CONSTITUTION
Goff/Gough Family Association
November 27, 2013
Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Goff/Gough Family association, hereinafter referred to in this document as “the/this Association.”
Article II – Purposes
The purposes for which this Association, a non-profit organization, is organized are:
1) To expand knowledge of the genealogy and history of Goff/Gough families worldwide, through research and publications.
2) To gather and preserve records and information relating to the genealogy and history of Goff/Gough families worldwide.
3) To strengthen the ties of fellowship and kinship among living members through support of collaborative research and social activities.
Article III – Membership
The Membership in this Association shall be open to all who descend from or have an interest in the Goff/Gough family, including all variant spellings.
Article IV – Officers
1) The elected officers shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Officers shall be elected by the members to hold office for two years or until such time as their successor has been chosen. The officers and the Executive Council members at large shall be elected as directed by the By-laws.
2) The appointed officers shall be the Membership Manager, Newsletter Editor, and Web Manager, or as the President shall appoint as pursuant to Article V, Sentence two.
Article V – The Executive Council
The Executive Council shall be composed of the elected and appointed officers and four members elected at large. The business of the Association shall be conducted by an Executive Council and such officers and committees as the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, may appoint. The Executive Council may appoint two additional council members to serve one year terms.
Article VI – Meetings
The Executive Council shall set the date and place for meetings of the complete membership or of sub-groups within the membership.
Article VII – Discontinuation of the Association
No part of the net earnings or net assets of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its Members, Elected Officers, Appointed Officers, or At-Large Members of the Executive Council, or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable expenses in furtherance of Article, II Purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the participation in, or intervention in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. In the conduct of all aspects of its activities, the Association shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, national origin or gender. Notwithstanding any other provision, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal Income tax under Section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Upon the dissolution of the Association, after satisfying creditors, assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, association or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for tax exempt purposes which are reasonably related to the purposes of this Association, as may be determined by the Executive Council in its sole discretion, and which has established its tax exempt status under section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Article VIII – Repeal, Alteration, or Amendment
This Constitution can be repealed, altered, or amended by a two thirds vote of the members participating in a ballot by mail, email or other electronic means, which must be provided to members in writing thirty days prior to the voting deadline.
BY-LAWS
Goff/Gough Family Association
November 27, 2013
Article I – Members
Section 1 – Classes of members: The members of the Association shall be divided into classes as follows:
A) Voting (includes newsletter subscription).
B) Sustaining (includes newsletter subscription and certain additional services, as determined by the Executive Council).
Section 2 – Qualification for membership: Applications for membership shall be accompanied by a family group sheet, a pedigree chart, and dues covering the class of membership desired. The Genealogical Committee may permit a member to do other genealogical work for the Association instead of submission of a family group sheet or a pedigree chart in special cases.
Section 3 – Voting rights: Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the members.
Article II – Executive Council
Section 1 – General Powers: The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Executive Council.
Section 2 – Presiding Officer: The presiding officer of the Executive Council and the Association shall be the President.
Section 3 – Association Business: Official business of the Association may be conducted by correspondence or as such time as set by the Executive Council.
Article III – Officers
Section 1 – Qualifications: Only members in good standing shall be eligible to serve on the Executive Council.
Section 2 – Election and term of office: In odd-numbered years, the elected Officers and Executive Council members of the Association shall be elected by a ballot by mail, email or other electronic means delivered by November 1. The ballots shall be returned within thirty days of date of delivery. The term of two years shall commence on December 1 of the year of election, with no one serving more than sixteen years consecutively.
Section 3 – Vacancies: A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Executive Council for the un-expired portion of the term, excepting the office of President (see Section 4B).
Section 4 – Powers and duties of officers and other Association leaders:
A) The President shall preside over the business of the Association and shall act as operating and directing head of the Association, subject to the policies established by the Executive Council and the membership.
B) The Vice-President shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of the President when the president is temporarily unable to perform them. Should the office of the President become vacant, he/she shall ascend to that office. The Vice-President shall fill the position of President in the next succeeding term.
C) The Secretary shall keep a record of all business of the membership and the Executive Council. the Secretary shall be in charge of all books and records of the Association except those pertaining to the Association’s financial affairs. The Secretary shall perform all the duties usual to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be assigned.
D) The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all the financial books and records and funds of the Association. The Treasurer shall deposit the funds of the Association in such bank(s) as approved by the Executive Council and shall disperse them as directed by the Executive Council. Regular account books shall be kept by the Treasurer, and the Treasurer shall supply financial statements to the Executive Council and the membership at appropriate times. The Executive Council shall call for an audit annually or as it may wish. Such audit shall be complete within 30 days after the call.
E) The Newsletter Editor shall prepare a newsletter at least quarterly from the material provided to him/her, and shall have it published and distributed as directed by the Executive Council.
F) The Web Page Manager shall maintain a web page and provide a copy semi-annually of the page to the Newsletter Editor.
G) In addition to the above, the officers shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as may be specified in resolutions or other directives of the Executive Council.
Article IV – Committees
Section 1 – Special and Ad Hoc Committees: The President may appoint special or Ad Hoc committees as may be required, subject to the approval of the Executive Council.
Section 2 – Reports: The chairperson of committees shall file written reports upon special request from the President or the Executive Council. The reports shall contain a summary of the activities of the committee for the given period.
Section 3 – Nominations Committee: To solicit names of qualified nominees for Officers and Executive Council members and to submit names of the nominees to the membership. The Nominations Committee shall be the Vice President (as chairman) and three members, each serving for a one-year term before each election, and each from a different family line (different family lines shall mean different ancestors at least to 1850 or the last later ancestor known). The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall each appoint one member.
Article V – Dues
Section 1 – Annual dues: The annual dues for membership shall be as set by the Executive Council.
Section 2 – Payment of dues: Dues shall be payable on or before January 1 of each year.
Article VI – Amendment of By-Laws
These By-laws may be altered, amended, or repealed, and new By-laws adopted by a two thirds vote of the Executive Council or by a two thirds vote of the members participating in a ballot by mail, email or other electronic means, which must be provided to members in writing thirty days prior to the voting deadline.