By-L

ORIGINATED - SEPTEMBER 26, 1982

 

INCORPORATED - DECEMBER 31, 1987

 

 

CONSTITUTION

and

BY-LAWS

 

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REVISED - MARCH 14, 1987

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          REVISED – SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

 

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CONSTITUTION

 

Article I - Name

 

This organization shall be called the Deaf-Blind League of New Jersey, Inc, to be referred to as DBLNJ.

 

Article II - Commencement

 

On August 28, 1982, the New Jersey League of Deaf-Blind, now registered as the Deaf-Blind League of New Jersey, was founded.

 

Article III - Purpose

 

The purpose of DBLNJ, a non-profit beneficial society of visually and auditorily impaired persons and other concerned individuals, will be to encourage it’s members to attend meetings and other social affairs, to help our members become more independent, to share their mutual high spirits, and to give them the pleasure of attending recreational and social activities.

 

Article IV - Membership

 

Section 1

The membership of DBLNJ shall consist of active dues paid members.

 

Section 2

Any individual working to further the purpose of DBLNJ is eligible for membership.

 

Section 3

The membership period shall be from January 1st to December 31st.  However, if a new member joins within the period from January 1st to August 31st, the membership period will renew January 1st of the following year. If a new member joins within the period from September 1st to December 31st, the membership period shall include all of the following year as well.

 

Section 4

To qualify for any discounts on events or activities, a person must be a dues paid member for at least six months prior to the event or activity.

 

Section 5

Privileges of Membership

 

Members are eligible for the following:

 

(A) to participate in all activities and events sponsored by DBLNJ.

 

(B) to attend all DBLNJ general meetings and activities.

 

(C) to vote in any general meetings and elections.

 

(D) to receive all correspondence initiated by DBLNJ.

 

Article V - Officers and the Board of Directors

 

Section 1

The officers of DBLNJ shall be as follows:  President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Parliamentarian with voting privileges. The President may also be a member of all committees but without voting privileges.  All Officers and Board members must be current dues paid members.

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Section 2 

The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers plus at least three active members-at-large, all with voting privileges.

 

Section 3

Any member of the Board of Directors, or any Officer, may be removed from their position for the following reasons:

 

(A) they are found to oppose the goals and purposes of the organization or

 

(B) they failed to carry out the duties of the position or

 

(C) they engaged in any activity unfavorable to the best interests of the organization.

 

Section 4

(A) Any removal action must be by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The person to be removed may not vote.

 

(B) Any person removed from a position on the Board or from Office may appeal at a general meeting for reinstatement to the same position.

 

(C) Reinstatement shall be by a simple majority vote of the members present at that general meeting.

 

Article VI - MEETINGS

 

Section 1

General meetings of DBLNJ shall be held annually in the months of March, May, September and November or at the discretion of the President. If any meeting is cancelled by the President for any reason, it shall be held the following month.

 

Section 2

Meetings of the Board of Directors shall take place whenever determined by the President.

 

Article VII – QUORUMS

 

Section 1

General meeting quorums shall consist of ten percent of the membership. Motions shall be passed by a simple majority of those members present.

 

Section 2

Constitution and By-law amendments shall be passed by a two thirds vote of those members present, after a quorum has been established.

 

Article VIII – DISSOLUTION

 

To dissolve DBLNJ, a special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately preceding a special general meeting which shall be called to order by the President. The Board shall discuss dissolution of DBLNJ and present their proposal for dissolution to the general membership.  Upon an affirmative vote of a simple majority of the Board of Directors and approval by a two thirds vote of the general members of DBLNJ present, and after payment of all liabilities, all remaining assets shall be donated to qualified deaf-blind, blind, or deaf 501 (c) (3) organizations, and DBLNJ shall be dissolved.

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BY-LAWS

 

Article I – FISCAL YEAR

Section 1

The fiscal year of DBLNJ shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th of the following year.

