General Federation of Women’s Clubs
SAN BUENAVENTURA WOMEN’S CLUB
BY-LAWS (Revised 2013)

INCORPORATED July 13, 1953 FEDERATED
California Federation of Women’s Clubs 1945
General Federation of Women’s Clubs 1949

ARTICLE I
NAME AND AFFILIATION

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be SAN BUENAVENTURA WOMEN’S CLUB.

Section 2. Affiliations of this club shall be federated with TIERRA ADORADA DISTRICT No. 14, the California Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation at all times. The Bylaws of this club shall conform with the constitution and Bylaws of the State Federation.

ARTICLE II
MISSION STATEMENT

Section 1. The purpose of this club will be to provide philanthropic support to civic, educational, cultural, and social welfare programs in our community in accordance with the policies of the GFWC/CFWC and the requirements of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

An additional aim is to provide friendship and personal growth for our members through our meetings, programs and interest groups (Sections).”

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. “Show by its Bylaws that the organization requires no sectarian or partisan political test for membership; that it is not a secret society; that it does not tolerate, either by practice or teaching, any violation of local, state or national laws; and that its bylaws do not conflict with the bylaws of the General Federation or of the California Federation”.

Section 2. Applications for membership shall be accompanied by the acceptance fee and dues. The application shall be presented by the Membership Secretary or a member of the committee to the Executive Board. Membership Secretary will notify applicant.

Section 3. To become a member, an acceptance fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be paid and annual dues as determined by the club membership shall be paid.

Section 3a. A continuous membership, after payment of the acceptance fee, shall be seventy dollars ($70.00) for the current year.

Section 4. Dues are due and payable April 1st of each year. After April 2nd, dues become delinquent. Members not paying dues by June 1st will be dropped and not be listed in the Yearbook. Dues shall be increased when deemed necessary by the Executive Board and shall be submitted to the general membership for approval. The body by a 2/3 vote can change the amount of Club dues.

Section 5. Reinstatement. A person, who has been dropped from membership, shall have the right to seek reinstatement within one year fro thetime the person has been dropped from membership. The dropped person seeking reinstatement shall send letter to Membership Secretary asking for reinstatement and paying a $5 reinstatement fee, plus current dues.

Section 6. A person joining the club between December 1st and the end of February of the current club year shall be required to pay the acceptance fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) and one-half yearly dues of thirty-five ($35.00). A person joining the club in March shall pay an acceptance fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) and the annual dues of seventy dollars ($70.00) for the coming year.

Section 7. A Life Membership may be presented to a member for seniority and distinguished service and MUST be presented to any member in good standing who has been a member of this club for fifty (50) consecutive years. Honorary Memberships shall be presented to Past Presidents who are entitled to honor. Honorary Members shall pay ½ (one half) of the yearly dues and Life Members shall be exempt from payment of dues. Life and Honorary Memberships are presented upon the recommendation of the Executive Board and a majority vote of members present at any regular meeting. These members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the club.

Section 8. A member of another Federated Women’s Club applying for transfer to the San Buenaventura Women’s Club shall provide a letter showing good standing in her former club. Acceptance fee shall be waived upon payment of club dues.

Section 9. The Executive Board shall have the authority to waive the current year dues of any member when it shall be deemed for the best interest of the club.

[Note: Article III, Section 3, 3a and 6 – revised March 2009
Article III, Section 2 modified June 2010
to come into compliance with General Federation
Article II, Section 1 April 2012 to comply with IRS Regs]

ARTICLE IV
ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Elected officers of the club shall be: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Corresponding Secretary, Membership Secretary and Federation Secretary.

Section 2. No elected officer shall serve the same office for more than two (2) consecutive years without the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Candidates for all elective offices shall be nominated by a Nominating Committee of seven (7) members with three (3) members elected by the Executive Board and four (4) members elected by the membership at the October general meeting.

Section 4. The annual election of officers shall take place at the April meeting. Elections shall be by ballot; the candidates presented by the Nominating Committee to be named on the ballot. Nominations may be made from the floor with the prior consent of such candidate. Any election where there is but one (1) candidate for an office, the ballot may be dispensed with by general consent, and the candidates elected by voice vote. If 2 or more candidates, the election shall be by written ballot. A majority vote of those present shall be necessary to elect. The Nominating Committee shall fill any vacancies that occur up until the time of installation.

