Definitions

The Greater Portland Area Costumers' Guild, also known as GPACG, is a branch of the International Costumers' Guild and is located in Portland, Oregon, and its environs.

In all following references to situations, memberships, and officerships, it is assumed they are GPACG-specific unless noted otherwise.

In situations not specifically addressed hereafter, Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail.

Purpose

In agreement with the International Costumers' Guild's own mission statement, the purpose of the Greater Portland Area Costumers' Guild is to "promote the educational, cultural, literary, artistic and theatrical advancement of costume design and construction, and the influence of costume (clothing), fabrics, and design upon societies and cultures."

As part of this, the GPACG also seeks to further "public goodwill towards the costuming community" and to provide "a public forum for the discussion of costume, clothing, and other related subjects through publications, conferences, and other special projects" as much as possible in view of its smaller relative size.

Members' Rights and Responsibilities

1) Definition of Membership

a) A person becomes a member, either Full or Associate, upon payment of the appropriate fee and the turning in of a completed Member Information Sheet.

b) A Full Member is one who receives a local newsletter in addition to all other rights and responsibilities of membership.

c) An Associate Member is one who lives at the same address as a Full Member and does not receive a local newsletter. An Associate member enjoys all other rights and responsibilities of membership.

2) Voting and Proxy Voting Rights

a) All members, whether Full or Associate, whether officer or member at large, have equal voting rights.

b) No member has more than one vote.

c) Proxy votes may used by any member who can not attend a meeting.

d) Proxy votes must be in writing, either hardcopy original or printed-out email, and are valid only for the date specified and for a particular vote if so specified.

e) Proxy votes must be presented to the Secretary either before or during the vote to become valid and are attached to the minutes for that session.

f) Only paid members are eligible to vote.

g) Recorded votes are final.

3) Requirements for Majority Vote

a) A simple majority vote of the paid membership, either present or by proxy, is sufficient for all voting purposes except in the following cases:

i) a major financial expenditure; to wit, 50% or more of the general fund or $100.00, whichever is less.

ii) significant changes to the by-laws.

b) Majority vote on the aforesaid special cases will consist of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the paid membership, either present or by proxy, and will have prior announcement in the newsletter.

4)

a) If the local membership finds that there is a problem with a member having or displaying habitual bad manners or exhibiting other behaviour that may cause harm to the public image and/or the workings, either public or private, of the guild, the offending member will be spoken with by a representative of the Board in an attempt to resolve the problem.

b) If the problem persists, revocation of membership by vote will be considered as a last resort. For a vote of this nature to pass, it will require a vote of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the paid membership, either present or by proxy, and will have prior announcement in the newsletter.

c) If a membership is revoked, the ex-member's dues are forfeit and all rights and responsibilities of membership for that person cease.

5) If a member elects to quit the Guild, that person's dues, less what has been sent to the ICG, are prorated and refunded and all rights and responsibilities of membership for that person cease.

Officers and their Responsibilities

1) The Board is defined as the List of Guild Officers as published in the current newsletter regardless of whether all the posts are filled.

2) Elections

a) General elections of officers will be held annually at the October meeting.

b) If a post becomes vacant before the October meeting, it shall be filled within 60 (sixty) days.

c)

i) Nominations shall be made in writing to the Secretary giving the name of the person being nominated and the position the nomination is for.

ii) The Secretary shall forward the list of nominations to the Editor in a timely fashion for publication.

iii) When possible, nominations will be published in the newsletter for 2 (two) issues prior to the meeting where the vote will take place.

iv) Nominations that are made too late for publication will be announced at the meeting where the vote will take place.

3)

a) Nominees for guild office must be regularly-attending paid members.

b) Officers must maintain their paid-member status during their term of office.

4)

a) At each meeting, officers must make a report of any activities in their office since the last meeting.

b) Officers must give to the Secretary and the Editor written copies of said monthly report at the same business meeting for inclusion in the published minutes.

c) Officers must include in their office archives a written copy of said report.

5)

a) Officers who do not appear and do not send written reports for 2 (two) consecutive business meetings will be placed on probation for 2 (two) months.

b) If while on probation, an officer misses a meeting and does not send in a report for that meeting, that person will be removed from office immediately.

c) Officers who do not appear for 3 (three) consecutive business meetings or made arrangements for representation, regardless of written reports sent in, will be removed from office.

6) Officers must pass to their successors all records and supplies of the office. If officers wish to keep copies of their office records for themselves, it shall be done at their own expense.

7) Costs incurred as a result of fulfilling the duties of office will be considered eligible for reimbursement up to 3 (three) months after the date of invoice.

Meetings

1)

a) Meetings shall take place at the times and locations published in the newsletter.

b) The meeting agenda will be as follows:

approval of previous meeting minutes
officers' reports

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Editor
other officers and/or agents

old business
new business
followed by open activities (also called "the Craft Session")

c) Meeting minutes will be published in the following month's newsletter.

d) Minutes of the previous regular business meeting will be read as published and approved if acceptable. Any corrections or clarifications can be made at this time. Such changes will be published as part of the current meeting's minutes.

Standing Rules & other Miscellanea

Accepted by vote as part of the general elections dated 9 October, 1999, was the GPACG nickname of "the Robe Warriors".

It was agreed by those present at the regular meeting dated 20 November, 1999, during discussion regarding the incorporation and name registration paperwork to be filed with the State of Oregon that "upon dissolution of our organization, all money will be sent to the main ICG office and all guild-owned books and tapes will be sold to guild members with the profit sent to the main ICG office, any items not sold will be donated to the Multnomah County Library." (Offical meeting minutes - 20 November, 1999)