By-Laws

Article I Name

This club shall be known as the Southampton Garden Club.

Article II Purpose

The Purpose of this club shall be to stimulate knowledge of gardening, artistic presentation of flowers among amateurs, to aid in the protection of native trees, plants
and birds, and to encourage civic planning and environmental awareness.

Article III Membership

Section 1: Membership shall be drawn from territory bounded by the following streets: Bissonnet, Mandell, Rice Boulevard, and Kirby Drive. An active member moving out of this area may retain full membership.
Section 2: Prospective members shall have attended three (3) meetings within a twelvemonth
period and shall then be sponsored by three (3) members. Qualifications shall be presented, in writing, by the sponsors to the Executive Board. After consideration, the Executive Board shall recommend prospective members to the club. Admission to the club requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present. Section 3: Membership shall be defined as follows: members shall attend meetings, pay dues, and accept and perform administrative duties when called upon. Emeritus status shall honor members who have served the club faithfully for twenty years or more and
can no longer actively participate. Emeritus members may participate in all aspects of regular membership.

Article IV Dues

Annual dues shall be payable at the beginning of each club year. Dues may be changed by a majority of votes cast, provided a quorum has been met. Delinquent date shall be January 1 of the following year, and all members not paying dues shall be dropped from the membership. No dues are required of emeritus members.

Article V Officers and Executive Board

Section 1: The officers of this club shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Fourth Vice President, Fifth Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and Social Committee Chair.
Section 2: The Executive Board shall consist of the club officers, the immediate past-president, and all committee chairs.

Article VI Nominations

Section 1: A Nominating Committee of three (3) members shall be constituted at the October meeting.
a. One Nominating Committee member shall be appointed by the President from the Executive Board. b. Two Nominating committee members shall be elected from the membership. c. The President shall appoint a chair.

Section 2: A slate of officers shall be presented to the club at the December meeting.

Section 3: Nominees for President must have served as an officer of the club.

Section 4: Nominations for each office may be made from the floor.

Section 5: Candidates shall express a willingness to serve if elected.

Article VII Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs on the Executive Board, the Executive Board shall have the right to
fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term of office.

Article VIII Elections

Section 1: Elections shall be held annually at the December meeting. A majority of
votes cast shall constitute an election.
Section 2: Officers shall be installed at the last regular meeting of the club year following election.

Article IX. Duties of Officers

Section 1:
a. The President shall preside at all meetings of the club and the Executive Board,
and shall appoint all committee chairmen. She shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
b. The First Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President, and shall
be Program Chair.
c. The Second Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President and the
First Vice President, and shall be Membership Chair.
d. The Third Vice President shall prepare the yearbook.
e. The Fourth Vice President shall be chair of the annual flower show.
f. The Fifth Vice President shall manage the club’s website.
g. The Recording Secretary shall take minutes of all meetings of the club and the Executive Board, and take roll.
h. The Corresponding Secretary shall handle the publicity of the club (as directed by the Executive Board) and all club correspondence.
i. The Treasurer shall collect dues and handle the financial affairs of the club at the direction of the Executive Board, and shall submit the account books for audit by July 1 to the Audit Committee in accordance with Article X, Section 2.
j. The Parliamentarian shall be responsible for adherence to the by-laws of the club and the rules of procedure according to Roberts Rules of Order Revised, and shall rule on any points of dispute at all meetings of the club and the Executive Board.
k. The Social Committee Chair shall run the Social Committee and shall be responsible for organizing social occasions for the club.
Section 2: Outgoing officers shall deliver to their successors all records and materials
belonging to said officers.

Article X. Committees

Section 1: Standing committees may include: Telephone, Projects, Historian and Horticulture.
Section 2: Special committees shall be:
a. The Audit Committee, which shall consist of three (3) members, appointed by the President at the March meeting, and shall report in writing to the body at the September meeting.

b. Other special committees shall be set up as the need arises; and the chair being
appointed by the President.

Article XI Meetings

Section 1: Regular meetings shall be held the first Thursday of each month from September through May, excluding January, unless otherwise provided by the Executive Board, at the hours and place designated in the yearbook.
Section 2: Special meetings of the club may be designated by the Executive Board,provided reasonable notice has been given the membership.

Article XII Quorums

Section 1: One-third (1/3) of the member shall constitute a quorum at any regular meeting.
Section 2: The President and three (3) other officers of the Executive Board constitute a

quorum at a meeting of the Executive Board.

Article XIII Parliamentary Authority

Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, subject only to any special rules adopted.

Article XIV Amendments

These by-laws may be amended at any meeting of the membership by two-thirds (2/3) vote, provided a notice of the intended amendments shall have been disseminated previously in writing.