
| The New City chamber of Commerce is organized to advance the general welfare and prosperity of the New City area so that its citizens and all areas of its business community prosper. All necessary means of promotion shall be provided and particular attention and emphasis shall be given to the economic, civil, commercial, industrial and educational interests of the area. The New City Chamber of Commerce shall be nonpartisan, non sectional, nonsectarian and shall take no part in, or lend it's support to the election or appointment of any candidate for state, county, city or federal office. Any person, partnership, association or corporation interested in the general welfare of New City shall be eligible to membership. Chamber members welcome the opportunity to meet informally with each other, hear and share their concerns about operating a business in New City and then have an impact on effecting change. Members meet regularly to exchange ideas for promotion of New City as an attractive place to live, work, play and shop. The Chamber continually meets with Clarkstown officials to discuss ways to improve parking, road conditions, and beautification and traffic congestion. |
| BY-LAWS OF THE NEW CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CENTER. ARTICLE I GENERAL Section 1 NAME This organization is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York and shall be known as the New City Chamber of Commerce. Section 2 PURPOSE The New City Chamber of Commerce is organized to advance the general welfare and prosperity of the New City Area so that its citizens and all areas of its business community shall prosper. All necessary means of promotion shall be provided and particular attention and emphasis shall be given to the economic, civil, commercial, industrial and educational interests of the area. Section 3 AREA The area encompassed by the activities of the Chamber shall be the Hamlet of New City in Rockland County. Section 4 LIMITATIONS The New City Chamber of Commerce shall be nonpartisan, nonsectional, nonsectarian and shall take no part in, or lend its support to, the election or appointment of any candidate for state, county, city, or federal office. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP Section 1 ELIGIBILITY Any person, partnership, association or corporation interested in the general welfare of New City shall be eligible to membership in the Chamber of Commerce. Section 2 ELECTION Applications for membership shall be in writing, on forms provided for that purpose, and signed by the applicant. The membership Committee shall review all application and submit them to the Board of Directors with its recommendation. Election of members shall be by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof. Any applicant to elected shall become a member upon payment of the regularly scheduled dues as provided in Section 3 of Article II. Section 3 DUES Membership dues shall be a such rate or rates, schedule or formula as may be from time to time prescribed by the Board of Directors, payable annually in advance. Section 4 TERMINATION a) Any member may resign from the chamber upon written request to the Board of Directors; b) Any member shall be expelled by the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote for nonpayment of dues after ninety (90) days from the date due, unless otherwise extended for good cause; c) Any member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, at regularly scheduled meeting thereof, for conduct unbecoming a member or prejudicial to the aims or repute of the chamber, after notice and opportunity for a hearing are afforded the member complained against. Section 5 VOTING Any partnership, association or corporation eligible to membership may acquire more that one membership, but not exceeding three memberships, by undertaking to pay an additional annual dues of each such membership, and shall designate an individual or represent each such membership, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Each paid member shall be entitled to cast one vote. Section 6 EXERCISE OF PRIVILEGES Any person, partnership association or corporation holding one or more memberships shall have the right at any time to change any or all of its representatives upon written notice to the Chamber of Commerce. Each partnership, association or corporation shall designate an individual by whom the privileges of membership shall be exercised. Section 7 HONORARY MEMBERSHIP Distinction in public affairs shall earn eligibility to honorary membership. Honorary members shall have all the privileges of members, except the right to vote, and shall be exempt from payment of dues. The Board of Directors shall confer or revoke honorary membership by a majority vote, upon written notice to the members of the Board . ARTICLE III MEETINGS Section 1 ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Chamber of commerce shall be held on a date prior to December 31 to be determined by the Board of Directors at least thirty (30 days in advance of the meeting. Notice thereof shall be mailed to each member at least ten (10) days before said meeting. Section 2 ADDITIONAL MEETINGS The Board of Directors may provide for holding general membership meetings whenever it may be considered necessary or desirable. The Board of Directors shall call a general membership meeting upon petition signed by not less that ten percent of the members. Committee meetings may be called at any time by the President or by its Chairman. Notice of both regular and special meetings shall be given to each member in person or by mailing notice to the last known post office address at least five days in advance of day of meeting. Section 3 QUORUMS At all meetings of the membership, either regular or special -fourth of all members in good standing and qualified to vote, shall constitute a quorum. ARTICLE IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1 COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD The government of the Chamber, the direction of its work and the control of its property shall be vested in a Board of Directors consisting of twelve members, who shall be elected annually. There shall be a limitation as to the number of consecutive terms. The term shall be for three (3) years. Section 2 SELECTION AND