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SECTION 4.03 PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP: TRANSFER, INTER-LEAGUE, AND NON-RESIDENT PRIVILEGES 3

The name of this organization shall be the Junior League of the Flint Hills, herein sometimes called “the League”.

The Junior League of the Flint Hills is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The policies of the League shall be in harmony with the policies of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Incorporated, herein sometimes called “AJLI.” The League does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion or national origin.

The Junior League of the Flint Hills shall maintain the same standards required of groups applying for membership in AJLI. It must be entirely unconnected with and administratively independent of, any other organization. It must maintain a financial position that is satisfactory to the AJLI board. It must have a duly established tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. It must be located in a community with sufficient facilities to afford opportunities for volunteer services in various fields. All League notification shall include written and electronic transmittal.

This League shall endeavor to associate itself with or endorse projects, programs or activities that meet accepted standards in their fields, or show evidence of working toward such standards.

A. Eligibility. This League reaches out to all individuals who demonstrate an interest in, and commitment to, voluntarism. This League uses only the following criteria in considering prospective members. No other criteria shall be used.

1) Residence. A proposed candidate shall maintain her principal place of residence within the Flint Hills vicinity to include Gear, Riley and Pottawotomie Counties.

2) Commitment to Voluntarism. A proposed candidate shall have demonstrated an interest in voluntarism, a commitment to community service, and an interest in developing her potential for volunteer community participation.

B. Proposal of Candidate. Those who may propose candidates for membership are Resident Active and Sustaining members. Each eligible member may sponsor candidates and endorse others. There is no limit. In addition, there is a self-nominating provision for women who are not personally acquainted with a member of the League. Any form used in the membership proposal process shall include information based on the admission criteria as set forth above.

1) Provisional Membership. The Membership Development Committee shall recommend to the board for its approval all candidates who meet the eligibility requirements as stated in Article IV, Section 4.01(A) of these Bylaws. A candidate shall be admitted to the provisional membership upon Board approval of her membership application. The Membership Development Committee shall give each candidate an orientation about the privileges and responsibilities of League membership. The Board of Directors has final authority over the admission of candidates.

2) Active Membership. The Membership Development Committee shall recommend to the board for its approval of admission to active membership all provisionals in good standing who have satisfactorily completed the provisional course as set forth by the Membership Development Committee. The board of directors has final authority over the admission of candidates to active membership. The board shall approve all candidates who are in good standing and who have satisfactorily completed the provisional course.

A. Provisional. Provisional members are those who are engaged in complying with the requirements for admission to active membership, and are not eligible to vote or hold office. Provisional members shall be required to complete a provisional training course within one year of beginning the provisional training. A provisional member may take up to two years from the date of admission to complete a correspondence course. Upon completion of the provisional requirement, and approval of the board, she will attain active status and will be referred to the Placement Committee.

B. Active. Active members are members in good standing who have completed the requirements for provisional membership, who reside in the Flint Hills vicinity as specified in Section 4.01A, have been admitted to active membership, and who justify their membership in accordance with the criteria stated under Standing Rules. She has all the privileges of membership and is eligible to hold an office and vote.

C. Sustaining. A member in good standing may attain sustaining member status after she has served a minimum of five (5) years. She shall have all the privileges of membership except that she may not hold office or vote; she shall justify her membership in accordance with the criteria stated in the Standing Rules. Sustaining members shall be promoted to Emeritus status upon reaching their Eightieth (80th) birthday and will no longer be responsible for payment of annual dues.

Section 4.03 Privileges of Membership: Transfer, Inter-League, and Non-Resident Privileges

Any Provisional, Active or Sustaining member in good standing may transfer membership from one Junior League into the Junior League of the Flint Hills. They shall be granted the status consistent with the specifications of the League’s membership classes. A transfer fee of $35.00 will be assessed to any transferring member upon completion of the transfer and will be billed by the League treasurer.

No JLFH member shall at any one time be a member of more than one Junior League.

