TBE-Proposed-By-laws-2015

Bylaws of the Augusta Hebrew Community, Incorporated

(Presented to Annual Meeting June 7, 2015)

Article 1: Name, Location

Section 1. The name of this corporation is the Augusta Hebrew Community, Incorporated. It is located in Augusta, Maine.

Section 2. Temple Beth El is the name we use.

Section 3. “Augusta” refers to the City of Augusta and environs.

Article 2: Purposes

Section 1.  The purpose of Temple Beth El is:

  1. to provide an opportunity for worship;
  1. to maintain a community center to encourage cultural, social, and athletic activities;
  1. to promote the general welfare of the Jewish community of Augusta;
  1. to foster the education of the Jewish community of Augusta;
  1. to own, lease, rent, possess and operate real estate and personal property;
  1. to hire professional persons as needed and to make such contracts as necessary to promote the purposes of the corporation with all the powers generally provided by the statues of the State of Maine for non-profit corporations.

Article 3: Membership

Section 1. 

  1. Any person or family of the Jewish faith willing to subscribe to these bylaws may obtain a membership in Temple Beth El.
  1. Each family or person shall have only one membership.
  1. A Jewish family is defined as one in which at least one spouse or spousal equivalent or one child is Jewish. 
  1. All officers of the corporation must be Jewish.

Section 2. Financial obligations and other standards of membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

Article 4: Meetings

Section 1.  Annual meetings of Temple Beth El shall be called by the president in May or June. Fifteen memberships in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the annual meeting.

Section 2. Notice of the annual meeting shall be announced at least 14 days before the meeting.

Section 3.  Special meetings of Temple Beth El shall be called by the president or at the written request of 15 memberships in good standing. Such requests shall be addressed to the president and shall state the purpose of the special meeting in the form of a motion or motions.  The president shall notify all members of Temple Beth El at least five days before such meeting.  No other business shall be transacted at the special meeting.

Article 5: Nomination and Election of Officers and Directors

 

Section 1.  Nominating Committee

  1. At least 60 days before the annual meeting, the president shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three members who shall nominate a slate of candidates, consisting of members in good standing, to be officers and members of the Board of Directors. The selections of the Nominating Committee will be presented to the members at least two weeks before the annual meeting.
  1. Additional candidates may be nominated by members in good standing during the annual meeting.

Section 2.  Officers

The officers of the corporation shall be president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Officers shall be elected to terms of one year or until their successors are elected. 

Section 3. Directors

  1. a.The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers, the immediate past president and nine members-at-large. Three members-at-large shall be elected to the Board of Directors each year.
  1. b.No director shall serve more than three consecutive full terms.
  1. c.Directors elected under the previous by-laws shall serve out their terms.

Section 4.  Method of Election

  1. Election shall be by open ballot; in the event of any contest, the election shall be by secret ballot.
  1. All members in good standing are eligible to vote and hold office.
  1. There shall be one vote per membership.
  1. The newly elected officers and directors shall be installed at the annual meeting.

Section 5. Honorary Trustees

  1. a.In recognition of service to Temple Beth El, the Board of Directors may elect three members of the Temple to serve as honorary trustees.
  1. b.Honorary trustees shall serve for three years, with one trustee elected each year.
  1. c.Honorary trustees shall be notified of all directors meetings and may participate in discussion but shall not vote or be counted for a quorum.

Article 6: Officers and their Duties

Section 1.  The president shall preside at all meetings of Temple Beth El.  He/she shall appoint all committees and committee chairs. The president shall be a member ex-officio of all committees and shall carry out such duties as usually pertain to this office.

Section 2. The vice-president shall perform the duties of the president in the event of the president’s absence, resignation, or inability to perform his/her duties. 

Section 3. Treasurer

  1. The treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds of Temple Beth El and shall deposit all funds of the Temple in accounts designated by the Board of Directors.
  1. He/she shall keep all deeds, promissory notes and valuable papers of the corporation.  He/she shall keep a complete set of records of all money collected, deposited, and disbursed. 
  1. He/she shall submit a financial report upon request by the president and shall submit reports regularly at meetings of the Board of Directors.  He/she shall submit a complete report at the annual meeting of the Temple Beth El.
  1. Checks drawn Temple Beth El shall be signed by the treasurer or by an officer designated by the president in the event of the treasurer’s absence.

Section 4. Secretary

  1. The secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the corporation and board meetings. These records shall be maintained in an accessible form.
  1. He/she shall perform other duties as designated by the Board of Directors.
  1. He/she shall make reports upon request by the president.

 

Article 7: Directors and their Duties

Section 1. 

  1. a.Directors shall have vested in them the management of the corporation in its activities and in its property subject to the provision of the charter and in accord with the bylaws of the corporation.

       b. The Board of Directors shall meet a minimum of six times each fiscal year.

  1. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the president or at the written request of five directors in good standing, said request to be addressed to the president.  Notice of special meetings shall be sent to members of the Board of Directors and shall state the purpose of calling the meeting. No other business shall be transacted.
  1. When immediate action on a particular issue is deemed necessary by the president, the Board of Directors may be notified of that issue by email and may vote by email. If the number of votes is sufficient to constitute a quorum, actions taken by a majority of those voting represent the official action of the Board of Directors, provided that any such vote by email is subject to ratification at the next meeting of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. 

  1. The office of any director or officer who is absent for three successive meetings without good cause may be declared vacant by the Board of  Directors.
  1. If there is a  vacancy in an office or a vacancy on the Board of Directors, by reason of resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise, but not because of expiration of term, such office shall be filled by the Board of Directors electing a successor to hold such office until the next annual meeting. A majority vote of the Board of Directors shall elect a successor.

Section 3.  A quorum for the transaction of business at a board meeting shall consist of one-half the total number of Board of Directors, plus one.

Article 8: Use of Temple Beth El Facilities

 

 The Board of Directors shall determine a schedule of minimum fees for the use of Temple Beth El and its facilities.

 

Article 9: Committees

Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees:

  1. Hebrew School Committee
  1. Ritual Committee
  2. Special Events Committee
  3. Development (fund raising) Committee
  4. Rabbi Committee

Section 2. The president may appoint other committees as needed. No committees, subsidiary units, or members shall incur any debt or liability upon Temple Beth El

without approval of the Board of Directors.

Article 10: Youth Groups

Temple Beth El shall promote the activities of the Jewish youth of the community by giving them the right to organize groups under proper supervision.

Article 11: Amendments

 

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the corporation Temple Beth El by a vote of two-thirds of the members in good standing, present at such meeting, provided that such proposed amendments are stated in the call of such meeting.

Article 12: Rules of Order

Parliamentary questions or rule of order not otherwise determined by these bylaws shall be decided in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.