ELECTION OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting. A) Nominating Committee - A nominating committee of not less that three members shall be appointed by the President thirty days prior to the election, whose duty it shall be to nominate from the members of the chamber, eleven persons for election to the Board of Directors. Said committee shall file a list fo the nominees recommended (which may include members of the nominating committee) with the Executive Director not later than then days prior to the election. B) Nomination by Petition - Other nominations than ones recommended by the committee may be made by any member by filing the name of the nominee with the Executive director not later than five days prior to the election. The Executive Director shall notify each nominee and secure his acceptance before entering his name on the ballot. C) Publicity of Nominations - The Executive Director shall mail to all members of the Chamber, ten days prior to the election, a list of the nominees recommended by the nominating committee. D) Determination - All voting shall be by ballot. The nine persons who receive the highest member of votes shall be declared elected. The President shall appoint and submit to the Board of Directors for approval, a committee of two judges who are not member of the Board of Directors or candidates for election as such, to have supervision of the election, and such committee shall serve from the opening of the polls until the result has be ascertained. Section 3 VACANCIES The Board of Directors shall meet monthly. Absence from three consecutive regular meeting, without an excuse deemed valid and so recorded by the Board of Directors, shall be construed as a resignation. A vacancy on the Board may be filled by the Board until the next annual meeting of the Chamber, when it shall be filled by the members of the Chamber. Section 4 QUORUMS At all meeting of the Board of Directors, either regular or special, four members of such Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Section 5 POLICY The Board of Directors may adopt rules for conducting the business Chamber. They shall submit, in writing, at the annual meeting, a report of the work and the financed of the organization. ARTICLE V OFFICERS Section 1 DETERMINATION OF OFFICERS Within ten days after the annual election, the Directors shall meet and elect officers for the ensuing year, a President, a first Vice President, a second Vice President, a Treasurer and a Secretary. All officers shall be members of the Board of Directors and the term of office of all officers of the Chamber shall be for one year, but the officers may hold office until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. The term of office of all officers, however, shall be subject to discontinuance at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Section 2 DUTIES OF OFFICERS The duties of the officers shall be such as their titles, by general usage, would indicate and such as required by law, and such as my be assigned to them by the Board of Directors from time to time. Section 3 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, the two Vice Presidents, the Treasurer, the Secretary and the Executive Director, and two Directors. ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES Section 1 DIVISIONS The Board of Directors shall authorize and define the powers and duties of all Divisions and committees. Section 2 APPOINTMENT AND AUTHORITY The President shall appoint all committee and division heads, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors and he shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. Section 3 LIMITATION OF AUTHORITY No action by any member, committee, division, employee, Director or officer shall be binding upon, or constitute an expression of, the policy of the Chamber until it shall have been approved or ratified by the Board of Director. Committees shall be discharged by the President when their work has been completed and their reports accepted, or when, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, it is deemed wise to discontinue the committee. ARTICLE VII FINANCES Section 1 FUNDS All money paid to the Chamber shall be placed in a general operating fund. Funds unused from the current year's budget will be placed in a reserve account. Section 2 DISBURSEMENTS Upon approval of the budget, the President, Executive Director and the Treasurer are authorized to make disbursements on accounts and expenses provided for in the budget without additional approval of the Board of Directors. Disbursements shall be by check and require two signatures. Section 3 FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year shall end on Dec 31st of each calender year. Section 4 BUDGET As soon as possible after election of the new Board of Directors and Officers, the Finance Committee shall compile a budget of estimated expenses for the coming year and submit it to the Board of Directors for approval. Section 5 ANNUAL AUDIT The accounts of the Chamber of Commerce shall be audited annually as the close of business on Dec.31st by a public accountant. The audit shall at all times be available to members of the organization within the Offices of the Chamber. ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION Section 1 PROCEDURE The Chamber shall use its funds only to accomplish the objects and specified in these bylaws, and no part of said funds shall inure, or Distributed, to members of the Chamber. On dissolution of the Chamber, any funds remaining shall be distributed to one or more regularly organized and qualified charitable, education, scientific, or philanthropic organizations to be selected by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE IX PROCEEDINGS Section 1 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY The current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the final source of authority in all questions of parliamentary procedure when Rules are not consistent with the Charter or Bylaws of the Chamber. ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS Section 1 REVISIONS These Bylaws may be amended or altered upon written notice of the proposed amendment by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board or by a majority of the members at any regular meeting. |