People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought, which
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CONTRIBUTORS
Pagans United
By Laws
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because
if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more
than
that of blindfolded fear.
~Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787~
By-Laws of Pagans United
Pagans United was established in May of 2004
Original draft: 6-24-04
ARTICLE I
Name and Official Logo
Section 1. The name of this organization is Pagans United.
Section 2. Its official web site is http://www.pagansunited.org/.
Section 3. Its official mail list is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PagansUnited2004/?yguid=138513838.
Section 4. Its official emblem/logo is:
ARTICLE II
Mission Statement
Section 1.
The mission of Pagans United is to help Pagan Americans engage in both the
social and political arenas. We do this by creating a sense of unity within
the diverse Pagan community, through public outreach, education, and
activism while acting as stewards of Mother Earth at all times.
Section 2. Pagans United pursues the goals of its Mission Statement through:
a. its official web site, located at www.pagansunited.com,
b. its membership body,
c. outreach to other pagan and like-minded organizations,
d. public relations and advertising,
e. political activism, and
f. raising funds to off-set expenses.
ARTICLE III
Office Locations
The principal physical office of the organization shall be located in the municipality in which the group’s founder resides. The physical address is: 21 Huckleberry Lane, Ludowici GA 31316
ARTICLE IV
Membership
Section 1. Any person who has reached the age of 18 and embraces the Mission Statement of Pagans United is eligible for membership. Children under the age of l8 who wish to join the organization must have at least one parent or legal guardian who is also a member of Pagans United.
Section 2. Membership in Pagans United and participation in its activities is open to all regardless of age (with the exception of minors), religious beliefs, race, ethnic origin, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, or disability, and we do not permit discrimination on these grounds in the activities of Pagans United or any of its affiliated groups.
Section 3. Members of Pagans United must join the organization’s mail list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PagansUnited2004/?yguid=138513838 and agree to receive email communications from the group. This mail list is the official means of communication between the group’s members and its officers.
Section 4. By joining Pagans United, members are signifying their acceptance of, and agree to abide by, all rules and regulations of the organization, including, but not limited to, these By-Laws.
ARTICLE V
Management
Section 1. The activities of Pagans United shall be conducted by a Board of Directors, its elected officers, and the membership.
Section 2. At all elections and in all voting, unless otherwise provided, a majority (more than half) of the votes cast shall be required to decide a vote.
ARTICLE VI
Board of Directors
Section 1. The Board of Directors of Pagans United shall consist of five elected officers, plus two at-large members appointed by the current President.
Section 2. The terms of the board members shall be for one year’s duration and shall coincide with the terms of office of the elected officials. At-large board members may be reappointed to three consecutive terms at which time there must be a lag term of at least one year before a new three-year time limit may begin.
Section 3. Board members shall under no circumstances receive compensation, except for reasonable expenses related to their duties. All such reimbursements for expenses must be approved first by the Treasurer, then sent to the full Board of Directors for final approval.
ARTICLE VII
Officers
Section 1. The President shall act as the executive director of Pagans United, overseeing its general activities and day-to-day administration. The President shall have the authority to make executive decisions on the day-to-day running of the organization, and shall ensure that the rules and regulations of Pagans United are enforced. The President shall also ensure that the Mission Statement of Pagans United is adhered to at all times and in all official activities of the organization.
The President shall also preside over all general meetings of the Pagans United membership, represent the organization to all media and the public at large, serve as an ex officio member of all Committees, receive reports from all Officers and Committee Chairs, and perform all other duties that would otherwise be carried out by the president of a corporation.
Section 2. The Vice President shall act in the President’s stead when the President is unavailable or unable to fulfill his/her obligations, and/or at the President’s request. The Vice President shall also serve as an ex officio member of all Committees, serve as the organizational head of all Ad Hoc Committees, and perform all other duties that would otherwise be carried out by the vice president of a corporation.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a record of all votes and minutes of the proceedings of all Pagan United general membership and Board of Directors/Officers meetings. The secretary shall also give notice of all general membership and Board of Directors meetings, and generally oversee all records pertaining to meetings, policies, memberships, and activities of Pagans United. The secretary may also perform other duties as directed by the President of the organization.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall, in conjunction with the President, oversee the fiscal affairs of Pagans United, maintaining an accurate record of all funds and expenses, reviewing all actions and policies pertaining to fiscal matters, keeping financial records according to generally accepted accounting principles, and generating quarterly reports for the Board of Directors. The treasurer may also perform other duties as directed by the President of the organization.
