Bylaws
Of the
FredericksburgVirginia Patriots
Adopted by unanimous vote of those members present on July 8th2010.
ARTICLE I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the "Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots,"also referred to in thisdocumentas FVP or Fredericksburg VAPatriots.
ARTICLE II - Organization
FVP is an open community organization of Virginiacitizens operating under the limited direction of an elected Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board.
ARTICLE III - Purpose
Section 1. Mission Statement -We, the Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots, are a non-partisan, conservative,grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the ideals and principles of our Nation's Founders. We consider it our civic duty to participate peacefully, respectfully, and lawfully in the political process and recapture the vision and original intent of the Founding documents.
As such, the organization shall follow a non-alignment policySection 2. Policy Statement The organization shall follow a policy of non-alignment,with regard to any political party, or any group that advocates for a political party. Special attention must be given to any action that might be construed, or might give the perception that the FVP is being influenced by a political party. The following rulesand policies shall govern FVP activity:
A. It is our stated policy to advise our members and the citizens of our community, of any and all legislation that would have a positive or negative effect, if enacted. In so doing, we intend to be a positive influence in promoting the general and social welfare of our members and the citizens of our community.
B. We shall also educate and advise our members and the general public of issues of public concern, as stated by any candidate for public office, but in a non-partisan manner.
C. We shall continue to promote and support issues, actions and policy that will bring social and economic benefit to the citizens of the greater Fredericksburg Community, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation.
D. the FVP will at no time, publicly announce, support for or the endorsement of any candidate for public office.
(The remaining four original paragraphs become Para E, F, Gand H)
E. . In keeping with the above rules and policies, the FVP shall not accept sponsorship funding or any other form of compensation or special favors from any political party, political candidate or their representative.
F. the FVP shall not allow its organizational website to be used for any purpose that would promote a political party agenda; or allow it to be used for advertising or the promoting of activities or events, not in strict compliance with the mission and goals established by the FVP membership.
G. The FVP shall not allow any group or individual to infiltrate the organization for the purposes of recruitment: or for any other exploitation of its members.
H. All FVP events and activities shall be approved by the Chairman of the Board or designated representative, in accordance with these bylaws.
Add as Section 3. Monies and Property
A. At no time shall any member or members receive any monies or articles of value from the FVP, except for the proper reimbursement to said members, for the legitimate purchases and transfer of personal items of value, to the FVP.
B. No monies, property or articles of value may be given, transferred, or donated by the FVP to any elected official, candidate for public office or to any political party.
C. In the event the Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots should be dissolved, no monies, property or any other articles of value can be given, in whole or in part, to any member or members, but instead, by a majority vote at a general membership meeting, shall be donated to a charitable non-profit organization. If not, it is acknowledged that all of the previously mentioned items of value become the property of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ARTICLE IV – Membership
Section 1Requirement For Voting Membership
A. FVP voting members must reside in the City of Fredericksburg or in Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, Caroline and LouisaCounties,
A. Register for membership on the Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots official website and provide answers to all required profile questions posed on the website, to be reviewed for approval byto the satisfaction of the Board,
B. Provide payment of an annual membership fee, beginning within 30 days of joining.
C. Attend a meeting of the FVPwithin 60 days of joining,receive an official membership card and remain a member in good standing.
Section 2 Membership Fees and DuesFor Voting Members
.
A. Funds will be collected in the form of an annual membership fee in an amount to be stated in the Standing Rules. Such revenue is necessary for the ongoing activities of the organization. This fee, or any other dues or assessments levied on the FVP membership shall be approved by the Board and shall receive approval by a majority vote atof the membershipageneral membership meeting
B. The amount of member fees, dues and assessmentsshall be reviewed at least annually by the Board and adjusted, as necessary, subject to review and ratification by the membership.
C. Member feePayments shall be made to the Treasurer by cash or check payable to the Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots, or through such payment method featured on the FVP web site (e.g., PayPal).
D. Membership fees, dues and assessments are requested within thirty days after joining the FVP.
D.In order to remain a voting member in good standing, an annual membership fee is due and payable no later than January 31st of each year. Said fee for new members joining after January 31, 2011, will be prorated, rounded off to the closet dollar amount, with consideration given to the month joined.Members who joined and paid their membership fee after September of 2010, will receive a fifty percent reduction when paying their 2011 fees in January.
Section 3.Requirements For Non Voting Members
Anyone may log on to the official FVP website, answer all required profile questions to the satisfaction of the Board and become a member in a non voting status without the payment of the annual membership fee..
Section 4. Membership List
A. When a new member has satisfied the requirements for membership as stated above in Sections 2, the Treasurer or Chairman shall notify the Secretary of the fact.
