LYONS HERITAGE SOCIETY CONSTITUTION

October 1993
Adopted: Amended: March 21, 1994
Amended: 2011, 2012
1/17/2013 (Revised)

Constitution and by-laws

Lyons Heritage Society
Town and Village of Lyons, NY  14489

ARTICLE I NAME

Section 1.
The name of this organization shall be the Lyons Heritage Society.

ARTICLE II PURPOSES

Section 1.
The purposes of this society shall be:
A. To gather, preserve, display and make available for study artifacts, relics, books, manuscripts, papers, photographs and other records and materials relating to the history, past and present, of the Town and Village of Lyons, New York;
B. To disseminate knowledge about the Town and Village of Lyons;
C. To encourage original historical research about the Town and Village of Lyons;
D. To promote the preservation of places within the Town and Village of Lyons which have historic, architectural or natural interest, and to encourage the marking of these places;
E. To acquire, if advisable, by purchase, gift, devise, easement or otherwise the title to or the custody and control of historic sites, structures or interior spaces, and preserve and maintain such properties;
F. To accept monetary bequests, endowments, real or personal property deemed useful to support the overall goals and purposes of the society;
G. To work with any other public-spirited organizations, particularly those within the immediate area, for the betterment of the Town and Village of Lyons.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.
Membership in this society shall be open to all persons, institutions, businesses or other organized groups interested in the society’s objectives and willing to aid and assist in providing and encouraging the same through participation and payment of annual dues.

Section 2.
Membership shall consist of several classifications as authorized by the membership at large, with recommendations by the Board of Trustees. These categories are:
A. Individual
B. Household-two persons residing at the same address
C. Institutional/Corporate-any organization, board, school, library or business
D. Patron
E. Life

Section 3.
Membership in the society shall be accomplished by payment of dues required in the appropriate category. Each member, regardless of classification, shall have only one vote at meetings of members, which vote may be cast in person or by proxy; in the Household category, both persons will have a vote . Only members in good standing, having paid annual dues in full, shall be permitted to vote. The rights and privileges of a member shall not be assignable.

Section 5.
Each member regardless of classification shall be entitled to:
A. Attend and participate in all general meetings and activities of the society;
B. Cast one vote at any general meetings of the society, providing that the membership dues have been paid in full and that the membership has been in effect for at least sixty days prior to the meeting at which such a vote is taken;
C. Hold elective or appointive office in the society;
D. Receive copies of any publications (newsletter, annual report, notices, etc.) designed for general society distribution;
E. Enjoy all other privileges of membership as determined by this organization;

ARTICLE IV ANNUAL MEETING

Section 1.
The annual meeting of the society shall be held in January of each year, with the specific date to be determined by the membership upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE V OFFICERS AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 1.
The officers of the society shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer, all of whom shall be elected for a term of two years, with the possibility of re-election for one addition term. In addition, there shall be three advisory trustees, initially elected for terms of one, two, and three years, afterwards to be elected for three years each, with the possibility of re-election for one additional term. The Lyons Town and Village Historian will be an Honorary Member of the Executive Board for the their duration in that position.(2012 adopted)

Section 2.
The offices and trustees shall constitute the Board of Trustees, and the responsibilities of the society shall rest in the board.

Section 3.
The officers and trustees of the society must be members in good standing.

ARTICLE VI ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

Section 1.
All officers and trustees shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast by the membership at the annual meeting.

Section 2.
All slates of proposed officers and trustees will be prepared by the nominating committee, presented to the board, and then given to the membership prior to the annual meeting. Nominations of other members may be made by any member prior to the time of balloting and then added to the list. A vote will be taken at the annual meeting.

Section 3.
Any person sho serves as an officer of advisory trustee for two terms must wait at least one year to be nominated for the same position.

Section 4.
Officers and trustees shall be installed at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected and installed. In the case of the resignation or incapacity or any officer(except for the president) or any trustee, the vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the membership for the unexpired term of office.

