Definitions

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

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

Purpose

The purposes of the Greater Portland Area Costumers' Guild are:

1) to provide costumers and clothiers, whether amateur or professional, regardless of membership in any organisation, with an understanding network of creative minds and talents to draw upon and to pass their own knowledge to;

2) to teach, publicly and privately, the mutual impact and influence of clothing, costume, and their related industries, whether major, minor or cottage, on societies and cultures historically, currently, and in the potential future;

3) to sponsor publications, events, classes and other special projects to further these goals.

4) and have fun doing it.

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 those whose memberships are current 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.

c) Votes are counted among those present and those who have sent proxies, not the entire membership. If a member does not appear for a vote and does not send a proxy, s/he has no say in the vote.

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 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 and have current memberships.

b) Officers must maintain their current-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.

d) A vote of confidence may be called on any officer at any regular business meeting with the vote occuring at the next regular business meeting. Member notification of the upcoming vote is necessary for validity.

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