WESTERN RESERVE HERB SOCIETY
INTRODUCTION
The WESTERN RESERVE HERB SOCIETY was founded
May 22, 1942, and incorporated August 28, 1968, as a
nonprofit educational corporation by the State of Ohio The
Articles of Incorporation are renewed in the month of March
in the years ending in one (1) and six (6).
BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1
NAME
The name of this corporation shall be the WESTERN
RESERVE HERB SOCIETY.
ARTICLE 11
PURPOSE
The purposes of the Western Reserve Herb Society are to
further the knowledge and use of herbs and to contribute the
results of the experiences and research of its members to the
records of horticulture and science and to disseminate this
information through various channels.
ARTICLE 111
MEMBERSHIP
There shall be four (4) classifications of members: Active
Associate, Honorary, and Prospective.
Section 1 Active Membership
a)Any person interested in the growing and/or use of
herbs, and who is committed to sharing that interest
with the community shall be eligible for membership.
b) Active Membership shall be limited to one hundred
twenty-five (125) members.
c) Active Members shall have the right to vote at any
meeting of members at which they are present. Each
Active Member present at a meeting shall have one
(1)vote. Except as otherwise provided herein, all
matters submitted to a meeting of members shall be
determined by a majority vote of the Active Members
present, provided there is a quorum. A quorum is
forty percent (40%) of the total number of Active Members.
d) Each Active Member shall attend not fewer than
six (6) meeting each year. Three (3) shall be Unit
meetings and three (3) shall be the member’s choice
from among the following: Culinary, Herb Garden,
Horticulture, or any scheduled group meeting for
education, or to further the work of the organization.
Section 2 Associate Membership
a) Associate Members shall be former Active Members
for at least five (5) years who cannot fulfill the duties
expected of them but wish to continue affiliation with
the Unit. They shall be entitled to all privileges of
membership in the Unit except voting, holding office,
serving on standing committees in any officialcapacity,and sponsoring members.
b) An Associate Member wishing to become an Active
Member shall submit a written request to the
Membership Chair. A written request shall be
granted, provided space is available.
Section 3 Honorary Membership
a) The Membership Chair shall be chair of the ad hoc
Honorary Membership Subcommittee and the
Archivist/Historian shall serve on this subcommittee.
b)The Honorary Membership Subcommittee shall be
activated whenever there is a vacancy in the Honorary
Membership category.
c) Honorary Membership shall be bestowed for life
upon those who have given extraordinary service to the Western Reserve Herb Society and/or the Herb Society of America. An Honorary Member may be, but need not be, a member of the Western Reserve Herb Society.
d) There shall be no more than five (5) Honorary
Members at any given time.
e) Whenever there is a vacancy in the Honorary
Membership category, any member in any category
of membership may propose a candidate for
Honorary Membership. A proposal must be
submitted in writing to the Membership Chair and
must be accompanied by a written page about the
candidate, including the candidate’s contributions to
The Western Reserve Herb Society and/or the Herb
Society of America, and any other information
germane to the candidates qualifications for
Honorary Membership.
f) A candidate recommended by the Honorary
Membership Subcommittee shall be submitted to the
Board for approval. If there is Board Approval, the
candidate’s name shall be submitted at a Unit
meeting for a vote. A majority vote of Active
Members present is necessary for approval, provided
there is a quorum of forty percent (40%) of the total
number of Active Members,.
g) The Membership Chair shall arrange for an article on
the newly-elected Honorary Member, which shall be
printed in Herb Scents.
h) A vacancy in this category need not be filled until a
candidate is proposed whom the Membership
Committee estimates to be worthy of approval by the
Board and the Active Membership.
i)Honorary Membership includes rights to the floor,
no payment of dues, and receipt of publications
available to other members.
j) Honorary Members shall not have the right to vote.
Section 4 Prospective Membership
a) The Membership Chair shall provide any person
seeking Active Membership in the Western Reserve
Herb Society with a copy of the Guidelines for
Prospective members, an application for membership
and a notice of fees for Prospective Members. The
applicant shall submit the application form and fees
and shall be sponsored by one (1) Active Member.
b) The application and prospective fees owed with the
application shall be submitted to the Membership Chair.
c) Upon receipt of the application and fees by the
Membership Chair, the applicant shall be admitted to
Prospective membership and introduced as a
Prospective Member at the next Unit meeting.
d) Every Prospective Member shall be provided with a
copy of the bylaws of the Unit and a packet of
information about the Unit. Prospective members shall
receive Herb Scents and all other informative
communications of the Unit. Prospective members shall
be informed about the organizational and financial
aspects of the Unit.
e) A Prospective Member shall attend eight (8)
meetings. Three (3) shall be Unit meetings, three (3)
shall be Garden, and two (2) shall be Culinary or
Horticulture. A Prospective member shall have two (2)
years from the date of application to complete the
requirements.
f) Prospective Members shall have no voice or vote.
g) On completion of membership requirements, a
Prospective Member shall be accepted as an Active
Member at the next Unit meeting.
Section 5 Former Members
A former member wishing to reactivate membership shall submit a written request to the Membership Chair. A written
request for Active Membership shall be granted, provided space is available. A written request for Associate Membership shall be granted provided the member was formerly an Active Member for at least five (5) years.
ARTICLE IV
DUES AND FEES
Section 1 Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall extend from June 1 through May 31.
Section 2 Active and Associate Membership
Annual dues are payable by June 30 for the ensuing year. Dues may be paid at the Annual Meeting or mailed to the Treasurer. Notice of dues owed with the appropriate form
Shall be printed in the April and May Herb Scents.
Section 3 Prospective Membership
Fees of Prospective Members are payable with the application at any time during the fiscal year.
Section 4 Change in Dues
The Finance Committee, by majority vote, may recommend to the Board a change in dues for any category of membership. If a majority vote of the entire Board approves the change, the recommendation shall be printed in Herb Scents and submitted to the Active Membership at the next Unit meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Active Members present is necessary for approval, provided a quorum of forty (40) percent of the total number of Active Members is met.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS AND DUTIES
Section 1 Officers
a)The Officers of the Unit shall be: Unit Chair, First,
Second, and Third Vice-Chairs, Corresponding
Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and
Assistant Treasurer.
b) A term of office shall be one (1) year. No officer shall
serve more than two (2) consecutive one-year terms in
the same office.
c) The officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by
majority vote of the Active Members present, provided
there is a quorum of forty percent (40%) of the total
number of Active Members. The exception is the
Second Vice-Chair who shall be elected at the January
Unit meeting by a majority vote of the Active
Members present, provided a quorum, as stated above,
is met. All officers shall take office immediately upon
election.
d) If a quorum is not present at a Unit meeting when the
election of any officer or officers is scheduled, the
nominees shall assume the duties of office unofficially
until the next Unit meeting when a quorum is present,
at which meeting the election shall take place.
e) No officer shall be entitled to salary or
other compensation for services performed.
Section 2 Duties of Officers
Unit Chair shall:
a) Preside at all Unit meetings of the Western Reserve
Herb Society and the Board.
b) Conduct business of the Unit under the direction of
the Board.
c) Appoint the Garden Chair in January and appoint
annually from the current active Membership the
following chairs: Archivist/Historian, Art,
Bylaws/Parliamentarian, Cleveland Botanical Garden
Affiliate Representative, Culinary, Education,
Publications, Horticulture, Membership, Memorials,
Scholarship, and Welcome. Appoint with
Board approval, two (2) Active Members not on the
Board to the Finance Committee. As needed appoint
all other Western Reserve Herb Society representatives
to outside organizations.
d) Be an ex-officio member of all committees except the
Nominating Committee.
e) Act on the renewal of the Articles of Incorporation
of the Western Reserve Herb Society at the proper
time.
f) Act as liaison between the Unit and The Herb Society
of America.
g)Act as liaison between the Unit and the Director of
the Cleveland Botanical Garden
First Vice-Chair shall:
a)Perform the duties of the Unit Chair if the Unit Chair
is absent or unable to serve.
b) Serve as Program Chair.
