Board’s Documents

Bylaws of the Rotary Club of Arvada, Colorado

Rotary International District 5450

Article I:     Definitions

1. Board:       The Board of Directors of this club.
2. Director:   A member of this club’s Board of Directors
3. Officer:     Any one of the club’s four elected representatives, namely the

                                    President, President-elect, Secretary or Treasurer.

1. Member:   A member in good standing, other than an honorary member of the Club                                                                

                        RI:            Rotary International

1. District:    District 5450, unless specified otherwise
2. RY:           Rotary Year; the 12-month period that begins 1 July of each year     

 

Article II:    Board of Directors

The governing body of this club shall be called the Board of Directors (the Board), comprised of nine club members.  Eight of the Board members are elected, namely, four Officers and four Directors. The four elected Officers of this club are the President, President-elect, Secretary and Treasurer. The four elected Directors are called, respectively, the directors of Administration, Membership, Public Relations, and Services. The ninth Board member is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arvada Rotary Foundation, who serves ex officio. 

 

 Article III:  Election of Directors and Officers

Section 1.   To elect the Board for the ensuing RY, the current president shall appoint a nominating committee chaired by the current president-elect, prior to September 30 of each year. The committee shall present their nominations for the office of president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer and five service directors (namely the directors for Administration, Membership, Public Relations, Services and Club Foundation, respectively), for the upcoming RY, to the membership at the first club meeting in November.  At this meeting the current president shall ask for additional nominations from the club membership.  The nominations made shall be placed on a ballot in alphabetical order under each office, and shall be voted on at the annual meeting of the club in December. Voting for those positions with a single nomination may be by voice vote. The candidates for each position (for the upcoming RY), receiving a majority of the votes shall be declared elected to their respective offices. The newly elected officers and directors (also called officers-elect and directors-elect) shall assume their respective positions commencing on the first day of July following their election.

Section 2.  A vacancy in the board of directors or any office shall be filled by action of the remaining members of the present Board. A vacancy in the position of any officer-elect or director-elect shall be filled by action of the remaining members of the ensuing Board.

Article IV:  Duties of Officers

Section 1.  President.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at meetings of the club and Board, to interact with District personnel and other District Rotary clubs, as required, and to perform all other duties as ordinarily pertain to the office of president.

Section 2.  President-elect.  It shall be the duty of the president-elect to serve as a member of the board of directors of the club, to preside at meetings of the club and Board in the absence of the president, and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the president, or the Board.

Section 3.  Secretary.  It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep the records of membership, record the attendance at meetings, send out minutes of meetings of the club, Board, and committee meetings; record and preserve the minutes of such meetings; report as required to the RI General Secretary, including the semiannual reports of membership, on 1 January  and 1 July of each year, which shall include per capita dues for all members and prorated dues for active members who have been elected to membership in the club in the interim between the semiannual reporting periods; report changes in membership; provide the monthly attendance report, which shall be made to the district governor within 15 days of the last meeting of the month; collect and remit RI official magazine (The Rotarian) subscriptions; and perform other duties as usually pertain to the office of secretary.

Section 4.  Treasurer.  It shall be the duty of the treasurer to have custody of all funds, accounting for it to the club annually and at any other time upon demand by the Board; and to perform other duties as pertain to the office of treasurer. Upon retirement from office, the treasurer shall turn over to the incoming treasurer or to the president, all funds, books of accounts, or any other club property.

Article V:  Meetings

Section 1. Annual Meeting.  An annual meeting of this club shall be held during the first part of December of each year, at which time the election of officers and directors to serve for the ensuing year shall take place.

Section 2. Regular Meetings.  The regular weekly meetings of this club shall be held every Wednesday at 6:30 P.M., at its current permanent location, namely, the club house of the Indian Tree Golf Course, 7555 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80003.  The Board may cancel up to four regular meetings a year.  Due notice of any temporary changes in location, time of meeting, or cancellation of the regular meeting shall be given to all members of the club. The Board may elect to change the permanent location of the regular weekly meetings.  This decision by the Board must be ratified by a majority vote of the membership at a regular club meeting. The action taken by the club shall be final.

