approved 08/03/2010
The purpose of this society is an educational non-profit, namely to provide a medium for qualified persons to learn about, share information on, and skills in responsible brewing methods in the home environment.
Dissolution Clause: In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the organization shall, after payment of necessary expenses, be distributed to such organization as shall qualify under Section 501 C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax Law or to the Federal Government, a State or Local government for public purpose, subject to the approval of a court of competent jurisdiction within the State of Louisiana.
Nondiscrimination Clause: The Dead Yeast Society shall not permit in their conduct of club affairs, any restriction or limitation whatsoever based upon race, color, creed, gender, and national origin or employment status.
ARTICLE II – AREA
The area served by the organization shall be the area primarily adjacent to and including Lafayette, Louisiana, commonly referred to as Acadiana.
ARTICLE III – DUES
A. Annual Dues – Annual dues are $ 25.00 Single and $35.00 Family and are payable as of January 1st. Dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and subject to approval by the membership. All dues are non-refundable. Family membership is defined as 2 or more people within a household.
B. Penalty for late payment – Members who are not paid by January15th shall be ineligible to share in the activities of this organization. They may be reinstated only upon payment of the annual dues.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
A. Eligibility – Individuals who are at least 21 years of age, who have paid annual dues and have a significant brewing interest in the area served by the organization shall be eligible for membership.
B. Duration – Membership shall be on an annual basis effective January 1st of each year.
C. Charter Member – A charter member is one who has remained eligible without interruption or lapse since January 1, 2007.
D. Liability – All members shall be responsible for his/her own actions and shall hold the society blameless from any liability which may result there from.
ARTICLE V – VOTING
Voting Rights – Each member shall have one vote per person in the affairs of the organization. Written proxies will be accepted provided they are filed with the secretary at the beginning of the meeting wherein the proxy will be used. Quorum – 25% of the total membership shall constitute a quorum provided that the club members present include a majority number of elected officers.
ARTICLE VI – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A. Definition – The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the association, the immediate Past President, who shall serve ex-officio, and all charter members. The elected directors shall serve for a term of one (1) year.
B. Responsibility – The Board shall have full power to manage this organization, the responsibility for carrying out its purpose and the establishment of rules for its operation.
C. Vacancies – The Board of Directors shall fill vacancies of elected director through appointment by the remaining members of the Board. Each person so appointed shall be a Director for the remaining period of vacancy and until a successor is duly elected.
D. Meetings – The Board of Directors shall hold regular board meetings and may hold special board meetings. a quorum of the board shall consist of a majority of the elected directors, and charters members.
ARTICLE VII. – OFFICERS
A. OFFICERS: The officers, whose terms shall be one year, and their respective duties are as follows:
1. PRESIDENT – Organizes and presides at all meetings and performs all duties incident to his office: Responsible for overseeing all communications with the American Home brewer’s Association (hereafter “AHA”) as well as ensuring timely distribution of all AHA information to members.
2. VICE-PRESIDENT – Prepares the budget as described in Article XII, and sends out notices; Acts as President in the President’s absence and arranges programs for the regular monthly meetings; officially recruits new members for the Association.
3. SECRETARY – Keeps minutes of meetings which shall be published following every meeting on the club website. Is the Custodian of all club records, club correspondence files. Arranges for registration and recording of attendance of the members at all membership meetings.
4. TREASURER – Receive and disburse organizational funds. Keeps records thereof, and maintains a current financial report; Presents a financial report at each meeting. Responsible for collection of dues from members and new members and maintaining membership records.
5. SERGEANT -AT-ARMS – Keeps order at meetings. Serves as official opener and pourer at organized club tasting and competitions.
6. LIBRARIAN – Maintains the club library.
ARTICLE VIII. – COMMITTEES
The President may, subject to Board approval, appoint such committees and committee chairpersons as may be required for the conduct of the aims of the society and consistent with its purpose. Chairpersons may select members of the organization for the purpose of assisting them in their respective undertakings.
ARTICLE IX. – MEETINGS
A. Monthly meetings – Regular meetings of the association shall be held monthly, generally, the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. President can change date of meeting. Club business will begin as soon as a quorum, as defined in ARTICLE V, is present. Meetings will generally be held at a designated public facility but also may be held at a members home.
B. Notification – The time, date, and location of the next month’s meeting shall be discussed and, if possible, decided upon during club business and will be posted on the web site. The President shall be responsible for notifying the membership of any change in time, date or location of the monthly meeting.
ARTICLE X. – ELECTIONS
A. Nominations – Nominations for club officers will be held at the November meeting. One or more persons shall be nominated for each position at the meeting and nominations may be made from the floor.
B. Elections – Elections for club officers will be held at the January meeting and the elected officers and directors will be installed immediately.
C. Removal – An officer and director may be removed for cause by a 2/3 vote of the directors present and voting at any meeting of the Board of Directors in which a quorum is present. Final voting for removal of an officer or director will be performed by the general membership.
1. Cause – Frequent absence from the membership and Board of Directors meetings is sufficient cause for removal.
2. Notification – Prior to taking final action on any motion to replace an officer or director, the Board of Directors shall cause written notice to be mailed to the officer or director at the address as it appears on the membership records, giving reasonable notice of the date, time and place of the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.
D. Vacancy – The Board of Directors may by majority vote of the directors present and voting, fill any vacancy caused by the death, resignation, removal, or incapacity of an officer or director.
ARTICLE XI. – BUSINESS
A. Any matters of business brought before the society shall be presented to and acted upon by the Board of Directors.
B. Any motion first made at a meeting of the general membership shall be referred to the Board of Directors and proper committee, if any, for action. The Board of Directors shall act on such motion within 60 days and report its action to the next meeting of the general membership.
C. If a motion has not been enacted by the Board of Directors, the motion may be acted upon by the membership at the meeting following the expiration of the 60 day period, or the first membership meeting after the membership is advised that the Board has failed to tke action on the motion or has failed to enact said motion.
ARTICLE XII. – BUDGET
- A. Annual dues for each calendar year shall be set in the budget and payable on or before January 1st.
- B. The dues collected for any given calendar year shall constitute income for the following fiscal year of the organization which shall be one (1) year beginning on February 1.
- C. The newly elected officers shall prepare and shall present to the Board of Directors at its first meeting of the fiscal year a budget showing the receipts already received for the fiscal year and the proposed expenses. This budget shall be approved by the Board and presented to the membership for approval.
- D. Upon approval, this budget shall be the authority of the Treasurer to disburse funds not in excess of the amounts budgeted.
- E. In order to disburse any funds in excess of the amount budgeted, specific approval of the Board of Directors shall be required. In order to expend, during any fiscal year, funds in excess of receipts, specific approval shall be obtained from both the Board and the general membership.
- F. The Treasurer shall, at each meeting of the Board of Directors, present a report of current and year-to-date expenditures of the association and report on the amounts remaining in each item of the budget.
ARTICLE XIII. – AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
These by-laws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority in the presence of a quorum, at any regular or special meeting of the membership called for that purpose, or by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors called for that purpose, provided, however, that no change of time or place for the election of directors shall be made within sixty (60) days preceding the day on which such election is to be held, and that in case of any change of such time or place notice thereof shall be given to each member in person or by letter mailed to his/her last known address at least twenty (20) days before the election is held.
ARTICLE XIV. – ACCESS TO BY-LAWS
A current copy of these articles shall be available on the web site to all members.