Revisions Approved September 2016
Club bylaws supplement the Standard Rotary Club Constitution and establish common club practices. The bylaws in this document are recommendations. Customize them to reflect your club’s practices, and confirm that they are not in conflict with the RI Constitution and Bylaws, the Standard Rotary Club Constitution (except where permitted), and the Rotary Code of Policies. Articles that your club is required to include are noted below.
Article 1 Definitions
- Board: The club’s board of directors
- Director: A member of the club’s board of directors
- Member: A member of the club, other than an honorary member
- Quorum: The minimum number of participants who must be present when a vote is taken: one-third of the club’s members for club decisions and a majority of the directors for club board decisions
- RI: Rotary International
- Year: The 12-month period that begins on 1 July
Article 2 Board
The governing body of this club is its board of directors, consisting of five officers, namely, the president, president elect, secretary, treasurer, and immediate past president (foundation committee chair); as well as seven committee chairs, namely membership; public relations; club administration, community service, youth service; vocational service; and international service; and an appointed sergeant -at-arms for a total of thirteen board members.
Article 3 Elections and Terms of Office
Section 1 — One month before elections, members nominate candidates for president, president elect, secretary, treasurer, and any open director positions. The nominations may be presented by a nominating committee, by members from the floor, or both.
Section 2 — The candidate who receives a majority of the votes for each office is declared elected to that office.
Section 3 — If any officer or board member vacates his or her position, the remaining members of the board will appoint a replacement.
Section 4 — If any officer-elect or director-elect vacates a position, the remaining members of the board-elect will appoint a replacement.
Section 5 — The terms of office for each role are one year.
Article 4 Duties of the Officers
Section 1 — The president presides at club and board meetings.
Section 2 — The immediate past president serves as a director on the club board.
Section 3 — The president-elect prepares for his or her year in office, serves as a director, and presides at club and board meetings when the president is absent.
Section 5 — A director attends club and board meetings.
Section 6 — The secretary keeps membership and attendance records.
Section 7 — The treasurer oversees all funds and provides an annual accounting of them. Section 8 — The sergeant-at-arms maintains order in club meetings.
Article 5 Meetings
Section 1 — An annual meeting of this club is held no later than 31 December to elect the officers and directors who will serve for the next Rotary year.
Section 2 — This club meets as follows: Mondays at noon. Reasonable notice of any change or cancellation of the regular meeting will be given to all club members.
Section 3 — Board meetings are held each month. Special meetings of the board are called with reasonable notice by the president or upon the request of two directors.
Article 6 Dues
Annual club dues are $276 . They are paid as follows: Quarterly billing of $69 . Annual club dues include RI per capita dues, a subscription to The Rotarian or a Rotary regional magazine, district per capita dues, club fees, and any other Rotary or district per capita assessment.
Article 7 Method of Voting
The business of this club is conducted by voice vote or a show of hands. The board may also provide a ballot for a vote on some resolutions.
Article 8 Committees
Section 1 — Club committees coordinate their efforts to achieve the club’s annual and long- term goals. Each club should have the committees listed in article 13, section 7, of the Standard Rotary Club Constitution.
Section 2 — The president is an ex officio member of all committees and, as such, has all the privileges of membership.
Section 3 — Each committee’s chair is responsible for the regular meetings and activities of the committee, supervises and coordinates its work, and reports to the board on all committee activities.
Article 9 Finances
Section 1 — Before each fiscal year starts, the board prepares an annual budget of estimated income and expenditures.
Section 2 — The treasurer deposits club funds in a financial institution or institutions designated by the board.
Section 3 — Bills are paid by the treasurer or another authorized officer and approved by two other officers or directors.
Section 4 — A qualified person conducts a thorough annual review of all financial transactions.
Section 5 — Club members will receive an annual financial statement of the club.
Section 6 — The fiscal year is from 1 July to 30 June.
Article 10 Method of Electing Members
Section 1 — A member proposes a candidate for membership to the board, or another club proposes one of its transferring or former members.
Section 2 — The board approves or rejects the candidate’s membership within 30 days and notifies the proposing member of its decision.
Section 3 — If the board approves the candidate’s membership, the prospective member is invited to join the club.
A process to address objections raised by current members may also be included here.
Article 11 Amendments
These bylaws may be amended at any regular club meeting. Changing the club bylaws requires sending written notice to each member 10 days before the meeting, having a quorum present for the vote, and having two-thirds of the votes support the change. Changes to these bylaws must be consistent with the Standard Rotary Club Constitution, the RI Constitution and Bylaws, and the Rotary Code of Policies.
Download PDF of Bylaws of the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville.