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Organization

By-Laws Of The Pilgrim Edward Doty Society

(as amended November 3rd, 2020)

Article I: Name, Tax Status and Office

  • Section 1.   Name   The name of the society shall be The Pilgrim Edward Doty Society.
  • Section 2.   Tax Status   The Society is a qualified non-taxable organization under Section 501 (3) (c) of the Internal Revenue Code as amended.
  • Section 3.   Office  There shall be no national office of the Society.  The Address of the society shall be that of the current Corresponding Secretary of the Society.

Article II:  Objectives

  • a.   To perpetuate the memory of Edward Doty, passenger on the Mayflower and signer of the Mayflower Compact.
  • b.   To encourage continued research into the origins of the Pilgrim Edward Doty.
  • c.   To encourage continued research into the descendants of Edward Doty through all generations.                    
  • d.  ♤

Article III:  Membership

  • Section 1:   Qualification    Persons descendant from, or having an interest in Edward Doty of the Mayflower may apply for membership in the Society.             
  • Section 2:   Admission  Admission is not free. Admission to the society is $10 annually except those who want a printed copy of any correspondence to include but not limited to Newsletters, then those memberships are $20 annually.
  • Section 3:    Classes of Membership    There are two classes of membership, General and Junior.  Only General members may vote on issues presented to the Membership.

a. General Membership:

  • 1.  General membership is $10 annually.
  • 2.  Annual dues for members without email addresses or those who wish to have the newsletter printed and mailed will be $25 annually.

b. Junior Membership:

  • 1. Junior membership is available to persons under the age of eighteen years of age. One time dues of $10.
  • 2.  In the year following the Junior members 18th birthday the Junior member may apply for General Membership.

Article IV:  Meetings of the Membership

  • Section 1.  Triennial Meeting and Notices   There shall be a meeting of the members every three years called the Triennial Meeting of the Pilgrim Edward Doty Society. This meeting shall be held in Plymouth, Massachusetts or in another city designated by the Board. Notice of this meeting shall be published in the newsletter, on the website and on our FB page as soon as is possible.

     

  • Section 2.   Quorum and Action of Members  At all meetings of the members, ten members present and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The action of the majority of the members present and voting at which a quorum exists shall be the act of the members, except as otherwise provided by these By-Laws. 

Article V:  Board of Trustees

  • Section 1.    Powers and Duties  The affairs of the Society shall be governed by a Board of Trustees.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board shall have the power to:
    • a.   Make, alter, amend or repeal the By-Laws of the Society.
    • b.   Elect its own Officers.
    • c.   Establish and oversee all programs of the Society.
    • d.   Set the level of all dues and fees.

       

  • Section 2.  Number, Qualification and Election   There shall be seven elected members of the Board of Trustees.  Governor, Deputy Governor, Secretary/Treasurer Historian, Webmaster, Assistant Webmaster and Membership Chair.  Three Officers at Large may be assigned by the Governor if needed.  All committees shall be formed by the Governor with Board assistance.

     

  • Section 3.  Term  The term of each Trustee shall be three years.  Each Trustee shall hold office for the term for which he or she is elected or appointed and until the Trustee’s earlier death, incapacity, resignation, refusal to act or removal.

     

  • Section 4.  Resignation and Removal   A Trustee may resign by notice in writing to the Governor.  A Trustee may be removed at any time for cause by vote of a majority of Trustees then in Office.

     

  • Section 5.    Vacancies   In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees other than in the position of Governor, the Governor shall appoint a successor to serve until the next Triennial Meeting of the Membership.  In the event of a vacancy in the position of Governor, the Deputy Governor shall assume the position.

Article VI: Meeting of the Board

  • Section 1.  The Board of Trustees shall have their business meeting at the Triennial meeting in a city designated by the Board every three years.

     

  • Section 2.  Special Meetings  Special meetings throughout the year may be called by the Governor.

     

  • Section 3.  Quorum and Board Action  At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, four of the Officers of the Society shall constitute a quorum.

     

  • Section 4.  Reports  The reports of the Board of Trustees shall be presented at the Triennial Meeting.  Meeting minutes shall be read by the secretary and approved by the membership present.

Article VII:  Officers and Duties

  • Section 1   Governor  The Governor shall preside at the meetings of the Pilgrim Edward Doty Society and give a Governor’s report to the Board and attending members at the Triennial Meeting.

     

  • Section 2  Deputy Governor The Deputy Governor shall, in the absence of the Governor, perform the duties of the Governor.

     

  • Section 3  Secretary/Treasurer  The Secretary/Treasurer shall have the custody of the minutes, other records and papers of the Society. 

     

  • The Secretary/Treasurer shall have charge of the collection, receipt and custody of the funds and securities of the Society.  All disbursements of money shall be authorized by the Board of Trustees.  An annual report shall be submitted by the S/T and posted in the May issue of the Newsletter.

     

  • Section 4  Webmaster  The Webmaster shall maintain the Society’s website and domain name.

     

  • Section 5 Assistant Webmaster   The assistant Webmaster will back up the Web-master when needed.

     

  • Section 6  Historian   The Historian shall conduct the Society’s genealogical research and maintain its genealogical records.

     

  • Section 7  Membership Chair   The Membership Chair shall receive all requests for membership via mail or email.  Process the paperwork, assign a member number to the requestor, send a welcome packet via mail or email which should include a Certificate of Membership signed by the Governor.  The Membership Chair shall keep the membership roster for the society in an updated and current condition at all times.

Article VIII:  Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Society shall begin January 1 and shall end December 31.

Article IX:  Dissolution

In case of dissolution of the Society, its assets, if any, remaining after all of its debts liabilities and other obligations have been fully satisfied and discharged, shall be distributed by the Secretary/Treasurer as determined by the Board of Trustees.

Article X:  Amendments

The Board of Trustees has the exclusive power to make, alter, amend and repeal the By-Laws of the Society.  Proposed changes shall be distributed to all Members of the Board of Trustees in accordance with the terms of these By-Laws as stated in Article VI Sections 1, 2 and 3.