 Founded to Serve |
 Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. |
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Founded to Serve |
Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. |
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By-Law Revisions 10/12/2005 - PDF (This is a listing of just the changes to the SFMS By-Laws for 2005) CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES, INC (ADOPTED MAY 29, 1976) FIRST REVISION APPROVED SEPTEMBER 23, 1977 SECOND REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 18, 1978 THIRD REVISION APPROVED MAY 3, 1980 FOURTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 14, 1981 FIFTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 13, 1982 SIXTH REVISION APPROVED SEPTEMBER 15, 1984 SEVENTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 8, 1986 EIGHTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 14, 1987 NINTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 18, 1989 TENTH REVISION APPROVED OCTOBER 19, 1991 ELEVENTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 21, 1992 TWELFTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 5, 1994 THIRTEENTH REVISION APPROVED OCTOBER 4, 1997 FOURTEENTH REVISION APPROVED FEBRUARY 29, 2000 FIFTEENTH REVISION APPROVED OCTOBER 21, 2000 SIXTEENTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 3, 2001 SEVENTEENTH REVISION APPROVED OCTOBER 5, 2002 EIGHTEENTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 28.2003 NINETEENTH REVISION APPROVED NOVEMBER 12, 2005 CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I NAME Section 1. NAME: The name of this organization shall be: Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Incorporated, hereinafter, referred to as the "Federation". ARTICLE II PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES Section 1. PURPOSES: To bring about a closer association of Clubs and Societies devoted to the study of Earth Sciences and the practice of Lapidary Arts and Crafts in the Southeast part of the United States. A. To encourage and assist in the formation of the Clubs and Societies whose intent is to foster an interest in Earth Sciences and recreational aspects of mineral collecting and the practice of Lapidary Arts and Crafts. B. To promote the educational, scientific, and recreational aspects of the hobby in the subjects of Mineralogy, Geology, Archaeology, Lapidary Arts, and other subjects related to the various Earth Sciences. C. The SFMS shall be a Regional Federation of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Section 2. OBJECTIVES: To cooperate with similar Federations to promote public interest in the Earth Sciences and the conservation of natural resources. A. To promote goodwill and fellowship with all similar Federations, Clubs, and Societies. B. To maintain a Federation that will aid, assist, and support all affiliated Clubs and Societies in all their activities. C. To hold Annual Meetings for the purpose of conducting Federation business in conjunction with gem and mineral shows with programs and exhibits to promote interest in all phases of the Earth Science and Lapidary arts. ARTICLE III LIMITATIONS Section 1. LIMITATIONS: This Federation is formed as a non-profit, non-commercial, and non-political organization. A. This Federation shall conduct its affairs without profit to any individual and no assets shall be used for any pecuniary benefit of any group or organization outside of the Federation with the exception of our responsibilities to the American Federation. B. In the event of the dissolution of the Federation, the assets of the organization will be turned over to one or more organizations with interests similar to those of this Federation which themselves are exempt as organizations described in Section 501 (c) (3) and 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or corresponding sections of any prior or future Internal Revenue Code, or to the Federal, State, or local government for exclusive public use. ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP Section 1. MEMBERSHIP: Membership in the Federation shall be open to all organized Clubs or Societies whose interests are related to the Earth Sciences and upon such terms and conditions as prescribed in the By-Laws governing the Federation. Section 2. FOUNDING CLUBS AND SOCIETIES: The organizations which joined the Federation on or before January 1, 1976, shall constitute the Founding Membership and are listed in the order of joining: Charlotte Gem & Mineral Club, Inc. . . . Charlotte, NC Rome, Georgia Mineral Society. . . .Rome, GA Central Virginia Mineral Society. . .Lynchburg, VA Western South Carolina Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. . .Greenville, SC Southern Appalachian Mineral Society, Inc. . . .Asheville, NC Cobb County Gem & Mineral Club. . .Marietta, GA East Alabama Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. . . .Opelika, AL Canaveral Mineral & Gem Society. . .Melbourne, FL Treasure Coast Rock & Gem Society. . .Vero Beach, FL Gem & Mineral Club of Deland. . . .Deland, FL Piedmont Mineral & Gem Society. . .Hickory, NC Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club, Inc. . . .Winston-Salem, NC Tar Heel Mineral Society, Inc. . . .Raleigh, NC Columbia Gem & Mineral Society. . .Columbia, SC Augusta Gem & Mineral Society. . .Augusta, GA Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin, NC, Inc. . . .Franklin, NC Ocala Gem & Mineral Society. . .Belleview, FL Lowcountry Gem & Mineral Society of Charleston, SC. . .Charleston, SC New Orleans Society for the study of Earth and Lapidary Sciences, Inc . . . New Orleans, LA Wateree Valley Rock & Gem Society. . . .?, SC Section 3. CHARTER CLUBS AND SOCIETIES: The organizations which joined the Federation after January 1, 1976 and before May 25, 1976, shall constitute the Charter Membership and are listed in the order of joining: Sylvanite Mineral Club. . .Brevard, NC North Carolina Rock & Mineral Society, Inc. . . .Rutherford, NC Tomoka Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. . . .Holly Hill, FL Mountaineer Lapidary Guild. . .Waynesville, NC Lake Martin Rock & Gem Club. . .Alexander City, AL Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society. . . .Jacksonville, FL Miami Gem & Mineral Society. . .Miami, FL Rockingham County Mineral Club. . .Rockingham, NC Eastman Rocks & Minerals Club. . .Kingsport, TN Mobile Rock & Gem Society. . .Mobile, AL Memphis Archaeological & Geological Society, Inc. . . .Memphis, TN Catawba Mineral & Artifacts Society. . . .?, SC Calhoun County Rock & Mineral Club. . .Anniston, AL Montgomery Gem & Mineral Society. . .Montgomery, AL Rock Rovers Gem & Mineral Society. . .?, GA ARTICLE V OFFICERS Section 1. OFFICERS: The officers of the Federation shall consist of Executive Officers and Administrative Officers. A. Executive Officers shall be: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Editor, and Regional Vice President to the American Federation (AFMS) and when applicable President-Elect to the AFMS, or President of the AFMS. These officers shall be elected by the Federation Board of Directors. B. Administrative Officers shall be the State Directors who shall be elected by the member Clubs and Societies of each State. ARTICLE VI BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD Section 1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Board of Directors of the Federation shall be composed of: A. The Executive Officers of the Federation. B. The Administrative Officers of the Federation. C. The President of each member Club and Society. D. One elected Delegate from each member Club and Society to serve at the Annual Meeting only. The alternate will, but the delegates will not, be counted in the determination of a quorum for the Annual Meeting. Section 2. EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board of the Federation shall consist of the Executive Officers, the Administrative Officers and the Immediate Past President. ARTICLE VII MEETINGS Section 1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: At least one meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held each year as prescribed by the By-Laws. This meeting shall be known as the Annual Meeting. Section 2. EXECUTIVE BOARD: At least two semi-annual meetings of the Executive Board of the Federation shall be held each year as prescribe in the By-Laws. Other meetings may be held as necessary to perform the work of the Federation. ARTICLE VIII ORDER Section 1. ORDER: Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall prevail at all assembled meetings of the Officers, Boards and Annual Meetings. ARTICLE IX THE MAYO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC. In order to more nearly carry out the purposes and objectives of this Federation as set forth in Article II, this Federation shall establish an Educational Foundation to be known as the Mayo Educational Foundation, for the purpose of providing financial aid to qualified junior, senior, or graduate students to acquire advanced academic degrees in Earth Sciences, and/or provide financing for other Educational Projects of Exceptionally Meritorious Value that may be approved by the Members and Directors of the Foundation. The foundation shall so organize the Mayo Educational Foundation that it becomes a division of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., to be separately incorporated and have its own By-Laws to be formed and published by the Board of Directors of the Southeast Federation. ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS Section 1. Any article or provision herein may be altered, amended, supplemented, or repealed by an affirmative two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members of the Federation present at a properly called Annual Meeting, after the following provisions have been complied with. A. Any proposed amendment of these Articles to the Constitution and By-Laws may be submitted to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee Chairman through a member Club or Society of the Federation. B. The Executive Board may propose any amendment to these Articles and By-Laws and shall submit such to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee Chairman. C. The proposed amendment must be submitted in writing and must include the name of the party or parties proposing the amendment, together with an explanation of why the amendment is proposed, and must be sent so as to be in the hands of the By-Laws Committee at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Proposed amendments must be published in the Federation newsletter prior to the Annual Meeting. D. