Bylaws of the Rotary Club of Louisville, Ohio
 District 6650

Article 1 Definitions
1. Board: the governing body of this club.
2. Member: a member, other than an honorary member, of this club.
3. RI: Rotary International.
4. Year: the twelve month club fiscal period beginning on July 1.
5. In writing: physical paper documentation, facsimile, or email communication.

Article 2 Nomenclature
Section 1 The name of this organization shall be the Rotary Club of Louisville, Ohio, as chartered in 1925.
Section 2 It is acceptable to colloquially reference this club as the Louisville Rotary Club.

Article 3 Object
Section 1 The mission of the Louisville Rotary Club is to exemplify service above self, to encourage fellowship between its members and the community, and to support programs that improve the quality of life in the community and around the world.

Article 4 Board
Section 1 The governing body of this club shall be the board consisting of nine members of this club: the president, immediate past president, president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, the sergeant-at-arms, and two at-large members. Only the immediate past president shall hold more than one position on the board.

Section 2 The board will communicate either in writing or face to face at least once monthly to discuss current and outstanding club business and decide voting issues to bring before the club. Routine updates regarding committee activity and club business shall be made to the club.
Section 3 Five members shall constitute a quorum of the board.

Article 5 Nominations and Elections
Section 1 Elected representatives of this club include the president, president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, sergeant-at-arms, and two at-large board members. Appointed positions include the membership chair, public relations chair, finance chair, flag chair, and nominating chair.
 

Section 2 All elected board positions shall be for one year. All appointed committee chair positions shall be for two years. Each incumbent may serve unlimited terms, except in the vice president, president-elect, and president position sequence.

Section 3 The nominating committee shall collect nominations for elected positions starting at the November business meeting. Nominations shall be given verbally or in writing to any member of the nominating committee until the conclusion of the regular meeting before the December business meeting. The nominating committee shall contact in private those nominated for consent to run, and submit a ballot to the board before the December business meeting. Each position requires a majority vote by the club members.

Section 4 The nominating committee shall collect nominations for expiring committee chairs starting at the May business meeting. Nominations shall be given verbally or in writing to any member of the nominating committee until the conclusion of the regular meeting before the June business meeting. The nominating committee shall contact those nominated in private for consent to appointment and submit the final names to the board before the June business meeting. The board shall decide based on the nominations, whom to appoint. Appointed individuals will be notified by the president-elect.

Section 5 All other appointed positions, including temporary committee chairs, shall be subject to nomination collection, nominee consent to the position, and board decision within the necessary timeframe for the position.

Section 6 All outbound representatives should meet with newly elected or appointed individuals to transfer club materials pertaining to the position before his or her term expires.

Section 7 The president will appoint a replacement, with approval from the board, if there is a vacancy on the board or committee chair position during the year. The replacement shall run for the position at the next regular election or appointment for the position.

Article 6 Duties of the Board
Section 1 Each board member has the responsibility to keep the club informed on relevant issues and projects. No one member can commit the club to any outside donation, cause, or event without the vote of the club.
 

Section 2 President. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over meetings, determine meeting location, conduct board meetings, organize the annual meeting, arrange the induction of new members, help establish committee goals, and perform other duties as ordinarily pertain to the office of the president.
 

Section 3 Immediate past president. It shall be the duty of the immediate past president to serve on the board, provide guidance as needed to the president, and mentor new members.
 

Section 4 President-elect. It shall be the duty of the president-elect to preside at meetings when the president cannot attend and any other duties that ordinarily pertain to the office.
 

Section 5 Vice president. It shall be the duty of the vice president to schedule the programming for the year and any other duties that ordinarily pertain to the office.
 

Section 6 Secretary. It shall be the duty of the secretary to record attendance at meetings, send out notices to the club, record and preserve minutes of all meetings, maintain committee appointee data, and submit all required reports, membership, elected positions, subscriptions, and paperwork to RI. If the secretary is unable to attend a meeting, he or she shall delegate a member to record the minutes. The secretary shall be granted membership on the membership and public relations committees.

Section 7 Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to have custody of all funds, accounting for it to the club annually and upon request of the board, collect and pay membership dues, submit all funds into a club bank account, pay all club bills, and to perform other duties as pertains to the office of treasurer. The treasurer shall be granted membership on the finance committee and have access to the RI website in order to update membership data if necessary.
 

Section 8 Sergeant-at-arms. It shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms to enforce these bylaws and to maintain efficient flow and order of all meetings.

Article 7 Committee Chairs and Committees
Section 1 Club committees are charged with carrying out short-term and/or long-term strategic goals of the club. Permanent year-round committees shall have appointed committee chairs and have been identified as the membership, public relations, finance, flag, and nominating committee. Additional committees may be appointed as needed.
 

