DISABLED CITIZENS, INC.

1222 Doctors Drive

NEENAH, Wisconsin, 54756

 

BY-LAWS

1-30-81

 

ARTICLE I

Name

 

This organization shall be known as Disabled Citizens, Inc.

 

ARTICLE II

Purposes

 

The purpose of this organization are:

1)     To promote availability of comprehensive lifetime resources for people with physical disabilities.

2)     Provide mutual support through social activities and peer counseling

3)     Conduct campaigns of education whereby the general public will be apprized of the problems and needs of people with physical disabilities.

4)     Cooperate with other agencies, governmental and private, concerned with the welfare of the physically disabled.

5)     Support research for the prevention and cure of physical disabilities to the greatest extent possible

6)     Accept, raise, and dispense funds for the above purposes.

7)     Promote awareness of legislation as it effects disabled persons.

 

ARTICLE III

Membership

 

Section I Classes of Membership

(a)   Active members will pay dues of not more than $10.00 per year

(b)  Life members shall make a onetime payment of dues of at least $100.00

(c)   Persons making valuable contributions to needs of the disabled may be elected to honorary membership by a 2/3 vote of the membership at any duly constituted meeting of the organization.  Honorary members may exercise all the rights and obligations of dues paying members except the right to vote and hold office.  Honorary members shall continue indefinitely unless revoked by a 2/3 vote of the membership.

 

Section II  Qualifications and Admission

(a)   Any person of good standing who is interested in the problem of physical disability can be admitted to membership upon completion of the appropriate application form and payment of the annual dues.

(b)  The membership year shall be July 1 to June 30.  Any continuing member must sign and submit a membership renewal along with payment of the annual dues at the beginning of the membership year.

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(c)   Any new members paying dues after April 1 of any year will become a member for the remainder of the fiscal year plus the fiscal year next following.

 

Section III   Rights

(a)   Will be issued a membership card.

(b)  May be elected to any office of the organization.

(c)   Are entitled to (1) one vote in any matter requiring a vote of the organization if in attendance at the meeting when the vote takes place.

(d)  Will receive the organization’s official publication.

(e)   May purchase available materials from the organization at preferred prices.

 

Section IV  Obligations for Members in Good Standing

(a)   Shall abide by the By-Laws of the organization.

(b)  Shall support the policies and programs of the organization

(c)   Shall pay annual dues at a rate recommended by the executive board and approved by a majority vote of the attending membership.  Any member whose dues are in arrears more than ninety (90) days shall be removed from membership provided he was given notice of thirty (30) days.

 

ARTICLE IV

Offices

 

Section I  Officers Listed

Officers of the organization shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

 

Section II  Qualifications

Officers must be active or life members of the organization in good standing and whose dues are not in arrears.

 

Section III  Tenure

    All officers shall serve a term of one year and may be re-elected.

 

Section IV  Elections

(a)   Nominations

The nominating committee shall present a slate of nominees for each office and board of directors to the membership no later than the September meeting.  Nominees from the membership will be made at the September meeting or in writing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(b)  Method of Election

Elections will be held at the August meeting of the membership.  Absentee ballots must be signed by the member voting.  Elections shall be by a simple majority of the members present and voting and of the absentee ballots.

Present or absentee voters may add write in votes to the ballot. 

Officers will be installed at the January meeting and their term shall follow the calendar year.  Elections will be held at the September meeting.  Absentee ballots will be made available upon request.

 (c)  Eligibility to Vote

Only members in good standing as described in Article III, Section IV, at the time of the election process shall be eligible to participate in the nomination of officers and board members.

            (d)  Consent

All nominees must consent to serve if elected and must give consent prior to the casting of the ballots

 

          Section  V  Duties

(a)   General

Each officer shall keep the president informed of the activities of his office

(b)  President

Shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Board of Directors.  He shall be an ex-officio of all committees except the nominating committee.  With the treasurer he shall execute all contracts and obligations which must have the prior approval of the Executive Board to be shall be binding.  He shall prepare in writing for permanent file an annual report at the end of the fiscal year.  He shall perform such other duties as are necessary to the office of President.

(c)   Secretary

Shall record the minutes of all meetings of the organization, both general and board and will keep other records.  In the absence of the secretary a pro-tem secretary shall be appointed by the presiding officer.  Shall handle all correspondence, maintain correspondence files, give notices of all meetings of the executive board and general membership and maintain an up-to-date mailing list.

(d)  Treasurer

Shall be the custodian of all funds of the organization and be accountable for their safekeeping.  He will keep financial records, account for all receipts, and disbursements and make financial reports at all executive board and general meetings.  All checks, drafts, and other orders for the payment of money shall be issued by the treasurer.  The treasurer shall issue a receipt for all monies received from any source.  All monies received for the organization shall be deposited in designated by the executive board.  At the expiration of his term he will hand all monies and pertinent papers to his successor and shall submit an annual accounting to the executive board at the end of the fiscal year. Any expenditures above $50.00 would be the decision of either the executive board or an appointed financial committee.  Any check to the treasurer must be signed by the president.

