NORTHSTAR WATERMEDIA BY-LAWS

REVISED 2013 ARTICLE I. MEMBERS Section 1. MEMBERSHIP. Active membership in the NORTHSTAR WATERMEDIA SOCIETY shall be open to all persons interested in water-based media. Section 2: DUES. The Board of Directors shall establish and may subsequently revise the minimum for annual dues for membership for the fiscal year (September 1 – August 31). ARTICLE II. GOVERNMENT Section 1: The general management, direction and control of the affairs and funds of the NORTHSTAR WATERMEDIA SOCIETY shall be vested in the Board of Directors. Section 2: The Board of Directors shall consist of but not be limited to the executive officers of the society, committee chairpersons, advisors, and the immediate past-president.

A. The officers shall be the Co-Presidents, President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer and shall be known as the Executive Officers.

 B. The Officers shall hold office for a period of two (2) years, except as stated in Article III, Sec. 1.

C. The Board of Directors shall meet a minimum of once each quarter.

D. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or upon the request of three (3) or more members of the Board of Directors. Notification of special meetings shall be at least five (5) days prior to such meeting.

 E. Motions may be passed by a majority vote of Board members in attendance at Board meetings regardless of the number present.

Section 3: The Board of Directors shall have the power to appoint committees and to delegate to them such specific powers as it may deem wise and expedient to carry on the work of the association. Section 4: At any and all general membership meetings a majority of the votes cast by the membership in good standing shall determine the action on any matter of business at the meeting. Section 5: The rules of order at each meeting of the Board of Directors and the members shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. ARTICLE III. OFFICERS Section 1: The officers shall hold office as follows: President-Elect for a period of one (1) year, Co-Presidents for a period of two (2) years, and Past President for a period of one (1) year. Secretary and Treasurer shall hold office for a period of two (2) years, as voted upon by the Board of Directors. Section 2: The Co-Presidents shall be the chief executive officers of the society, and shall schedule and preside at meetings of the Board of Directors and preside at the general membership meetings, subject to these Bylaws. Section 3: The President-Elect shall serve as president in the absence or incapacity of the Co-Presidents, and shall become Co-President, following one year of service as President-Elect. Section 4: The Secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the general membership. The Secretary shall carry on such correspondence as ordered by the Board of Directors. Section 5: The Treasurer shall collect and disburse all funds of the society and be custodian of such funds; keep regular accounts; make reports of the treasury at each Board meeting; perform other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors. An accurate accounting system shall be maintained. An annual audit shall be made by a committee appointed by the President. ARTICLE IV. COMMITTEES Section 1: Standing committees shall be Executive Committee, Member Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Member Sale, Membership, Communications, Nominating, Program, and Workshop. Section 2: A chair for each committee shall be appointed as needed by the Board of Directors. The committee chair may seek his/her own committee members, except the nominating committee. Section 3: Duties of the Standing Committees:

A. MEMBER EXHIBITION: Shall determine an exhibition site, dates, fees, and logistics, and provide a financial report within 30 days of end of member exhibition.

B. JURIED EXHIBITION: Shall determine scope, fees, site, dates, logistics of a national juried show, and provide a financial report within 30 days of end of juried exhibition.

C. MEMBER SALE: Shall determine sale site, dates, fees, logistics, and provide a financial report within 30 days of end of sale.

D. MEMBERSHIP: Shall prepare a current membership list by the end of each calendar year.

E. COMMUNICATIONS: Shall notify general membership, either by postcard, online, or by email of all general membership meetings and will oversee all online media, including, but not limited to, the organization’s website, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media outlets. The Communications Committee includes, but is not limited to, the following sub-committees: publicity, web, annual membership booklet, historian, and MN Watercolor Society liaison.

F. NOMINATING: Shall function according to Article V of these Bylaws.

G.PROGRAM: Shall plan, schedule and coordinate programs for the general membership throughout the year. Program includes, but is not limited to, the following sub-committees: hospitality, peer voting, library, video, and paint-outs.

H. WORKSHOP: Shall schedule and coordinate a minimum of one workshop per year with Board approval and provide a financial report within 30 days of end of each workshop.

ARTICLE V. NOMINATING COMMITTEE AND ELECTION Section 1: At the meeting of the Board of Directors held in the first quarter of the calendar year, a nominating committee shall be appointed to select nominees for the ballot. Section 2. The nominating committee shall determine a slate of one or more nominees for each office to be elected for that year. Nominations shall be taken from the general membership as well.

A. The nominee’s consent must be obtained prior to nomination.

B. The slate of officers shall be presented to the Board of Directors by April.

C. The ballot must be presented and voted on by the general membership at a Spring meeting. New officers will take office September 1.

ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENT Section 1. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws may be submitted to the Board of Directors by any member of the organization. Section 2. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall require a majority vote of the officers and directors present before being submitted to the general membership for approval. Passage of the amendments shall require a two-thirds vote of those present at the next general meeting. Members will be notified by mail prior to the next General Meeting that a vote will be taken on proposed Bylaw changes.