A Washington Nonprofit Corporation
ARTICLE 1: ORGANIZATION NAME
The organization shall be the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association.
ARTICLE 2: CORPORATE PURPOSE
Non-Profit Purpose:
This Corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes.
Specific Purpose:
The organization shall exist for the purpose of promoting knowledge in the general public and in its membership of means and methods for beekeeping, the importance of honey bees generally to agricultural production and to the public health and welfare.
The specific aims and objectives of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association are as follows:
1. To represent the interests of all owners and operators of colonies of honey bees in the Stanwood Camano Island area.
2. To educate local beekeepers, prospective beekeepers and the general public about apiculture.
3. To support and promote policy decisions aimed at improving honey bee and other pollinator health.
4. To promote research and science-based management practices.
5. To protect honey bees.
6. To foster synergistic relations with other beekeeper, pollination, horticultural, agricultural and similar organizations.
7. To advance good relations between beekeepers and the public.
8. To raise funds to meet its objectives through fees, donations and contributions.
ARTICLE 3: STYLE OF INCORPORATION – TAX STATUS
The Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association shall be a non-profit corporation registered by the Washington Secretary of State. The corporate treasurer shall annually take such steps as are necessary to maintain the Washington State non-profit status and shall report the steps taken to this end at the organization’s monthly meeting in December of each year.
The Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under the rules of the Internal Revenue Service. The corporate treasurer shall annually take such steps as are required to maintain the organization’s 501(c)(3) status and report the steps taken to this end to the membership at the organization’s meeting in December of each year.
The organization’s president, vice presidents, and treasurer are authorized hereby to consult on behalf of the organization with a legal or tax professional, with such limitations of expense and authority as the Board shall require, to ensure that the duties described in this Article 3 are carried out properly and timely. Any such expenditure shall be brought to the membership at its upcoming meeting for ratification.
ARTICLE 4: MEMBERSHIP
Qualifications for Membership
All members must have an interest in apiculture and support the purposes, aims and objectives of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association and pay annual dues directly to the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association.
The Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association shall not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, national origin, political ideology, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or any other legally protected characteristic in its acceptance of members.
Term of Membership
General membership duration shall be from January 1st each year through Dec 31st of that year.
Automatic Lapsing Membership
Membership shall lapse automatically on January 31st of each year upon nonpayment of current annual dues.
Rights of Membership
A member may vote on any matter before the body at a regular or specially set meeting. Each Annual Membership will be entitled to one vote.
Resignation/Termination of Membership
Any member may resign membership at any time. A member can have their membership terminated by a majority vote of the membership at a regular membership meeting or an emergency meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE 5: DUES
Payment of Dues
New member dues are payable on the date of enrollment. All members’ dues must be renewed each year and are delinquent on the date of the March meeting. Members who are delinquent are unable to vote, stand for office, hold office and may be barred from attending meetings and other scheduled events of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association.
Fees and Dues Amounts
The schedule of fees and annual dues shall be set by the Board. (The current annual dues shall be $25.)
Family Membership
Families of members are also members of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association, but may only vote if they have paid separate membership dues (one vote per paying member).
ARTICLE 6: MEETINGS
Regular Monthly Meetings
Monthly Club Meetings of club members and visitors shall be on the second (2nd) Wednesday of every month at a place and time selected by the Board of Directors. If the usual meeting place is not available on the second Wednesday of any month, the date and/or the location may be changed for that month.
Annual Meeting
An annual meeting of the general membership shall take place in the month of November. At the annual meeting the members shall elect officers, receive reports on the activities of the association, and decide upon any other matter before the membership. Any member may place any matter on the Agenda of the Annual Meeting with the consent of a majority of members in attendance.
Place of Meetings
All meetings of members shall be held at such place within the Stanwood Camano Island area as designated in the notice of the meeting or in a waiver of notice of the meeting. In the place of in-person meetings, online meetings using Zoom are allowed when necessary.
Quorum
Fifteen percent (15%) of the members of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association entitled to vote, represented in person, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the members. If less than a quorum of the members entitled to vote is represented at a meeting, a majority of the members so represented may adjourn the meeting without further notice.
ARTICLE 7: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
General Powers
The affairs of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association shall be managed by a Board of Directors, who shall discharge their duties in good faith and for the benefit of the entire membership and in furtherance of the purposes of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association.
OFFICERS
Number and Qualifications
The officers of the Stanwood Camano Beekeepers Association shall be a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall be elected by the membership or appointed by the Board.
president
A member in good standing for at least one year prior to election, responsible for conducting the meetings of the membership and Board of Directors and for such other duties as the Board may direct, serving a 2 year term and elected by a majority vote of the general membership.
vice presidents
A member in good standing for at least one year prior to election, responsible for filling in for the president if the need should arise and for such other duties as the Board may direct, serving a 2-year term, elected by a majority vote of the general membership.
secretary
A member in good standing for at least one year prior to election, responsible for recording the affairs of the Association, serving a 2-year term, elected annually by a majority vote of the general membership.
treasurer
A member in good standing for at least one year prior to election, responsible for handling the financial, accounting, and tax affairs of the Association, serving 2 year terms, elected by a majority vote of the general membership.
ARTICLE 8: ELECTIONS
The Nomination and Election of Officers:
(a) Nominations may be submitted to the president prior to the November meeting.
Additionally, nominations may be made from the floor at the election meeting.
(b) Elections shall be held at the November monthly club meeting.
(c) The winner of each election will be the person obtaining the highest number of valid cast votes.
(d) Only members in good standing and present at the meeting shall have a vote.
ARTICLE 9: Removal of Officers, Directors
Removal of an officer may be raised for consideration, with or without cause, before the end of their elected tenure in a meeting of the Board of Directors or via a petition of a majority of the general membership. Any such proposal shall be put to the Board of Directors for a vote.
ARTICLE 10: AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by the vote of a majority of the Directors in office, provided that any amendments made by the Board shall be included as an agenda item at a regularly scheduled meeting and that notice of said meeting is provided to all members prior to the adoption of such amendment by the Board.