All members excepting an honorary member (or a member excused by the Board of this club pursuant to article VIII, section 2 (b) of the Constitution of the Rotary Club of Arvada) in good standing, on the day of the regular meetings, must be counted as present or absent, and attendance must be evidenced by the member’s being present for at least sixty (60) percent of the time devoted to the regular meeting, either at this club or at any other Rotary club, or as otherwise provided in the standard Rotary Club constitution, article 9, sections 1 & 2.

Section 3.  One-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum at the annual and regular meetings of this club.

Section 4.  Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least once each calendar month, at the discretion of the president.  Special meetings of the Board shall be called by the president, as needed, or upon the request of two (2) members of the Board, upon providing due notice to other members of the Board.

Section 5. A majority of the Board members shall constitute a quorum of the Board.

Article VI: Fees and Dues

Section 1.  The admission fee shall be $35.00 to be paid before the applicant can qualify as a member.

Section 2. The membership dues shall be $60 per month payable monthly, or payable quarterly on the first day of July, October, January, and April.  Six dollars (US$6.00) of each semiannual payment shall be applied to each member’s subscription to The Rotarian magazine. Monthly dues shall include expenses for meals, club operations, and district and international dues.  Membership dues will be considered delinquent, if not paid up within 30 days at the end of each Quarter.

Section 3. The membership dues for those members who are excused under Article VIII, Section 2, Excused Absences, of the Arvada Rotary Club Constitution shall be $19.00 per month payable quarterly and includes a subscription to The Rotarian Magazine, club bulletin and other mailings, and district and international dues. In addition, excused members and those on a leave of absence shall pay the actual cost of their dinner at any meeting they attend.

Article VII: Method of Voting 

The business of this club shall be transacted by viva voce vote (voting conducted by voice assent) except the election of officers and directors, which shall be by ballot. If no nominations from the floor are made, a motion shall be made for the secretary to cast a unanimous ballot.

Article VIII: Committees

The president shall, subject to approval by the Board, appoint the following standing committees:

• Administration Committee
• Membership Committee
• Public Relations Committee
• Services Committee
• Foundation Programs Committee

Each of the above mentioned standing committees shall operate under the guidance of the corresponding director, elected to serve in that position.  To the extent practicable, all functional responsibilities are carried out in teams, comprising of one or more persons derived from the club membership. The Directors of standing committees may appoint one or more Team Leads to assist him, or her, in the execution of their duties.

The president shall be ex officio a member of all committees and as such, shall have all the privileges of committee membership thereon.  Each committee shall transact such business as is delegated to it in the bylaws and such additional business as may be referred to it by the president or the Board. Except where special authority is given by the Board, such committees shall not take action until a report has been made to the Board and approved by the Board. Where feasible and practicable in the appointment of committee members, provisions may be made for continuity of membership by appointing one or more members for a three-year term.

Article IX:  Duties of Committees

 

Section 1.   Administration Committee

The Director, Administration Committee, is responsible for all functions pertaining to club administration, which include but are not limited to: improving club fellowship and attendance at social functions, developing a data base of potential contacts for delivering the weekly programs, publishing the Club Bulletin, maintaining and updating the Club and District membership directories, providing prayer, invocation and inspirational materials, and all other duties as they ordinarily pertain to this position, or as they may be assigned or delegated by the president.  At the discretion of the Director, the discharge of these functions may be delegated to one or more teams, respectively, under the purview of a Team Lead.

The purpose of the Club Bulletin is to stimulate interest and improve attendance, announce the program of the forthcoming meeting, relate highlights of the previous meeting, promote fellowship, contribute to the Rotary education of all members, and report news of the club, of its members and of the worldwide activities of RI.

Club fellowship is designed to promote acquaintance and friendship among the members, promote participation by members in organized Rotary recreational and social activities, and do such work in pursuance of the general object of the club as may be assigned by the president or the Board.

