The Fort Bend Astronomy Club Articles of
Organization
ARTICLE I - NAME
This organization shall be known as The Fort Bend Astronomy Club and shall hereinafter be referred to as FBAC.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
FBAC is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes (the dissemination of information of the science of Astronomy to its members and the general public) including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Membership shall be open to all individuals who are interested in Astronomy.
Section 2 - Each FBAC member shall be entitled to one vote at the business meetings of the organization.
Section 3 - Annual dues shall be payable in September of each year.
Section 4 - Memberships are non-transferable and non-assignable
Section 5 - Membership may be terminated upon the failure of a member to pay the annual dues by the end of the month of the date of renewal.
Section 6 - Honorary memberships will be given by FBAC to persons who have made a significant contribution to Astronomy.
Selection of honorary members will be made by the executive board (Pres., Vice Pres., Sec. & Treas.) and the general membership will vote at regular meetings.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1-The officers of FBAC shall be President, Vice-President (who will also be program chairman), Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall serve without remuneration. The President and Treasurer will have signing power at the Bank. The above constitutes the Executive Board of the FBAC. Officers shall be elected annually at the August meeting by ballots received at the meeting and counted by the nominating committee.
Section 2 - The terms shall be one year. No person shall serve more than two one-year terms consecutively in the same office.
Section 3 - A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President at the June meeting. The nominating committee shall consist of a chairman and two members-at-large. It shall be the duty of this committee to secure qualified members of FBAC for the required offices and report one or more names for each office at the meeting in July. Nominations from the floor shall be in order. The slate of officers shall be voted on by the general membership at the August meeting.
Section 4 - Vacancies in office, except that of the President, shall be filled by appointment by the President, with the consent of remaining officers. A vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled by the Vice-President for the unexpired term.
ARTICLE V - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1 - The President shall
- preside at all meetings of FBAC and the Executive Board
- be a representative of FBAC in all official communications
- meet frequently with the Board for FBAC business
Section 2 - The Vice President shall
- assume all duties of the President in case of the President's absence
- be responsible for securing educational programs given at the monthly meetings
Section 3 - The Secretary shall
- correspond as the need arises (thank you cards for donations,
contributions, lecturers)
- record minutes of monthly meeting
- keep a record of monthly meeting business
- make minutes available to general membership
Section 4 - The Treasurer shall
- be custodian of all funds of FBAC and make disbursements
from funds as directed by FBAC
- keep books of accounts and funds
- give report thereof to FBAC at each meeting
ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS
Section 1- The meetings will be held on the third Friday of the month The annual meeting will be held on the third Friday of August for the purpose of electing officers.
Section 2- The regular monthly meetings will be announced by newsletter (FBAC Observer) mailed in advance to each paid member.
Section 3- Additional meetings may be set by the Executive Board.
Section 4- All regular monthly meetings are open to the public.
ARTICLE VII - FUNDS
Section 1 - No part of the net' earnings of the FBAC shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the FBAC shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the FBAC shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the FBAC shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the FBAC shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Section 2 - No funds over $50 shall be
disbursed except upon the authorization (verbal) of any 2 members of the Board
with the approval of the Treasurer. Expenditures
over $250.00 shall be subject to a simple majority vote of the club membership
at a regularly scheduled meeting.
Funds required for operating the club, i.e. insurance costs, Astronomical
League membership, and other scheduled operating expenditures shall be exempt
from the voting requirement.
Section 3 - Bills must be submitted in writing.
Section 4 - As a non-profit organization, FBAC is committed to maintaining a non-profit status by following all procedures required by law.
Section 5 - Upon the dissolution of FBAC, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 13th day of December 1987.
A. Benavidez, President D. Zwicky, Vice President