PUGET SOUND CHRISTMAS TREE ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED
BY-LAWS
Revised January 31, 1998 2004
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization hereafter referred to as the Association, shall be Puget Sound Christmas Tree Association, Incorporated.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
Section 1. Provide a means for local people interested in the Christmas tree industry to meet and work together for their mutual benefit.
Section 2. Provide educational opportunity through meetings and tours to help develop better understanding of growing, harvesting and marketing Christmas trees.
Section 3. Promote technical and research assistance available from universities, agencies, and industry to better meet the problems of local growers and others concerned.
Section 4. Encourage the growing and harvesting of better quality Christmas trees to help upgrade the industry and provide a more acceptable product for the consumer.
Section 5. Improve marketing of locally grown trees.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership Qualification. Any person, partnership, firm, corporation, municipality, private or public agency, interested in or affected by the production and marketing of Christmas Trees and associated products, residing or operating in the territory served by the Association, shall be eligible for membership in the Association.
Section 2. Membership Classifications. Membership shall be divided into four (4) classes:
- (1) Grower Selling Member,
- (2) Grower Not Yet Selling Member New member not yet selling trees,
- (3) Associate Member, and
- (4) Honorary Life Members.
Classes (1) and (2) in good standing according to Article III, Sec. 3 are entitled to full membership with voting privileges.
Class (3) – Associate Members shall be persons engaged directly or indirectly with the growing and selling of Christmas trees; such as county, state, federal employees, research specialists, sales persons selling products or consulting to the industry, wholesalers and retailers; one who does not grow or sell tree of his or her won. An Associate Member shall have an informational voice, but no vote in the association’s business meetings, and shall not hold office. An Associate member shall pay annual dues according to the schedule outlined in Article III, Sec. 3.
Class (4) – Honorary Life Members shall be selected by the Executive Board and have full membership privileges. Honorary Life Members shall pay no dues. Honorary Life Members and year shall be listed in the annual report.
Section 3. Membership Dues. Dues shall be $60.00 $75.00 annually, per farm, when paid between January 1 and March 31. Dues paid after March 31 are delinquent, and shall be $90.00 per farm. New memberships shall be accepted throughout the current year at the standard annual rate set by the Association, but not prorated. Dues for new members shall be $60.00 $75.00 for the first year of membership. All membership dues must be paid in full by March 31 to be listed on the map. Associate Members dues shall be $40.00 annually, paid by March 31. Annual dues change may be recommended by the Board of Directors to the general membership at a general meeting at which a quorum is present.
ARTICLE IV – FISCAL YEAR MEETING
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of this Association shall be the calendar year.
Section 2. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the membership of the Association shall be held on the last Saturday of January of each year.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Other meeting and tours will be scheduled by the officers of this Association.
Section 4. Meeting Notice. Written notice of meetings shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member in good standing, at least ten (10) days prior to the date and location fo the meeting. The Secretary shall cause to be published a bold reminder in the Annual Meeting notice that dues may be paid beginning with the annual meeting in January. Annual dues shall be recommended by the Board of Directors to the general membership and voted upon at a general meeting wherein a quorum is present.
Section 5. Quorum. Twenty-five (25) percent of all qualified voting members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the general membership.
Section 6. Voting. Prior to any general meeting election, by-law or procedural change, the President shall request the Secretary to call the roll of all qualified voting members, assuring a division of the floor of voters from non-voters for that purpose. The President shall call for a secret written ballot in the case of an election, and a voice vote, show of hands, written vote or standing vote of the membership in other matters. The President shall appoint three (3) tellers to count the ballots and report the findings. Voting by proxy or by mail will not be permitted.
A Member is a farm, and may cast one vote representing that farm. The Member shall notify the Secretary during the roll call as to who will be their voting representative. A Partnership shall cast one vote, and shall notify the Secretary during the roll call, their voting representative. An Incorporation shall cast one vote and notify the Secretary during the roll call, their voting representative. An Associate Member shall have no vote in the Association.
ARTICLE V – EXECUTIVE BOARD AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and the immediate Past President The Executive Board shall be empowered to make decisions and act for the Association when immediately necessary.
Section 2. Board of Directors. The Board members of the Association shall include the members of the Executive Board, and three (3) elected board members from each of the three major areas of Puget Sound, as follows:
- Area 1. Includes Snohomish, Island, San Juan, Skagit and WhatcomCounties
- Area 2. Includes all of KingCounty
- Area 3. Includes Clallum, Kitsap, Pierce and counties to the South, and:
It shall be their duty to share, communicate, discuss Association business and progress to the members within their designated boundaries, bringing their concern and recommendations to the Board of Directors meeting. It shall be the responsibility of each elected Board Member to decide together with their Area, dividing that Area into thirds for representation to member farms.
Section 3. Other Committees. The Association at regularly called meeting, Board, or General, may appoint any committee it deems necessary. The Executive Board may elect or with the approval of the board, the President may appoint other standing or temporary committees for Association Service.
Section 3 4. Coordinator. A project coordinator may be appointed by the President as need arises.
Section 4 5. Quorum. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be three members. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be seven members.
