Bylaws
Article I - General Club Officers and Elections
Section 1. The President shall preside at all General Meetings, Executive Board Meetings and at all called meetings. The President shall be entitled to vote either as a member or in case of a tie. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. The President shall appoint the Corresponding Secretary, the Parliamentarian, and all committees except the nominating committee.
Section 2. All other duties of officers of the General Club shall be those which customarily pertain to their respective office. In addition to their regular duties, the First Vice President shall be Program Chairman of the General Club and shall assist the Program Chairman of each department; the Second Vice President shall be chairman of Kentucky Federation of Woman's Club and General Federation of Woman's Club contests.
Section 3. General Club Officers shall meet with department officers in June. The President shall meet with all department chairmen, the First Vice President will meet with all department vice chairmen, the Recording Secretary will meet with all department secretaries, and the Treasurer will meet with all department treasurers.
Section 4. The General Officers and Departmental Chairmen, with the Chairmen of the Standing Committees, shall constitute the Executive Board and shall exercise general supervision over all Club work. Eight members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Each department shall have one vote. Each standing committee shall have one vote. No guests may attend the Executive Board Meetings without the approval of the President. Any business must be placed on the President's agenda prior to the date of the Executive Board Meeting.
Section 5. The Officers of this club shall be elected annually by ballot at the regular March meeting. The Secretary will be allowed to cast a single ballot for a unanimous vote for a single slate. The installation of officers shall take place in May.
Section 6. To be eligible to be a General Officer in the Murray Woman's Club, a member must have been active in the General Club at least one year preceding the election. To be eligible to become President of the Murray Woman's Club, a member must have served at least one year on the Executive Board.
Section 7. No member of the Club, who is also a member of more than one department, shall serve as Chair, Co-chair or Vice Chair of more than one department during any club year. Chair of a MWC Standing Committee is ineligible to be elected to any of the above mentioned offices for that club year.
Section 8. The past presidents who are active members of the Murray Woman’s Club shall, at the expiration of their term of office, by virtue of their position automatically become members of the Advisory Council. The retiring President, at the close of her term of office, shall be Chairman of the Advisory Council, and, as Chairman of the Advisory Council will be a member of the Executive Board. Membership on this Council shall be concluded by resignation from the Council or withdrawal of membership.
The duties of the Council shall be the operation of the Club House and Grounds as well as to advise and cooperate with the Executive Board in the formation of policies of the club. The Chairman of the Advisory Council shall make a monthly report to the Executive Board.
Section 9. The nominating committee shall be elected by the Executive Board. The nominating committee shall be composed of five (5) members representing the following groups: one from the Advisory Council, one from the Executive Committee, two from the Club Department Chairmen, and one from the Standing Committees.
Section 10. In case of the death or resignation of the President, the First Vice President shall be offered the position of President for the remaining term. If the First Vice President is unable to serve, the Executive Committee shall appoint an interim President. During this interim, a nominating committee will be elected. (See Article I, Section 9.)
If an officer, other than the President, is unable to serve her term, a nominating committee will be elected by the Executive Board. This nominating committee will be composed of three (3) members representing the following groups: one from the Executive Committee, one from the club Department Chairmen, and one from the Standing Committee Chairmen.
At the following Executive Board meeting the nominating committee will recommend a replacement who must be approved by the Executive Board.
Article II - Members and Dues
Section 1. Dues and membership fees must be paid within two weeks after accepting membership to the club. Each treasurer must turn in all membership fees to the General Club Treasurer by November 10th for the current club year. All dues collected after this date and May 15th must be turned in to the General Club Treasurer by May 31st.
Section 2. A department will be penalized $25 per month for failure to give dues and membership list to the General Treasurer by November 15.
Section 3. Membership may be terminated at any time by a written resignation if all dues have been paid. If, after one (1) written notification by the Department Treasurer following the October Department meeting, dues have not been paid by November 10, membership shall be terminated.
Section 4. Members resigning within thirty (30) days of dues payment may have a refund upon approval of the Executive Board.
Section 5. LIFETIME MEMBER. Former Club member, now living elsewhere, has the privilege of becoming a Lifetime Member by paying $50.00.
Section 6. HONORARY MEMBER. In recognition of 25 years of continuous service, a club member, who has become inactive because of illness, may be given an honorary membership upon recommendation of the Advisory Council.
Section 7. ASSOCIATE MEMBER. A club member may be recommended by her Department for an Associate Membership, if she is unable to attend the club meeting due to health reasons for herself or immediate family member. She will remain in name only, and designated as an Associate Member in the yearbook and a non-participating member of the Murray Woman’s Club. The annual dues will be $25 (dues to be divided as with regular annual dues). When health permits, full membership can be reactivated.
Article III - Departmental Action
Section 1. Actions of the departments shall be: (a) there may be one or more open meetings during the club year; (b) any member when absent from three consecutive meetings, unless absent from the city or prevented by illness, shall forfeit her membership; (c) members must attend at least ONE General Club Meeting of the Murray Woman's Club per year; (d) members may be granted a leave of absence upon approval of the department executive committee once dues have been paid in full; (e) number of members in a department may be limited or unlimited according to a majority vote of the department, but must be presented to the General Club Executive Board for approval; (f) prospective members may be guests at one department meeting prior to being invited to join.
Article IV - Membership
Section 1. When joining in July thru December, all dues must be paid in full, with an additional $2 for each additional department joined. District, State and International dues are included in the local dues. When joining after December 31, dues shall be 1/2 the annual dues plus $2 for each additional department.
Section 2. Names of applicants, presented by one member and endorsed by three other members, must be presented in writing to the Department Secretary before the meeting is called to order. For those departments desiring limited membership, a vote of preference shall be taken on names presented in order to fill any vacancy that should occur.
Section 3. A person receiving a favorable ballot shall have her name placed on a preference list for the current club year. When a vacancy occurs, the person whose name is first on the list shall be invited to accept membership.
Section 4. The prospective member shall be sent a letter from the Departmental Secretary. Upon accepting membership in the Murray Woman's Club, the new member shall pay a $10.00 entrance fee and full dues within two (2) weeks of receiving the letter of invitation.
Section 5. The Murray Woman’s Club, Incorporated, does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion or national origin.
Article V - Quorum
Section 1. Twenty-five members, including two General Officers, shall constitute a quorum for the entire Woman's Club at a General Club meeting.
Section 2. Fifteen members, including two officers, shall constitute a quorum for a department. If the membership of a department is less than twenty-five, a quorum shall be one-half the membership plus one, including two officers.
Article VI
Section 1. Robert's Rules of Order shall be our Parliamentary Authority.
Article VII
Section 1. The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting, providing each proposed amendment shall have been submitted to the club in writing (reasons given at a previous meeting).
Club Policies
The expense of fuel for one car and expenses for registration, room and designated convention meals for the Executive Officers will be paid to state convention and state board meetings. If the incoming president is not currently serving as first or second vice president, her expenses will be paid by the club. Other expenses may be paid subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
Departments spending money for General Club fundraisers will be reimbursed from any profits made from that fundraiser with prior approval from the project chairman. If prior approval is not sought, there will be no guarantee of reimbursement.
Departments are responsible for the cost of refreshments for the General Club meetings, not the individuals representing their departments.