Bylaws

ARTICLE I – DUTIES OF OFFICERS 

Section 1.
The President shall preside at all meetings and serve as the Ex-Officio member of all Committees of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. The President shall also be responsible for the development of the Society’s Activities. The President shall have the authority to establish Committees and to appoint and/or approve Chairpersons and/or Committee Members as deemed necessary. The President Chairs the Executive Board of the Society and shall vote only in the event of a tie vote of the Board. The President shall assume responsibility for the recruitment of volunteers from the Membership to serve the Society in the following capacities provided as example:

Section 2.
The First Vice-President shall act in the capacity of the President in the latter’s absence. The First Vice-President shall assist the President as requested by the President. The First Vice-President is a voting member of the Executive Board and shall assume the duties of the Chair in the event the President is unable or unavailable.

Section 3.
The Second Vice-President shall work at the direction of the President and provide assistance as appropriate. The Second Vice-President is a voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 4.
The Secretary shall develop and maintain the official written records of the transactions of business and report the minutes of all regularly scheduled meetings, both Executive and General meetings, of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society.

Section 5.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial transactions of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society and collect dues, receive and disburse all funds. The Treasurer shall develop and maintain a financial record of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, in accordance with current accounting standards and will develop a proposed budget for approval by the Executive Board prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. The fiscal-year for the Society shall be October through September. If required by the Executive Board the Treasurer shall give bond for the faithful discharge or his/her duties in such sum and with such surety as the Executive Board shall determine. The Treasurer is a voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 6.
The Auctioneer shall be responsible for, directly or through coordination with other capable members, assembling the monthly Bulletin and lots for auction. Specifically, this includes the printing and mailing of the monthly Bulletin to the Membership and individuals or entities on the approved “free” list. The Auctioneer reserves the right to reject any auction lot (See Auction Rules – Lot Submission for details). Upon completion of the monthly auction the Auctioneer will, in a timely manner, coordinate with the President and Treasurer payments to Vendors, billing successful bidders and collection of lots sold and the safe return of passed lots to their owners. The Auctioneer is a voting member of the Executive Board.

Section 7.
The Editor of the Po’Oleka O Hawaii shall be nominated by the President and approved by the Executive Board. This position is not a member of the Executive Board and as such has no voting responsibility and serves at the pleasure of the President. The Editor is responsible for preparing the Po’Oleka, with the assistance of philatelists within or outside the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. The Editor is responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of the draft Po’Oleka to the President in sufficient time that it can be printed and distributed in January and June of each calendar year.

Section 8.
The Membership Chair is responsible for maintaining a database of all members past and present. At a minimum, this date base will record name, address, alternate address, billing address, phone(s), email (if available), Hawaiian Philatelic Society membership number, dues status, Membership status (Regular, Life, Associate), and any other information deemed necessary by the Executive Board. All information shall be treated as confidential and shall not be available for any personal or business use. The Membership Chair shall be responsible for providing information to the President on Members who have not renewed their membership, are eligible for Life Membership, deceased or have otherwise disassociated themselves from Hawaiian Philatelic Society. The Membership Chair is not a member of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE II – ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1.
Prior to the first regularly scheduled meeting of the month of November, the President shall appoint an individual holding Life or Regular Membership in the Hawaiian Philatelic Society to serve as the ad hoc Chair of the Nomination Committee.

Section 2.
The Nomination Chairperson shall prepare a slate of candidates for presentation to the Membership at the December regularly scheduled meeting. However, the Chairperson is under no directive or obligation as to the procedure for the evaluation and selection of a slate of nominees. As the incumbent President may be considered a candidate for elective office the President shall be denied status as an Ex-Officio Member of the nomination process.

Section 3.
The Nominating Chairperson shall, as a part of the first Executive Board meeting in December, submit a slate of endorsed nominees for each elective office.

Section 4.
The election of officers shall be held during the first General Meeting in December under the direction of the Nomination Chairperson. In the event only one individual has been nominated for an elected position, the Membership may move to accept by acclamation. Where there is more than one nominee for an elected office, the Nomination Chairperson will be responsible for providing paper ballots to those Members in attendance. The nominee receiving a majority vote shall be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, there shall be a run-off contest between the two candidates receiving the highest number of Votes.

Section 5.
The conduct of the Election of Officers shall follow the guidelines set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order, and the nominations/voting sequence shall occur in the following order; President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Auctioneer.

Section 6.
At the close of nominations for each Officer, each nominee shall be afforded a three (3) minute period to address the Membership as to the merit of his/her candidacy. The statements of the nominees concluded, the Membership shall move to the casting of ballots. The nominee for each office receiving a majority vote of the Membership assembled at this regularly scheduled meeting shall be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, wherein no candidate receives a majority of the votes, there shall follow a run-off contest between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.

Section 7.
The term of all Elective Offices shall be twelve (12) months or until the next slate of Officers is elected as per Article II, Section 4. In the event any Officer cannot, or refuses, to complete the term of office, the President shall recruit and nominate an individual holding either Regular or Life Membership to complete the term. This nomination shall be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting, and shall require a majority vote of the assembled Membership for approval. If the Present should determine that he or she cannot or will not complete the proscribed term of office, the First Vice-President shall succeed in the post. The new President shall then name replacements, as necessary, using the procedures above, to provide a complete Executive Board.

Section 8.
Following the adjournment of the regularly scheduled meeting at which elections have been held, the Officers whose terms of office have expired shall deliver to their successors all books, papers, funds and properties of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society.

ARTICLE III – MEETINGS

Section 1.
Regular meetings of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, including business, trading, and auction meetings, will be scheduled by the President and approved by the Executive Board. Normally, Executive Board meetings shall be held on the first Monday of every month and monthly membership meetings, to include the monthly auction, shall be held on the second Monday of each month.

ARTICLE IV – CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

Section 1.
All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures established below.

Section 2.
The normal order of business appropriately for a regularly scheduled meeting shall be as follows:

1. Call to Order
2. Reading of the Minutes of the previous meeting
3. Reports of the elected and appointed officers
4. Introduction of guests
5. Announcements from the Executive Board
6. Reports of Committees
7. Announcements from the Membership
8. Old Business
9. New Business
10. Adjournment
11. Special program of the evening (if scheduled)
12. Conduct of the monthly Auction

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

Section 1.
Regular Membership may be conferred upon an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older, who is interested in philately and has maintained good standing in the philatelic community. Individuals in this category shall enjoy voting privileges and may hold elective or appointed office. Annually $24.00 and pro-rated during the period an application is received. See Membership Application under Forms for details.

Section 2.
Life Members shall enjoy voting privileges and may hold elective or appointive office. Life membership may be conferred upon an individual, eight (18) years of age or older, who qualifies utilizing the following criteria:

1. Has maintained active membership in the Hawaiian Philatelic Society for a minimum of three (3) continuous years, and;
2. Has submitted a written application for Life Membership, to be accompanied by a one-time fee (TBD) or;
3. Has been recommended for Life Membership by a majority vote of the Executive Board in assembly, because of the services rendered to the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, such recommendation being accompanied by a waiver of the abovementioned fee, and;
4. Has been the recipient of a vote of approval, conducted at the regularly scheduled meeting immediately following the meeting at which such application or recommendation was introduced equal to or greater than three-fourths of the voting members present.

Section 3.
Associate Membership may be conferred upon an individual, eighteen (18) years of age or older, who is interested in philately and desires affiliation with the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, but for whom Regular Membership status is inappropriate. This membership category shall be reserved for members of the immediate family of an individual maintaining Regular Membership status and shall terminate upon the expiration of the Regular Member’s membership. Associate Members shall have neither the privilege of voting nor that of holding elective or appointed office in the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Associate member fees are ½ Regular member and must be start of fiscal year.

Section 4.
Youth Membership may be conferred upon an individual seventeen (17) years of age or less, who is interested in philately and desires affiliation with the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Youth Membership shall have neither the privilege of voting nor that of holding elective office in the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. However, the individual may serve in an appointed role as described by the President and approved by the Board. Youth membership shall be ½ Regular member dues.

ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.
An individual may become a member of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society upon the recommendation of any member in good standing, such member being willing to vouch for the good character of the applicant. Those applications without sponsor shall be sponsored by the First Vice-President. All applications for membership shall be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting and approved by the Executive Board, unless objections are received, by the following regularly scheduled meeting of the membership.

