[Capchapohio] CONSTITUTION

[Shelbi Hindel]

CONSTITUTION

Capital Chapter

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

            April 1997 

April 2,  2016

 

            Article I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Capital Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio.

 

            Article II. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Ohio shall be to advance the general welfare of the blind of the Columbus
area, the state of Ohio, and the nation; to function as an integral part of
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio; to serve as a vehicle for
collective action by the blind of the Columbus area; to operate as a
mechanism through which the blind and interested sighted persons can come
together in a local organization to plan and carry out programs to improve
the quality of life of the blind; to provide a means of collective action
for parents of blind children; to forward the interests of blind students
and provide them with a means of joint action and expression; to promote the
vocational, cultural, and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the
integration of the blind in to society on a basis of equality with the
sighted; and to take any other action which will improve the overall
condition and standard of living of the blind. 

 

            Article III. MEMBERSHIP

            A. Members 

At least a majority of the members of this organization must be blind, but
sighted people are welcome to be members.  A quorum for transacting business
in this organization shall be five (5) members. A majority of the members
present and voting on any issue must be blind.  

            B. Disciplinary Action

Any member may be expelled for conduct unbecoming to a member of the
Federation by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any
regular business meeting of this organization, or by a two-thirds vote of
the Board of Directors. The annual convention of the National Federation of
the Blind of Ohio may reinstate any person who has been expelled unless such
expulsion has been confirmed by the National Convention or by the Board of
Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, in which event the person
may not be reinstated except by the National Board of Directors. Any person
who feels that he or she has been unjustly disciplined or expelled from this
organization may appeal to the Board of Directors of the National Federation
of the Blind of Ohio or the Board of Directors of the National Federation of
the Blind, which may (in its discretion) consider the matter and make a
binding decision; but until or unless the action of discipline or expulsion
is reversed by the State or National Board of Directors, it shall continue
in effect. 

 

            Article IV. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES 

            A. There shall be elected at the regular November meeting each
year, a President, Vice President, Secretary, and a Treasurer. All officers
of this chapter must be blind. The terms of these officers shall begin the
following January  1. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the
members who are present and voting. If no nominee receives a majority vote
on the first ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes shall
be dropped from the list of nominees, and a second ballot shall be taken.
This procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has received a
majority vote from the members present and voting. No proxy votes will be
accepted either by telephone, written message, or word of mouth.

            B.  The duties of each officer shall be those ordinarily
associated with that office. 

            C. All people serving on the Board of Directors for Capital
Chapter must be blind. Sighted people are welcome to be members of this
organization but a majority of the members present and voting on any issue
must be blind.  

            Article V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

            A. The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of
the four (4) constitutional officers, and one (1) additional member, elected
for a one-year term at the same time as the officers. The at-large member
shall be elected in the same manner as that prescribed for the election of
officers. The elected board member must be blind. (All members of the board
of directors for Capital Chapter must be blind.) 

            B. The Board shall meet at the call of the President or on
written call signed by any three (3) of the Board members. The Board shall
advise the President and shall have charge of the affairs of the
organization between meetings. At least three (3) members of the Board must
be present at any meeting to constitute a quorum to transact business. The
Board may be polled by telephone or email ballot on any question. (All of
the board must be blind.)  

 

            Article VI. COMMITTEES 

            A. The President may appoint such committees as they or the
organization deems necessary. The President shall be ex officio a member of
all committees except the nominating committee.

           B. Nominating committee and its chair shall be appointed by the
president at the September meeting. This committee will meet by either
teleconference or in person to prepare a slate of officers and a board
member to be presented at the November meeting at which meeting the
elections will take place. Nominations can be made from the floor but all
those wishing to be nominated from the floor must be present. The committee
must have confirmed, beforehand, that those being placed on the slate are
willing to accept the position for which their name is being placed. 

 

            Article VII. AFFILIATION 

            A. The Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Ohio shall be a local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Ohio and shall furnish to the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
annually, on or before January 1, a list of the names and addresses of its
members and elected officers and shall also provide to the state President a
detailed financial report for the past year upon their request.

            B.  A copy of the Constitution of the Capital Chapter of the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and of all amendments to the
Constitution shall be sent to the President of the National Federation of
the Blind of Ohio, and to the chairperson of the Constitution Committee,
without delay. 

            C. The fiscal year of this organization shall be the calendar
year. 

            D. The Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
shall not merely be a social organization, but shall formulate programs and
actively work to promote the economic and social betterment of the blind.
This organization shall comply with the provisions of the Constitution of
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and the National Federation of
the Blind. Policy decisions of the National Federation of the Blind (whether
made by the National Convention, the National Board of Directors, the State
Convention, or the State Board of Directors) are binding on this
organization and its members; and this organization and its members shall
participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. As a
condition of affiliation, it is agreed by this organization that the
National Federation of the Blind (whether by action of the National
Convention, the National Board of Directors, the State Convention, or the
State Board of Directors) has the power to expel or discipline and
individual member and to expel or reorganize the local chapter. In the event
of reorganization, the assets of the chapter belong to the reorganized
chapter; and the former chapter shall dissolve and cease to exist. The name
National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant
thereof, is the property of the National Federation of the Blind; and if
this organization ceases to be a part of the National Federation of the
Blind of Ohio (for whatever reason), it shall forfeit the right to use the
name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any
variant thereof. 

E. The President of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall ex
officio be a member of this organization as long as it exists and is in good
standing.   

 

            Article VIII. DUES 

 The amount of dues paid by members to this organization shall be
established by the membership and shall be paid annually in advance. No
person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of their dues. Each year
prior to the annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of
Ohio, this organization shall pay its and its members, state dues for the
following year as stipulated in the policies and Constitution of the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. 

 

            Article IX. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS 

The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank to be selected
by the Treasurer with the approval of the President. All financial
obligations of this organization may be discharged only on written order of
the president, and recorded by the treasurer. 

 

            Article X. DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever
reason) it ceases to be a local chapter of the National Federation of the
Blind of Ohio, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the
Blind of Ohio, to be held in trust for a reorganized chapter in the area. In
the event that no chapter is organized in the Columbus area for a period of
two (2) years from the date this organization ceases to be a local chapter
of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, the assets become the
property of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. 

            If the dissolution of this organization should occur and if at
that time neither the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio nor the
National Federation of the Blind is a tax exempt organization under the
provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code or if the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio and the National Federation of the Blind
have been dissolved, all assets of this organization shall be given to an
organization with similar purposes which has received tax exempt
certification from the federal Internal Revenue Service. 

 

            Article XI. AMENDMENTS 

This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this organization
by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting,
provided that the proposed amendment has been circulated in writing to the
members of the organization at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the
meeting and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the Charter
of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and
the National Federation of the Blind. 

 

            

 

 

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