Section 2 The president shall be ex officio a member of all committees, and as such, shall have all the privileges of membership thereon.
 

Section 3 Each committee chair shall conduct its business as is delegated to it in these bylaws. Each committee chair shall regularly keep the board updated on its activity.
 

Section 4 Membership. It shall be the duty of the membership chair and committee to keep membership rosters and directories, promote the club to prospective members, maintain and provide Rotary Information Packets, approve prospective members, solicit appropriate information from new members for the secretary, and maintain the club’s email list. All changes in membership information shall be reported to the chair.
 

Section 5 Public Relations. It shall be the duty of the public relations chair and committee to promote, update, and maintain the positive image of the club and its projects to the community. This includes all online and offline publication articles, club information, pictures, status updates, and apparel.
 

Section 6 Finance. It shall be the duty of the finance chair and committee to establish the yearly budget, ensure compliance of the budget, and solicit and disperse grant proposals. The budget shall contain estimated income and expenditures for club operations and charitable/service operations. The overall budget must be voted on by the club at the June business meeting. The budget must be approved before the new year. Approved budgeted items do not need additional approval upon expenditure, unless the expenditure(s) exceed the budgeted amount. Budget addendums, deviations, miscellaneous expenditures or solicitations, and qualified grant proposals shall be submitted to the board and membership for vote as outlined in Article 8, section 4.
 

Section 7 Flag. It shall be the duty of the flag chair and committee to develop and maintain flag inventory and storage, flag routes, flag postings, and client bills and income.
Section 8 Nominations. It shall be the duty of the nominations committee to solicit open and fair nominations for elected and appointed positions as defined in Article 5.

Article 8 Meetings
Section 1 One-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum at the meetings of this club.
 

Section 2 An annual meeting should be held at the conclusion of every year, at which time the induction of board members and committee chairs to serve for the ensuing year shall take place.
 

Section 3 The regular weekly meeting of this club shall be held on Wednesday at noon. Due notice of any changes in or cancelling of a regular meeting shall be given to all members of the club. Attendance will be taken. The length of the meeting is not to exceed one hour. Each regular meeting shall contain the following activities: call to order, Pledge of Allegiance and the Four Way Test, Invocation, introduction of visitors, Rotary information and announcements, club address or program, and adjournment.
 

Section 4 The business meeting of this club shall be held once a month. All issues requiring a membership vote, including but not limited to monetary allocation and project undertaking, shall be presented to the board prior to the business meeting for vetting. Board-approved voting issues that require additional research or substantial reading for a proper vote shall be presented by the board to the membership prior to the business meeting. Significant issues with immediate and unforeseen deadlines, such as natural disaster response, may be voted on during regular club business. Each voting issue requires a motion made by a non-presenting member and second motion by non-presenting member. The club shall discuss the issue prior to viva voce vote. A majority vote will decide the club action on the issue.

Article 9 Fees and Dues
Section 1 Membership dues shall be in accordance with International and District minimums per year, payable semiannually on the first day of July and of January. To remain active, all dues must be paid to the treasurer within one month of invoice.

Article 10 Proposing and Electing New Members Section 1         The name of a prospective member shall be submitted to the president and membership chair by an active member.
 

Section 2 The proposer, along with one or more members of the membership committee, shall inform the prospective member of the purposes of Rotary, the privileges and responsibilities of membership in the club, and provide a Rotary Information Packet. The prospective member shall be invited to attend at least two regular meetings of the club, submit a membership profile form in the provided Rotary Information Packet to the membership chair, and pay twenty-five dollars to the club’s miscellaneous account.
 

Section 3 After receipt of the form from the prospective member by the membership chair, he or she shall announce at the next club meeting that the prospective member has the intent to join the club. Any concerns shall be communicated verbally or in writing, outside of the club meeting, to the membership chair within one week of the announcement. After one week, the board will vote on the membership proposal. If approved by a majority vote, the proposed member shall be considered elected to membership.
 

Section 4 Following the prospective member’s election to membership, he or she shall be formally introduced by the president as a new member at the next meeting and inducted at the next scheduled induction ceremony. The membership committee shall issue a name badge, provide a new member packet and orientation, and submit the member’s information to the secretary. The secretary will report this information to RI and District 6650.

Article 11 Amendments
Section 1 These bylaws may be amended at any business meeting, a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all members present. No amendment or addition to these bylaws can be made which is not in harmony with the standard Rotary club objectives and goals.

Approved: December 4, 2013
 

 
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2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
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4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?