By-Laws of The Chester County Camera Club
Article I
Name and Purpose
This organization shall be known as the “Chester County Camera Club”.
The purpose of the Chester County Camera Club shall be to educate, encourage, and expand the photographic knowledge and capabilities of its members by:
- furnishing a meeting place where its members may associate,
- making available equipment required for the conduct of its programs,
- presenting lectures and demonstration of techniques,
- providing for member participation in monthly club contests, and
- sponsoring any activities which further the purpose of the Club.
Article II
Membership
Anyone interested in photography may become a member by the payment of yearly dues.
Dues must be paid prior to the deadline for submission to a competition in order for a member to compete in the regular monthly competition.
There shall be three tiers of annual dues:
- Full member,
- Family member and
- Full-time student member.
Family members and full-time student members shall pay reduced membership dues as set by the steering committee.
Membership may be suspended by the Steering Committee for good and sufficient reason. The Steering Committee shall have full discretion as to what constitutes “good and sufficient reason”, and the decision of the Steering Committee shall be final. Examples of what could constitute good and sufficient reason include, but are not limited to: obscene or threatening behavior or personal behavior that disrupts or interrupts meeting(s) to the detriment of other members’ participation and enjoyment.
Article III
Officers
There shall be four elected officers: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and two elected Members-at-Large. As soon as possible after the May election the President will appoint Chairpersons for the Membership, Competition and Outings Committees as well as Webmaster. The Officers, Members-at-Large, immediate Past President, Webmaster and chairpersons of the Standing Committees shall constitute the Steering Committee.
Article IV
Governance of the Club
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee consists of:
· President
· Vice President
· Secretary
· Treasurer
· Immediate Past President
· Member at Large #1
· Member at Large #2
· Chairperson of the Competitions Committee
· Chairperson of the Membership Committee
· Chairperson of the Outings Committee
· Webmaster
It shall be the function of the Steering Committee to transact necessary business and guide club activities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the Chester County Camera Club. The Steering Committee shall meet:
- at the call of the president, or
- at the joint request of any three club members, and
- a minimum of once per year.
A majority of the Steering Committee members constitutes a quorum. A majority vote of the Steering Committee shall be necessary to approve a decision. Club membership shall be informed of Steering Committee affairs.
Steering Committee members and their duties are:
- The President of the Chester County Camera Club is charged with the promotion and effective operation of the club. The President presides at all meetings (including those of the Steering Committee), appoints members to chair all standing committees, forms and appoints ad hoc committees as may be required, signs all written contracts, serves as an ex officio member of all committees, and makes a report at the last club meeting of the year with presentation of annual awards.
- The Vice President arranges programs and functions as President when necessary. In the absence of the President, unwillingness of the President to serve or the vacancy of that office, the Vice President is designated to preside and function as the first officer of the club.
- The Secretary is required to keep minutes of all Steering Committee and regular meetings which will be posted on the club website and to conduct the club’s correspondence. In the absence of the Secretary the President shall appoint a member to take minutes.
- The Treasurer shall act as custodian of all club funds, keep funds in an approved bank account in the name of the club, keep a running balance for reporting at any meeting, and make an annual financial report to the Steering Committee. The Treasurer is responsible for paying bills authorized by the President or Steering Committee.
- The Webmaster is charged with the responsibility of maintaining the Club’s website. This includes but is not limited to: posting meeting minutes, monthly competition results, speakers / programs, outings, and miscellaneous information.
- Members at Large are expected to attend all Steering Committee meetings as representatives of the club as a whole. They along with the Past President will form the nominating committee and run the annual elections in a fair and unbiased manner.
- The Immediate Past President is expected to attend all Steering Committee meetings, serve as a member and chair of the nominating committee and help to run the election of officers.
- The Chairperson of the Competitions Committee plans and conducts monthly competitions, arranges for judges, chooses the themes for the year, and calculates the Photographer of the Year in time for the annual award.
- The Chairperson of the Membership Committee arranges for new members to be onboarded to the club, serves as a greeter at each meeting and serves as an information resource for new members and visitors.
- The Chairperson of the Outings Committee plans and conducts club outings to outside shoots and photo venues, announces upcoming outings, coordinates carpools, makes special admission arrangements and ensures that members have opportunities to post outings photos on the web page.
Standing Committees
Standing Committee chairpersons shall select committee members of their own choosing.
- Competition - This committee provides qualified persons for judging of prints and digital photos in club competitions and provides clear, written competition instructions to judges and club members.
- Membership - This committee promotes membership growth, welcomes guests and collects and submits dues to the Treasurer. The committee creates and maintains an up-to-date list of all members and their contact information.
- Outings – This committee plans, organizes, conducts and promotes club shoots to locations of interest to members.
Executive Committee
An Executive Committee is established as a subset of the Steering Committee. It shall consist of:
· President
· Vice President
· Secretary
· Treasurer
From time to time, the Steering Committee may delegate to the Executive Committee any of its authority to act in place of the Steering Committee. Examples of when this might be desirable would be (but are not limited to) search for new meeting space, evaluation of purchases, programs, special projects etc.
If requested by the President, the Executive Committee may caucus as a group with the goal of bringing an issue to the attention of the Steering Committee or the membership.
Article V
Meetings
Chester County Camera Club meetings are held twice per month from September through May, on a schedule set by the Steering Committee. One meeting per month shall be an instructional meeting and the other meeting shall be a competition meeting. Exceptions to the meeting schedule may be made as determined necessary by the Steering Committee.
Meetings of the club, Steering Committee and Executive Committee should be in person when possible, but if circumstances require, they may be conducted remotely via electronic means. Additionally, decision making by the Steering Committee and Executive Committee can be conducted in person, online, via telephone or via email, provided that all committee members are included in all communications. Decisions made electronically are as valid as decisions made in person.
Article VI
Finance
The Chester County Camera Club shall not earn a profit. Any annual surplus funds shall be reinvested in club activities, equipment or carried over to the next year for operating expenses.
The yearly Chester County Camera Club dues shall be set by the Steering Committee.
The fiscal year for the club shall be July 1 through June 30. Financial reports are available to members upon request to the Treasurer.
Financial Authority of Officers
The following levels of financial authority are established.
The president shall have the authority to spend club funds for expenses totaling up to $250 per year.
The Executive Committee shall have the authority to expend funds for expenses totaling up to $999 per year .
The Steering Committee shall have the authority to expend funds for expenses totaling over $1,000.
Article VII
Parliamentary Authority and Amendment to the By-Laws
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Chester County Camera Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws.
These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Chester County Camera Club by a simple majority vote of the members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing or via electronic means one month prior.
Article VIII
Elections
Election of club officers shall be held annually in May.
The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the Immediate Past President and the two Members-at-Large. The Past President shall serve as the chairperson of the Nominating Committee; if unwilling or unable to serve, another member of the committee may be elected by the committee to serve as chair. The committee shall prepare a single slate of candidates to be approved by the Steering Committee and posted on the club website at least one meeting in advance of the elections. Deliberations of the Nominating Committee are privileged and no other members of the club may be present. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall present the slate at the annual election meeting; additional nominations can be made from the floor. If a member is nominated from the floor, the following conditions must be met: (a) the nomination must be seconded by another member and (b) the member being nominated must be present and must state a willingness to serve.
Voting shall be by a simple majority of members present; there shall be no proxies or absentee balloting.
The term of all elected officers shall begin on July 1 following the May election and end on the following June 30.
No one may hold the office of President for more than two consecutive one-year terms. No one may hold the office of Vice President for more than two consecutive one-year terms.
Vacancies in the club offices shall be filled by Presidential appointment, subject to approval by the Steering Committee. If the President is unable to fulfill his/her term of office the term shall be completed by the Vice President. The vacancy thereby created in the office of the Vice President shall be filled by appointment of the Steering Committee.
Article IX
Policies and Procedures
All decisions regarding scheduling, programming, events and the policies and procedures of running the club will be under the direction of the Steering Committee, and carried out by the responsible club office-holder as directed by the Committee. The President is empowered to make operating decisions in accordance with Steering Committee guidance and direction.
Policies and procedures of the club are established in a “Policies and Procedures” document that may be updated by the President subject to a majority vote by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee may be polled via email for this purpose. Any member of the Steering Committee may also propose changes for consideration and vote by the Committee.
All policies and procedures must be in accordance with the By-Laws of the club.
Revision history:
1. Date Ratified: March 8, 2011
2. Article V amended on March 20, 2012
3. Article III (paragraph 3) amended on March 5, 2013
4. General revision January 2016
5. General revision July 2020