Bylaws of the Clinton County Tea Party

Adopted 4/29/2010

Article 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Clinton County Tea Party also referred herein as the “Party”.

Article 2. Organizational Purpose

The Clinton County Tea Party exists for the purpose of assembling local citizens interested in asserting and protecting their natural rights as defined in the Ohio and U.S. constitutions. We stand for common sense; timeless principles fought for by the Founders and Framers, and protected throughout our history by are armed services and citizens who love this country and the liberties its citizenship affords.

Article 3. Organizational Purpose

The five planks of the Clinton County Tea Party platform are:

1. Limited Government
2. Constitutional Adherence
3. Fiscal Responsibility
4. Free Markets
5. Virtue and accountability of those who hold public office

Article 4. Membership

a)     Members of the Party shall be those persons who have certified in writing or via electronic registration that they have read and will adhere to the Party's platform, the Ohio and US constitutions, and the Party’s Code of Conduct

b)     No dues or other payment shall be required for membership in the Party.

c)     All members are encouraged to be active participants in the affairs and actions of the Party

Article 5. Code of Conduct

In all actions, Clinton County Tea Party members are expected to uphold the planks of the Party and values established by our nation’s Founders in the U.S. and Ohio Constitutions.

This includes actions taken by Clinton County Tea Party members during public rallies and demonstrations, online or through social media, and through interpersonal interactions with other people, regardless of others’ political views or behavior.

Accordingly, the following behavior is expected of each and every Clinton County Tea Party member:

• Engage in peaceful public discourse.
• Respect the rule of law and the processes for political and policy action established under the U.S. Constitution.
• Spirited debate is a core and essential element of our political system; however, under no circumstances is it acceptable for Clinton County Tea Party members to subject others to slurs or insults based on race, creed, religion, etc.
• Under no circumstances is it acceptable for Clinton County Tea Party members to engage in unlawful or violent behavior in the pursuit of the policy or political objectives.
• The Founders provided for us an enduring set of rules for pursuing and effecting change in our nation. The Clinton County Tea Party respects the rule of law and the processes for political and policy action established by the Founders under the U.S. Constitution.

Any person who violates this Code of Conduct automatically disqualifies himself or herself with identification in or with the Clinton County Tea Party.

For the purpose of disqualification of membership a special Board of Directors meeting will be held for the purpose of hearing both sides in any cases involving reported violations of the Party Code of Conduct. All seven members of the Board of Directors and those directly involved in presenting both sides of the reported violation must be present for the Board of Directors meeting. Board of Directors members may be those presenting either side. Failure of either side to appear at the meeting may result in a member disqualification or a dismissal of the incident. A vote of five out of seven Board of Directors members is required for member disqualification.

Article 6. Officers

• Prior to the Party's first election meeting held in May 2011 (date and time to be determined by the Board of Directors), interim officers and Board members shall be appointed by the Party's founder Bryan Siebenaller. Election meetings will be held in May of every odd numbered year thereafter.
• The elected officers of the Party shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
• The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings, appoint all Standing and Special Committees, and otherwise serve as the chief executive officer of the Party.
• The duties of the Vice President shall be to serve as assistant to the President, preside in the absence of the President, and other duties as required.
• The duties of the Secretary shall be to record the proceedings of the meetings/events and provide a copy of the minutes to the board within three days, gather committee reports and submit to the board on a regular basis, and various other duties to support the board members, and Party activities.
• The duties of the Treasurer shall be to have custody of all funds, present a budget to the board for adoption, disburse funds as authorized by the Party with checks being signed by the Treasurer or the President; keep an itemized account of all funds audited annually, present a monthly itemized report, and maintain any necessary records as required by 501c(4) regulations.
• The duties of the At-large board member - Communication Committee Head will be to provide leadership to the committee, schedule and chair meetings of the committee, and recruit committee members. The committee is responsible for gathering, editing and disseminating party information, relevant political information, etc, via the website, emails, newspapers and other media.
• The duties of the At-large board member - Events Committee Head will be to provide leadership to the committee, schedule and chair meetings of the committee, and recruit committee members. The committee is responsible for planning all aspects of party meetings and events including scheduling, set-up, teardown, recruiting/ managing volunteers, etc.
• The duties of the At-large board member – Membership/Funding Committee Head will be to provide leadership to the committee, schedule and chair meetings of the committee, and recruit committee members. The committee is responsible for increasing membership, and developing fund raising initiatives.
• The term of each office shall be two years.
• On March 1st prior to each election meeting, notice of elections to these offices shall be published on the Party's website. Members who wish to run for the Board of Directors can submit a candidate application form. Candidates can also be nominated by members. Nominated candidates must submit a candidate application form as indication of their acceptance of the nomination. Members whose candidate application form is received either by a board member, through the Party website, or Party email a minimum of two weeks (14 days) prior to the election meeting are eligible for the election.
• During the election meeting the presiding president will ask for those members who wish to run for the position of president to declare their intentions. Each candidate will be given a maximum of 5 minutes to address the membership regarding their qualifications and reasons for wanting to hold this office. At the conclusion of the candidate addresses, ballots will be distributed to each Party member present with voting conducted by secret ballot. Party members are to write in the name of the candidate they choose for this office. Ballots are to be deposited in a secure ballot box. At the conclusion of the voting (or 5 minutes after the last ballot has been distributed), the presiding Board of Directors and officers will tally the listed votes with the candidate receiving the most votes announced as the president. If a tie occurs a run-off between the tied candidates will occur until a winner is determined
• The presiding president will repeat this process for the remaining officer positions in order of vice-president, secretary, treasurer, at-large member #1 (Communications Committee Head), at-large member #2 (Events Committee Head), at-large member #3 (Membership/Funding Committee Head).  Candidates that declared for and lost previous board positions may declare for any subsequent positions.
• The officers and board members elect shall take office at the next scheduled Party meeting and remain in office until the next scheduled meeting following the next election meeting.
• Any member who is a paid elected public official cannot run for or hold Board of Directors member or officer positions within the Party and seated Board of Directors members or officers must resign their positions immediately upon winning a paid elected public office. Any member who declares as a candidate for a paid elected public office may hold an officer/board position but may not use their position to advance their campaign such as use of party funds, membership information, or in anyways deemed inappropriate by a majority of the other board members.

