Linda Burshia Battle, MG Foundation President
The Board is, also, doing a bit of spring cleaning. We have been studying our bylaws. The Whatcom County Master Gardener Foundation Bylaws have not been updated since 2010 and we believe it is time to update them. There are a few proposed changes: moving from a fiscal year to a calendar year, regular general meetings but not necessarily twelve a year, and lastly, how elections are held. Please read through these changes. We hope to discuss and vote on them at our March general meeting on the 10th at 7 pm in the extension office. Contact any board member if you have any questions or concerns. Your consideration in this update is appreciated.
Linda Burshia Battle
Draft MG Bylaws
Open for Comment
Open for Comment
(DRAFT # 2, 2/4/16)
BYLAWS
FOR THE MASTER GARDENER FOUNDATION OF WHATCOM COUNTY
I.
Name
The name of this Foundation shall be the
Master Gardener Foundation of Whatcom County.
II.
Mission
The Mission of the Master Gardener
Foundation (MGF of Whatcom County is to support the WSU Extension Master
Gardener Program of Whatcom County through financial support, communication,
education and advocacy.
III.
Purpose
Section 1.
The purpose of the MGF of Whatcom County is educationaland outreach (replaces
charitable) in promoting the WSU Extension MG Program of Whatcom County,
without any intent to carry on business, trade, avocation or profession for
profit.
Section 2.
The purposes for the Foundation are:
v
To enhance and supplement the effort t of the
WSU Extension MG Program of Whatcom County through financial aid and membership
involvement.
v
To provide supplementary education and
information on horticulture and related subjects to Foundation members and the
community.
IV.
Membership
Section
1. The membership of the Foundation
shall be open to all WSU Extension
Master Gardeners in good standing and the enrolled trainees of the current year’s Master Gardener class.
Section
2. Membership shall be made up of those
members who complete annual
volunteer and educational requirements as established by the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program
Handbook.
Section
3. WSU Extension Master Gardeners of
Whatcom County Emeriti (as defined in
the WSU Master Gardeners Program handbook) are invited to be members of the Master Gardener Foundation.
V.
Officers
and Board of Directors
Section
1. The Master Gardener Foundation of
Whatcom County Board of Directors
(Foundation Board) shall consist of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Immediate Past President and a minimum (Now consistent
with Section 2 , Officers and Board Members Duties.) of two Members at Large.
Section 2. The Foundation
officers shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section
2. Officers and Board Members Duties
v
The President shall be the chief executive
officer of the Foundation, and shall conduct all meetings of the Board of
Directors and of the Foundation. He/she
shall cast a vote only in the case of a tie, shall appoint temporary committees
when the need arises, and shall be the official liaison with WSU Extension MG
Program.
v
The First Vice President shall, in the absence
of the President, preside at meetings and act as President.
v
The Second Vice President shall arrange for
speakers for Foundation meetings, making all provisions for their presentation,
including fees and publicity. He/she
will ensure that all physical arrangements are contracted for the annual picnic
as well as the fall meetings, for installing new officers and the graduation of
that year’s Master Gardener interns.
v
The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of meetings
for the Foundation and Foundation Board, maintain the archives, and prepare correspondence.
v
The Treasurer shall maintain all accounts,
receive income and bill, prepare payments, report regularly to the Foundation
and maintain all financial records and reports.
v
A minimum of (Replaced limit of just two.) two At-Large members
shall participate in Board meetings accepting responsibility for ad hoc efforts
of the Board as assigned.
v
The Past President, whose term is limited to one
year, shall act in the capacity of advisor to the current Board with no voting
rights.
Section 4.
The term of office shall be for one year, beginning with the January Board
meeting. (Replaced November general meeting.)
Section
5. If a vacancy should exist in the
office of President, the First Vice President
shall automatically take that office.
The Second Vice President shall advance
to First Vice President. Vacancies in
other Board positions shall be filled
for the unexpired term by appointments of the President.
Section
6. All Officers and Board Members are
expected to regularly attend meetings
of the Board as well as the participate in Foundation activities as able.