Non- resident members are members in good standing who have completed their provisional training and live outside Geary, Pottawatomie, or Riley Counties. She shall be afforded the same privileges and be held to the same requirements as the League’s Sustaining members.

A. Resignation. Any member who is not in arrears in payment of dues, fundraising commitments, or in the performance of League duties, may resign in good standing. The President will be responsible for determining whether or not the member is in good standing. Requests for resignations shall be made in writing to the President by the February board meeting; otherwise, members shall be liable for dues for the coming year. A written request for resignation will become effective upon receipt by the President, and all privileges and responsibilities of League membership shall be terminated.

B. Reinstatement. A member who has resigned in good standing shall be reinstated if:

1) She submits a statement in writing to the board setting forth the reasons for the request for reinstatement;

2) The board approves the reinstatement by a two-thirds affirmative vote of all board members; AND

A. When a member fails to fulfill the requirements for good standing which are listed in the Standing Rules, the Board of Directors shall:

1) Notify the member in writing that she may be subject to suspension or removal from membership for said failure.

2) Devise a solution with the member upon solution(s) to meet the requirements for good standing. If said failure continues for more than 30 days from receipt of said notice, the Board will vote at the next scheduled meeting to suspend or remove the member and shall send a second notice to the member by certified or registered mail.

a) The member shall be allowed 15 days from the date the second notice is postmarked to mail a written request for a hearing before the board. If no hearing is requested, the board shall take action without a hearing within 30 days from the date the second notice is postmarked.

b) If a hearing is requested, a notice of the time and place of said hearing shall be mailed to the member and all persons of the board at least five (5) days prior to said hearing.

c) The hearing shall be held within 30 days from the date the second notice is postmarked.

e) A two-thirds affirmative vote by written ballot of all board members is required for suspension or removal.

4) If a member fails to pay dues or any delinquent fine, or make arrangements with the Treasurer-Elect before May 1, the following shall occur:

a) The member shall be suspended from the membership by the Executive Committee.

b) A written notice of the suspension shall be sent by certified or registered mail by the President to the member.

Any member who is suspended may not vote, hold office, or sponsor or endorse a provisional candidate. A suspension may be lifted by a two-thirds affirmative vote by written ballot of all members of the board when requirements for good standing are met.

If requirements for good standing are not met within 120 days of the date when the member was suspended, the suspended member shall automatically be removed from the membership roster and notice shall be sent by certified or registered mail to the removed member by the President.

All notices required in this section shall be written to the last address on file in the League office and delivered by certified or registered mail. All periods of time begin to run from the date the notice is postmarked.

AJLI will be notified of any member who has been suspended, removed and/or reinstated.

3) National dues will be added to the Junior League of the Flint Hills member’s annual dues

B. Payment. Dues statements shall be sent to the membership no less than 30 days prior to the payment due date. Active and Sustaining members’ dues (including National dues) shall be payable on or before April 1 and delinquent thereafter. A late fee will be assessed, as stated in the Standing Rules. Active and Sustaining members whose dues are not received before May 1 are subject to suspension, as per the Bylaws, Article IV, Section 4.05. Provisional members will pay dues equivalent to Active members, immediately upon acceptance as an Active member of the Junior League of the Flint Hills.

Each Provisional shall pay a provisional course fee, as determined by the Membership Development Committee, upon acceptance into the Junior League of the Flint Hills Provisional Course.

C. Provisionals who have failed to meet the requirements of Active membership. Provisional course fees are non-refundable.

All meetings and functions of this League shall be held at facilities that do not discriminate against individuals as outlined in Section 2.02.

General Membership meetings of this League shall be held on the fourth Monday of the month from August through April. There shall be no December meeting.

The Annual meeting of the League shall be held in conjunction with the May General Membership meeting scheduled at the Board’s discretion of the fiscal year.

Special Meetings of the General Membership may be called by the President or the Board and shall be called upon the request of 15 Active members of this League. Every member of this League shall receive at least two days prior notice stating the purpose, place, and date of said meeting. Only business stated in said notice may be transacted at the Special Meeting.

