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NEW HAMPSHIRE CHAPTER
BY-LAWS (Approved Oct 2007)
ARTICLE I
Name
This organization shall be called the New Hampshire Chapter
of the Appalachian Mountain Club, and is herein referred to as the Chapter. The
term Club as used herein refers to the Corporation, the Appalachian Mountain Club.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purposes of the Chapter are to cooperate with and to
further the objectives of the Club in general and, in particular, as they relate
to New Hampshire.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Any member of the Club residing in New Hampshire is a member
of the Chapter unless he/she notifies the Membership Department of the Club, in
writing, to the contrary. Club members residing elsewhere may be enrolled as members
of the Chapter by written request to the Membership Department of the Club.
ARTICLE IV
Administration
SECTION 1 - The administration of the Chapter
shall be vested in an Executive Committee whose voting members are the Chapter Chair,
Chapter Vice Chair, Chapter Secretary, Chapter Treasurer, Standing Committee Chairs
and Immediate Past Chair. Each member of the Executive Committee present at a meeting
shall have one vote regardless of the number of positions held. Four members shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
SECTION 2 - The members of the Executive Committee
shall be elected by a majority vote of Chapter members present at each Annual Meeting
and shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting or until their successors are
chosen. The Chapter Chair and Chapter Vice Chair shall not be eligible to hold the
same office for more than two consecutive years and the Chapter Secretary and Chapter
Treasurer for more than five consecutive years.
SECTION 3 - The duties of Officers are as
follows:
A. Chapter Chair - The Chapter Chair shall be the executive and administrative officer of the Chapter and shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee; and shall represent the Chapter or the Club, as required, at both Club and non-Club functions.
B. Chapter Vice Chair - The Chapter Vice Chair shall
serve as Chapter Chair in the absence or disability of the Chapter Chair and shall
assume such other responsibilities and special projects as may be delegated to him/her
by the Chapter Chair or the Executive Committee. The Chapter Vice Chair shall automatically
succeed to the office of the Chapter Chair in the event that the office of the Chapter
Chair is vacated before the term of office is completed.
C. Chapter Secretary -
The Chapter Secretary shall give notice
of all Executive Committee and Chapter Meetings as directed by the Chapter Chair.
The Chapter
Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings and records of the Chapter; and
shall conduct the correspondence of the Chapter. The
Chapter Secretary shall file copies of
meeting minutes and pertinent information with the Club headquarters.
D.
Chapter Treasurer - The Chapter Treasurer shall receive all funds paid to or
belonging to the Chapter, shall disburse same under the direction of the Executive
Committee, shall keep proper accounts and make a report of receipts and disbursements
at each meeting of the Executive Committee. The Chapter Treasurer shall oversee
the Chapter budget and review audit reports of all committees maintaining their
own bank accounts. At a time designated by the Club, the Chapter Treasurer shall
send the Chapter's financial records to the Club headquarters to be audited.
E. Immediate Past Chair - The Immediate Past Chair
shall serve in an advisory position on the Executive Committee with voting privileges.
He or she may perform other duties or assignments as requested by the Chapter Chair.
SECTION 4 - The Executive Committee shall
meet not less than 4 times each year.
SECTION 5 - No expenditure shall be made or
financial obligation incurred by any office or committee of the Chapter for which
the Club shall be responsible without previous authorization by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 6 - Should any vacancy occur on the
Executive Committee, other than the Chapter Chair, the Executive Committee shall
appoint a member of the Chapter to fill such vacancy until the next Annual Meeting.
SECTION 7 - Any member of the Chapter elected to membership on the Club’s Board of Directors shall thereby become a member ex-officio of the Executive Committee during such term of office.
SECTION 8 - Any member of the Executive Committee
may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote of the Committee, provided that the motion
to remove shall have been made at the previous Executive Committee meeting and/or
that notice of the intent to make such a motion shall have been made known to all
members of the Committee at least twenty days prior to the vote.
ARTICLE V
SECTION 1 - The Annual Meeting of the Chapter
shall be held between October 1 and November 15 at such hour and place as shall
be designated by the Program Committee. The Nominating Committee shall give its
report at this meeting.
