Bylaws & Guidelines

Improvement Club
Bylaws & Guidelines
revised and adopted October, 2022
printable 2022 pdf version
Previous Bylaws: 2002 2007 2009 2010 2011 2013 2015 2018

ANNANDALE IMPROVEMENT CLUB BYLAWS

As of October 6, 2022

ARTICLE I

NAME

This organization shall be known as the ANNANDALE IMPROVEMENT CLUB (AIC).

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The purpose of this club shall be the improvement of the city and thereto for the benefit of the Annandale area in general. Primary priority shall be given to beautification of the city and support of the library along with the welfare of and educational opportunities for our community.

ARTICLE III

DESCRIPTION

Section 1 - The Annandale Improvement Club is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation and is incorporated in the State of Minnesota.

Section 2 – The mailing address is P.O. Box 207, 30 Cedar St. E., Annandale, MN 55302.

ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 – Anyone interested in the purpose of this club may become a member upon paying annual dues.

Section 2 - No officer, committee chair, or member of this organization shall publicly state any policy, enter into any agreement or otherwise obligate this organization except upon authority of the general membership [notwithstanding Article V, Section 5]

Section 3 – The expense of fieldtrips, special events and meals shall be the responsibility of those attending.

ARTICLE V

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1 – The Executive Board (also referred to as the Board) is made up of the Officers of AIC.

Section 2 – Board members are responsible to read and understand the Bylaws of this organization.

Section 3 – The Board will present an annual budget to the club.

Section 4 – The Board shall hold at least two meetings per year. Meetings shall be at such dates, times, and places the Board shall determine.

Section 5 – Board members, with a majority vote, have the authority to approve expenditures up to $200 and such expenditures will be reported to the membership.

ARTICLE VI

OFFICERS

Section 1 – The Officers of this club shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Officers shall be elected for a one-year term. They may be re-elected, but may not hold the same office for more than five successive years. Two club members may share an office as Co-Officers.

Section 2 – Duties of Officers

a. The President shall prepare and preside at all meetings of the organization, including Board meetings, shall perform all duties pertaining to this office, and can serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.

b. The Vice President shall preside at all meetings of the organization, including Board meetings, in the absence of the President.

c. The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of all meetings of the organization and submit monthly minutes to the president. She shall handle AIC correspondence including the monthly Call to Meeting correspondence.

d. The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the organization. She shall annually prepare a Year-End Financial Report and schedule an annual audit.

Section 3 – Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. A Nominating Committee of three shall be appointed by the President at the previous meeting. The Nominating Committee shall present at least one candidate for each office, having previously obtained the candidate’s consent. The President shall ask for additional nominations from the floor. If there are two candidates for an office and/or additional nominations, the President shall appoint three election judges and the candidate with majority vote by written ballot shall be declared elected.

Section 4 – Newly elected Officers shall assume their respective duties at the close of the Annual Meeting.

Section 5 –Vacancies in an office shall be filled by appointment by the executive board.

ARTICLE VII

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Each member of the Board shall disclose to other members of the Board any duality of interest or conflict of interest and make such a matter of record when the interest becomes a matter of Board action. Any Board member having a possible duality or conflict of interest on any matter shall not vote or use her personal influence on the matter, and shall not be counted in determining the quorum of the meeting. The minutes of the meeting shall reflect that the disclosure was made.

ARTICLE VIII

MEETINGS

Section 1 – The Annual Meeting of this club shall be held on the first Thursday of May.

Section 2 – The regular meeting[s] of this club shall be held on the first Thursday of the month, except July. Further changes can be addressed by the board.

Section 3 – A special meeting may be called by the president with the approval of the board or by petition of one fourth of the membership, notice having been given to all members.

ARTICLE IX

COMMITTEES

Section 1 – The Standing Committees shall be: Beautification, Fundraising, Library, Program, Membership, and Scholarship.

a. The Beautification Committee shall enhance green space in Annandale.

b. The Fundraising Committee shall raise funds to promote the purpose of the club.

c. The Library Committee shall facilitate the club’s support of the Annandale Library.

d. The Program Committee shall organize the speakers, programs, and special events for the monthly meetings.

e. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for the membership directory, roster, outreach and welcoming new members.

f. The Scholarship Committee shall review scholarship applications sent from Annandale High School to determine final selections.

Section 2 –Standing Committee Chairs shall present project plans to the board, in April, for inclusion in the proposed annual budget.

Section 3 – A short term committee may be appointed by the board for a specific purpose.

ARTICLE X

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year shall be from April 1^st through March 31^st.

