SOUTHWEST REDWINGERS
(ARIZONA CHAPTER)
BYLAWS
Adopted by the Membership
Original…October 1982
1st Revision March 31, 1986
2nd Revision October 28, 1991
3rd Revision October 23, 1993
4th Revision February 26, 2001
5th Revision March 27, 2004
PREAMBLE
We, the collectors of Red Wing Stoneware and Pottery, in order to promote the collecting of Red Wing and other United States Pottery and Stoneware, to better learn about and understand Red Wing collectibles, to enhance friendships among other stoneware and pottery collectors, to recruit new members, to support our elected officials, and to be at all times a credit to the SOUTHWEST REDWINGERS (Arizona Chapter), do hereby establish these bylaws.
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of the organization shall be SOUTHWEST REDWINGERS (ARIZONA CHAPTER), an Arizona Nonprofit Corporation, hereafter called the Chapter.
ARTICLE II – EMBLEM
The emblem of the Chapter shall be an outline of the State of Arizona, with the Saguaro Cactus on the left side and a Red Wing on the right side. Superimposed over the wing are the words "SOUTHWEST REDWINGERS (Arizona Chapter)". The words, "Founded 1982" shall appear under the wing tip.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Any collector, dealer or lover of Stoneware and Pottery who subscribes to the philosophy set forth in the Preamble shall be eligible for membership in the Chapter and shall be afforded all rights and privileges of the Chapter. Membership in the parent organization, the Red Wing Collectors Society, Inc. (RWCS) is a prerequisite. One type of Chapter membership is available; single membership.
ARTICLE IV -- OFFICERS AND STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
The following officers, who shall be elected from the current membership roster for a term of two years, shall govern the Chapter: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian. An Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, the immediate past-President, and members
elected at large, sufficient to raise the membership of the Executive Committee to eight (8) persons.The current Vice-President shall fill a vacancy occurring during the President’s term. A majority vote of the Executive Committee is then required to replace the Vice-President.
A vacancy occurring during the term of any officer, except that of President, shall be filled by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
An elected officer (except Board Members) shall not fill the same office for more than two consecutive terms.
The duties of the officers are as follows:PRESIDENT
Shall preside at business meetings, establish special committees to plan and execute Chapter activities, and call and preside at the meetings of the Executive Committee.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Shall assume the duties of the President if the President is unable to serve for any reason, and be the ex-officio chairperson at the annual Holiday Party/Meeting.
In addition, the Vice-President is responsible for obtaining and presenting at the Holiday Party/Meeting Awards to the following individuals:
1. Outgoing Officers
2. Outstanding Member Award (vote of membership)
3. "On the Wing" Award (determined by Newsletter Editor)
4. Others, as voted by the general membership.
SECRETARY
Shall keep the Minutes of the business meetings and Executive Committee meetings for publication in the Newsletter, and/or present those Minutes at the business meeting and supervise correspondence of the Chapter. If neither the President nor the Vice-President is available, the Secretary shall handle their duties.
TREASURER
Shall take charge of and disburse funds, which are to be spent for and on behalf of the Chapter, present a financial report at the business meeting and file annual financial information as required by the State of Arizona regarding maintenance of its nonprofit status.
HISTORIAN
Shall collect and document information pertaining to the Chapter, retain photographs of Chapter activities, including meetings, and be responsible for the Chapter historical properties.
The Historian shall receive a copy of the Southwest Redwingers Newsletter, the Red Wing Collectors Society Newsletter, and Newsletters from reciprocating Chapters from the Newsletter Editor. All sets of Newsletters shall be maintained by the Historian for preservation and availability in the Chapter’s Library.
The Historian shall receive an annual Southwest Redwingers commemorative and a reciprocal Red Wing Collectors Society commemorative and shall maintain them for the Chapter.
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
A. Membership Committee Chairperson. Shall have the responsibilities to maintain the current membership roster for newsletter publication and promote and process memberships.
