Constitution




		ARTICLE I. Section 1. The name of this Club shall be the Polish American Golf Club of Chicago. Section 2. The principle office of this Club shall be located in the City of Chicago or its suburbs, State of Illinois. ARTICLE II The purpose of this club shall be to foster the ideals of good fellowship, to promote the welfare of the community and its posterity by advancing its civic, social, and economic and to vigorously promote the sport of golf to our youth. ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP Section 1. A condition of membership shall be absolute and unqualified loyalty to the Constitution and Government of the United States of America and respect of local authority. Section 2. Each member is encouraged to support the club activities, events and fund –raising projects to the best of his ability. Section 3. All applications for membership shall be in the manner and form prescribed by the Board of Directors. Applications shall be submitted in writing, signed by the applicant and by at least one member of the club in good standing who personally knows and recommends the applicant, shall be referred to the Director of Membership for investigation who shall thereafter submit his recommendation to the Board of Directors for its final disposition. Section 4. A member may forfeit his membership for nonpayment of dues after delinquency for such length of time as is established for said purpose by the Board. A member may forfeit his membership for any just cause at the discretion of the Board of Directors provided that such member is afforded the right to be heard and a review of the inquiry by the Board prior to its final disposition of the matter. Section 5. Any member who has forfeited his membership may be reinstated to membership in the club pursuant to the By-Laws. ARTICLE IV. DUES. Section 1. The dues of the members of the club shall be in an amount and for a particular period as established from time to time by the Board of Directors and which have been ratified by a majority of the members present at a regular or special business meeting. ARTICLE V. MEETINGS, QUORUM, FISCAL YEAR. Section 1. The annual business meeting of the club shall be held on the second Wednesday of the fiscal year. The fiscal year shall be from January 1st to December 31st inclusive. Section 2. Regular meetings of the Club for business, social, educational and informative purposes shall be held on the second Wednesday of each quarter (January, April, June and September) at such time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Section 3. Special business meetings of the Club may be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors or by the President upon written notice thereof given at least fourteen days before such special meeting. The membership at large-may also call a special business meeting for a specific purpose upon written petition signed by a minimum of ten percent of members in good standing. And upon written notice thereof given at least fourteen days before such special meeting. Section 4. Ten percent of the active membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a regular or special meeting of the Club. Section 5. Roberts’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of all meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors except where otherwise provided in the Constitution or By-Laws of this Club. ARTICLE VI. MANAGEMENT – OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Section 1. The supreme authority of the Club is vested in the membership acting through the duly elected Officers and Board of Directors. Section 2. The officers of this Club shall be: President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Treasurer. All such officers shall ipso facto be members of the Board of Directors. Section 3. The Board of Directors of this Club shall be composed of eleven members which shall include the five duly elected officers, a Director of Public Relations and Website, a Director of Membership, a Director of Tournaments, a Director of Handicap Scores, a Director – at – Large and the immediate past President of the Club who shall automatically be a member of the Board of Directors who shall be known as the Senior Director. ARTICLE VII – ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. Section l. The election of the Officers and Directors of the Club shall take place at the regular meeting held on the second Wednesday of January. All voting must be in person and not by proxy. Section 2. No Officer or Director shall succeed himself in office more than once. Section 3. At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors in October, the President with the approval of the Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three members, all members in good standing, none of whom shall be current officer or Director. No member shall be eligible to serve on the nominating committee who has served in that capacity for the two previous years. Section 4. The nominating Committee shall select at least one candidate for each elective position who shall be required to sign an acceptance of nomination, and thereafter submit a list of nominees to the Club at the regular meeting in November. At the regular meeting in December the nominating committee shall accept for nomination such additional lists of candidates for the respective offices as may be submitted by the petitions of five or more members, provided however that the signed acceptance of each candidate is attached to each such petition. The adjournment of the meeting shall close the nominations in the absence of a motion for that purpose. Immediately thereafter the nominating committee shall submit a list containing all of the names of the candidates to the Recording Secretary who shall cause the publicizing of such list to all members in good standing at least ten days prior to the date of the January election meeting. Section 5. The President shall appoint three Judges of Election, if necessary, who shall prepare a paper ballot, have charge of the polls on election, canvass the votes and certify the results to the Recording Secretary. Section 6. Only members in good standing shall be eligible for election, signing petitions or voting. Section 7. No member admitted to membership in the Club within five days of election shall be eligible to vote at the election. Section 8. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill a vacancy occurring in any elective office or in any committee. Section 9. The President, Officers and Board of Directors duly nominated and elected in accordance with this Constitution shall take the oath of their respective offices at the regular meeting in January of each fiscal year. The person administering the oath of office to the aforesaid officers and board members shall not himself be an incoming officer or board member. ARTICLE VIII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS. Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors, he shall have general and active management of the business of the Club and shall supervise the executive officers; he shall be ex-officio member of all committees without the power to vote except in such cases where a tie has resulted from the vote of eligible members, in which event he shall be empowered to vote or break the tie; he is empowered to appoint all current committees and all standing committees with the approval of the Board of Directors and shall exercise supervision over them. The President shall render an annual report to the general membership. Section 2. Vice-President. The Vice-President shall perform all of the duties and exercise all powers of the President in the absence or disability of the President; he shall also perform such duties of his office as may be delegated to him by the President or the Board of Directors. Section 3. Recording Secretary: Recording Secretary shall have the duty to give notice of all meetings of the Club; he shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall be responsible for all official records, and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him by the President or the Board of Directors. Section 4. Financial Secretary. Said officer shall have the duty to keep proper books of account; he shall collect the dues and assessments of members and collect all monies due the Club; he shall notify members of dues and assessments falling due in accordance with the Constitution and the By-Laws; he shall certify lists of members eligible for election, voting and signing petitions and voting matters pertaining to the Club; he shall promptly receipt for and pay all funds that may be collected by him to the Treasurer; he shall perform such other duties that may be delegated to him by the President or the Board of Directors; he shall prepare and submit current reports and an annual report to the President and the Board of Directors. The books and records of the Financial Secretary shall be open at all times for inspection by the President and the Board of Directors as well as the Treasurer. Section 5. Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and disburse funds of the Club and to keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures; he shall make report thereon at each regular meeting of the Board of Directors and at quarterly meetings of the Club; he shall render a complete report of the receipts and disbursements; he shall pay all bills on order or direction of the Board of Directors; he shall have custody of all the property and assets of the Club; he shall deposit the funds of the Club in such financial institutions as may be designated by the Board of Directors and all withdrawals therefrom shall be by voucher checks signed by the Treasurer. The books and records of the Treasurer shall be open at all times for inspection by the President and the Board of Directors. His books shall be available to the audit committee, said committee of three shall be appointed by the President. ARTICLE IX – DUTIES OF DIRECTORS. Section 1. It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to carry out the purposes, goals and objectives of this Club as provided in this Constitution. Section 2. The Board of Directors shall have general charge, management and control of the affairs, funds and property of this Club and shall have the general power to establish rules and regulations upon all matters not specifically covered by this Constitution as it may deem necessary for the proper transaction of business and the orderly conduct of the concerns of this Club. Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet for the transaction of business on a monthly basis and at any other time as the President or any five members of the Board of Directors request in writing that such meeting be called. Section 4. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and a majority of those present shall rule. ARTICLE X – RECALL OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. Section 1. Any officer or director may be recalled and removed from office by the affirmative note of two-thirds of the members in good standing present at any regular meeting or special meeting of the Club, provided that notice of the contemplated action shall have been given to all members at least fourteen days before the prospective action. ARTICLE XI – FINANCES-FUNDS Section 1. The funds of the Club shall be classified into three categories as follows: A. Receipts from Dues. 1. Not less than fifteen per cent of such receipts shall be used for civic and charitable objectives of this Club.. 2. The balance of such receipts may be used for general special purposes and shall be included in the General Fund.. B. Other Receipts shall be included in the General Fund.. C. Special Purpose Funds.. 1. Special Purpose Funds shall be part of the General Fund but separately earmarked for a specific, special purpose.. 2. The Board of Directors shall have the responsibility to establish Special Purpose Funds, which shall be approved by a majority of the general membership at a regular or special meeting.. 3. Termination or diversion of Special Funds shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors and shall be approved by a majority of the general membership at regular or special meeting.. 4. The exclusive proprietary rights to the respective General and Special Purpose Funds, investments and other property and holdings of this Club are vested in the Polish American Golf Club of Chicago as an entity and not in any of the individual members. ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS. Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a proposed amendment or additional Article being originated from within the Board of Directors or from the general membership by a written petition signed by not less than ten percent of said membership in good standing. Section 2. The proposed amendment or Article shall be properly presented and publicized to all members by the Director of Public Relations at least fourteen days prior to a regular or special meeting called for the purpose of considering the amendment or additional Article. Section 3. The vote of two-thirds of the members in good standing in attendance at either the regular meeting or the special meeting shall be effective to either adopt or reject the proposed amendment or additional Article. ARTICLE XII - DISSOLUTION. In the event of the voluntary dissolution of the Polish American Golf Club of Chicago by the Board of Directors or by the members in good standing the procedure shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois. ARTICLE XIII – EFFECTIVE DATE. A majority of the Board of Directors of the Polish American Golf Club of Chicago having voted in the affirmative, this Constitution shall be submitted to the general membership to either adopt or reject. Effective Date: September 29, 2004