MARYLAND SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BY-LAWS Approved April 14, 2012 [L1]ARTICLE I Membership, Fees, and Dues
Section 1.
Provisions for membership shall be as set forth in the Bylaws of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution. All applications for membership shall adhere to the standards required by the National Society and are to be accompanied with onecopy of supporting documents for each generation noted on the application.
Section 2.
Applications for membership are to be forwarded to the State Registrar with the initiation fees and dues for the current year. Every applicant and member shall inform the State Secretary of any changes in his post office or mailing address.
Section 3.
All elections to membership shall be by the Board of Officers and Managers , subject to the approval of the Registrar General. All such elections shall be by voice vote or ballot, if called for, and two adverse votes on any candidate shall postpone his election until the next regular meeting of said board. At that time three-fourths of the votes of those present shall be necessary to election to membership.
Section 4.
The admission fees for membership in the State Society are as set by the Board of Officers and Managers and approved at a meeting of the Society. A refund of dues paid shall be made whenever an application for membership shall be disapproved.
Section 5.
The State Society fees for a supplemental claim to establish additional ancestral lines are as set by the Board of Officers and Managers and approved at a meeting of the Society.
Section 6.
The annual dues to the State Society are as set by the Board of Officers and Managers and approved at a meeting of the Society. A member not paying such dues by December 31st shall be deemed delinquent and removed as a member of the Society. Any member who has been removed for the nonpayment of dues may be reinstated as a member by the Board of Officers and Managers upon applying to the State Secretary for such reinstatement and paying the reinstatement fee and the annual dues for the year in which the application for reinstatement is made. Any member may resign by notifying the State Secretary in writing.
Section 7.
The Board of Officers and Managers of the Maryland Society may recommend to the National Society expulsion of a member if it concludes that, by conduct disloyal to the ideals of, or prejudicial to the interests of the Sons of the American Revolution, he shall have rendered himself unworthy of membership therein. The Board shall appoint a Committee of Inquiry of no less than 3 members to consider the situation, to hear the member's views, and to report its findings back to the Board of Officers and Managers of the Maryland Society. If the Committee recommends expulsion and the Board concurs, the Board shall instruct the Secretary to submit an expulsion recommendation to the Executive Committee of the National Society.
Section 8.
The fiscal year of the Society shall begin May 1. The membership year shall begin January 1, as directed by the National Society.
ARTICLE II Elections, Meetings and Committees
Section 1.
The Board of Officers and Managers shall approve a Nominating Committee, consisting of the National Trustee, who shall act as chairman, all active past presidents, and two other members whom the chairman shall appoint prior to the Semi Annual meeting. Any member wishing to be considered for a specific office shall submit his request in writing or electronic mail at or before the January meeting of the Board of Officers and Managers. The Nominating Committee shall conduct interviews of all prospective candidates for the offices of President, the Vice Presidents, and any other as they see fit. The Nominating Committee shall draw up a list of recommendations for the Officers and Managers of the Society and Vice President General, as appropriate, as they see fit. The chairman shall report to the January meeting of the Board with their recommendations for officers and managers to be voted on at the ensuing election. At this time the President shall call for nominations from the floor, to be made with the consent of the nominee. When there are no more nominations, the President shall declare the nominations closed. The nominations shall be printed by the State Secretary and a copy forwarded to each member together with notice of the annual meeting. The Officers and Managers shall be elected at the Annual meeting. If election by ballot is called for, the President shall appoint three inspectors of election who shall collect and canvass the ballots and certify to the President over their signature the results of the vote. A plurality of the votes cast for an office shall be sufficient for election to such office. Members must be present to vote. In case of a vacancy, or if any member of the Board of Officers and Managers shall be unable to perform his duties, said Board, with recommendations from the Nominating Committee, shall have power to fill the office temporarily or for the balance of the unexpired term, as the case may require.
Section 2.
The Board of Officers and Managers shall hold meetings in the months of January, April, June and October unless otherwise approved by a majority vote of the Board in a prior meeting. Written notification of each meeting date, time and place shall be sent to each Board member by the State Secretary at least twenty days in advance of each meeting.
Section 3.
