Kalamazoo Libation Organization of Brewers Bylaws

Article I - Purpose

Section I-1 - Purpose The Kalamazoo Libation Organization of Brewers (herein referred to as â..the clubâ.) is an educational and social organization dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of the hobby of homebrewing beer, mead, wine, and cider along with the enjoyment and promotion of the tasting of quality beer, mead, wine, and cider both homebrewed and professionally brewed. Section I-2 - Goals The goals of the club are to: A - engage in enjoyable social activities focused on homebrewing as a common foundation. B - learn more about beer, mead, wine, and cider; beer, mead, wine, and cider tasting; beer, mead, wine, and cider judging; and brewing beer, mead, wine, and cider techniques, based on sharing knowledge and experience. D - promote the responsible use of alcoholic beverages.

Article II - Membership

Section II-1 - Eligibility All persons of legal age to consume alcoholic beverages, with a sincere interest in the appreciation of good beer and/or homebrewing and willingness to abide by these bylaws and other reasonable decisions of the club officers, are eligible for membership. Section II-2 - Acceptance Eligible persons seeking membership must attend a club meeting to pay dues and receive a temporary membership card. Section II-3 - Types of Membership There are two types of membership in the club: A - Regular Members are those members in good standing whose dues are current. B â.. Active Members (which are also Regular Members) are those have attended at least ½ of all meetings (or events deemed as meetings by the club) for the past 12 months C - Complimentary members. The officers of the club may offer complimentary membership to officers of other homebrew clubs, as well as to organizations upon a majority vote of the officers. Complimentary Members have the same status as Regular Members, but cannot vote. Section II-4 - Rights and Liability of Members Each regular member of the club shall have the right to vote on club matters provided they are in attendance during a regularly scheduled KLOB Business meeting. The members of the club shall not be liable for the debts or obligations of the club. No member shall receive compensation for services rendered to the club except as otherwise approved by the officers of the club and by a majority vote in a regularly scheduled KLOB Business meeting. A club member may be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred on behalf of the club, if and only if approved by the club officers or by a majority vote in a regularly scheduled KLOB Business meeting. Section II-5 - Guests Members are encouraged to bring guests to club meetings and functions. It is anticipated that these guests will eventually join the club. Section II-6 - Membership Year The membership year of the club shall be based on the current calendar year. Membership dues shall be paid at the first meeting of the new year and are not prorated. Section II-7 - Nondiscrimination Club membership shall not be denied to any individual on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, or sex. Section II-8 - Hold Harmless My participation in this club is entirely voluntary. I know that participation in club activities involves the consumption of an alcoholic beverage, and this may affect my perception and reactions. I accept responsibility for my conduct, behavior, and actions, and absolve the club and the owner of the meeting place of responsibility for my conduct, behavior and actions. Participation includes any guests that may be present at club activities, wherever they may be held.

Article III - Voting

Section III-1 - Eligibility All regular club members who have dues currently paid up are eligible to vote. Section III-2 - Items Put to Vote The clubâ..s officers shall decide when and the kinds of issues to be voted on by the membership. Any member may petition to any officer for issues to be brought to a vote. Section III-3 - Election Dates Regular elections are held annually with nominations at the November meeting. Voting will be held at the last meeting of the year and the new officers take office on January 1st. Special elections may be held as determined by the majority vote of the club officers. Section III-4 - Nominations Nominations shall be made by any regular member and seconded by any other regular member. Section III-5 - Voting Method Voting is by show of hands. If it is not possible to determine the outcome by this method, voting will be by written ballot. This means a ballot will be available to regular members in attendance.