All members of every classification shall be privileged to attend all General Membership and Special Meetings of this League. Active members are required to attend General Membership meetings as specified in the Standing Rules unless other arrangements, such as attendance at Board meetings, are made. Members not meeting these attendance requirements are subject to suspension/removal from this League as provided by Article IV, Section 4.05, Suspension and Removal. Provisional members are expected to attend all General Membership Meetings unless excused by the Membership Development Committee Chair.

A two-thirds affirmative vote of the members present and voting shall be required to take action or to adopt a statement of position when previous notice has been given. The existence of an adopted statement of position shall constitute previous notice. A three-fourths affirmative vote of the members present and voting shall be required to take public action when there has been no previous notice. Five (5) days notice and two-thirds affirmative vote of the members present and voting shall be required to:

B) Approve major expenditures as defined in the Standing Rules Section 3.03A from the general fund not included in the budget

Each active member in good standing shall have one (1) vote. Provisional members may not vote. The President shall not vote except in the case of a tie.

An absentee ballot may be obtained from the Recording Secretary no more than 10 days prior to the meeting at which the election is held and must be returned to the Recording Secretary via written or electronic transmission within 24 hours of the General Membership Meetings.

If any member who has voted by absentee ballot is present at the meeting, her ballot will be null and void. If the slate is altered in any way at the election meeting, all absentee ballots will be null and void.

The officers shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-Elect. These officers comprise the Executive Committee.

The Nominating Committee shall present a single slate of candidates for the offices to be filled: Executive Committee to include: President-Elect, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer-elect. Additional positions will be slated at the discretion of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consider the current President-Elect and Treasurer-elect the automatic nominees for the offices of President and Treasurer. The written slate shall be provided to each voting member at least fourteen (14) days prior to the February meeting at which the election of officers is held.

Nominations will be excepted by the January General Membership Meeting by nomination of fellow league members or self-nomination.

Officers and Board of Directors shall be elected by a majority vote by written ballot of the President at the February General Membership meeting of the League for the term of one year. Officers and Board of Directors shall assume their duties upon adjournment of the May General Membership meeting, with the term running through May of the next year.

President: The President shall be the executive officer of this League; preside over General Membership, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee meetings; be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee; sign, with the Recording Secretary and/or Treasurer, all contracts and obligations authorized by the board; and perform all other duties generally pertaining to the office. The President may, with the approval of the board, create other committees not otherwise provided for and shall assign their duties.

President-Elect: The President-Elect shall act as a liaison between the Placement Committee and the Executive Committee, and Chair the Bylaws and Standing Rules Committee, performing an annual review of these documents. She shall also assist the President and assume the duties of the President in absentia.

Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall keep the minutes of this League’s General Membership, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee meetings; be responsible for providing the minutes, agendas, and other notices to the membership; and maintain a file of essential records which shall be transferred to her successor at the close of her term of office.

Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall maintain and provide to the membership a current classified directory of names, email and mailing addresses of all members, conduct the general correspondence of this League, and shall be responsible for documenting attendance for Active and Provisional Members at the General Membership meetings, and inform the President, Placement Chairperson, and Membership Development Chairperson(s) of attendance. This person serves as the liason between the League and AJLI, including keeping all records up to date.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the League; prepare and present the monthly financial report to the membership; prepare the year-end report; coordinate the annual review; have responsibility for all funds and long-range financial planning of this League; receive and disperse monies; be responsible for liability insurance issues; and serve as Chair of the Finance Committee. Previous financial or accounting experience is preferred. Works in conjunction with the President in preparing the upcoming League year budget.

Treasurer-Elect: The Treasurer-Elect shall, as directed by the Board, collect membership dues and provisional fees; keep complete and accurate accounts in cooperation with the Treasurer; and serve on the Finance Committee. Previous financial or accounting experience is preferred.

