Bylaws of the Great Piñata Riders Costuming Guild
I. Guild Management, Correspondence and Meetings
Management
The management of the Great Piñata Riders Costuming Guild (the “Guild”) will be administered by a Board of Directors (”Ministry”), which will be composed of not less than five members as defined here:
1) President
2) Vice President (“Supreme Underling”, “Vice Pooh-Bah”, “Minion to the Head MIDGET”)
At least three (3) Department Heads (”MINISTERS“), to manage the Guild Treasury, Communications, and Convention Relations.
3) Treasurer (”Minister of the Gold”)
4) Director of Communications (”Minister of Propaganda”)
5) Director of Convention Relations (”Minister of Ceremonies”)
Correspondence
The Guild Ministry will correspond monthly by eMail or telephone.
The Provisional Management of the Guild (administration with fewer than five individuals) will be the responsibility of the President.
Meetings
Mandatory Meetings of the Guild Ministry will be scheduled formally by consensus of all correspondence via email, fax (Electronic Mail), or telephone, and will take place at least annually.
Mandatory Meeting Place, Date and Time information will be announced to the Members At Large by electronic mail and in the telephone message posted on the Hotline.
Mandatory Meetings may be rescheduled or cancelled by the President at least thirty (30) days in advance.
Mandatory Meetings are announced with a Notice of at least ninety (90) days in advance, which may only be waived by a Majority vote of the Ministry.
All subordinate correspondence between members of the Ministry which have a direct bearing on the Management or Operation of the Guild will be copied to the electronic mail account of the Guild and/or the President for posterity, and may be used as official minutes of the Ministry’s day-to-day activity.
II. Office Eligibility, Terms and Elections
Department Head (MIDGETs)
Any person is eligible for appointment to the Office of Department Head (”MIDGET”, Member In Damned Good Election Type standing).
Each Department MIDGET will be appointed by the President to a two- (2) year term.
All posts within the Guild below the level of MIDGET are appointed for the duration of that MIDGET’s term, and have the option to remain under the direction of any duly appointed MIDGET.
A Department MIDGET may resign at any time or be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Ministry.
The resignation of any Department MIDGET must be accepted by the President or duly delegated Ministry Member(s).
In the event of the death, incapacitation or otherwise removal of any Department MIDGET, a successor will be appointed by the President, who reserves the right to call an election.
A Department MIDGET is considered incapacitated if for any reason (s)he is incapable of carrying out the duties of the office and is removed by a two-thirds vote of the Ministry.
In the case of an election, a majority vote of the Ministry elects a Member At Large nominee to become a Department MIDGET.
Board of Directors (“Ministry”)
Any Guild Member outside the Ministry is eligible to election to any vacant post of the Ministry, except for that of President.
The entire Ministry, with the exception of the President, is elected to a two (2) year term on the last day of November, each odd-numbered year, by a majority vote of the Membership at Large.
A vacancy in the Ministry may be filled by any Guild Member who is nominated by the Members at Large and elected by majority vote of the remaining Ministry.
The Guild President (”Pooh-Bah”)
The President is elected under these requirements:
All Presidents serve a full four (4) year term, beginning upon the day of his/her acceptance of the post.
A President may only be elected at the Mandatory Meeting, and by the two-thirds majority vote of all Ministry Members, including the Outgoing President.
In the event of the death, removal, resignation, or otherwise incapacity of the President, the Vice President will become Acting President and carries two (2) votes in all matters of the Ministry’s operations until such time as nominations and a Majority Vote during a Mandatory Meeting can be made, or a General Ministry Election takes place, whichever comes first.
Voting
General Voting Procedure
“Majority” votes: Members at Large may submit votes or nominations pertaining to all Guild functions by electronic mail or telephone by responding specifically to either a memo from the Guild Electronic Mail account or Hotline Message, or by ballot if the issue is opened during a Guild Membership Meeting to which the President is attendant.
Results of a Majority vote will be tallied by the President or delegated Director of Communications.
Special Vote
Elections: Members at Large may submit votes by any of the above means by midnight on the Fourteenth of November of each election year.
“Two-thirds majority” votes of the Ministry may only occur at Mandatory Meetings.
Voting for Regular Presidential Election may only occur at the Annual Mandatory Meeting during the Election year.
Nominations
Members are free to campaign for nomination in any way they see fit, and will receive no compensation for funds used during their campaigns.