Section 5. The Executive Committee Chairperson shall oversee the activities of all regular standing committees of the organization.
Section 6. Officers shall under no circumstances receive compensation, except for reasonable expenses related to their duties. All such reimbursements for expenses must be approved first by the Treasurer, then sent to the Board of Directors for final approval.
ARTICLE VIII
Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees: the regular standing committees of the organization currently are Volunteer Coordination, Public Relations and Advertising, and Youth Participation. Other committees may be formed at the request of the President and upon approval of the Board.
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees: temporary special committees may from time to time be appointed by the President to serve for a specified period of time (not to exceed one year) and to achieve a specific purpose. Due to their temporary nature, the formation of Ad Hoc Committees does not require approval by the Board.
Section 3. Committee Chairs shall be appointed by the President.
ARTICLE IX
Elections
In all elections of the Pagans United membership, tie-breaking votes shall be cast by the President of the organization.
ARTICLE X
The Annual Meeting
Section 1. An annual meeting shall be held by the membership for the purpose of electing new officers and to formulate and discuss the direction of the organization for the coming year.
Section 2. Notice of the time and date of the annual meeting shall be posted to the official Pagans United mail list, and on the official web site, no later than one month prior to the meeting.
Section 3. A quorum for the annual meeting shall be defined as the total number of members who are present and eligible to vote. Members who are minors are not eligible to vote at the annual meeting. A majority vote of those members who are present and eligible to vote shall decide the issues.
ARTICLE XI
Special Meetings & Referenda
Section 1. A special meeting of the members may be called by a petition representing one-third of the membership votes. Such meeting shall be held no more than thirty days after the request or petition is received. Notice of such meeting shall be posted to the official mailing list and on the official web site at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
Section 2. The President and/or the Board of Directors may decide to hold a referendum through the mail list at any time, and such referendum may be instead of a special meeting, should the topics under consideration lend themselves to such treatment. Brief arguments representing all sides of the topics involved should be posted to the mail list. Voting shall be considered to be closed fourteen (14) days after the issue has been posted.
ARTICLE XII
Suspension, Expulsion and Resignation
Section 1. The Board of Directors, by a two-thirds vote, may suspend or expel any member confessing to or found guilty of committing felony crimes-with-victims, as defined by civil law and current criminological opinion, or for proven and documented disruptive or abusive conduct which works directly against the aims, activities or welfare of Pagans United or its members.
Section 2. Disruptive or abusive conduct does not include: the temperate expression of disagreement, such as public or private written or verbal criticism of Pagans United or its leadership; vigorous debate over matters of scholarship, art, spirituality, or politics; the circulation of petitions to Pagans United; the organization of other members into voting blocks; nor mere rudeness, thoughtlessness, or lack of social skills.
Section 3. Disruptive or abusive conduct does include: the spreading of slander or libel against Pagans United, its leadership, or its members; communication or behavior that violates Article V, Section 2 of these By-Laws; or active efforts to persuade members to quit or to dissuade nonmembers from joining.
Section 4. Members may resign from membership at any time for personal reasons, and will be eligible to rejoin Pagans United at a later date.
Section 5. Suspended, expelled or resigned members may not hold office, vote, or act in any way as representatives of Pagans United.
ARTICLE XIII
Recall
Officers or Board Members who have been inactive for a period of three months without a previous request for a leave of absence, may be removed from office by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors. The member in question may not vote on their own behalf in a recall vote.
ARTICLE XIV
Open Financial Records
All Officers and Board members are entitled to see the accounting records. The Treasurer shall make these available at a nominal fee for reproduction and mailing. Balance sheets and other similar summary reports shall be regularly provided to the Officers and Board.
ARTICLE XV
Amendment of the By-Laws
Amendments to the Pagans United By-Laws may be made at any annual or special meeting or referendum, as described elsewhere in this document, by a two-thirds vote of the entire voting membership; or by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, subject to final approval by the membership.
ARTICLE XVI
Non-Profit Nature of the Corporation
Section 1. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall be for the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, Board of Directors, Officers, or other persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II of these By-Laws.
Section 2. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the By-Laws, Pagans United shall not engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this organization as put forth in the Mission Statement.
Section 4. Upon the dissolution of this organization, Pagans United shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the organization, dispose of all assets as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with all applicable laws. At such time, if any, provisions shall be made to reimburse Laura Roberts for the cost of registering the Pagans United domain name and for hosting the Pagans United official web site.
Copywrite Pagans United 2004 - 2009