BALD EAGLE GROTTO OF THE NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
BALD EAGLE GROTTO OF THE NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Title and Purpose
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Bald Eagle Grotto of the National
Speleological Society.
Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be similar to those of the National
Spelological Society, with the additional purpose of being an organization of
National Speleological Society and Non-National Speleological Society
members in North Central Pennsylvania to better promote the objectives of
the National Speleological Society.
Section 3. The Bald Eagle Grotto shall be governed by a slate of officers elected
annually by the primary members of the Bald Eagle Grotto.
Section 4. The officers shall have complete power to manage the business, to raise
funds in any manner not inconsistent with the polities of the National
Speleological Society, and to perform all other necessary functions.
Section 5. Decisions or actions of the officers may be overruled by a 2/3 majority
vote of the primary members of the Bald Eagle Grotto.
Section 6. General meetings shall be conducted under Robert's Rules and held at such
times and places as determined by the officers.
Section 7. A petition signed by two-thirds of the membership shall be mandatory
upon the officers to call a special meeting for the purpose stated in the
petition.
Section 8. Membership in the Bald Eagle Grotto shall be open to any persons who
are interested in speleology and have complied with the conditions of
membership set forth in the Bylaws.
Section 9. Any National Spelological Society property shall revert to the afore
mentioned in the event of dissolution.
Section 10. Amendments to this constitution shall be made by a 2/3 favorable vote of
those primary members present at any meeting called by the officers,
providing that notice of the meeting and the content of the amendment(s)
shall have been announced to the membership by mail at least thirty days
prior to the time at which the vote will be taken.
ARTICLE II
Membership
Section 1. Applications for membership must be in writing and shall be accompanied
by payment of dues, the amount of which is to be determined by the officers.
Section 2. In order to be a primary member, that person must be a minimum of 18 years
of age. If a person younger than 18 wants to become a member, that
person's mother, father, or guardian, must become the primary member.
Then the person younger than 18 may become a member as a family
dependent.
Section 3. All primary members have the right to vote in person or by proxy.
Section 4. Membership year is the date one becomes a member to that date of the
following year.
Section 5. Membership dues will be determined for the following year at the December
meeting.
Section 6. Dues paid in advance for the following year will be honored.
Section 7. Dues for each family dependent member, shall be one-half of the rate set for
membership.
Section 8. A serial number will be assigned to each member at the time of admission to
the grotto. Upon reinstatement of a former member, his/her original number
will be reinstated.
ARTICLE III
Elections
Section 1. Nominations for officers will take place at the October monthly meeting and
again at the November monthly meeting.
Section 2. Election ballots shall be sent to all primary members in the grotto by the
secretary after the November meeting.
Section 3. Ballots must be returned prior to or at the stated December
meeting.
Section 4. Newly elected officers take office at the January meeting.
Section 5. Officers are elected for a term of one year.
Section 6. A slate of officers for election shall consist of:
Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 7. The position of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the
same person.
Section 8. To qualify for nomination to hold an officers position, one
shall have been a primary member in good standing for a period of at least one
year and have attended nine of the last twelve monthly meetings. Exception to
the nine meetings attendance can be granted by majority vote of the membership
present.
Section 9. Chairman can not hold office for more than two consecutive
terms.
Section 10. Any person nominated for election to office must be a
member of the National Spelological Society.
ARTICLE IV
Duties of Chairman
Section 1. To preside at all meetings.
Section 2. Enforce obedience to the By-laws.
Section 3. Call special or emergency meetings as necessary.
Section 4. Votes only when a tie exists, except at the election of officers.
Section 5. Perform such other duties as the grotto may require of him.
Section 6. Preserve and protect the "ROCK" of authority.
ARTICLE V
Duties of Vice-Chairman
Section 1. To perform all the duties of the Chairman in his absence.
ARTICLE VI
Duties of Secretary
Section 1. Shall record the proceedings of the organization.
Section 2. Shall keep records of officer and member attendance.
Section 3. Shall oversee all communications, records, and memberships.
ARTICLE VII
Duties of Treasurer
Section 1. Shall keep a regular account of all monies received and
disbursed and see that all receipts are deposited in the banks designated by the
organization.
Section 2. Shall report the finances whenever called upon to do so by
the organization and at every meeting.
Section 3. Shall sign all checks for which the treasurer is designated
to sign by the organization.
ARTICLE VIII
Appointees
Section 1. An appointee is a member whom is appointed for a certain task such as
the trip coordinator or any other task that deems necessary.
Section 2. Appointees shall be appointed by the executive officers.
Section 3. Shall perform the duties assigned to them by the governing body.
Section 4. Appointee termination shall be by the executive officers.
ARTICLE IX
Meetings
Section 1. Stated meetings shall be held at a designated date in each
month at 7:30 P.M. at a designated place determined by the officers.
Section 2. A quorum for all meetings shall consist of at least two
officers and three other members.
ARTICLE X
Properties
Section 1. The grotto may acquire real and personal property, including equipment,
literature, and other materials for the use by and on behalf of the
membership.
ARTICLE XI
Expulsion
Section 1. Members may be expelled from the grotto for the following reasons:
(1) Willful misuse of grotto property.
(2) Willful disregard of his/her own or the safety of others on
grotto-sponsored trips or events.
(3) Conduct detrimental to the grotto.
Section 2. A certified letter must be issued by the secretary to the member subject to
expulsion granting a personal hearing before the officers and members
present at a regular monthly meeting.
Section 3. No member may be expelled without 30 days written notification to all
members prior to the next meeting in which the expulsion will be voted on.
Section 4. An expelled member may reapply for membership after 12 months of date of
expulsion.
Section 5. The expelled member's application shall be reviewed at the next meeting
following submittal and voted on at the following meeting by those members
present.
Section 6. Any member who is 90 days delinquent in payment of dues may be dropped
from the membership list 10 days after being duly notified by the Secretary
unless payment is made or just cause shown for non-payment.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments to the By-Laws
Section 1. Must be proposed at a regular monthly meeting having an established
quorum.
Section 2. Proposed changes will be discussed and notification sent to all members
prior to the next meeting in which the amendment will be voted on.
ARTICLE XIII
Dissolution
Section 1. In the event that the National Speleological Society expels the Bald Eagle
Grotto as a charter of the National Speleological Society, all assets will be
retained by the grotto, as an independent organization.
Section 2. In the event of the grotto dissolution, notification to all primary members will
be sent of the dissolution.
Section 3. Upon dissolution, all properties owned by the grotto, will be auctioned off
to the highest bidder and all monies earned from the auction and those
monies in the checking account will be disbursed as instructed by a vote of
the remaining primary members.
