Bylaws of the NSQG

ARTICLE 1 – NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1: This organization shall be known as Northwest Suburban Quilters Guild, Incorporated, and hereafter called “the Guild.”
Section 2: The Guild is incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit corporation.
Section 3: The purpose of the Guild shall be to foster the art of quilting and to encourage a high standard of design and technique in all of quilting’s various forms.
Section 4: The Guild shall be nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian.
Section 5: The official NSQG logo will be Grandmother’s Fan.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Eligibility: Any person with a serious interest in the art of quilting shall be eligible for membership upon payment of the annual dues.
Section 2: DUES: Membership dues shall be at such rate, schedule, or formula as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors and approved by the general membership. The fiscal year shall run from July 1 of any year through June 30 of the following year. Deadline for payment of renewal membership dues, shall be determined by the Board of Directors. If membership is not filled as of March 1, dues for new members will be reduced to one-half the regular rate to extend to June 30 of that year.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS, BOARD AND COMMITTEES
Section 1: OFFICERS: Officers shall consist of a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Contract Chairperson and Treasurer.

Section 2: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
A. PRESIDENT: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Guild, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Board; shall be ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee; shall appoint all committees not herein otherwise provided for; shall be bonded; and shall perform such other duties which are incidental to the office.
B. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: The First Vice-President shall, in the absence of the President, perform the duties of the President. The first vice-President shall also serve as the Chairperson for the Program Committee, with all of the duties, which pertain thereto.
C. SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT: The Second Vice-President shall, in the absence of both the President and First Vice-President, perform all of the duties of the President. The Second Vice-President shall also serve as Chairperson to the Membership Committee, performing all the duties, which pertain thereto.
D. RECORDING SECRETARY: The recording secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board, board of Directors, and general membership, and assume all duties usual to the office.
E. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct general correspondence as required, and shall serve as the Chairperson for the Newsletter Committee.
F. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall be bonded and act as a custodian of the funds and present an itemized account of receipts and disbursements at each business meeting. The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping all financial records having to do with the Guild and shall be responsible for remitting dues and other financial obligations to any organizations with which the Guild is affiliated. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment of all services rendered by any individual who has been engaged by the Guild. The Treasurer shall follow the regulations with respect to the operation of a non-profit, educational organization and helps to prepare an annual budget. Either the Treasurer, or the President, may sign checks. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds to the credit of the Guild in such banks or other depositories as the Executive Board deems fit. A person selected by the Board shall perform an annual audit. That person may not include the Treasurer or any relative of the Treasurer or President. The Treasurer shall present the books for the audit within 45 days of the close of the fiscal year.
G. CONTRACT CHAIRPERSON: Consulting with the Program Committee, the Contracts Chairperson shall plan future monthly programs for the Guild. The Contract Chairperson shall be responsible for corresponding with prospective speakers, contracting speakers with Board approval, preparing the program schedule and estimating a budget.

Section 3: ELECTION OF OFFICERS: The officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of the members and shall serve a term of one year. No member of the Executive Board shall serve more than two consecutive terms in one office or more than four consecutive terms as an elected officer serving in any position or combination of more than four consecutive terms as an elected officer serving in any position or combination of positions. In the event there are no candidates for an elected position, the current officer may be elected for a third term upon the approval of the membership. The candidate for the office of the President shall have served on the Board of Directors or held a service position. Unexpired terms shall be filled to their expiration date by presidential appointment with the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 4: NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The Nominating Committee shall consist of the five (5) members chosen as follows: The President will appoint one Board member and two members from the general membership. the additional two members to serve on the committee will be selected at the February meeting b the general membership. At least 45 days before the scheduled time for the annual meeting, the Nominating Committee shall make and report to the Corresponding Secretary one or more nominations for each office to be elected at the annual meeting. Upon receipt of the slate, the Corresponding Secretary shall notify the general membership in writing at least one month prior to the May meeting.
A. Each candidate must be an active member in good standing and must have agreed to accept the responsibilities of that position. further nominations may be made from the floor at the time of the election.

Section 5: EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the Guild.

Section 6: BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Board of Directors of the corporation shall consist of all members of the Executive Board, Chairpersons of the standing committees, Service Chairpersons, and the immediate Past President. The Board of Directors shall manage the affairs of the Guild and Shall present major recommendations for the approval of the membership. Each position will maintain a position folder to include position responsibilities, general information and guidelines. This position folder must be passed to their replacement before, at aor just after the Executive Board’s Annual Meeting.

Section 7: STANDING COMMITTEES: The Chairpersons of the standing committees shall be appointed by the president, except as otherwise stated, with the approval of the Executive Board and shall serve a term of one year. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall fill unexpired terms through appointment.
A. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: The Membership Committee will be responsible for soliciting and registering new members, collecting guest fees, collecting annual dues, maintaining the membership lists, and providing directories to the entire membership. The Second Vice President chairs this committee.
B. NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE: The Newsletter Committee will be responsible for keeping the general membership informed of the Guild activities and other quilting related data by way of a newsletter. The Corresponding Secretary chairs this committee.
C. PROGRAM COMMITTEE: The Program Committee will be responsible for planning and executing the programs for the monthly meetings of the general membership. It will also contract and make all arrangement for guest lecturers and teachers. The first Vice President chairs this committee.
D. SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE: the Special Events Committee will be responsible for all special programs and events.
E. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: The Ways and Means Committee will be responsible fo fund raising to supplement the dues in order to provide funds for the Guild programming.
F. QUILT SHOW COMMITTEE: The Quilt Show Committee will be responsible for planning and seeing to fruition the Guild’s Biennial Quilt Show. The period of this chairmanship shall be two years, running from the conclusion of the previous show to the culmination and wrap up of the next show.
G. PARLIAMENTARIAN: The Parliamentarian shall serve as a consultant on Roberts Rules of Order to aid in an orderly running of the meetings. the job of the Parliamentarian shall also include revising the by-laws, as the Board of Directors deems fit.
H. Additional standing committees may be created as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.

Section 8: PAST PRESIDENT: The immediate Past President will act as Advisor to the Board.

Section 9: Service positions such as publicity, hospitality, trips, audiovisual, etcetera, shall be appointed by the President as necessary each year and they may attend all board meetings.

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS
Section 1: REGULAR MEETINGS: Regular meetings of the general membership shall be held monthly, with the exception of December, a total of eleven meetings each year. No children under the age of 14 will be allowed at general meetings.

Section 2: GENERAL MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL MEETING: the annual meeting of the general membership shall be held at the time and place of the regular May meeting, for the purpose of electing officers and conducting such other business as deemed necessary.

Section 3: BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING: Regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held as necessary to manage the affairs of the Guild. All Board meetings are open to members unless designated otherwise. All members of the Board of Directors and Service Committee Chairpersons can vote at Board meetings. The Board sets the meeting dates for Board meetings.

Section 4: EXECUTIVE BOARDS ANNUAL MEETING: There shall be a mandatory joint meeting of the outgoing Executive Board and the incoming Executive Board which will be held shortly after the May election meeting. Incoming and outgoing Executive Board members of the Board of Directors must meet collectively or individually to effect a smooth transition.

Section 5: QUORUM: A quorum for conducting business shall be those present at any given meeting.

Section 6: MAJORITY RULE: A requirement for the passage of any resolution shall be a simple majority of those present at any given meeting.

Section 7: No smoking is allowed at the general meetings. Anyone smoking will have their membership revoked.

ARTICLE V: DISSOLUTION
On dissolution, all remaining funds shall be distributed according to laws as exist at the time of dissolution.

ARTICLE VI: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the final source of authority in all questions of parliamentary procedure. Roberts Rules of Order will govern any situation not covered by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new bylaws adopted at any business meeting of the Guild by two-thirds vote of the majority present. Notification of proposed Bylaw changes shall be made, in writing, at least one month in advance of the voting date.