CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

of the

MID-AMERICA CONFERENCE

of the

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS

 

CONSTITUTION

 

Article I.            “Name”

 

This organization shall be known as the MID-AMERICA CONFERENCE of the AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS (Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, and Michigan) and shall consist of Locals of the American Federation of Musicians, who shall affiliate and conform to its rules and regulations.

 

Article II.            “Object”

 

The object of this Conference is to unite all the Locals within the above mentioned States for the better protection of their interests in general, and to promote good faith between them.

 

Article III.            “Membership”

 

Any bona fide Local of the American Federation of Musicians located within the States of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, or Michigan, and which is in good standing, may be eligible.

 

Article IV.            “Meetings”

 

(A)     This Conference shall hold its annual meeting in non-convention years at a time and location determined by the Executive Board.  In the year of the AFM Convention the meeting will take place in the convention city just prior to the start of the AFM Convention.

(B)      In cases of emergency, the President is empowered to call special sessions of the Conference, and he or she shall call special meetings when petitioned by the Executive Boards of five (5) member Locals.

(C)     Order of business at Conference meeting:

          1.          Roll call of Delegates

          2.          Number of Delegates to each Committee    

3.          Appointment of Committees

                    a.          Credentials

                    b.          Resolutions

                    c.          Auditing and Finance

                    d.          Location

                    e.          Courtesy

          4.          Time of Sessions

          5.          Time Limit for Introduction of Resolutions

          6.          Communications

          7.          Report of Credentials Committee

          8.          Report of Executive Board

          9.          Secretary’s Report

          10.          President’s Report

          11.          Set time, Questions and Answers

          12.          Reports of Delegates (written)

          13.          Introduction of Resolutions

          14.          Unfinished Business

          15.          New Business

          16.          Report of Committees

          17.          Nomination, Election of Officers

          18.          Installation of Officers

          19.          Adjournment

 

Article V.            “Delegates”       

 

(A)     Each member Local shall be entitled to send to the annual meeting one (1) voting delegate for each one hundred (100) members or major fraction thereof but no Local shall send more than three (3) voting delegates.  Any Local of less than fifty (50) members shall be entitled to one (1) vote. Locals may also invite non-voting guests to the conference.

(B)          Delegates to this Conference shall be elected or appointed in accordance with the bylaws of their home Local.

(C)          Provisions for meeting expenses of delegates to the Conference shall be determined by the respective member Locals.

(D)     Each person attending the Conference must pay a fifty dollar ($50.00) delegate fee for each delegate and guest.

 

Article VI            “Officers”

 

The officers of this Conference shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Sergeant-at-Arms. The above named, together with five (5) members, nominated and elected for two-year terms in the odd numbered years at the annual Conference, shall constitute the Executive Board.  Of the five (5) members so elected, one (1) shall be from the State of Ohio, one (1) from the State of Kentucky, one (1) from the State of West Virginia, one (1) from the State of Indiana, and one (1) from the State of Michigan. Five (5) members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

Article VII, Elections

 

(A)     To be eligible to hold an office in the Conference, the candidate must be in good standing with his or her Local and his or her Local must be in good standing with the Conference and the AFM.

(B)          Nominations of Officers and the Executive Board will be held at the meeting of the Conference and elected by a majority of the delegates present. The seat of any State not represented at the Conference will be filled by a delegate elected at large.

 

Article VIII.            “Vacancies”

 

Unless otherwise provided, vacancies caused by death, resignation, etc., of any officer or Executive Board member shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Board until the next election of the Conference.

 

Article IX.  “Dues”

 

The dues for this Conference shall be fifty cents ($0.50) per member per year for each Local, but none shall be assessed in excess of three hundred dollars ($300.00).  Said dues shall be based on the Per Capita Membership of each Local at of the close of business on the December 31^st prior to each annual meeting.  However, at the close of each meeting, the Conference shall pay to the Host Local an amount equal to (50%) of the above mentioned dues to be applied towards the Conference Expenses.  

 

Article X.            Government

 

The Constitution and Bylaws of the Mid-America Conference shall be subject and subordinate to the Bylaws and amendments of the American Federation of Musicians.  In the event of conflict the AFM Bylaws shall prevail.    