SECTION 2 - Not less than four additional
meetings for the general membership shall be held each year, planned by the Program
Committee and held at diverse locations in New Hampshire.
SECTION 3 - Twenty members of the Chapter
present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual
Meeting or any other general membership meeting.
ARTICLE VI
Standing Committees
SECTION 1 - The Conservation Committee shall
be responsible for enabling Club members to enhance their knowledge and enjoyment
of and to stay informed about current issues facing the natural environment. This
may be accomplished through hikes and paddling trips that have a conservation theme
and by sponsoring conservation work days. This committee shall encourage members
to become informed about relevant legislation and advocacy issues and to participate
in Club-sponsored efforts to further conservation aims.
SECTION 2 - The Education Committee shall
be responsible for assessing program needs of members and arranging or conducting
workshops based on these needs. This committee shall work with other committees
to provide appropriate and relevant educational opportunities. This committee shall
provide assistance to outside groups in New Hampshire looking for AMC focused programs
as well as provide consultation and training to other committees on conducting high
quality educational programs.
SECTION 3 - The Excursions Committee shall
provide a program of general excursions and other activities not specifically covered
by other committees. This committee shall ensure that all activities are conducted
in a manner that promotes the safety of all participants and engenders a sense of
responsibility for the ecology of traversed areas. This committee shall be responsible
for its leader training, skills workshops, and related events. All excursions activities
shall be led by trip leaders who have been approved under criteria established by
this committee and approved by the Executive Committee. This committee shall be
responsible for gathering and submitting excursions trip notices for publication.
SECTION 4 - The Hospitality Committee shall
be responsible for receiving registrations and payments for all Dinner Programs,
Member Welcoming Programs and the Annual Meeting, notifying meeting facilities as
to the number attending, as required by each facility, checking attendees in as
they arrive and providing name badges. All monies received shall be given to the
Chapter Treasurer.
SECTION 5 - The Membership Committee shall
be responsible for sending out new member welcome letters, with any other appropriate
brochures or information, to all new Chapter members. This committee shall be responsible
for obtaining membership information from the Club, maintaining monthly statistical
records concerning new members and updating the names and addresses on the Chapter
membership list each month. The Membership Committee Chair(s) shall preside over
Member Welcoming Dinners, which shall be conducted at times agreed on in consultation
with the Program Committee.
SECTION 6 - The Mountaineering Committee shall
be responsible for planning, scheduling and implementing safe mountaineering trips,
including rock climbing, ice climbing, indoor climbing, ski mountaineering, backcountry
skiing, and glacier travel. This committee shall ensure that all activities are
conducted in a manner that promotes the safety of all participants and engenders
a sense of responsibility for the ecology of traversed areas. This committee shall
be responsible for its leader training, skills workshops, and related events. This
committee shall purchase and maintain climbing equipment and ensure that it meets
accepted safety standards. All mountaineering activities shall be led by trip leaders
who have been approved under criteria established by this committee and approved
by the Executive Committee. This committee shall be responsible for gathering and
submitting mountaineering trip notices for publication.
SECTION 7 - The Newsletter Editor(s) shall
be responsible for laying out, proofing and distributing each newsletter to the
Chapter membership. They shall be responsible for securing the printer and mailing
lists and communicating newsletter deadlines to all Officers and Standing Committees
of the Chapter. All articles must come from an Officer or committee of the Chapter
or be subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
SECTION 8 - The Paddling Committee shall be
responsible for planning, scheduling and implementing safe paddling and related
activities. This committee shall ensure that all activities are conducted in a manner
that promotes the safety of all participants and engenders a sense of responsibility
for the ecology of traversed areas. This committee shall be responsible for its
leader training, skills workshops, and related events. All paddling activities shall
be led by trip leaders who have been approved under criteria established by this
committee and approved by the Executive Committee. This committee shall be responsible
for gathering and submitting paddling trip notices for publication.
SECTION 9 - The Program Committee shall be
responsible for establishing dates for all Chapter Dinner Programs and the Annual
Meeting. This committee shall locate restaurants, establish prices, and secure speakers
for each dinner program. Complete information about each dinner program, including
a registration form, shall be submitted to the Newsletter Editor(s) for publication
in the appropriate issue. The Program Committee Chair(s) shall preside at Dinner
Programs in the absence of both the Chapter Chair and Chapter Vice Chair.
SECTION 10 - The Trails Committee shall be
responsible for planning and coordinating trail work led by the Chapter. All trail
work shall be performed in a way that is safe for participants and improves the
trails and their environment. This committee shall be responsible for its leader
training, skills workshops, and related events. All Trails activities shall be led
by trip leaders who have been approved under criteria established by this committee
and approved by the Executive Committee. This committee shall be responsible for
gathering and submitting trail work trip notices for publication.
SECTION 11 - The Webmaster shall be responsible
for maintaining and updating the Chapter website. Ongoing and upcoming events as
well as appropriate information from AMC Outdoors, the Chapter Newsletter and the
Executive Committee shall be posted.
SECTION 12 - The Young Members Committee shall
be a resource for younger adult members of the Chapter to receive information about
and encouragement to become involved in the activities of the Chapter. It shall
provide a community for like-minded individuals while fostering a sense of connection
to the Chapter and the Club as a whole. It shall maintain connections with other
Chapter committees and work to promote and develop future leaders.
SECTION 13 – In these by-laws, the term Standing
Committee Chair(s) or Co-Chair(s) shall include the Newsletter Editor(s) and Webmaster(s).
Any power or responsibility assigned to Standing Committees shall also be assigned
to the Newsletter Editor(s) and Webmaster(s).
SECTION 14 - Any Standing Committee may establish
and dissolve sub-committees to meet the needs of the Chapter subject to the approval
of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 15 – Any committee that maintains
a bank account shall prepare an audit report and send it with backup data to the
Club Headquarters as requested annually by the Club. A copy of that audit report
must be forwarded to the Chapter Treasurer.
SECTION 16 - The Executive Committee may establish,
at any time, Temporary Committees to administer new activities on a trial basis
within the Chapter. Temporary Committees may plan, schedule and implement trips,
events or leadership and training programs with the approval of the Executive Committee
or their designee. Temporary Committees shall report to, request and receive funds
from and attend meetings of the Executive Committee without voting rights. Temporary
Committees shall ensure that all of their activities are conducted in a manner that
promotes the safety of all participants and engenders a sense of responsibility
for the ecology of traversed areas. All activities sponsored by a Temporary Committee
shall be led by trip leaders who have been approved under criteria established by
the Executive Committee. A Temporary Committee may gather and submit trip notices
for publication subject to approval by the Executive Committee. A Temporary Committee
may be dissolved by the Executive Committee. A Temporary Committee may become a
Standing Committee only through an amendment to the by-laws.
ARTICLE VII
Election of Offices and Standing Committee Members
SECTION 1 - Four months before the Annual
Meeting, the Chapter Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three
members, no member of which can be a member of the current Executive Committee.
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of candidates for each Office and
Standing Committee Chair or Co-chairs. This list shall include the names of proposed
Chairs or Co-chairs from Standing Committees that have a defined procedure for selecting
Chairs or Co-chairs that has been approved by the Executive Committee. The Nominating
Committee shall consult with the proposed Chapter Chair to obtain his/her consent
to serve and his/her agreement on the other nominees it has proposed. It shall then
obtain the consent of the other nominees and submit the complete slate to the Chapter
Secretary not less than four weeks prior to the date of the Annual Meeting. The
list of candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee shall be made known to
all members of the Chapter at least 20 days before the meeting.
SECTION 2 - Any five Chapter members desiring
to nominate an additional candidate may do so by sending to the Chapter Secretary,
not later than ten days before the Annual Meeting, a nomination paper stating the
office to be filled, the proposed candidate and a statement from the nominee that
he/she is willing to serve if elected. The five members of the Chapter must sign
the nomination paper.
SECTION 3 - No person shall be elected to
office unless nominated by one of the above methods.
ARTICLE VIII
By-laws
SECTION 1 - By-laws may be amended at any Annual Meeting or other regularly scheduled Chapter Meeting by two thirds vote of those present and voting, provided notice of such amendment shall have been sent to all members of the Chapter at least three weeks previously. The by-laws as printed above are complete with all approved amendments voted by the membership on the following dates: 6/8/81, 3/1/89, 10/13/01, 10/9/04 and 10/6/07. |