B. The Secretary shall than add the member to the officialvoting membership list and shall maintain and update said listfor Board review andapproval on a monthly basis.
Section 5. Suspension or Revocation of Membership
The membership standing of any FVP member or Board Member may be suspended or revokedby a majority vote of the totalBoard Membership for any activities considered inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the FVP.
Section 6. General Membership Meetings
A. Frequency and Notice
The Chairman of the Board shall call a general membership meeting at least once each month. If at all possible, meeting schedules shall be arranged for the same day of each month. Normally, meetings shall be announced no less than 30 days in advance of the meeting date and shall be posted on the official FVP website, and shall include an agenda at least 7 days prior to the meeting. Priority or time sensitive meetings can be arranged on an exception basis by telephone or by e-mail announcement. General membership meetings shall be open to members of the public in a non voting status.
B. Special Meetings
Any four members of the FVP may present a notice of request for a special meeting to any Board member using the following procedure. (1) The request shall be in the form of a motion, made in writing or stated in an email. (2)The request is made at least seven days prior to the meeting. A Board member will then post the meeting on our website events calendar within 24 hours, stating the motion and date, place and time of the meeting.
C. Quorum
A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of 20 members in good standing. There shall be no proxy votes at general membership meetings.
D. Rules
Meetings shall be governed by and conducted in accordance with these Bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order ( current Edition, Newly Revised), and Standing Rules, which shall control in that order in the event of conflict.
ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Requirements
Members of the Boardmust reside within the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline, KingGeorge or the City of Fredericksburg in Virginia throughout their terms on the Board. No board member may miss more than two consecutive meetings, without theconsent of the Board.
Section 2. Elections
A. Members of the Board shall be elected at a meeting by the FVP membership with a quorum of at least 20 members present. The first election will be conducted no sooner than15days and no later than 30 days after adoption of these Bylaws by the FVP membership.
B.Candidacy for any Board position shall be open to any member in good standing and candidates must be announced to the entire membership at least 15 days prior to their election. The winner of each Board position must receive a simple majority of the total votes cast for that position.
C.In the event more than 2 candidates are seeking the same office and no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the two receiving the most votes will immediately compete in a run off election.
D. The term of service for each of the Board members shall be for one year; or until such time as the newly elected Board shall convene for the first time. Thereafter, an election shall be conducted annually and scheduled for a date within the anniversary month of the first election. There shall be no term limits for any of the Board positions.
Section 3. Meetings
A. Frequency and Notice
(1) The Board shall meet at least once each month at a time and place mutually agreed to by its members. Regularly scheduled board meetings shall be announced to the general membership. Any member of the FVPin good standing may attend Board meetings in a non-voting status, except when the Board meets in executive session.
(2) If at all possible, Board meetings shall be arranged for the same day of each month. Normally,the meetingdate, place and time shall be posted as an event on the official FVP website 30 days prior to the meeting date. An agendawill be added at least seven days prior to the meeting. When necessary,meetingsmay be arranged on an exception basis by telephone or e-mail announcement.
(3) Additional meetings, as may be required, shall be called by the Board Chairperson and shall normally be scheduled with at least a seven day notice.
(4) Meetings may be held by conference call at the discretion of the Board Chairperson.
B. Quorum
A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
C. Rules
Meetings shall be governed by and conducted in accordance with these Bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order ( current Edition, Newly Revised), and Standing Rules, which shall control in that order in the event of conflict.
D. Vacancies
When a Board position becomes vacant, the Board Chairperson shall, within fifteen days, and with the advice and consent of a majority of the Board, appoint a replacement,who will fill the vacancy until an election for that position can be held in accordance with Article V, Section 2 (above).
ARTICLE VI - Description and Responsibilities of the Board
Section 1. Board Members Defined
The Board shall be comprised of seven members and are identified as follows:
(1) Board Chairperson
(2) Board Vice Chairperson
(3) Secretary
(4) Treasurer
(5) Events Committee Chairperson
(6) Membership and Education Committee Chairperson
(7)Political/Legislative Committee Chairperson
Section 2. Responsibilities
The Board of Directors shall act as the administrative arm of the FVP and shall conduct all business between regularly scheduled membership meetings. All decisions of the Board shall be made in keeping with the stated rules and best interests of the FVP membership. The Board Chairperson or his/herdesignated representative,shall approve all events and activities of the FVP, as stated in Article III, Sec. 1 (D).
Section 3. Voting
A. Voting Rights
Each Board member has one vote. A majority of all Board members, including proxies, constitutes a quorum. A member of the Board may be represented at any Board meeting by another Board member by means of a proxy, subject to the following conditions:
(1) Any person who acts as proxy for another must be a member in good standing of the FVP;
(2) Any proxy may be withdrawn by the Board member giving it at any time prior to its exercise;
(3) All proxies must either be in writing and signed by the Board member or an email sent from the Board member to the proxy holder.