Members At Large may submit nominations by electronic mail or telephone, until seven (7) days from the call to vote is announced by Electronic Mail AND telephone, or by ballot if nominations are opened during a Guild Meeting to which the President is attendant.
III. Responsibilities of the President and Vice President
The Guild President is the Director of the Guild Design and Build Department.
It is the responsibility of the President and Vice President to be familiar with the Mission Statement, bylaws, and policies of the Guild, as outlined in the Members’ Handbook Section 3, Responsibilities of the President and Vice President.
IV. Responsibilities of the Ministry
It is the responsibility of the Ministry to be familiar with the Mission Statement, bylaws, and policies of the Guild, as outlined in the Members’ Handbook Section 4, Responsibilities of the Guild Ministers.
V. Responsibilities of Department MIDGETs
It is the responsibility of each Department MIDGET to be familiar with the Mission Statement, bylaws, and policies of the Guild, as outlined in the Members’ Handbook Section 5, Responsibilities of the Department MIDGET.
Once appointed, a Department MIDGET has fourteen (14) days to meet the following requirements to remain in that office:
Be, or become a member of the Great Piñata Riders Guild.
Accept the Appointment to the office via electronic Mail addressing the General Membership of the Guild.
Meet with or correspond via Electronic Mail or telephone with the highest-ranking officers of that department or any Ministry Member, for orientation.
VI. Promotion, Responsibility, and Release of Members
All Members are eligible for promotion as outlined in the Member Handbook, section 6, Member Promotions.
Membership in any capacity within the Guild is a privilege, not a right.
The Guild may establish additional categories of membership or provide services based on any membership level, and may charge dues for membership or fees for services.
It is the responsibility of every Member of the Guild to be familiar with the Mission Statement, bylaws, and policies of the Guild, as supplied in the Members’ Handbook.
A Member may be released from the Guild for any breach of the bylaws or policies of the Guild, or at the discretion of the President.
Summary release (”expulsion”) will be at the discretion of a two-thirds majority of the Ministry, in accord with the procedures set forth in the Members’ Handbook.
No member will face summary release without having first an opportunity to correct, explain or defend the breach.
Removal from the Ministry or from the post of Departmental MIDGET for any reason do not constitute summary release.
VII. Property and Records
Any transfer of moneys or materials of monetary value will be valid only if its record of receipt is signed by both the Treasurer (”Minister of the Gold”) and the President. Any transfer signed in this manner will bind the Guild fully and legally.
Any person, firm, or company to whom a copy of Article VI has been provided will be entitled to rely thereon until notified by the Treasurer or duly appointed delegate of its amendment or repeal.
The Treasurer will maintain a written log and all records evidencing the property owned and the disbursements granted by the Guild, and will present this on demand by electronic mail within thirty (30) days of request by any Member, and also at each Mandatory Meeting for which both the President and Treasurer is attendant.
VIII. Quorum
Any and all business transactions that require a majority vote quorum will be a majority vote of the Members of the Ministry attendant upon a Meeting, or responses received by telephone or electronic mail.
Any and all business transactions requiring a two-thirds majority will require a two-thirds vote per Section 2.04 (b).
IX. Compensation
The Departmental MIDGETS, all members of the Ministry, and all representatives of the Guild in all of its endeavors act in the name of the guild without compensation.
X. Amendment to the Bylaws
The Ministry will have the power to alter, amend, or repeal the bylaws, or adopt new bylaws, provided the bylaws at no time will contain any provision inconsistent with the Non Profit Corporation Codes of the States of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois.
Copyright 2000 Great PiñataRiders Costuming Guild
The Standing Board of the Guild (2007):
President: Michael ‘Freon’ Andaluz
Vice President: Paul ‘Bart’ Stevens
Treasurer: G. Shalla Schmidt
Director of Communications: Joe ‘Bart’ Horner
Director of Convention Relations: ‘Red’ Kendra Duane
Duly elected or appointed,
Members-At-Large: listserv michiganfandom@yahoogroups.com
Public Relations: http://www.pinatariders.org
Standing Department MiDGETs:
J Saul, moderator
A Bouchard, moderator
M Owsley, webmaster
K Duane, convention liaison (Masquerade Director) 2007-8
Founding members:
Michael ‘Freon’ Andaluz
Thomas ‘Shark’ Jones
Paul ‘Bart’ Stevens
Joe ‘Bart’ Horner