 

                  

                   BYLAWS

 

Article I.            “Duties of the President”

 

(A)  It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Conference and Executive Board; to enforce due observances of the Constitution and Bylaws; appoint all Committees unless otherwise provided; cast the deciding vote in case of a tie; call special meetings of the Executive Board when he or she deems it is necessary; give such other services as may be necessary or required by the Conference or Executive Board.  He or she shall make a report of his or her official activities at the annual Conference.

(B)  For his or her services he or she shall receive a salary of two hundred seventy ($270.00) dollars per year payable annually; be reimbursed actual expenses to nearby Conferences to which he or she may be invited with the approval of the Executive Board. 

(C)  He or she shall be the official representative of the Mid-America Conference to all AFM and Conference Conclaves, with travel expenses being paid by the Mid-America Conference with approval of the Executive Board. 

 

Article I-A.            “Duties of the Vice-President”

 

In the event of the death, absence, inability, disability, resignation or impeachment of the President, the Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the president. 

 

Article II.            “Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer”

 

(A)     It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to attend           all meetings of the Executive Board, keep regular and correct minutes of the proceedings, execute all other writings as may be required, and pay all bills authorized by the Conference or Executive Board.  He or she shall be authorized to pay all incidental expenses incurred in the proper conduct of his or her office.  He or she shall make a report of his or her official activities at the annual conference.

(B)      He or she shall issue notices to all Locals of the conference at           least sixty (60) days prior to the opening date of such conferences and notices of special conferences when ordered.

(C)     He or she shall receive all monies due the Conference and act as custodian of all properties of the Conference; for faithful performance of said duties he or she shall receive the           sum of two hundred seventy ($270.00) dollars, payable annually; be reimbursed actual expenses to nearby Conferences to which invited with approval of the Executive Board. In the absence of the President, and Vice President he or she shall serve as the official representative of the Mid-America Conference at all AFM and Conference Conclaves, with travel expenses being paid by the Mid-America Conference with approval of the Executive Board.

(D)     He or she shall provide to the conference a written Report for the preceding fiscal year of the Conference, which will include a complete list of receipts and expenditures, as well as opening and closing balances for all accounts.

(E)      He or she shall furnish a bond in the sum of one thousand ($1000.00) dollars.  Said bond to be paid by the Conference and to be kept in the President’s possession. 

(F)      He or she shall turn over to his or her duly elected successor, all monies and other properties of the Conference that may be in his or her possession.

(G)     The Secretary-Treasurer shall have copies prepared of the proceedings of the Conference; shall within thirty (30) days from the date of adjournment, mail or email copies of same to all Locals that are members of the Conference.

(H)          Individual Expenses in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.00) must be approved by the Executive Board.

 

Article III.            “Duties of the Executive Board”

 

(A)     It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to exercise a general supervision over the property and affairs of the Conference.

(B)      Any matter of importance to the Conference arising between regular conferences, which could be properly acted upon by the Conference, shall be submitted by the President to the members of the Executive Board by mail or email for their decision thereon.  Such decision shall be binding upon the Conference until the next meeting.

(C)     They shall hold a meeting on the day or evening prior to the opening session of each Annual Conference and shall receive a per diem payment of thirty ($30.00) dollars each for each regular or special meeting attended.

 

Article IV.            “Amendments”

 

This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by majority vote of voting delegates present at any annual meeting of the Conference.  All amendments or resolutions to be introduced at any annual or special meeting shall first be submitted in writing to the Executive Board for their consideration not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the meeting.  Consideration will be given only to such as submitted by Conference Delegates from affiliated Locals.

 

Article V.            “Obligations”

 

Before entering upon their duties as officers of the Conference, the following obligations must be delivered:  “I, _______, do hereby solemnly pledge my most sacred honor, that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office as ________ of this Conference during the term for which I have been elected, or until my successor is duly elected and installed; that I will support the by-laws of the American Federation of Musicians and the Constitution and Bylaws of this Conference and that I will enforce the laws thereof to the best of my ability without prejudice or partiality.”

 

Article VI, Parliamentary Practices and Fiscal Year

 

(A)     Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Constitution and Bylaws, all questions of Order or Procedure with respect to any meeting or action of this Conference, its Officers, Executive Board and any Board appointed hereunder shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order.

(B)      The fiscal year for the Conference shall be January 1 Thru December 31.

 

(Constitution and Bylaws Revised June 16, 2007)