<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Richard Payne <rchpay7@gmail.com><br><b>Date:</b> September 11, 2018 at 9:07:03 AM EDT<br><b>To:</b> Colleen Roth <n8tnv52@gmail.com><br><b>Cc:</b> Carolyn Peters <dr.carolyn.peters@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>constitution</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <rchpay7@gmail.com><br><br></div><div dir="ltr"><span>Adopted January 13, 1990</span><br><span>Amended March 12, 2017</span><br><span></span><br><span> CONSTITUTION</span><br><span> OF THE</span><br><span> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF THE MIAMI VALLEY</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE I. NAME</span><br><span></span><br><span> The name of this organization shall be the Dayton Federation of the</span><br><span>Blind, formerly the Dayton Council of the Blind, doing business as the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of the Miami Valley.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE II. PURPOSE</span><br><span></span><br><span> The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind of the Miami Valley</span><br><span>shall be to advance the general welfare of the blind of the Miami Valley,</span><br><span>the state of Ohio, and the nation; to function as an integral part of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio; to serve as a vehicle for</span><br><span>collective action by the blind of the Miami Valley; to operate as a</span><br><span>mechanism through which the blind and interested sighted persons can come</span><br><span>together in a local organization to plan and carry out programs to improve</span><br><span>the quality of life of the blind; to provide a means of collective action</span><br><span>for parents of blind children; to forward the interests of blind students</span><br><span>and provide them with a means of joint action and expression; to promote the</span><br><span>vocational, cultural, and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the</span><br><span>integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality with the</span><br><span>sighted; and to take any other action which will improve the overall</span><br><span>condition and standard of living of the blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP</span><br><span></span><br><span>Section One Members.</span><br><span></span><br><span> At least a majority of the members of this organization must be blind.</span><br><span>A quorum for transacting business in this organization shall be six (6)</span><br><span>members.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Section Two--Disciplinary Action.</span><br><span></span><br><span> Any member may be expelled for conduct unbecoming to a member of the</span><br><span>Federation by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any</span><br><span>regular business meeting of this organization, or by a two-thirds vote of</span><br><span>the Board of Directors. The annual convention of the National Federation of</span><br><span>the Blind of Ohio may reinstate any person who has been expelled unless such</span><br><span>expulsion has been confirmed by the National Convention or by the Board of</span><br><span>Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, in which event the person</span><br><span>may not be reinstated except by the National Board. Any person who feels</span><br><span>that he or she has been unjustly disciplined or expelled from this</span><br><span>organization may appeal to the Board of Directors of the National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind of Ohio or the Board of Directors of the National Federation of</span><br><span>the Blind, which may (in its discretion) consider the matter and make a</span><br><span>binding decision; but until or unless the action of discipline or expulsion</span><br><span>is reversed by the State or National Board, it shall continue in effect.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES</span><br><span></span><br><span> There shall be elected at the regular October meeting every two years,</span><br><span>a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a board member at large and a</span><br><span>Treasurer for two-year terms. The terms of these officers shall begin the</span><br><span>following January 1. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the</span><br><span>members who are present and voting. There shall be no proxy voting. If no</span><br><span>nominee receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the name of the person</span><br><span>receiving the fewest votes shall be dropped from the list of nominees, and a</span><br><span>second ballot shall be taken. This procedure shall continue until one of</span><br><span>the nominees has received a majority vote from the members present and</span><br><span>voting. The duties of each officer shall be those ordinarily associated</span><br><span>with that office. The President and the Vice President must be blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS</span><br><span></span><br><span> The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the four</span><br><span>(4) constitutional officers, and one additional member, elected for a</span><br><span>two-year term at the same time as the officers. The at-large member shall</span><br><span>be elected in the same manner as that prescribed for the election of</span><br><span>officers. The Board shall meet at the call of the President or on written</span><br><span>call signed by any three</span><br><span>(3) of the Board Members. The Board shall advise the President and shall</span><br><span>have charge of the affairs of the organization between meetings. At least</span><br><span>three (3) members of the Board must be present at any meeting to constitute</span><br><span>a quorum to transact business. The Board may be polled by telephone or mail</span><br><span>ballot on any question. A majority of the Board must be blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES</span><br><span></span><br><span> The President may appoint such committees as he or she or the</span><br><span>organization deems necessary. The President shall be ex officio a member of</span><br><span>all committees except the nominating committee.