The Vermont Beekeepers Association
By-Laws & Constitution
Last update by membership: January 27, 2024
THE VERMONT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
By-Laws of the Vermont Beekeepers Association, Inc. (V.B.A.)
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP and DUES
Existing members must pay membership dues before the membership date of expiration and all members must pay dues in accordance with one of the following types of membership:
- Regular Individual membership (one year): Fifteen Dollars ($15)
- Regular Individual membership (three years): Forty Dollars ($40)
- Family membership (One Year): Twenty Five Dollars ($25)
- Family Membership (Three Years): Sixty Five Dollars ($65)
- Student Membership (one year): Five Dollars ($5)
The types of memberships and the amounts for dues may be amended from time to time at any meeting of the membership duly warned.
ARTICLE II. OFFICERS
Section 1. The Officers shall be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Director-at-Large, and immediate past president of the VBA, elected annually by the membership of this Association. It shall be non-profit and shall be conducted in such a manner as to comply with the Rules and Regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. The President may appoint advisors to the board. These advisors are non-voting and serve to advise and assist the board.
Section 2. Each Officer of the Association shall serve until his/her successor is elected and has assumed office. During their term of office, each Officer will have their yearly membership dues waived.
Officers’ terms shall terminate at the end of the meeting in which their replacements are elected, and newly elected officers shall assume their respective roles at that time.
Section 3. The terms of office for President, Vice President, Secretaries, Treasurer, and Director-at-Large shall be for one year. The President and Vice President may serve no more than three consecutive terms.
Section 4. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association, and when present, shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors. The President, unless some other person is specifically authorized by vote of the Board of Directors, shall sign all agreements and contracts of the Association. The President shall appoint the Chairman of such standing committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the aims and policies of the Association. He or she shall perform all the duties commonly incident to his/her office and such other duties as may be fixed and determined by the Board of Directors and not contrary to the Constitution or Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code as amended. The president shall hold at least four board meetings per year and these may be conducted online, by telephone, or in person. Votes may occur via electronic mail or a voice vote.
Section 5. The Vice President shall perform all duties of the President in the absence or disability of that Officer. He or she may also perform other duties as directed by the President.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of the funds and securities of the Association and deposit the same in the name of the V.B.A., in such bank or banks as the Board of Directors may elect. He or she shall sign all checks, drafts, notes and orders for the payment of money in accordance with such rules and regulations for the same as may be made by the Board. He or she shall keep an account of receipts and expenditures and other financial transactions of the Association; shall report such receipts, expenditures and transactions to the membership at the annual meeting, a statement which shall be audited by an auditor appointed by the President. He/she shall perform other such duties as may be required of him/her by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep a record of all proceedings of the Association, and to conduct the correspondence of the same, including posting of the minutes of board meetings and the winter and summer meetings on the organization’s website. He or she may also perform other duties as directed by the Board of Directors.
Section 8. It shall be the duty of the Membership Secretary to record the name and address of each member and the date dues were paid. He/she shall perform other such duties as may be required of him/her by the Board of Directors.
Section 9. It shall be the duty of the Director-at-large to perform such duties as may be required of him/her by the Board of Directors.
Section 10 Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled by a member appointed by majority of the Directors then in office whether or not a quorum. Incumbents thus appointed shall serve until the next regularly scheduled election of officers by the membership.
Section 11 Any person or committee, who is responsible for conducting a sale, operating a honey booth at a farm show or other venue or otherwise engaging in business for Association members, shall see to it that all bills are paid and settlement made with participating members within thirty (30) days after the close of such business undertaking. A statement of quantity of goods sold, and monies received and disbursed shall be submitted to the President and Treasurer within thirty (30) days.
ARTICLE III. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The President shall appoint, at least 90 days prior to the annual (summer) meeting,with the approval of the Board of Directors, a Nominating Committee of not less thanthree, not more than one of whom shall be a member of the Board of Directors, who shall serve from the date of their appointment until the date of the first meeting of the Board of Directors following the annual meeting next ensuing. The Committee shall give continuous attention and study to securing suitable persons for Director services. The Committee shall present nominations at the annual meeting for vacancies on the Board of Directors and among the Officers of the Association occurring through expiration of terms of office and otherwise. The names of the nominees chosen by the nominating committee are to be provided to the Board of Directors at least 30 days prior to the date of the Summer meeting.
ARTICLE IV. ORDER OF BUSINESS
Business meetings of this Association shall include at a minimum: Call to order, reading review of minutes of the previous meeting and intervening meetings of the Board of Directors, if requested, communications, Treasurer’s reports, reports of other Officers, unfinished business, new business, election of Officers as required by the by-laws, announcements, program, and adjournment.
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Section 1a. There shall be a minimum of two regular meetings of this Association, viz: a Winter meeting and a Summer meeting at a place selected by the Board of Directors. The Summer meeting shall constitute the annual business meeting at which time officers shall be elected and other necessary business transacted.
Section 1b Educational meetings and workshops may be presented by the Vermont Beekeepers Association alone or in conjunction with other organizations such as the University of Vermont, the Vermont Bee Lab, or the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets.
Section 2. Other meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI. RULES OF ORDER
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order (revised) shall govern the organization in all cases in which they are applicable and not inconsistent with its Constitution and By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any appropriately warnedmeeting of the Association. Any proposed amendment shall have been presented to the Board of Directors for consideration and reported upon prior to action thereon by the Association. No such amendment shall be inconsistent with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations governing non-profit educational organizations.
ARTICLE VIII. Finance
An operational budget is to be developed by the board of directors for approval by the membership at the Summer meeting. The budget shall contain the yearly spending plan for the VBA.
THE VERMONT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
Constitution
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization, a nonprofit organization, shall be The Vermont Beekeepers Association, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “V.B.A.”)
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The V.B.A. is formed to engage in activities which will promote the common interests and general welfare of Vermont’s beekeeping industry and to form a friendly bond of unity among the State’s beekeepers. It shall be non-profit and shall be conducted in such a way as to comply with the Rules and Regulations of the Internal Revenue Service governing such organizations.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in this organization shall consist of all those interested in, or engaged in, the beekeeping industry and paying dues as provided in the By-Laws.
Section 2. Membership dues are payable according to the selected membership plan.
Section 3. Any person may be made an honorary member of this Association by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting. This person has all the rights and privileges of a regular VBA member.
ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The positions on the V.B.A. Board of Directors shall be the Officers - President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate past president, plus one Director-at-large who shall constitute the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall meet at least once annually and at such intervals as is deemed necessary during the year. Said meeting shall be called at a time and place to be specified by the President, or by a majority of the Board of Directors. Three members of this Board shall constitute a quorum.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to transact all necessary business between annual meetings. No action by the Board, nor the membership shall be adopted contrary to any rule or regulation of the IRS Section 501(c).
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Section 1a. There shall be a minimum of two regular meetings of this Association, viz: a Winter meeting and a Summer meeting at a place selected by the Board of Directors. The Summer meeting shall constitute the annual business meeting at which time Officers shall be elected and other necessary business transacted.
Section 1b. Educational meetings and workshops may be presented by the Vermont Beekeepers Association alone or in conjunction with other organizations such as the University of Vermont, the Vermont Bee Lab or the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets.
Section 2. Other meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI. RULES OF ORDER
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order (revised) shall govern all meetings of the organization in all cases where they are applicable and not inconsistent with its Constitution and By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII. OTHER MATTERS
All matters not defined in this Constitution shall be as provided in the By-laws.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regularly called meeting of the Association, provided that any proposed amendment shall have been presented to the Board of Directors for consideration and reported upon prior to action thereon by the Association and provided no such amendment is inconsistent with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.
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