BEMIS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this Society shall be Bemis Historical Society.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose of this Society shall be to bring together those people interested in the history and preservation of Bemis, Tennessee. The Society shall strive to discover and collect any materials which contribute to the history of the town and will provide for the preservation and accessibility of such materials. The Society will work with others in the community to undertake the preservations of historic buildings, monuments, and markers. The Society will strive to disseminate historical information and arouse interest in the past by the use of various media. The Society will cooperate with the state historical society to collect and preserve materials of state-wide significance so that these materials can be made available to interested persons. No part of the income of this Society shall be used to benefit any of its members or Board of Directors or other private persons. Payment shall be only for reasonable compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred for Society operations. The Society shall be non-political. If the Society should dissolve, all assets shall pass to the Bemis United Methodist Church Historical Room, Jackson, Tennessee 38301.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Membership shall be on one (1) type: individual active membership open to any person interested in the purposes of the Society.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1. The officers shall be chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer.
Section 2. The term of each office shall be one (1) year.
Section 3. The officers shall constitute the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Society except in such cases as are governed by the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE VI
Election of Officers
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of officers at the February meeting.
Section 2. All officers shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast by secret ballot at the March meeting.
Section 3. Nominations may also be made by any member of the Society at the February meeting upon affirmation vote of a majority of members present at that meeting.
Section 4. A person who has been elected for two (2) consecutive terms shall not be nominated to the same office unless one (1) year elapses between the end of his/her last term and the beginning of the term for which he/she is nominated.
Section 5. Officers shall be installed at the close of the March meeting at which they are elected and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected and installed. In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer except the chairman, the vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the Board of Directors for the unexpired term of office.
ARTICLE VII
Amendment
This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided notice was given at the previous regular meeting. Or it may be amended at a special meeting for that purpose, with notice at the previous regular meeting and a two-thirds vote of those voting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the chairman at least two weeks prior to a regular meeting.
Adopted: March 17, 1998
Amended: August 18, 1998
Signed: _________________________
Joel Jackson, Chairman
BEMIS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Membership and Dues
Section 1. Any person interested int he history and preservation of Bemis, Tennessee who applies for membership and who pays the necessary dues shall thereby become a member.
Section 2. Annual dues for individual members shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
Section 3. Annual dues shall be paid by members during 1998 at the time of joining. After 1998, annual dues shall be payable in April of each year. Members in arrears more than six (6) months after payment is due shall be dropped from membership.
ARTICLE II
Schedule and Quorum for Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings of the Society shall be held on the third Tuesday of each month.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the chairman.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet every other month. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the chairman of the board.
Section 4. One-third of the active members of the society shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE III
Duties of the Officers
Section 1. The chairman shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society within the scope provided by these by-laws. He/she shall preside at all meetings, report annually on the activities of the Society, and shall appoint the members of committees and delegates not otherwise provided for.
Section 2. The vice-chairman shall assume the duties of the chairman int he event the absence, incapacity, or resignation of the chairman.
Section 3. The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report.
Section 4. The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of Society funds and for maintaining adequate financial records. He/she shall deposit all monies received by him/her with a reliable banking company in the name of the Bemis Historical Society. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by the treasurer and the chairman. The treasurer will collect dues and render an annual report.
Section 5. The Board shall have the right to enter into contract on behalf of the corporation.
ARTICLE IV
Committees
Section 1. The Society shall have the following standing committees:
1. Library Committee – responsible for collecting, cataloging, care, arrangement and repair of books, manuscripts, newspapers, and other historical source material.
2. Museum Committee – responsible for
a. collecting, cataloging, cleaning, repair and storage of historic objects
b. arranging museum exhibits and providing correct historical interpretation of these exhibits
c. the care and upkeep of museum quarters
3. Publications Committee – responsible for
a. finding ways and means for publishing joint or individual research studies, newsletter to members, quarterly bulletin, or books
b. publicity
4. Historic Sites Committee – responsible for
a. establishing the historic validity for sites proposed for marking
b. marking historic sites
c. arranging historical tours
5. Program Committee – responsible for arranging suitable programs
6. Membership Committee – responsible for membership drives and processing new candidates for membership
7. Nomination Committee – responsible for making nominations for officers
Section 2. The chairman shall appoint members and chairmen of standing committees.
Section 3. Other committees, standing or special, may be appointed by the chairman as directed by the Society.
ARTICLE V
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Society except in such cases as are governed by the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE VI
Amendment to the Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, providing notice was given at the previous regular meeting. Or they may be amended at a special meeting for that purpose , with notice at the previous regular meeting and a two-thirds vote of those voting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the chairman at least two weeks prior to a regular meeting.