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE VII. AFFILIATION</span><br><span></span><br><span> The National Federation of the Blind of the Miami Valley shall be a</span><br><span>local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and shall</span><br><span>furnish to the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio annually, on or</span><br><span>before January 1, a list of the names and addresses of its members and</span><br><span>elected officers and shall also provide to the state president a detailed</span><br><span>financial report for the past year upon his or her request. A copy of the</span><br><span>Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of the Miami Valley and</span><br><span>of all amendments to the Constitution shall be sent to the President of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio without delay. The fiscal year of</span><br><span>this organization shall be the calendar year.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span> The National Federation of the Blind of the Miami Valley shall not</span><br><span>merely be a social organization, but shall formulate programs and actively</span><br><span>work to promote the economic and social betterment of the blind. This</span><br><span>organization shall comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and the National Federation of the</span><br><span>Blind. Policy decisions of the National Federation of the Blind (whether</span><br><span>made by the National Convention, the National Board of Directors, the state</span><br><span>convention, or the state Board of Directors) are binding on this</span><br><span>organization and its members; and this organization and its members shall</span><br><span>participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. As a</span><br><span>condition of affiliation, it is agreed by this organization that the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind (whether by action of the National</span><br><span>Convention, the National Board, the state convention, or the state Board)</span><br><span>has the power to expel or discipline an individual member and to expel or</span><br><span>reorganize the local chapter. In the event of reorganization, the assets of</span><br><span>the chapter belong to the reorganized chapter; and the former chapter shall</span><br><span>dissolve and cease to exist. The name National Federation of the Blind,</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof, is the property of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind; and if this organization ceases to be a</span><br><span>part of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio (for whatever reason),</span><br><span>it shall forfeit the right to use the name National Federation of the Blind,</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof. The President of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall ex officio be a member of</span><br><span>this organization.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE VIII. DUES</span><br><span></span><br><span> The amount of the dues paid by members to this organization shall be</span><br><span>established by the membership and shall be paid annually in advance. No</span><br><span>person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of his or her dues. Each</span><br><span>year prior to the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span>of Ohio, this organization shall pay its and its members' state dues for the</span><br><span>following year as stipulated in the policies and constitution of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE IX. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS</span><br><span></span><br><span> The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank to be</span><br><span>selected by the Treasurer with the approval of the President. The Treasurer</span><br><span>shall be bonded. All financial obligations of this organization shall be</span><br><span>discharged by check, issued on written order of the President, and signed by</span><br><span>the Treasurer or by an Assistant Treasurer approved by the membership or the</span><br><span>Board of Directors.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE X. DISSOLUTION</span><br><span></span><br><span> In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for</span><br><span>whatever reason) it ceases to be a local chapter of the National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind of Ohio, its assets shall be given to the National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind of Ohio, to be held in trust for a reorganized chapter in the</span><br><span>area. In the event that no chapter is organized in the Miami Valley area</span><br><span>for a period of two (2) years from the date this organization ceases to be a</span><br><span>local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, the assets</span><br><span>become the property of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.</span><br><span></span><br><span> If the dissolution of this organization should occur and if at that</span><br><span>time neither the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio nor the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind is a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of</span><br><span>the federal Internal Revenue Code or if the National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span>of Ohio and the National Federation of the Blind have been dissolved, all</span><br><span>assets of this organization shall be given to an organization with similar</span><br><span>purposes which has received tax-exempt certification from the federal</span><br><span>Internal Revenue Service.</span><br><span></span><br><span> ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS</span><br><span></span><br><span> This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this</span><br><span>organization by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and</span><br><span>voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been circulated in writing</span><br><span>to the members of the organization at least ten (10) calendar days prior to</span><br><span>the meeting and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the</span><br><span>Charter of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind of</span><br><span>Ohio and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio</span><br><span>and the National Federation of the blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Richard Payne, President</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio</span><br><span>937-396-5573or 937/829/3368</span><br><span>Rchpay7@gmail.com</span><br><span>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the</span><br><span>characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the</span><br><span>expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles</span><br><span>between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;</span><br><span>blindness is not what holds you back</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br></div></body></html>