Article IV - Officers

Section IV-1 â.. Officer Positions A - The following positions make up the list of elected officers: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Past President B - Other appointed positions may be established and abolished at any time by the elected officers, or by the majority of the membership in a valid vote. Ordinarily, these positions include Membership Chairman, Newsletter Editor, etc. Section IV-2 â.. Officer Responsibilities President - This officer is responsible for the conduct of the meetings. The President can cancel a meeting with a majority vote of the other officers, or appoint a regular member to preside over a meeting if other officers are unavailable. The president is responsible for securing the meeting place. Often, the president is the one who plans the meetings and arranges for an interesting demonstration or discussion. The president reviews the financial records of the club quarterly or as needed. Vice President - This officer assists the president as necessary including conducting the meeting in his absence. The vice president may organize the tasting portion of the meeting, ensuring that there is an adequate supply of beer. Secretary - This officer keeps the minutes of the meeting and is responsible for posting the agenda for the next meeting online. He/she may also edit and publish the club newsletter or meeting notices. The secretary is responsible for maintaining the official club membership list. The secretary corresponds with other clubs and appropriate bodies. Treasurer - This officer handles the finances. The treasurer collects dues and sees that they are deposited in the clubâ..s accounts. The treasurer keeps the financial records and will file monthly reports for audit by the President. Past President - This officer assists the current officers as requested. Section IV-3 â.. Removal of Officers Any officer of the club may be removed by the vote of a majority of the regular members. The vote for removal must be conducted at a legitimate and scheduled club meeting, with more than two-thirds of the regular members voting. Notification to the membership that a special election will be held on the removal of an officer must be included in the agenda of the monthly meeting at least 7 days in advance. Section IV-4 â.. Officer Resignation Upon the resignation of an officer, the remaining officers shall select a person to take the responsibilities of the officer who left. The selected person shall serve out the remainder of the resigned officerâ..s term.

Article V - Nonprofit Organization

Section V-1 - Nonprofit Status The club is declared as a nonprofit organization. This does not give it tax exemption status under the rules of the Unites States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unless applied for and received at a later date.

Article VI - Calendar Year & Dues

Section VI-1 - Calendar Dues are paid annually. The dues for all types of membership are set by the officers, with the majority approval of the membership at a regularly scheduled KLOB Business meeting. Section VI-2 - Financial Report The Treasurer shall report the financial status of the club in the treasurerâ..s report at each meeting and provide a detailed accounting of all club transactions at the end of each calendar year which will be available for audit by the President.

Article VII - Meetings

Section VII-1 - Meetings of Members Members shall meet monthly unless otherwise instructed by the club officers. Monthly meetings are normally held on the third (3rd) Monday of each month. Section VII-2 - Meeting Procedure KLOB Meetings will consist of two separate sessions open to any Regular Member. KLOB Business Meeting. The Business Meeting will be held prior to every Regular Meeting from 6:30pm to 7:15pm. In transacting official business, efficiency and common sense will prevail. The format of the meeting will be as follows: minutes of the prior business meeting, officer's reports, committee reports, old business, new business. In each case, any requested action by regular members during the meeting must be stated in the context of a legitimate motion to be voted upon during the business meeting. Any at-length discussion will be reserved for after the business meeting. KLOB General Meeting. The KLOB General Meeting will commence after the close of the business meeting. The general meeting will consist of introductions, discussion, programs, and sampling. Voting will not occur during the general meeting unless the presiding officer makes an exception. Club activities, finances, procedures and policy may be discussed during this meeting.

Article VIII - Contingency Fund

Section VIII-1 - Fund A contingency fund may be established and maintained by the Treasurer to cover unexpected expenses or losses of the club. The amount of the fund shall be established by a majority vote in a regularly scheduled KLOB Business meeting, by the President, the Treasurer, or a majority vote of the officers.

Article IX - By-law Acceptance Changes

Section IX-1 - Acceptance These bylaws are accepted at the time of adoption by a majority vote of regular members. Section IX-2 - Procedure for Changes Any regular member may make a motion for a change in the bylaws at any regularly scheduled monthly business meeting. When changes are suggested, the petition must be presented in writing. The vote on this motion will be at the next regularly scheduled monthly business meeting. The officers of the club will make every reasonable attempt to notify all regular members of the impending vote within ten days prior to the vote, but they are under no obligation to do so. Failure to notify the membership does not negate the scheduled vote. A vote of the majority of the regular members in attendance is required to approve a change in the existing bylaws. Amendments: None at this time