CONSTITUTION of the OHIO GOURD SOCIETY, INC.      

BETA CHAPTER of the AMERICAN GOURD SOCIETY, INC.

Organized November 1946

Revised April 1985, April 1986, June 1998, April 2016

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1.             The name of this organization shall be the “OHIO GOURD SOCIETY, INC.” Beta Chapter of the “American Gourd Society, Inc.” Hereinafter it shall be referred to as the Society.

Section 2.             Official acronym for the Society shall be “OGS.”

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

Section 1.             This Society is organized as a non-profit corporation with the purpose of promoting the growing and crafting of gourds, as well as conducting the annual “Ohio Gourd Show.”

Section 2.             The OGS is educational in nature and will accomplish the purpose defined in Section 1. by encouraging and supporting presentations, displays, and seminars by OGS Members, providing educational resources for maximum exchange of gourd related ideas and information, and cultivation and crafting techniques.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP  

Section 1.             Membership is open to anyone interested in Gourds and from whom the appropriate membership fees have been received.

Section 2.             Members of a family residing at the same address shall be covered by a single membership.

Section 3.             Adult members (eighteen years of age or older) are entitled to vote and hold an office.

Section 4.             Members of the OGS must also be members of the “American Gourd Society, Inc.”

ARTICLE IV – DUES

Section 1.             Annual dues in the OGS shall be proposed by the Executive Board and approved by the majority vote of the members attending a OGS Meeting.

Section 2.             Changes in dues will take effect immediately and apply to the next dues payment required of a member due the 1st day of January each year.

 

 

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Section 1.             The officers shall consist of – President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer & Asst. Treasurer, Historian, Show Chairperson, Publicity Chairperson, Asst. Publicity person and two (2) Directors.

Section 2.             Officers shall be elected at the Spring Meeting of the OGS in odd-numbered years, and shall serve two-year terms. Elected Officers begin serving their term on January 1st following the Spring Meeting. All Officers shall turn over records, papers, files and other pertinent information to their elected successors.

ARTICLE VI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.             The PRESIDENT shall preside at all meetings of the OGS and Executive Board. The President shall discharge normal leadership duties at all meetings and shall cast a vote only in the case of a tie. The President shall be the OGS’s representative to all organizations and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. The President may appoint a substitute representative to assume any or all of these responsibilities.

Section 2.             The 1st VICE PRESIDENT shall perform the duties of the President in the absence, disability, or resignation of the President. The 1st Vice president shall chair the auditing committee.

Section 3.             The 2nd VICE PRESIDENT shall perform the duties of the President in the absence, disability, or resignation of the President and 1st Vice President.

Section 4.             The RECORDING SECRETARY shall keep full records of the business and proceedings of the OGS and Executive Board meetings. The Recording Secretary shall notify the Executive Board of all meetings by email or other appropriate means and shall perform other duties as required by the Executive Board.

Section 5.             The MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY shall keep an up to date list of the OGS Membership and shall notify members when their membership expires via email or other appropriate means. All funds collected shall be transmitted to the Treasurer. The Membership Secretary shall provide the editor of the Gourd Greetings newsletter and/or members of the Executive Board a current address list as required for mailings to OGS members.

Section 6.             The TREASURER shall pay all disbursements in the name of the OGS and shall prepare reports of receipts and disbursements for all meetings of the OGS and Executive Board. The OGS may require that the Treasurer be bonded in which case it will pay for such bonding.

Section 7.             The ASST. TREASURER shall assist the Treasurer in all duties assigned to the Treasurer and be able to take over as Treasurer in the absence, or resignation of the Treasurer.

Section 8.             The HISTORIAN shall keep a scrapbook of pictures, news clippings, etc., that tell of the activities and accomplishments of the OGS and its members.

Section 9.             The SHOW CHAIRPERSON shall plan, organize, coordinate and evaluate the Annual Ohio Gourd Show with assistance from committees appointed by the PRESIDENT. The Show Chairperson shall also appoint a OGS member to purchase and inventory OGS souvenirs.

Section 10.          The DIRECTORS shall provide advice and counsel to the other officers and shall be a conduit for collecting ideas and comments from the membership.

