BY-LAWS OF THE
MID-SOUTH HOSTA SOCIETY
as posted at
mshosta.com
(Approved
10/10/98; amended 9/7/00;
amended 9/12/02; amended
9/17/09)
ARTICLE 1 – NAME
This
organization’s name shall be
“Mid-South Hosta Society.”
ARTICLE 2 –
PURPOSE
This society
is a nonprofit educational
organization, formed exclusively
to promote knowledge and
interest in hostas, to foster
development of new and improved
hosta varieties, and to
encourage cultivation and
usefulness of hostas in
landscape.
ARTICLE 3 –
MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section A:
Membership is open to any person
who wishes to support the
purpose of the society and pays
annual dues. Membership shall be
regular, family or commercial
with member classifications
determined by the board of
directors.
Section B:
Dues for active membership shall
be set by the board of
directors, subject to approval
of a majority of members at the
annual meeting, and shall be an
amount sufficient to cover the
expense of all society mailings
for one year.
Section C:
Dues shall be payable October 1
for the following calendar year.
Dues unpaid after January 1
shall be considered delinquent.
If dues remain unpaid after
April 1 and notification of
delinquency, membership shall be
terminated.
Section D:
All members who joined by
January 1, 1999, shall be
considered charter members.
ARTICLE 4 –
MEETINGS
Section A:
The annual meeting shall be held
on the third Thursday in
September. Members must receive
notification 20 days prior to
the meeting. As at all scheduled
meetings, a quorum is required
to conduct society business.
Section B:
Regular meetings shall be held
on the third Thursday or third
Saturday in February, March,
April and October. Any deviation
from this schedule must be
approved by the board of
directors and announced to the
membership 20 days prior to the
rescheduled meeting.
Section C:
Meetings of the board of
directors shall be held at the
president’s discretion. A
majority of officers is required
to conduct society business.
Section D:
Special meetings may be called
at any time by a majority of
officers or 10 members.
Section E: A
majority of members present at a
meeting is required to approve a
motion.
Section F:
Unless suspended by the
president, parliamentary
authority at all business
meetings is Robert’s Rules of
Order, Revised.
ARTICLE 5 –
OFFICERS
Section A:
The elected officers shall be
president, vice
president/programs, vice
president/membership, secretary,
treasurer and director-at-large.
Section B:
Officers shall be elected to a
term of one year with the
privilege of one re-election.
Section C: A
Nominating Committee shall
present a slate of officers with
the membership being notified 20
days prior to the annual
meeting. Additional nominations
may be made at the annual
meeting.
Section D:
Nominations shall be presented
and officers elected at the
annual meeting prior to their
term of office, which starts
with the next calendar year.
Section E:
Any vacancy in elected office
arising from death or
resignation shall be filled by
presidential appointment. If the
office of president becomes
vacant, the vice
president/programs shall assume
the presidency.
ARTICLE 6 –
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section A:
The president shall preside at
all meetings of the society and
board of directors and shall
report on the state of the
society to the membership at the
annual meeting. The president
shall appoint heads of standing
and special committees and be an
ex-officio member of all but the
Nominating Committee. The
president shall also appoint a
newsletter editor and a
webmaster to communicate with
the membership.
Section B:
The vice president/programs
shall assume the duties of
president in the absence of the
president. The vice
president/programs shall be in
charge of programs for all
general meetings of the
membership.
Section C:
The vice president/membership
shall assume the duties of
president in the absence of the
president and the vice
president/programs. The vice
president/membership shall
supervise all membership drives
and outreach activities.
Section D:
The secretary shall record
activities of the meetings and
send copies of the minutes to
members of the board of
directors. The secretary shall
maintain a list of active
members and give each one a
membership card.
Section E:
The treasurer shall receive and
bank membership dues, maintain
all society funds and pay all
accounts. The treasurer shall
keep a record of receipts and
expenditures and shall present
an annual report to the board of
directors. Upon approval by the
board, the treasurer shall
present this report at the
annual meeting and give a copy
to the newsletter editor for
publication.
Section F:
The director-at-large shall
represent the society in duties
deemed necessary by the
president. In the absence of the
secretary or treasurer, the
director-at-large shall perform
those duties.
Section G:
The board of directors shall be
composed of all elected officers
and committee chairs. The board
shall manage all affairs,
policies and business of the
society.
ARTICLE 7 –
COMMITTEES
Section A:
The standing committees shall be
Hospitality, Shows & Sales,
Communications and Nominating.
Special committee chairs shall
be Ways & Means, Hosta Trail,
Hospitality, Historian and
others appointed by the
president or approved by the
board.
Section B:
The heads of committees shall
appoint members as they deem
necessary.
ARTICLE 8 –
ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section A:
The bylaws shall be adopted when
approved by a majority vote at
the society’s first official
meeting.
Section B:
Amendment of the bylaws may be
initiated by any member and must
be submitted in writing to the
board of directors. If approved
by the board, the amendment must
be approved by two-thirds vote
at the society’s next annual
meeting. The membership must be
given 20 days’ notice of any
amendments to the bylaws.
