CFWS By-Laws
CENTRAL FLORIDA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY
BY-LAWS, Policy and Procedures
August 17, 1998
Amended: October 3, 2003
Amended: September 1, 2016
ARTICLE I: CONCEPT, NAME, AND PURPOSE
A. NAME
The name of the organization herein conceived shall be the Central Florida Watercolor Society (the Society).
B. PURPOSES
The Purpose of this society shall be to:
1. Educate the public to the importance of watercolor as a creative and permanent painting medium.
2. Contribute to the cultural atmosphere and standards of the areas surrounding and adjacent to Orlando and Orange County, and standards of the State of Florida as well.
3. Support and educate members of the Society and other watercolorists in their worthwhile endeavors in watercolor painting.
C. LOCATION
CFWS is a non-profit, tax-exempt, Florida Corporation, with headquarters at P.O. Box 941512, Maitland, FL 32794-1512.
D. DEFINITION
As stated by Florida Watercolor Society: Watercolor painting is defined as painting in water-soluble media on all surfaces created for watermedia, framed and placed under suitable glazing material (Plexiglas). For example: paper, clay coated surfaces (Clayboard, Aquabord), synthetic surfaces, (Yupo, Tiger Rag), illustration board, paper mounted board and flat watercolor canvas would be allowed.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
A. CATEGORIES
Memberships consist of: Full, Corporate, Life, and Honorary:
1. Full Membership
a. Full membership shall be available to anyone, age 18 or older, whose dues are paid up to date.
b. Full members are permitted to vote and are authorized to hold office. Thus all the powers and authority of the Society are herein vested.
c. There shall be three categories of Full Members:
Regular Members, which are members who have fully paid their annual dues, as set by the Society, for a single year of membership.
(2) A Life Member, which is any Full Member who has paid the required $300.00 for Life Membership within one membership year. That Member is then excused from any further dues payments.
Charter Members of the Society, which are those who have paid dues prior to January 1, 1999.
2. Corporate Membership shall be available to any business or corporation as approved by the Board for membership. Corporate members are not permitted to vote or hold office. Corporate members may allow their employees to attend meetings and other functions of the Society, as well as receive the newsletter and are entitled to various other benefits as become available, and as the Board determines suitable.
Honorary Membership shall be awarded to persons as a measure of esteem and respect by the membership of the Society. This is an expression of honor and carries with it no voting rights or other benefits which are due to full members.
B. DUES
1. Dues
a. Annual Dues shall be paid by each member except Life Members.
b. Dues shall be paid between May 1 and August 1 of each year. On August 1, dues shall become delinquent.
c. Partial Dues for Membership may be paid by new (first time) members between January 1 and May.
2. Dues Amounts
All annual dues shall be set by the Board as approved by the membership.
ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATION AND BY-LAWS
A. BY-LAWS
The Provisions of adopted by-laws and amendments thereto shall govern membership, organization, and activities of the Central Florida Watercolor Society. The organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational and/or scientific purposes under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Proposed Amendments to the by-laws shall be submitted from the Advisory Committee and submitted to the Board of Directors (the Board).
Adoption of all proposed amendments to by-laws shall be considered and voted upon by the Board at the next Board Meeting and presented to the membership for voting.
Proposed amendments shall be presented to the membership one month prior to the voting date.
B. OFFICERS
1. Elected Positions
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
2. Duties
a. President
Shall be the chief executive officer of the Society and shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board, but shall not vote on issues before the Board except to break a tie.
Shall appoint the members of all standing committees except as provided herein.
Shall sign or electronically approve all written contracts and obligations of the Society.
Shall perform an annual review of financial accounts with the Treasurer.
Shall perform such other duties as may be appropriate or assigned by the Board.
It is recommended that the past President should serve on the Board in an ex officio capacity as an advisor for one year.
b. Vice President
Shall serve and exercise all the functions of the President in his/her absence.
Shall serve as the Program Chairperson.
Shall be the President-elect, whose term shall succeed the term of the President.
c. Secretary
Shall be responsible for keeping the minute of the Society. Shall conduct the correspondence of the Society. Minutes of the Society’s previous meeting will be available.
In the absence of the President and Vice-President, shall preside until a member of the Board is elected to perform all the duties of presiding officer.
Shall perform other such duties as assigned by the President.
Treasurer
Shall receive all monies of the Society.
Shall pay, upon approval of the Board, all legitimate financial obligations of the Society.
Shall keep accurate accounts, in normally accepted format of all financial transactions of the Society, and make such accounts available to the Board at all times. Shall prepare a budget of estimated income and expense for the ensuing year. This budget shall be reviewed and approved by the Board.
Shall provide a complete financial report to the membership.
Within thirty (30) days of the end of his/her term, or upon the receipt of the August bank statements, shall transfer all records of accounts to the new Treasurer. Any delay beyond this shall be with the prior approval of the incoming President.
C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
1. Composition
The above listed officers, together with the Standing Committee Chairpersons, shall constitute the Board with voting privileges.
2. Authority, Duties, and Responsibilities
The Board is granted general authority, as policy-making body, to take all legitimate actions appropriate to the proper functioning of the Society and the advancement of its interests.
D. COMMITTEES
The following standing committees may be appointed by the President:
Membership
Hospitality/Refreshments
Greeters
Exhibitions
Newsletter
Publicity
Workshops
Web Presence
Development and Fund Raising
Nominating and Advisory
ARTICLE IV: ACTIVITIES
A. MEETING
The Society generally meets the first Sunday of each month from September through May for the purpose of providing fellowship, information, education, and opportunity for exposure to the public through club exhibitions. The membership shall elect officers every two years.
B. EXHIBITIONS
Casual exhibitions may be held under the sponsorship of the Society on approval of the Board. These will not be juried exhibitions and may hang in public or private places for public viewing. The Board may allow fees to be charged in order to cover the cost of this activity.
Membership Exhibitions shall be juried exhibitions and shall be open only to members in good standing in the Society. Fees may be charged for these activities.
Open Exhibitions shall be juried exhibitions, and open to members and non-members. Fees may be charged for these activities.
Jurors
Jurors for Membership Exhibitions may be local or regional, but must be recognized as experts in the field of water media art, and shall be competent in the use of the medium.
Jurors for selection and awards for Open Exhibitions shall be highly competent in the medium and a nationally recognized painter. The Juror should not be a member of the Society.
No individual shall serve as juror of the Annual Exhibition any two years in succession.
The jurors shall be the sole judges of which paintings submitted shall hang in exhibition and of which paintings shall receive juried awards.
ARTICLE V: MISCELLANEOUS RULES AND PROCEDURES
A. AUDITOR
The President may provide an auditor’s review to the Board at the time of the transfer of financial records to an incoming Treasurer.
B. TREASURER BOND
The Treasurer shall not be required to furnish bond.
C. RULES OF ORDER
“Robert’s” Rules of Order, Revised, latest edition, shall apply in all appropriate cases.
D. ELECTION PROCEDURE
All Officers are to be elected for a two-year term. Officers may serve no more than two successive terms in one office, with the exception of the Treasurer.
ADDENDUM
501 (c) (3) reference:
No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code; or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Upon dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed to one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
Policy and Procedures: Governance Documents
It was determined that a $50 discount on a $300 workshop would be given to chairpersonship positions. If a chair is shared by two, each will be given $25 off. Shorter/longer and weekend workshops will be adjusted appropriately. (i.e. $25 off on a $150 weekend workshop.) (Assistants don’t shoulder the same responsibility as the chair and will stay as volunteers.)
The workshop assistant duties outlined. The workshop assistant receives a 50% discount on a workshop (see attached document at end of minutes).
Workshop policy addressed: Require 50% to hold a place in workshop. Cancellation fee is 50% of the workshop fee. If attendee finds a replacement not yet registered to fill his/her slot, the cancellation fee will be reduced to 10% of the workshop fee. True emergency situations will be handled on a case by case basis.