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CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I:  NAME

Section I: This organization shall be known as the Gateway Beekeepers Association.

ARTICLE II:  OBJECTIVES

Section I: The objectives of this nonprofit organization shall be:

  • To provide a forum for the exchange of information, ideas, and views of mutual interest to beekeepers;
  • To provide education on the practical aspects of beekeeping and to encourage the use of better and more productive methods;
  • To foster cooperation between members of the Association, other Beekeeper Associations and State Beekeeping agencies;
  • To promote understanding and cooperation between the Association and the community with regard to beekeeping;
  • To promote the interests of the Association membership which relate to bees and beekeeping;
  • To promote the use of honey, honey products, and other hive products.

ARTICLE III:  MEMBERSHIP

Section I: Anyone interested in beekeeping and in the beekeeping industry may join the Association upon payment of the regular annual dues.  

ARTICLE IV:  OFFICERS

 Section I: The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section II: The officers shall be elected by majority vote when a quorum (See Article IX) of members is present at the November meeting of each year, and shall serve in that capacity for the next 12 months.

Section III: The officers may be reelected without limitation, subject to their willingness to serve, and doing so to the satisfaction of the Association.

Section IV:  The Vice President shall perform all duties of the President in his/her absence or during the remainder of the term if there is a vacancy in the position.

Section V:  In case of a vacancy in the position of Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, the President shall appoint a member to serve during the remainder of the term.

Section VI:  Only dues-paid members may serve as officers of the Association or as a chairman or member of select committees.

ARTICLE V:  DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 Section I:  The President has the prime responsibility for the Association and the direction of its activities.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association using regular parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order.  The President shall appoint all special committees, including the Program Committee; shall fill vacancies of any offices; and shall perform such other duties as the Association may direct.  The President shall be authorized to make deposits and disburse all monies, should the Treasurer be unable to perform these duties.  The President is expected to continue to serve as a member of the Executive Committee (see Article VI, section II) for one year after his/her term expires.

Section II: The Vice President shall act as act as chairman of the Program Committee.

Section III:  The Secretary shall record the minutes and proceedings of the Association at each meeting and event; file and preserve all its documents; attend to all correspondence of the Association unless directed otherwise by the President; notify the members and general public of regular meetings and other activities; and attend other duties that naturally pertain to the office.

Section IV:  The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all monies of the Association and shall keep a complete and accurate record showing the receipts and disbursements.  Disbursements other than routine in nature must be approved by both the President and Vice President.  Expenditures in excess of $300.00 must be approved by the general membership.  The Treasurer shall keep a record of current association finances and membership, and make the information available at each business meeting, and shall attend to those duties that naturally pertain to the office.

ARTICLE VI:  COMMITTEES

 Section I:  A Nominating Committee consisting of three members of the Association shall be appointed by the President no later than the September meeting of each year.  The committee shall consist of no more than one member of the executive committee.  The committee shall nominate and present a slate of officers to the members at the October meeting of the year.  Other names may be nominated from the floor at that time or at the November meeting prior to the vote.

Section II: The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers and committee chairman, and shall include the immediate past President.  The Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the membership with respect to administrative decisions, and shall make recommendations to the general membership.  The President shall act as chairman of the Executive Committee.

Section III: A Financial Review Committee shall be appointed by the President at the regular meeting in November. Its function will be to collect the books from the treasurer and secretary and report its findings to the Association at the regular meeting in January.

Section IV: The Association Property Committee and its chairman shall be appointed by the President to keep accurate records of the quantity and location of all Association property. These records shall be filed with the Secretary and verified annually.

ARTICLE VII:  DUES

 Section I:  Any individual, or a family unit, may join the Association by paying a single membership fee.  For the purpose of paying dues and voting, a family unit is defined as a unit comprised of any combination of father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, stepfather/ mother, stepson/daughter, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and unmarried domestic partners.

The annual dues shall be payable in advance to the Treasurer of the Association and shall be due on January 1 of the year covered.  All memberships expire on December 31 of each year.  Any member of the Association who becomes delinquent in payment of dues shall be dropped from the roll of membership after the February meeting and shall cease to be a member of the Association.  A person who has been dropped from the roll or membership for non-payment of dues may be restored to active membership by paying the current year’s dues.  Dues will be pro-rated from the month of joining to the end of the membership year; i.e., the dues will be divided by 12, and the result will be multiplied by the number of months remaining in the membership year.

ARTICLE VIII:  MEETINGS

 Section I:  There shall be regular meetings of the Association to be held on the third Thursday of each month.  The Executive Committee may change a meeting during the month if circumstances require it.  Meetings may be combined with special events such as workshops, dinners, picnics, etc.

Section II:  In addition to the regular meetings, special programs may be presented any time during the year.

Section III:  Members of the Association shall be notified by mail, email, or by other means as appropriate, of the time and place of each meeting or special program.

Section IV:  Membership in the Association is not required for attendance at meetings; however, only paid members may vote on any business conducted at the meeting.

Section V:  Only one vote per dues-paid family unit will be allowed.

ARTICLE IX:  QUORUM

 Section I: Twenty percent of the paid members of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business of the Association.

ARTICLE X:  AMENDMENTS

 Section I: When a quorum of members is present, this Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regularly scheduled meeting, provided that a written notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to each member of the Association not less than 15 days prior to the scheduled meeting as evidence by the post mark.

ARTICLE XI:  AFFILIATIONS

 Section I: The Gateway Beekeepers Association may associate itself with any Beekeepers Association if the following conditions are met:

  • Conditions of affiliation are reasonable and do not place a burden upon the fiscal structure of the Association and its members.
  • The objectives of the proposed Association for affiliation are in harmony with those of this Association as listed in Article II of this Constitution and By-Laws.
  • Written notice of the proposed affiliation has been sent to the members of this Association prior to the scheduled meeting at which a vote will be taken.
  • A quorum of members is present at the scheduled meeting and two-thirds of the members attending vote for the proposed affiliation.

Section II:  The Gateway Beekeepers Association may disassociate itself from affiliation with any Beekeepers Association by a two-thirds vote at any scheduled meeting if a quorum is present and if written notice of the proposal has been sent to members of the Association prior to the meeting.