CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS

THE ART LEAGUE OF NASSAU COUNTY, INC. Organized 1925 – Incorporated as a Non-Profit Organization 1934

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS Amended 2014.

CONSTITUTION

Article I – NAME

The league shall be known as The Art League of Nassau County, Inc.

Article II – OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the League shall be:

To bring into helpful cooperation those who practice and those who are interested in the fine arts with emphasis on traditional representational arts.
To stimulate public interest in these arts by exhibitions and various public programs.
To encourage art education.
To awaken a civic consciousness to the value of beauty in a community.
To seek the affiliation of other organizations whose aims are similar to those of the League.

Article III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. CLASSIFICATION: Membership classes shall consist of the following:

FULL
ASSOCIATE
LIFE
HONORARY

Section 2. FULL: Any person over 18 years of age whose work has be submitted and who is approved by the Membership Committee, shall be eligible to become an FULL member, upon payment of the required initiation fees and dues.

(a) FULL members may participate in all League activities. They may attend and vote at business meetings; are eligible to hold office or serve on committees and may submit work to selection by the Exhibition Committee.

Section 3. ASSOCIATE: Any person over 18 years of age, interested in any of the visual arts and approved by the Membership Committee.

(a) Is not required to submit paintings or sculpture for membership.

(b) Cannot vote, be counted as a quorum, exhibit or hold office.

Can serve on appropriate committee, attend all membership meetings and League functions
Associate membership must not exceed 25% of the total membership.
Associate members may submit work, by appointment, to apply for FULL

Section 4. GOOD STANDING: A registered member of the organization in good standing shall be one whose annual dues have been paid when due.

Section 5. LIFE: Life membership is offered to all past presidents and to any member for meritorious service to the League, as determined by the Executive Board. Life members are exempt from paying further dues.

Section 6. HONORARY: Honorary membership may be awarded to any person or organization for meritorious service to the League or to the visual arts. Said members are not required to pay dues and may not exhibit, vote or hold office except as FULL members. An exception to this rule may be made by a quorum vote of the Executive Board.

Article IV – OFFICERS

Section 1. OFFICERS: The Executive Board shall govern The ART LEAGUE OF NASSAU COUNTY.

(a) The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the League:

President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
3rd Vice President
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Treasurer
And (b) a panel of advisors, not to exceed 10 in number. The Advisors are to be former elected members of the Executive Board.

Section 2. NOMINATION OF OFFICERS: At the regular membership meeting in February, the elected members of the Executive Board (President excluded) shall appoint a Nominating Committee to consist of at least three Full Members. The Committee shall present a slate of candidates, for office at both the March and April meetings of the League. Other nominations may be from the floor. The nominating Committee shall publish the slate a minimum of ten days prior to the April election date.

Section 3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Officers shall be elected for a term of 2 years by a majority ballot of a quorum of FULL members at the April election meeting. Only FULL members in good standing may cast a vote.

Section 4. VACANCIES: The elected members of the Executive Board (President excluded) shall fill for the unexpired terms, all vacancies that may occur in all elected offices, except as noted in Section 5 (b) of the Constitution.

Section 5. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

The President shall preside at all meetings of the League and Executive Board and refer matters presented to a committee for investigation and report. The President shall appoint all special committees, and the Chairpersons of the six Standing Committees. The President shall be a member ex-officio of all committees, except the Nomination and Grievance Committees.
The President:
Shall sign checks in the Treasurer’s absence.
Shall approve all bills after proper sanction by the Executive Board before they are paid.
Shall carry out the spirit of this Constitution and see that all laws and resolutions are carried out.
The Vice-Presidents shall act as assistants to the President and in ranking order shall assume the Presidential duties in absence of the President.
The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the minutes of the meetings of the League and the Executive Board, and forward a duplicate copy to the President. The Recording Secretary shall keep on file a list of the members of all committees.
The Treasurer shall receive all monies due the League and pay authorized bills. Proposed expenditures and bills must be approved by the Executive Board, and, in an emergency, by the President alone. For all such expenditures, vouchers must be obtained.
The Treasurer shall keep on deposit in a bank, all funds of the League.
All checks are to be prepared and signed by the Treasurer. In an emergency or in the absence of the Treasurer, the President will sign checks. Both signatures are to be on file at the bank where funds are deposited.
All books and records shall be audited at least once each year and open for inspection at all times to the Committee on Audit.
The treasurer shall make an annual report of receipts, disbursements and balance of funds of the League. The Treasurer shall file the necessary reports to government agencies where required; and shall be able at any meeting of the League or Executive Board to give a statement of the conditions of the funds on hand. The Treasurer shall cooperate with the Chairperson of the Membership Committee to maintain an accurate list of the paid up members.
The Corresponding Secretary shall initiate correspondence pertaining to the League activities as designated by the elected officers or chairpersons of committees and forward a duplicate copy of the correspondence to the President.

Section 6. ADVISORS: The Advisors shall be selected from past presidents and officers of the League. They shall act be provide continuity in the purposes and ideals of the League and this Constitution.