Section 6. The Board of Directors shall assign dollar amounts to items voted on by the membership.
Section 7. All Board members will be notified of all board meetings.
ARTICLE VI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President. The President shall preside over all meetings of the general membership, the Executive Board, call, by agenda, all meetings, sign as President on behalf of the Association the minutes of all meetings over which he presides, all contracts, papers and documents he is authorized by the Executive Board to sign; and perform all acts and duties usually required of an executive and presiding officer. Payment for this service shall be an annual amount of $300 or as determined by the Board of Directors, paid in December. All costs shall be advanced or reimbursed by the Association. The term of office of President shall be for one year unless waived or extended by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Vice President. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall serve in the capacity of the President. The term of office for the Vice President shall be for one year, unless waived or extended by the Board of Directors. The Vice President’s duties shall include: The chairmanship, organization, planning and notification to all members of the spring and fall farm tours, and provide all association meetings with coffee, sweet rolls and attendant supplies needed. All expenses shall be advanced or reimbursed by the Association. Payment for the service of Vice President shall be $300 annually or as determined by the Board of Directors, paid in December.
Section 3. Secretary. The Secretary shall take, prepare in writing, sign and maintain minutes of all Association meetings including the Executive Board, and Board of Directors. The Secretary shall prepare and maintain a current paid membership list for roll calls and provide the updated list in writing at the end of February and March to all officers, serve all notices in writing as directed, prepare and mail an annual membership report to Association members before the end of April of each year; To include the by-laws of the Association, with date notations of changes from the previous year; names of Executive Board members and, Board of Directors and all Committee Chairmen. The Secretary shall receive payment fo dues by members, record the date received, then forward the Checks for deposit to the Treasurer along with an update membership list by month through March 31. The term of Secretary shall be for two years, unless waived or extended by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall maintain an accurate record of Board Members terms of office, indicating the end of each officer’ term in the annual report. All personal costs shall be advanced or reimbursed. Payment for the service of Secretary shall be $300 annually or as determined by the Board of Directors, paid in December.
Section 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive, deposit adn disburse all funds, serve as the custodian of all property of the Association, make a full report in writing to all members at the Association’s annual meeting, furnish a financial report upon request of the board, and prepare the records for an audit at the end of each year if requested. the Treasurer shall promptly deposit all funds in the Association’s bank fo choice. All personal costs shall be advanced or reimbursed. Payment for the service of treasurer shall be $300 annually or as determined by the Board of Directors, paid in December. The term of the Treasurer shall be for two years unless waived or extended by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Board Members – Terms and Absences. Terms of Board members shall be for a maximum of three years, unless waived or extended by the Board of Directors. There shall be three board members elected from each of the three Areas, with staggered terms, beginning in 1998. The Secretary shall indicate ending terms of all board members, by year in the Annual Report to the membership in or before the end of April. Board Members that are absent without being excused, for two consecutive board meetings, will be notified by letter of his or her replacement by direction of the President. The replacement candidate will be nominated by the President, at a Board meeting called for that purpose, and replaced by simple majority vote by either the Board of Directors, or the Executive Board in the case of an emergency. Any personal expenses shall be reimbursed by the Association. Each Board of Directors member shall receive compensation of $40.00 per Board Meeting attended, in December of each year.
Section 6. Length of Service. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms, unless waived by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. Delegation of Powers. In the case of absence or disability of any officer of the Association,, the Executive Board may delegate the powers or duties of such officer to any member for the period of such absence or disability. In the case of a permanent absence, resignation or disability, the Executive Board shall meet within 30 days and recommend a permanent to the Board of Directors at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Section 8. Chairmen compensation. The Farm Map Chairman shall receive $10.00 per farm annually for his/her service or as determined by the Board of Directors, and paid in December. The Puyallup Fair Chairmen shall receive $150.00 or as determined by the Board of Directors, and paid in December. All personal expenses to Chairmen shall be reimbursed by the Association. Any other active Chairpersons shall be compensated as determined by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII – NON-PROFIT
The Association is organized and at all times shall be operated on a non-profit basis. In shall have no income nor profit for itself but shall hold any funds or other property in trust for its members for use and expenditure pursuant to the provisions of its By-Laws.
ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION
In the event of winding up its affairs and the dissolution of the Association, all debts andn accrued expenses shall be paid, and any remaining funds or other property shall be given to a public service agency under commitment to use such funds or the property for work on the production and marketing of Christmas trees and associated products in the territory of the Association.
ARTICLE IX – DISBURSEMENT OF ASSOCIATION FUNDS
The Treasurer is directed to disburse all funds to meet all Association obligations that have been approved by a prior majority vote of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS
The By-Laws of the Association may be amended by affirmative vote of a majority of the Executive Board in any regularly called meeting, provided specific notice of proposed changes shall have been included in the call for the meeting, and provided further that such amendments shall be subject to ratification an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at the next annual meeting of the membership.
ARTICLE XI – AUTHORITY
The Parliamentary authority upon which these By-Laws are drawn, shall be Robert’s Rules of Order Revised, consistent with the laws of the State, under the terms of this Association’s Incorporation status, and as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Washington. (Revised: 1-31-98 1-31-2004)
