Bylaws of the Lorain County Computer Users Group

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Article 1. Definition of Bylaws
Article 2. Mission

Article 3. Membership

Section 1. Eligibility

Section 2. Benefits of Membership

Section 3. Dues

Section 4. Officers

Section 5. Honorary Members

Section 6. Transfer and Termination

Article 4. Meetings

Section 1. Notice of Meeting

Section 2. General Meetings

Section 3. Annual Business Meeting

Section 4. Special Meetings

Article 5. Nominating and Election Procedures

Section 1. Nomination and Election

Section 2. Nominating Committee

Section 3. Notice to Membership

Section 4. Nominations from the Floor

Section 5. Election

Section 6. Disputes

Section 7. Absentee and Proxy Ballots

Article 6. Executive Board

Section 1. Code of Ethics

Section 2. Number and Qualifications of Officers

Section 3. Powers and Duties of the Executive Board

Section 4. Executive Board Meeting Guidelines

Section 5. Specific Duties of the Officers of the Executive Board

Section 6. Delegation of Responsibilities

Section 7. Resignations

Section 8. Removal

Section 9. Liability of Officers

Section 10. Conflict of Interest Statement

Article 7. Appointments

Section 1. Managers

Section 2. Media
Article 8. Classes and Workshops

Section 1. Definition

Section 2. Classes and Workshops as a Recognized Unit within LCCUG
Article 9. Financial Transactions and Operations