Section 7. EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board shall

Control the funds and property of the League for all routine purposes, and when necessary decide upon investment of and disposition of the same on all routine business.
It shall interpret the Constitution and By-Laws in accordance with “ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER, Revised”.
It shall arbitrate in cases of dispute between members, officers and committees, or any group.
It shall bring important matters of business or questions of policy affecting the League before the membership for consideration and approval.

A grievance may be taken upon a written, signed application to the President. The President will take said grievance to the Executive Board for consideration.

Article V – MEETINGS

Section 1. MONTHLY MEETINGS: The League shall hold meetings in the months from September through May inclusive, on dates set by the Executive Board, to transact business and engage in such educational activities as may be planned and presented by the Program Committee.

There shall be at least three (3) meetings of the Executive Board, fall, winter, and spring.

Section 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS: The President may call special meetings of the Executive Board or the League. The President shall call special meeting upon the written request of three (3) members of the Executive Board for meetings thereof or five (5) FULL members of the League for meetings thereof. Notices to members of these meetings must contain the business to be transacted, and no other business shall be considered.

Section 3. QUORUM: A quorum of the Executive Board shall be six (6) elective members; or four (4) elected members and two (2) appointed Standing Committee Chairpersons. No business shall be transacted by either the Executive Board or the League unless a quorum is present.

Article VI – COMMITTEE

Section 1. STANDING COMMITTEES: Standing Committees shall be EXHIBITION, PROGRAM, MEMBERSHIP, HOSPITALITY, PUBLICITY AND NEWSLETTER.

Article VII – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting (a quorum being present) by a two-thirds vote of all eligible members present and qualified to vote, provided that a written notice of such proposed amendment has been sent to every member qualified to vote, at least two (2) weeks before the meeting at which the amendment is to be voted upon

BY-LAWS

Article I – APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Application for Membership: Application form for membership shall be issued to each prospective member. It shall be filled out and signed by the prospect and returned to the Membership Committee. Upon meeting the requirements for membership, payment of the initiation fee and current dues, the applicant will be admitted to the League.

Upon acceptance, a membership card will be issued.
If not accepted as an FULL member, Associate membership may be offered.

Article II – DUES

Section 1. New FULL members shall pay an initiation fee and annual dues. The initiation fee and annual dues shall be determined by resolution of the Executive Board. Associate members pay only annual dues.

Section 2. The fiscal year shall start April 1st. New members joining after December 1st, pay only one-half yearly dues. Thereafter, the full dues shall be due.

Section 3. Members failing to pay dues within six months of the due date will receive a second notice. If there is no response before January 1st, the name shall be dropped from the rolls. A member dropped solely for non-payment of dues may be re-instated upon payment of current dues.

Section 4. LIFE and HONORARY members are not required to pay dues.

Article III – POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES

Section 1. MEMBERSHIP OF STANDING COMMITTEES: The Chairpersons of the six (6) Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President and shall be responsible to him.

The Standing Committee Chairperson shall select the members of his committee. The list of members will be given to the Recording Secretary. The members of the committee shall act under the direction of the Chairperson.
Chairpersons are required to attend Executive Board meetings or a representative must be present in his absence to report on the activities of the committee.

Section 2. PROGRAM COMMITTEE: This committee must plan and present the program for the regular monthly meetings. This committee is responsible for the setting-up, dismantling, and storage of equipment used for demonstration purposes.

It may also plan such outside activities as sketching expeditions or visits to art exhibitions or demonstrations.

Section 3. EXHIBITION COMMITTEE: This committee shall have five main functions including forming sub-committees for each of the following:

To prepare the location and conditions of League exhibitions including receiving and pick-up of art works, setting up, dismantling, transportation and maintaining display panels.
To hang the artwork and arrange sculpture.
To obtain competent judges.
To consider the number and nature of awards, and with the approval of the Executive Board, arrange for their procurement.
In case of disagreements, the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote.

Section 4. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: This committee shall maintain a stock of application blanks for registration of applicants. They shall establish a jury selection consisting of FULL members to adjudicate work for acceptance into the League. This committee will keep a current list of members and, as necessary, forward those names to other committees for League activities. This committee will notify members when dues are due.

Section 5. HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE: It shall be in charge of any refreshments at League meetings and exhibition receptions. It is authorized to plan special social events in connection with League functions.

Section 6. PUBLICITY COMMITTEE: This committee shall endeavor to bring the activities of the League to the attention of the public through published notices or advertisement.

Historian Sub-Committee: Shall maintain a document of press, photographs or notices of League activities.

Section 7. NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE: This committee shall supervise the publication of a monthly newsletter, gather and edit material and deliver it to the printing and mailing service, so that the membership shall receive notices and information before the monthly meeting.

Section 8. All officers and standing committee chairpersons shall prepare an annual report for the April Board meeting, to be filed with the Recording Secretary.

Article IV- AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS

Section 1. Only individual members of committees properly authorized are permitted to contract bills in the name of the League. Such authorization must be from the Executive Board.

Article V- AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended, at any regular meeting, by a two-thirds vote of all members present and qualified to vote, provided that a written notice of such proposed amendment has been sent to every member qualified to vote at least two weeks before the meeting at which the amendment is to be voted upon.

Article VI- PARLIMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Rules contained the “ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER, Revised” shall govern this League in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws.