Article I –
Name
Section
1. The name of this organization shall be “Fearrington Village Singers”
(hereinafter called “the organization”).
Article II – Composition
This
is a voluntary membership organization formed through an administrative merger
of two choral groups, the Harmony Grits (men) and the Village Voices (women).
Article III – Purpose
The
purpose of Fearrington Village Singers is to provide rewarding choral singing
experiences; enhance the musical capabilities of members; and perform choral
music for the benefit of the public. Fearrington Village Singers is organized
exclusively for educational purposes in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax
code.
Article IV – Membership
Section 1. Eligibility
All
residents of Fearrington Village and Galloway Ridge are eligible for
membership. Non-residents of Fearrington Village and Galloway Ridge may also be
considered by the Board of Directors for membership, after giving priority to
residents. A maximum membership may be determined by the Board.
Section 2. Qualifications for Membership
The
qualifications, dues, fees, requirements, and responsibilities of members shall
be determined by the Board of Directors and communicated to all members. New
members shall be required to review these qualifications and responsibilities
before joining the organization. Membership is by term.
Article V – Membership Meetings
Section 1. Annual Meeting
An
Annual Meeting shall be held in March or April of each year for the purpose of
electing officers and conducting such other business that may be determined by
the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Special Membership Meetings
Special
membership meetings may be called by the President of the organization, or
three of the Officers, or by one-tenth of the members.
Section 3.
Notice of Meetings
Electronic
notices of the purpose, date, time and place of any membership meeting shall be
sent to all members at least two weeks before the date of the meeting.
Section 4. Quorum
One-half
the number of members in good standing at the time of the meeting shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.
Section 5. Parliamentary Authority
All
business shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted parliamentary
procedures, such as Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 6. Voting Rights
Each
member is entitled to one vote on each matter upon which members have voting
rights. There shall be no proxy voting.
Article VI – Officers
Section 1. Composition
The Officers
of the organization shall consist of a President, two Vice Presidents, a
Secretary, a Treasurer, a Communications Officer, and a Membership Officer. The
gender balance of the Board's composition is an important, and historical,
value of the organization. The recruitment and selection of every Board should
reflect that value.
Section 2. Nominations and Election
Each year,
the Nominating Committee shall announce to the membership a slate of nominees
(one per office) for election at the Annual Meeting no later than two weeks
before the Annual Meeting. In addition, any member may, from the floor at the
Annual Meeting, nominate additional candidates for any open position, provided
that the nominee is willing to serve. Officers shall be elected by a majority
of the members present at the Annual Meeting.
Section 3.
Responsibilities
The President
shall:
·
Arrange and preside at Board meetings and develop agendas.
·
Determine the calendar for the season.
·
Report regularly to the members of the chorus on actions taken by the Board.
·
Serve as primary contact with the Fitch organization and other outside
groups.
· Supervise
professional staff; manage a replacement process if needed.
· Oversee the
transition from old to new boards, including orientation to
job responsibilities.
· Oversee all
communications, internally and externally.
The Vice Presidents shall:
·
Fill in as needed in the event of the absence of the President.
·
The Vice Presidents have the joint responsibility for
planning and supervising the activities of all concert performances. These
include, but aren’t limited to:
·
Selecting the locations and dates for the concerts,
with President’s approval
·
Executing all required contractual arrangements related
to the concerts
·
Preparing and maintaining the Production Calendar
·
Selecting, supervising, and supporting the volunteer
leaders for:
o Advertising
Sales
o Graphic
Design
o Concert
Publicity
o Ticket
sales
o Venue
set-up (stage, risers, seating, lighting A/V support as needed)
o Front
of House (parking, ushers, customer service)
o Singer
staging in the venue(s)
o Afterglow
·
Coordinating and supporting the concert-related work of
the Music Director and the Board’s President, Treasurer, and Communications
Offcer.
The two Vice
Presidents, with the approval of the President, shall determine the division of
these responsibilities between them within 30 days of each new Board taking
office (or by Aug. 1st of the year).
The Secretary
shall:
·
Take minutes at board and full membership meetings.
·
Prepare and maintain group email rosters for the chorus.
·
At the direction of the President, send notices, including term calendars,
to members of the chorus as well as additional communications as needed.
The Treasurer shall:
·
Handle all banking transactions.
·
Maintain a complete permanent record of all transactions.
·
Develop and monitor an annual budget.
·
Prepare and maintain membership rosters.
·
Report budget status to the Board at every Board meeting and to the
full membership at least once per term.
The
Communications Officer shall oversee:
· Dissemination
of chorus communications to section leaders.
