Affiliate of OCB
Constitution and Bylaws
of the
(as revised
Article I Name:
The
name of this organization shall be
Article II Purpose:
The
purpose of the TCB shall be to strive for the betterment of our community.
A.
Through a representative regional organization primarily of blind people
B. By
providing a forum for the views of the blind from all corners of the region and
from all walks of life
C. By
elevating the social, economic, educational, and cultural level of the blind
D. By
improving educational opportunities and rehabilitation facilities
E. By
broadening vocational opportunities
F. By
encouraging and assisting the blind, especially the newly blind, to develop
their abilities and potentialities and to assume their responsible place in the
community
G. By
cooperating with public and private institutions and agencies of and for the
blind, and
H. By
conducting a program of public education aimed toward improving the
understanding of the problems of blindness and of the capabilities of blind
people.
Article III Membership:
Section 1. The primary authority of the TCB shall be in the
membership.
Section 2. Membership shall be open to all persons who are at least 16
years of age and are blind or visually impaired, parents and/or guardians of
blind children, and those sighted adults interested in the purposes of the TCB.
Section 3. A membership fee recommended by the board of directors and
approved by the membership shall be assessed annually. The dues are to be
collected by November 1 of each year and a list of eligible voting members
shall be read at the November meeting.
Section 4. Voting members are those persons who have paid their
membership dues by November 1 of the current year and have attended no fewer
than three monthly meetings during the current year.
Section 5. Any officer or member may be removed from membership upon
recommendation by the board of directors after he/she has opportunity to
explain or refute charges to the Board. If the Board recommends dismissal of
the officer or member at a regular business meeting, such action shall require
2/3 majority of votes cast by members.
Section 6. No monies shall inure to any member of the TCB or to any
other individual except for actual approved expenses incurred by that person in
behalf of the TCB.
Article IV Meetings:
Section 1. The TCB shall hold monthly meetings. Thirty percent (30%)
of the voting members, four of whom are board members, constitutes a quorum at
any membership meeting. Only a quorum shall have the authority to transact the
business of the TCB.
Section 2. The time and place of the monthly meetings shall be
determined by majority vote.
Section 3: A
monthly meeting may be cancelled when unforeseen circumstances arise by the
President or his/her designee after contacting two-thirds (2/3) of the
executive board and shall determine if and when that meeting should be
re-scheduled. Any member may contact the President with such a recommendation.
Section 4. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors
or thirty percent (30%) of the membership. The secretary or his/her designee
shall be responsible for notifying all TCB members of the time and place of the
special meeting and the business to be considered. Only the business published
shall be transacted at this special meeting.
Section 5. The TCB shall have the authority to cooperate with
recognized local, state, national, and international organizations of the
blind.
Section 6. The TCB shall not engage in political activities other than
those affecting the disabled. If there is a doubt whether the issue is to be
addressed or not, it shall be decided by majority vote of members present at a
regular monthly meeting.
Section 7:
Robert's Rules of Order (Revised) shall govern at each meeting except as herein
provided or specifically authorized by the voting members present at a monthly
business meeting.
Article V Elections:
Section 1. Annually, a slate of officers and board members-at-large
shall be read at the October and November meetings. Nominations from the floor
can be made at the November meeting. The election will be conducted at the
November meeting and the newly elected officers will assume office in January.
All
candidates nominated from the floor have to give their permission either
verbally or in writing prior to their nomination. Candidates are elected by a
majority vote of the votes cast. The four officers shall be president,
vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. Two board members-at-large shall also
be elected.
Section 2. The election of officers and board members shall be
conducted by voice vote unless there are multiple nominees for a particular
position. When there are multiple
nominees, voting will be by secret ballot and tallied by the Nominating
committee. Results of the vote shall be announced by the chairperson of the
Nominating committee.
Section 3. A recommendation to select a delegate to the American
Council of the Blind's national convention may be affirmed by the board of
directors and presented to members for approval by June 1. If approved, the
members will proceed to elect the delegate. In addition, reimbursement of
expenses including per diem, transportation, etc. will be determined through
majority vote of members present.