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall comply with the conditions prescribed in the By-Laws. Section 2. EFFECTIVE: Upon passage by the voting power of the Federation present at an Annual Meeting, all changes made in this Constitution and By-Laws shall become effective immediately. BY-LAWS ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP Section 1. MEMBERSHIP: The Federation membership shall consist of the Founding and Charter Clubs and Societies, and all other Clubs and Societies that may affiliate with and maintain membership in the Federation and whose interest and purposes are compatible with those of the Federation. Section 2. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP: Any organized Club or Society desiring admission to the Federation shall comply with the following procedure: A. An "Application for Membership" form, must be obtained from the State Director or any other Federation Officer, and be completed by the Club or Society Officers desiring membership. B. The completed form, "Application for Membership", shall be sent to the Membership Secretary along with an initiation fee and the annual membership dues as specified in Article VIII of these By-Laws. C. Applicant Clubs and Societies shall submit a copy of their Constitution and By-Laws or, in lieu of these, a statement of their aims and purposes, at the time the application for membership is submitted to the Membership Secretary. Approval of the aims and purposes of the applicant Club or Society by the Federation shall be one requirement for admission to membership in the Federation. Section 3. APPROVAL: The "Application for Membership" shall be submitted by the Membership Secretary to the Executive Board for its approval at a properly called meeting or by mail for its approval. The Executive Board, through the Membership Secretary, shall promptly notify the applicant Club or Society of its action upon the application. Section 4. CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP: A "Certificate of Membership" shall be promptly awarded to any Club or Society accepted into membership in the Federation and, as soon as possible, the Certificate shall be delivered to the Club or Society by an Officer of the Federation appointed by the President. Section 5. WITHDRAWAL: Any member Club or Society wishing to withdraw from the Federation shall make such intention known in writing to the Membership Secretary; such notice shall be official if signed by the Officers of the withdrawing Club or Society. The Membership Secretary shall acknowledge the receipt of such notice and this notice shall be sufficient to terminate the affiliation. Notice of the termination of the Club or Society will be sent to all Executive Board Members by the Membership Secretary of the Federation. Section 6. EXPULSION: The Board of Directors may, by a majority vote, expel any member Club or Society from the Federation whose attitude, conduct, and actions are considered detrimental to the welfare of the Federation. A. Expulsion may be made only after the member Club or Society has been given an opportunity to show cause why the expulsion is not justified, or to voluntarily withdraw. ARTICLE II OFFICERS Section 1. ELECTION: The Executive Officers of the Federation shall be elected by a majority vote of the qualified and voting members of the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting. Section 2. TERMS OF OFFICE: The term of office for the President, First Vice-President, and the Second Vice-President shall run from the first day of the fiscal year following their election until the last day of the same fiscal year, or until their successors have been duly elected in conformance with these By-Laws. The term of office for the remaining SFMS Executive Officers shall be for two (2)years and must conform to Article III, DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The term of office for the Regional Vice-President, President Elect, or President of the AFMS shall be per current AFMS Articles of Incorporation. Section 3. ELECTION PROCEDURE: At the Annual Meeting, the Nominating Committee shall present its report, consisting of a slate of candidates for the various offices to be filled. After the Nominating Committee has placed its slate of candidates in nomination, other nominations for each office may be made by the qualified and voting members of the Board of Directors. A. DEFERRED ELECTION: If the Annual Meeting is held early in the year, the election of Officers for the next year may be deferred until another meeting of the Board of Directors may be held later in the same year. Such an arrangement must be approved by the Board of Directors at the earlier meeting. Section 4. LIMITATIONS: No husband and wife nor two (2) or more members of one family shall be elected or appointed to serve on the Executive Board of the Federation at the same time. Section 5. OFFICE VACANCIES: In the event that an officer cannot, for any reason, fulfill his or her term of office, or in the event of unusual or unforeseen circumstances in the succession of Officers, the Executive Board shall have the power to select someone qualified to fill the vacant office and that person shall serve in that office until a successor is duly elected at the next Annual Meeting. Section 6. EXPULSION: The Executive Board may expel any Officer who is negligent in his or her duties or whose attitude or conduct is considered extremely detrimental to the welfare of the Federation. Such expulsion may be made only after the Officer has been given an opportunity to show cause why the expulsion is not justified. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote by the Executive Board is necessary for the expulsion of any Officer. Section 7. VOTE BY PROXY: It shall be the duty of each Executive and Administrative Officer of the Federation to attend and participate in all meetings of the Federation. In the event that an Officer should not be able to attend a meeting, no proxy or absentee votes will be accepted. No Officer shall have more than one vote at any meeting of the Federation. ARTICLE III DUTIES OF OFFICERS All Officers shall send an up-to-date report, along with their registration, to the Secretary prior to Executive and Board of Directors meetings. Section 1. PRESIDENT: The President shall preside over all meetings of the Federation, except where other provisions are made in these By-Laws. With the aid of the Secretary, the President, twenty (20) days prior to the Annual Meeting, shall notify each member Club and Society and all Officers of the proposed agenda for such meeting. The President shall have the power to convene the Executive Board to conduct the regular affairs of the Federation or such other matters as determined should not be delayed until the next Annual Meeting. The President shall send, not less than ten (10) days prior to any scheduled or called meeting of the Executive Board, a notice of such meeting in writing or he/she may conduct the matter by polled mail if deemed advisable. The President shall have the power to appoint all committee chairmen, standing and temporary, unless otherwise stated in the Constitution and By-Laws. A. The President shall, in consultation with the Ways and Means Committee, prepare a Budget showing estimated expenditures for the coming year versus estimated receipts. B. The President shall become a member of the Board of Directors and act as Vice-President of the Mayo Educational Foundation. C. The President shall perform duties as coordinator for the work of the Officers and Committee Chairmen and any other duties customary to the Office of the President. D. The term of office of the President shall be for one (1) year and he/she may not be elected to succeed himself/herself. E. Upon the President's decease or resignation the First Vice-President shall become President. Section 2. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: The First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President, as well as his/her own, in the event of the President's absence or inability to serve. In the event that the First Vice-President moves up to the office of President, under these circumstances, he/she may be elected to serve as President again at the following Annual Meeting. The First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the coordinator, such as outlined in the guidelines for the Annual Meeting, and shall perform such duties as assigned by the President. A. The term of office for the First Vice-President shall be for one (1) year and may be elected to succeed himself/herself. Section 3. SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT: The Second Vice-President shall perform all duties of the First Vice-President in the event that it becomes necessary for the First Vice-President to succeed the President. The Second Vice-President shall succeed the First Vice-President upon his/her decease, resignation, or inability to serve. Should the First Vice-President, while serving as President, die, resign, or be unable to continue to serve as President, the Second Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President of the Federation. A. The Second Vice-President shall be coordinator for the State Directors and shall aid and assist them in setting up and conducting their State Programs. B. The Second Vice-President shall be obligated to recommend to the Executive Board the removal of a State Director who is considered delinquent in the duties of the office. C. In the event that a State Director, for any reason cannot continue to serve in this office, the Second Vice-President shall notify the member Clubs and Societies in the State affected and shall coordinate the holding of an election for a new State Director in accordance with Article IV, Section 4 of these By-Laws. D. The term of office for the Second Vice-President shall be for one (1) year and may be elected to succeed himself/herself. E. The Second Vice-President shall perform other duties not specified in these By-Laws as directed by the President. Section 4. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and of the Board of Directors, and shall submit them for publication to the Editor of the official SFMS newsletter within thirty (30) days after the close of the meeting. Copies may also be sent by postal mail to any Officer, Director (Club or Society President), or committee chairman requesting a copy within thirty (30) days following the date of the meeting. A. The Secretary shall be the custodian of all business correspondence, permanent business records (except the Treasurer's records), and the Official Documents of the Federation, including but not limited to, the State Charter, Articles of Incorporation, and Insurance Policies, and shall submit such records to the Federation Officers upon their request. B. The Secretary shall conduct all correspondence in the name of the Federation. C. The Secretary shall maintain all up-to-date list of all Clubs and Societies affiliated with the Federation and their mailing addresses and the names and addresses of their principal Officers. This list shall be obtained through the coordination with the Membership Secretary. Such lists should be made available to all Officers and Committee Chairmen upon request. D. The Secretary shall, twenty (20) days prior to a meeting of the Board of Directors, send to all members of the Executive Board, the Directors, and Committee Chairmen notification of time, place, and date of the meeting together with a copy of the agenda. E. The Secretary shall send to all member Club and Society Presidents, at the proper time, any forms and instructions, required for their participation in Federation meetings such as, the "Registration for Delegates" for the Annual Meeting. F. The Secretary shall, fifteen (15) days prior to a meeting of the Executive Board, send to all members of the Executive Board, the Presidents of all member Clubs and Societies, and all Committee Chairmen a notification of the place, date, time of meeting, a copy of the agenda, and complete details of arrangements for the meeting. G. The Secretary shall serve as Credentials Chairman for all meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Board, and shall determine whether a quorum is present at such meetings, and assure that all Delegates are qualified to vote. H. The Secretary shall cooperate fully with all other Officers of the Federation and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Federation. I. The term of office for the Secretary shall be two (2) consecutive years and this office may be held for any number of elected terms. The Secretary shall be elected in the even years. Section 5. MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: The Membership Secretary shall be in responsible charge of all functions relating to the membership of affiliated Clubs and Societies in the Federation, and in this capacity shall: A. Receive all applications for new memberships in the Federation and shall receive all dues and initiation fees applicable to new member Clubs and Societies and follow the procedure of the By-Laws Article I, as to their acceptance. This Secretary shall keep all applicants informed about the status of their application, and shall notify the Executive Officers and appropriate State Director of the receipt of the application. B. Shall send to the appropriate Officers of all affiliated Clubs and Societies all necessary copies of "Renewal of Membership Form" and instructions for renewing their membership thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. C. Shall receive all applications for renewal of their membership and all yearly dues from affiliated Clubs and Societies when due. D. Shall keep an accurate record of all dues and fees received from all Clubs and Societies and shall promptly remit all such monies received to the Treasurer of the Federation with complete identification of its source and purpose. E. Shall compile and keep a current list of all the affiliated Clubs and Societies together with a list of their principal Officers, their addresses, and telephone numbers. This compilation shall be submitted to the Chairman of Publications for duplication and shall be distributed to the Clubs and Societies and to all appropriate individuals. To be effective, the Membership Directory should be available to recipients by May 1. F. As membership renewals are received, and when new Clubs and Societies are granted membership, the Membership Secretary shall submit information to the Secretary as to their eligibility to have their President and Delegate, or their Alternates vote. The Membership Secretary will also inform the Secretary when any Club or Society withdraws from membership or is expelled, according to Article I, Section 6 and 7. G. The Membership Secretary shall perform any other duties as prescribed by the President and shall coordinate the duties of this office with the Federation Secretary. H. The term of office of the Membership Secretary shall be two (2) consecutive years and may be elected for any number of terms. The Membership Secretary shall be elected in uneven years. Section 6. TREASURER: The Treasurer of the Federation shall receive all dues and fees from the Membership Secretary and other monies that may be due and payable to the Federation, and shall disburse them only when authorized by the President. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all transactions and submit a written copy of financial statement to each member of the Board of Directors at or before the Annual Meeting. This financial statement shall reflect the transactions from the beginning of the current fiscal year to the nearest date of the Annual Meeting. A. The Treasurer shall be responsible for filing the Federation Income Tax Reports annually as they become due both to the Federal Government and to the State Government if necessary. B. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the Federation in a bank account in the name of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. Monies invested in other than a bank account must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. C. The Treasurer, or in his absence, the Assistant Treasurer, shall have authority to sign all withdrawal checks which carry as co-signer either the President or the Secretary of the Federation. D. The Treasurer shall be authorized to have a bank signature card made out to authorize the signatures of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the President, and the Secretary of the Federation. E. The Treasurer shall take out a Bonding Policy through any Insurance or Bonding company to protect himself, Workshop Registrars, and the Federation. The policy shall cover the greatest amount of money the Treasurer or Registrars are likely to have in their custody during their official term of office. This policy shall be paid for by the Federation and shall be placed in the defined custody of the President. F. The Treasurer shall become a member of the Ways and Means Committee of the Federation as defined in Article IX, Section 6, M of these By-Laws. G. The Treasurer shall communicate with and keep the Assistant Treasurer completely informed of the state of the Treasury of the Federation, so that the Assistant Treasurer will be able to adequately perform the duties of the Treasurer if an emergency should arise and require him/her to do so. H. AUDIT: The President shall appoint two (2) members of the Board of Directors who are qualified in accounting procedures to thoroughly audit the Treasurer's records and other financial records, such as Workshop Registrars records, for the previous fiscal year, prior to the first Executive Board meeting. The results of these audits shall be presented to the Board of Directors at the first Executive Board meeting. I. The term of office for the Treasurer shall be for two (2) consecutive years. The Treasurer shall be elected in the odd years and may be re-elected for any number of terms. Section 7. ASSISTANT TREASURER: The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer in duties the Treasurer may assign and any other duties as prescribed by the President. He shall succeed the Treasurer upon his decease, resignation, or inability to serve. A. The Assistant Treasurer shall become a member of the Ways and Means Committee as defined in Article IX, Section 6, M of these By-Laws. B. The Assistant Treasurer shall effectively communicate with the Treasurer and keep currently informed on the state of the Treasury of the Federation, in order to be able to perform the work of the Treasurer if an emergency should arise requiring him/her to do so. C. The term of office for the Assistant Treasurer shall be two (2) consecutive years and may be held for any number of elected terms. The Assistant Treasurer shall be elected in the even years. Section 8. NEWSLETTER EDITOR: The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for the publication and distribution of the Federation Newsletter. The editor shall accumulate and edit items of information, events, and activities relative to the objects and purposes of the Federation and its member Clubs and Societies, and disperse them through the Newsletter publication created for this purpose. The Editor may, at will, prepare and print articles or editorials that reflect and give opinion of the Editor consistent with the spirit and purposes of the Federation. A. The Editor shall establish and maintain a master mailing list for use by the Federation for the distribution of all pertinent materials. B. DISTRIBUTION: The Editor shall distribute one (1) copy of each issue of the Federation Newsletter to the President, Secretary, Editor and Program Chairman of each member Club or Society of the Federation; members of the Executive Board, State Directors, Committee Chairmen and Committee members, and to other persons who are active in the programs of the Federation, as they are requested or become known. The Editor shall also distribute copies to Officers of other Federations of like aims and purposes. C. The Editor may perform such other duties as prescribed by the President. D. The term of office for the Editor shall be two (2) consecutive years and may be held for any number of elected terms. The Editor shall be elected in even years. Section 9. Duties of SFMS Regional Vice-President to AFMS: Refer to AFMS Operating Procedure from the AFMS website at www.amfed.org <http://www.amfed.org> <http://www.amfed.org> Section 10. Duties of President-Elect of AFMS, when applicable: Refer to AFMS Operating Procedure from the AFMS website at www.amfed.org <http://www.amfed.org> <http://www.amfed.org> Section 11. Duties of President of AFMS, when applicable: Refer to AFMS Operating Procedure from the AFMS website at www.amfed.org <http://www.amfed.org> <http://www.amfed.org> Section 12. Qualification for Officers to the AFMS: The nominee for any office in the AFMS is currently, or has been, an elected Officer in the SFMS. Section 13. Duties of SFMS Officers to the AFMS: A. The SFMS President and the First Vice-President shall be members of the Board of Directors of the AFMS. B. AFMS term of office shall conform to the SFMS term of office. C. In the event an SFMS President's or First Vice-President's term of office be foreshortened, SFMS will contact the AFMS Secretary with the name of the replacement Director. That Director is outlined in the SFMS By-Laws. D. In the event the President or First Vice-President is unable to attend the Annual Meeting of the AFMS Board of Directors, the AFMS will allow SFMS to send an alternate, if the SFMS so