Section 2.  Membership Committee

The functional responsibilities of the Director, Membership Committee consist of, but not limited to, recruitment and orientation of new members, membership development and retention, classification of members to ensure diversity of the professions and vocations amongst the membership, maintain the club’s historical records, and all other duties as they ordinarily pertain to this position, or as they may be assigned or delegated by the president.  At the discretion of the Director, the discharge of these functions may be delegated to one or more teams, respectively, under the purview of a Team Lead.

Increase of membership is a primary goal of RI and is the responsibility of each member of the club.  The Director, or his designee, must review continually the club roster of classifications and shall take positive action to initiate and present to the Board the names of suitable persons to fill unfilled classifications. This committee shall consider all proposals for membership from personal contacts, outside referrals, business and professional associates, and shall thoroughly investigate the character, business, social and community standing, and general eligibility of all persons proposed for membership; the committee shall report their decisions on all applications to the Board.

The Director is also responsible for informing prospective members about the privileges and responsibilities of Rotary club membership; keep members informed about the history, object, and activities of Rotary at all levels; and oversee the orientation of new members during their first year in the club.

Section 3.  Public Relations Committee

This committee shall devise and carry into effect, plans to give the public general information about Rotary, its history, object, and scope; and to secure proper publicity for the club.  The Director, Public Relations Committee, is responsible for all duties pertaining to public relations and publicity for the club, media interactions to ensure positive attention within the community for club projects and activities, building relationships with community organizations, recognizing and inviting outstanding students and youth within the community to club meetings, recognition and awards for outstanding work by our own club members, implementing Rotary’s 4-Way Test Program within local primary schools and community groups, as appropriate, and perform all other duties as they ordinarily pertain to this position, or as they may be assigned or delegated by the president.  

These duties involve interactions with local newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, online publications, trade publications, newspapers of corporate and community organizations, among others. At the discretion of the Director, the discharge of these functions may be delegated to one or more teams, respectively, under the purview of a Team Lead.

 

Section 4.  Services Committee

 

The Director, Services Committee, is responsible for implementing community service, vocational service, international service and youth service projects that address community needs.   At the discretion of the Director, the discharge of these functions may be delegated to one or more teams, respectively, under the purview of a Team Lead.

Community service is devised to carry into effect plans which will guide and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities within the community and to be recognized as valuable members of the community to which they belong. The Director, Services Committee works in close coordination with the Director, Public Relations Committee, in implementing community projects.

Vocational service is designed to carry into effect plans which will guide and assist the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities in their vocational relationships with each other, and within their community. A primary goal is to improve the general ethical and moral standards in the practice of their respective vocations and to be recognized as leaders by the community.

International service implements club’s international projects and guides and assists the members of this club in discharging their responsibilities.  It recruits members from within the club and outside the club to implement international service projects, which may be educational, humanitarian or vocational projects. These international service activities require extensive coordination with District and RI personnel.

Youth service programs are an area of emphasis for this club. The club will continue to seek new educational programs to aid the development and nurturing of our youth, especially those who have overcome adversity, have fallen behind in their academic achievements, and those who have shown great promise to eventually become community leaders, and/or to excel in their chosen fields of endeavor.

Section 5.   Foundation Programs Committee

 

This committee develops and implements plans to support both the Arvada Rotary Foundation (ARF) and RI’s The Rotary Foundation (TRF), through financial contributions and program participation. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the ARF also serves, ex officio, as the Director, Foundation Programs Committee. The TRF maintains two primary sources of funding: i) the Annual Programs Fund which provides grants for RI’s Educational and Humanitarian programs; and ii) the Permanent Fund, whose investment earnings are channeled into programs. This club, through its ARF arm, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation, broadly supports RI’s fund raising and program activities; it actively solicits generous donations from its membership and external philanthropic sources.  Through tax-deductible contributions the club encourages all members to attain the rank of Paul Harris fellows.  

