BYLAWS OF THE CONNECTICUT ROSE SOCIETY
(Affiliated with the American Rose Society)

ARTICLE I.      OBJECTIVES

Section 1. THE CONNECTICUT ROSE SOCIETY, (hereafter "Society") is affiliated with the American Rose Society, a not for profit corporation, and is es­tablished to study, foster, and encourage rose culture; and sponsor public exhibitions of roses in accordance with the standards of the American Rose Society.

ARTICLE II.      MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership shall consist of persons who accept the objectives of the Society.

Section 2.  An application for membership must be accompanied by one year's dues.  Membership dues in the Society shall be established by the Board of Directors.  A single payment of dues shall entitle membership to an individual, or to each individual of a household.

Section 3. Dues shall be payable annually on the first day of April.  Non-payment of renewal dues by June 1 shall automatically result in lapse of membership. 

Section 4. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on all matters brought before the membership of the society.

ARTICLE III.      OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

Section 1. The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2. The standing committees shall be Consulting Rosarian, CRS Rose Bed, Elizabeth Park Liaison, Hospitality, Membership, Newsletter, Nominating, Photography, Program, Project Rose, Publicity, Rose Show, and Web Site; each committee chair shall appoint members as needed.

Section 3. The term of office for each officer and chair of a standing committee shall be two years from July 1 of each odd year or until a successor is elected.

Section 4.  Except for the office of President, any interim board vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors based upon recommendations from the nominating committee.  The Vice-President shall become President to serve the balance of the unexpired term of the President or until a successor is elected.

Section 5. With the approval of the board, the president may appoint special committees to serve during the presidential term.

ARTICLE IV.      BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall manage the business of the Society.  The Board of Directors shall review, approve, and adopt an annual budget for the Society.  The Presi­dent of the Connecticut Rose Society shall be the presiding officer of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. The members of the Board of Directors shall include the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past Presi­dent, chairs of the standing committees and three members at large elected annually to serve two year terms from July 1 of each year.

              Section 3.  The Executive Committee shall include the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  The Executive Committee may approve emergency actions       including budget modifications of less than $100 total.  All such actions must be brought to the attention of the full Board of Directors at its’ next meeting.

ARTICLE V.      DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

Section 1. President.  The President shall be the chief executive of­ficer of the Connecticut Rose Society, and shall:

a)        preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors, and decide all questions of procedure and order;

b)        appoint the chairs of the special committees defined in Article III, Section 5;

c)        call special meetings of the Society when necessary;

d)        call special meetings of the Board of Directors when necessary;

e)        serve ex officio on all committees of the Society;

f)         sign all documents that, from time to time, require the president’s signature;

g)        ensure that timely meeting notices are sent to the membership, and

h)        perform such other duties as are required by the office.

Section 2. Vice-President.  The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in the absence of the President.  In addition, the Vice-President will serve as chairperson of the program committee, which plans the activities of the Society.

Section 3. Secretary.  The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the So­ciety and the Board of Directors, and at­tend to all correspondence in connection with the Society.  The secretary shall maintain the history of the society.

Section 4. Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall receive and account for all monies of the Society and deposit same in a recognized banking institution. The Treasurer (or an alternate designated by the Board of Directors) shall sign all checks drawn against the Society's funds, and present a report of income and expenditures at the Annual Meeting, and at such other times as requested by the President or the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI.      MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular Meetings.  Regular meetings of this Society shall be held on the first Sunday of each month, except during the months of December, July, and August, and on such other dates as desig­nated by the Board of Directors.  Should a holiday fall on the first weekend of the month, the meeting will be held on the second Sunday of the month.  The meeting in June shall be the Annual Meeting.

Section 2.  Board of Directors Meetings.  There shall be at least four Board of Directors meeting each year, the time and place to be desig­nated by the President.

Section 3. A quorum for any meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the current Board Members.

Actions by the Board of Directors require a majority vote.  Actions of the Executive Committee require a majority vote.

ARTICLE VII.     ELECTION AND VOTING

Section 1. The Nominating Committee is a standing committee, and shall consist of a duly elected chair, and two other members selected by the chair, and approved by the Board of Directors.  The Committee shall file a slate of nominees, including the chairs of all standing committees, at the May meeting.

Section 2. The president and vice-president may serve for no more than two consecutive terms.

Section 3. Election of officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting by written ballot if competition exists for a given office; otherwise a voice vote may be used.  The majority of votes cast shall elect.  All members whose dues are paid at the time of the election shall be eli­gible to vote.

 ARTICLE VIII.    FINANCES

Section 1.  The fiscal year of the Society shall commence on September 1.

Section 2.  No appropriation shall be made in excess of funds actually on hand.

Section 3.  No part of any net earnings shall inure to benefit of any member.

Section 4.  The Treasurer shall submit the books and records to a com­petent person, approved by the Board of Directors, for audit prior to completion of each term of office.

ARTICLE IX.    AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed by the membership of the Society at any meeting by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present, provided that a written notice of such proposed change shall have been sent to each member at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting at which such change is to be acted upon.

ARTICLE X.   DISSOLUTION

Section 1. If it should become necessary to dissolve the Society, after paying or providing for payment of all debts and liabilities, all assets shall become the property of the Friends of Elizabeth Park.