Bylaws of Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, Inc.

Effective:  April 2018

I. GENERAL

1. The objectives and goals of SGS shall be:

a) Education – Provide encouragement and instruction in scientific and ethical research methods.

b) Preservation, Conservation and Collection – Preserve, conserve and collect materials relevant to the study of genealogy and family history.

c) Resources – Develop and maintain SGS’s human and financial resources.

d) Promotion – Promote and foster the study of genealogy and family history.

II. MEMBERSHIP AND FEES

 

1. Membership in SGS shall be one of two classes: A) Regular, and B) Institution

A) Regular membership is: 1) a family membership living in the same household, 2) a youth membership, or 3) a life membership. Each regular membership in good standing is entitled to the following benefits:

a) attend any official membership meeting and cast one vote on any issue raised

b) eligible to seek election to the Board of Directors. For a family membership only one person per household may seek election.

c) receive one copy per issue of Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Bulletin

d) authorized access to the Library Resources and Archives of SGS.

B) Subscription: 1) any member that is an organization is deemed to be an ‘Institution’. Two types of Institution Member: 1) Subscription only – receives a Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Bulletin. 2) Full Access on a contractual basis. All Institutional Memberships are Non-Voting.

C) Honorary memberships and honorary officer ships may be conferred upon non-members who have been of special service to SGS or who have been, in the opinion of the membership, worthy of recognition for their contribution to the cause of genealogy in general. Benefits are limited to receipt of Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Non-Voting

2. Any member who resigns their membership during a fiscal year or whose membership is revoked pursuant to Section III.5 of the Constitution of SGS shall not be entitled to any rebate of membership dues for the remaining portion of their term of membership.

III: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

1. Newly elected Directors shall assume office at the first of the next Administrative year, and shall remain in office for their stated term of office.

2. The Board of Directors shall meet no less than three times in a fiscal year.

3. The Board of Directors shall meet to dispatch business and to regulate their meetings as set out by the SGS Constitution and Bylaws.

4. The Board of Directors shall be empowered to appoint such committees as it deems necessary from time to time to carry on the business and to achieve the objectives and goals of SGS.

5. The elected term for the Chairperson shall be one year, with one individual eligible for no more than two consecutive terms.

6. The elected term for all other Board Members shall be two years, unless a director is elected to fill a vacancy in the second year of a two year term. No individual is eligible for more than two consecutive terms in the same executive position.

7. The maximum continuous elected years on the Board of Directors shall be eight years.

8. In the event of a vacancy for any reason during any Director’s term of office such vacancy may be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors. Such appointments shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.

IV. ELECTIONS

 

1. The Board of Directors shall establish a process for nomination to the Board at least 60 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

2. Nominations may be submitted to the established process up to ten days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.

3. Nominations shall be allowed from the floor at the Annual General Meeting providing nominees meet the required criteria for all board members.

V. MEETINGS AND VOTING

 

1. Fiscal year shall be the calendar year.

2. A quorum of no fewer than 50% plus one (1) of the total number of voting members on the Board of Directors is required for any meeting of the Board of Directors. One of the attendees must be the chairperson (or other officer/director of SGS if the chairperson is unable to attend), and at least one other officer must be in attendance.

3. Unless stated otherwise, voting at a general membership meeting shall be by a show of hands except where a ballot is demanded by a member entitled to vote at the meeting. Voting procedures will be articulated in the policy manual.

4. All costs related to any petitioned special membership meeting will be borne by the petitioners. Such costs may be refunded at the Board of Directors’ discretion.

5. SGS shall conduct a conference, at the time and place approved by the Board of Directors.

6. In addition to regular in-person meetings, the Board of Directors and Committees of the Board of Directors may conduct business by electronic meetings, by means of the Internet or by telephone, as long as meetings provide the opportunity for simultaneous aural communication among all participants.