B. Commemorative Committee Chairperson. Shall be responsible for selecting, producing, and distributing the Chapter's yearly commemorative. The Commemorative Chairperson is responsible for registering and sending the Chapter’s past year commemorative to be placed on the Red Wing Collectors Society annual convention auction. The Commemorative Chairperson is also responsible to see that the Chapter’s past year commemorative is available at the RWCS Annual Convention for the reciprocal exchange with the Red Wing Collectors Society commemorative, and supply one to the Southwest Redwingers Historian.
C. Special Events Committee Chairperson. Shall secure the location and coordinate any Chapter special events such as the Spring Fling. Other chapter activities may be sales, shows and displays, which may be decided by the membership.
D. Travel and Excursion Committee Chairperson. Shall propose, plan, and coordinate travel activities of the Chapter.
E. Educational Program Committee Chairperson. Shall coordinate and plan programs of interest to Chapter members. Programs will pertain to Red Wing Stoneware or American Pottery, when practical.
F. Raffle Committee Chairperson. Shall be responsible for obtaining collectible items to be raffled at the meetings, and for organizing the sale of raffle tickets.
G. Refreshments Committee Chairperson. Shall arrange for members to bring food and snacks to the meetings and other Chapter activities as the occasion requires; shall purchase beverages on behalf of the Chapter and keep and provide for the Chapter's coffee-making and water-heating equipment.
H. Hospitality Committee Chairperson. Shall greet and introduce new members and guests, provide name tags at meetings and other Chapter occasions, and be responsible for sending flowers and/or cards on behalf of the Chapter in the case of birth, sickness, death, and other occasions affecting the membership of the Chapter.
I. Library Committee Chairperson. Shall maintain the Chapter's library of books, videos, publications, and shall make a library inventory list available at meetings; shall maintain accurate records of Chapter's books in circulation; shall purchase new books for the Chapter library, shall maintain a catalogue of the Chapter's library, and shall collect fees and penalties for overdue, lost, or damaged items of the Chapter's library, as deemed appropriate.
J. Newsletter Editor. Shall photograph Chapter activities, including meetings, and provide the Historian with same for preservation. Shall provide the Historian with a copy of the Southwest Redwingers newsletters, the Red Wing Collectors Society newsletters, and all newsletters received from reciprocating Chapters. Shall be responsible for publishing and distribution of the Chapter’s newsletter to members as specified by the guidelines in ARTICLE X. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for communicating with the Red Wing Collectors Society Newsletter Editor regarding upcoming Chapter meetings and other events.
K. Public Relations Chairperson. Shall be responsible for communicating with the media all activities
and information to further the interest in Red Wing and the Southwest Chapter. This includes writing
articles, sending letters, notices, photos and reports, and providing such information to appropriate local
and national media.
ARTICLE V -- ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The Executive Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee. The Committee shall report its nominations for the Chapter officers at the September business meeting, and shall publish the names of the nominees in the October and November Newsletter. The Chapter members may make additional nominations from the floor at the November business meeting. Officers shall be elected by a simple majority vote of those in attendance at the November business meeting, as the last order of business at that meeting.
Newly elected officers shall be recognized and installed at the Holiday Party/Meeting and their terms of office shall coincide with the Chapter’s calendar year.
ARTICLE VI – CONDUCT
All members should work to maintain harmony within the Chapter and protect fellow members from unscrupulous dealers and practices whenever and wherever possible by advising fellow members of known acts contrary to the good of the membership. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to revoke the membership of any member who fails to abide by the Bylaws of the Chapter, or is a detriment to the Chapter. This procedure shall require a 3/4 majority vote of the Executive Committee and may be appealed to the membership at the business meeting. Reinstatement by the membership shall require a 2/3 majority of those in attendance at the next business meeting.
ARTICLE VII -- RULES OF ORDER AND QUORUM
The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the Chapter in the event of any procedural dispute.
A quorum for the purpose of voting shall consist of the members present at a properly noticed business meeting. A quorum for the meeting of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of those in attendance, but not less than five.