· The fearringtonvillagesingers.org website.
· Graphic
and written publicity for ticket sales, concerts, programs, recruitment,
and community outreach.
· Recruitment
of concert ticket manager and committee chairs as require.
· Other
communications as agreed by the Board.
The
Membership Officer shall:
-Work with a
committee to recruit and orient new members.
-Update the Membership
Packet by the first rehearsal in the fall.
-Serve as an
at-large board member, inviting member feedback and reporting their expressed
viewpoints in board meetings.
Article VII – Board of Directors
Section 1. General Powers
The
business and affairs of the organization, including the hiring of professional
staff as needed, shall be managed by its Board of Directors, which is
responsible for overall policy and direction. Specific tasks and functions may
be delegated as needed to committee heads and other appointed individuals.
Section 2. Composition
The Board of
Directors of the organization shall consist of the Officers (see Article VI,
Section 1).
Section 3.
Terms of Office
Terms
of office shall begin on July 1. All Officers shall serve in their positions
for a term of one year, unless the Nominating Committee shall invite an
incumbent to serve an additional term or terms. The President, if possible,
shall first serve at least one year as Vice President and the following year as
President.
Section 4. Quorum
A majority of
the current Officers shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 5. Meetings
There shall
be at least five regular meetings of the Board of Directors each season – two
per term plus a joint meeting of the incoming and outgoing Boards after the
last public concert in the spring. Special meetings may be called at the
request of any three Officers. The Board may take action without meeting if the
Officers unanimously approve the proposed action via email or other technology.
The action will be documented in the minutes of the next Board meeting.
Section 6.
Vacancies
Constraints
imposed by any Officer’s capabilities or availability to serve may create
vacancies that might remain unfilled temporarily, altering the composition of
the Board of Directors. Should such altered composition prove to be
problematic, it shall be remedied at the Board’s discretion by appointment or
election to fill the unexpired term at the earliest opportunity.
Section 7. Removal
Any
Officer may be removed from the Board, with or without cause, by a majority
vote of the Board of Directors at any regular meeting or any special meeting of
the Board called expressly for that purpose.
Article VIII – Committees and Administrative Positions
Section 1. Nominating
In
January of each year, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee to
develop a single slate of candidates, consisting of one candidate per office,
for Officer positions for the following season. The Nominating Committee shall
consist of a Chair (a past Officer) plus four additional members. Members of
the Nominating Committee shall not be eligible to be nominated for any of the
positions for which they are seeking candidates.
Section 2. Other Committees and Appointed Positions
Committee
chairs and other administrative positions shall be appointed by July 1 by the
incoming Board to serve one-year terms. Individuals in these positions may
serve unlimited successive terms. These positions may include, but are not
limited to, the following: Section Leader, Librarian, Music Selection Chair,
Publicity Chair, Social Co-Chairs, House Manager, Stage Manager, Technical
Support and Ticket Co-Chairs.
Section 3. Section Leaders
At
the direction of the President, Section Leaders shall be chosen by the members
of their respective sections before July 1, to serve the following season.
Article IX – Finance
Section 1. Fiscal Year
The
fiscal year of the organization shall begin on the first day of July of each
year and shall end on the thirtieth of June of the following year.
Section 2. Accounting
The
Treasurer shall maintain a checking account at a local bank with signature
authority as determined by the Board of Directors. The Board shall develop, and
the Treasurer shall implement, a document of financial policies and procedures.
Section 3. Annual Budget
Each year,
after all spring concert proceeds are deposited and related bills paid, the
Treasurer shall develop, and the Board of Directors shall approve, an annual
budget for the next year, beginning July 1.
Section 4. Revenue
The
Board of Directors shall have the authority to charge membership dues and
solicit other forms of voluntary financial support to meet the needs of the
organization. All such funds shall be used exclusively to further the purposes
of the organization.
Section 5. Expenditures
The Board of
Directors shall set discretionary guidelines and authority limits for approval
of the expenditure of funds. No board member shall obligate the organization
beyond these limits without the approval of a majority of current board
members.
Article X – Amendments of the Bylaws
These
bylaws may be temporarily waived, amended or repealed, or new bylaws adopted,
at any time by the Board of Directors, subject to approval by a simple majority
vote of the membership at a meeting called for such purpose.
Article XI – Dissolution and Distribution of Assets
In
the event of the dissolution of the organization, the Board of Directors, after
paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the
organization, shall develop and execute a plan for the disposal of all
remaining assets to a voluntary organization engaged in choral singing, subject
to approval by the full membership at a meeting called for such purpose.