ARTICLE XI

FINANCES

Section 1 – An Annual Budget shall be prepared by the board after consultation with standing committee chairwomen prior to the annual meeting. The proposed budget will be presented for approval to the membership at the annual meeting.

Section 2 – Dues are collected annually as directed by the AIC guidelines.

Section 3 – At the April meeting the president shall appoint two members to audit the books of the treasurer. Auditors will give a report at the annual meeting.

Section 4 – Emergency funds of $500 shall be kept in reserve by the treasurer.

Section 5 – Financial donations shall be limited to the scope of our purpose and exclude monetary support of unrelated non-profit organizations.

ARTICLE XII

QUORUM

At any meeting, one fourth of the dues paying membership shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XIII

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the AIC.

ARTICLE XIV

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Section 1 – The whole of these bylaws, or any portion thereof, may be amended by two-thirds vote of the quorum with due notice of intended change having been given at the previous regular meeting.

Section 2 – The Bylaws shall be reviewed on the determination of the executive committee at a minimum of every five years and such review will be conducted by a committee appointed by the president at the annual meeting.

ARTICLE XV

AMENDMENTS TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
The Articles of Incorporation may be amended with the authorization of two-thirds vote of the quorum with due notice of intended change having been given at the previous regular meeting.

ANNANDALE IMPROVEMENT CLUB GUIDELINES

Approved October 6, 2022

These guidelines are in place to ease the transition of officers and to help members understand and be aware of procedures practiced. The guidelines may be changed with a majority vote of the members present.

MEMBERSHIP

The annual dues for members of this club shall be $35, payable at the April meeting, with the exception of Honorary Members who are exempt from dues. A member is deemed in arrears if not paid by June 30^th. A member found in arrears will be notified by the secretary and, if no response is received, will be removed from the membership roll on November 1^st.
Members are responsible to inform the secretary of meeting or event attendance and once a commitment is made, payment of all associated fees is required.

OFFICER DUTIES

President

1. Become acquainted with proper parliamentary procedures and conduct the business meeting accordingly.

2. Update any corrections/additions to the Bylaws and Guidelines from the past year and maintain past versions of these documents.

3. Schedule and preside over meetings of the executive board.

4. In April, confirm standing committee chairs. Request proposed budgets from standing committee chairs.

5. Schedule executive board meeting to prepare proposed budget for upcoming year, using recommendations from the standing committee chairs. The proposed budget will be presented for approval at the annual meeting by the treasurer

6. Determine quorum for each meeting.

7. Be aware of totes/history kept at the Lake Central Bank and add materials as warranted, including annual reports from the secretary, treasurer, and all committees.

Vice President

Work closely with the president(s) to inform her of upcoming meeting arrangements.
Chair the program committee.
Gather program ideas from the membership.
Prepare and distribute program brochure to members via the AIC secretary. Make copies for the Annandale Public Library display, for membership committee chairs, and to have available at meetings for guests and members.
Communicate with monthly hostesses and program coordinator regarding meeting responsibilities and program arrangements.
One month prior to program, contact program coordinator to confirm program details.
Write a notice in the Annandale Advocate stating the starting time, location and program highlights of each monthly meeting. Include registration information.
Maintain a list of honorary members, and submit the current list to the program committee after the annual meeting.
Announce new honorary members at the annual meeting and give this list to the membership committee chairs, and the executive board.

Criteria for Honorary Membership in the Annandale Improvement Club:

· 20 years of membership with health issues, upon request of a member or the suggestion of the Vice President.

· 40 years of membership, upon the request of a member or the suggestion of the Vice President.

· 80 years of age or older, with 15 years of membership, upon request of a member or the suggestion of the Vice President.

Secretary

1. Record minutes of all business meetings and submit a draft to the president within a week’s time.

2. Maintain the AIC group email account at emaildodo.com. Send out meeting notices, and communicate with the hostesses concerning meal reservation, caterer and venue including meeting responsibilities and registration set-up.

3. Maintain AIC email account.

4. Contact members on the call list about upcoming meeting reservations.

5. Prepare reservation list for hostesses to use at registration.

6. Call or email the caterer with total number of reservations.

7. Contact the program coordinator to give her total number of reservations including guests.

8. Send a reminder notice to members in arrears for membership dues and unpaid reservations.

9. Prepare a report for the annual meeting which includes the activities of the AIC for the past year and list the monthly voluntary donations made by members to charitable organizations.