Any subsequent vacancies shall be filled by the incoming Executive Board.

Section 5. To be eligible for elected office, a woman shall have been a member at least one (1) club year (September to May) prior to the date of installation.

ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The President shall be Chairman of the Executive Board. She shall preside at all meetings and may call special meetings. She shall appoint Federation Chairmen, the Parliamentarian, Public Relations Chairman, Standing Committee Chairmen and Special Committees. The President shall have general supervision over all club affairs, be ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee, and attend all TAD No. 14 meetings and conventions and CFWC conventions. In the event of her inability to do so, she shall appoint a Vice-President or member of the Executive Board to represent her. The President shall prepare annual written reports for the President’s procedure book.

Section 2. The Vice Presidents, in order of their rank, shall assist the President and assume the duties of the President in her absence.

Section 2a. The First Vice President shall be the Dean of Chairmen. She shall act as liaison between the President and the Federation Chairmen and their committees and shall be responsible for the functioning of said chairmen. It shall be her duty to obtain and forward committee project reports as requested by the District and State officers

Section 2b. The Second Vice President shall serve as the coordinator of Club Sections. The Second Vice President shall serve on the membership committee and assist the First Vice President in the preparation of annual reports.

Section 3. The Recording Secretary shall keep a full and accurate record of all meetings and perform such duties as delegated by the President and the Executive Bard.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive, hold and disburse upon authorization all club monies. She shall assist the Membership Secretary by checking the dues paid. She shall pay all bills accompanied by voucher ordered by the Executive Board. All payments must be signed by the Treasurer and one (1) other officer; Business Manager or President. She shall make a monthly report of receipts and disbursements to the Executive Board and at each regular meeting. A written report will be submitted by her at the close of the club year. She shall deliver the books, receipts and all necessary papers to the auditor on or before June 1st. The Treasurer shall also serve as the Chairman of the Budget Committee and see that proper tax-exempt forms are filed when due.

Section 5. The Business Manager shall have served, at any one time, one (1) term as a member of the Budget Committee to be eligible for this office. In the event there is no candidate for the office of Business Manager with the stated qualifications, a candidate with financial experience may be eligible for office. She shall serve on the Budget Committee. She shall be the club’s sole liaison to the caterer and office personnel at the Poinsettia Pavilion.

Section 6. The Corresponding Secretary shall read correspondence at meetings and give notice of all called meetings, mail notices and conduct the correspondence of the club except as otherwise provided.

Section 7. The Membership Secretary shall receive all club dues and pay same to Treasurer. She shall serve as liaison for new members, keep a current membership list and shall issue the Yearbooks with certification of membership and issue the name badges. The membership committee shall be composed of the Membership Secretary, the Second Vice President, and two (2) additional members appointed by the Membership Secretary. This committee shall be responsible for membership tea(s) and new member orientation. She shall also serve on the Budget Committee.

Section 8. The Federation Secretary shall attend TAD No. 14 Board Meetings and Conferences, keep the club membership informed regarding Federation activities, encourage their attendance at District meetings and take reservations for TAD No. 14, CFWC and GFWC meetings.

Section 9. The Parliamentarian shall perform all duties pertaining to the office, give advice on Parliamentary Law, and be Chairman of the By-Laws Committee consisting of six (6) additional members appointed by the President. The Parliamentarian shall call the first meeting of the Nominating Committee to give instructions in procedures.

Section 10. The Public Relations Chairman shall acquaint the community with the purpose and activities of SBWC via newspapers and other media, i.e., contacting newspapers, TV, radio, coverage of fundraising events and general section meetings.

Section 11. Each officer shall submit written yearly reports, and her procedure book is to be given to her successor by June 1st.

Section 12. No member of San Buenaventura Women’s Club shall serve simultaneously in the same Chairmanship at District, State or General Federation of Women’s Club.

ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS AND QUORUMS

Section 1. The meeting place of San Buenaventura Women’s Club shall be at the Poinsettia Pavilion in the City of Ventura, in the County of Ventura, State of California unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Regular monthly meetings of the club shall be held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning in September and ending with the annual meeting in May unless otherwise ordered by action of the club taken at any general meeting or by the Executive Board. The annual meeting in May shall be for the purpose of installing the newly elected Executive Board and termination of all business of the past fiscal year unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Board. The fiscal Year of the club shall be from June 1st to May 31st of the following year.

Section 3. A special meeting of the members may be called at any time by the President or, in case of the absence or disability of the President, by a Vice President, or by two (2) members of the Executive Board, or twenty (20) members. Each call for a special meeting of members shall state the time, the place and purpose of said meeting. It shall be in writing and signed by the person or persons requesting the special meeting. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of the members other than such as is included in the purposes stated in the call.

Section 4. A quorum for the transaction of business shall constitute twenty percent (20%) of the total membership of the club.

ARTICLE VII
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the following elected officers: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Corresponding Secretary, Membership Secretary and Federation Secretary. The President shall appoint the following officers to serve on the Executive Board: Parliamentarian and Public Relations Chairman.

Section 2. Executive Board is the Board of Directors and shall handle affairs between meetings, subject to membership approval.

Section 2a. The Executive Board is authorized to make or cause to be made the usual recurring expenditures and shall incur no indebtedness beyond the amount appropriated in the budget for that fiscal year. All other expenditures shall, when acted upon by the Executive Board, be submitted to the membership for approval.

Section 2b. No withdrawals from savings accounts shall be made by the executive officers without prior approval of the general membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 2c. Absence of any member of the Executive Board for two (2) consecutive meetings without valid excuse presented and approved by the Board may automatically create a vacancy in that office. The Executive Board shall elect a successor for such office.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet each month throughout the year on a day selected by the sitting board. It may meet at other times when deemed necessary on call of the President.

Section 3a. A special meeting of the Executive Board shall be held whenever called by the President or, in case of the absence or disability of the President, by one of the Vice Presidents or by two (2) members of the Executive Board. A board meeting must be called upon written request of five (5) members.

Section 4. A quorum of the Executive Board shall constitute a majority of positions filled, and the act of a majority of the members shall be the act of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII
CHAIRMEN AND COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Federation Chairmanships of the club shall be appointed as listed in the CFWC Procedure Book as needed.

Section 1a. Federation Chairmen and committees shall carry out the projects, which the club has chosen under the direction of the Dean of Chairmen.

Section 2. Standing Committees and/or Chairmen may be: Amenities, Birthday, Budget, Buena Briefs, Bylaws, Caring, Guest Book, Programs, Spiritual Values, Tea, Telephone, Ways and Means and Yearbook.

Section 3. No committee shall have the power to incur any indebtedness, binding upon the club, unless authorized by the Executive Board or the club membership.

Section 4. All monies earned by committees shall be placed in the club treasury.

Section 5. Each Chairman shall submit a written report May 31st and December 31st. Her procedure book is to be in the hands of her successor by June 1st.

Section 6. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint other chairmen and committees as needed to carry out the activities of the club.

ARTICLE IX
SECTIONS

Section 1. The Club shall be organized into Sections for the promotion of friendship and the study of special subjects, or the carrying on of its various branches of work. A new Section may be initiated by ten (10) or more interested members with the approval of the Executive Board. In the event the number drops below ten (10) at two (2) consecutive meetings without cause, the Section shall be discontinued unless Sections are held in a home.

Section 2. Each section shall have a Chairman elected by members of the Section.

Section 3. The Chairman will make out the annual program and submit to the Second Vice President by July 1st for inclusion in the Yearbook.

Section 4. The Chairmen preside at their respective Section meetings or appoint a representative to do so.

Section 5. All Chairmen are required to submit to the Treasurer the proceeds of any or all projects unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board.

Section 6. No section shall have the power to incur any indebtedness in the name of the club unless authorized by the Executive Board.

Section 7. Section meetings shall be held regularly and at a convenient time decided upon by the section members and cleared through the Second Vice President.