Section 1. Fiscal Year

Section 2. Reimbursements

Section 3. Gifts

Section 4. Limitations

Section 5. Dissolution
Article 10. Parliamentary Authority

Section 1. Prohibited Activities
Article 11. Miscellaneous

Section 1. Seal

Section 2. Registered Agent

Section 3. Affiliation with Other Organizations

Section 4. Advertising Policies
Article 12. Amendments

Section 1. Effective Date of Bylaws

Article 1. Definition of Bylaws
	These Bylaws constitute the code of rules adopted by the Lorain County Computer Users Group, herein referred to as LCCUG, for regulation and management of its affairs. LCCUG is organized for educational and charitable purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Article 2. Mission
	Lorain County Computer Users Group (LCCUG) is dedicated to helping the community become skilled with computers by providing a public forum to educate, exchange information, share expertise, and solve computer-related problems.
Article 3. Membership
	LCCUG does not practice or advocate any particular religious or political agenda. Although LCCUG may feature commercial computer products in meetings, LCCUG does not endorse any commercial product or service provider. Section 1. Eligibility Any person over 13 years of age who desires to further the purposes of LCCUG and meets its qualifications, shall be eligible and may apply to the Director of Membership for membership. Membership shall be available without regard to race, creed, color, sex, or national origin. Section 2. Benefits of Membership Voting Rights - Each member is entitled to cast one vote in any election or any business meeting discussion that requires general membership approval. Membership Card - Each member is entitled to a membership card that validates that he or she is a member in good standing and is entitled to membership. Newsletter - Each paid membership (individual or family) in good standing is entitled to receive one monthly LCCUG Interface Newsletter per household. Section 3. Dues Members shall pay yearly dues as set by the Executive Board and approved by membership. The annual dues shall be payable to the Director of Membership and given to the Treasurer upon acceptance as a member. Dues not paid within 30 days after anniversary month of annual membership shall be considered delinquent, and membership will automatically be canceled. Any member dropped because of delinquent dues may be reinstated upon payment of current dues. If membership of any member ceases, either voluntarily or involuntarily, no refund of dues shall be made. Section 4. Officers Officers will receive their membership free during their tenure in office Section 5. Honorary Members All Honorary members will be nominated by the Executive Board and elected by a simple majority of members at any subsequent regular or special meeting. There will be no annual dues for Honorary members. Section 6. Transfer and Termination LCCUG memberships are not transferable except upon death. Memberships shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of the following events: resignation with written notice to the Executive Board, or termination for cause. Grounds for termination of membership for cause shall include noncompliance with these Bylaws or the standing rules for this organization. Notice of termination shall be sent to the member by the President using certified mail at the member's last known address. A terminated member may appeal. Reinstatement of membership will be decided on a case by case basis by the Executive Board.
Article 4. Meetings
	Section 1. Notice of Meeting Written or electronic notice stating the place, day, and hour of any meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than 3 days and no more than 30 days before the date of the meeting. Notice is provided to each member of record entitled to vote at such a meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States Mail, with postage prepaid, addressed to the member as the address appears in the current membership file of the organization. Electronic notice is sent to the member's e-mail account as it appears in the current membership file. Section 2. General Meetings General meetings of the membership of LCCUG will be held each month on a date set by the Executive Board. Only members of LCCUG in good standing shall be eligible to vote during the business portion of the General meeting. Issues to be voted on during the business portion shall be decided by the majority of the eligible voting members present at that given meeting. Section 3. Annual Business Meeting The annual meeting of the membership will be held as a part of the regular membership meeting in December of each year. In addition to the regular business to be transacted, Officers will make end-of-the-year reports to the membership and the nomination and election of Officers will be completed. Section 4. Special Meetings Special meetings may be called by a majority of the Executive Board, by the President of LCCUG, or upon a signed request of at least ten (10) members. Only business specified in the call may be transacted at any special meeting. Notice of such meeting must be made by written notice containing the specifics of the meeting and mailed, either by US Postal procedures or electronically not less than seven (7) days prior to such a meeting to the addresses of the members as contained on the LCCUG Roster. Notice shall be effective when mailed to the address contained in the LCCUG Roster.
Article 5. Nominating and Election Procedures
	Section 1. Nomination and Election Nominations for election to the Executive Board shall take place at the November meeting. All officers will be elected by ballot at the December meeting for a term of one year. Section 2. Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee shall be appointed in October by the President, who shall select a minimum of two members from the general membership who are not currently on the Executive Board. If the President cannot find any persons willing to serve, the Executive Board will serve as the Nominating Committee, seeking out eligible persons from the membership to fill the slated positions available. Section 3. Notice to Membership The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of Officers and Directors and make a report thereof to the President and Secretary at least three (3) weeks prior to the November regular meeting of LCCUG and post such report in the LCCUG newsletter and on the LCCUG web page prior to the November nominations and December elections. Section 4. Nominations from the Floor Additional nominations for election may be made. A nomination from the floor may be made by a member in good standing and must be seconded by at least one other member. Such nominations require the consent of the nominated person, either in person or in writing. Section 5. Election Persons receiving the highest number of votes win with ties being decided by coin toss. The term of office shall be from January 1 through December 31. All officers must be members in good standing. The Executive Board shall appoint a replacement for the remaining term of any office vacated due to removal or resignation of the officer. The Executive Board will meet monthly and report to the membership the results of these meetings. Section 6. Disputes Any dispute with respect to election procedure, conduct, tabulation, or any other matter shall be decided by the Executive Board. Section 7. Absentee and Proxy Ballots Absentee and proxy ballots are not permitted.
Article 6. Executive Board
