BY - laws
CATHOLIC KOLPING SOCIETY OF AMERICA
DETROIT BRANCH INCORPORATED
Adopted
.
.
1935
Amended
..
..
.1947
Amended
1970
Amended
1981
Table of Contents
I. GENERAL OUTLINE........................................................................ 5
II. GOVERNMENT - BOARD OF DIRECTORS........................ 6
III. ELECTION OF OFFICERS........................................................ 10
IV. DUTIES OF OFFICERS............................................................... 12
V. MEETINGS........................................................................................ 18
VI. MEMBERSHIP................................................................................. 19
VII. DEPARTURE, DISMISSAL,
EXPULSION, & REINSTATEMENTS 21
VIII. DUES............................................................................................... 22
IX. AMENDMENTS............................................................................. 23
X. DISSOLUTION................................................................................. 23
XI. CONCLUSION................................................................................ 24
BY LAWS
A.
Name of Society:
"Catholic
Kolping Society of America, Detroit Branch Incorporated" Legal Title as
set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation filed at Lansing, Michigan
October 3, 1928. Renewed June 17, 1958.
B. Society
Founder:
Father
Adolph Kolping - Cologne, Germany, 1849.
C. Nature:
The
Catholic Kolping Society of Detroit under the auspices of the Archdiocese of
Detroit is a branch of the National and International Organization, bearing the
character of a Christian Family under the guidance of a Praeses and the
President. A non-profit Organization
operated for the common good; every profit motive other than for continuance of
the Society is excluded.
D. Purpose
To
promote the ideals of Father Kolping.
Namely:
1.
Well informed,
faithful Christians
2.
Loyal, alert,
conscientious Citizens
3.
Be prepared for a
successful married life and parenthood
4.
Proficient in
vocations or professions
E. Patrons:
1.
St. Joseph is the Principal
Patron; the model of the working man and of Christian Family life.
2.
Blessed Father Adolph
Kolping
A. Society
Government
The
governing of the Society shall be vested in a Board of Directors. Every Member of the Board of Directors must
be a member in good standing and must be a good Christian.
B. Divisions
The
Board will have (2) divisions, which will be called:
1.
Regular Board
2.
Rotating Board
The
above to consist of sixteen (16) members.
C. Board
Structure
1.
Regular Board: eight
(8)
a)
Praeses
b)
Kolping President
(Catholic)
c)
Ladies Executive
(Catholic)
d)
Schόtzen President
e)
Center Manager
f)
Park Manager
g)
Member, National Board
of Directors
h)
Society Treasurer
2.
Rotating Board: eight
(8)
a)
Chairman (Catholic)
b)
Assistant Chairman
c)
Secretary
d)
Five (5) additional
Members
D. Board
Position Rules
Any
Rotating Board Member, except the Chairman, Assistant Chairman and Secretary,
may hold any of the Regular Board positions.
If this occurs, the Board will function minus these people in the
Rotating Board. At the end of their
term in the Regular Board, they will again revert back to the Rotating
Board. At the end of their term in the
Regular Board, they will again revert back to the Rotating Board. All other Board positions cannot be held
jointly. (Maximum amount of Board
Members at anytime - sixteen (16)).
(Minimum amount - eleven (11).
E. Meeting
Times
The
Board shall meet at least six (6) times during each year.
F. Powers
Said
Board shall have the power to make all necessary Bylaws for its own government
and for the government of the Society.
A quorum is more than 50% of the entire Board Membership.
G. Control
The
Board of Directors has the exclusive right to control and manage the Society
and its affairs, fund, property and othe rsubject groups as may be formed or
exist. The Board of Directors, holding
and managing all property of the corporation, shall not have the power to
purchase, sell, dispose of or encumber the Real Estate without the consent of
two-thirds (2/3) of the general membership who are present in person or by
proxy. This is to be done at a General
Membership Meeting of which the whole membership has been duly notified ten
(10) days prior to the date of the meeting.
H. The
Chairman is elected by the Board and the Assistant is appointed by the
Chairman.
I. Any
member in good standing, who wishes to be a Board Member, must express this
desire in writing to the Praeses or Board Chairman. When an opening occurs, the Board will consider all such members. The Board reserves the right to male a
selection by a simple majority (50%) plus one (1) vote.
J.
If the Praeses is present, he will vote to break a tie and the
Chairman will receive no vote. The
Chairman may vote only in the absence of the Praeses in order to break a tie.
K. Before
a vote, the Praeses and Chairman may express their opini8ons and make
recommendations to the voting Board.
L. A
Board Member Resigns by submitting a written noticed to the Board.
M. New
Board Member openings are created by end of term, death, resignation or
expulsion.