 

 

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(e)   Vice-President

Shall execute the duties of president during absence of illness of the President.

 

 

Section VI  Liabilities

No officer shall have the authority or power to make the organization liable for any debts without the approval of the executive board.  Neither shall any member have this authority or power.

 

ARTICLE V

Executive Board

 

Section I  Authority

The executive board is the governing body of the organization and may transact such business as is necessary for its organization.

 

Section II  Composition

Shall consist of the elected officers, the immediate past president, and a number of elected directors not to exceed five (5).

 

Section III  Qualifications

Executive board members must be members of the organization who are in good standing.

 

Section IV  Election

Board members shall be elected by a majority vote of members present or voting by absentee ballot at each regular annual meeting in September and installed at the January meeting.  All rules under Article IV, Section IV shall apply to the election of board members.

 

Section V  Officer

The president of the organization shall preside at all meetings of the executive board and in the absence of the president, the vice-president will preside.

 

Section VI  Tenure

            Each elected director shall serve a term of one year and may be re-elected.

 

Section VII  Vacancies

Board vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the executive board and ratified by the general membership until the next regular election for the office.

 

Section VIII  Quorum

A majority of the board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

 

 

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Section IX  Duties

The executive board as the governing body will carry out the mandates and policies of the organization subject only to all resolutions passed at any regular or special meeting of the organization.  The board has the authority to transact business and to manage the property and activities of the organization.  The executive board may hold meetings, elect committees, fill vacancies among officers, and board, receive and disburse funds, employ agents, pay a representative of the organization actual costs to attend approved meetings, establish auxiliaries for purposes of fund raising, publicity, and educations and establish depositories for the organizations funds and procedures for their  safekeeping.  Decisions of the board are subject to approval of general membership and must be voted on by general membership prior to their implementation.

 

Section X  Proxy Votes

Proxy votes shall be in writing and shall be in effect for the stated meeting only.  No one member shall bring with him more than one proxy vote for that designated meeting.  The written statement giving proxy vote shall be maintained in permanent file by the secretary.

 

ARTICLE VI

Committees

 

Section I  Standing Committees

The executive board shall appoint standing committees for activities that continue throughout the entire year.

 

Section II  Special Committee

The executive board shall appoint special or ad hoc committees for such terms as their responsibilities may require.

 

Section III  Composition

Committee members must be members in good standing of the organization.  All committees shall be composed of at least one member and shall report to the executive board.

 

Section IV  Authority

Committee chairpersons are responsible for representing the organization at activities within the sphere of the committee’s responsibilities.  A committee cannot obligate the organization to any action, policy or expense.  It can make recommendations to the executive board and the board can take action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ARTICLE VII

Meetings

 

Section I  Annual

A regular annual meeting of the organization must be held during the month of September at which time annual reports shall be given and officers and executive board members shall be elected and installed.

 

Section II  Regular

The executive board shall establish a schedule of regular meetings for the members and there shall be at least four (4) such meetings per year.    

 

Section III  Special

Special meetings may be held to transact only such business as is announced by mail to the membership at least five (5) days in advance of such a meeting.

 

Section IV  Quorum

Ten percent (10%) of the membership shall be considered a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

Section V  Notice

At least ten (10) days notice must be given for annual and regular meetings.  Notices may be waived by 2/3 of the members entitled to notice.

 

Article VIII

Fiscal Year

 

The fiscal year of this organization shall be from July 1st to June 30th.

 

Article IX

Special Rules

 

Where otherwise not covered, Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall prevail.

 

Article X

Amendments

 

These By-laws may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular or annual meeting of the organization, providing fifteen (15) days written notice has been given to all members.  Amendments may be approved by a mail ballot, providing that at least ten (10) percent of the membership in good standing returns

a marked ballot within thirty (30) days.  A 2/3 majority vote of the ballots returned shall be required for approval.  Mail ballot vote shall not be required, but shall be decided by the executive board (in special circumstances) to insure a minimum of ten (10) percent vote of membership in good standing.

 

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AD FINEM

 

* Article IV, Sec 4 (b) was amended by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and members     at the meeting on April 26, 1982

 

** Articles IV, Sections 4 (a) and (b), Article V, Section 4 and Article VII, Section 1 were amended by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and members at the June 28, 1982 meeting.

 

*** Articles IV, Section 1 and Section 5 (d) and (e), and Article V, Section 5 were amended by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and members at the October 22, 1984 meeting.

 

**** Flowers for deceased DCI members, DCI will send flowers on a sliding scale to the memorial of deceased members of DCI.  The range will be $25 to $50 depending on the DCI member’s involvement or committed to DCI.  Added to By-laws by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and members at the July 24, 1995 meeting.

 

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