BYLAWS
ALCONA COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1 - NAME: This committee shall be known as the Alcona County Republican Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive Committee").
SECTION 2 - PURPOSE: The purpose and object of the Executive Committee shall be to perform all duties provided by law and such other duties not prohibited by law as will benefit the general welfare of the Republicans of Alcona County and to conduct the political affairs and business of the Alcona County Republican Party (hereinafter referred to as the “Alcona County Republicans (or ACR)”).
SECTION 3– NAME DEFINITION: Alcona County Republicans refers to the residents of Alcona County, Michigan, that choose to be dues paying members (who can have one vote at group meetings), and any other community members who wish to participate in the meetings and/or activities arranged by the Executive Committee. Non dues paying members will have no vote.
ARTICLE II - THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SECTION 1 - ESTABLISHMENT: There shall be an Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Alcona County, which shall be established as provided by law and the Bylaws of the Michigan Republican Party. The Executive Committee shall elect the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer of the Executive Committee, and shall fill any vacancies occurring in these offices.
SECTION 2 - DUTIES: The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to establish general policy for and conduct the affairs of the Alcona County Republicans and to perform such additional duties as may be required by law.
In addition, the Executive Committee shall encourage, recognize, and aid in the establishment of those organizations within Alcona County that will enhance the activities of the Republican Party.
SECTION 3 - MEMBERSHIP: The membership of the Executive Committee shall consist of Delegate-Elected Members, Nominee Members, and Ex-officio Members.
In even-numbered years, delegates to the Fall County Convention shall convene at the call of the County Chairperson within thirty (30) days following the November election to select a number of persons equal to the number of county offices and state legislative offices for which candidates were nominated at the last two (2) preceding fall primary elections, who together with the persons most recently nominated by the Party for each of those offices, shall constitute the Executive Committee. The term of office for the Executive Committee shall immediately commence upon their election and qualification at the Fall County Convention and end when their successors are elected and qualified at the Fall County Convention held in the next even-numbered year.
(a) NOMINEE MEMBERS. The Nominee Members shall be those persons nominated by the Republican Party for county offices and state legislative offices (whose districts are located in whole or in part in Alcona County) at the last preceding primary election. When a new nomination is made for such an office, the new member shall replace the former Nominee Member as a member of the Executive Committee. If a vacancy occurs in the position of a Nominee Member of the Executive Committee, for whatever reason, the vacancy may only be filled by the person who is the new nominee for the office in question.
(b) DELEGATE-ELECTED MEMBERS. The convention at which Delegate-Elected Members shall be elected shall caucus and select the Delegate-Elected Members to the Executive Committee. All Delegate-Elected Members must be registered voters who reside in Alcona County. If a vacancy occurs in the position of a Delegate-Elected Member of the Executive Committee, for whatever reason, the remaining Delegate-Elected Members shall fill the vacancy at the next regular meeting of the Executive Committee after the vacancy occurs. The notice of such regular meeting must indicate that a vacancy is to be filled; otherwise, the filling of the vacancy must be delayed until the first regular meeting which the notice indicates that a vacancy is to be filled. A majority of the Delegate-Elected Members present in voting shall be necessary to elect the person to fill any vacancy in the position of a Delegate-Elected Member of the Executive Committee.
(c) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS. The Ex-officio Members of the Executive Committee shall be persons who reside in Alcona County and who hold the following positions: County Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Youth Vice Chairperson, and Deputy Treasurer, members of the Republican State Committee, State Party officers, Republican Congressmen, Congressional District Chairpersons, the chairperson of the various Alcona County Republican Organizations, and the chairperson of the various committees appointed by the County Chairperson. Ex-officio Members shall have a voice but not a vote, unless membership dues are paid.
(d) DUES. Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to pay his/her annual dues in a timely manner shall be considered to have resigned from the Executive Committee, and his/her position on the Executive Committee shall be filled as provided in Article II, Section 3.
(e) FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year for the Alcona County Republicans and Executive Committee shall be from the Fourth Monday in March to the Fourth Sunday of March each year. Dues for the Executive Committee must be paid by the end of the day on the Fourth Monday in March in order to have a vote.
1. Those that pay their dues late will not have a vote until their dues are paid. If an Executive Committee member does not pay their dues by the Fourth Monday in May, their position may be considered forfeit.
2. Dues for Alcona County Republicans may be paid at any time. Until dues are paid, members shall have no vote.
3. For those paying dues after the Fourth Monday in September, their membership expiration will be the start of the fiscal year of the second year after payment. This allows for three extra meetings at the end of the fiscal year, plus membership for the next fiscal year. Note the three month hiatus defined in Article III.
(f) VACANCIES. A vacancy shall occur in the position of a Nominee Member of the Executive Committee upon the following events:
1. By resignation from the Executive Committee by the nominee member.
2. By the death of the nominee member.
3. By the removal of legal residence from Alcona County by nominee members nominated by the Republican Party for county offices.
4. By the nominee member’s resignation or recall from elective office.
A vacancy in the position of a Delegate-Elected Member of the Executive Committee shall occur upon the following events:
1. By resignation from the Executive Committee by the Delegate-Elected Member, either voluntarily or involuntarily pursuant to these Bylaws.
2. By the death of the Delegate-Elected Member.
3. By the removal of legal residence from Alcona County by the Delegate-Elected Member.
ARTICLE III – MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monthly meetings will be held on the Forth Monday of each month, except December, January and February. This can be changed as needed with a 51% majority vote from the executive committee.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEE MEETINGS
SECTION 1 - REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held as frequently as necessary to carry out its duties, at times and places within Alcona County to be determined by the County Chairperson. The Executive Committee shall meet at least five times each calendar year.