The Society shall hold its Semi Annual meeting in October in commemoration of the Victory at Yorktown and the Burning of the Peggy Stewart in Annapolis, and its annual meeting in March or April as convenient in commemoration of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. All Officers, Chapter Presidents, and Committee Chairmen shall submit an annual report at the annual meeting for inclusion in the annual Yearbook. The anniversary of Washington’s Birthday, in February, as well as such other events as the Board of Officers and Managers may authorize, shall be appropriately observed by the Society. The Society may hold a annual Patriots’ Ball in December, or as convenient.
Section 4.
Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President whenever in his judgment the interest of the Society will be promoted thereby, and shall be called by him on the written request of ten members, or by vote of the Board of Officers and Managers. At such meetings, no business shall be conducted except that which is stated in the call therefore.
Section 5.
The order of proceedings at meetings of the Society, and of the Board of Officers and Managers, should be:
1. Invocation by the Chaplain
2. Pledge of Allegiance and American’s Creed
3. Welcome and Introductions
4. Report of the President
5. Officer’s Reports
6. Reports of Former Presidents
7. Reports of Chapter Presidents
8. Reports of Committee Chairmen
9. Old Business
10. New Business
11 Comments for the Good of the Society
12. S.A.R. Recessional
13. Benediction by the Chaplain
ARTICLE III Duties of Officers
Section 1. President
The President shall conduct all the Board Meetings and all Executive Board Meetings. He shall lead the George Washington Luncheon and any additional Holiday observances. If he is unable to conduct any meetings or observances he may designate one of his VP’s or state officers to do so. The president shall appoint all committee chairmen and shall replace one if a vacancy occurs.
The term of the President shall be for one year, starting at the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting and ending at the installing of new officers the following year.
Section 2. Vice-Presidents
The Vice-Presidents shall perform the following specific duties: • the First Vice-President shall be the chairman of the annual meeting, shall be concerned with all aspects of membership, and shall preside over meetings in the absence of the President, and will serve as the liaison for and visit the following chapters during his term – Colonel John Eager Howard, Colonel Nicholas Ruxton Moore, Colonel Henry Hollingsworth, Colonel Aquila Hall, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton. • the Second Vice-President shall be the chairman of the semiannual meeting and shall coordinate publicity and public relations matters, including submission of articles and photos to the SAR National Magazine, and will serve as the liaison for and visit the following chapters during his term – Sergeant Lawrence Everhart, General William Smallwood, Christian Ardinger, Westminster, and Little Meadows. • the Third Vice-President shall be the chairman of the Maryland 400 Patriots’ Fund Board of Trustees and shall coordinate Society observances, ceremonies, and entertainment, and will serve as the liaison for and visit the following chapters during his term – John Paul Jones, Colonel TenchTilghman, John Hanson, Captain John Smoot, and Thomas Stone. The Vice-Presidents shall also perform such additional duties as requested by the President.
The term of each Vice President shall be one year, starting at the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting and ending at the installing of new officers the following year
Section 3. Secretary
The Secretary shall notify members of the time and date of meetings of the Society and notify Board members, Chapter Presidents, and Committee Chairmen of meetings of the Board of Officers and Managers. The Secretary shall keep accurate records of the proceedings of the Society and of the Board of Officers and Managers, and give prompt notice to each officer, manager, committeeman or member affected thereby. He shall conduct the general correspondence of the Society, and of the Board of Officers and Managers, and keep correct records thereof. He shall confirm a quorum at the start of each Board Meeting. Yearly, the Secretary shall turn over copies of all correspondence to the Historian for inclusion in the historical records of the Society. He shall transmit to National Headquarters all original and supplemental application papers passed by the Board of Officers and Managers, or Registrar. In consultation with the State Treasurer, he shall keep a roster of all members and their addresses, and provide address labels for Society functions as required. He shall transmit State membership and officer reports to the National Society as required. He shall provide State membership and officer reports to the Society at the Annual Meeting. He shall be responsible for transfer requests between chapters and providing appropriate notifications to the demitting and receiving chapters as well as National Headquarters. He shall record and notify National and the State Chaplain of any deceased members reported to him. In consultation with the State Registrar, the State Secretary shall transmit one copy of the application and related references to the Registrar General of the National Society, SAR, for final processing and retain one copy of the application until approval and then filing as outlined in the current Policies and Procedures Manual of the Maryland Society. The Secretary shall serve as the main point of contact with National Headquarters on the status of approved or pended applications and notify the Registrar of any pended applications. He shall perform such other duties as the Society, the Board of Officers and Managers, or his office may require.
Treasurer Section 4.
