BYLAWS OF THE SABATTUS REPUBLICAN TOWN COMMITTEE

Bylaws - Word Document (Right Click to Download)

Bylaws - Text File (Right Click to Download)

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of this Committee shall be the Sabattus Republican Town Committee. The word "Committee" as used herein shall mean "Sabattus Republican Town Committee."

ARTICLE II

OBJECT The Committee shall be responsible for promoting the welfare of the Republican Party within the Town of Sabattus. The word " Town" as used herein shall mean "Town of Sabattus." The Committee will accomplish this task by taking the necessary steps to strengthen the Party by encouraging all persons to register and enroll in the Republican Party; to vote in all town elections; to support all Republican candidates; to arrange publicity, rallies, and other meetings as deemed by the Committee; to give proper information to the residents of the Town; to cooperate with the state and county Committees; and to do other acts that may be necessary in the furtherance of the foregoing purposes.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERS

Section 1. Membership. The membership of the Committee shall be unlimited.

Section 2. Membership Eligibility and Admission Procedure. Any resident of the Town shall be eligible for membership, provided that such resident is a registered Republican of the Town and nominated by one member and seconded by another member. Voting upon the admission shall take place at the next regular meeting thereafter. Election in membership shall be by majority vote of eligible Committee members present or at least a quorum.

Section 3. Membership Voting and Proxies. To be an eligible voting member, a member must attend 2 out of 3 consecutive meetings in order to cast a vote during a Committee meeting. A member unable to attend a particular meeting of the Committee may vote by proxy by furnishing the Secretary, either in writing or by e-mail, with the member's opinion expressly stated regarding the matter being voted upon. The Executive Committee before acceptance may review all proxies. In case of a challenge, the Committee shall be the final authority by majority vote.

Section 4. Membership Term Limits. There will be no term limits for membership.

Section 5. Honorary Membership. The Committee may elect persons as honorary members, determining the rights of each member. Honorary members shall not have the right to vote.

ARTICLE IV

COUNTY MEMBERS

Section 1. Primary Membership Eligibility and Admission Procedure. The Committee Chairman shall automatically be concurrently elected a primary voting member of the Androscoggin County Republican Committee (ACRC). The membership shall be entitled to nominate one person as a primary voting member, not to exceed 5, on the ACRC for every five hundred residents, or portion thereof, based upon the last available decennial census.

Section 2. Alternate Membership Eligibility and Admission Procedure. The membership shall also be entitled to nominate one person as a alternate voting member on the ACRC for every three hundred and fifty registered Republicans, not exceed 5, within the Town based upon the official figures from the office of the Secretary of State on January 1 of each even numbered year. An alternate member is not eligible to vote at a meeting until 14 days after member was elected in the ACRC. The voting right of associate members from the same municipality shall be based on seniority of membership or, if the same, the earliest month and day (not year) of birth.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. Officers and Duties. The officers of the Committee shall be Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Finance Chairperson. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 2. Nomination Prodecure, Time of Elections. Members of the Committee shall nominate members for each officer position, being proposed by one member and seconded by another. These officers of the Committee shall be elected biennially by and from the majority of voting members of the Committee at the first Committee meeting following the November general election.

Section 3. Ballot Election, Term of Office. If more than one member is nominated for the same position, voting will be held by secret ballot. The officers shall serve until such time as a new slate of officers is chosen as provided in these Bylaws.

Section 4. Condition for Removal from Office. Should a duly elected officer of the Committee, namely the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Finance Director fail to attend 50% of the Committee meetings, in a 12 month period, a vacancy shall be deemed to exist. The Committee shall instruct the Secretary to inform the absent officer of his/her non-attendance by sending a notice by certified mail, and after due notice has been given, the Committee shall proceed to fill the vacancy within a 60-day period.

Section 5. Office-Holding Limitations. No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve for more than four (4) consecutive years in the same office.

ARTICLE VI

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Duties of Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Committee, shall be responsible for the orderly functioning of the Committee and shall appoint such subcommittees as deemed necessary. As the leading representative of the Committee, the Chairperson is also responsible for assisting in the recruitment of candidates for public office. In addition to supplying direction and leadership for the performance of organizational activities, the Chairperson shall work closely with the Androscoggin County Republican Committee. The Chairperson shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 2. Duties of Vice-Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson shall preside over the meetings of the Committee in the absence of the Chairperson and shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in his/her absence, if authorized to do so by the Executive Committee. In the event of death, removal or resignation of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall succeed to the office of Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 3. Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall keep proper and accurate records of the Committee, attend to the correspondence on behalf of the Committee, notify the membership of various meetings (both local and county), take proper minutes at each meeting, and perform such duties as are usually performed by the Secretary of such Committees. The Secretary shall maintain a current voting list of all members for Roll Call, if taken. The Secretary shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 4. Duties of Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive and keep strict account of all money paid to the Committee, and make regular reports to the membership on the status of the treasury of the Committee as requested by the Chairperson or any member of the Executive Committee. It is the Treasurer's responsibility to pay bills of the Committee when authorized by the Chairperson, or in his/her absence or inability to act by the Vice Chairperson, and at least 2 other members of the Executive Committee. Under no circumstance shall money be disbursed without the Executive Committee's approval. It is also the Treasurer's responsibility to keep orderly bank statements, register all deposits and to file with the Secretary of State annually. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 5. Duties of Finance Chairperson. The Finance Chairperson shall direct and organize the fund raising efforts of the Committee. This should be done with the full cooperation of the Officers and Membership of the Committee. The Finance Chairperson shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Committee shall be held on the first Monday of each month, unless otherwise ordered by the Committee.

Section 2. Annual Meetings. The regular meeting on the first Monday in December following the November general election shall be for the purpose of electing officers.

Section 3. Special Meetings. A meeting of the Committee may be held at any time upon the call of the Chairperson, or in his absence or inability to act, by the Vice-Chairperson. If not called by the Chair or Vice-Chair, a written petition of at least 10 members of the Committee and filed with any member of the Executive Committee, such member of the Executive Committee may instruct the Secretary to call a meeting. If the Secretary fails to do so, such member of the Executive Committee shall be empowered to call a meeting. Notice of m eetings shall be sent either in writing, by sending an e-mail to the last known e-mail address of the duly elected members of the Committee, or posting to the Committee's website at least one week before meeting is to be held. Said notice shall contain the time and place of meeting, and so far as possible the purpose(s) of the meeting.

Section 4. Quorum. A quorum will consist of at least 1/3 of eligible voting members but not less than 4 members of the Committee. Any meeting of said Committee, attended by less than that required by a quorum, shall not conduct any business but may meet and adjourn said meeting to a later date.

ARTICLE VIII

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. Executive Composition. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Committee.

Section 2. Executive Duties and Powers. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Committee between its business meetings, fix the hour and place of meetings, make recommendations to the Committee, and perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the Committee, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the Committee.

Section 3. Executive Meetings. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the Chairperson, or in his absence or inability to act, by the Vice-Chairperson. Members of the Executive Committee shall be notified of such meeting either in writing or by e-mail at least forty-eight hours prior to such meeting as authorized by the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Secretary.

ARTICLE IX

COMMITTEES

Section 1. Other Committees; President's Ex-Officio Committee Membership. Such other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee or the Executive Committee shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the Committee. The President shall be ex officio a member of all committees.

ARTICLE X

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY "Robert's Rules of Order" shall govern the Committee in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Committee may adopt.

ARTICLE XI

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended at any Committee meeting by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership present, provided a notice has been sent, in accordance with these Bylaws, of the proposed amendment to each member at least one week before the date of such meeting.

These Bylaws shall supercede any existing Bylaws and will be effective upon adoption.

Chairperson: William E. Henshaw (Signed) Secretary: Tammy Seger (Signed)

Adopted by Sabattus Republican Town Committee: August 1, 2005