BY-LAWS OF THE OKLAHOMA GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I. NAME
Sect. 1 The name of the association shall be “OKLAHOMA Golf Course Superintendents’ Association”.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Sect . 1 The purpose of the Association shall be to advance the art and sciences of golf course maintenance through the support of research, education, exchange of ideas, and the mutual cooperation of membership. It shall also be the purpose of the Association to cooperate with and support the interests and purposes of the National Golf Course Superintendents’ Association.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Sect. 1 Membership in the Association shall consist of nine (9) classes: A, B, C, D, AA, S, F, G, and I. The membership application of a Class A or Class B, who wants to join the affiliated chapter must also present a copy of application for membership previously submitted or evidence of membership with a national association (Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America) and shall maintain such membership thereafter.
Sect. 2 Class A: Class A members shall have at least three (3) years employed as a golf course superintendent at the time of application and who shall have at least three (3) years employed in this capacity, and comply with all additional qualifications adopted by the membership. Class A members are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of the Association and may hold office.
Sect. 3 Class B: Class B members shall be those persons actively employed as a Golf Course Superintendent with less than three (3) year’s experience as a Golf Course Superintendent, and has not met the additional qualifications for Class A membership. Superintendent Members shall have all rights and privileges of this Association except right to hold elective office.
Sect. 4 Class C: Class C members shall be, at the time of application for membership, an assistant to a Golf Course Superintendent. Class C members do not have voting privileges and may not hold elective offices, but may hold appointive offices.
Sect. 5 Class D: Class D members are honorary members and pay no dues and are not able to hold any elective office, but may be appointed by the President to a committee for only one year. To receive an honorary membership, the applicants must be voted upon by the Board of Directors each year.
Sect. 6 Class AA: To qualify for Life Membership, a member must have retired from active service as a Golf Course Superintendent. A Life Member shall have all rights and privileges of the Association except that of holding office and shall be excused from payment of annual dues and assessments. To receive a Life Membership the applicant must be voted upon by the Board of Directors
Sect. 7 Class S: Class S memberships are available to any person attending a College or University in the study of Turf grass Management. Class S members may not hold office or vote, but such members may serve on a committee by appointment.
Sect. 8 Class F, Affiliated: To qualify for Affiliated Membership, an applicant must be an individually current business firm, or governmental body interested in golf course management and/or in the growing production of fine turf grass, either individually or through employment by, or an affiliation with, a company, proprietorship or association, and who does not qualify for membership in another class. Affiliate members shall have privileges of the Association as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules, except those of voting and holding office.
Sect. 9 Class G, Associate: To qualify for Associate Membership, an applicant must be an individual in golf course management and/or in the growing production of fine turf grass. Associate Members shall have privileges of the Association as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules, except those of voting and holding office.
Sect. 10 Class I, Inactive: An Inactive Member is an individual who by reason of unemployment, illness, or other adverse circumstances, has been placed in this class upon his or her application. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to act on such application and to place a member on Inactive status subject to terms and conditions as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules.
Sect. 11 Denial of membership: Denial of a membership application, denial of an application for reinstatement by a suspended member, or suspension of a current member except for nonpayment of annual dues or assessments shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the current membership at a meeting called expressly for the purpose by the President or upon receipt of a petition by at least ten (10) members. The membership including the affected member or prospective member shall be notified of such a special meeting by the Secretary-Treasurer at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
Sect. 12 Classification: Classification of all members as to membership status will take place January 1st of each year, except that a member can request reclassification any time during the year on the presentation of supporting evidence to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be the sole judge of all membership classification.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATAION
Sect 1. Applications for membership shall be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer and shall be accompanied by the current required initiation fee and the annual dues. All applications shall be acted upon by the Board of Directors at the first meeting following receipt of the current annual dues.
Sect. 2 Membership in the association shall be on a calendar year basis.
Sect. 3 Any change in the amount of the annual dues of the Association shall be decided by the majority of the voting members present at the annual business meeting immediately preceding the calendar year in which such application is received by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
Sect. 1 Non-payment of dues or assessments: All members whose dues are not paid in advance of the fiscal year may have services and benefits suspended. All members, whose dues remain unpaid more than 31 days past the first day of the fiscal year, or after the due date of the assessment, shall be dropped from the membership roll of the Association without further notice.