The Officers shall comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall oversee the daily operations of this League and shall execute the policies and directions of the Board. Each member shall have one vote, including the president. Any action taken by this committee shall be submitted to the Board for majority approval at its next meeting. Four members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Vacancies among officers shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board. Any officer filling a vacancy shall serve until the expiration of the unexpired term.

The Board of Directors, also referred to as the Board, shall consist of the officers of this League, the Chairs of the standing committees, which are mandated by AJLI, and such other Chairs of additional committees as designated by the Executive Committee. Each member of the Board, except the President, shall have one vote. In the case of a tie, the President shall vote.

The Board shall have general charge and control of the affairs, funds, and property of this League. Its main functions shall be setting policy and overseeing the direction of this League by delegating the daily operations and execution of its policies to the Executive Committee. It shall present to the membership all proposed major program activities for ratification.

C) Establish and amend By Laws, Standing Rules and Policies for the conduct of all business of this League not specifically provided for in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and prescribe and enforce such measures as it deems necessary for the observance or enforcement of such Standing Rules and Policies.

D) Hold final authority over the admission of candidates to membership. The Board shall admit any candidate to either Provisional or Active membership who has fulfilled all requirements as set forth in these Bylaws or Standing Rules and Policies.

The Board shall hold regular monthly meetings as scheduled by the Executive Committee. Special meetings may be called by the President and shall be called upon the written request of five (5) Board members to the Executive Committee. Every Board member shall receive at least two (2) days written or electronic notice of said special meeting. Committee Chairperson attendance is mandatory at all Board meetings. Chairpersons who are unable to attend shall send a committee delegate for representation.

Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by Presidential appointment with Board approval. Any member filling a vacancy shall serve until the expiration of the unexpired term.

Except as otherwise provided, chairpersons of committees shall be slated by the Nominating Committee and provided to the General Membership at least fourteen (14) days prior to the February meeting. The term of office for the chairpersons shall not exceed two years.

Standing committees are those that are continuing the program of this League. With the exception of those required by AJLI or by these Bylaws, committees may be created or dissolved, as need indicates, by the President with approval of the Board. Affiliation with AJLI requires the following standing committees which shall be comprised of a Chairperson and as many members as necessary to perform the duties and operations of the said committee:

The primary functions of this committee shall be to educate the membership as to admissions policies and procedures; to plan and implement the admissions process; to recommend candidates to the Board for admission to Provisional or Active membership; and to plan and conduct the provisional training. If requested, this committee shall retain a copy of the provisional program material to AJLI.

This committee shall include a Chair and Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect will automatically assume the duties of Chair for the next term. The current Nominating Committee shall present a slate to be voted upon, count, and report the results of elections. No member of the Nominating Committee may serve more than two consecutive terms.

This committee shall provide current information about the Flint Hills communities to the Board and this League to be used in planning programs and projects. An ad-hoc committee shall be appointed as necessary to investigate new projects. In addition, this committee shall review the progress, effectiveness, and future viability of this League’s programs and projects.

This committee shall plan, coordinate, and supervise training and educational programs of this League. This committee is responsible for General Membership meeting arrangements, set-up, and clean up.

This committee shall advise the Board on all matters relating to the finances of this League. It shall prepare the annual budget for presentation to the Board and General Membership, and shall include the Treasurer as Chairperson, the Treasurer-Elect, and other members as recommended by the Chairperson.

This committee is responsible for presenting the annual Placement Fair, providing the opportunity for all Active members to sign up for the committee placement of their choice, as well as acting as a liaison with the Corresponding Secretary on attendance issues. This committee is further responsible for monitoring members’ satisfaction with their placements and fulfillment of their obligations as stated in the Standing Rules.

Special committees may be appointed by the President with Board approval. The Board shall designate such committee’s powers and terms of the committee’s appointment.

A majority of the members on a committee shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of said committee.

