BY-LAWS

(Last Revised: 02/02/06)

 

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

The club must abide by the Constitution, By-Laws and Rules as set forth herein.  Application for membership must be approved at a meeting of the Board of Directors.  Any member club whose dues are in arrears three months or more shall be suspended from membership upon due notice and any awards thereafter to its members shall be declared void.

 

ARTICLE II - LIABILITIES

The Council shall be limited in its programs to any undertaking for which the cost can be met out of the cash receipts and the Council bank balance.  Financial assessments of any kind against member clubs are prohibited.

 

ARTICLE III - DUES

Annual dues (see table) shall be paid prior to or at the first General Board meeting of the fiscal year.  No reduction in dues shall be allowed for membership obtained within the year, except the Board of Directors may extend membership made in December to include the following year.  Any member club may resign by notice in writing to the secretary of the Council; no dues shall be refunded and any awards thereafter shall be declared null and void.

 

        Table of Dues

          1 to 20 club members                               $20 (minimum)

        21 to 35 club members                               $30

        36 to 50 club members                               $35

        51 and more club members                         $50 (maximum)

 

ARTICLE IV - NOMINATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE

At a business meeting of the Board of Directors on or about one month in advance of the annual election of officers, the Board of Directors shall consider nominations for new officers and directors-at-large for the next fiscal year.  All proposed nominees shall be asked if they are willing to serve and their consent obtained before their names shall be placed on the ballot.  At the last meeting of the year, the Board of Assembly delegates may nominate one or more additional names to each elective office, having already asked the nominees if they are willing to serve and their consent obtained.

 

ARTICLE V - ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE

The president, first vice-president, second vice-president, treasurer, and secretary shall be elected by the General Board for a term of two years.  The president, first vice-president, and treasurer shall be elected at the Annual Meeting in even numbered years and the second vice-president and secretary shall be elected at the Annual Meeting in odd numbered years.  The two directors-at-large shall be elected for a single year.  The nominated members that receive the highest number of votes for each office shall become elected.  In the event of a tie, the current president shall cast the deciding vote.

 

ARTICLE VI - DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: 

·            Shall preside at all meetings of the Council, when present.

·            Shall serve as chairperson of the Board of Directors and the General Board.

·            Shall administer the affairs of the GDCCC with the assistance of the Board of Directors.

·            Shall make all committee appointments and name the chairperson of each.

·            Shall approve all bills before their payment.

·            Shall assume active leadership of the Council at all times.

·            The Greater Detroit International Salon of Photography, sponsored by the GDCCC, shall be directed by the president and his/her appointees and it is his/her duty to hold this salon at a suitable time and place.  The salon dates for the following fiscal year shall be established during his/her term in office.

 

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: 

·            Shall preside at all meetings of the Council and General Board in the absence of the president.

·            Shall be nominal head of the print and slide competitions and exhibitions and supervise and record all results.

·            Shall serve as chairperson of the honors program committee.

 

SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT:

·            Shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the president and first vice-president.

·            Shall prepare and distribute, at the 2nd to the last meeting of the fiscal year, a draft of the next fiscal year’s annual competitions schedule to member clubs for approval at the last General Board meeting of the current fiscal year.

 

SECRETARY:

·            Shall keep a full and accurate account of the Council's activities at all regular and special meetings.

·            Shall send out calls for all regular and special meetings of the Council, mail out all the official notes, and carry on and keep a file of correspondence with the member clubs.

·            Shall provide a written copy of the duties and assignments of officers, committee chairpersons and those others who are directly concerned.

·            Shall prepare and read to the Council, at the last meeting of the fiscal year, a written report of the Council's activities for that year.

·            Shall fulfill any other duties, not specified, usually incumbent upon that office.

 

TREASURER:

·              Shall send out bills for dues and acknowledge receipt of dues.

·              Shall act as custodian of all monies and securities of the Council, depositing them in a bank approved by the Board of Directors.

·              Shall recognize all expenditures and pay the bills authorized by the Board of Directors, keep a detailed account of receipts and disbursements, and make a semi-annual (May/June and Nov/Dec) report to the Council of the condition of the treasury.

·              Must co-sign all checks together with the president or first vice-president.

·              The treasurer and his/her committee shall prepare an annual budget of the Council for the next meeting following the Calendar of Events approved by the General Board.

·              The books, accounts, vouchers of the Council and the annual financial statements shall be audited in Jan/Feb by the Finance and Budget Committee of which, he/she is chairperson, as herein provided.