Treasurer

Collect and record all monies including dues, meal costs, fundraising, and other projects; deposit the funds in the AIC bank account.
Disburse club funds upon authorization.
Counting and depositing funds: The treasurer and at least one other AIC member will count the monies at the meeting site. Monies will be deposited immediately at Lake Central Bank, either with a teller or in a locked bag placed in the night deposit box. Deposits are verified and placed into the AIC account. A deposit ticket will be received either in person or by mail to AIC at P.O. Box 207, Annandale, MN 55302.
Report on the financial condition of the AIC at regular meetings and provide members with a written report.
Distribute monthly voluntary member donations to appropriate recipients/organization.
Report new member information to the membership committee chair(s) and board monthly.
Inform the secretary of members’ financial obligations that are in arrears.
Pick up monthly mail at the Annandale Library prior to each meeting.
Maintain monthly and annual reports electronically and care for the AIC computer.
Prepare and present the annual financial report at the April meeting.
Submit annual Form 990N to IRS in April to renew non-profit status.
The treasurer, upon approval of a majority of the officers, may invest funds in a CD.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Beautification Committee

Submit a request to the AIC for any additional funds beyond the budgeted amount for membership approval.
Beautification committee coordinators plan the design and care of the Spring and Winter rounds, concrete planters and other garden spots in coordination with the city of Annandale.
Invite community members to participate in beautification activities.
Prepare an annual report of beautification activities for the annual meeting.

Fundraising Committee

Solicit ideas for fundraising projects from the membership and present fundraising opportunities and projects to the membership.
Inform members of fundraising progress.
Report completion of a fundraiser project to the membership.

Library Committee

Each month report Annandale Public Library activities to the membership.
Submit a request to the AIC for approval of any funds beyond the budgeted amount, or that the library or Friends of the Library may need.
Prepare an annual report of activities to present at the annual meeting.
Purchase a book for the Annandale Area Library, through the Great River Regional Library, in memory of a deceased member.

Program Committee

Chaired by the Vice President.
Meet after the annual meeting to plan programs and venues preferably for September – August, but at a minimum keeping programs planned 3 months ahead. Assign monthly hostesses and program coordinators (if needed), and determine the charitable organizations for voluntary donations from members.
Prepare and distribute the program brochure to members via the AIC secretary. Make copies for the Annandale Public Library display, for membership committee chairs(s), and to have available at meetings for guests and members.
Confirm the program with the presenter a month before the meeting or event. Each month’s program coordinator completes this task.
Arrange for the AIC’s audio visual equipment to be available at meetings. Note: the equipment is not to be lent out.
Send thank you note to the speaker.

Membership Committee

1. Provide each member with contact information and photos of current members of the organization and provide digital access via the organization website to current AIC bylaws and guidelines, and historical information.

2. Provide membership list and photo updates to membership in the fall.

3. Welcome new members.

4. A dedicated member shall maintain the AIC membership roster and call list. She shall send a current roster and call list to the executive board members by the third week of each month.

5. Provide new member information to the secretary and treasurer.

6. Outreach: The Sunshine Lady shall send, upon notification, sympathy cards for death or get-well cards for sickness/overnight hospitalizations for members, spouse, parents, siblings, in-laws or member’s child/grandchild. Members shall notify the sunshine lady when they hear of any of the above.

7. Prepare an annual report about AIC membership to present at the annual meeting.

Scholarship Committee

1. The scholarship committee, using established criteria, shall review scholarship applications sent from the high school for final selections of AIC’s yearly scholarships.

2. The chair shall request a check, at the April AIC meeting, for the upcoming year’s recipient(s) be sent to the Annandale High School – in care of the high school counselor. A member of the committee, or designate, will participate in the annual Annandale High School Awards ceremony to award the AIC scholarships.

3. The scholarship committee chair or her designate will announce the scholarship winners at the AIC annual meeting.

4. The recipient(s) will notify the high school or their completed semester at the school of their choice, and the high school will then award a check to the recipient(s).

This will happen in December or January:

5. The scholarship committee shall recommend scholarship criteria to be approved by a quorum present at a regular monthly meeting of AIC members.

MONTHLY HOSTESSES RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Arrive 45 minutes prior to the meeting to set up registration table, name tag table, and voluntary donation basket. Receive reservation list from the secretary. Put tables and items back after the meeting.

2. Display and collect name tags.

3. Keep donation basket monies separate from AIC luncheon and dues income. Record totals.

4. Assist treasurer in recording and counting the monies received.

5. Check members in at the membership meeting, record monies received on the registration form.

6. Submit the confirmed attendance form and funds to the treasurer by the close of the meeting.

COMMITTEES, SPECIAL EVENTS, ETC

Whenever possible all purchases needed for projects or special events should be purchased within the Annandale area.
Upon completion of a project, the project chair shall report to the membership. A written financial report shall be given to the treasurer.
The expense of fieldtrips, special events, and meals shall be the responsibility of those attending.