BYLAWS
Tualatin Valley Garden Club
Hillsboro, OR

Article I –
Name The name of this organization shall be Tualatin Valley Garden Club.

Article II –
Objectives The objectives of the organization shall be to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among amateurs, to aid in the growing of trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, and other plants, and to encourage civic planting.

Article III –
Membership

Section 1. Membership limit: none.

Section 2. Qualifications: To qualify for membership, one must be willing to actively participate in the work of advancing the objectives of the club.

Section 3. Dues:
a. The annual dues shall be $11 per member, and $15 per couple, due January of each year. The Board will consider an increase in dues when warranted.
b. Past members over 80 years of age are honorary members with no dues payable.

Article IV –
Officers and Election

Section 1. The officers of the club shall be president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and four to six directors. Two of the directors shall be appointed by the president, and the remainder shall be elected by the membership.

Section 2. The term of office shall be one year or until a successor is appointed or elected.

Section 3.
a. Officers and directors shall be elected or appointed at the November club meeting. All officers shall be installed in December and take office in January the following year.
b. A nominating committee of three club members, at least one a past president, shall be appointed in October by the president.
c. Election shall be by ballot unless there is but one candidate for office, when voting may be by voice.

Article V –
Duties of Officers

Section 1. Each outgoing officer shall, within two weeks after election, deliver to his/her successor all records and other materials belonging to that office.

Section 2. The president shall preside at the meetings of the club and Board, and shall perform such duties as regularly pertain to the office. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee.

Section 3. The vice president shall perform all duties of the president in his/her absence or inability to serve, and also serve as chairperson of the program committee.

Section 4. The secretary shall keep records of all meetings and shall conduct all correspondence of the club.

Section 5. The treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds of the club and shall pay them out only on bills approved by the club or the Board. The treasurer shall collect dues and keep records of the same. A new membership roster will be made available by the treasurer for distribution to club members by the April membership meeting. The treasurer shall file receipts for all disbursements, and shall keep a balanced account of all receipts and disbursements. He/she shall make a monthly report to the club. The treasurer’s books shall be audited annually and the report presented at the February Board meeting and February membership meeting. The auditor will be appointed by the Board no later than the December membership meeting.

Article VI –
Executive Committee (The Board)

Section 1. The Board shall consist of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, the newsletter editor, immediate past president, and the directors. It shall transact any business of an emergency nature, and any other business assigned to it.

Article VII –
Meetings

Section 1.
a. Membership meetings shall be held the third Monday of each month at 7:30 pm or as designated by the president or the Board. b. The annual picnic shall be held in whatever month as approved by the Board.
c. The annual Harvest Festival shall be held in September.
d. The December meeting will feature fancy desserts and a gift exchange.

Section 2. Meetings of the Board shall be held on call of the president or two other members of the Board. A quorum of five may act on club business.

Article VIII –
Fiscal Year

Section 1. The fiscal year shall be from January 1 through December 31.

Section 2. Dues shall be payable January 1, and will become delinquent April 1. Dues paid during the fourth quarter by incoming new members will apply to the following fiscal year. A garden club survey will accompany dues.
Section 3. A budget shall be prepared by the Board in January and presented for adoption at the February board and membership meetings.

Article IX –
Standing Committees

Section 1. The Board shall create such standing committees as are necessary to conduct the business and program of the club.
a. The president, with the consent of the Board, shall appoint the members of the committees.
b. The list of standing committees may include: Budget, Plant Sale, Projects, Farmer’s Market, Membership, Program, Harvest Festival, Library Books, Demo/Raised Beds, and Greenhouse.
c. The Budget Committee shall be the same as the Board.

Section 2. There shall be such special committees as are necessary to conduct business or programs of the club as determined by the president and Board. Personnel shall be selected by the president.
a. The Project Committee shall develop and present special projects to the club and assist in carrying out those approved projects. b. The Membership Committee shall work to promote active participation by the club membership. All club members will be encouraged to bring new members into the club.
c. The Program Committee shall plan and arrange the programs for the meetings of the club with approval of the Board.
d. The Newsletter Editor will be responsible for publishing the monthly newsletter, the Compost Scoop. e. Other committees will function as directed by the Board.

Article X –
Parliamentary Authority Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for conducting meetings.

Article XI –
Amendments These bylaws may be amended at any membership meeting of the club by a two-thirds vote of those members present and voting, providing the proposed amendments have been read at the previous membership meeting.

Article XII –
Dissolution Upon dissolution of the club, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the club, the remaining assets shall be distributed to any nonprofit organization to be used for stated intent and purposes of the Tualatin Valley Garden Club.