BYLAWS

(This Revised Version was Approved by the Board of Directors on March 9, 2000)

The objectives of this Society are declared to be patriotic, historical, and educational, and shall include those intended or designed to perpetuate the memory of those who, by their services or sacrifices during the war of the American Revolution, achieved the independence of the American people; unite and promote fellowship among their descendants, to inspire them and the community at large with a more profound reverence for the principles of the government founded by our fathers; to encourage historical research in relation to the American Revolution; to acquire and preserve the records of the individual services of the patriots of the war, as well as documents, relics, and landmarks; to mark the scenes of the Revolution by appropriate memorials; to celebrate the anniversaries of the prominent events of the war and the Revolutionary period; to foster true patriotism; to maintain and defend the institutions of American freedom, and carry out the purposes expressed in the preamble of the Constitution of our country and the injunctions of Washington in his Farewell Address to the American people.

Section 1. The Society shall hold annual meetings at which time the election of officers and delegates to the National Congress shall be held. The annual meeting shall be held on the last Friday of April, or within three weeks of that date. The Board of Directors shall fix the date, place and hour at which such meetings shall be held.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Society shall be held at the call of the President, or shall be called by the Secretary at the written request of five (5) members of the Society. The Secretary shall notify each member of the Society of such meeting, and shall specify in the notice the object of such meeting. No other business may be transacted except that specified in the notice.

Section 3. At all meetings of the Society ten (10) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 4. All officers of the Society shall be elected at the annual meeting. These shall include the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar, Historian, Chaplain, Corresponding Secretary, Chancellor, Genealogist, National Trustee and Alternate Trustee. The term of office shall be one year from the date of election until election of officers the following year.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and Board of Directors. He shall be Chairman of the Board of Directors and a member of all committees. He shall preserve order and decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Society. He shall have general supervision over the business and affairs of the Society and shall appoint all committees. 

ARTICLE III

The First Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the officer. In the absence of the President and the First Vice President, these duties shall be performed by the Second Vice President. In the absence of all these officers, a chairman pro tempore may be chosen by the members present at the meeting.

ARTICLE IV

Section 1. The Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the Society. He shall have charge of the seal, charter, Articles and bylaws, lineage papers and records of the Society. He shall notify all members of the Society and the Board of Directors of all meetings and shall attend the same. He shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings at the meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors and shall give notice to the several offices of all votes, orders, resolutions, and proceedings affecting them or appertaining to their respective duties. He shall have charge of the distribution of application papers to candidates and the processing of such papers. He may issue membership cards annually to members in good standing.

 Section 2. The Treasurer shall collect and keep funds and securities of the Society, which shall be deposited in some bank or savings institution in this State, to the credit of the Wisconsin Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Inc. and shall be drawn thence on the check of the Society signed by the Treasurer, for the purposes of the Society only. Out of the funds, other than routine payments, the Treasurer shall pay such sums only as he may be ordered by the Society or the Board of Directors. He shall keep a true and accurate account of the receipts and expenditures and make such reports as the Board of Directors require. In consultation with the Finance Committee, he shall submit annual budgets based on projected income and available operating funds to the Board of Directors for approval prior to the annual meeting

 Section 3. The Treasurer shall provide a statement of the financial condition of the Society any time when directed by the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint a Committee to audit the Treasurer’s accounts, which audit shall then be made in accordance with standard accounting procedures.

The Registrar shall examine all applications for membership and approve the applications of those found eligible.

The Historian shall record from time to time a history of the transactions of the Society. He shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for the collection and preservation of Historical and Genealogical material.

The Chaplain shall open and close meetings of the Society with a non-sectarian prayer.

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of not more than thirty (30) members -- namely, the President, the two Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Registrar, the Historian, the Chaplain, the Chancellor, the Genealogist, the Corresponding Secretary, the Presidents of each chapter of the state, and additional active Society members nominated by the Nominating Committee and approved by the members at the annual meeting of the Society. The President may appoint special emeritus board members who would not be included in the determination of the limit of thirty (30) total members.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall recommend plans for promoting the objectives of the Society, shall digest and prepare business, shall authorize the disbursements and expenditures of unappropriated money in the treasury for the payment of current expenses of the Society. They shall generally superintend the interests of the Society and execute all such duties as may be committed to them by the Society. They shall have power to accept resignations and fill all vacancies occurring from any cause in the membership of the Board or in any general office during the term thereof.

Section 3. There shall be a Nominating Committee, newly formed each year, to be composed of the following members, their eligibility to be determined as of 1 February: 

    (a) the three (3) most immediate, living Former Society Presidents, and the immediate Former Society President shall serve as Chairman, with the provision that should any not be able to serve for whatever reason, the next most Immediate, living Former Society President shall serve.

    (b) The Current Chapter Presidents of the Society, and

    (c) Two additional appointments of active members by the Current Society President if he desires.

At the annual meeting of the Society the Nominating Committee shall make its report, and the names submitted therein shall automatically be placed in nomination for Society office and for membership on the Board of Directors. Nominations by the Committee shall not preclude other nominations being made from the floor. Seconds to nominations shall not be required.

ARTICLE IX

The Board of Directors shall hold as many meetings during the year as necessary to conduct the business of the Society. The President shall furnish an agenda for the meeting. The President may call meetings of the Board at any time, and shall call such meetings upon the written request of any five (5) members of the Society. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE X

Members shall be elected in the following manner: Candidates shall fill out in duplicate the application forms furnished by the Society, certifying to the truth of the statements therein, and forward the same, and with the initiation fee to the Genealogist for the Society. The Genealogist, with his recommendation on eligibility, shall deliver each application to the Registrar and the Secretary for signature of approval. If the report is favorable, the Secretary shall then forward one paper to the Registrar General of the National Society, and upon a favorable report received from that officer the Secretary shall then notify the applicant of his election. Should the candidate’s application be rejected, the Secretary shall notify him to that effect, stating the reasons for the rejections, and return his fees.

ARTICLE XI

The initiation fee shall be in accordance with regulations of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. The initiation fee must accompany each application. The annual dues shall be such an amount as determined by the Board of Directors from time to time. Nonpayment shall work a forfeiture of membership when so declared by the Board of Directors.

The annual dues shall be payable on the first day of January in each year. Dues payments received from persons becoming members after October 31 shall be credited to the following year.

ARTICLE XII

A member shall be suspended or expelled from the Society for non-payment of dues, or for such cause as the Board of Directors may elect, provided, however, that no member shall be expelled or suspended until he has been given an opportunity to present his defense with counsel, after written notification of the charges and specifications against him.

A former member may be reinstated upon payment of a fee determined by the National Society and current year dues. Dues payments from reinstatements received after October 31 shall be credited to the following year.

The seal of the Society shall be the same as that of the National Society, with the addition of the words "Wisconsin Society, organized February 25, 1890."

ARTICLE XIV

The insignia of the Society shall be that adopted by the National Society, and may be obtained from the Secretary. The wearing of insignia badges and other decorations shall be governed by National Society rules.

ARTICLE XV

Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern Society and Chapter meetings unless in conflict with the bylaws.

ARTICLE XVI

These bylaws may be altered or amended by a majority vote of those Board of Directors members present and voting at a Board meeting of the Society; provided, that at least ten days notice of such proposed amendment shall have been given by the Secretary or the President to members of the Board of Directors. Upon approval of amendments to the bylaws, members of the Society shall be so advised and provided an opportunity of obtaining a copy of the revised bylaws. The official notice may be published in The Society newsletter and be within the intent of this bylaw.