Section 11.          The PUBLICITY CHAIRPERSON shall prepare for printing and distribute the Annual OGS Brochure and notify all Newspapers, Magazines, Travel Bureaus, TV, Radio, and Multimedia – Facebook etc. about our annual show each year with a PRESS RELEASE. The Publicity Chairperson may delegate any of the previously mention duties or tasks as they feel necessary to other board members or OGS members.

Section 12.          The ASST. PUBLICITY PERSON shall assist the Publicity person in all duties assigned to the Publicity person and be able to take over as Publicity person in the absence, or resignation of the Publicity person.

ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.             The above stated officers (President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice president, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Asst. Treasurer, Historian, Show Chairperson, Publicity Chairperson, Asst. Publicity person, two Directors are voting members of the Executive Board. The Immediate Past President of the OGS shall be voting member of the Executive Board. By simple majority vote, the Board may recognize other members and give them the privilege of the floor at Board meetings.

Section 2.             In the event of a vacancy or non-fulfillment of duties of a Board Member, the Executive Board shall appoint a replacement officer to fill an unexpired term.

Section 3.             The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the President or any three Board members, and shall have authority to conduct the business of the OGS.

Section 4.             The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget of projected income and expenditures for presentation and approval of the Board. The Society will operate on a fiscal year beginning on January 1st.

ATRICLE VIII – COMMITTEES

Section 1.             The President shall annually appoint an Auditing Committee to consist of two OGS members. The committee shall audit all treasurer records for the fiscal year, verify account balances, and report findings at the Spring Meeting following the close of the fiscal year.

Section 2.             A Nominating Committee shall be appointed every other year to consist of three OGS members who are not serving as officers in the OGS. The Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees and contact each nominee to verify willingness to serve if elected. The Committee shall be responsible for preparing the ballots, conducting elections, and tabulating votes.

Section 3.             A Ways and Means Committee shall be appointed annually and shall consist of three or more members. The Committee shall be responsible to provide plans and activities to supplement the income of the OGS. All plans and activities must be approved by the Executive Board.

Section 5.             The President, with assistance of the two Vice Presidents shall appoint additional committees from the membership as necessary to carry out the business of the OGS. All committees must be approved by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS

Section 1.             An annual meeting of all members of the OGS shall be held in the spring of each year at which time committee reports will be received and officers shall be elected in their off year.

Section 2.             A fall meeting of the OGS will be held in conjunction with the annual Ohio Gourd Show. Limited business to come to the floor at the fall meeting may include constitutional issues, dues and membership issues, and new business brought by the members.

Section 3.             A post show meeting consisting of the Executive Board and OGS Show Committee members shall be held before December 31st of each year to review the annual OGS Show along with any other pertinent OGS business to come before the membership.

Section 4.            Roberts Rule of Order shall govern all meetings of the OGS and Executive Board.

ARTICLE X – ANNUAL SHOW

Section 1.             The Annual Ohio Gourd Show shall be held on dates and locations as approved by the Executive Board. Any permanent location changes shall be voted upon by the entire OGS membership by mailing numbered ballots.

Section 2.             The Show Chairperson shall be authorized to appoint committees and individuals to conduct activities necessary specifically to the conduct of the Ohio Gourd Show with approval of the President and two other Executive Board Members.

ARTICLE XI – AMENDMENTS

Section 1.             Amendments or alterations to the constitution shall be presented only at the Spring and Fall meetings of the entire OGS. A majority vote of those present is required for adoption. Any amendment shall be presented to the entire membership prior to the meeting.

Section 2.             Amendments to the Constitution may be drafted by the Executive Board appointed committee for presentation to the membership. Overtures to amend the constitution may also be submitted by individuals at the OGS meetings with a simple majority vote. If accepted for consideration by the membership, the overture shall be referred to the Executive Board for analysis, discussion, and public notification prior to a ratification at the next meeting.

ARTICLE XII – QUORUM

Section 1.             A quorum for the Society meetings will consist of the majority of officers and voting members in attendance.

Section 2.             A quorum for Executive Board meetings will consist of a majority of the Board members.

Section 3.             Meetings which do not have a quorum may meet as a committee of the whole to coordinate activities and to discuss issues and business before the society, however, no action may be taken on motions. All action items from the meeting must come to the next Board meeting as recommendations. Minutes from a committee of the whole meeting must be read and approved by the executive Board.