desires. E. In the event that a Director of the AFMS is also an Executive Officer of the AFMS, the SFMS shall select another individual to serve as a Regional Director for the fiscal year. F. No proxy and absentee votes shall be cast by SFMS representatives at the AFMS Annual Meeting. ARTICLE IV STATE DIRECTOR Section 1. DEFINED: All member Clubs and Societies located within each state shall elect one (1) individual as a State Director, to aid in the administration of the Federation. The State Director shall be a resident of the state in which elected. Section 2. QUALIFICATIONS: The State Director shall be active in a member Club or Society in good standing in the Federation. He/she shall be able to finance travel expenses, and have abilities and qualifications to coordinate, project, and communicate, and shall be qualified to execute the duties of this office. Section 3. DUTIES: It shall be the duty of the State Director to serve as a member of the Executive Board and attend its meetings. A. STATE PROGRAMS: It shall be the duty of the State Director to initiate a program that he/she deems significant to promote the Federation within the State and to appoint the desired number of Area Representatives required to execute and accomplish State programs. B. It shall be the State Director's duty to promote a closer relationship with the member Clubs and Societies within the interest of the Federation and to encourage active participation by them and individual members in all the Federation activities and services, and to honor requests for information by the member Clubs and Societies. C. The State Director shall act as a Liaison between the member Clubs and Societies within the State and the Federation. D. It shall be the duty of the State Director to submit in writing to the Second Vice-President, thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting, a summary of the activities and accomplishments of the State Program during the prior year. Section 4. ELECTIONS: The member Clubs and Societies in good standing in the Federation within the boundaries of each State may, by mail, nominate one (1) individual for State Director. A. The nomination shall be submitted to the Second Vice-President who, upon receipt of all nominations, shall compile a consolidated list and this list shall be returned in the form of a ballot to all Clubs and Societies within the State for a final vote. The final returned ballots received by the Second Vice-President shall be tallied and shall determine the one elected State Director. In the event of an unbreakable tie vote, the Executive Board shall elect the Director from those nominees who are the tie by a majority vote of the Board. B. The term of office for the State Director shall be for two (2) consecutive years and may be held for any number of elected terms. The State Director shall serve until a successor is elected. An election for a State Director shall be held whenever a vacancy occurs. Section 5. EXPULSION: The Executive Board may expel any State Director who is negligent in the performance in his/her duties or whose attitude or conduct is considered extremely detrimental to the Federation. Such expulsion may be made only after the recommendation of the Second Vice-President to the Executive Board and only after the State Director has been given an opportunity to show cause why the expulsion is not justified. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Executive Board is necessary for the expulsion of any State Director. ARTICLE V BOARDS Section 1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Board of Directors shall be the governing body, and shall establish the policies of the Federation consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws. The Board shall consist of the Executive Officers, the Administrative Officers, and the Club or Society Directors (Club or Society Presidents) and Delegates. The Club or Society Delegates shall not be counted in the determination of a quorum. A. TERM OF OFFICE: In the event that the term of office of the President of any member Club or Society shall, for any reason, be terminated, his/her successor within that Club or Society shall automatically become a Director of the Federation. B. DIRECTOR (CLUB OR SOCIETY PRESIDENT) AS A FEDERATION OFFICER: In the event that a Director of the Federation should also be elected to the position of a Federation Officer, the Director's member Club or Society shall elect another individual to serve as their Director for the fiscal year. C. MEETINGS: All Directors are expected to attend and vote at the Annual Meeting of the Federation. All Directors (the Presidents of member Clubs or Societies) are welcome and urged to attend any meeting of the Executive Board and are empowered to vote in its proceedings. Their attendance, however, will not be considered in the determination of a quorum of the Executive Board as defined in Section 2F of this Article as revised. In the event that a Director is unable to attend an Executive Board meeting, another member of this Club or Society may attend as an alternate with the same voting power and other privileges belonging to the Director. D. REGIONAL MEETINGS: Regional Meetings of the Federation Directors (Club and Society Presidents) may and should be held throughout the Southeast. Such meetings should be organized by State Directors and hosted by member Clubs and Societies. These meetings will afford fellowship, an exchange of ideas, information, and opportunity for joint activities. All actions taken at Regional Meetings which pertain to the Federation will be considered unofficial but all recommendations and proposals will be considered later by the Executive Board, if they are submitted to this Board in writing. E. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by action of the Executive Board, to act upon matters of paramount importance to the Federation. At least thirty (30) days prior to the date of such meeting, all members of the Board of Directors shall be notified by the President of the purpose, date, time, and place of the Special Meeting. Section 2. EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board shall organize and administer the activities and business affairs of the Federation consistent with the terms of the Constitution and By-Laws, and any operating procedures approved and adopted by the Board of Directors. A. LIMITATIONS 1: The Executive Board shall not have the authority to authorize any expenditures of money nor incur any liability that will exceed the annual budget, as approved by the Board of Directors, nor authorize any expenditures or commitments that exceed the budget income for any fiscal year except as provided in Article V, Section 2B of these By-Laws. B. LIMITATIONS 2: In the event that, due to unusual circumstances, the President considers it necessary for the amount of commitments plus the planned expenditures to exceed the approved budget or income for a fiscal year, this procedure will be followed: A prepared statement showing the needs, purposes, and the amounts involved shall be presented to all members of the Executive Board at least ten (10) days prior to a scheduled or called meeting of the Board. The Board may then determine by at least a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of all Board members to approve the expenditures. C. POLL BY MAIL: At the discretion of the President, a poll by mail of all members of the Executive Board may be held in lieu of a meeting to act upon matters considered by the President to be urgent. D. MEETINGS: The Executive Board shall hold at least two (2) semi-annual meetings each year. All meetings shall be held at the call of the President. E. ATTENDANCE: 1. All members of the Executive Board are expected to attend its meetings and vote in its proceedings. 2. In the event a President of a member Club or Society cannot attend an Executive Board Meeting, that Club or Society may elect an alternate. F. QUORUM: A quorum for the purpose of conducting business coming before the Executive Board shall consist of one-third (1/3) of the total of the Executive Board members. The quorum must contain one of the following: the SFMS President, the SFMS First Vice-President, or the SFMS Second Vice-President. A majority vote of the qualified and voting members of the Executive Board shall be sufficient to carry any motion, unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws. ARTICLE VI ANNUAL MEETING Section 1. ANNUAL MEETING: The Federation shall hold at least one Annual Meeting each calendar year for the following purposes: A. The Annual Meeting shall be the assembling of the Executive Officers, the Administrative Officers, and the Directors (Club or Society Presidents) and Delegates of the Clubs or Societies, for the purpose of conducting business and electing officers. The meeting shall be conducted in accordance with a documented agenda. B. To hold the Annual Meeting in conjunction with a gem and mineral show which contains exhibits by its members. C. To hold special meetings for coordinating parts of the Federation program and to present recognitions and awards as merited. D. AGENDA: The agenda shall be compiled by the Secretary with the aid and advice of the Officers and shall be adopted as the first order of business of the Annual Meeting. The agenda shall contain items prescribed by the By-Laws, committee reports, reports of Officers and State Directors and may contain items which require approval of the membership. Any additional items may be added to the agenda by any Director, provided the President and the Secretary receives such items at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. E. PARLIAMENTARIAN: The President or presiding Officer shall appoint a Parliamentarian to assist in the conduct of the Annual Meeting. The Parliamentarian shall not initiate, discuss, influence nor participate in any phase of business conducted, and should be knowledgeable of the order and precedence governing the proceedings. 