PALM SOCIETY ARTICLE

B Y L A W S

I Name: The Palm Society: Northern California Chapter, Affiliated with The Palm Society, Inc., an International Organization.

II Objectives: To promote the scientific and/or educational study of palms including their propagation, culture, care, development, and distribution.

III Membership: Membership is open to anyone interested in palms. All members of The Palm Society, Inc., an International Organization who reside in western states north of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are considered members of the Northern California Chapter. New Members applying for membership in the Northern California Chapter must join The Palm Society, Inc., an International Organization. With cause the board of directors may recommend termination of membership to The Palm Society, Inc., an International Organization.

IV Officers: Elected by members in good standing, the officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These persons constitute the Executive Committee and will serve two year terms to which they may be re-elected. The President may serve no more than two consecutive terms in the same office. Elections will be held during the last quarter of the year, and officers will be installed at the first meeting of the following year.

Section 1

The president shall be the chief executive and shall preside at all meetings and be chairman of the Board of Directors. He may appoint committees as he deems necessary. He shall sign and make all contracts and agreements in the name of the chapter.

Section 2

The Vice-President shall act with the powers and duties of the president in the president's absence or incapacitation and shall act as an assistant to that officer. The Vice-President shall also serve in the capacity of program chairman.

Section 3

The Secretary shall maintain a membership roll and all records other than financial. This officer shall assume responsibility for all mail contacts with the chapter's members and with the Palm Society, Inc., including reports of our chapter's activities to be sent to Principes.

Section 4

The Treasurer shall receive, disburse, and have charge of all funds and securities held in the name of the Society. All disbursements for other than routine expenditures must be approved by three-fourths of the executive Committee. All disbursements above a minimum to be determined by the Board of Directors must be signed by the Treasurer and one other Executive Officer.

Section 5

Meetings will be held at least four times a year. One of these will be an annual banquet meeting. The Executive Committee will provide the membership with a calendar of dates and places of meeting by the time of the annual banquet.

Section 6

The Board of Directors shall include the Executive Committee and the immediate past president. Eight additional members shall be elected at large and serve for four years. Terms of office will be staggered so four terms will expire at each biennial election. The current Palmetum Chairman will also serve on the Board as a ninth member. The President shall call a meeting of the Board of Directors at least once a year to set policies and plan the year's activities.

Section 7

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President. This committee shall consist of three persons who shall present to the Executive Committee a list of candidates at a time no later than November 15 of the year terms of office expire. The Membership will be encouraged to supply additional names. Election will be by mail ballot.

Section 8

Committees and committee chairmen may be appointed by the President as necessary with the approval of the Executive Committee. The President will be an ex-officio member of all committees.

Section 9

Amending Bylaws shall be by a majority of the membership present at a regularly scheduled meeting providing due notice is given concerning the proposed amendment.

Section 10

Dues are payable to The Palm Society, Inc., an International Organization and are determined by that Society.

Section 11

Meeting procedures shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, revised.

BY - LAW AMENDMENTS

Social Secretary

There shall be established a position of Social Secretary, to be appointed by the President, who shall assist the Vice-President and hosts at quarterly meetings. (Approved by membership, February 1984)

Change of Meeting Dates

If the date of a meeting to be held in a member's garden is to be changed by the host after the meeting has been announced in the Newsletter, it shall be the responsibility of the host to notify the membership by mail of said change. (Approved by membership, February 1984)

Palmetum Director

The Director of the Palmetum shall be a member of the Executive Committee. See IV, SECTION 6: "The current Palmetum Chairman will also serve on the Board as a ninth member." (Approved by Board, September 1988)

Amended Feb. 2006
1. The Northern California Palm Society will establish a web site for gathering and disseminating information via the world wide web for the purposes of:
a. Improving the presence and extending the common missions of the Northern California Palm Society and the International Palm Society;
b. Improving the presence of the Northern California Palmetum in Oakland, CA.
c. Promoting new membership for the Palm Society;
d. Providing education about the cultivation, growing, care and placement of the various palm species and complementary plants;
e. Providing education on the unique microclimates of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area and how it may apply to the growing of palms;
f. Providing a forum for members and non-members to share their experience and knowledge about growing palms and complementary plants.

2. The board will appoint a web site committee to make recommendations to the board for approval concerning:
a. Domain name ownership;
b. Web site content;
c. Placement of web site content with a host;
d. The web site’s look and feel;
e. The budget for the web site;
f. The number and appointment of administrative users;
g. Password and username control;
h. Member and non-member access limits;
i. Advertising policy and fees (if any);
j. The terms of service for use of the web site;
k. Web site maintenance and data control;
l. Web site privacy policy;
m. Copyright notices.

3. The domain name www.palmsnc.org, has been reserved, and is presently owned by Darold Petty for the Chapters use. At Darold Petty’s option, domain name may be transferred to the Northern California Palm Society without fee. The interim presence for the Chapter located at www.fremontica.com/palms will be closed, and all its contents will be transferred to the Chapter's own site.

4. Should administrative usernames or passwords become over-distributed, the president has the right at any time, and may unilaterally change the username and/or password, and redistribute the new passwords to authorized administrative users.

5. Add anything else at will.
 
Originally published in :
PSNCC WEB SITE