Constitution of the American Council of the Blind of
Maine
ARTICLE 1.
Name
- 1.1This organization
shall be known as the “American Council of the Blind of
Maine.”
ARTICLE 2. Objectives
- 2.1 The purpose of the American Council of the
Blind of Maine is to serve for the betterment of the blindness community,
which includes those who are either blind or visually impaired (BVI)
herein after referred to as BVI.
- 2.1.1 Operating exclusively under Internal
Revenue Service Code 501 {C}{3} for tax exempt
purposes.
- 2.1.2 By providing a forum for the views of the
BVI from all corners of the state and from all walks of
life.
- 2.1.3 By elevating the
educational, social, economic, and cultural levels of the
BVI.
- 2.1.4 By improving
recreational and rehabilitation facilities.
- 2.1.5 By educating, encouraging and assisting
the BVI , especially one who is newly BVI, to develop their full
potentials and abilities through the use of braille, assistive technology,
mobility skills/training, networking and more.
- 2.1.6 By broadening recreational
opportunities.
- 2.1.7 By
cooperating and collaborating with the public and private institutions and
agencies of and for the BVI.
- 2.1.8 By providing for the free exchange of
ideas, opinions, and information relative to matters of concern to the BVI
through the annual convention, other public gatherings, and the newsletter
and other publications.
- 2.1.9 By conducting a program of public
education aimed toward improving the understanding of the challenges of
blindness and the capabilities of the BVI.
- 2.1.10 By promoting the sharing of information
geared toward understanding economic self-sufficiency for the
BVI.
ARTICLE 3.
Membership, Voting, and Dues
- 3.1 The majority of the membership must be
BVI.
- 3.2 Any person, or
organization of the BVI , residing in the state of Maine (with exception
of paragraph 3.2.1.2. , below) is eligible to become a Member of this
organization upon complying with the provisions hereinafter
contained.
- 3.2.1
The membership categories of this organization shall be of: voting
memberships and non-voting memberships:
- 3.2.1.1 Voting Members shall be residents of the
State of Maine and shall be at least 18 years of age. Life Members in this
category are those who have been bestowed the Life Member distinction for
their service to the blindness community.
- 3.2.1.2 Non-voting Members shall be either
Associate Members who are not residents of the State of Maine, or, Youth
Members who are under the age of 18 years. Life Members in this category
are those who have been bestowed the Life Member distinction for their
service to the blindness community.
- 3.3 Affiliation: Any organization having at
least ten (10) Members may apply for affiliation with this organization.
Such application must be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors.
In order to be approved, this application shall include written and
adopted bylaws. To remain in good standing, an affiliate must comply with
these requirements at all times.
- 3.3.1 In order to promote the organization of
satellite chapters, it may be necessary to provide start-up funds to those
chapters. The amount of this stipend shall be set at three hundred ($300.
00) dollars per new chapter.
- 3.4 Voting: Each voting Member attending a state
convention shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
- 3.5 Dues: Membership dues will be prescribed in
the bylaws of this constitution.
- 3.6 Suspension/Expulsion: Any affiliate or
Member may be expelled or suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Members
present at the annual convention as prescribed in Roberts Rules of Order,
Revised. In the proceedings to suspend or expel, the affiliate or Member
charged shall have the right to vote.
ARTICLE 4. Officers and
Directors
- 4.1 The officers of
this organization shall consist of the President, Vice-President (both of
whom shall be BVI), Secretary and Treasurer (who need not be BVI). These
officers shall be elected at the annual convention and shall serve a
one-year term.
- 4.2 There shall be 6 (six) Directors who shall
serve terms of 3 (three) years. Among the six Directors, there shall be at
least one representative from each satellite chapter. These six elected
directors will elect one of themselves to act as Chairperson so that this
Chairperson can conduct business meetings in the absence of the President
and Vice-President. The Chairperson shall be elected to a one-year term at
the first board meeting following the annual
convention.
- 4.2.1
The Officers and Directors shall comprise the ACB of Maine Board of
Directors. The majority of the Board of Directors must be
BVI.
- 4.2.2 No Member of
the Board of Directors of this organization shall receive compensation for
services to the American Council of the Blind of Maine. Board Members may
be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the execution of their
duties.
- 4.3 Officers and
directors shall be elected by the highest number of the votes cast at the
annual convention.
ARTICLE 5. Powers and duties of the Members,
Officers, and Directors at the Annual Convention:
- 5.1 Any voting Member of this organization may
make, and second motions, propose nominations, and serve on Committees. At
each Annual Convention, the Members shall determine the time and place of
the annual convention for the following year.
- 5.2 Officers of this organization shall perform
the usual functions of their offices as prescribed by Roberts’ Rules of
Order, Revised, unless these functions are otherwise provided for in the
bylaws of this constitution.
- 5.3 The Board of Directors shall be the
governing body of this organization between conventions, providing that it
shall make no policies, decisions, or take any official action in conflict
with existing decisions or actions made during the annual
convention.
- 5.4 A
meeting of this organization shall be held each fall and is to be known as
the annual convention. The Members present shall constitute a quorum to do
business.
ARTICLE 6.
Procedures
- 6.1 This constitution may be amended at any
regular or special meeting of this organization by a two-thirds vote of
the Members present, provided that the voting Members have been notified
in writing of the proposed changes seven (7) days prior to the
meeting.
- 6.2 Bylaws may
be amended by a simple majority vote of those present and voting at the
annual convention.
- 6.3
Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of those present at
special conventions called for the purpose of bylaw changes, provided that
all voting Members have been notified in writing of the proposed changes
seven (7) days prior to the convention.
ARTICLE 7.
Investments
- 7.1 The Board of Directors shall have general
charge and management of all business affairs of this organization,
consistent with other sections of this constitution. The Board of
Directors is authorized to take full control of the funds of this
organization with power to sell, assign, transfer, and deliver from time
to time any of the securities. Each assignment is to be executed by at
least four (4) Members of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors
shall invest and reinvest the proceeds of sales and any other available
funds in securities which they deem suitable for the organization and
which will comply with the laws of Maine.
ARTICLE 8. Death
Benefit
- 8.1 The death benefit of this organization is a
bereavement gift, not an insurance, and is given to the estate of the
voting Member of this organization prior to October 1, 1987 and has been
suspended for all new Members after this date. The death benefit of this
organization is set at TWO HUNDRED-FIFTY DOLLARS ($250. 00), with of right
and privilege of the Members on a two-thirds vote of the Members present
and voting at any annual convention, to increase or decrease said
amount.
ARTICLE 9.
Dissolution Clause
- 9.1 In the event this organization should
dissolve, all remaining assets of the organization, after all commitments
are met, will be placed in a trust fund, within the state of Maine with
trustees selected by the outgoing Board, should the American Council of
the Blind attempt to reorganize a state wide affiliate, in the state of
Maine in the future.
