[nfbmi-talk] Fw: sample dong CONSTITUTION

[Larry D. Keeler]

This is something we have to look at next Sunday guys!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <trising at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Larry D. Keeler" <lkeeler at comcast.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2014 5:20 PM
Subject: sample dong CONSTITUTION


> This is what the Michigan CONSTITUTION might be like.
> I took the Florida CONSTITUTION and changed all of the references to 
> Florida to Michigan.
>
>
>
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF Michigan
>
> CONSTITUTION OF THE
>
> Michigan ASSOCIATION OF GUIDE DOG USERS
>
> REVISED MAY 23, 2009
>
>
>
> ARTICLE I. NAME
>
>
>
> The name of this organization shall be the Michigan Association of Guide 
> Dog Users.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
>
>
>
> The purpose of this organization shall be to educate the community about 
> issues of guide dog users; to act as advocates for guide
> dog users; to educate the community about the capabilities and needs of 
> the blind; to promote the general well-being of the blind in
> the State of Michigan and of the Nation; and to function as an integral 
> part of the National Federation of the Blind and the
> National Association of Guide Dog Users.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
>
>
>
> Section One - Active Members
>
> At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the active members of this 
> organization must be blind.  Active members shall have the right to
> vote, serve on committees, speak on the floor, and hold office.
>
>
>
> Section Two - Affiliation
>
> Membership in this organization assumes membership in the National 
> Federation of the Blind of Michigan and the National Federation
> of the Blind.  Membership in this Organization constitutes membership in 
> the National Association of Guide Dog Users.
>
>
>
> Section Three - Expulsion
>
> Any member may be expelled for violation of this Constitution or for 
> conduct unbecoming a member of the National Federation of the
> Blind by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active membership present and 
> voting at any regular business meeting of this organization.
> Any person who feels that he/she has been unjustly expelled from this 
> organization may appeal to the Board of Directors of the
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan.
>
>
>
>
>
> ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS & THEIR DUTIES
>
>
>
> Section One - Election of Officers
>
> There shall be elected bi-annually at the State Convention in even 
> numbered years a President and a Secretary. There shall be
> elected at the State Convention in odd numbered years a Vice President and 
> a Treasurer.  The terms of these offices shall begin at
> the close of the regular business meeting at which they are elected and 
> qualified for a term of two (2) years. Officers shall be
> elected by a majority vote of the membership present and voting. There 
> shall be no proxy voting. If no nominee receives a majority
> vote on the first ballot, 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 membership present and
> voting.
>
>
>
> Section Two - Duties
>
> The duties of each officer shall be those ordinarily associated with that 
> office. The President and Vice President must be blind and
> either a current guide dog user or between guide dogs to qualify for their 
> office. Either the President or Vice-President shall
> preside over all meetings of this organization and shall be required to 
> represent the division annually at the National Federation
> of the Blind of Michigan's State Convention.
>
>
>
> Section Three - Removal of Officers
>
> An officer may be removed from his/her office for violation of this 
> Constitution or for conduct unbecoming an officer of the
> National Federation of the Blind by a majority vote of the Board of 
> Directors of this organization. An Officer may also be removed
> for failure to properly execute the duties of his/her office. An officer 
> may not be removed without the approval of the President of
> the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, nor shall his/her 
> removal from office automatically constitute expulsion from this
> organization (see ARTICLE III: Section Three). Any officer who feels that 
> he/she has been unjustly removed from office may appeal to
> the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of 
> Michigan.
>
>
>
> Section Four - Replacement of Officers
>
> Should an office become vacant during the course of a term due to removal 
> in accordance with Section Three above, resignation, or
> any other reason, the President shall, with the approval of the Board of 
> Directors, appoint a member to occupy the office until such
> time that the present term expires and elections are conducted. If for any 
> reason the President should be removed, the
> Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President and shall, with 
> the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint a member to
> occupy the now vacant post of Vice-President.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE V: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
>
>
>
> The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the four (4) 
> constitutional officers and three (3) additional board
> members.  Two (2) of these Board members shall be elected at the State 
> Convention in even numbered years and the remaining Board
> member shall be elected in odd numbered years.  Board members shall be 
> elected and be bound by this Constitution in the same manner
> as is prescribed for the officers. The Board of Directors shall meet at 
> the call of the President or on written call signed by any
> three (3) members of the Board. The Board of Directors shall advise the 
> President and shall have charge of the affairs of the
> organization between meetings. A majority of the members of the Board must 
> be present at any meeting to constitute a quorum to
> transact business. The Board of Directors may be polled by telephone or 
> mail ballot on any issue, and a majority of the Board must
> be blind.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
>
>
>
> This organization shall hold regular meetings at the State Convention of 
> the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
>
>
>
> The President may appoint such committees as he/she or the Board of 
> Directors may deem necessary.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE VIII: AFFILIATION
>
>
>
> The Michigan Association of Guide Dog users shall be a Division of the 
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, and the
> National Association of Guide Dog Users. This organization shall furnish 
> to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of
> Michigan and the President of the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
> annually, on or before June 1st, a list of the names and
> addresses of its members and elected officers. Furthermore, a complete 
> financial report showing all financial transactions for the
> previous calendar year shall also be furnished to the President of the 
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan and the
> President of the National Association of Guide Dog Users on or before 
> March 1st for appropriate accounting purposes and to comply
> with all 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Service requirements. A copy of the 
> Constitution of the Michigan Association of Guide Dog Users
> and of all amendments to the Constitution shall be sent to the President 
> of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan and the
> President of the National Association of Guide Dog Users immediately upon 
> their adoption.
>
> The Michigan Association of Guide Dog Users 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 Michigan, the 
> National Federation of the Blind, and the National Association
> of Guide Dog Users. All policy decisions of the National Federation of the 
> Blind, the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan,
> or the National Association of Guide Dog Users, whether made by the 
> National or State Convention or by the Board of Directors, are
> binding on this organization. Therefore, this organization shall 
> affirmatively participate 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 National or
> State Convention or by the Board of Directors, has the power to expel or 
> discipline an individual member and to expel or reorganize
> a state affiliate, local chapter or division. In the event of 
> reorganization, the assets of this organization belong to the
> reorganized Division, and the former Division shall dissolve and cease to 
> exist. In the event no division is organized within a
> period of two (2) years, fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall become the 
> property of the National Federation of the Blind of
> Michigan and fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall become the property of 
> the National Association of Guide Dog Users.
>
> The name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, 
> Michigan Association of Guide Dog Users, National Association of
> Guide Dog Users, Association of Guide Dog Users, Association of Guide Dog 
> Users, or any variant thereof is the property of the
> National Federation of the Blind and this organization, if it ceases to be 
> a part of the National Federation of the Blind, for
> whatever reason, shall forfeit the right to use the name National 
> Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, Michigan
> Association of Guide Dog Users, Association of Guide Dog Users, or any 
> variant thereof.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE IX: DUES
>
>
>
> The dues of this Association shall be an amount determined by the 
> membership and in accordance with the constitutions and policies
> of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, the National Federation of 
> the Blind of Michigan, and the National Federation of the
> Blind. No rights or privileges of membership are extended to any person 
> who is delinquent in the payment of their dues.  Dues are
> for membership from Convention to Convention.  Any individual who becomes 
> a new member within three (3) months of Convention shall
> retain membership until the following Convention.  N.B. This latter 
> provision does not apply to previous members who are delinquent
> on their dues.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE X: DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS
>
>
>
> Section One - General Expenditures
>
> The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank selected by 
> the Treasurer with the approval of the President. All
> financial obligations of this organization shall be discharged by check 
> issued on written order of the President and signed by the
> Treasurer, or in his/her absence or incapacity, such check may be signed 
> by the President.
>
>
>
> Section Two - Expenditure of Restricted Income
>
> Since this organization may, from time to time, engage in social 
> activities for its membership or solicit funding for a particular
> purpose (i.e., acquisition of equipment, transportation or other service 
> subsidies, etc.) for which the expenditure of such funds
> are both designated and restricted in the mind of the donors, the 
> Treasurer shall maintain a separate accounting of such income and
> be accountable for expending these funds for their intended purpose on 
> behalf of the Division. Restricted/designated funding may
> include, but is not limited to, sponsorship of a social activity, gifts or 
> bequests designated to a particular program by the donor,
> and funding secured in the form of a grant where the grantor has 
> designated the utilization of such income as a condition to its
> receipt. If for any reason the Division is unable to utilize designated 
> income for its intended purpose, (i.e., a sponsored social
> activity was cancelled), the Treasurer shall notify the donor that the 
> Division was unable to comply with their request and inquire
> as to how the donor would wish us to dispose of the gift. If the donor so 
> chooses to lift the restriction of the gift the Treasurer
> shall include the amount of the formerly restricted gift in his/her tally 
> of "unrestricted" funding in the month following the
> dissolution of the donor's previous designation.
>
>
>
> Section Three - Discretionary Expenditures
>
> The President shall have the discretion and power to request or issue 
> checks for any sum not to exceed an amount determined by the
> Board of Directors should it be deemed necessary without the approval of 
> the Board of Directors.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE XI: DISSOLUTION
>
>
>
> In the event of the dissolution of this organization (for whatever reason) 
> it ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation
> of the Blind of Michigan, its assets shall be given to the National 
> Federation of the Blind of Michigan to be held in trust for a
> reorganized Division.  In the event that no Division is reorganized for a 
> period of two (2) years from the date this organization
> ceases to be a Division of the National Federation of the Blind of 
> Michigan, the assets shall become the property of the National
> Federation of the Blind of Michigan.
>
>
>
> ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS
>
>
>
> This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the 
> organization by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the active
> members present and voting, provided the proposed amendment has been 
> submitted in writing and read at the regular business meeting,
> and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the Charter of 
> Affiliation received from the National Federation of the
> Blind and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind of 
> Michigan.
>
> Larry Keeler
>
>
>
> President
>
> Michigan Association of Guide Dog Users
>
> Ratification Date: May 23, 2009
>
>
>