 

Article II – ELECTED OFFICERS and DUTIES

 

Section 1

The President, as Chief Officer of DBLNJ

 

(A) will supervise the affairs, activities and agendas for all meetings and will make regular reports to the members,

 

(B) will be responsible to ensure that all Officers carry out their respective duties,

 

(C) will be the only person empowered to represent DBLNJ on an official basis with other organizations, but may delegate authority to others as may be necessary and appropriate,

 

(D) will call regular meetings of the Board of Directors, hereafter referred to as the Board,

 

(E) will ensure that the policies of DBLNJ and the Board are carried out,

 

(F) will sign all legal papers with the approval of the Board,

 

(G) will have joint access to the DBLNJ checking and savings accounts with the Treasurer, and

 

(H) will be a member of the Board and have voting privileges for tie breaking only.

 

Section 2

The Vice-President

 

(A) will serve in the absence of the President,

 

(B) will succeed the President should that office become vacant for any reason,

 

(C) will assist the President in setting up meetings and agendas,

 

(D) will be the Chairperson of the Constitution and By-laws Committee, and

 

(E) will be a member of the Board with voting privileges.

 

Section 3

The Recording Secretary

 

(A) will record and keep all minutes of general and Board meetings and be custodian thereof,

 

(B) will keep a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws and all rules and regulations approved by the members and the Board,

 

(C) will find a replacement for any meeting he or she is unable to attend, and

 

(D) will be a member of the Board with voting privileges.

 

Section 4

The Corresponding Secretary will be responsible to

 

(A) write and send acknowledgements of special occasions and

 

(B) will be a member of the Board with voting privileges.

 

Section 5

The Treasurer

 

(A) will prepare monthly financial statements,

 

(B) will pay all outstanding bills up to $500.00 and any bill  over $500.00 will be paid with the approval of the Board,

 

(C) will be responsible for all monies received from any regular or special functions,

 

(D) will keep an accurate account of monies received and spent by the organization, and

 

(E) will be a member of the Board with voting privileges.

 

Section 6

The Parliamentarian:

 

(A) will be appointed by the President and approved by the Board,

 

(B) will be knowledgeable of Robert’s Rules of Order to ensure that all meetings are run smoothly, and

       

(C) will be a member of the Board with voting privileges.

 

Article III – APPOINTED POSITIONS, COMMITTEES and DUTIES

 

Section 1

The Chairperson of Membership Dues shall be responsible to

 

(A) keep a record of paid members,

 

(B) collect dues to be turned over to the Treasurer,

 

(C) provide a current list of names and addresses to all members,

 

(D) notify members regarding renewal and dues,

 

(E) send meeting minutes to all members,

 

(F) publicize events to the members, and

 

(G) to announce new members when they join.

 

Section 2

Social Events Committee:

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The Chairperson(s) of this committee will serve as host/hostess

for each social event and will select others to assist. The committee will also arrange workshops and invite speakers to monthly meetings with the approval of the President.

 

Section 3

The Website Editor shall be responsible for

 

(A) maintaining and updating the DBLNJ website page,

 

(B) posting all information regarding upcoming events to those pages, and

 

(C) to provide the President and Vice President with the user ID and password for DBLNJ's website, www.dblnj.org, in case the Website Editor is for any reason, unable to perform his or her duties.

 

Section 4

The Constitution and By-laws Committee:

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The members of the Constitution and By-laws Committee shall be selected by the Vice President for the purpose of making amendments to the Constitution and By-laws. Any such amendments shall first be presented to the Board for discussion

and approval.  A general member may also make a proposal for an amendment to the Constitution or By-laws as outlined in Article VIII - Amendments.

 

Article IV - Board of Directors

 

Section 1

(A) The President shall pick at least three Board members-at-large with the approval of the currently elected officers.

 

(B) The Board will be comprised of not more than nine members.

 

(C) All members of the Board are elected for a period of four years.

 

(D) To qualify as a member of the Board, the candidate must be a dues paid member of DBLNJ for a period of at least six months prior to the date of the election.

