Change Butler
A Grassroots Political Action Committee (PAC)

BYLAWS

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be Change Butler.

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of this committee is to bring Butler County residents and friends into the political process to fight for progressive causes; to recruit, support, and elect progressive candidates at the local, state and federal levels; and to participate in service locally and beyond. The committee is empowered to solicit voluntary contributions from individuals and to authorize expenditures with the attempt to influence the selection, nomination or election of approved candidates for office as well as relevant ballot issues.

Article III: Organization

The committee shall be a voluntary, nonprofit, unincorporated, and unaffiliated organization operating within Butler County, Ohio.

Article IV: Membership and Dues

Section 1: Any individual who supports the mission and purpose of this committee shall be eligible for membership after completing a membership application and paying the annual dues.

Section 2: Membership dues shall be paid annually and shall be approved by a majority vote of the members. The annual amount shall be set no later than March 31 of each calendar year. Payment is due no later than the final day of April. Members who are delinquent in paying their dues shall be notified by the Treasurer for a period of two months (60 days). Nonpayment in that period will result in relinquishing membership.

Section 3: Membership in Change Butler shall be confidential.

Article V: Executive Committee

Section 1: The Executive Committee shall consist of four elected officers, the past president, and at least three at-large members elected by the general membership. The officers shall include President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2: The Executive Committee shall oversee the ongoing operations of the committee, approve the budget, review activities and projects of the standing committees, direct activities and goal setting, and initiate policies between General Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet before each Membership Meeting.

Section 3: A special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by the President or by a majority of members of the Executive Committee. Five (5) days notice of a meeting is required, unless waived in case of emergency by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee. A good faith effort to record votes of absent members must be made in the case of an emergency meeting.

Section 4: Meetings of the Executive Committee are open to the membership. Discussion also is open to the membership unless limited to the Executive Committee by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee Members.

Article VI: Election, Removal, and Vacancy of Officers and At-Large Members

Section 1: All Officers except Treasurer shall be elected for two-year rotating terms beginning on April 1 of each calendar year. Elections shall be held no later than March 31. Officers shall be chosen by a majority vote of the membership present at the General Meeting. The President and Secretary shall be chosen in even years; the Vice President shall be chosen in odd years. At-Large Executive Committee Members shall be elected annually for one-year terms.

Section 2: Any member shall be eligible to vote and run in officer elections provided they have been a paid member for at least 30 days prior to the election.

Section 3: An elected officer or committee chair may be removed for "good cause" by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of paid members present at a General Meeting or Special Meeting. The officer or chair must be given an opportunity to be heard by the membership. Just cause may include failure to carry out his/her duties as prescribed by the bylaws or failure to attend two (2) Membership meetings in one quarter.

Section 4: A vacancy, with the exception of the President, shall be filled by a majority vote of paid members present at a General Meeting, at a Special Meeting called for the purpose of filling a vacancy, or by the Executive Committee. Should the Executive Committee fill the vacancy, they will solicit volunteers before making an appointment. Should there be vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall fill the position and an election shall be held to elect a new Vice President.

Section 5: The Treasurer shall be elected upon vacancy due to retirement, resignation or removal by a majority vote of the membership. Upon election, the treasurer may serve until he/she resigns, retires or is removed under the guidelines of Section 3.

Article VII: Duties of Officers

Section 1: The duties of the President shall be as follows:
a. serve as Chief Executive of the Change Butler; preside over all official meetings ; act as the official
representative of the committee to other groups and the media; attend meetings on behalf of the
organization, when possible.
b. with consent of the Membership, appoint chairs of the standing committees; with consent of the
Executive Committee, establish temporary committees and appoint members to them, when necessary
to achieve the goals of the committee.
c. serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing committees.

Section 2: The duties of the Vice-President shall be as follows:
a. perform the duties of the President in his/her absence until such time as he/she returns.
b. assume the duties of the President upon his/her resignation, death, or removal from office.
c. oversee the activities of the Speakers Bureau and Special Events Committees.
d. perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 3: The duties of the Secretary are as follows:
a. record and distribute minutes of Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings and make
necessary preparations for all Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings.
b. provided notice to the membership regarding Membership Meetings and Executive Committee
meetings.
c. accurately maintain all official documents relating to Change Butler, including committee reports,
unless delegated to another person by these bylaws.
d. maintain an accurate membership list and handle membership renewal billings.
e. respond to written correspondence received by Change Butler.
f. perform other duties assigned by the President.

Section 4: The duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:
a. maintain complete records of all receipts and expenditures.
b. present a written financial report at all regular Membership and Executive Committee meetings.
c. prepare an annual budget from anticipated revenue and expenses.
d. collect dues from the membership and serve on the Finance Committee.
e. file all reports as required by law and comply with all state and federal reporting laws.
f. sign all checks drawn on the Change Butler account, with a second elected officer on expenditures over $100.

Article VIII: Meetings

Section 1: The regular Membership Meeting of Change Butler shall be held each month at a regularly scheduled time. The Secretary shall notify members of the date, time, and location of membership meetings via email or telephone at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

Section 2: The Membership Meeting in March shall be the Annual Meeting, and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving annual reports, and adopting a budget.

Section 3: Special Meetings of Change Butler may be called by the President, or upon the request of ten (10) percent of the paid members. Members must be notified in writing, via email, a minimum of three (3) business days before a Special Meeting. The purpose of the Meeting shall be set forth in the notice, and that shall be the only business conducted at that Meeting.

Section 4: A quorum shall be required before any vote is taken at a General Meeting or Special Meeting, and shall exist when one twentieth (1/20) of the general membership is present. Proxies shall not be valid at membership meetings.

Article IX: Committees

Section 1: The following shall be Standing Committees of Change Butler:
a. Finance Committee
b. Political Outreach Committee
c. Legislative Action Committee
d. Community Service Committee

Section 2: Chairs for Standing Committees will be appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the membership at the April meeting each year. If a vacancy occurs, the President shall appoint a Chair, who will take office immediately after approval by a majority vote of the membership at the next Membership meeting. In choosing committee chairs, the President shall make his/her best effort to appoint chairs reflecting the gender, ethnic, age, and geographical diversity of the organization. Each chair will recruit members to his/her committee, with his/her best faith effort to appoint members reflecting the diversity of the club.

Section 3: The Finance Committee shall manage all fundraising events and activities of Change Butler.

Section 4: The Political Outreach Committee shall seek to work with relevant local, state and national political organizations, including the Democratic Party, and recruit and recommend candidates for endorsement.

Section 5: The Legislative Action Committee shall be responsible for lobbying and grassroots organizing on behalf of issues important to the Change Butler mission and the paid membership. Any paid member may raise an issue for consideration by the Legislative Action Committee at any monthly meeting.

Section 6: The Community Service Committee shall be responsible for identifying and coordinating service projects in which Change Butler participates.

Section 7: Other committees may be formed as deemed necessary by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.

Article X: Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the paid membership at any General Meeting of Change Butler. Questions of interpretation of these bylaws may be appealed to the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.