SWC Bylaws

The organization shall be called the Saugatuck Women’s Club.

The objects of this club shall be:

• Mutual help
• Intellectual improvement
• Social enjoyment
• Unified effort for the welfare of the community

Section 1 – Elected Officers
The offices of president, vice president, program chairs, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected annually by members of the Club.

Section 2 – Executive Board
The Executive Board shall consist of the officers. Terms shall be one (1) year. Officers may be reelected.

Section 3 – Board of Directors Composition
The Board of Directors shall consist of:

• Officers
• Archivist
• Parliamentarian
• Committee Chairs: House, Rental, Hostess, Membership, Publicity, Remembrance, Scholarship, Volunteer Hours, Membership Directory Editor

Section 4 – Meetings
The Executive Board shall meet in person or electronically at the request of the President and may act on all important matters.

Section 1 – President

• Presides over all meetings
• Appoints officers (excluding the Executive Board)
• Hires Bookkeeper/Auditor
• May serve one additional term; eligible again after a two-year break
• Authorized to sign checks if the treasurer is unavailable
• May appoint alternate signer if needed
• Requests five volunteers for the Nominating Committee by July 15

Section 2 – Vice President

• Acts in the absence of the President
• Chairs Building Structure and Grounds Committee
• Appoints committee members

Section 3 – Secretary

• Maintains records of all meetings
• Keeps official electronic communications

Section 4 – Treasurer

• Receives and manages all funds
• Pays bills approved by the Executive Board
• Maintains financial records and reports at meetings
• Provides reports to the President
• Arranges backup in case of absence
• Prepares final report for audit
• Chairs Budget Committee (appointed with Board approval)
• Prepares annual budget by July 15
• Develops a five-year financial projection

Section 5 – Program Chair

• Schedules annual programs with board approval
• Completes the schedule before the deadline
• Budget set by the Executive Board by August
• The board may reject programs not aligned with club objectives

Section 1
Includes the Executive Board and all members listed in Article III, Section 3.

Section 2
Each member has one vote.

Section 3

• Meets monthly except in January and February
• Special meetings may be called by the President
• The executive board fills vacancies when necessary

House—Oversees clubhouse interior.
Rentals—Manages all Club and Breuckman House rentals
Hostess – Assigns and supervises hostesses
Calling—Notifies members without email
Welcome/Sign-In—Tracks attendance at meeting.s
Membership—Maintains records, collects dues, and distributes the directory
Publicity—Handles promotion and advertising (board approval required)

Nominating Committee

• Appointed in July
• Presents slate in August
• Vote held in September
• Officers introduced in October, installed in December
• New officers shadow outgoing officers

Archivist – Maintains historical and pictorial records
Parliamentarian—Oversees procedure and bylaw revisions.
Bookkeeper/Auditor—Reviews financial records; must be a non-member.r
Remembrance – Sends cards/memorial.s
Membership Directory Editor—Publishes annual directory.
Scholarship—Reviews and awards scholarships (Feb–April)
Volunteer Hours—Tracks and reports volunteer hours

Section 16
Committee Chairs appoint members with Board approval unless otherwise stated.

• Determined by the Board of Directors
• Payable on or before June 1

Members are encouraged to actively participate and co-host one general membership meeting annually.

Section 1 – Annual Meeting

• Held at the first October meeting
• Officers assume duties on January 1
• Records transferred before that date

Section 2 – Schedule

• March–June: 2nd & 4th Thursdays
• July–August: No meetings
• September–October: 2nd & 4th Thursdays
• November: 2nd Thursday
• December: 1st Thursday (Holiday Meeting)

Section 3
Minimum of eight general membership meetings per year.

January 1–December 31

All agreements must be approved by the Board of Directors.

• Executive Board: 3 members
• Board of Directors: 9 members
• General Membership: 20 members

A majority vote is required for actions.

Meetings shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise specified.

Section 1
The president may conduct business electronically when necessary; the secretary must record.

Section 2
Quorum rules apply.

Section 3
General membership voting electronically is allowed only in emergencies.

• Officers may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Board
• Directors may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Board

Proposed changes must be presented at one meeting and voted on at the next.

No board member shall receive personal financial gain from club transactions.

The Club shall maintain:

• Treasurer and Secretary records
• Board actions
• Committee actions
• Articles of Incorporation and updated Bylaws

These bylaws were approved by the Saugatuck Women’s Club membership in October 2015.

Secretary, Saugatuck Women’s Club