Constitution
of the
(as amended
Article I
Section 1. Name: The name of the organization shall
be THE OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, and shall hereinafter be referred
to as the Council.
Section 2. The Council shall be incorporated
under the laws of the State of
Section 3. The purpose of this Council shall be
to promote the general welfare of visually impaired persons; to represent the
interests of its members, individually and collectively, in order to assist
them in the obtaining of maximum security, benefits, and protection; to
cooperate with and encourage public and private agencies and instrumentalities
in their programs of economic, rehabilitation, assistance, education, and
social adjustment; to do all other acts necessary and incidental to the
achievement of these purposes; and to do all other lawful things. No profit
accruing to this corporation shall inure to any individual.
Article II
Section 1. The primary authority of the Council
shall rest in the membership in convention assembled.
Section 2. Membership in the Council shall be
open to legally blind residents of
Section 3. Beginning
Section 4. A blind person, or sighted husband,
wife, parent, or child at least sixteen (16) years of age, and any person who
has demonstrated interest in the Council and its purposes by frequent
attendance and active participation in Council and/or chapter/local unit
meetings shall file a request in writing stating a desire to become a voting
member. The Executive Board shall be charged with the responsibility of
preparing forms in alternative formats for such requests and with the determination
of eligibility. At least fifty-one (51) percent of the voting membership shall
at all time be comprised of blind persons and their immediate family members as
described in this section. Any member wishing to withdraw his application may
do so by oral or written request to the secretary.
Section 5. There shall be a registration fee of
one dollar ($1.00) at the annual or special convention. All registered members
shall be entitled to vote.
Registration shall be at
each convention. Any person may register. Any local or special-interest unit
shall not be prohibited from making its own regulations regarding its
membership.
Article III
Section 1. The Council shall hold regular
annual conventions and may hold special conventions as hereinafter provided.
Section 2. The time and place of regular annual
conventions and special conventions shall be fixed by the Executive Board.
Section 3. The Board of Directors of the
Council shall meet at least quarterly.
Section 4. Notices in large print, Braille,
and/or electronic medium shall be given to each member, in good standing, not
less than thirty (30) days prior to the convention.
Section 5. Notice of the time and place of each
special convention shall be sent in large print, Braille, and/or electronic
mail to each member, in good standing, not less than fifteen (15) days prior to
the convention.
Section 6. A special convention may be called
by the Executive Board or fifty (50) percent of the members, provided that
fifty (50) percent of the members individually petition the Secretary in
writing.
Section 7. Twenty-five (25) percent of the
members registered at a convention shall constitute a quorum.
Section 8. This constitution may be amended by
a two-thirds majority vote at any regular annual convention and at no other
time. The proposed amendment(s) to the constitution shall be read to the
convention before
Section 9. ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER shall govern each convention except as otherwise herein or
provided specially by the convention.
Article IV
Section 1. The Council shall have the following
officers:
President, First
Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director of
Public Information. These officers shall be elected at each annual convention
by majority vote and no person shall be elected to the same office for more
than four (4) consecutive terms.
Section 2. The Council shall have an Executive
Board composed of the six (6) elected officers and three (3) Members-At-Large shall
be elected at each annual convention by majority vote and no person shall be
elected as Board Member-At-Large for more than four (4) consecutive terms. Any
absentee nominee must make a written statement to the nominating committee of
willingness to serve, if elected.
The retiring President
shall serve one (1) year as ex-officio member of the Board. Presidents of local
and/or special-interest units are also ex-officio members of the Board. They
shall not have the privilege of voting at Board meetings and may or may not be
reimbursed for their expenses of attending Board meetings according to Board
policies.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall be charged with the responsibility of:
A. Carrying out the policies and
programs adopted by the membership in convention assembled.
B. Formulating policies and programs as
need therefore shall arise between conventions.
C. The efficient functioning of all
officers and committee chairpersons.
D. The planning of all regular
conventions and all special conventions which may be called.
E. Managing all business affairs of
Council and making a yearly budget and executing the same.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall have the
authority to perform any function which may be incidental to implementing the
policies and programs of the convention.
Section 5. Any vacancy which may occur on the
Board between conventions shall be filled by the Executive Board.
Section 6. The President and First
Vice-President and a majority of the Board shall be blind.
Section 7. The President shall be the
chief administrative officer of the Council and shall be charged with the
responsibility of:
A. Carrying out the policies and
programs of the Executive Board.
B. Presiding over conventions and
meetings of the Executive Board.
C. Representing the Council as one of
the official delegates to the American Council of the Blind conventions.
D. Making appointments of committees
and other representatives to the Council.
E. Representing the Council whenever
necessary or desirable.
Section 8. The First Vice-President
shall act as President in the event of the absence of, or the disability of,
the President and shall perform other duties prescribed by the convention and
Executive Board.
Section 9. The Second Vice-President
shall serve in the absence of, or the disability of, the First Vice-President
and perform such other duties as may be prescribed.
Section 10. The Secretary shall keep a
record of all convention proceedings and minutes of all Executive Board
meetings.
Section 11. The
Treasurer shall:
A. Be the custodian of all monies and
commercial papers of the Council.
B. Be bonded at the expense of the
Council to an amount which shall never be at any time less than the amount held
by the Treasurer.
C. Keep an accurate written record of
each financial transaction.
D. Make a complete financial report at
each regular convention and to each special convention and to the Executive
Board.
E. All financial reports shall be open
to any member in good standing.
F. Approve in advance in writing all
financial transactions.
G. Supply the Secretary with a list of
the registered members at each convention.
Section 12. Duties of Director of Public
Information:
A. Shall be Vice-Chairman of the
Education and Public Relations Committees.
B. Shall periodically issue statements
pointing out that a blind person can be an asset to the community.
C. Shall correct misconceptions of the
physical and mental capabilities of the blind.
D. Shall make better known the name and
policies of the Council.
Article V
Section 1. Local and/or special-interest units
of the Council may be set up to facilitate the work of the Council.
Section 2. These units shall be composed of:
Five (5) or more Council members, in
good standing, residing in the same general trade area or having a defined
common purpose.
Such groups shall meet, elect
officers, and petition in writing a Council convention for a charter.
A charter shall be granted upon the
approval of the simple majority vote of the petitioned convention.
The provisions of this section shall
apply to any unit requesting a charter after the adoption of this constitution.
Article VI
Section
1. In the event that the Oklahoma
Council of the Blind should dissolve for any reason, the current Board of
Directors shall act as executors of the corporation. If the acting Board of Directors cannot be
assembled, the president and secretary or treasurer shall perform these duties.
Section
2. In case of dissolution, the books
of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind shall be audited by a certified public
accountant immediately.
Section
3. Assets of the corporation shall
be used to pay off any existing liabilities of the corporation.
Section
4. All remaining assets including
books and documents of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind shall be disbursed to
organizations with similar purposes and goals of the Oklahoma Council of the
Blind as determined by the Board of Directors.