Bylaws

A. The name of this organization shall be the Fox Valley Knitters’ Guild.

B. The purpose of this organization shall be to promote and foster an interest in knitting, to  provide the opportunity for study and sharing to broaden members’ skills, and to encourage high standards of design and technique in various forms of knitting.

A. Membership shall be open to any person interested in the purposes of the organization.

B. Fellow knitters are welcome to visit one guild meeting before joining the guild except for members’ only meetings as determined by the Board.

C. Annual membership term is September 1st through August 31st.

After consulting with committee chairs, the Board of Directors will recommend the amount of dues at the annual meeting in April. The amount will be based on the next year’s budget, which shall also be presented at that time. The Board’s recommendation for budget and dues shall be subject to the approval of two thirds vote of a quorum of the current membership at that meeting. (See Article IV.D for quorum definition.)

B. The proposed budget and recommended dues shall be published in the April newsletter for the consideration of the members.

C. The dues shall cover Guild expenses such as programs, events, and other Guild-related expenses.

A. Meetings shall be held monthly, September through May.

B. Each meeting shall consist of a business segment, a planned program of interest to knitters, and an opportunity to gain inspiration and expertise through a Show & Share.

C. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to amend this schedule when necessary.

D. Thirty percent (30%) of the Guild members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of voting on official business, such as budget and dues and amendment of the bylaws.

E. There shall be an annual business meeting in April. At this meeting the membership shall elect next year’s officers, approve next year’s budget and the amount of next year’s dues, and ratify any suggested revision of the bylaws.

A. The Board shall consist of the Offices of President or Co-Presidents, one or more Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer plus Standing Committee Chairs of Membership, Newsletter Editor, Hospitality, Gallery Show, and Website Editor.

B. All Directors shall be members in good standing of the Guild for the entirety of their term of office.

C. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, the remaining Directors shall call for a special election to be held as soon as suitable candidates are found.

D. The term of office for all Board members shall be one year, commencing June 1st and ending May 31st.

E. The Board shall meet at such time and place as the President shall direct, or at the call of any two other members of the Board.

F. A simple majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting.

G. Any extra-budgetary expense must be approved by a vote of the Board of Directors prior to that expenditure being made, or the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may vote to either approve or deny reimbursement for items not having prior approval.

Duties of the Board members shall be as follows:

A. PRESIDENT

1. Sets the agenda of meetings.

2. Presides at Board of Directors meetings and Guild meetings.

3. Determines when and where the Board shall meet.

4. Submits a “Letter from the President” for each newsletter.

5. Appoints a Nominating Committee in January.

6. Appoints chairs of special committees with the approval of the Board.

7. Appoints a committee of at least three members in good standing for the revision of the Bylaws when revision is deemed necessary.

B. VICE-PRESIDENT

1. Assumes the duties of the President in President’s absence.

2. Chairs a committee of up to three members in good standing to plan Guild programs for the year.

3. Arranges contracts and payments for speakers with the Treasurer.

4. Arranges and sets up any special equipment, such as video equipment or projectors and sound system.

5. Maintains records of signed speaker contracts for a minimum of five years.

6. Submits upcoming program information to the newsletter and website editors.

C. SECRETARY

1. Takes minutes for the business portion of regular monthly meetings.

2. Takes minutes at Board of Directors meetings.

3. Publishes minutes of monthly meetings in the newsletter.

4. Conducts and maintains a record of all Board correspondence.

5. Maintains records of minutes of all meetings for a minimum of five years. 

D. TREASURER

1. Maintains Guild bank account and all accounting records.

2. Submits monthly reports to the Board of Directors’ meetings.

3. Submits financial reports to the newsletter in September, December, and March.

4. After consulting with the Board, prepares a proposed budget for the annual meeting in April and publishes this budget in the March newsletter. Such proposed budget must be cast to allow for an ending bank balance equal to one year’s rent expense plus twenty-five percent (25%) of the current year’s program expense.

5. Writes checks for approved payments supported by invoices or receipts.

6. Provides records for annual internal audit.

7. Maintains all accounting records for a minimum of seven years. 

E. STANDING COMMITTEES

1. MEMBERSHIP

a. Maintains membership records.

b. Distributes membership applications and receives completed applications along with payment of annual dues. Turns dues monies over to the Treasurer.

c. Submits membership information and any updates to the Newsletter and Website Editor.

d. Provides annual membership card for each member.

e. Provides nametags and arranges with Hospitality chair to welcome and introduce guests at each meeting.

2. NEWSLETTER EDITOR

a. Collects information submitted by the Board of Directors and Committee chairs for publication.

b. Prepares and emails or mails the newsletter to all members from September through June.

c. Emails or mails special announcements.

3. HOSPITALITY

a. Prepares room for each meeting.

b. Recruits volunteers to provide refreshments for each meeting.

c. Submits Hospitality article to newsletter.

4. GALLERY SHOW

a. Schedules the dates and venue for the Gallery show with the director of the exhibition space and informs the membership of the date and place.

b. Assists the Guild with generating a theme for the show.

c. Corresponds with other area guilds to invite them to participate when appropriate.

d. Encourages Guild members to plan special work for the show.

e. Collects all items for display.

f. Organizes a committee to hand and to dismantle the display.

g. Organizes the Artists’ Reception.

h. Organizes other displays of members’ work at area libraries or other venues.

5. WEBSITE EDITOR

a. Manages, updates, and modifies the Guild website as necessary in consultation with Board of

Directors.

b. Submits invoices for website-related expense to Treasurer for payment.

A. The President shall appoint a nominating committee composed of at least three members in good standing at the January Guild meeting. This committee shall present a slate of candidates for all Board positions at the March meeting. The membership shall vote on the proposed slate at the annual meeting in April.

B. Nominations from the floor shall be permitted at the April meeting provided consent of the nominee has been obtained.

C. Directors shall be elected by a simple majority of a quorum present at the April meeting.

A. These Bylaws may be amended, repealed, or altered by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of a quorum of the current membership at a meeting.

B. The President shall appoint a committee of at least three members in good standing when such amendment is necessary. This committee shall publish its recommendations in the March newsletter and the vote shall follow at the April meeting.

A. Basic parliamentary procedure shall govern all matters of the Guild.

B. Any disputes as to procedure shall be settled by consulting the most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order – Newly Revised.