Section
7. If a majority of the Board agrees
that a Board members is not performing
the duties of the office as defined in this document, this individual may be removed from office and the
President (or 1st Vice President if the President is not able) shall appoint a Master Gardener Foundation
member to complete the term of
office. If the dismissed Board member
desires to appeal the Board’s
decision, both side’s views should be presented to the membership at the next general meeting and the majority
vote prevails.
Section
8. The Board shall meet monthly to
conduct the business of the Foundation.
Section
9. The presence of four (4) Board
Members will constitute a quorum at Board
meetings.
I
VI.
Elections
Section 1.
A nominating committee ( Eliminated ‘of at least three persons’ ) shall be
appointed by the President at the August general meeting. The President, who shall serve as the chair
of this committee, shall present a slate at the
September general meeting. Prior to the September general meeting the President
will post the slate in the newsletter and on the Foundation website. Additional
nominations may be made from the floor at the September general meeting. Signed written
proxy votes will be accepted at this meeting. (Makes
casting a vote possible for absent members.) All members in good
standing shall be eligible to serve.
Section 2.
The officers and the Board shall be elected
by a majority vote of those members present at the September general meeting. (Eliminates mail-in
ballot practice.)
VII.
Membership
Meetings
Section
1. Meetings shall be decided
annually by the Board. (Eliminated language
regarding a monthly meeting.)
Section
2. Special meetings may be held at any
time as called by the officers or by request
of five percent of the active membership.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary
to give 12 days notice of the meeting and the purpose of the special meeting to all active members.
IV.
VIII.
Finances
Section 1.
Funds may be solicited for purposes consistent with Article III, Section
2 of these bylaws. Contributions may be
received for either regular or special needs.
Contributions received for a designated purpose are to be used only for
that purpose. Such contributions are to
be tracked separately in the Foundation’s financial reports.
Section 2.
Dues may be required of members.
The amount of dues shall be decided by vote of the membership. Dues may also be waived by the vote of the
membership.
Section 3.
All funds are to be deposited with the Treasurer and all contributions
to and disbursements from the Foundation shall be recorded by the
Treasurer. Any disbursement that exceeds
an amount established by the Board requires approval by the Board.
Section 4.
All dispersal of funds shall be by check requiring the signature of the
Treasurer and/or President.
Section 5.
The President shall appoint two members of the Foundation to review an
itemized statement of the receipts an disbursements of the past fiscal year, January 1 – December 31 (Replaces
November 1 – October 31.) as prepared by the Treasurer. The committee will present this statement for
approval to the March general meeting.
Section 6.
The Treasurer will provide a financial report to the membership at
regular membership meetings.
Section 7.
The assets deriving from a gift of monies designated by the donor for
the purpose of building and maintaining a greenhouse at Hovander Park shall be
used to satisfy the terms of the memorandum of agreement entered into by the
Whatcom County Department of Parks and the Foundation.
IX.
Parliamentary
Law
Rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s
Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Foundation in all cases to
which they are applicable, providing that they are consistent with the Bylaws
and any special rules of order the Foundation may adopt.
X.
Amendments
These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or
repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the majority of the membership at any
meeting after one month of membership review.
XI. Dissolution
If this
agreement is terminated or the Master Gardner Foundation of Whatcom County dissolved, money in the Foundation
account will be deposited with the Washington
State University Foundation to be used solely for the benefit of the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program
of Whatcom County.
History of Bylaws:
10/9/2008 – Date bylaws were accepted at the general meeting
of the Foundation membership
3/11/2010 – Date bylaws were amended by the membership at
the general Foundation meeting to add Section 9 to V Officers and Board of
Directors
12/9/2010 – Date bylaws were amended by the membership at
the general foundation meeting to add:
·
Section II – Mission
·
Section III – Purpose (to conform to the wording
in the WSU Extension Master Gardener Handbook)
·
Definition of the fiscal year
·
Section XI – Dissolution Wording revised
2016 ?????