Putney Historical Society, Inc.
Incorporated September 21, 1959
By-Laws (as amended August 14, 1994)
Article 1—Membership and dues
Sec. 1: Any person interested in the purpose of the Putney, Vt., Historical Society who applies for membership and tenders the necessary dues shall thereby become a member.
Sec. 2: Classifications of membership and amount of dues shall be decided by the Board of Directors.
Sec. 3: Dues are payable by August first, which shall be the beginning of our fiscal year. Present life memberships will be honored.
Article 2—Meetings
Sec. 1: The annual meeting of the Society shall be held in the month of August or later at the discretion of the board of directors.
Sec. 2: Other meetings may be called by the president or the board of directors.
Sec. 3: The board of directors shall meet whenever they feel it appropriate.
Article 3—Officers and Board of Directors
Sec. 1: The officers of this Society shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer, who shall be elected for a term of one year; and from three to nine directors who shall be elected for three years. When appropriate, however, a term may be of one year, so that the terms of approximately one third of the directors will expire in each of the three ensuing years.
Sec. 2: The officers and directors shall constitute the board of directors.
Article 4—Election of Officers and Directors
Sec. 1: All officers and directors shall be elected at the annual meeting.
Sec. 2: A committee on nominations shall be appointed by the board of directors prior to the annual meeting, and shall submit to the annual meeting a slate of officers and directors for election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, and shall be added to the slate of candidates upon affirmative vote of a majority of members present at the annual meeting.
Sec. 3: Officers and directors shall take office at the end of the annual meeting, and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected. In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer or director, except the president, the vacancy may be filled for any unexpired term of office by a vote of the board of directors.
Article 5—Duties of Officers and Directors
Sec. 1: The president shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society within the scope provided by these by-laws. The president shall preside at all meetings, report annually on the activities of the Society, appoint the chairpersons of committees with the approval of the board of directors.
Sec. 2: The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in case of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the president.
Sec. 3: The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the Society and of the board of directors, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report. The secretary shall also acknowledge all gifts to the collections of the Society.
Sec. 4: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the funds of the Society and for maintaining adequate financial records. The Treasurer shall deposit all monies received with a reliable banking company in the name of the Putney Historical Society, Inc.; shall pay bills as authorized by the board of directors; shall collect dues and render an annual report.
Sec. 5: The board of directors shall have the power to conduct all affairs of the Society. It shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the Society, and perform such other functions as designated in the by-laws or otherwise assigned to it. The board of directors shall have the power to authorize the treasurer to pay bills. At any meeting of the board of directors, five members shall constitute a quorum. The board of directors will elect its own chairman, and through the chairman, shall render an annual report at each annual meeting.
Article 5—Committees
Sec. 1: The Society may have the following Committees:
Library Committee: responsible for receiving, collecting, cataloguing, the care, arrangement, and repair of books, manuscripts, newspapers and other historical source material.
Museum Committee: responsible for receiving, collecting, cataloguing, cleaning, repair and storage of historic objects; for arranging museum exhibits, and the correct historic interpretation of those exhibits; for the care and upkeep of museum quarters.
Publications and Publicity Committee: responsible for finding ways and means of publishing joint or individual research studies; for a newsletter to members; for publicity; for staging radio and television programs.
Historic Sites Committee: responsible for establishing the historical validity of sites proposed for marking; for marking historical sites; for arranging historical tours.
Program Committee: responsible for arranging suitable programs; for setting time, place and date of meetings.
Membership Committee: responsible for membership drives.
Ways and Means Committee: responsible for plans to raise sums of money, in addition to membership dues, for the support of the Society.
Sec. 2: Chairmen of these committees may choose members of their respective committees.
Sec. 3: Special committees may be appointed by the president as needed.
Article 6—Amendment
This constitution may be amended at any regular or adjourned meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided written notice, together with a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments, has been given to all members at least twenty days before the date of the meeting. Or they may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with such notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the board of directors.
Article 7—Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Society except in such cases as are governed by the constitution or by-laws.