The official name of this organization shall be the “Michiana Bonsai
Study” (“club”, below).
Mission Statement
The Michiana Bonsai Study’s purpose is to gather and share information
relevant to the acquisition, training, care, propagation, display, and enjoyment
of all varieties of bonsai specimens. Thus, its function will focus on
education. This will primarily be realized through scheduled club meetings as
well as occasional trips/visits to events.
Charter
Membership
Individuals or families may become members of this club by:
a) Providing the club with their name(s) and contact information:
phone number and/or
email address.
b) Payment of annual dues.
Governance
In order to carry out the mission of the club, a governing committee of
three members, a president, a vice president, and secretary, shall be elected
annually. This election will be held at the scheduled November meeting and the
individuals chosen will serve in the calendar year that follows. In the event
that an elected officer is unable to serve the remainder of their term in
office, a secretary may be elected at a regularly scheduled meeting.
(See below
for the order of succession following the inability of
other officers to fulfill their responsibilities.)
The responsibilities of the club officers are given
below.
President:
(a) prepare and present to the membership a schedule of meetings and/or
events
for
the year in which they serve.
(b) notify members of activities and events.
(c) secure sites at which scheduled meetings are to be held.
(d) preside at the business portion of scheduled club meetings.
(e) provide a synopsis of the minutes of the previous month’s program to
the
members in
a monthly communication (via the club's website or newsletter).
(f) use the club’s checking account to pay outstanding club indebtedness.
(g) transfer to their successor a proposed schedule for
the following year.
(h) transfer authorization to use the club’s bank account to the newly
elected
president
before the end of their year in office.
(i) collect and deposit into the club’s bank account annual dues as well
as
any other
club revenues.
(j) present a financial report to the membership at each regularly
scheduled meeting.
(k) retain and pass on to their successor a copy of the year-end
financial
statement
as well as the club’s check book.
Vice President:
The responsibilities of the vice president will be to
assist the president in the fulfillment of any of the duties listed above as
well as to assume them in the event that the president cannot.
Secretary:
The secretary will assist in the collection of club dues and
membership information.
In addition, the secretary may assist in the writing of the minutes.
Also, in the event that the
vice president needs to assume the office of the president, the secretary
will assume the
office of vice president.
Activities
Meetings:
Unless other provisions are made, membership meetings will be held on the
first
Sunday from February to November of each calendar year. Normally,
meetings
will commence at 2:00 PM EST and conclude at approximately 4:00 PM.
Generally,
each meeting will include:
(a) a discussion of club business (a business meeting), including a
a
financial report.
(b) the dissemination of information about one or more topics relevant
to bonsai.
Events:
Instead of the regularly scheduled monthly meeting, some month’s activity
may be
attendance at a bonsai-related event. These events need not fall on the
first Sunday of the month. On these months there will be no business
meeting.
Dues:
At the last regularly held business meeting of each year the membership
will
determine the annual dues for that calendar year by a
vote of those present.
Dues will then be due and payable by the April meeting of
that year. Dues may
be paid either in
cash or by check made payable to “Michiana Bonsai Study”.
On the seconded motion by any two members, an independent audit of the
club's
finances will be taken.
Library:
A club library shall be maintained which will contain the following
materials:
(a) Yearly rosters of club members from past years (via the club’s
website).
(b) Books, pamphlets and other written educational material collected
and
retained by the club and/or its members.
(c) Posters, photos or other visual bonsai-related materials.
Amendment
This document may be added to or amended by a majority vote of the
membership
present at any two, consecutive, regularly scheduled club
meetings.