	Section 1. Code of Ethics All business conducted on behalf of the LCCUG must be conducted in a manner which maintains the independence, reputation, and integrity of the LCCUG. An LCCUG official, as used in this code, includes any member of the Executive Board, any Committee, Manager, or representative appointed to conduct business on behalf of LCCUG. Section 2. Number and Qualifications of Officers The Executive Board will consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Web Page Editor, and the Directors of Membership, Public Relations, Advertising, Education, and Fundraising. Section 3. Powers and Duties of the Executive Board The powers and duties of the Executive Board are as follows: Supervise and manage the operations and business of LCCUG, Make decisions according to these Bylaws and any amendments attached hereto, Make recommendations to the membership regarding LCCUG matters, Authorize and file tax returns as prepared by the Treasurer of this organization, Establish annual membership dues to be voted on by the general membership, Recognize and approve the formation of Workshops and Classes, Appoint officers to fill unexpired terms of office when the office becomes vacant, Perform such other duties as are specified within the Articles of the Bylaws or as required in order to direct the activities of LCCUG. Section 4. Executive Board Meeting Guidelines The following guidelines shall apply to Executive Board meetings: Meetings of the Executive Board will be scheduled monthly. The scheduled time and place shall be determined by the Executive Board, All members of the Executive Board will be notified prior to any change in the normal time and place of an Executive Board Meeting due to holiday or special situation, Upon majority consent of the Executive Board members, an emergency meeting can be called without advanced notice, Prior to the first Executive Board meeting of the year, any materials related to the office or position of an outgoing Executive Board member will be turned over to his/her successor in office, In all the Executive Board's decisions, each member shall cast one (1) vote,except President as noted unter Section 5, Unless otherwise specified, the Executive Board shall operate by majority vote of the Board members present, All Executive Board meetings are open to any member of LCCUG. Visiting members have no official vote at Executive Board meetings. Section 5. Specific Duties of the Officers of the Executive Board The PRESIDENT shall Serve as the Chief Executive Officer, Preside at all General and Executive Board Meetings, Prepare agendas for both General and Executive Board Meetings and shall conduct those meetings according' to the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Exercise supervision over the activities and operations of LCCUG, Appoint, with the consent of the Executive Board, designated committees and recommend the appointment of committee chairpersons as required, Oversee all special events and new projects in which LCCUG is involved, Have final responsibility for ensuring General and Executive Board Meeting locations and availability, Introduce the program and act as MC during the presentation of the program, Not vote during a Business meeting unless vote is needed as a tiebreaker. The VICE PRESIDENT shall Perform the duties in the absence of the President, Serve as President for the remainder of the President's term of the office, if the Presidency becomes vacant, Arrange for General Meeting presentations, Coordinate with the Software Procurement Chairperson, presentations and speakers for the General meetings. The SECRETARY shall Take the minutes of all General and Executive Board Meetings or find a person to take the minutes in the event of his/her absence at a meeting, Make the minutes available for distribution to the officers as necessary and available to the Newsletter Editor for publication, Prepare and type all official (non-promotional) correspondence, Maintain files, including minutes, incoming and outgoing correspondence, etc. as appropriate and deliver them to his/her successor, Collect material for and maintain the LCCUG archives, Maintain the Articles of Incorporation, Corporate Seal, Bylaws, Standing Rules, and all other important LCCUG documents, Prepare notices and ballots for the annual election of officers, Notify the President and/or appropriate officer of forthcoming events that may require action. The TREASURER shall Open account as needed, in the name of The Lorain County Computer Users Group (LCCUG) in a convenient bank, Open an interest bearing account when feasible, Receive and maintain all funds and take responsibility for overseeing all financial affairs of LCCUG, Keep regular books of account and submit them, together with all other records and papers, to the Executive Board at any meeting when required to do so, Prepare and present a report and budget forecast to be distributed to the membership and to the Executive Board, Collect all dues from the Director of Membership for new and renewed memberships and notify the newsletter editor in a monthly report for publication to the membership, Ensure that the bank has on file authorization for checks to be signed by the Treasurer and President or Vice President, or other officer designated by the Executive Board. Be responsible for the filing of all tax returns for federal, state, and local taxes, Be prepared to assist in an annual audit, as appropriate, Ensure that insurance is in force to protect LCCUG against liability claims and theft of equipment, At the expiration of the Treasurer's term, he/she shall deliver all records and monies belonging to LCCUG to his/her successor. The NEWSLETTER EDITOR shall Be responsible with any co-editors for obtaining articles for the LCCUG Newsletter (currently known as INTERFACE), Edit and format material relevant to LCCUG's purpose and publish INTERFACE in a timely manner, Oversee the production and monthly distribution of the newsletter, Work with the Advertising Director. The WEB Page Editor shall Be responsible for the creative design and monthly maintenance of LCCUG's Web Page, Collect, edit and format material relevant to LCCUG's purpose for publication on the Web Page. The DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION shall Recruit teachers and oversee training of teachers Oversee the managing of Classes and Workshops. The DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP shall Maintain a database consisting of names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and other relevant data of LCCUG members, Receive membership dues and be responsible for the transfer and reporting of all such monies to the Treasurer, Determine that only paid-up members are nominated for office and that only paid-up members cast ballots in all elections, Develop and maintain a Members Retention Program, a New Member Program, and other such similar programs as approved of by the Executive Board, Be responsible for the printing of the INTERFACE newsletter mailing labels and related documentation. The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS shall Be responsible for all appropriate communications, public relations, marketing and promotional activities to increase public awareness of LCCUG, Serve on the Media Committee working to coordinate the publicity and promotion of LCCUG. The DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISEMENT shall Establish and coordinate the activities of the Advertising Committee, Oversee the rules governing advertising rates, contracts, policies, and guidelines, Be responsible for seeing that advertisements for publication are received by the Newsletter Editor in a timely fashion. Procure Sponsors The DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING shall Have all fund raising efforts approved in advance by the Executive Board, Facilitate the raising of money needed for activities and equipment not covered by dues, Work with the Executive Board to formulate fundraising strategies, Form the necessary committees to achieve successful fundraising events. Section 6. Delegation of Responsibilities Each Officer may, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoint one or more assistants, and delegate specific responsibilities to the assistant(s). The assistant(s) shall not serve on the Executive Board. Section 7. Resignations An Officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Executive Board, the President, or the Secretary of LCCUG. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the Board or such office, and the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Section 8.Removal Any member of the Executive Board who fails in performing his or her assigned duties, or who misses three (3) consecutive executive Board meetings, or misses a total of four (4) Executive Board meetings in one calendar year, may be removed from the Executive Board, by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the total number of the currently sitting Board members, provided that notice of such intended action is given in advance by certified mail to the Officer in question that such intended action will be included in the upcoming Executive Board meeting. Section 9. Liability of Officers No Officer or Director of LCCUG shall be liable to LCCUG or to its members for monetary damages. No amendment to or repeal of this Article shall apply to, or have any effect on, the liability or alleged liability of any Officer or Director of the LCCUG for, or with respect to, any acts or omissions of such Officer or Director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. Section 10. Conflict of Interest Statement Each member of the Executive Board must submit in writing to the secretary a list of potential commercial conflicts of interest if any potential conflict exists. It is expected that each member will excuse himself from voting on matters, which could be of commercial conflict of interest. Also, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board, any member can be excluded from voting on a particular Board proposal if a commercial conflict of interest is determined to exist.
Article 7. Appointments
	The Executive Board may appoint committees or individuals, as necessary, for a specific purpose, case or situation. Section 1. <The RESOURCE CENTER MANAGER shall Be responsible for the storage, maintenance, and care of the software library and equipment maintained by LCCUG, Supervise or consult in all additions or modifications to the software library, keeping a record of such activity, Maintain or supervise the maintenance or upgrade of audio-visual, computer equipment, and software. Section 2. Media The editors of any publication, either printed or electronic, shall serve on the Media Committee, this shall include but not be limited to: Newsletter Editor, Web Master, Director of Public Relations, Director of Education, Director of Advertising, and Vice President, and they shall meet as necessary to exchange information being publicized regarding promotional activities that increase public awareness of LCCUG.
Article 8. Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
	Section 1. Definition A Special Interest Group is an informal group within the LCCUG that is formed to support the purposes of LCCUG in a specific area of common interest among its members and community. Special Interest Groups may be established as necessary by the Executive Board under rules to be set by the Executive Board. Section 2. SIG as a Recognized Unit within LCCUG The specific duties and responsibilities of the SIG Leader shall include presenting the following documentation for recommendation to the Executive Board: An outline of the purposes, interests, and activities of the proposed SIG, An estimate and analysis of any expenses associated with the activities of a SIG, A description of the SIG for the Media Committee for written and electronic publication, A report of SIG topics monthly to the Media Committee for written and electronic publication.
Article 9. Financial Transactions and Operations
	Section 1. Fiscal Year The fiscal year of LCCUG will begin January 1 and end on the last day of December. Section 2. Reimbursements All expenditures for club business, authorized by the President or by the Executive Board, shall be reimbursed by the Treasurer. Any expenditures less than $100 need not have the prior approval of the membership. An itemized receipt shall be required for all reimbursements. Section 3. Gifts The Executive Board may accept on behalf of LCCUG any contribution, gift, bequest, or device for any specific or non-specific purpose for LCCUG under these provisions: (a) That they are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) That they are contributions which are deductible under Section l70c (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Section 4. Limitations No part of the net earnings of LCCUG shall be distributed to its members, trustees, officers, or any other private persons, except those LCCUG is authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered or to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Mission. Section 5. Dissolution In the event of dissolution of LCCUG, the remaining money and any other assets of the Group shall be distributed to any organization(s) qualified under the provision of Section 501c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which are organized and operated exclusively for charitable or educational purposes, as the Executive Board shall determine.
Article 10. Parliamentary Authority
	LCCUG will follow Robert's Rules of Order. Section 1. Prohibited Activities Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws, the LCCUG shall carry on only activities permitted: (a) By a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) By a corporation, contributions which are deductible under Section 170c (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Article 11. Miscellaneous
	Section 1. Seal The seal of the Group shall consist of the name of the Group, the state of its incorporation and the year of its incorporation. Section 2. Registered Agent The Executive Board shall designate a registered agent for the purpose of service of process and any other act required by law. Section 3. Affiliation with Other Organizations The Executive Board may decide at an Executive Board meeting by a majority vote in attendance to affiliate with or become a member of a national or local organization. Section 4. Advertising Policies All advertising submitted for publication shall be controlled by the Advertising Committee as directed by the Executive Board. The Advertising Committee shall establish guidelines for advertising subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
Article 12. Amendments
	These Bylaws may be emended at any LCCUG General meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of members present, provided that the proposed amendment(s) have been published in the LCCUG newsletter or on the LCCUG web site electronically. Section 1. Effective Date of Bylaws These Bylaws were approved by a plurality of members present on November 9, 1999 and took effect on that date.

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