·              Shall submit the audit report to the Board of Directors for approval at the Mar/April meeting.

·              Shall be required to furnish a surety bond in the amount of $1,000 upon taking office, and before the Council monies and securities are turned over to the new treasurer.  The fee for the surety bond shall be payable from the Council funds.

 

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors, as the legal representative of the Council, shall:

·         Have, hold, and administer all property and funds thereof in trust for its uses.

·         Meet at the call of the president of the Council or of any three elected officers.

·         Submit a proposed calendar of events and schedules to the General Board for approval.

·         Endeavor to bring to fruition the activities approved by the General Board.

·         Each individually, submit a written report of his/her activities at the closing meeting of the year.

·         Conduct the annual election of officers and directors.

·         Help the president select chairpersons for the standing committees and other committees.

 

ARTICLE VIII - STANDING COMMITTEES

The chairpersons and responsibilities of the standing committees are:

 

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

·            The chairperson shall be appointed annually by the president.

·            The membership committee shall keep a complete list of all members in good standing and their current officers.

 

FINANCE AND BUDGET COMMITTEE:

·            The treasurer shall be the chairperson.

·            The committee shall consist of at least three members.

·            The finance and budget committee shall assist the treasurer to carry out his/her responsibilities as outlined in Article VI of these By-Laws.

 

EXHIBITION COMMITTEE:

·            The first vice-president shall be chairperson.

·            The first vice-president shall be responsible for acquiring all awards and ribbons required for the 6 scheduled interclub competitions in each division and the annual awards banquet.

·            The committee shall be separated into five exhibition committees entitled:

-            Print Committee (Monochrome, Color)

-            2¼ Slide Committee

-            Color Slide Committee

-            Nature Slide Committee

-            Digital Projection Committee

·            The chairpersons of these committees shall be known as the Print Director, the 2¼ Slide Director, the Color Slide Director, the Nature Slide Director, and the Digital Projection Director, respectively.

·            These Directors shall be members of the Board of Directors.

 

PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

·            The chairperson shall be appointed annually by the president.

·            Its duties shall be to draw up programs as requested by the Board of Directors.

·            The annual awards banquet director shall be a member of this committee.

 

CONTESTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE:

·            The chairperson shall be appointed annually by the president.

·            Its duties shall be to arrange for contests and exhibitions, purchase necessary awards, and direct judging for all contests, exhibitions and entertainment except for the 6 scheduled interclub competitions per division and the annual awards banquet.

·            The chairperson shall be responsible for acquiring awards and ribbons for all contests, exhibitions and entertainment except for the 6 scheduled interclub competitions per division and the annual awards banquet.

·            The Director of the Detroit International Salon of Photography shall be a member of this committee and of the Board of Directors.

 

HONORS PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

·            The chairperson shall be the first vice-president.

·            The members shall be representatives from six (6) member clubs selected in a rotating alphabetical order of the clubs.  Each club’s selected representative should either be the President, a Fellow, Greater Detroit Council or an Associate, Greater Detroit Council.

·            The committee shall serve from September through February of each year and shall meet at least once in November to review the nominees and once in December to select members for honors as outlined in Attachment 1 of these Constitution, By-Laws and Rules.

·            A quorum shall consist of four members of the committee.

·            An Annual Awards Banquet shall be held at the end of each year.

·            Honors will be awarded at the Annual Awards Banquet.

·            Appropriate plaques or diplomas stating their names and the honor they have received will be presented to those selected.

·            The following four awards may be given:

1.     Associate, Greater Detroit Camera Club Council--not over three per year.

2.     Fellow, Greater Detroit Camera Club Council--not over two per year.

3.     Honorary Member, Greater Detroit Camera Club Council--not more than one per year.

4.     Harry Pusgulian Award-- not more than one per year.

·            More detailed rules about the requirements for these awards are given in the Rules section, Attachment 1.

 

ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS

·            Regular Board of Directors meetings may be held once a month.

·            A combined meeting of the Board of Directors and Board of Assembly (referred to as a General Board meeting) shall be held a minimum of once every two months, excluding July and August.

·            Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the president and three members of the Board of Directors.

·            The last General Board meeting of the fiscal year shall be designated the Annual Meeting at which time reports from officers and committees shall be heard.

·            The election of officers shall be held at the annual meeting and a calendar (with locations) of the next year’s six (6) scheduled interclub competitions will be distributed.

·            The first regular meeting of the General Board for the fiscal year must be held prior to the first Council competition, at which time the newly elected officers shall present their committees and a calendar of events, and locations for the following year.