ARTICLE VII DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS UPON DISSOLUTION

Section 1.
In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the society shall, after necessary expenses, be distributed to such organizations shall qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or to another organization to be used in such manner as in judgement of a justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York will best accomplish the general purposes for which the society was formed. Organizations to which such assets and property are distributed, if such assets of property are in the nature of scientific or cultural material , shall have collections management policies similar to the society.

ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENT

Section 1.
This constitution may be amended at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of the membership, provided that notice was given at the previous notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I NON-PROFIT POLICY

Section 1.
This society shall not be operated for profit, and its entire properties, assets, and facilities shall be devoted to the purposes for which it is organized as set forth in its constitution, as the same may from time to time be amended.

ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP DUES

Section 1.
Annual dues for the various classes of membership, as described in the constitution are:
Student – $5
Individual – $15
Household – $25
Institutional/Corporate – $50
Patron – $100
Life – $500 (amended 2011)

Section 2.
Annual dues shall be payable at the anniversary of membership and members in arrears for more than two months after payment is due shall be dropped from the active membership roll.

ARTICLE III MEETINGS

Section 1.
Regular meetings of the society shall be held at least six times a year. The usual meeting time will be the third Monday of a month, unless changed.

Section 2.
Special meetings may be called by the president.

Section 3.
The Board of Trustees shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the president or any member of the Board of Trustees.

Section 4.
Twenty-five percent of the active members of the society shall constitute a quorum,

ARTICLE IV DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

Section 1.
The president shall have executive supervision over the activities of the society within the scope provided by these by-laws and shall preside at all meetings. The president shall report annually on the activities of the society and shall appoint members of the committees and delegates not otherwise provided for.

Section 2.
The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in the event of absence, incapacity, resignation or removal of the president.

Section 3.
The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the society and of the meetings of the Board of Trustees, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report.

Section 4.
The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of society funds, maintaining adequate financial records, and for depositing all monies with a reliable banking company in the name of the Lyons Heritage Society. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by both the treasurer and the president. The treasurer will collect dues and shall render an annual report.

Section 5.
The advisory trustees shall encourage and assist the officers of the society in pursuit of the organization’s overall goals.

Section 6.
The officers and advisory trustees, in their capacity as the Board of Trustees of the society, shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the society and perform such other functions as designated in the by-laws or otherwise assigned to it.

Section 7.
At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, four members shall constitute a quorum. The Board of Trustees shall elect its own chairperson, through whom the Board will render an annual report at each annual meeting.

ARTICLE V COMMITTEES

Section 1.
The president shall appoint, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, those committees deemed necessary from time to time. These committees shall consist of one to five members at the discretion of the president and/or the committee chairperson. The president shall be a member of all committees.

Section 2.
The Society shall have the following standing committees:
1. Program – responsible for arranging suitable programs, for setting time, pace and related arrangements;
2. Membership – responsible for membership drives and processing new candidates;
3. Publicity – responsible for publicity to all media;
4. Projects – responsible for proposing and supervising suitable projects in pursuit of the
society’s overall goals;
5. Nominations – responsible for preparing a slate of officers and advisory trustees and
handling any arrangements related to elections of such;
6. Publications – responsible for all society publications; if necessary, assist in the
preparation of the annual report
7. Finance – responsible for all of the society’s financial matters; the treasurer shall be an
ex-officio member of this committee

ARTICLE VI PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1.
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the society except in such cases as are governed by the constitution or the by-laws.

ARTICLE VII AMENDMENT

Section 1.
These by-laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided that notice was given at a previous meeting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.

AMENDED: (DATE)

LYONS HERITAGE SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP

This award is to be given to a graduating senior who has an interest in history and has been involved in local community activities or worked volunteering time to an historical project. The award may be given at the Spring Awards Assembly in the name of the Lyons Heritage Society and in the amount of $100.00.