1. The Parliamentarian shall be a member of a Club or Society in good standing in the Federation and shall not be deprived of his/her legal vote if entitled to it. Section 2. APPROVAL: The time, place, and date for the Annual Meeting shall be approved by the Executive Board. Section 3. SPONSORSHIP: The Annual Meeting shall be sponsored by a member Club or Society or combined Clubs and Societies. Section 4. HOSTS: A member Club or Society or combined Clubs and Societies desiring to host the Annual Meeting and Show shall contact the First Vice-President of the Federation and request that the required Bid Form be sent. Upon receipt of the Bid, the First Vice-President shall present all information and the Bid to the Executive Board for its approval. A. The Host shall have the primary responsibility for planning and preparing for the Annual Meeting. The Federation shall arrange its own program for the Annual Meeting and other special meetings. The Uniform Rules Committee shall perform duties as prescribed in the By-Laws for the Show. Section 5. COORDINATOR: The First Vice-President of the Federation shall act as coordinator for the Federation and Host, and shall keep in close communication with the Host General Chairman on all planning preparation, activities, and developments involved with the Annual Meeting and Show. The First Vice-President shall meet with the General Show Chairman as early as possible. Section 6. HOST GENERAL CHAIRMAN: The Host General Chairman for the Annual Meeting, Banquet, and Editors' Breakfast shall be appointed by the member Club or Society or combined Clubs and Societies selected to host the Annual Meeting. A. HOST GENERAL CHAIRMAN DUTIES: The Host General Chairman, with the assistance of the SFMS Coordinator (First Vice-President), shall draw up tentative plans for the Annual Meeting (Show, Banquet, and Editors' Breakfast). The Host General Chairman then shall submit the tentative plans to the proper authorities in the Host Club or Society for their Approval. After the approval of the Host Club or Society, the Host General Chairman and the SFMS Coordinator shall work together to follow through with the plans for the Annual Meeting. Section 7. REPRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING: At the Annual Meeting, each member Club or Society shall be represented by its Director (Club or Society President), and by one (1) elected Delegate, and each of these shall be entitled to one (1) vote on any matter presented to the meeting. A. Each member Club or Society may elect one (1) Alternate for their Director and one (1) Alternate for their Delegate. The Alternates shall be entitled to vote in the event their corresponding Director or Delegate cannot be present at the time of voting. Section 8. QUORUM: A quorum for the purpose of conducting business coming before the Annual Meeting shall consist of twenty (20) percent of voting body of the Board of Directors as specified in Article V, Section 1, of these By-Laws. This quorum must also include at least one of the following: the SFMS President, the SFMS First Vice-President, or the SFMS Second Vice-President. A. MAJORITY VOTE: A majority vote of the qualified and voting members of the Board of Directors shall be sufficient to carry any motion coming before the Board, or to elect any Officer, unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws. Section 9. CREDENTIALS: It shall be the responsibility of each member Club or Society to notify the Federation Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the names and addresses of its Director (Club or Society President), and Delegate, and their Alternates who are to exercise their voting power at the Annual Meeting. Section 10. THE SHOW: A Show shall consist of: A. The assembling of displays of collections related to the subjects of mineralogy, lapidary arts, paleontology, geology, archaeology, and any related Earth Sciences. These shall be presented to the public for the purpose of advancing public education and arousing public interest in the Earth Sciences and facilitating impartial judging of the quality of the display for the edification of the exhibitor. B. A section of the Show shall be set aside to permit qualified professional dealers in gem, minerals, and related products to exhibit their wares to the public and sell such wares as the public may wish to purchase. ARTICLE VII FISCAL YEAR Section 1. THE FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year of the Federation shall be from January first (1) of each year through December thirty-first (31) of the same year. ARTICLE VIII DUES AND FEES Section 1. DUES: Each member Club and Society shall pay to the Federation an annual membership dues of an amount recommended by the Executive Board and voted upon, after sixty (60) days notice, at the next Annual Meeting, for every individual member, including junior members, on the roll of the member Club or Society as of December thirty-first (31) of the year just closed, and this money shall be due and payable on or before the following January first (1). A. After January thirty-first (31) of the fiscal year, the member Club or Society shall be considered delinquent and shall forfeit its voting rights at the next Annual Meeting, use of Slide Programs, its Federation-sponsored insurance coverage, and the rights of its members to attend the Federation Workshops, unless such Club or Society is reinstated to full membership upon payment of all dues and fees in arrears. B. Member Clubs or Societies suspended from Federation Membership because of non-payment of dues or fees may have such suspension removed by payment of all dues and fees in arrears on or before March first (1) of the fiscal year. C. Any Member Club or Society not paying all dues and fees by March first (1) of the fiscal year shall be dropped from the Federation Membership and may be readmitted only by applying for readmission as a New Club or Society according to Article I of these By-Laws and paying all dues and fees as specified in Article VIII, Section 2 of these By-Laws. Section 2. NEW CLUB OR SOCIETY: A Club or Society, upon applying for membership into the Federation, shall enclose with their "Request for Membership" Form, the following items: A. THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES: This dues is reckoned by an amount recommended by the Executive Board and voted upon, after sixty (60) days notice, at the next Annual Meeting, for every individual member, including junior members, on roll of the Club or Society at the time the request for membership is made. B. FEE: New Clubs or Societies desiring to affiliate with the Federation shall pay five dollars ($5.00) initiation fee. This is levied only once. Section 3. PAYABLE TO: All dues and fees shall be payable to the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., and shall be sent to the Membership Secretary. ARTICLE IX COMMITTEES Section 1. APPOINTMENTS: The President shall appoint all Committees and Committee Chairmen as prescribed in the By-Laws. He shall appoint such special committees and task forces as deemed necessary or as directed by the Board of Directors. The work of a special committee or task force is to perform its assignment and then be dissolved. Section 2. COMMITTEES MEMBERS: A committee member must be a member in good standing in a Club or Society of the Federation which is in good standing. He/she shall have signified his/her willingness to serve and perform all duties such as may be outlined in the By-Laws or prescribed by the President. Section 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE: Each committee shall be under the direction of the Chairman and will study subjects referred to it by the President or the Board of Directors or the Executive Board, and make recommendations about these subjects to the President. Section 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN: Each Chairman shall consult with his/her committee by mail or otherwise in determining the majority decisions of his/her committee and he/she shall inform the President of the results of their work. A. Each Committee Chairman shall keep a record of the respective committee's work up-to-date in a clear and thorough manner, and not later than fifteen (15) days before the end of his/her term as Chairman, shall send the record to his successor, and copies to the outgoing President and Secretary of the Federation. B. Each Committee Chairman shall, thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting, prepare a report of his/her committees activities, accomplishments, and pending work for the period commencing when he/she took Chairmanship, and ending as near the Annual Meeting date as possible. This report shall be sent to the Secretary and the Secretary shall include these in the agenda. A similar report shall be required for each Executive Board Meeting. C. The Committee Chairman may perform other duties as prescribed by the President and those prescribed by the By-Laws of the Federation. Section 5. TERM OF OFFICE: The term of office for all Committee Chairmen and members shall run concurrently with that of the President who appointed them, unless otherwise stated in the By-Laws. All Committee Chairmen and Committee Members may be re-appointed for any number of terms by subsequent Presidents. Section 6. STANDING COMMITTEES: The Standing Committees of the Federation shall be: A. Bulletin Editors' Contest; B. Constitution and By-Laws; C. Education; D. Historian; E. Insurance Liaison; F. Long Range Planning and Advisory; G. Nominating; H. Publications; I. Safety; J. Slide Programs; K. Supplies; L. Uniform Rules; M. Ways and Means; N. Cancelled Stamps; O. Youth Resources; P. Committees to the AFMS; Q. Social Actions Committee; R. Field Trip Committee. A. BULLETIN EDITORS' CONTEST COMMITTEE: 1. MEMBERSHIP: This Committee shall be composed of a Chairman and as many other members as the Chairman and the President determine are necessary to conduct the contest. The Chairman shall consult with the President on the choice of other members for the Committee. 2. DUTIES: This Committee shall conduct an Annual Contest in which all Bulletins entered by member Clubs and Societies will be evaluated to determine the degree of excellence achieved by the Editors in several categories according to a plan adopted and published by the Committee. 3. AWARDS: Awards will be presented to the Exhibitors of the Bulletins achieving the highest degree of excellence and to various contributors to the Bulletins in several categories according to the plan. Awards will be presented at the annual Bulletin Editors' Breakfast held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. 4. MANUAL: This Committee shall work towards the preparation of a Bulletin Editors' Contest Manual which could be published by the Federation. B. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE: This Committee, shall upon receipt of any request which has complied with Article X of the Constitution extend consideration to such request. 1. The Committee shall deliberate on the proposal and if it is determined that alteration or variation is required such modification shall be sent to the proposer and only upon agreement by the proposer shall the proposed amendment be submitted to the voting membership at the next Annual Meeting and such shall be entered on the agenda. 2. The Chairman shall send a copy of the corrected amendment to the Federation President and Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting and such shall be entered on the agenda. 3. All proposed amendments shall be sent to the Federation Newsletter Editor for publication prior to the Annual Meeting. C. EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The Education Committee, whose members are the Educational Chairman, current President, and current 1st Vice-President, shall promote the educational, scientific, and recreational aspects of the Federation. 1. WORKSHOPS: It shall be the duty of all three members of the Committee to organize and conduct, each calendar year, one or more workshops which shall consist of: (a) The whole committee shall select the directors and registrars of the workshops. (b) A school for training members in the various arts and crafts of the Gem, Mineral, and Lapidary hobby. (c) Hold educational sessions dealing with the Federation, Gem, Mineral, and Lapidary hobby. The place, date, time, and proposed program shall be submitted to the Executive Board for approval prior to its announcement. 2. RELATIONS: This Committee shall encourage the member Clubs and Societies to participate in community activities and service; to maintain information on Federal and State legislation affecting the activities of the Federation members and make this information available for publication in the SFMS Newsletter, and collect, assemble, and distribute to member Clubs and Societies a list of available speakers, demonstrations by individuals. 3. AWARDS: It shall be the duty of this Committee at the beginning of each fiscal year to publicize and distribute to the member Clubs and Societies a list of all Federation Awards (excluding Show and Bulletin Awards) and the rules to be followed in determining the awards. The Chairman shall maintain a permanent record of all awards presented and the Awardees receiving them. This record shall be preserved and passed from one Chairman to the next for guidance. D. HISTORIAN: The Historian when possible shall attend all meetings of the Boards; shall keep a chronological record of all past and present Federation history. The history shall be accurate and contain the over-all affairs of the Federation. All records or any part thereof shall be made available to any Officer needing it for information, and these records shall be subject to review by the Executive Board. E. INSURANCE LIAISON: Liability insurance is a service the Federation officer its member Clubs and Societies. The policy should be written to cover such activities as field trips and shows. The Insurance Liaison is responsible for coordination of the policy with the Federation's insurance carrier. 1. SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES: The Insurance Liaison maintains contact with the Federation's insurance carrier; periodically contacts other carriers to insure that the Federation is receiving competitive rates; sends annual policy renewal notices to all member Clubs and Societies; receives insurance payments from member Clubs and Societies; forwards all payments to the Treasurer; insures that the carrier issues a proof of insurance to all paid-up member Clubs and Societies concerning Federation insurance policies; performs other duties at the direction of the President. F. LONG RANGE PLANNING AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE: 1. LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE: The committee shall be made up of the most recent three Federation Past Presidents, and any others the President may think necessary, with a rotating membership. The Immediate Past President shall be added to the Committee each year and after having served on the committee for two years, shall become senior member and Chairman, retiring from the committee at the end of his/her term as Chairman. A vacancy on the committee will be filled by another Past President, appointed by the President. This committee should anticipate needs, adjustments, and solutions to problems. The Committee should meet as needed, but not less than once a year. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The Advisory members of this committee shall be composed of all the Past Presidents including the three immediate Presidents on the Long Range Committee. They shall serve as an advisory committee to the President, if the President so desires, in making new decisions or making new policies to be in-line with what was done in the past history of the Federation. G. NOMINATING COMMITTEE: It shall be the duty of the Officers, following their election at the Annual Meeting to appoint the Nominating Committee, which shall consist of the immediate Past President, one (1) selected State Director, three (3) selected Federation members and one (1) alternate. The immediate Past President shall act as Committee Chairman. If the new Officers cannot appoint this Committee before the close of the Annual Meeting because of the time required, they shall be appointed at the earliest possible time and announced through the Federation Newsletter. DUTIES: The Nominating Committee shall work together by mail or otherwise. Upon notification by the Chairman, each member of the Nominating Committee shall submit to the Chairman in writing, a list of nominees which shall be one (1) nominee for each elective office to be filled. Such selected nominees shall have been investigated as to their eligibility and ability to fulfill the positions so required of them. The nominees shall signify their willingness to accept the nomination and if elected, perform all duties as may be prescribed by the Federation Constitution and By-Laws. 1. It shall be the duty of the Chairman, upon receipt of the list of nominees submitted by the members of the Committee to forward a consolidated ballot of all nominees whereby each Committee member shall make a final selection of nominees for the offices to be filled. 2. The Chairman shall tally the final ballots submitted and this tally shall constitute the official slate. 3. The official slate shall be sent, in writing, to all member Clubs and Societies sixty (60) days prior to the next Annual Meeting by publication in the SFMS Newsletter, "The Lodestar". 4. The official slate shall be read by the Chairman to the Annual Meeting and at which time nominations may be made from the floor. 5. If more than one (1) person is nominated for any Office, the voting must be done by secret ballot. 6. If the Slate of Officers submitted by the Nominating Committee is uncontested, the Federation Secretary shall be instructed to cast a unanimous ballot for the proposed slate submitted by the Nominating Committee. H. PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE: 1. MEMBERS: The members of this Committee shall consist of a Chairman and one (1) or more members as the Chairman and President deem necessary to do the work assigned. 2. DUTIES: The duties of the Publications Committee are as follows: (a) The Publications Committee shall receive copies of any publication authorized by the Executive Board and determine whether such copies are properly prepared for publication. If copies are not properly written and prepared for publication they shall be returned to the originating source for correction. If copies are judged suitable for printing and publication the Committee shall contract for the publication by an acceptable printer at an acceptable price. (b) The Publication Committee shall develop an acceptable format and preparation instructions for printing Federation publications, and shall make them available to all persons and committees who need them. (c) The Committee shall develop information on acceptable printing firms which will be approved for this work. I. SAFETY COMMITTEE: 1. MEMBERS: The Safety Committee shall consist of a Chairman and as many members as the Chairman and the President may determine are needed to carry out the work of this Committee. 2. DUTIES: The Safety Committee shall promote safe standards and practices in all activities of the hobby, whether indoors in Lapidary work or outdoors on field trips. The Committee shall furnish articles on safety to the Federation Newsletter, and to Club or Society bulletins and should encourage their publication. This committee shall promote Slide Programs and other programs on safety for the use of the Federation Clubs and Societies. 3. MANUALS: The Safety Committee should work towards the preparation of a Safety Manual which could be published by the Federation. J. SLIDE PROGRAMS COMMITTEE: It shall be the duty of this Committee to maintain the Federation Slide Programs and Video Tapes and distribute these programs or tapes to the member Clubs and Societies when properly requested. The Chairman shall send a confirmation form in advance of the "Date Wanted" to those requesting Slide Programs or Video Tapes. This Committee may trade Slide Programs or Video Tapes with other Federations and/or education institutions by means of copies on a permanent basis, and shall review all new programs and tapes received prior to releasing them to the member Clubs and Societies. 1. FILES: The Chairman shall maintain master files of the original programs and tapes and all forms used to effectively promote these programs and tapes. 2. DUPLICATION: The Committee shall, by duplication, keep a reserve of program scripts, Slide Programs, and Video Tapes available from Southeast Federation, and all other forms, labels, etc., required for use. 3. REVIEWS: The Chairman shall prepare a review of added slide programs and video tapes and submit this review to the Editor for publication in the SFMS Newsletter. It shall be the duty of the Chairman to keep an account of the Committee expenditures and to regularly submit these expenditures to the Treasurer for reimbursement. Any requirement for funds shall be requested by the Chairman and submitted to the Treasurer who shall include this request in the Annual Budget of the Federation. 4. TRANSFER OF SLIDE PROGRAMS AND VIDEO TAPES: The Chairman shall transfer all material and records to his/her successor and shall be responsible for the proper packing and security of the shipment. He/she shall notify the successor the expected date of arrival. The Chairman should execute promptly the transfer in order to avoid disruption in the Slide and Video programs. K. SUPPLIES COMMITTEE: This Committee shall be responsible for ordering and keeping on hand a supply of all items that the Federation may have for distribution or sale to members, such as lapel pins, car emblems, arm patches, booklets, manuals, Federation stationery, copies of the Constitution and By-Laws, etc.. 1. The Chairman shall keep an itemized account of all items ordered and delivered and shall submit to the Treasurer, fifteen (15) days prior to the Annual Meeting, a statement reflecting transactions from the beginning of the fiscal year to the approximate date of the meeting. 2. Any accumulation of surplus funds shall be transmitted to the Treasurer for deposit. L. UNIFORM RULES COMMITTEE: This Committee shall be composed of three (3) members and shall perform the duties as follows: 1. This Committee shall act in close cooperation with the Exhibits Chairman of the Host Club or Society in making revisions and/or adjustments of the Uniform Rules adequate to the needs of the exhibitors. 2. It shall be the duty of this Committee to administer a program for qualification of judges and clerks, and shall have the authority to qualify individuals competent to perform the duties as judges and clerks. 3. The Chairman of this Committee shall maintain a list of individuals qualified to judge and clerk. This list shall contain the name, address, applicable division or divisions in which the person is qualified to judge or clerk, and this list shall be published each year in the SFMS Directory. 4. The Committee shall formulate and maintain adequate rules to govern the eligibility and competition for any and all trophies awarded by the Federation, and to procure such awards and all materials necessary for the conduction of competing for them. A copy of these rules for use at all Federation Shows shall be sent to member Clubs and Societies at least three (3) months prior to the date of the Show scheduled for that calendar year. The Committee shall prepare an estimate of the awards and/or materials and present this estimate for approval by the Executive Board, and shall limit the expenditures to the amount authorized. M. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: The Ways and Means Committee shall be the guardian of resources of the Federation. 1. COMMITTEE MEMBERS: The Ways and Means Committee shall consist of a Chairman appointed by the President, the Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer of the Federation. (a) The Ways and Means Committee shall continually examine the income and expenditures of the Federation. It shall make recommendations to the Executive Board regarding dues, special assessments and other sources of income. (b) This Committee, jointly with the President, shall prepare the yearly budget showing estimated expenditures for the coming year, versus estimated receipts. (c) Any requests for the expenditures of money by the Federation for unbudgeted items shall be referred by the President to the Ways and Means Committee for their analysis and recommendations before action is taken by the Executive Board for approval or rejection. (d) The Ways and Means Committee shall make recommendations to the Executive Board for the disposition and/or expenditure of financial contributions and donations made to the Federation by any Club, Society, organization, or individual. In preparing its recommendations, the Committee will honor the specific request of the donor as to disposition of such funds to the extent possible, consistent with the objectives and financial needs of the Federation. N. STAMP COMMITTEE: 1. The Stamp Committee Chairman will be appointed by the President for a one year tenure, to be renewed each year by the incoming President, if so desired. This committee will be composed of the Committee Chair, SFMS Treasurer, and SFMS Assistant Treasurer. 2. All stamps will be forwarded from Federation members to the Stamp Committee Chairman, who will have sole responsibility for the determination of stamp values and the most profitable use of these stamps. The Chairman will also have the authority to discard any stamps not considered of value. 3. Any profits realized by this voluntary action of Federation members and the Stamp Committee Chairman will be transferred from that Committee to the SFMS Treasurer. This transfer will be by check, money order, or by any method which will provide a paper trail for audit. These funds will be used exclusively for scholarships to attend SFMS Workshops. 4. Winners of scholarships must be active members from SFMS member Clubs. Clubs must contribute stamps to the program to participate. Clubs which participate in the program will have their club name entered in the drawing in accordance with the procedure outlined in par. 5. (D). Winners will be selected at the Annual Meeting the following year. The number of winners each year will be determined by the amount of money received from the sale of stamps. 5. The SFMS Stamp Committee shall: A. When the stamps are received, weigh them and log in the date, amount and sender. B. Trim off any excess paper and discard any unusable stamps, weigh them again and change the recorded weight if necessary. C. Annually after September 1st, total each club weight donated during the last 12 months and total donations. Obtain each clubs percentage of the total. Record the club with the highest percent and calculate the average percent. D. On or about 30 days prior to the SFMS Annual Meeting each participating club will be notified of the number of times their club will be submitted into the drawing for a scholarship (the club with the highest percent, 4 times , the above average clubs, 3 times, the below average clubs, 2 times. NOTE: See other side of this page. 6. The Stamp Committee Chairman will include all results of this work in report form to the Annual Meeting. O. YOUTH RESOURCES 1. The Youth Resources Chairman will be appointed by the President for a one year term, to be renewed in future years by the incoming President, if so desired 2. It shall be the duty of the Youth Resources Committee to promote and help maintain the interest of our junior members in mineral and fossil collecting, earth science , and the lapidary arts. This shall be accomplished in the following ways: (a) Regularly informing the Federation's membership concerning their ideas and opportunities for our junior leaders through articles in the Lodestar and other means, (b) Offering advice to clubs and individuals wishing to initiate, maintain, or promote Junior clubs in our Federation, (c) Administering the Chris Wright Workshop Scholarship Program for Juniors, (d) Serving as SFMS liaison with the AFMS Youth Programs Committee. P. WEBMASTER: The Webmaster shall build , edit, and maintain the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. website on the world wide web for the information of the members and the general public. Q. SOCIAL ACTIONS COMMITTEE 1. The Social Actions Committee Chair will be appointed by the President for a one year tenure, to be renewed by the incoming President, if so desired. This committee will be composed of The Social Actions Chair and two others that are selected by the Social Actions Chair, if desired. 2. The Social Actions Committee will be the Federation's central point of contact when a person who has been active in the operation of the Federation is taken seriously ill or passes away. Member clubs will contact the Chair when an event occurs that requires the Committee's attention. 3. The duties of the Committee Chair will be to notify the Federation President, others so directed by the President and to send the family of the individual a card recognizing their situation. In the case of the passing of a person, the Chair will send flowers and a card. If the family requests donations instead of flowers, the Chair will comply (up to a limit of $50 per occurrence). R. FIELD TRIP COMMITTEE 1. MEMBERSHIP: This committee shall be composed of a Chairman and as many other members as the chairman and the President determines are necessary to conduct the Field Trip Committee operations. 2. RELATIONS: This committee shall encourage all clubs and societies that are active and in good standing within the SFMS and who have provided their members with field trip liability insurance, the ability to participate in organized field trips. 3. DUTIES: To collect field trip information from SFMS clubs and societies; schedule and coordinate field trip dates; disseminate field trip details so that SFMS clubs and societies may publish this information as one of their "official" scheduled field trips. ARTICLE X MEMBER CLUBS AND ASSIGNMENTS Section 1. RESPONSIBILITIES: It shall be the responsibility of each Club and Society to perform the prescribed duties outlined for them in the Federation Constitution and By-Laws. A. CREDENTIALS: Each member Club or Society shall notify the Federation Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the names and addresses of its Director (Club or Society President) and its Delegate, and their Alternates, who are entitled to exercise power during the meeting. Section 2. MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY: It shall be the duty of the Federation to maintain communication with the affiliated Clubs and Societies. It shall be the responsibility of affiliated Clubs and Societies to provide the Federation Secretary with names and addresses of their Officers, the mailing address of their Club or Society, and the time and place of their meetings. ARTICLE XI EMERGENCY PROVISIONS Section 1. In the event of any national disaster, such as hurricane, fire, or an earthquake; or in the event of war, or lack of transportation should cause the cancellation of a schedule Executive Board or Annual Meeting, the business of the Federation may be conducted by the Executive Board until such time as an Annual Meeting can be held. In such an emergency the limiting provisions of these By-Laws may be waived by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board. ARTICLE XII AMENDMENTS Section 1. AMENDMENTS TO THESE BY-LAWS: These By-Laws may be altered, amended, supplemented, or repealed as outlined in the Constitution, Article X. The proposed amendment must be submitted in writing and include the name of the party or parties proposing the amendment, together with an explanation of why the amendment is proposed and must be sent so as to be in the hands of the By-Laws Committee at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting. ARTICLE XIII Section 1. The President of the Federation will appoint an ad-hoc committee every five (5) years, beginning in the year 2000, to review the Southeast Federation Constitution and By-Laws. This will not prevent individual Clubs or Federation Officers from submitting proposals at any time. A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MAYO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AS A DIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES, INC. Approved May 3, 1980 The Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., shall establish an Educational Foundation to be known as the Mayo Educational Foundation, for the purpose of financially aiding qualified young men and women to acquire advanced academic degrees in Earth Sciences, and to provide