BY-LAWS OF THE BECKHAM BIRD CLUB, INC.
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of the corporation shall be “Beckham Bird Club.”
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purposes of this corporation are:
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section A – Any person with an interest in birds and who supports the purposes of this corporation may become a member by paying the prescribed dues. Membership categories shall be Active, Active Contributing, Life, Student, Family, and Family Contributing.
Section B – Active Membership shall consist of those persons who pay Active Membership dues and who desire to cooperate in the work of the corporation and wish to receive its publications.
Section C – Active Contributing Membership shall consist of those persons who pay Active Contributing Membership dues. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member.
Section D – Life Membership shall consist of those persons who pay the Life Membership fee. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member. A Life Membership is non-transferable.
Section E – Student Membership shall include bona fide full-time students of K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. They shall pay the Student Membership dues annually as long as they remain in this classification. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member.
Section F – Family Membership shall include all persons living in the same household as a member who pays Family Membership dues or who is a Life Member.
Section G – Family Contributing Membership shall include all persons living in the same household as a member who pays Family Contributing Membership dues.
ARTICLE IV: DUES
Section A – The annual dues for each membership category shall be established at an Annual Meeting by a majority vote of the members present. Any proposed changes to the annual dues shall be sent to every member not less than seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
Section B – Dues are payable for the calendar year.
ARTICLE V: GOVERNMENT
Section A – The governing body of this corporation shall be an Executive Board of nine (9) members, consisting of four (4) officers: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer; four (4) directors, two (2) of whom shall be elected each year; and the retiring president.
Section B – The president shall appoint a Nominating Committee who shall nominate one (1) member for each office and two (2) members as directors. The Committee shall make its report at the Annual Meeting and place such names in nomination. Members present at the Annual Meeting may also make nominations from the floor for officers or directors. The four (4) officers and two (2) directors shall be elected by majority vote of the members present provided that a quorum, as hereinafter defined, be present.
Section C –Officers shall be elected for one (1) year and may be re-elected to the same office for not more than four (4) successive terms. Directors shall be elected for two (2) years and may be re-elected. New officers and directors shall assume their duties on June 15.
Section D – Vacancies occurring in the Executive Board shall be filled by the Executive Board. Any person so selected shall act until the next Annual Meeting, at which time a person shall be elected to fill the expired term.
Section E - In the event that circumstances beyond the corporation’s control make it impossible or inadvisable to conduct the May Annual Meeting in person, the Executive Board may, by majority vote, determine that the meeting shall be conducted by electronic means. Such means may include, but are not limited to, video conferencing or conducting officer and director elections, as well as votes on other matters such as membership dues or by-law amendments, by a combination of electronic and postal mail. In the event that a meeting is conducted by electronic means, the provisions pertaining to advance notice of dues changes and by-law amendments shall remain in effect. The Executive Board shall adopt a procedure that permits nominations from the membership for officer or board positions.
ARTICLE VI: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section A – The duties of the officers shall be such as pertain to their respective office in similar organizations. The president shall be chairman of the Executive Board and shall appoint all committees.
Section B – The vice-president shall perform the duties of the president in his/her absence.
Section C – The secretary shall record the proceedings of the corporation and of its Executive Board in books kept for that purpose and shall have charge of the records of the corporation and its publications; shall conduct the correspondence of the corporation and keep a record thereof; shall inform members, directors and officers of their election; shall give notice of all meetings and inform the directors and officers of all matters requiring their attention.
Section D – The treasurer shall take care of the accounts and funds of the corporation; shall send bills for dues; shall collect all bills due the corporation; shall pay from the funds of the corporation all bills duly approved by the Executive Board. At the Annual Meeting the treasurer shall furnish a statement of the financial condition of the corporation.
ARTICLE VII: STANDING COMMITTEES
The standing committees of this corporation shall be the Membership Committee; Program Committee; Field Trip Committee; Conservation Committee; Bird Alert Committee; Telephone Committee; Publicity Committee; Hospitality Committee; and Ad Hoc Committees as required.
ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS
Section A – There shall be at least ten (10) regular meetings of the corporation each year. The Annual Meeting shall be held in May. In the event that circumstances beyond the control of the corporation make it impossible or unsafe to conduct meetings, the Executive Board may, upon a vote of the majority of its members, suspend meetings, including the Annual Meeting in May, or other activities of the corporation, until such time as it votes that a resumption is possible.
Section B – Notice of meetings shall be sent to each member not less than five (5) days prior to each meeting.
Section C – There shall be a regular schedule of field trips each year as prepared by the Field Trip Committee.
Section D – A Special Meeting of the membership may be called at any time on three (3) days’ notice by the president, or on written application signed by five (5) members of the Executive Board, or on written application of any ten (10) members.
Section E – Fifteen (15) percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the corporation.
Section F – Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at such times as the Board may desire, and two (2) days’ notice of each meeting shall be given. The president may call a Special Meeting of the Board at any time. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the By-Laws may be made by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at any meeting, provided written notice of the proposed change shall be sent to every member of the corporation not less than seven (7) days prior to such meeting. However, no such amendment shall be valid unless there be a quorum present at such meeting.
ARTICLE X: ADDENDA
Section A – The Fiscal Year of the corporation shall be the calendar year.
Section B – The president shall appoint a committee to audit the treasurer’s books at the end of the treasurer’s term of office.
Section C – Roberts RULES OF ORDER shall govern parliamentary procedure.
Section D – Only those persons specifically designated by the president or the Board of Directors may speak on behalf of the corporation on matters of public record.
- Adopted May 16, 1951
- Amended November 10, 1959
- Amended November 12, 1968
- Amended June 13, 1978
- Amended November 11, 1980
- Amended December 10, 1985
- Amended November 8, 1988
- Amended July 9, 1991
- Amended July 14, 1998
- Amended January 13, 2009
- Amended May 14, 2019
- Amended May 11, 2021
- Amended May 14, 2024
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of the corporation shall be “Beckham Bird Club.”
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purposes of this corporation are:
- To promote interest in the science of ornithology and to further the knowledge of bird life.
- To furnish an opportunity for those interested in birds to meet and exchange ideas and to develop a bond of mutual interest.
- To stand for the enactment and enforcement of wise and judicious laws for the protection of birds and their habitat, and for the conservation of our natural resources.
- To publish a newsletter to provide educational material and to inform the membership of the corporation’s activities.
- To further the knowledge and interest of the public at large concerning birds and their needs.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section A – Any person with an interest in birds and who supports the purposes of this corporation may become a member by paying the prescribed dues. Membership categories shall be Active, Active Contributing, Life, Student, Family, and Family Contributing.
Section B – Active Membership shall consist of those persons who pay Active Membership dues and who desire to cooperate in the work of the corporation and wish to receive its publications.
Section C – Active Contributing Membership shall consist of those persons who pay Active Contributing Membership dues. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member.
Section D – Life Membership shall consist of those persons who pay the Life Membership fee. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member. A Life Membership is non-transferable.
Section E – Student Membership shall include bona fide full-time students of K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. They shall pay the Student Membership dues annually as long as they remain in this classification. They shall be accorded the privileges and duties of an Active Member.
Section F – Family Membership shall include all persons living in the same household as a member who pays Family Membership dues or who is a Life Member.
Section G – Family Contributing Membership shall include all persons living in the same household as a member who pays Family Contributing Membership dues.
ARTICLE IV: DUES
Section A – The annual dues for each membership category shall be established at an Annual Meeting by a majority vote of the members present. Any proposed changes to the annual dues shall be sent to every member not less than seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
Section B – Dues are payable for the calendar year.
ARTICLE V: GOVERNMENT
Section A – The governing body of this corporation shall be an Executive Board of nine (9) members, consisting of four (4) officers: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer; four (4) directors, two (2) of whom shall be elected each year; and the retiring president.