Section 4. Any voting member of the TCB shall be eligible to cast an
absentee vote on any issue provided the member sends a letter stating how the
vote is to be cast with the member's signature notarized or witnessed by two
persons. The absentee vote shall be sent to the president.
Article VI Officers:
Section 1. The four officers of
the TCB shall include: President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer.
A member is limited to serving four consecutive one-year terms in any one
elective position.
Section 2. The president
shall preside over all monthly meetings and all board meetings, coordinate
activities of the TCB, represent the TCB when circumstances requires, and shall
appoint chairpersons of all committees. No person may serve as president who
has not previously served on the board of directors.
Section 3. The vice-president shall act as presiding officer
during the absence of the president, act as education facilitator and shall
perform all other duties as prescribed by the TCB or the board of directors.
Section 4. The secretary
shall be the custodian of the TCB's records and
properties, keep the minutes of the TCB and of the board of directors meetings,
perform the correspondence of the TCB, and keep attendance. The secretary or
his/her designee, shall notify members of upcoming
meetings or special events. The secretary
shall
provide TCB members with updated copies of the Constitution, membership lists,
and other pertinent information in alternative formats as requested by the
member.
Section 5. The treasurer shall be responsible for all the TCB's funds, collecting dues and other obligations, and
keeping financial transactions recorded. The treasurer is responsible for
banking all funds in a federally insured institution. Any monies in excess of
normal operations funds shall be invested in money market, savings, or
certificates of deposit. The treasurer shall provide the secretary with a
register of voting members.
Article VII Board of Directors:
Section 1. The board of directors of the TCB shall be comprised of the
four elected officers and two elected board members at large. A President and
majority of the board members shall be blind. The retiring President shall be
an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors until another most previous
President exists. A quorum of the board
shall consist of 50% plus one of the current sitting board members. A quorum of the board is required to conduct
the business of the board.
Section 2. The duty of the board of directors shall be to act
as the governing body between monthly membership meetings, to call special
meetings, to promote new ideas and new membership to the TCB, to fill vacancies
between elections, and to perform such other acts as may be necessary to the
efficient operation of the business of the TCB. Expenditures exceeding $125.00
shall be presented at a monthly business meeting for approval by the TCB
members present at such meeting.
Article VIII Committees:
Section 1. Standing committees shall be: nominating, constitution and
by-laws, and legislative committees. Other committees shall be designated by
the president and members appointed as needed to carry out the workings of this
organization. Such committees shall be responsible for keeping membership
informed as to progress in assigned work tasks. All committee chairperson
appointments shall be made by the president. Each committee shall consist of at
least three members one of which is on the TCB board.
Section 2. The nominating committee is charged with selecting a slate
of candidates for the offices for the ensuing year. The slate of candidates
shall be read at the October and November meetings. Candidates presented shall
have agreed to serve in the position designated. The chairperson of the
nominating committee shall receive nominations from the floor at the November
meeting. He/she shall conduct the election at the November meeting.
Section 3:
The constitution and by-laws committee shall accept and consider any proposed
amendments to this constitution and By-laws and make appropriate
recommendations for approval to the membership at a monthly business meeting.
Section 4. The legislative committee shall keep apprized of current
legislation concerning persons with disabilities and shall keep membership
informed about such legislation in a timely manner.
Article IX Amendments:
Section 1:
Proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-laws shall be presented to the
Constitution and By-laws committee for consideration.
Section 2:
Any recommended amendments made by the Constitution and By-laws committee shall
be presented at a monthly business meeting and voted on at the following
monthly business meeting. Proposed amemdments shall
be in writing and shall be available in alternative formats and shall be made
available to members upon request.
Section 3:
Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws require a two-thirds (2/3) majority
vote of votes cast by TCB members for approval.
Article X Disbandment:
Section 1. In the event that the TCB should disband for any reason,
the presiding board of directors at the time of the disbandment shall act as
executors of the corporation. If the acting board of directors cannot be
assembled, the president and secretary or treasurer at the time of the
disbandment shall perform these duties.
Section 2. In case of disbandment, the books of the TCB 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
TCB shall be disbursed to the state organization known as the Oklahoma Council
of the Blind, Incorporated.
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