B. Voting Rules
(1) With consideration to important and wide ranging issues, the Board may bring an adopted motion to the general membership with the concurrence of a Board majority.
(2) Decisions made by the Board can be challenged by the general membership. A notification to the Board by at least 25 % of a general membership meeting shall require the Board to reconsider any decision. If the Board sustains the decision, it will notify the objecting parties. The objecting parties may then, at their discretion, move and second a motion at a general membership meeting to vacate the decision. A majority vote shall overturn the Board’s decision.
(3) The results of all votes must be documented and maintained in the records by the Secretary and posted to the website within seven days.
ARTICLE VII – Duties and Responsibilities of Board Members
A description of the duties and responsibilities for each of the Board positions shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
Section 1. Board Chairperson
The Board Chairperson shall be responsible for the general execution and implementation of the programs and policies of the Board. Additional duties and responsibilities of the Board Chairperson shall include:
A. Convene meetings of the Board and the general membership, as required.
B. Officiate at all Membership and Board Meetings and perform as a member ex officio of all committees.
C. Make policy recommendations to the Board.
D. Appoint a qualified person to perform an annual audit of FVP financial records at the end of each fiscal year and whenever there is a change of personnel in the Treasurer position.
E.Ensure that new members are welcomed and indoctrinated in the activities of the FVP.
F. Create Ad Hoc committees as necessary to assist in the affairs of the Board.
G. When a vacancy occurs on any Ad Hoc Committee, appoint a replacement within fifteen days of the vacancy. Work to maintain committee membership at sufficient strength.
Section 2. Vice Chairperson
In the absence of the Board Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson, may act for the Chairperson with no limitations. Additional duties and responsibilities of the Board Chairperson shall include:
A. Assist the Chairperson in identifyingmeeting locations and schedulingmeetings of the Board and the General Membership and post to the events calendar.
B. The Vice Chairperson shall be appointed to head such ad hoc committees as determined necessary by the Board Chairperson.
Section 3. Secretary
The Secretary shall perform administrative functions in the conduct of the business of the FVP. As such, the Secretary shall be assigned the following duties and responsibilities:
A. Record the minutes and attendance records for each Boardmeeting and General Membership meeting. Promptly post the minutes to the website for member review.
B. Maintain the official records and documents of the Board andassist the Board Chairperson with official correspondence and the filing of documents.
C. Advise all Board members when any member has missed two consecutive meetings.
Section 4. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the disbursement and records of expenditures of all FVP funds. As such, the Treasurer shall be assigned the following duties and responsibilities:
A. Submit a monthly statement of all financial transactions and status of funds at each Board meeting. After approval by the Board, provide the report at the next general membership meeting.
B. Provide a budget projection to the Board of Directors to identify budget requirements prior to the beginning of each fiscal year.
C. The Treasurer shall be authorized to disburse funds under the following conditions:
(1) By authority of the Board at a duly called meeting, provided a source of funds to meet all other obligations is clearly identified;
(2) Between meetings of the Board, the Chairperson may authorize the Treasurer to make expenditures, not exceeding $150 per purchase and not more than $500, provided funds are available, as stated in Article X, Section 2.
(3) By authority of the Board, the Treasurer and the Board Chairperson are empowered to open a bank account(s) in the name of the Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots and make deposits and withdrawals from such account in accordance with these Bylaws. The Board may authorize if and when additional signers may be added or removed from said account(s).
(4) The Treasurer shall keep all financial documents of the FVP and maintain all financial transactions in a financial spreadsheet. A monthly report is to be provided to the board by the 10th of the following month. A paper copy will be provided at the Monthly Board meeting, but an electronic copy will also be provided via e-mail to each board member. All Financial records (receipts) are to be open to inspection by the Board at any time, upon reasonable notice.
(5) The Treasurer shall deliver all official records of the FVP to the Board within ten days from the Treasurer's leaving office.
(6) The Treasurer shall be responsible for managing the Merchant Services Account at a minimum of once per week.
Section 5. Events Committee Chairperson
The Events Committee Chairperson shall carry out special projects and other duties as defined by the Chairperson. Plan and execute various events sponsored by the FVP, as directed by the Board. Other duties and responsibilities shall be defined in the Standing Rules.
Section 6. Membership and Education Committee Chairperson
The Membership and Education Committee Chairperson shall plan and promote policies and programs for the purpose of increasing and retaining membership in the FVP. The Chairperson shall also plan and promote outreach activities that educate and inform both our members and the general public.