ARTICLE VIII -- FOUNDING AND CHARTER MEMBERSHIP
Founding Member(s) is a person who paid Chapter dues at the Founding meeting of October 24, 1982. Charter Member(s) are those members of the SOUTHWEST REDWINGERS prior to midnight, October 31, 1983.
ARTICLE IX -- CALENDAR YEAR
The Chapter Calendar year is identified as beginning on January 1st of each year and running through December 31.
ARTICLE X – NEWSLETTER
A Newsletter shall be published following each meeting during the year, except during the summer recess, and shall adhere to the following: fulfill the requirements of the Preamble and Articles of the Bylaws, to publish pertinent information related to the official business of the Chapter, to provide an unbiased forum for those wishing to present material for publication, to accept paid advertisements consistent in subject and tone with the statements of the Preamble, to present an accurate account of the news events and other items related to the Chapter and to the collecting of Red Wing and other U.S. Stoneware and Pottery. Newsletters are provided to each paid Southwest Chapter member, Southwest Chapter Historian, Red Wing Collectors Society Historian, Newsletter Editor, Business Manager, Vice President, Representatives at Large, and all other reciprocating Red Wing Collectors Society Chapters, and may be distributed to acquaint prospective members with the activities and goals of the Chapter.
ARTICLE XI – DUES
The Executive Committee shall establish the amount of the annual dues. Dues are due and payable to the Chairperson of the Membership Committee on, or before, the January business meeting. Membership dues collected shall be used for Chapter-related purposes, consistent with its nonprofit status, as determined by vote of the membership.
Single membership Dues are payable annually in advance, upon joining the Chapter. For anyone joining the Chapter in the middle of the Calendar Year, dues shall be prorated to the year-end, and their subsequent anniversary will become the following January.
Members whose dues lapse past the March business meeting shall have their membership terminated and name removed from the membership roster and shall forfeit any elected office, if applicable.
ARTICLE XII -- COMMITTEES
Standing Committees, in addition to those established in ARTICLE IV, may be established by the Executive Committee, or may be proposed from the floor at any business meeting and be established or abolished by a simple majority vote of those members present at the business meeting.
Special Committees shall be established or abolished by the President as need arises. Requests for Special Committees may be made to the President from the floor during any business meeting. Funding for the Special Committee's major expenditures shall require pre-approval by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
The Executive Committee shall propose amendments to these Bylaws. Amendments are not effective until ratified by a 2/3 majority vote of those present at a business meeting when notice of the meeting and proposed amendment were printed one month in advance in the Chapter Newsletter.
ARTICLE XIV – MEETINGS
Regular business meetings will be held typically on the last Monday of each month. The date of any regular business meeting can be changed by majority vote of those present at a preceding meeting. A summer recess will occur for the business meetings held in June, July and August. A return to the regular business meetings will resume with the September meeting.
ARTICLE XV -- RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
An officer, member of the Executive Committee, or Committee Chairperson, may resign at any time by giving written or verbal notice to the Executive Committee, to the President, or to the Secretary of the Chapter. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the Executive Committee, President, or Secretary, and acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary for the resignation to be effective.
At the time of effective resignation, the Officer, Member of the Executive Committee, or Committee Chairperson shall convey to another Officer or Member of the Executive Committee, all properties of the Chapter in his keeping.
Removal of any Officer, Member of the Executive Committee, or Committee Chairperson found to be in violation of Article VI -- Conduct, shall be accomplished by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Reinstatement by membership shall require a 2/3 majority vote of those in attendance at the business meeting.
ARTICLE XVI -- PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
A member of the Executive Committee who is present at a meeting of the Executive Committee at which action on any Chapter matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the Minutes of the meeting, or unless he shall file his written dissent to such action with the person acting as the Secretary of the meeting before adjournment of the meeting, or the dissenter shall transmit such dissent by Registered mail to the Secretary of the Chapter immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a member of the Executive Committee who voted in favor of any action.