Article 7. Meetings

1. Regular meetings of Party shall be at least once every six months on a day and time set at least 20 days in advance.
2. Special meetings may be called by the President or any 3 board members. Notice to the membership may be by mail, email, fax, online posting on the website, or such other method as the Board shall deem appropriate at least 1 week prior to such meetings.
3. Quorum shall be a majority of members attending the meeting.
4. Proxy votes are allowed on any unfinished business received by the secretary in an email prior to the beginning of any meeting in which the business is called up.
5. Any action of the Board may be overruled by a 2/3 vote of the membership.

Article 8. The Board of Directors

1. The Board shall be comprised of all of the current officers of the organization and three elected Member-at-Large who will serve for one year terms.
2. The Board of Directors shall be charged with the general management of the Party, subject to the provisions of its articles and By-Laws.
3. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be at least once every six months and at such time and place as the directors may determine. Notice may by any means as may be reasonable. Special meetings may be called by the President or on the written request of three directors.
4. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum of the Board sufficient to transact business.
5. In addition to the powers and authorities by the By-Laws expressly conferred upon it, the Board may exercise all such powers and do all such lawful acts and things as are not required by law, the Articles, or By-Laws to be exercised or performed by the voting members.

Article 9. Committees

1. Standing Committees, appointed by the President and/or Board, shall be: Membership & Recruitment, Education, Communication, Events, and Fundraising.
2. The duties of Membership & Recruitment Committee shall be to organize efforts to increase membership through membership drives and other promotional means, including but not limited to press releases, signage, flyers and business cards.
3. The duties of Education Committee shall be to conduct activities relating to the self-education of our members including but not limited to discussing relevant literature on issues relating to organization’s affairs, recommending materials for members and periodic presentations of such topics at meetings and special seminars.
4. The duties of the Communication Committee shall be to create and maintain the Party website, e-mail, advertising and newsletter.
5. The duties of the Events Committee shall be to plan, organize, and advertise events such as rallies, trips, and community service projects.
6. The duties of Fundraising Committee shall be to initiate ideas and coordinate efforts to raise funds to finance events and activities of the organization.
7. The President shall be ex-officio a member of all committees.
8. Other committees may be formed as required by the President and/or Board.

Article 10. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised (RONR) shall govern Party in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws.

Article 11. Amendments to the By-Laws

These Bylaws may be amended only by a two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting at any regularly called meeting of the Party, provided that notice of the proposed amendment and a full copy thereof shall be forwarded to the members of the Party at least ten (10) days before the meeting at which said amendment is to be presented for consideration and vote. Any proposal to amend Article 4 of these bylaws shall be deemed out of order and not considered.

Article 12. Limits on Liability

No member of the Party shall be liable personally for any obligations of the Party.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at info@clintoncountyteaparty.com

©2010 Clinton County Tea Party

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