The Georgetown Historical Society
Georgetown, Maine 04548
Bylaws
The Georgetown Historical Society
Georgetown, Maine 04548
Bylaws
Approved as amended by the GHS membership: July 19, 2022
Amended and approved by the Board: June 6, 2022
Article I - Name:
The name of this organization shall be "The Georgetown Historical Society."
Article II - Purpose:
To explore, preserve and celebrate the history and cultural landscape of the town of
Georgetown, by presenting community and educational programs, encouraging
architectural preservation, operating a museum and library, and producing publications.
Article III - Membership:
Any person may become a member upon payment of dues as set by the Board. There will
be several categories of membership with differing levels of dues payments, as
established by the Board. All members, regardless of category, shall have an equal vote
on any matter brought before the membership.
Article IV – Governance:
Section 1. Board
The Board of the Society will determine broad policy, will provide direction and will decide
upon major issues of operations, finance, and planning referred to it by the President. The
Board will establish standing committees as needed for the governance of the society. The
Board, supported by the Vice President for Development, will particularly take the lead role
in long-range planning for the Society and in raising the capital funds needed for
endowment or other purposes.
The Board will ensure that descriptions of functions and responsibilities will be written for
all positions in the GHS organizational structure.
The initial (2003) eleven-member Board will consist of three members elected as officers
for two-year terms, one immediate past president, three members at large elected for one-
year terms, and four members-at-large elected for two-year terms. Thereafter there will be
elections each year to fill open positions for Officers and Directors to serve two-year terms.
The Board will consist of four Officers and at least seven but not more than eleven
Directors. No Officer or Director shall receive a salary from the Society.
Section 2. Terms of Office
The Society membership elects Officers and Directors who serve two-year terms and may
be re-elected for consecutive second, third and fourth two-year terms but not for a
consecutive fifth term in the positions to which they have been elected. All Officers and
Directors must be members of GHS. They may also serve as members or chairs of GHS
committees but there is no requirement that they do so.
Section 3. Officers
The Officers of this Society shall be the President, Vice President for Operations, Vice
President for Development, and Treasurer, elected by the membership or appointed by the
Board of Directors to serve two-year terms, which shall be concurrent.
The President is the chief executive of the Society, chairs Board meetings and other
meetings of the Society, and presides at all meetings of the membership. The President
determines the terms of, and appoints the chairs of the standing committees, appoints paid
staff and appoints members of committees in consultation with the committee chairs. The
President may also establish, with approval of the Board, and appoint the chairs of ad hoc
committees for special purposes. The President has the authority to make appointments to
fill vacant offices of the Society, when necessary. The President receives reports from
officers and committee chairs, makes operational decisions under guidelines of the
Society's bylaws and policy, and approves expenditures within the constraints of budgets approved by the Board as defined by the bylaws of the Society. The President shall
appoint any member of the Society who is not an officer or member of the Board to serve a
two-year term as auditor of the Society's books. This member shall report thereon to the Annual Meeting. The President may appoint a Deputy Shelter Director to manage GHS
Shelter activities.
The Vice President for Operations acts as President in the absence of the President,
and assists and consults with the President in management of Society affairs. The Vice
President for Operations is responsible for the planning and oversight of all operational
activities required for the performance of the Society’s mission of exploring, preserving and
celebrating the history and cultural landscape of the town of Georgetown including
maintenance of the Society's buildings and grounds, supported as needed by staff and
committees. The Vice President for Operations is the point of contact to the Georgetown
Emergency Management Director for use of the Georgetown Historical Society Building as
a Town Shelter, and will assure compliance with Georgetown Emergency Operations Plan
(GEOP) policies and procedures.
The Vice President for Development is responsible for long range planning for the
Society and for fund raising, with a particular emphasis on the raising of capital funds for
operations, the investment fund, , and other purposes. The Vice President for
Development also plans and administers, with the assistance of the various standing
committees, an annual GHS appeal.
The Treasurer, supported by a Finance Committee, maintains the financial accounts of
the Society, oversees the preparation of financial reports, assists the auditor as needed,
oversees the management of the investment of the Society's funds, and prepares (with all committee chairs) the annual budget of the Society for approval by the President and the
Board. The treasurer also oversees and assists the work of the Bookkeeper who deposits all received monies, and pays the obligations of the Society. The Treasurer serves as a
member of the Finance Committee.
Section 4. Staff
The President may, with Board approval, appoint and pay Employed Staff who need not
be members of the Society.
Sections 4. Committees
There will be Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. The Nominating Committee will be
appointed as needed, by the President, to select candidates for election as Directors and
as Officers. The slate of candidates will be proposed to the membership by written notice
at least ten days before the Annual Meeting and will be voted upon at the Annual Meeting.
Nominations from the floor may be made by members at the Annual Meeting. The elected
candidates will take office after the conclusion of that meeting.
Article V - Meetings:
The Board will hold a minimum of four regular meetings a year, and may schedule
additional meetings at its discretion. The President will function as Chair at Board
Meetings. A quorum for action at Board meetings shall consist of a majority of the
combined Officers and Directors. The President may request a decision from the Board by
electronic or postal mail at times when a decision should not wait until the next regularly
scheduled meeting of the Board and if the convening of a special meeting of the Board is
not practicable. Attendance at a minimum of three of the four regular meetings in any year
will be expected of all Directors and Officers. Any member of the Society may attend any
Board meeting.
Meetings Held Electronically. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, meetings of
the Board may be conducted through use of Internet meeting services designated by the
President that support anonymous voting and support visible displays identifying those
participating, identifying those seeking recognition to speak, showing (or permitting the
retrieval of) the text of pending motions, and showing the results of votes. These electronic
meetings of the Board shall be subject to all rules adopted by the Board, or by the Society,
to govern them, which may include any reasonable limitations on, and requirements for,
Board members’ participation. Any such rules adopted by the Board shall supersede any
conflicting rules in the parliamentary authority, but may not otherwise conflict with or alter
any rule or decision of the Society. An anonymous vote conducted through the designated
Internet meeting service shall be deemed a ballot vote, fulfilling any requirement in the
bylaws or rules that a vote be conducted by ballot.
The Annual Meeting of the membership, at which Officers and Directors are elected and
other society business is conducted, will occur each July. In the event that a meeting
cannot be held either in person or remotely, an Annual Report of society business shall
be prepared and delivered to the membership, as well as made available for the general
public. Additionally, Special Meetings of the membership may be called by the President,
from time to time as necessary for the conduct of society business.
.
Program Meetings of the Society will be held throughout the year, to present programs of
cultural and historical interest for the membership and general public.
Article VI - Review and Amendment:
These Bylaws shall be reviewed annually and may be amended by a majority vote of the
members present and voting at the Annual Meeting or by the Board of Directors at any
meeting called by the President.
Edited by SIT – June 1, 2022
Board Approved – June 5, 2022
Membership Approved – July 19, 2022
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