N. A
Board Member can be expelled from the Board if two-thirds (2/3) of the entire
Board are in agreement. Note: An entire Board, as described in Section II
C.
O. The
Board appoints committees and managerial positions; they include:
1.
Center Manager
2.
Park Manager
3.
Center Custodian
4.
Kitchen Custodian
5.
Liquor Purchase
Custodians
6.
Board Secretary
7.
Society Treasurer
8.
Society Historian
9.
Highlights Editor
Note:
The list of duties entailed in these positions are the responsibility of the
Board Chairman.
P. It
is the Board of Directors' responsibility to seek and appoint a new Praeses.
Q. Any
Board Member with Board approval is authorized to sign all official papers and
legal document for the society.
R. Member,
National Board of Directors is elected every two (2) years by the General
Membership.
S. In
the event the Board Chairman is unable to complete his term of office, an
election must be held as soon as possible.
A. At the
September Meeting, an Election Chairman should be appointed from the membership
and a nominating committee of three (3) should be formed, including the
Chairman.
B. The
duty of the nominating committee shall be to obtain candidates. These names shall be presented tat the
October and November meetings of the membership.
C. A
notice (Highlights) of said Election Meeting shall be sent to all members
entitled to vote. Said notice shall be
mailed at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting. The candidate receiving the highest number
of votes shall fill the vacancy.
D. All
Officers (except Praeses, Vice President and Ladies Executive Assistant) shall
be nominated and elected annually by ballot at the General Meeting in
December. The Vice President of the
Kolping Society is appointed by the newly elected Kolping President. The Assistant Ladies Executive is appointed
by the newly elected Ladies Executive.
E. The
Office of the President and Ladies Executive of the Kolping Society can be
filled only by a person who is a Catholic.
The President and the Ladies Executive must have been an Officer, held a
Board position or a Board appointed position.
F. Duties
of the Elected Officers will start the first of January. Formal installation will be held at the St.
Joseph Day Celebration.
G. Offices
to be filled:
Kolping President (Catholic)
Vice President
Ladies Executive
Ladies Assistant Executive
Financial Secretary
Assistant Financial Secretary
Recording Secretary
Assistant Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Assistant
Corresponding Secretary
Offices
should be divided equally between male and female, if possible.
H. In the
event the President or Ladies Executive is unable to complete their term of
office, an election must be held as soon as possible.
The
Praeses is the Head of the Society, He
should be a Catholic Priest.
The
Officers, as a group, must meet once a month.
They have the right and responsibility to control and manage all Society
social functions through a chairman, if necessary, and all affairs concerning
membership within the Society, but subject to change of nullification if so
desired by the Board of Directors. The
Officers must transmit to their successors all records, papers and documents.
A. Praeses
The
Praeses should attend all meetings. He
shall be a member of the Board of Directors and all committees, but has the
right to vote only in the event of a tie.
The
term of his office is unlimited; in case of his resignation, he should notify
the Board three (3) months in advance, if possible.
B. President
The President is the Executive Office of the
Society. He shall:
1. Plan the business of the Meetings, call Officer
Meetings once a month and preside at such Meetings.
2. Be a member of all committees and appoint committee
chairpersons.
3. Review all applications for membership with the
Officers.
4. Be in charge of the traveling Table Banner
5. Be in charge of Suggestion Box Answers
6. Purchase the weeding gift and present the same to
the newly wed members at the next possible meeting they attend.
7. Appoint capable people for the following positions
and jobs:
a) Writing Kolping Banner article each month
b) Sending pictures from out activities to the Kolping
Banner Editor.
c) Have the Activity Calendar up-to-date.
d) Advertise activities when necessary.
e) Keep membership list up-to-date.
f)
Keep Rosary Chain list
up-to-date.
g) Represent the Kolping Society by bringing the Flag
to Funeral Home or Burial.
h) Order a High Mass or flowers for the deceased
member.
i)
Keep up the Guest
Registration.
j)
Activity report on all
Society functions (chairpersons)
8. Be responsible to the membership, through his
chirpersons, to see that each Society functions is carried out in an orderly
manner. This includes:
a) Ordering waitresses
b) Ordering music
c) Printing tickets
d) Take care of checkroom
e) Advertising (press, radio, etc.)
f)
Ordering Bartenders
g) Kitchen arrangements
h) Paying of bills and final report
i)
Decorating and
de-decorating
9. Along with the Schόtzen President, Ladies Executive,
and with the Officers establish the Activity Calendar for the coming year.
10. Be informed in advance of all activities within
Kolping.
11. Be elected annually, but not for more than two (2)
consecutive terms.
C. Vice
President
The
duties of the Vice President are dependent upon the wishes of the President.
