Bylaws
(Revised December, 2007)
| Preamble Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Article 5 Article 6 Article 7 Article 8 Article 9 Article 10 Article 11 Article 12 |
Preamble Definitions Membership Officers Dues and Fees Meetings Newsletter Elections General Rules Dissolution of the Club Amendment to the Bylaws Emergency Amendments The Mr./Miss Tall Boston Pageant |
Preamble
From a positive outlook on the advantages of being tall, we strive to develop self confidence through comradeship, and to encourage solidarity among other tall people.
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Article 1 Definitions
- Club shall be defined as the Boston Beanstalks Tall Club.
- TCI shall be defined as Tall Clubs International.
- Bylaws shall be defined as those governing rules accepted by the vote of the Regular Members and Executive Board in order to manage all Club activities and business.
- Officers shall be defined as those individuals elected to the Executive Board as representatives for the Regular Members.
- Executive Board shall be defined as the group of Officers elected and appointed to manage the organizational aspects of the Club. The Executive Board shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity, Social, Membership, Historian, Newsletter Editor, and TCI Delegate.
- Business Meeting shall be defined as a meeting for Regular Members to conduct Club business.
- Executive Board Meeting shall be defined as a Meeting for elected Officers to discuss and manage Club business.
- Social Function shall be defined as any social gathering held by the Club.
- Work Function shall be defined as any activity held to conduct Club business or plan Club events or any activity at which the Member does significant work for the Club, such as acting as host/hostess.
- Regular Member shall be defined as:
- Any male person of a height not less than six feet, two inches (6'2"), or any female person of a height not less than five feet, ten inches (5'10") measured with stocking feet and unadorned head.
- They shall be worthy of the trust and confidence of the Members.
- They shall be at least of the minimum legal drinking age.
- Associate Member shall be defined as:
- Honorary Member shall be defined as:
- Charter Member shall be defined as a Regular Member who joined the Club within the first year of organization. A Charter Member may be a founding Member.
- Founding Member shall be defined as a Regular Member who organized or assisted in the official organization of the Club.
- Senior Member shall be defined as any Member who is 70 years of age or older and has been a regular dues-paying member for at least 10 consecutive years prior to attaining Senior Member status.
- The Bean Pod shall be defined as the official newsletter of the Boston Beanstalks Tall Club.
Article 2 Membership
Section 1: Classes of Membership
The classes of membership shall be divided as follows:
Regular Members
Associate Members
Honorary Members
Charter Members
Founding Members
Senior Members
Section 2: Membership Process
Membership becomes effective when dues are paid or when the check for dues has cleared. Dues will not be accepted until height and age have been verified by an Officer of the Club.
Section 3: Duties of Regular Members
Regular Members shall attend at least two (2) social functions and at least one (1) work function.
Section 4: Disciplinary Proceedings Against Members
- Areas serious enough to warrant disciplinary proceedings against a Member include, but are not limited to, the following: misappropriation of funds, violence, fraud, illegal drug use, and sexual harassment.
- Charges may be brought against any Member by any other Member who is not an Officer. These charges must be made in writing and must be signed.
- Within two weeks of receipt of the charges, the President must notify the accused Member in writing by certified mail and the Executive Board by regular mail. Such notice must include: the charges brought, the process by which the charges will be handled and possible sanctions if the charges are upheld.
- The Executive Board must schedule a hearing within thirty days of notifying the accused Member. At this hearing, the accused and the accuser may present their positions and supporting witnesses, if any, may appear for either side. Unless otherwise requested by the accused, the hearing is closed to the general membership. The accused may waive the right to a hearing and respond to the charges in writing.
- Based on the evidence provided, the Executive Board will determine whether the charges are valid and, if so, what the sanction(s) shall be. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to: a letter of warning to the accused; a probationary period in which the accused's behavior will be monitored; a suspension period during which the accused may not attend Club events; or expulsion of the accused from the Club.
- Any person sanctioned by the Executive Board may appeal to the full membership at a Business Meeting called for that purpose. A majority vote of those present is required to uphold the sanction(s).
Article 3 Officers
Section 1: Powers of the Officers
They may conduct, control and manage the affairs of the Club in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Section 2: Officers
- The Officers of the Club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, Social, Publicity, Historian, Newsletter Editor, and TCI Delegate.
- The Board positions, Membership, Social, Publicity, and Newsletter Editor may be held jointly by two or more Members. A member shall not be allowed to hold the title of more than one (1) elected office, with the exception of TCI Delegate who can also hold another office.
- Each Board position will have one (1) vote regardless of the number of Members jointly holding the position.
- See Article 7, Section 1A Article 7, Section 1A and Section 1H and Section 1H.
Section 3: Qualifications for Officers
- Any Regular Member can be an Officer of the Club.
- The President shall be a Regular Member who has been a Member of the Executive Board for at least one (1) year. The Executive Board has the discretionary power to allow the nomination of a Regular Member for the position of President who has not met the one (1) year requirement.
Section 4: Duties of Officers
- The duties of each Officer shall be listed in the job description of each office.
- Officers shall provide both the Club Newsletter Editor and the TCI Secretary with their current home address and telephone number.
Section 5: Vacancies of Office
In case of a vacancy in any office, the President shall appoint a member to serve in that office until the next general election and change of officers.
Section 6: Expulsion and Resignation of Officers
- Any Officer may be removed from office for failure to perform his/her duties by a majority vote of Regular Members present at a Business Meeting called for that purpose.
- Any Officer failing to attend an Executive Board Meeting or a Business Meeting without previously notifying another Officer may be removed.
- Any Officer who fails to attend three (3) consecutive Board Meetings shall be removed from office.
- Any Officer may resign from his/her term of office by notifying the President in writing. If the President is the Officer resigning, then he/she shall notify the Vice President in writing.
Article 4 Dues and Fees
Section 1: Dues
- Single Members shall pay dues annually, payable on the anniversary of their acceptance into membership in the Club.
- Married Members shall pay dues annually, payable on the anniversary of their acceptance into membership in the Club.
- Honorary members shall pay no dues.
- Officers shall pay dues during their term of office.
- Senior Members shall pay no dues.
Article 5 Meetings
Section 1: Executive Board Meetings
- Meetings will be held on the earliest possible date of every month.
- Executive Board meetings will be open to all Regular Members unless specifically closed by the Executive Board. Such closure will require placement of a notice in The Bean Pod at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting.
- Other Executive Board meetings may be called by the President and/or three (3) Officers. Such meetings may be held at any time. Notification shall be given orally or in writing to all Officers at least one (1) week in advance of said meeting.
- A majority of the Officers shall constitute a quorum and lacking this may not transact any business.
- The President will chair all meetings and will not vote except to break a tie vote.
Section 2: Business Meetings
- The Executive Board will establish Business Meetings for Members based on past attendance and interest. Business Meetings will be held no less frequently than quarterly with the particular day and location to be established by the Executive Board.
- Any group of three (3) Regular Members may request a Business Meeting. The Executive Board will be required to honor such a request if a specific written agenda is provided to the Executive Board at the time of the request.
- Notice of time, place and date of all regular Business Meetings shall be published in The Bean Pod.
- All Business Meetings shall be open to Regular Members, and visiting or transferring Members from affiliated TCI Clubs may also attend.
- Regular Members present at a regular Business Meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
- All Meetings shall by governed by Robert's Rules of Order.
Article 6 Newsletter
Section 1: Name of Newsletter
- That there shall be a Club newsletter, and it shall be called The Bean Pod.
- The Bean Pod shall contain all business, social activities of the Club, articles, announcements and other items of interest to Members.
Article 7 Elections
Section 1: Election of Officers
- The following Officers of the Club shall be elected by the Regular Members to specific offices: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and TCI Delegate. The nominated person receiving the majority vote shall be elected to that office. If a tie results, a runoff vote shall be immediately taken.
- Each Regular Member may nominate only one Regular Member per office. There shall be no limit on total number of nominations per office.
- At its February meeting of each year, the Executive Board shall appoint a chairperson and three additional Members to an Election Committee, which will be charged with running the annual election of Officers, along with any other voting that the Executive Board directs that the membership should do in the same election. The Members of the Election Committee shall be Regular Members, but not Officers, of the Club and shall not accept any nomination for office. Should a Member, other than the Chairperson, of the Election Committee be unable to serve, the Chairperson shall appoint a replacement. Should the Chairperson be unable to serve, the Executive Committee shall appoint a replacement.
- Elections shall be held by the end of May. Each Regular Member shall have one vote per vacant position. Absentee ballots will be accepted if received by the designated date.
- Voting shall be done by secret ballot.
- The term of office shall commence on the first day of July and run one (1) year.
- The announcements of the results of the election shall be made at the close of the elections.
- The following Officers of the Club shall be appointed by the incoming President: Membership, Social, Publicity, Historian, and Newsletter Editor. The President shall bear in mind that all Officers working together makes a smooth running club. These appointments will be subject to confirmation by the elected Officers at the first Executive Board or Business Meeting of the new term of office.
Article 8 General Rules
- Only Regular Members shall have exclusive legal voice in all the affairs of the Club.
- In case of conflict of the laws of the Club, the decision of the Executive Board will be the governing rule.
- The Regular Members have the right to appeal the decision(s) of the Executive Board at any Business Meeting called for that purpose. A majority of the Club Members is necessary to repeal an Executive Board decision.
Article 9 Dissolution of the Club
Section 1: Procedure
The Club may vote to dissolve itself at any Business Meeting called for that purpose. There must a two-third (2/3) majority vote of both the Executive Board and the Regular Members present.
Section 2: Disposition of Funds
Upon dissolution of the Club, the funds and property of the Club shall be given to Tall Clubs International.
Article 10 Amendment to the Bylaws
Bylaw amendments may be proposed at any Executive Board Meeting. Amendments proposed by the Executive Board, as well as those proposed by individual Members, shall become effective after acceptance by a majority vote at a Business Meeting. The Executive Board or Member proposing an amendment shall place a notice of the proposed amendments in the Bean Pod at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting. Copies of the Bylaws and amendments will be made available to Regular Members upon request for perusal prior to the meeting. Ballots on the Bylaws amendments shall be accepted if received by the designated time. Should no Regular Members, other than Executive Board Members, attend the said Business Meeting, the amendments proposed by the Executive Board will be considered accepted by the membership and included into the Club Bylaws.
Article 11 Emergency Amendments
In case of emergency, the Executive Board may make temporary amendments to the Bylaws by an affirmative vote of all current Officers. Said emergency amendment(s) to be effective for no longer that thirty (30) days, at the end of which time they shall become null and void and of no effect. It shall be announced at the next Business Meeting.
Article 12 The Mr./Miss Tall Boston Pageant
Section 1: Mr./Miss Tall Boston Pageant Operation
The incoming President each year shall appoint a chairperson to manage the selection process for two representatives, to be known as "Mr. and Miss Tall Boston." The chairperson will coordinate with the current Mr. and Miss Tall Boston to ensure that the event runs smoothly. The chairperson may or may not be one of the current representatives. The pageant shall consist of the two contests. Each contest shall consist of three segments: New Dimensions, Evening Wear, and Question and Answer. There will be a private interview with the judges prior to the pageant. Scoring will be as follows: the outside judges will count for 2/3 of the total and Beanstalk members in attendance will cast the remaining 1/3 of the total vote. The winner of the Miss Tall Boston contest will compete in the next Miss Tall International® Pageant.
Section 2: Royalty Benefit Auction
The President shall appoint a chairperson to run the Royalty Benefit Auction with the help of the new Mr. and Miss Tall Boston. This is intended to help finance any expenses that they might incur during their reign, such as publicity photos, and their attendance at the TCI Convention.
Written January 1983
Revised November 1986
Revised January 1987
Revised February 1987
Revised June 1990
Revised September 1990
Revised November 1992
Revised June 1998
Revised December 2007