 

Section 2

All Officers of the Board will be responsible for keeping adequate records pertaining to the carrying out of their duties. Such records will be the property of DBLNJ. Each Officer will be responsible to pass to their successor all records pertaining to that position.

 

Article V – ORDER OF EXERCISES

 

The order of business for the general meeting shall be as follows:

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(A) Approval of the previous meeting's minutes

(B) Treasurer’s Report

(C) President’s Report

(D) Vice President’s Report

(E) Recording Secretary’s Report

(F) Corresponding Secretary's Report

(G) Members-at-Large Reports

(H) Standing Committees' Reports

(I)  Unfinished Business

(J)  New Business

(K) Announcements

(L) Adjournment

 

Article VI – PARLIAMENTARY RULES of ORDER

 

All rules of order shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order if they are not stated otherwise in the By-Laws of DBLNJ.

 

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS

 

Changes to the Constitution or By-laws may be proposed by the Constitution and By-laws Committee or by any member of DBLNJ.  Member proposal(s) must be given in writing to the Corresponding Secretary at least two months before the next general meeting.  The Corresponding Secretary will then present all proposals to the Board of Directors for their consideration. If approved by the Board, the Corresponding Secretary will mail a copy of the proposed change(s) to the members at least two weeks prior to the next general meeting.  At that general meeting, a vote on the proposal(s) can only be held after a quorum has been established.  Two thirds of the members present must vote in favor of the amendment(s) for the Constitution or By-laws to be changed.

 

Article IX - Nominating Committee and Elections

 

Section 1

The President will appoint a Chairperson of the Nominating Committee not less than sixty days prior to an election.  The Chairperson will then select three other committee members from the active general membership.  Members of the Nominating Committee shall not be considered as candidates for any office, nor shall they represent any candidates for office.  The purpose of the Nominating Committee is the following:

 

(A) to certify the line-up of candidates chosen by the membership present at a general meeting,

 

(B) to present the candidates for office to the general membership for a vote, 

 

(C) to count the ballots immediately after the election,  

 

(D) to announce the vote totals for each candidate and to declare the winner for each office and

 

(E) to swear in the newly elected officers.

 

Section 2

(A) No current member will be eligible to vote who has not been a dues paid member for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the date of the elections. Prior to the election, the Director of Membership shall give a list of any member who is ineligible to vote to the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee.

 

(B) Notices of the election date will be sent to all dues paid members in advance.

 

(C)  Candidates for the offices of President and Vice President shall be visually and/or auditorily impaired.  Candidates for the office of Secretary shall be hearing.

 

(D) The candidate receiving the most votes for the office or position for which he or she is running, will be installed in that position immediately after the election is completed.

 

(E) Election of new Officers and Board members will be held every four years during the business meeting in June at the annual BBQ.

 

(F) Immediately after the voting is finished and winners are declared, each newly elected Officer shall perform the DBLNJ Oath with their right hand raised. The Chairperson of the Nominating Committee will read the Oath and each new Officer

will say "I do" to accept their new positions. Immediately following, the outgoing Officers' terms shall end and the new Officers' terms shall begin.

 

(G) The new President may then appoint any new committee chairpersons. The new committee chairpersons will then have the summer to select their committee members to prepare for meetings which will resume in September.

 

Section 3

(A) The President and Vice President can not serve more than two consecutive terms in office.

 

(B) The Secretary and Treasurer may serve an unlimited number of terms.

 

Section 4

Voting shall be by secret ballot.

 

Section 5

If there is only one declared candidate nominated for an office, that candidate shall automatically be installed in that office without the necessity of a vote.

 

Article X – OATH

 

The DBLNJ Oath shall be the following: “On my honor, I will do my best for the Deaf-Blind League of New Jersey and will adhere to the Deaf-Blind League of New Jersey's Constitution and By–laws, and help all members at all times. In God We Trust"

 

 

 

 

 

 

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