D. Ladies
Executive
The
Ladies Executive is the Executive Assistant of the Society. She shall:
1.
Plan the business
meetings and preside at the same.
2.
Be a member of all
committees and appoint committee chairpersons
3.
Appoint capable people
for the following positions:
a)
Issue an invitation by
telephone or mail to the Praeses for all events
b)
Retain a list of
Kolping Members' children - how many, age, sex
c)
Order toys or presents
when appropriate
d)
Engage babysitters for
meetings
4.
Arrange date for Card
Parties at the beginning of the year and appoint chairpersons for each Card
Party and Christmas Party
5.
Be responsible to
acquire the birthday and Christmas gifts for the Praeses
6.
Inform the Kolping
President of all changes in dates of activities as soon as possible
7.
Be elected annually,
but not for more than two (2) consecutive terms
E. Ladies
Assistant Executive
The
duties of the Ladies Assistant Executive are dependent upon the wishes of the
Ladies Executive.
F. Financial
Secretary
The
Financial Secretary is the custodian of the financial accounts and the official
membership list of the Society. The
Financial Secretary shall:
1.
Collect dues and issue
membership cards
2.
Keep membership
records up-to-date and report any changes
3.
Keep accurate records
of all financial transactions and be prepared to render a statement at all
times
4.
Notify delinquent
members of non-payment of dues by telephone or mail. If no reply or explanation is received after the final notice, the
delinquent member's name shall be dropped from the records after reviewing case
with President and Officers
5.
Keep an up-to-date
list of Regular, Honorary Life and Honorary Members
6.
Issue Regular,
Honorary Life and Honorary membership cards
7.
Sell all types of
Kolping Pins and other Kolping items
8.
Get Memorial card of
the deceased member (usually obtained at Funeral Home) and file with deceased
member record
9.
Keep a record of all
deceased members each year, recording name and date of death, also resignations
and their reasons
G. Assistant
Financial Secretary
Shall
assist the Financial Secretary
H. Recording
Secretary
The Recording Secretary Shall:
1.
Prepare an account of
all deliberative proceedings of the Society and shall preserve such accounts
2.
Keep accurate and
current copies of the bylaws
3.
Record the Minutes of
the meetings
4.
Read the Minutes at
the meetings
5. Cut and collect all important paper, articles,
advertising, etc, for reference and for the Society Historian
I. Assistant
Recording Secretary
Shall
assist the Recording Secretary
J.
Correspondence Secretary
The
Correspondence Secretary receives and replies to all correspondence of the
Society. The Correspondence Secretary
shall:
1.
Send notice of
meetings and scheduled events
2.
Report correspondence
to the membership when called upon.
3.
Preserve all important
papers and documents
4.
Mail monthly
publication
5.
Keep an up-to-date
mailing membership list
6.
Answer all
correspondence as directed by the President.
7.
Post announcements
8.
Send greeting cards
9. Supply a current membership list ot the Board of
Directorss on January 1 of each year
K. Assistant
Corresponding Secretary
Shall
assist the Corresponding Secretary
Types:
Regular and General Meetings.
A. Regular Membership Meetings
Regular
Membership meetings shall be held monthly on the second Sunday afternoon of the
month from October through March and on the second Friday night of the month
from April through September. These
meetings are subject to change at the discretion of the Officers of the
Society.
B. General
Membership Meetings
General
Membership meetings can be called by the Board of Directors only. These meetings will deal with matters of a
special importance to the welfare of the Society. The December Meeting, which is the Election of Officers for the
ensuing year, is always a General Meeting.
The
Society consists of Regular, Honorary Life and Honorary Members.
A. Regular
Members
1.
Prospective
members must have attained their 18th birthday and willing to
espouse the objectives of the Kolping Society.
2.
All
members shall consider themselves honor-bound to promote interest in and give
service to the society.
3.
A
prospective member must have a sponsor who has been a member in good standing
for a period of one year, and be responsible to instruct them in Society rules
and guidelines.
4.
The
minimum period of probation is three (3) membership meetings,. During that time, the probationary member
must attend three (3) membership meetings.
This period of probation shall not start until the applicant has been
informed by the Society Officers. The
following closest Regular Meeting, dated to the Officers acceptance, will start
the probationary period.
5.
The
period of probation, being over, and no
objection having been raised against their reception, they shall be invited for
informal initiation. Formal initiation
will be held each year for all members at the St. Joseph Day celebration.
6.
Membership
dues shall be paid prior to the informal initiation.
7.
A
member in Good Standing is one whose dues are not in arrears for more than one
(1) year.
8.
Only
members in Good Standing shall be eligible to vote.
B. Honorary
Life Members