financing for other educational projects of exceptionally meritorious value that may be approved by the members and Directors of the Foundation. The Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., shall so organize the Foundation that it becomes a division of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., to be separately incorporated, to have its own By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation apart from the Federation; such By-Laws to be formed and published by the Board of Directors of the Southeast Federation. The members of this Corporation, herein referred to as the Mayo Educational Foundation, shall consist of the Executive Officers, the Administrative Officers, Directors of the Federation, the Past President, and the immediate Past President of the Southeast Federation, and the President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Foundation. The Board of Directors of the Foundation shall be elected by the members of the Foundation at their Annual Meeting. One Director shall be the President of the Federation, and all other Directors may be, but need not be, from among the members of the Foundation. The Board of Directors of the Foundation shall elect the President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Foundation, who may be, but need not be, members of the Board of Directors, but all Officers shall be members in good standing of Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. All elections shall be in accordance with the By-Laws of the Foundation. Annual Reports shall be made by the Foundation to the Southeast Federation at the Annual Meeting of the Federation. BY-LAWS THE MAYO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC. ARTICLE I MEMBERS Section 1. MEMBERS: The members of this Corporation, hereinafter referred to as the Foundation, shall consist of all the Officers, all the Directors, and the immediate Past President of the Southeast Federation. ARTICLE II BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1. CONTROL OF THE FOUNDATION: Except as otherwise required by law or these By-Laws, the control of the Foundation and its affairs and property shall be vested in its Board of Directors. Section 2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Board of Directors shall consist of seven (7) Directors, two (2) Designated and five (5) elected by the members of the foundation at their Annual Meeting. One (1) Director shall be the President of SFMS and one (1) Director shall be the Chairman of the Education Committee. Five (5) Directors may be, but not need be, elected from the members of the corporation. They shall be elected for a term of one (1) year, which shall begin on the first day of the fiscal year following their election and terminate on the last day of that same fiscal year or until their successors are elected. All elected Directors may succeed themselves in office. No two (2) members of the same family shall be Elected, Designated, or Appointed to serve on the Board of Directors at the same time. Section 3. VACANCY: If any vacancy occurs, the members may elect a successor to fill such a vacancy for the balance of the term. Such election may be by mail ballot, at the direction of the SFMS President. ARTICLE III OFFICERS Section 1. ELECTIONS: The Directors shall elect a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, together with such other Officers as the Board deems necessary for the operation and control of the Foundation. They shall hold office for two (2) years and their respective terms of office shall commence on the first day of the fiscal year following their election and shall terminate on the last day of the second fiscal year following their elections, or until their successors are elected and qualify. Section 2. PRESIDENT: The President shall be the principal Executive Officer of the Foundation and subject to the directives of the Board, shall have the general management of its affairs. He/she shall preside at meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors of this Foundation. Section 3. VICE-PRESIDENT: The Vice-President shall be the President of SFMS. He/she shall assume the duties of the President of this Foundation in the event the elected President is unable to do so. Section 4. MEMBERS: Except for the Vice-President, the Officers may be, but need not be, members of the Board of Directors. All must personally be members in good standing of SFMS. All may succeed themselves in office. Section 5. VACANCY: If any vacancy occurs, the Board shall elect a successor to fill such vacancy for the balance of the term. Such election may be by mail ballot at the direction of the Foundation President. ARTICLE IV COMPENSATION Section 1. COMPENSATION: No Officer shall receive, directly or indirectly, any salary, compensation, or emolument from the Foundation. The Foundation may, however, pay compensation to employees or agents who are not members, Directors, or Officers of the Foundation, provided such payment is first approved beforehand by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE V FISCAL YEAR Section 1. FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year of the Foundation shall commence on January first (1) and end on December thirty-first (31) of each year. ARTICLE VI MEETINGS Section 1. ANNUAL MEETING: The regular Annual Meeting of the members shall be held at the same time and meeting place as the SFMS Annual Meeting of the Federation. No notices of regular meetings shall be required. Section 2. REPORT: The Board of Directors shall present to the SFMS Annual Meeting a report, verified by the President of the Foundation and the Treasurer, or by a majority of the Directors, showing the whole amount of real and personal property owned by the Foundation, where located and where and how invested, the amount and nature of the property acquired since the date of its last such report, and the purposes, objects or persons to or for which applications, appropriations, or expenditures have been made. Such reports shall be filed with the records of the Foundation and a copy shall be presented to the SFMS for its use. Section 3. AUDIT: The President of the SFMS shall appoint two (2) qualified members of SFMS other than members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, to act as auditors, who shall examine the annual report referred to in this Article, and express their opinion thereon. Section 4. QUORUM: A quorum shall consist of a majority of all members. No proxy or absentee votes shall be accepted at the Annual Meeting. Section 5. TIME OF MEETING: The regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately prior to or immediately after the Annual Meeting of members of SFMS. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Directors. No notice of any regular meetings shall be required. Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings of the Foundation members or the Board of Directors may be held in emergency situations. Such meetings shall be called by the President of the Foundation after approval by the Directors. Notices of all special meetings shall be mailed to each member of the Foundation or to each Director, as the case may be, stating the date, place, and time of the meeting and the purposes and objectives of the meeting. Such notices shall be mailed so as to reach the members and Directors at least two (2) weeks before the meeting date. Due to the distances involved special "Meetings by Mail" shall set a date for a final vote and decision on the question involved. ARTICLE VII FINANCES Section 1. FUNDS: The funds of the Foundation shall be deposited or kept with a bank or banking institution doing business in the city of the Treasurer. Such funds or other values may be re-invested only as a "prudent man" upon the order or orders of such Officers as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. At no time shall such funds or values be invested in speculative ventures. Section 2. SIGNATURES ON CHECKS: All checks for the withdrawal of funds must have two (2) signatures - those of the President and the Treasurer. The signatures of the SFMS President shall also be authorized, for use in emergencies, with that of either of the two (2) Officers named above. Such emergency signatures shall be the lawful signature of the Foundation on any and all checks. Section 3. EXPENDING OF FUNDS: No funds of the Foundation are to be expended for any purpose without the approval of the Board of Directors of the Foundation; however, such approval may be had through the medium of a predetermined and pre-approved budget. ARTICLE IX COMMITTEES Section 1. COMMITTEES: Committees may be appointed by the Board of Directors to carry out procedures and objectives desired in the raising of funds and for other purposes. ARTICLE X PURPOSES AND ACTIVITIES Section 1. DETAILS OF OPERATION: Details of operation, not included in the Articles of Incorporation or in the By-Laws of the Foundation, that are of a continuing nature, may be authorized and reduced to writing, by order of the Board, and such writings, to be known as the Operating Procedures, shall be binding upon both current and succeeding administrations until amended, suspended, or rescinded by action of the Board. Section 2. AWARD, GRANT, SCHOLARSHIP: Should it appear desirable, in the opinion of the Board, to present an Award, Grant, or Scholarship in Earth Sciences, and the funds of the Foundation are deemed sufficient to permit such award, an Operating Procedures shall be instituted, and performed, the same to comply with Article IX (of SFMS) Constitution, quoted as follows: THE MAYO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC. In order to more nearly carry out the purpose and objects of this Federation, as set forth in Article II, this Federation, shall establish an Educational Foundation to be known as the Mayo Educational Foundation for the purpose of providing financial aid to qualified junior, senior, or graduate students to acquire advanced academic degrees in Earth Sciences, and/or provide financing for other educational projects of exceptionally meritorious value that may be approved by the members and Directors of the Foundation. The Federation shall so organize the Mayo Educational Foundation that it becomes a division of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., to be separately incorporated and have its own By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation apart from the Federation; such By-Laws to be formed and published by the Board of Directors of the Southeast Federation. |
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The Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. Send e-mail to: sfms@amfed.org |
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