 

Article X:  Leave of Absence

Upon written application to the board, setting forth good and sufficient cause, a leave of absence may be granted excusing a member from attending the meetings of the club for a specified length of time. Unless the member attends a regular meeting of some other club, the excused member must be recorded as absent except that absence is authorized under the provisions of article VIII, section 2(b) of the standard Rotary club constitution and is not computed in the attendance record of the club.

Article XI:  Finances

Section 1.  The treasurer shall deposit all funds of the club in a bank to be named by the Board. All funds collected at regular club meetings, or collected by members or others on behalf of the club, shall be transmitted to the treasurer for deposit.

Section 2.  All bills shall be paid by checks signed by the treasurer. A thorough audit by a certified public accountant or other qualified person shall be made once each year of all the club’s financial transactions.

Section 3.  The president of the club can authorize any expenditure not to exceed $100 without approval by the board of directors. Other officers, not directors, can authorize expenditures not to exceed $100 that are specified in the annual budget approved by the Board. The treasurer is authorized to pay all bills for expenses adopted in the budget or approved by the board of directors.

Section 4.  The fiscal year of this club shall extend from 1 July to 30 June of the following year; for the collection of members’ quarterly dues, the year shall be divided into four quarterly periods starting 1 July, 1 October, 1 January and 1 April, respectively. The payment of per capita dues and magazine subscriptions to RI shall be made on 1 July and 1 January of each year, based on total club membership on those dates.

Section 5.  At the beginning of each fiscal year the Board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a budget of estimated income and estimated expenditures for the year, which have subsequently been agreed to by the Board. This budget shall stand as the limit of expenditures for their respective purposes, unless otherwise ordered by action of the Board.

Article XII:  Method of Electing Members

Section 1.   Any active member of the club may propose a prospective new member to the Board, in writing, through the club secretary. A transferring or former member of another club may be proposed to active membership by the former club.

Section 2.  The Board shall ensure that the proposal meets all the classification and membership requirements of the club constitution.

Section 3.  The Board shall approve or disapprove the proposal within 30 days of its submission, and shall notify the proposer, through the club secretary, of its decision.

Section 4.  If the decision of the Board is favorable, the prospective member shall be informed of the purposes of Rotary and of the privileges and responsibilities of membership; the prospective member shall thence be requested to sign the membership proposal form and to permit his or her name and proposed classification to be published in the Club Bulletin.

Section 5.  If no written objections to the proposal, stating reasons, is received by the Board from any member (other than honorary) of the club within seven (7) days following publication of information about the prospective member, that person, upon payment of the admission fee (if not honorary membership), as prescribed in these bylaws, shall be considered to be elected to membership. If any such objection has been filed with the Board, it shall vote on this matter at is next meeting. If approved despite the objection, the proposed member, upon payment of the admission fee (if not honorary membership), shall be considered to be elected to membership.

Section 6.  Following the election, the president shall arrange for the induction of the new member; the club secretary shall issue a membership card and shall report the new member’s name to RI; RI shall provide appropriate literature for presentation at the induction.  The Club assigns a mentor to assist in the assimilation of the new member.

Section 7.  The club may elect to full membership, in accordance with the standard Rotary Club constitution, those honorary members proposed by the Board.

Article XIII:  Resolutions

No resolution or motion to commit this club on any matter shall be considered by the club until it has been considered by the Board. Such resolutions or motions, if offered at a club meeting, shall be referred to the Board without discussion.

Article XIV:  Order of Business

Meeting called to order
Introduction of guests and visiting Rotarians
Correspondence and announcements
Committee reports, if any
Unfinished business, if any
New business, if any

Address or other program features
Four Way Test and adjournment

 

Article XV:  Amendments

Upon recommendation of the board of directors, these bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting, a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all members present, provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall have been mailed to each member at least ten (10) days before such meeting. No amendment or addition to these bylaws can be made which is not in harmony with the club constitution and with the constitution and bylaws of RI.