Constitution of the Fly Creek Area Historical Society

(Established July 26, 1989)

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ARTICLE ONE: NAME

The name of this society shall be the Fly Creek Area Historical Society.

ARTICLE TWO: PURPOSES

The purposes of this Society shall be:

a.  To promote and encourage historical research;

b.  To disseminate and encourage a greater knowledge of the history of New York and particularly of Fly Creek and its environs;

c.  To research, record, retain, preserve, and make available for study, artifacts, relics, books, manuscripts, papers, photographs, and other records relating to the history of New York and particularly to Fly Creek and the surrounding area.  [By amending vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]

d.  To encourage the suitable marking of places of historic interest.

e.  To maintain and preserve our historic building(s).  [By vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP

Members shall be of four classes:  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

a.  Junior members: Any members under the age of twenty-one (21) interested in the purposes of the Society shall be eligible to vote, provided they have reached the age of 16.  [By amending votes of Society, August 24, 2011 and January 25, 2012.]

b.  Individual active members: Any person interested in the purposes of the Society shall be eligible to vote.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

c.  Family members: Any family group living in one domicile, interested in the purposes of the Society, shall be eligible to vote and have a maximum of two votes, provided two or more family members are present.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

d.  Contributing and sustaining members: Any person, group, or firm offering special support to the objectives of the Society shall be eligible to vote and have a maximum of two votes, provided two or more members are present.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

ARTICLE FOUR: ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting shall be held during the month of August.

ARTICLE FIVE: OFFICERS AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

  1. The officers shall be a president, a vice-president, and a secretary, who shall be elected for a term of one year; and a treasurer and three trustees who shall be elected for a terms of three years each.  At the first election, three trustees shall be elected for a term of one, two, and three years, respectively.  Each year thereafter, one trustee shall be elected to fill the vacancy of the one whose term expires.  [By amending votes of Society, September 26, 2012 and August 26, 2015.  The 2015 amendment restored the original article, following a two-year trial with five trustees.]
  2. The officers and trustees shall constitute the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE SIX: ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

  1. All officers and trustees shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast at the Annual Meeting.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]
  2. Not less than two months prior to the Annual Meeting, the Board of Trustees shall appoint a nominating committee to select a candidate for each office to be filled at the Annual Meeting.
  3. Nominations may also be made by a member of the Society at any time prior to balloting at the Annual Meeting.  Any such nomination shall be added to the nominations given by the nominating committee.  A candidate for election shall be an individual active member.
  4. Elected officers shall be presented and assume their duties at the close of the Annual Meeting and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected and installed.  In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer except the president, or any trustee, the vacancy may be filled by a vote of the Board of Trustees for the unexpired term of office.
  5. No one may hold more than one officer position simultaneously.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]

‍ARTICLE SEVEN: DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS UPON DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution, all assets and property of the institution shall, after necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to such organizations as shall qualify under section 501 (c) 3 of the Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or to another organization to be used in such manner as, in judgment of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, will best accomplish the general purposes for which the Society was formed.  Organizations, to which assets and property are distributed, if such assets or property are in nature of scientific or cultural material, shall have collections management policies similar to those of the Society.

ARTICLE EIGHT: AMENDMENT

This Constitution may be amended at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, by a two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote, provided written notice was given to all current members at least 30 days prior to the date of the vote set forth in the notice.  All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the president.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE ONE: MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

  1. Any person interested in the history of the Fly Creek area and who applies for membership in an appropriate classification of membership and who tenders the necessary dues shall thereby become a member.
  2. Annual dues for junior members (individual members 21 years of age or younger) shall be $5.00.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
  3. Annual dues for individual and active members shall be $15.00.  [By amending votes of Society, June 26, 1996 and February 28, 2024.]
  4. Annual dues for a family group living in one domicile shall be $25.00.  [By amending votes of Society, June 26, 1996 and February 28, 2024.]
  5. Annual dues for contributing and sustaining members shall be a minimum of $30.00.   [By vote of Society, August 27, 2008 and amending votes of Society, August 26, 2015 and February 28, 2024.]some text
    1. Annual dues for a sustaining family membership (residing in one domicile) shall be a minimum of $40.00.   [By vote of Society, August 27, 2008, and amending vote of Society, February 28, 2024.]
  6. Annual dues for patrons of history shall be $50.  [By vote of Society, August 27, 2008 and amending vote of Society, August 26, 2015.]
  7. Annual dues for a sustaining business/professional membership shall be $90, and shall include a business card-sized ad in the Fly Creeker.  [By vote of Society, August 27, 2008 and amending votes of Society, August 26, 2015 and February 28, 2024.]
  8. Dues for individual lifetime members shall be $500.00, to be deposited into the Society’s Endowment Fund, or into one of the Society’s general or special funds, at the discretion of the member.  [By vote of Society, August 27, 2008, and amending votes of Society, September 26, 2012 and September 24, 2014.]
  9. Annual dues shall be payable in advance and no later than January 31 each year.  [By vote of Society, November 28, 2001, and amending vote of Society, February 28, 2024.]
  10. Members in arrears more than three months after payment is due shall be dropped from the membership.  [By amending vote of Society, June 26, 1996.]
  11. The membership year shall coincide with the calendar year, January 1 to December 31.  [By vote of Society, June 26, 1996.]

ARTICLE TWO: SCHEDULE AND QUORUM FOR MEETINGS

  1. Regular meetings shall be held the fourth Wednesday of each month except when it conflicts with a holiday.  In such case the chairperson of the Board of Trustees shall set an alternate date.
  2. Special meetings may be called by the president; each member shall be notified of such meeting.
  3. The Board of Trustees shall meet a minimum of every three months.  Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by the chairperson of the Board.  [By amending vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
  4. Ten of the active members of the Society shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE THREE: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

  1. The president shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society within the scope provided by the by-laws and shall preside at all meetings.  The president shall report annually on the activities of the Society and shall appoint members of committees not otherwise provided for.
  2. The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in the event of absence, incapacity, resignation, or removal from office.
  3. The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Society and the Board of Trustees.  [By amending votes of Society, August 24, 2011 and September 24, 2014.]
  4. The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of Society funds, for maintaining adequate financial records, and for depositing all monies with a reliable banking company in the name of The Fly Creek Area Historical Society.  Monies shall be paid out in numbered checks signed by the treasurer or the president.  The treasurer shall collect dues, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report based on the fiscal year.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]
  5. The Board of Trustees shall have the power to conduct all affairs of the Society.  It shall select a nominating committee pursuant to the Constitution.  The Board of Trustees 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.  At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, four members shall constitute a quorum.  Regardless of how many members are present, a number of votes equal to a majority of the full Board shall be required to pass a motion.  The Board of Trustees shall select its own chairperson.  The Board of Trustees, through the chairperson, shall render an annual report at each Annual Meeting.  [By amending votes of Society, September 26, 2012, September 24, 2014, and August 26, 2015.]

ARTICLE FOUR: COMMITTEES

  1. The Society shall have the following standing committees:some text
    1. Archives Committee: responsible for collecting, cataloging, caring for, arranging, and repairing books, manuscripts, newspapers, artifacts, relics, and other historical material.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011]
    2. Publications Committee: responsible for finding ways and means for establishing joint or individual research studies, for providing newsletters to members, and for publicity.
    3. Program Committee: responsible for arranging suitable programs.
    4. Membership Committee: responsible for attraction and retention of members.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]
    5. Building & Grounds Committee: responsible for general maintenance and any improvements to the Headquarters Building and its grounds.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
    6. Research Committee: responsible for the coordination and guidance of genealogy and other research.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
    7. Finance Committee: responsible for oversight of all fund-raising activities of the Society, whether by sponsored events or solicitation; for review of potential outside funding sources of gifts or grants; and for assistance to the Treasurer in preparation of an annual operating budget.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
    8. Activities Committee: responsible for planning, preparation, and conducting of events whose basic purpose is to provide entertainment and cultural enrichment for the Society and the community.  [By vote of Society, September 26, 2012.]
  2. The president shall appoint members and chairmen of the standing committees.
  3. Other committees, standing or special, may be appointed by the president as directed by the Society or by the Board of Trustees, except that the nominating committee shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE FIVE: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

  1. 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 and the By-laws.

ARTICLE SIX: AMENDMENT TO THE BY-LAWS

  1. These By-laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, by a two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote, provided written notice was given to all current members at least 30 days prior to the date of the vote set forth in the notice.  All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the President.  [By amending vote of Society, August 24, 2011.]

ARTICLE SEVEN: EXPENDITURE OF SOCIETY FUNDS

  1. At the discretion of the president or vice-president, up to $50.00 of the Society’s funds may be used to purchase a document or artifact that has a special value to the Society’s permanent collection of materials related to the Fly Creek area.  [By vote of Society, October 23, 1996, and amending vote of Society, November 28, 2001.]
  2. The president, vice-president, or secretary are authorized to expend up to $100.00, with prior notice to the treasurer, for items required for the day-to-day operation of the Society (i.e., propane, postage, supplies, etc.), and a bill or receipt must be presented to the treasurer before reimbursement or payment will be made.  [By vote of Society, November 28, 2001.]

[Revised 2/28/24]

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