The books and accounts of the League shall be kept in accordance with sound accounting practices and shall be reviewed annually by a Certified Public Accountant. At the end of the fiscal year, a copy of the reviewed financial report shall be available to each member of the League. Upon request from AJLI, the League shall send to AJLI a copy of its reviewed financial report and evidence of status under Section 501(c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

In the event of dissolution of the Junior League of the Flint Hills, its assets remaining after payment of or provision for payment of, all debts and liabilities shall be distributed by the Finance Committee and approved by the Board to such corporations which are organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes in the Flint Hills communities and which established their tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

The Annual Report shall include a written report from each Committee Chairperson and any special reports on any subject that the Board shall deem necessary or advisable.

The form of the Annual Report shall be such as is directed by the Board. It shall be the Recording Secretary’s duty to make available a copy of this report by the first General Membership meeting of the fiscal year. The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for making available an updated membership directory containing members’ names and contact information at the first General Membership meeting of the fiscal year. This Annual Report serves as the official record.

These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the General Membership by a two-thirds vote of members present, provided notice of such amendment has been submitted in the notice of the meeting and agenda. Amendments may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by any five League members at any meeting of the Board for Board approval by two-thirds vote.

In order to comply with the specific provisions of these Bylaws, the Board may, from time to time, establish Standing Rules and Operating Procedures that have the same force and effect as these Bylaws. Standing Rules may be amended or rescinded, without previous notice, by a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at the Board meeting or by a majority vote of those present with five days written notice. Changes in the Standing Rules shall be reported to the General Membership. With the exception of changes pertaining to admissions, requirements to remain in good standing, or financial obligations, the General Membership shall not vote on Standing Rules.

The Robert’s Rules of Order (most recent edition) shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by these Bylaws or the Standing Rules. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with its authority as interpreted by the President.

The Junior League of the Flint Hills shall indemnify any officer, director, member, employee or agent serving at the request of this League, and acting within the scope of their responsibilities or employment under the conditions and to the extent provided by K.S.A. 17-6305, as amended from time to time.

STANDING RULES

OF THE

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF THE FLINT HILLS

The expression “good standing” as used in the Bylaws and Standing Rules means that a member must have successfully completed the requirements for membership in the League. Any member of the League serving in an AJLI position shall be exempt from the following requirements during the term of office, with the exception of payment of annual dues.

7. Payment or fulfillment of other financial or placement obligations imposed by and according to the Bylaws and Standing Rules

8. If unable to meet the above, it is the responsibility of the member to contact the Executive Committee to fulfill membership requirements.

All verbal requests for leaves must be made to the Placement Chairperson. In addition, a written or electronic request must be made to the Placement Committee.

Upon notification to the Placement Committee, any Active member may be granted upon request a leave to consist of a three consecutive calendar month leave from the date the baby is born/adopted from League placement and activities. The Placement Chairperson will announce the leave to the Board. This leave does not excuse the member from dues and fundraising quotas.

Upon recommendation of the Placement Committee, the Board may grant any Active member in good standing a leave of absence for up to twelve months. A member may not be considered for or serve in an elected capacity. Only one twelve-month leave shall be granted within a five-year period of time. This leave does not excuse the member from dues payment and fund raising quotas. At the time of reinstatement, the Placement Committee will assign the member a placement volunteer job.

Upon recommendation of the Placement Committee, the Board may grant any Active member a three-month leave from League activities for emergency reasons. This three-month leave may be granted and extended, but the total period is not to exceed six months. This leave does not excuse the member from dues and other fundraising quotas.

1. All Active and Provisional members are required to work a four hour shift during set-up days or on the days of the sale. The time required for pricing and placing quota is not included in the hours required for work.

2. Any member not fulfilling her Next-to-New work commitments without making other arrangements may be required to pay a monetary fine amount of $10/hour.

1. Each Active and Provisional member shall be required to bring a quota of merchandise, the total value of which shall be $100.

2. The Next-to-New Committee reserves the right to determine the value of quota merchandise brought to the sale to assure that minimum quota requirements are met.

