Bylaws
ARTICLE I: Membership
Section 1
Dues shall be reviewed and set annually by the officers of ACWE.
Section 2
A member in good standing is one whose dues are paid and who is regular in attendance.
Section 3
Only Members in good standing will be allowed to perform in regularly scheduled concerts and vote in official ACWE business meetings. Regularly scheduled concerts shal not include special hiliday concerts, like Thanksgiving, Christmas and July 4.
Section 4
A member is defined to be regular in attendance when he/she has participated in at least 70% of the rehearsals leading up to the designated performance. When circumstances warrant (e.g., hardship, employment, health), the board may grant "good standing" status to an individual who has paid their dues, but does not meet the 70% attendance requirement. A member may be granted a good standing waiver only once each fiscal year.
ARTICLE II: Officers and Conductor
Section 1
Duties of the elected officers shall be as follows:
PRESIDENT: Calls and presides over officers' and business meetings; co-signs checks with the Treasurer or the Vice President.
VICE PRESIDENT: Performs the duties of the President in the event of absence or resignation; co-signs checks with the Treasurer or President.
SECRETARY: Keeps minutes of officers' and business meetings, takes roll at all rehearsals and concerts, and handles all correspondence of the organization.
TREASURER: Takes in and disburses all monies of the organization with approval of the officers. Co-signs all checks with the President or Vice President; handles the annual tax reports of the organization.
PUBLICITY CHAIRMAN: Publicizes events to the Austin community. Is in charge of recruitment and all printing.
Section 2
Duties of the appointed officers shall be as follows:
LIBRARIAN: Responsible for distribution and collection of all music in score order and for maintaining a current list of music.
MANAGER: Responsible for set-up and takedown of chairs, stands, and any special equipment at rehearsals and concerts. Responsible for the repair of ACWE property. Responsible for transportation of equipment and for organizing volunteer crews for loading and unloading.
HISTORIAN: Keeps clipping and photographic scrapbook.
Section 3
Duties of the Conductor shall be as follows:
The Conductor is the Musical Director of the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble [ACWE]. The Conductor is responsible to schedule rehearsals, to schedule concerts with board approval, and for the final selection of music to be performed. The Conductor shall set a positive tone in rehearsal.
The Conductor's responsibilities are both distinct from, and complementary to the responsibilities of the board members. The Conductor shall attend and give a report at each of the officers' meeting.
The Conductor's responsibilities are entirely musical, whereas business-related responsibilities rest upon the officers. Announcements during rehearsals shall be made by the responsible parties: announcements regarding rehearsal schedules, concert dates, and music selection shall be made by the Conductor; announcements regarding dues and fees, logistics of equipment loading and unloading, or any topic of a business nature shall be made by the President or by one of the other elected officers.
The Conductor has no financial authority.
Section 4
A candidate or candidates for each office shall be nominated by a three-member nominating committee named by the President and including at least one officer. Each nominee must be a member in good standing at the time of nomination. Nominations shall be presented to the membership at least one week before the election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor by members in good standing when the nominating committee makes its report. Such nominees shall be added to the ballot if they are in good standing at the time of the nomination, and they indicate their willingness to serve in the position to which they are nominated.
Section 5
Election date shall be set by the President. The election shall preferably be held in January.
Section 6
Elections shall be held by secret ballot. Votes shall be tallied by a three-member committee to be appointed by the President.
Section 7
New officers will be installed at the next regular officers' meeting, which will be a joint meeting of outgoing officers and newly elected officers.
Section 8
Officers shall hold office for a period of one year or until their successors are elected. In the event of inability to finish a term, the officer may give one month's notice to the officers and shall assist them in finding a replacement. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by the officers.
Section 9
Complaints against officers or the Conductor may be lodged with any officer. Such complaints shall be brought to the offending party by the President or Vice President.
An officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the elected officers who are members in good standing.
Grounds for which an officer or Conductor may be removed include, but are not limited to: neglect of duties; habitual absence from meetings or rehearsals; or inability to operate within the scope and intent of these bylaws.
ARTICLE III: Meetings
Section 1
Officers' meetings shall be open to all members in good standing.
Section 2
A quorum at an officers' meeting shall consist of two-thirds of the elected officers in good standing.
Section 3
Members shall be notified at least one week in advance of a business meeting. Such meetings shall be open to all members in good standing.
Section 4
Musical meetings shall be held weekly and at the discretion of the Conductor. When possible, members shall be notified at least three days in advance of any change in rehearsal schedule and at least two weeks in advance of any performance. In the event of a last-minute cancellation, the Conductor shall assume the responsibility to see that all active members are notified by phone.
Section 5
Officers will be responsible for setting the salaries of employees of the ACWE annually (including the Conductor). The officers may meet in
Section 6
The Board of Directors may conduct by electronic mail and/or internet polling at the discretion of the President and only after all members of the Board of Directors have been notified electronically. Decisions made electronically will only be considered valid after votes have been cast by two-thirds of the elected officers in good standing and all members have been given 48 hours in which to respond.
ARTICLE IV: Amendment of the Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended at any officers' meeting by a majority vote of those present, provided that the amendment has been submitted at a previous officers' meeting.
Article V: Policies
Policies are to be set by the officers in accordance with the Bylaws and made available to all members.
Article VI: Dissolution
In the event that this organization dissolves itself, all properties shall be sold and the proceeds used for a musical scholarship.