Sect. 2 Prohibited Conduct: The following conduct is prohibited for members of the Association
- A) Violation of the Associations Code of Ethics. The OGCSA will follow the GCSAA Code of Ethics. B) Use of the Association affiliation for the purpose of promoting schemes, ideas, or objects that are detrimental to the Association. C) Conduct unbecoming a member or inimical to the Association. D) Submitting false information on an application for membership or on a dues statement. Conduct that is prohibited shall be cause of disciplinary action or expulsion from Membership in accordance with procedure set forth in Sect. 3 of the Article.
Sect. 3 Procedure for disciplining or expelling a member: A member may be disciplined or expelled by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors. Any member or applicant who is subject to disciplinary action, or who has been rejected for membership shall have the right to notice and an opportunity to be heard concerning such rejection for membership. Upon written request from the aggrieved party the Board of Directors shall provide within thirty (30) days a written explanation of their action and give notice of a hearing which gives aggrieved party an opportunity to be heard with respect to the action taken. Notice is to be in written delivery by certified mail. No hearing shall be held unless aggrieved party gives notice of his appeal to the Board of Directors action within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written explanation of the Board’s action taken.
ARTICLE VI. FUNDS
Sect. 1 All dues and other monies received by the Association shall be in the custody of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association.
Sect. 2 The Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to expend funds for secretarial supplies for the Association not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200) each month. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to pay expenses for any Association function approved by the Board of Directors. All other disbursements of the funds accrued by the Association must be approved by the majority vote of the Board of Directors and this action reported to the members at the next meeting.
ARTICLE VII. OFFICERS
Sect. 1 The officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer. The Vice-President shall automatically succeed the President in office. All officers must be members of the GCSAA.
Sect. 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected offices, and four (4) directors, and the immediate past President. Majority of the Board must be members of the GCSAA.
Sect. 3 The elected officers shall serve one (1) year terms. The Directors shall serve two (2) year terms. Two (2) Directors shall be elected each year.The newly elected Directors shall be the Junior Directors, the other Directors shall be the Senior Directors the second year of the term.
Sect. 4 In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency and shall appoint a Vice-President. Any other vacancy of the Board of Directors shall be filled for the unexpired term by presidential appointment of a member. All appointments shall be subject to approval of a majority of the Board Directors.
Sect. 5 Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office by a petition bearing the signature of two-thirds (2/3) of voting members.
Sect. 6 No member of the Association may hold two offices concurrently.
Sect.7 It is the duty of the board to attend the association’s functions. Each board member be present at 75% or more of the association’s functions to remain on the board. If removed the President shall name a replacement for the remainders of the term.
ARTICLE VIII. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Sect. 1 Duties of the President:
The President shall reside at all meetings of the Association and at the meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, and shall perform all other duties as may properly by required of him by the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all committee members.
Sect. 2 Duties of the Vice-President:
In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform all his duties; and if the office of the President should become vacant, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President until the next election. The Vice-President shall be program chairman for all meetings of the Association.
Sect. 3 Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall conduct all official correspondence of the association and keep an accurate current list of its members. He/She shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Association. He/She shall collect annual dues from members and any other monies due or bequeathed to the Association. He/She shall have custody of all funds and shall disburse funds as specified in these by-laws. Funds allocated shall be in custody of all funds and shall disburse funds as specified in these by-laws. He/She shall maintain a current account of receipts and expenditures and shall prepare a financial repost of the Association to be presented to the Association membership at each annual business meeting and a list of expenditures to each board member before each board meeting. His/She records shall be subject to audit by a committee of at least three (3) members appointed by the President. He/She shall send notice of meetings of the Association to the membership at least ten (10) days prior to each meeting.
Sect. 4 Salaries: No salary or other compensation shall be paid any officer of the Association except when specifically provided for by the action of the Board of Directors and approved by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present at the first business meeting (annual) following such action.
ARTICLE IX. ELECTIONS
Sect. 1 The President shall appoint four (4) voting members as a nominating committee thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting. Two (2) committee members will be from the western part of the state, and two (2) from the eastern part of the state. Their purpose will be to nominate one (1) person from their half of the state. There may also be nominations from the floor.
Sect. 2 Election of the members to the offices of Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Director, and GCSAA Voting Delegate Representative and his/her alternate shall be by majority vote of the members present at the annual business meeting. Election shall be by open show of hands unless a motion for secret ballot is made, seconded, and approved by majority vote of the members present at the annual business meeting. New officers will assume office on December 15th of the same year following the election.