1)Plan herb-related programs for monthly Unit
meetingsfrom October through April.
2)Plan special programs at other Unit meetings
or other times when appropriate.
c) Perform such other duties as may be designated by
the Unit Chair or the Board.
Second Vice-Chair shall:
a)Be in charge of Ways and Means.
b)Appoint and supervise chairs and co-chairs for all
fund-raising events and projects.
Third Vice-Chair shall:
a) Select locations for monthly Unit meetings for the
entire year after consulting the Program Chair.
b) Serve as chair of the Hospitality Committee.
1)Select hosts/hostesses and food committees
for Unit meetings when appropriate.
2)Arrange for clean-up help from members
when needed.
Corresponding Secretary shall:
a) Conduct the general correspondence of the Unit,
except as otherwise specified in these by-laws.
[See ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES, OFFICES
AND DUTIES, Section 14, Memorials Chair
shall:a).] This includes an acknowledgement
and thank you letter to every person making a
donation to the Western Reserve Herb Society.
b) Assist the Unit Chair, the officers and the standing
committee chairs with specific correspondence and communications within or outside the Unit when requested.
Recording Secretary shall:
a)Keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Unit,
and the Board. Organize into folders or binders for
each year. In addition to the minutes, keep a separate record of motions passed by month, day and year.
b)Keep records of all members serving as officers
and members of the Finance Committee. Include the beginning and ending dates of their terms as permitted under these bylaws.
Treasurer shall:
a)Serve as chair of the Finance Committee.
b)Collect and have charge of all monies belonging
To the Unit except where otherwise specified.
c)Deposit same in a bank determined by the Board.
d)Pay all obligations incurred within the fiscal year
as follows:
1)Renewal of the Articles of Incorporation
in years when due.
2)Annual Herb Society of America dues by
July first. Include names of all paid
members.
3) Budgeted expenses, including timely dis-
bursements to officers and standing
committee chairs, when requested.
4) Non-budgeted expenses up to five hundred
dollars ($500.00) with the approval of the
Finance Committee.
5) Non-budgeted expenses according to
authorizing procedures specified in
ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES, OFFICES,
DUTIES, Section 8, Finance Committee
shall: b), c) and d).
e) Submit a written financial statement at each
meeting of the Board the Unit, and the Annual
Meeting, and make copies available for Active
Members on a quarterly basis.
f) See that accounts are audited for each fiscal year.
Make the current uncertified audit available to
Active Members for perusal at a timely Unit
meeting. Submit annually to the IRS the form
for organizations exempt from income tax.
g) Appoint the Ways and Means Bookkeeper with
approval of the Board.
h) Receive and deposit all donations and see that
the funds are transferred to the appropriate fund
or account designated by the donor.
undesignated funds will be deposited in the
Reserve Fund until their use is determined by the
Board.
i)Keep a record of the amount of the donation, the
name and address of the donor, the intended use of the donation if specified by the donor, whether it is a memorial donation and, if so, in whose memory it is being donated. At the end of the year, generate a report to be kept with the permanent records, detailing all the donations for the year.
j)Notify the following chairs/officers about the
donation:
1) Unit Chair – all gifts
2) Scholarship Chair – gifts designated for the
Scholarship Fund
3) Garden Chair – gifts designated for the
Garden Fund
4) Corresponding Secretary – all gifts
5) Assistant Treasurer – all gifts
6) Memorials Chair – memorial gifts
7) Newsletter Editor – all gifts for publication
at least yearly
Assistant Treasurer shall:
a)Serve as co-chair of the Finance Committee.
b)Be in charge of the Garden Fund records and
Scholarship Fund records.
c)Submit a written financial statement at each
meeting of the Board, the Unit, and the Annual
Meeting, and make copies available for Active
Members on a quarterly basis.
d)Be responsible for the transfer of funds from the
Garden Fund to the Treasurer of the Unit for the maintenance of the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden at Cleveland Botanical Garden.
e)Be responsible for the transfer of scholarship
Award money from the Scholarship Funds to the
Scholarship Committee Chair. The Scholarship
Chair shall mail the checks to the appropriate
recipient(s).
Section 3 Vacancy in Office
A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled until the next Annual Meeting by the Board from names submitted by the Nominating Committee. A partial term resulting from a vacancy shall not be construed as part of the term limit for any office, and shall not preclude any officer filling a vacancy from being nominated and elected to serve succeeding terms according to term limits enumerated in ARTICLE V: OFFICERS AND DUTIES, Section 1 e).
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES, OFFICES, DUTIES
Section 1 Committees and Offices
There shall be the following standing committees and offices:
Archivist/Historian Horticulture
Art Hospitality
Bylaws/Parliamentarian Membership
Cleveland Botanical Garden Memorials
Affiliate Representative Nominating
Culinary Program
Education Scholarship
Finance Ways and Means
Garden Welcome
Herb Scents Editor
Section 2 Archivist/Historian
Archivist/Historian shall:
a)Collect and keep each year’s important documents (or
copies thereof) for the permanent records. Use only
materials specified by archivists to be correct for
storage and safekeeping of documents.
b)Keep all records and documents pertinent to the
history of the Unit.
c)Maintain all records in orderly, accessible files.
d)Write an annual supplement to the history of the Unit.
Section 3 Art
Art Chair shall:
a)Be responsible for advertising in the Herb Society of
America publication, The Herbarist.
b)Arrange for art work and/or take charge of art
Projects and events at the request of the Unit Chair.
The Art Chair shall establish and supervise committees when appropriate. Plans for art projects and events shall be submitted to the Unit Chair for discussion and endorsement.
c)Arrange for all written copy (including The Herbarist
advertisements) to be proofed by two (2) members of
the Unit named by the Art Chair, withdue
considerationfor requisite verbal skills.
Submit completed copy to the Unit Chair for final
endorsement.
Section 4 Bylaws Committee/ Parliamentarian
a)The Bylaws Chair shall select two (2) additional
Active Members, making a committee of three (3)
including the Bylaws Chair.
b)As Parliamentarian, the Bylaws Chair shall make
every effort to ensure the correct observance of
parliamentary procedures at Unit meetings.
Bylaws Committee shall:
a)Review the bylaws annually.
b)Consider bylaw changes suggested by the Unit Chair,
the Board or any Active Member.
c)Present any recommended changes or additions
according to procedures specified in ARTICLE XIII:
AMENDMENTS.
Section 5 Cleveland Botanical Garden Affiliate
Representative
a)Promote membership in Cleveland Botanical
Garden by Western Reserve Herb Society members.
b)Participate in and represent the Unit at public
events presented by the Cleveland Botanical
Garden.
Section 6 Culinary
a) All interested members regardless of membership
category may be members of the Culinary Committee. The fourth Wednesday of each month is
designated for Culinary meetings.
b) For reasons of holiday conflict or the scheduling of
desired programs or field trips, the Culinary Chair may sometimes plan a meeting on a different Wednesday, or a different day of the week or month.
Culinary Chair shall:
a)Plan culinary programs and field trips for the
membership.
b) Arrange meeting places for the fourth Wednesday of
each month throughout the entire year for culinary
programs or field trips, or work meetings to prepare
for fund-raising or other special events.
c) Take attendance at Culinary meetings and submit the
attendance record and total meeting time of members
in attendance to the Membership Chair after each
meeting.
Section 7 Education
The overall aim of the Education Committee is to promote the purpose of the Western Reserve Herb Society and the Herb Society of America to further and disseminate the knowledge, use and delight of herbs.
Education Chair shall: