A R T I C L E I
PURPOSE
The VIITORUL ROMAN CULTURAL AND AID SOCIETY (hereinafter referred to as the Society) is organized to provide cultural, educational and aid and comfort to needy persons. To further these ends the Society shall promote and diffuse the Romanian cultural and spiritual heritage in harmony with American social and cultural values. As a cultural organization for the Romanian community, the Society shall be open to any person who identifies with the Romanian culture.
A R T I C L E II
PRINCIPAL OFFICE
The principal office of the Society shall have the following mailing address: PO Box 41001, Los Angeles, California 90041. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, change the location as necessary.
A R T I C L E III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The Society shall have three classes of members: voting members, juvenile members and honorary members. Section 2. Voting Members shall have all the rights provided in the Bylaws, including, but not limited to the right to vote, the right to be elected to any office and the right to be elected a delegate, except where otherwise provided or qualified by the Bylaws. The minimum qualifying age to becoming a voting member is 18 (eighteen). Section 3. Juvenile Members shall be persons under the age of 18 (eighteen). Juvenile members have no voting rights and may not hold offices in the Society, except membership in various cultural and social committees. Section 4. Honorary Members shall be members who have donated substantial sums of money or have rendered other important services to the Society over a long period of time. Honorary Members have no voting rights, but may attend the meetings of the Society and participate in its debates. Section 5. Any person who was previously expelled from the Society may not be admitted as member. Section 6. Any member who fails to meet his obligations and duties to the Society in accordance with its Constitution and Bylaws or who is found guilty of working against any of the provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws or decisions of a General Assembly shall be subject to any disciplinary actions that the Executive Committee may impose in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws, including, but not limited to the suspension of all rights and expelling from the Society. The member may appeal the decision to the General Assembly.
A R T I C L E IV
ADMINISTRATION
Section 1. The General Assembly: The sole legislative and administrative authority in all matters affecting the Society is the General Assembly of the voting members. As a minimum, a simple majority (half plus one) of the Executive Committee members, plus one member shall satisfy the quorum required for a General Assembly meeting. The General Assembly ordinarily meets once a year, in January. However, extraordinary meetings may be called by the president with consent of the Executive Committee. Both the regular and the extraordinary meetings must be called by an announcement sent to all members, one month before the date of the meeting. Should the Executive Committee deem justifiable cause to call for an urgent extraordinary General Assembly meeting, the meeting shall not be called sooner than a week from its date of announcement. The agenda of the meeting shall be stated. Any matter affecting the Society may be discussed at the annual meeting. The decisions adopted by the General Assembly must pass by a simple majority (half plus one) of the members present at the meeting, except when provided otherwise by the Constitution and the Bylaws of the Society.
Section 2. The Executive Committee The Executive Committee conducts the affairs of the Society between the annual meetings. As a minimum, a simple majority (half plus one) of the Executive Committee members shall satisfy the quorum required for an Executive Committee meeting. All matters permitted by the Bylaws shall be dealt by the Executive Committee in proper manner for the benefit of the Society. Minutes of the meetings shall be kept for all meetings of the Executive Committee. All decisions of the Executive Committee must pass by a simple majority (half plus one) of the members present at the meeting except when provided otherwise by the Constitution and the Bylaws of the Society. All decisions of the Executive Committee’s meetings may be revised by the General Assembly. The Executive Committee is formed by eight members elected for a term of office of two years, every odd number year, at the regular General Assembly meeting. The Committee consists of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, two controllers and one Committee member-at-large. In matters requiring urgent decisions, the President may consult the members of the Executive Committee by teleconferencing, with telephone/fax/electronic mail communication.
Section 3. The President The President is the general manager of the Society and he is responsible for all matters involving the administration of the Society. The President represents the Society to all external functions, preserves its seal and signs all official documents. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board and the annual meeting. The President shall call meetings as necessary or when requested in writing by five members of the Executive Committee. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall assign, reassign or discharge any Social or Special Committee Chairperson.
Section 4. The Vice President. The duty of the Vice President is to assist the President in discharging his duties. In the absence of the President the Vice President shall preside over the meetings and discharge all duties of the President.
Section 5. Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall take minutes at all meetings of the Society, recording all decisions taken and all officers and committees reports. He/she shall call the roll and read the minutes of the previous meeting. He/she shall prepare all correspondence for the signature of the President and prepare all notices of the meetings and the fliers for special announcements.
Section 6. Financial Secretary. The Financial Secretary shall receive all dues and all other revenues for which he shall issue receipts with his signature. He/she shall keep records of all membership status and notify members who are in arrear with their dues. All sums received by him/her shall be turned over to the Treasurer within one week from their receipt. He/she shall prepare an annual financial report and the budget for the following year.
Section 7. The Treasurer. The Treasurer is responsible for all property of the Society. He/she shall receive record and deposit in bank all funds received from all sources. He/she shall make the necessary payments only by check, signed by him/her and the President. He/she shall prepare a financial report for every meeting of the Executive Committee and for the annual meeting. He/she shall submit the records for inspection by the Auditors when so requested.
Section 8. The Auditors. The Auditors are responsible for the correct administration by the officers. They shall audit the accounts and records of the Society during the year as often as necessary and at the end of the year. They shall inspect and verify the Treasurer’s books and report any irregularities to the Board. The Auditors are empowered to order all officers of the Society to submit to an audit all material and documents belonging to the Society and in their possession, for review by them. Such review demand must be for the interest of the Society and made at reasonable time and place.
Section 9. Members At Large. Members At Large of the Committee shall perform duties as assigned by the President for various tasks when needed. They shall contribute with their counsel in resolving all problems arising during their term of office.
A R T I C L E V
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The election of the officers shall be made by secret ballot, for a term of two years, in January of every odd number year at the regular General Assembly meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor by members in good standing. The President, Vice President and Treasurer require a membership of at least one year in good standing. Immediately after the election, the Chairperson of the General Assembly shall administer the following Oath of Office to the newly elected officers: I, (name) solemnly swear that, as long as I am in the office to which I was elected, I will work faithfully, devotedly and with zeal for the progress of our organization and of its members. I will not tolerate any unrighteousness against the interest of the Viitorul Roman Society and shall respect, protect and defend the Constitution and Bylaws of this organization and my country in a conscientious manner, so help me God!
A R T I C L E VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Any officer or member of Executive Committee who is absent for four consecutive meetings without just cause may be replaced by one alternate Board member. Section 2. The Bylaws may not be amended or revoked except by the General Assembly, when so announced in the agenda of the meeting. Any amendment must be done by secret ballot, requiring two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present. Section 3. The rules contained in the parliamentary practice of the Robert’s Rules of Order, as revised, shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws of this Society.
A R T I C L E VII
FINANCES
To enable the Society to carry on its cultural and charitable purposes, the Society shall collect membership dues from its members, raise revenue by organizing banquets, picnics and cultural events and soliciting and accepting donations.
A R T I C L E VIII
DISSOLUTION PROVISIONS
Assuming the extreme hypothetical case in which the Society could not function properly for the purpose set forth in these Bylaws, in spite of great efforts by its members, the Society shall be dissolved. The Executive Committee may propose dissolution by two-thirds (2/3) majority and the specially called General Assembly must carry the dissolution motion by the same two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present and including valid proxies. In case of dissolution the assets of the Society shall be disposed in accordance with California Non-Profit Organization law, as stated in the Articles of Incorporation of the Society.
A R T I C L E IX
HISTORICAL NOTES
The Viitorul Roman Society was founded on April 18, 1926, and was reincorporated in 1987. The original Bylaws of the Society, along with other files and documents, were lost in a fire at the house of Secretary George Popa, in the early Nineteen fifties. No other copies could be located.
S O U R C E S
The foregoing Constitution and Bylaws were compiled, collated, revised and amended from the following materials: 1. The Constitution and Bylaws adopted by the General Assembly held on the 25th of February, 1987. 2. The Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws voted and adopted by the General Assembly meetings of January 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. 3. Robert’s Rules of Order, latest revision. 4. Internal Revenue Service Tax Code 501 (c) (3)