IV - QUALIFICATION AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1
All officers shall be BCYR members in good standing. The Chairman and Vice Chairman may be elected to two (2) consecutive terms. Vacancies for reasons of death, disqualification, resignation, or otherwise, of any officer other than the Chairman shall be filled by an appointment of the Chairman with the consent of the Executive Committee. The newly appointed officer shall hold office until the February reorganization meeting.
Section 2
The Chairman, an officer of the BCYRs as per Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, shall preside at all meetings of the BCYRs and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee. The Chairman shall perform all duties conferred upon said member as per the Constitution and By-Laws of the BCYRs. The Chairman shall be responsible for the functioning of the BCYRs during the term of office.
Section 3
The Vice Chairman, an officer of the BCYRs as per Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, shall perform all the duties of the Chairman during the absence of the chairman. In the event of death, disqualification, long term absence, or resignation of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall perform all the duties of the Chairman until a successor to the Chairman is selected by the Executive Committee as provided in Article IV, Section 1 of the By-Laws.
Section 4
The Treasurer, an officer of the BCYRs as per Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, shall collect and receive all funds, have custody of all funds of the BCYRs, keep regular accounts thereof, and shall submit a report consisting of monthly receipts, disbursements, beginning and ending balances of the BCYRs treasury at each meeting of the BCYRs and the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall deposit all money or other assets belonging to the BCYRs in such place, and in such manner, as may be designated by the Executive committee for audit or examination at the request of the Executive Committee. No monies or other assets shall be given, transferred, expended or in any other manner taken from the treasury, except for proper purpose of the BCYRs. No expenditures, obligations, or transactions shall be incurred or authorized, except when duly authorized by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall maintain a list of members of the BCYRs who have paid their current annual dues and such members whose names appear thereon shall be BCYR members in good standing. The Treasurer shall supply the Corresponding Secretary and Chairman, from time to time, or when requested, with a list of BCYR members.
Section 5
The Corresponding Secretary, an officer of the BCYRs as per Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, shall prepare and mail notices of the meetings of the BCYRs and the Executive Committee.
Section 6
Recording Secretary, an officer of the BCYRs as per Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, shall record the minutes and keep all other records of all meetings of the BCYRs.
Section 7
The Counsel, an appointed position, shall be an attorney licensed to practice in New Jersey and shall be the legal advisor and parliamentarian of the BCYRs.
Section 11
The Sergeant-at-Arms, an appointed position, shall be responsible for keeping order and decorum at all meetings and shall be responsible for endorsement of all rulings of the chair on matters of conduct and procedure at such meetings.
Section 12
All officers of the BCYRs shall be elected, except the appointed positions of Counsel and Sergeant at Arms.
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1
The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the BCYRs.
Section 2
The Executive Committee shall meet on dates determined by the Chairman. Written notice of all meetings shall be mailed by the Corresponding Secretary, postage prepaid, to all members of the Executive Committee at least seven (7) days prior to the date of such meeting.
Section 3
A majority of voting members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.
Section 4
There shall be no voting by proxy at meetings of the Executive Committee.
Section 5
Any members of the Executive Committee absent from three (3) meetings during the course of the year following the election, the chairman may remove that member from the Executive Committee by proclamation, provided however, that the Chairman may excuse a member from the attendance of any meeting if the Chairman is satisfied that a good cause exists for such absence.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
Section 1
Upon taking office, the Chairman shall appoint chairmen of standing committees, as provided herein. The committee chairmen may appoint their own committee members. The Chairman invites any standing committee members to attend and report at Executive Committee meetings.
Section 2
There shall be the following standing committees of the BCYRs.
.Constitution and by-Laws.
.Membership relations.
.Finance.
.Political activities.
.Public Service.
The Chairman may set up ad-hoc committees that serve at the chairman's pleasure.
ARTICLE VII - FISCAL YEAR AND DUES
Section 1
The fiscal year of the BCYRs shall be from March 1 through the last day of February.
Section 2
Every applicant for membership in the BCYRs shall pay the dues for the current year upon making application.
Section 3
The annual dues of the BCYRs shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 4
Any member in arrears shall be dropped form the active list. Any such member on said inactive list wishing to become a member in good standing in the BCYRs shall do so by paying the fiscal year dues to the Treasurer.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
Proposed amendments to these By-Laws shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee by the Constitution and By-laws Committee or by petition, signed by no less than ten (10) members in good standing. If approved by the Executive Committee with a two-thirds vote, the Chairman shall present the proposed amendment at the next regular meeting of the BCYRs, where discussion will take place at the discretion of the Chairman, as outlined in Article III Section 2 of the Constitution. At the meeting following, the Chairman will present the proposed amendment for a vote, in which a two-thirds majority is required for the amendment to be adopted. The Corresponding Secretary shall provide written notice to all members in good standing that the proposed amendment will be voted upon by the membership at the regular meeting at which such amendment shall be presented for adoption or rejection by the membership.
(02.24.2007)