3. League members should follow the guidelines set forth for the pricing of quota merchandise as listed in the Next-to-New Pricing Guide.

1. The Next-to-New Committee and individual members may solicit salable items of merchandise from merchants.

2. The Next-to-New Committee may solicit funds in the community to help defray the cost of advertising the sale.

Any Standing Rule or Policy that would restrict, add obligation and/or responsibility to the membership shall be presented to the membership for approval.

A. Every committee Chairperson must submit a budget of her expenses for the upcoming year upon request, but in advance of the April Board meeting. A consolidated budget will be submitted for approval of the Board at the April Board meeting.

B. No committee Chairperson or member shall in any way obligate the League for any service or project until approval has been given through the proper authority as defined in the Bylaws or Standing Rules.

Those members delinquent in payment of dues as of May 1, pursuant to Article V, Section 5.01B of the bylaws shall be suspended. In addition, the member will be removed from the AJLI roster for non-payment. A late fee of $10 will be assessed to cover reinstatement costs.

Members must inform the Treasurer of any outstanding League liabilities as of May 31 of any given fiscal year for which vendor invoices have not yet been received. Payment reimbursement requests from league members received after May 31 of any given fiscal year will be reviewed by the Finance Committee and reimbursed subject to fund availability.

The general fund budget is a plan for the expenditure of funds derived from dues, provisional fees, fundraising projects, fines and interest.

The Finance Committee shall prepare the general fund budget annually. Every committee Chairperson must submit a budget of her expenses for the upcoming year upon request, but in advance of the April Board meeting. A consolidated budget will be submitted for approval of the Board at the April Board meeting. During budget preparation, the Finance Committee must approve any request from an existing committee or continuing program before it may be included in the budget.

The Finance Committee shall present the general fund budget to the Board. Upon a two-thirds affirmative vote of the board, the general fund budget shall be presented to the membership for approval. After its approval by the membership, the general fund budget can be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the board.

A two-thirds affirmative vote of the General Membership present shall be required to approve major deviation from the approved budget (over $500) from the General Fund with at least five days written or electronic notice.

Any request for unbudgeted funds or to exceed an existing budget must be made according to the following procedures:

3. The Board will review the request and will approve or decline the request, and if necessary present it to the membership.

The general fund balance is the accumulation of past year’s budget surpluses. Monies within the general fund balance are available to fulfill current community commitments, to meet unexpected administrative expenses and to finance new programs. During budget preparation, the Finance Committee shall designate and segregate within the general fund balance, any amounts that will be used for particular purposes in a future period. These designations should be contained in footnotes to the budget. An example of such a designation is money committed to a future or on-going program.

The general fund balance shall be maintained at a minimum of 30% of total budgeted expenses. This calculation shall be contained in a footnote to the budget. This minimum balance may be spent only under extraordinary circumstances to meet expenses that are unforeseen when the budget is prepared.

Special Program Activities are those which are of value to the community and do not require extensive financial and/or volunteer commitment from the League.

Emergency Aid represents support of new or existing programs, which provide emergency assistance for food, shelter, clothing, utilities, medical, and other related areas. Such support shall not require extensive financial and/or volunteer commitments from the League.

These activities are unforeseen when the budget is prepared and arise from time to time throughout the year.

a) Applicants should have an Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (3) exemption, be in the process of obtaining a 501(c)(3) exemption, or be under the umbrella of an agency with a 501(c)(3) exemption.

b) After the Community Research Chairperson receives the request, the following shall occur:

(1) The Executive Committee will review the request and make a recommendation to the board within 30 days.

(2) The board will act within 30 days following the Executive Committee’s recommendation on requests received between Aug 1 and April 1. Requests received between April 1 and August 1 will be acted upon by the Executive Committee.

(3) The Community Research Chairperson will advise the applicant of the Board’s decision.

(4) Applicants awarded grants will receive their funds within 30 days of notification by the Community Research Chairperson.