The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Society. He shall render bills for and collect all monies due the Society, deposit the same in a bank approved by the Board of Officers and Managers in the name of the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and he shall disburse the same only by checks for bills which have been duly approved by the Board of Officers and Managers. He shall give receipts for monies paid him and render a full report of the finances of the Society at the Annual Meeting, and a statement to the Board of Officers and Managers at each regular meeting thereof. He shall prepare an annual budget for consideration by the Budget Committee, and shall serve as a member of said committee as a voting member of said committee. In consultation with the State Secretary, he shall keep a roster of all members and their addresses, He shall perform such other duties as the Society, the Board of Officers and Managers, or his office may require.
Registrar Section 5.
The Registrar shall have the custody of and issue all application papers and receive all applications for membership and supplemental claims, and the accompanying proof, and shall carefully examine and verify all statements of lineage and service. The Registrar may direct questions of service and lineage to the State Genealogist for resolution with the applicant. The Registrar shall review, approve, and then submit all membership and supplemental applicationswith related reference documentation, to the Secretary, if deemed acceptable to the genealogical standards of this society following the policies and procedures established by the National Society and the Board of Officers and Managers. The State Registrar shall subsequently report all such approvals at the next meeting of the Board of Officers and Managers for a final approval by the Board of Officers and Managers. The Registrar shall be notified by the Secretary of any pended applications and he will work with the Genealogist and the applicant to resolve such matters if possible. The Registrar shall report to the Annual Meeting of the Society the names of applicants who have been admitted to membership and any supplemental applicationsapproved during the year.
Section 6. Historian
The Historian shall acquire, assemble, and insure the maintenance and preservation of all records and historical matter of the Society and its chapters. He shall prepare for publication such historical addresses, papers and other documents as the Society, or the Board of Officers and Managers, may direct. He shall serve as the Society's liaison with the NSSAR Library and the University of Baltimore Langsdale Library, where the Society's records and archives are currently housed and maintained. The Historian shall archive records of the Society and its Chapters deemed to be worthy of preservationfor historic documentation purposes. Additional records for routine business retention and duplicated recordsshall be considered following the current Document Retention and Destruction Policy outlined in the current Policies and Procedures manual approved by the Board of Officers and Managers. He shall report at the Annual Meeting of the Society on the status of its archival holdings. He shall, along with the Chaplain, keep a necrology, along with any obituaries provided, of all deceased members and shall embody the same in his report to the Annual Meeting along with a biography of any deceased Past State President for inclusion in the Annual Yearbook. He shall report to the Historian General of the National Society all matters pertaining to the history of the Society on or about April 1 of each year.
Section 7. Organizing Secretary
The Organizing Secretary shall have the duty to organize new chapters for the Society, to assist and encourage existing chapters of the Society to prevent, if possible, the disbandment of any chapter, and to revive, if possible, any disbanded chapter. In addition to the State Secretary, he shall keep an accurate record of all of the chapters of the Society with all relevant information in regard to their location, the names and addresses of the current officers of the respective chapters, their activities and growth. He shall make a report in regard to the health of any non-active chapters of the Society at each Board Meeting, and shall provide recommendations to the State President to temporarily fill a vacancy of any Chapter President until a Chapter election can be held. He will contact each chapter and provide a report etc.
Section 8. Genealogist
The Genealogist shall serve as an advisor and consultant to the Society on genealogical matters. He shall advise and consult with membership applicants and prospective applicants on resolving questions of lineage and service in applications, upon referral by the State Registrar or a Chapter Registrar. He is encouraged to conduct workshops on Genealogical matters to assist new applicants, to report and reinforce National application standards, and to further membership development.
Section 9.Chancellor
The Chancellor shall be a current or retired attorney-at-law who shall be available to advise and counsel respecting any matters concerning the operations of the Society or its affiliated Chapters, as requested by the Board of Officers and Managers. He, or in his absence a designate appointed by the President, shall serve as Parliamentarian at each Board of Managers.
Section 10. Chaplain
The Chaplain, preferably a clergyman, shall give spiritual support to members and their families in time of need, give condolences to the families of departed members, shall offer the invocation and benediction at meetings, shall conduct memorial services during the annual meeting for compatriots who have passed away during the preceding year, and provide an annual report of all deceased members reported in the prior year for inclusion in the Annual Yearbook and annual remembrances at the State Annual meeting.