Section 2.
An objection to an individual who submits an application for membership must be made in writing, addressed to the President, but may not be anonymous. The President shall present the objection verbatim to the members of the Executive Board, who shall deliberate upon the objection, and act upon the application.

Section 3.
Should the objection be perceived by the Executive Board as insufficient to warrant the rejection of the application the Executive Board shall advise the member submitting such objection of the intention of the Executive Board to process the application in the normal manner.

Section 4.
Should the objection be perceived as a barrier to the presentation of the application to the membership, the application shall be rejected by the Executive Board. The sponsor shall be notified of the action of the Executive Board. If the rejected applicant has paid the appropriate dues previous to this action, such dues shall be ordered refunded.

ARTICLE VII – GENERAL LAWS AND REGULATION

Section 1.
The Hawaiian Philatelic Society has been formed for the mutual benefit of its Membership. Each member shall put forth the requisite effort to ensure the success and growth of the Society through recruitment of new members, and, in every action, to promote the advancement of the Society and Hawaiian philately in general.

Section 2.
No member shall incur any expense in the name of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. An exception shall be observed only in the case of expenditures deemed necessary to the conduct of business of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society that have been previously approved through the normal budget approval process of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, but only in such cases as the expenditure shall be less than one hundred dollars ($100.00 USD) per instance and if approved by the President and/or Treasurer of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Any expenditure above the allotted budget allocation of one hundred dollars ($100.00 USD) per instance shall require the approval of a quorum at a regularly scheduled meeting, or shall have been previously approved through the normal budget approval process of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Committee Chairpersons may approve expenditures in accordance with their approved budget. The President may request approval of a new budget line at any time if the expenditure would be in the interest of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Committee Chairperson may also request an amendment to their approved budget at any time. Such new budget items and amendments require the approval of a quorum, at a regularly Executive Board meeting of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society.

Section 3.
The Executive Board shall draft a budget, when of its own initiative or through the creation of a select Committee, for the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Upon approval of the Executive Board, the budget shall then be submitted to the Membership for approval prior to the last regularly scheduled meeting of the fiscal year (October – September). Motions to revise or reject individual budget items shall be accepted from the floor and voted upon, recognizing majority rule as the deciding factor in adoption or rejection of the motions. After the budget has been approved by the Membership expenditures for those budgeted items can be made.

ARTICLE VIII – AFFILIATES AND/OR CHAPTERS

Section 1.
The Hawaiian Philatelic Society recognizes and supports the concept of creating affiliates and/or chapters beyond the borders of the Hawaiian Islands.

Section 2.
The Hawaiian Philatelic Society shall consider only written requests from existing members of the Society declaring an interest in forming an affiliate or chapter of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society. Specifically, all members of the proposed organization must currently be members in good standing before any consideration will be given.

Section 3.
A written proposal shall be directed to the President of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society and shall include, as a minimum, the following information, statements and facts:

1. Full name, address, phone number and email address of each proposed member;
2. Confirmation each individual is currently a member in good standing of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society;
3. Stated purpose and reason for the creation of the affiliate/chapter;
4. Acknowledgement that the Hawaiian Philatelic Society has no financial obligation(s) and will not assume fiduciary responsibility;
5. Location of the affiliate/chapter, mailing address, phone number, email address or any other contact information;
6. Area of influence for the affiliate/chapter; i.e., the geographic area intended to be served;
7. A 12-month work plan (proposed or draft) to include meeting dates, location of the meeting, special events, attendance at stamp shows, and other notable activities.
8. Copies of existing or proposed By-Laws/Constitution or documents of organization;
9. Statements as to how this organization will support, without conflict, the stated goals of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society;
10. Proposed name of the organization.
11. Conform to HPS By-Laws and Constitution.

Section 4.
Upon receipt of the information outlined above the Board of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society will notify the proposed affiliate/chapter of acceptance, more information needed, or denial with explanation.

Section 5.
Upon approval by the Board notification will be forwarded to the affiliate/chapter in writing outlining the terms of acceptance. Once that document has been accepted and signed by the affiliate/chapter then and only then will the affiliate/chapter be granted permission to use the Hawaiian Philatelic Society name.

Approved and adopted by the Members of the Hawaiian Philatelic Society, a quorum being in attendance, this day……….month……….year 2018.