ARTICLE XVII – COMMEMORATIVE
The Standing Commemorative Chairperson for the coming year Commemorative shall be announced at the regular January business meeting.
A single, QUALIFIED membership with enough earned credits, entitles the member to purchase one commemorative. The annual commemorative shall be pre-paid by and distributed to the entitled members typically at the Holiday Party/Meeting.
ARTICLE XVII – COMMEMORATIVE, CONTINUED…….
Members of the Organization who are resident in Arizona, in order to be considered QUALIFIED, must earn a minimum of six (6) credits during the Calendar Year from the list of the following Chapter sponsored events:
Members of the Organization who are not resident in Arizona, in order to be considered QUALIFIED, must earn a minimum of three (3) credits during the Calendar Year from the list of the following Chapter sponsored events:
EVENTS CREDITS
1. Hold Elective Office two (2)
2. Attend business meeting one (1)
3. Host business meeting one (1)
4. Standing Committee Chairperson two (2)
5. Special Committee Chairperson one (1)
6. Do an Educational Program two (2)
7. Attend Special Club Sponsored Outing one (1)
a. Spring Fling Picnic
b. Buying/Education Trip
c. Other, etc.
8. Contribute two (2) Newsletter Articles one (1)
9. Attend Red Wing Collectors Society Annual
Convention and/or MidWinter GetTogether two (2)
A preliminary Qualification list will be determined before the October business meeting with members considered Qualified if enough credits have been earned in the preceding 12 months. Members who are short credits before the October business meeting will be notified and possibly could earn enough credits by attending the October, November, or December business meetings or completing other Chapter events as listed above.
Award of a Commemorative, for special contributions to the well being of the Chapter made by non-members, or by non-qualified members, may be made by special action of a majority of the Executive Committee.
The total number of Commemoratives to be distributed each year is to be determined by the Chairperson, with approval of the Executive Committee. Any additional Commemoratives not distributed or assigned to special functions may be made available for purchase by all QUALIFIED members, determined by a lottery. Each QUALIFIED member’s name (for that calendar year) will be placed in a pool to be drawn at the Holiday Party/Meeting. The Chairperson will use the lottery ranking list to make available to those individuals the opportunity to purchase one (1) additional Commemorative for that year, until all additional Commemoratives are distributed. In the event all Commemoratives are not distributed with the first lottery, a new lottery list will be established or an alternate method of distribution determined by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE XVII – COMMEMORATIVE, CONTINUED…….
The number of commemoratives required for special functions shall include the following:
1. One for next year’s Southwest Redwingers Holiday Party/Meeting Raffle.
2. One for Red Wing Collectors Convention Auction.
3. One for Red Wing Collectors Society Historian retention.
4. One for the Southwest Chapter Historian retention.
5. One "OFF" commemorative for current year Holiday Party/Meeting Raffle.
NOTE: The "OFF" Commemorative is similar to the regular one but unique and "one of a kind".
Purchase price for the regular and lottery Commemoratives will be determined by the Chairperson and approved by the Executive Committee.
If the Commemoratives are molded and purchased from a club member, the Chairperson is to see that at the January business meeting, all molds are destroyed after that year’s Commemoratives are made and distributed. When purchased from an outside source, the Chairperson tries to obtain exclusivity for that year. In addition, all test samples are the exclusive property of the Chapter, which are to be accounted for and turned over to the Raffle Chairperson as additional items to be included in the meeting Raffle.
If a member resigns from the Chapter by giving written or verbal notice to a member of the Executive Board at any time during the fiscal year, the member forfeits all remaining rights and privileges remaining during the fiscal year which includes purchasing an annual Commemorative, whether or not the member has Qualified with enough earned credits.
ARTICLE XVIII -- DISBANDMENT
In the event the Chapter disbands, the President shall be responsible to see that all monies and properties shall be transferred to the Red Wing Collectors Society, Inc, and/or the Red Wing Collectors Society Foundation.