ARTICLE X. MEETINGS
Sect. 1 Meeting of the Association shall be held at least seven (7) times a year. The Vice-President will serve as Program Chairman to schedule meeting dates and locations and announce these to the membership at the January meeting.
Sect. 2 Notice of each meeting of the Association shall be sent to each member at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting by the Secretary-Treasurer.ll name a replacement for the remainders of the term…Sect. 3 No business can be transacted at a meeting of the Board of Directors when less than five (5) members of the Board are present.
Sect. 4 The Board of Directors shall meet immediately prior to each scheduled meeting of the Association.
Sect. 5 Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings.
Sect. 6 Special meetings of the Association may be called by the President or by a petition of at least ten (10) members, provided notice of such meeting is sent to each member at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
ARTICLE XI. LIABILITY
Sect. 1 In consideration of the Association’s acceptance of each individual member into membership into the Association, each member, upon being accepted into the membership, aggress to release and hold Association harmless from any injuries or damages to such member while he/she may be engaged in any meeting, demonstration, function, or other activity on behalf of the Association.
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS
Sect. 1 A) These by-laws may be amended at any annual meeting of the members, provided all amendments shall be presented in writing to the By-Laws Committee at least ninety (90) days in advance of the annual meeting and the committee shall submit to the members all such proposed amendments at least thirty (30) days in advance of the annual meeting; together with it’s report. The By-Laws Committee may submit it’s own proposals for amendments in writing to the members at least thirty (30) days in advance of such annual meeting. B) These By-Laws may also be amended at a special meeting of the members, provided the proposed amendments be written and signed by not less that twenty-five (25) percent of the voting members, and sixty (60) days notice of the amendment proposed be mailed to each member at his or her last known place of address as registered in the books of the Association prior to special meeting.
Sect. 2 A two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members present and voting, shall be necessary for the adoption of any amendment.
ARTICLE XIII. INDEMNIFICATION
The Oklahoma Golf Course Superintendents’ Association shall indemnify any and all persons who may serve or have served at any time as officers or directors, and their respective heirs, paid administrators, successors and resigns, against any and all expenses, including amounts paid upon judgments, counsel fees and amounts paid in settlement (before or after suit is commenced), actually necessarily incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, in which they or any of them are made parties, or a party, or which may be asserted against them or any of them, by reason of being, or having been, an officer or director, shall be adjudged in any action, suit, or negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duty. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any law, by-law agreement, or otherwise.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Sect . 1 The purpose of the Association shall be to advance the art and sciences of golf course maintenance through the support of research, education, exchange of ideas, and the mutual cooperation of membership. It shall also be the purpose of the Association to cooperate with and support the interests and purposes of the National Golf Course Superintendents’ Association.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Sect. 1 Membership in the Association shall consist of nine (9) classes: A, B, C, D, AA, S, F, G, and I. The membership application of a Class A or Class B, who wants to join the affiliated chapter must also present a copy of application for membership previously submitted or evidence of membership with a national association (Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America) and shall maintain such membership thereafter.
Sect. 2 Class A: Class A members shall have at least three (3) years employed as a golf course superintendent at the time of application and who shall have at least three (3) years employed in this capacity, and comply with all additional qualifications adopted by the membership. Class A members are entitled to all rights, privileges, and benefits of the Association and may hold office.
Sect. 3 Class B: Class B members shall be those persons actively employed as a Golf Course Superintendent with less than three (3) year’s experience as a Golf Course Superintendent, and has not met the additional qualifications for Class A membership. Superintendent Members shall have all rights and privileges of this Association except right to hold elective office.
Sect. 4 Class C: Class C members shall be, at the time of application for membership, an assistant to a Golf Course Superintendent. Class C members do not have voting privileges and may not hold elective offices, but may hold appointive offices.
Sect. 5 Class D: Class D members are honorary members and pay no dues and are not able to hold any elective office, but may be appointed by the President to a committee for only one year. To receive an honorary membership, the applicants must be voted upon by the Board of Directors each year.
Sect. 6 Class AA: To qualify for Life Membership, a member must have retired from active service as a Golf Course Superintendent. A Life Member shall have all rights and privileges of the Association except that of holding office and shall be excused from payment of annual dues and assessments. To receive a Life Membership the applicant must be voted upon by the Board of Directors