Section B – The president shall appoint a Nominating Committee who shall nominate one (1) member for each office and two (2) members as directors. The Committee shall make its report at the Annual Meeting and place such names in nomination. Members present at the Annual Meeting may also make nominations from the floor for officers or directors. The four (4) officers and two (2) directors shall be elected by majority vote of the members present provided that a quorum, as hereinafter defined, be present.
Section C –Officers shall be elected for one (1) year and may be re-elected to the same office for not more than four (4) successive terms. Directors shall be elected for two (2) years and may be re-elected. New officers and directors shall assume their duties on June 15.
Section D – Vacancies occurring in the Executive Board shall be filled by the Executive Board. Any person so selected shall act until the next Annual Meeting, at which time a person shall be elected to fill the expired term.
Section E - In the event that circumstances beyond the corporation’s control make it impossible or inadvisable to conduct the May Annual Meeting in person, the Executive Board may, by majority vote, determine that the meeting shall be conducted by electronic means. Such means may include, but are not limited to, video conferencing or conducting officer and director elections, as well as votes on other matters such as membership dues or by-law amendments, by a combination of electronic and postal mail. In the event that a meeting is conducted by electronic means, the provisions pertaining to advance notice of dues changes and by-law amendments shall remain in effect. The Executive Board shall adopt a procedure that permits nominations from the membership for officer or board positions.
ARTICLE VI: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section A – The duties of the officers shall be such as pertain to their respective office in similar organizations. The president shall be chairman of the Executive Board and shall appoint all committees.
Section B – The vice-president shall perform the duties of the president in his/her absence.
Section C – The secretary shall record the proceedings of the corporation and of its Executive Board in books kept for that purpose and shall have charge of the records of the corporation and its publications; shall conduct the correspondence of the corporation and keep a record thereof; shall inform members, directors and officers of their election; shall give notice of all meetings and inform the directors and officers of all matters requiring their attention.
Section D – The treasurer shall take care of the accounts and funds of the corporation; shall send bills for dues; shall collect all bills due the corporation; shall pay from the funds of the corporation all bills duly approved by the Executive Board. At the Annual Meeting the treasurer shall furnish a statement of the financial condition of the corporation.
ARTICLE VII: STANDING COMMITTEES
The standing committees of this corporation shall be the Membership Committee; Program Committee; Field Trip Committee; Conservation Committee; Bird Alert Committee; Telephone Committee; Publicity Committee; Hospitality Committee; and Ad Hoc Committees as required.
ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS
Section A – There shall be at least ten (10) regular meetings of the corporation each year. The Annual Meeting shall be held in May. In the event that circumstances beyond the control of the corporation make it impossible or unsafe to conduct meetings, the Executive Board may, upon a vote of the majority of its members, suspend meetings, including the Annual Meeting in May, or other activities of the corporation, until such time as it votes that a resumption is possible.
Section B – Notice of meetings shall be sent to each member not less than five (5) days prior to each meeting.
Section C – There shall be a regular schedule of field trips each year as prepared by the Field Trip Committee.
Section D – A Special Meeting of the membership may be called at any time on three (3) days’ notice by the president, or on written application signed by five (5) members of the Executive Board, or on written application of any ten (10) members.
Section E – Fifteen (15) percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the corporation.
Section F – Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at such times as the Board may desire, and two (2) days’ notice of each meeting shall be given. The president may call a Special Meeting of the Board at any time. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the By-Laws may be made by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at any meeting, provided written notice of the proposed change shall be sent to every member of the corporation not less than seven (7) days prior to such meeting. However, no such amendment shall be valid unless there be a quorum present at such meeting.
ARTICLE X: ADDENDA
Section A – The Fiscal Year of the corporation shall be the calendar year.
Section B – The president shall appoint a committee to audit the treasurer’s books at the end of the treasurer’s term of office.
Section C – Roberts RULES OF ORDER shall govern parliamentary procedure.
Section D – Only those persons specifically designated by the president or the Board of Directors may speak on behalf of the corporation on matters of public record.