SECTION 2 - QUORUM: A quorum for all meetings of the Executive Committee shall be one-third of the voting membership of the Executive Committee represented in person or by proxy.
SECTION 3 - PROXY: Any member of the Executive Committee may designate, in writing, a person to represent him/her at any meeting of the Executive Committee, except that no person shall hold more than one vote, nor shall any person hold a proxy unless that person is a registered voter of and resides in Alcona County.
SECTION 4 - SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the County Chairperson when he/she shall deem it advisable, and shall be called when requested, in writing, by five (5) members of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 5 - NOTICE: An agenda and preliminary notice of the subject matter to be considered at meetings of the Executive Committee shall be forwarded by the Chairperson or Secretary to each member of the Executive Committee with notice of the time and place of the meeting not less than ten (10) days prior to each meeting. Five (5) days' notice shall be given of special meetings unless such notice is prevented by emergency.
SECTION 6 - ATTENDANCE: Any Delegate-Elected Member who shall fail to be present, either in person or by proxy, at three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee shall be considered to have resigned from the Executive Committee and his/her position on the Executive Committee shall be filled as provided in Article II, Section 3.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
SECTION 1 - DESIGNATION: The officers of the Executive Committee shall be a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Youth Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and if possible a Deputy Treasurer and such other officers as may be appointed by the Chairperson with the approval of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 2 - ELECTION AND TERM: The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected by the Executive Committee within thirty (30) days following the Fall Convention held in even-numbered years. The Youth Vice Chairperson and Deputy Treasurer shall be appointed by the Chairperson with the approval of the Executive Committee. Their term in office shall be for two (2) years commencing January 1 of the odd-numbered years.
SECTION 3 - VACANCIES: If an officer shall resign or become ineligible to hold office, there shall be a vacancy in that office. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chairperson, the powers and duties of the Chairperson shall be assumed immediately and automatically by the Vice Chairperson until a new Chairperson is elected. In the event a vacancy occurs in the office of Treasurer, the powers and duties of the Treasurer shall be assumed immediately and automatically by the Deputy Treasurer until a new Treasurer is elected. All vacancies in offices shall be filled by elections by the Executive Committee for the remainder of the term. Such elections shall be held not less than fifteen (15) nor more than forty-five (45) days after the vacancy occurs.
ARTICLE VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
SECTION 1 - COUNTY CHAIRPERSON: The duties of the Chairperson shall be those provided by law, and also such other duties not prohibited by law as may be required by action of the Executive Committee, including but not limited to the following:
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and shall be an ex-officio member of all other committees. The Chairperson shall appoint the chairpersons and members of all committees and, with the exception of the Finance Committee, may remove them, all subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
The Chairperson shall be responsible for directing the administration of the headquarters and staff, if any; shall be responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs of the Committee; shall coordinate the activities of the Republican Party organizations within the county; shall be a member of the Finance Committee; shall submit a proposed annual budget for review and approval or modification by the Finance Committee by February 1 of each year; and may hire or fire full- or part-time personnel for positions approved by the Executive Committee.
The Chairperson shall submit reports to the Executive Committee as may required by action of the Executive Committee; shall keep the Executive Committee informed of Republican Party programs and activities; and may assign to other officers and committees such duties as may be necessary.
SECTION 2 - VICE CHAIRPERSON: The Vice Chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee in the absence of, or at the request of, the Chairperson and shall perform such other duties as directed by the Chairperson and/or the Executive Committee. In the event the Chairperson is unable to act, the powers and duties of the Chairperson shall be assumed by the Vice Chairperson until such inability is removed or until the Chairperson shall again take up the duties of the office.
SECTION 3 - YOUTH VICE CHAIRPERSON: The Youth Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for organizing Teen Age Republican Club chapters and College Republican clubs and carrying out such other duties as shall be assigned by the Chairperson or the Executive Committee.
SECTION 4 - SECRETARY: The Secretary shall perform all the duties normally incident to the office of Secretary, and in particular shall keep a permanent record of the minutes and attendance at all meetings of the Executive Committee; shall make these records available for inspection and copying by any member of the Executive Committee; shall furnish a copy of the minutes of the most recent meeting to any member of the Executive Committee who requests the same; and shall see that all notices are duly given as required by law and by these Bylaws.
SECTION 5 - TREASURER: The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all monies paid to the Alcona County Republican Committee and shall deposit the same in the name of the Alcona County Republican Committee in a bank designated by the Executive Committee and shall pay all duly authorized bills. The Treasurer shall serve as Chairperson of the Finance Committee and shall be responsible for the proper and timely filing of all financial reports required by law. Bills may be authorized for payment by an elected officer. All checks shall require one signature either from the Treasurer or Chairperson.
The Treasurer shall keep, or cause to be kept, an accurate account, in permanent records, of all receipts and disbursements of funds of the Executive Committee using proper and orderly methods of keeping records; and said records, upon reasonable request, shall be open to inspection by any member of the Executive Committee and shall render statements of the revenues, expenditures, outstanding obligations, and cash balance of the Executive Committee to the Executive Committee at each regular meeting.
At the close of each calendar year, the Treasurer shall obtain from an auditor an annual statement and report as of December 31 of each year setting forth the financial condition of the Executive Committee and summarizing its income and expenditures. The Treasurer shall forward the reports to the officers by the first day of March of the year following and shall present a copy of the report to the Executive Committee at the next regular meeting.
The Treasurer shall furnish to his/her successor all funds, accounts, and other property pertaining to the affairs of the Treasurer upon leaving office.
SECTION 6 - DEPUTY TREASURER: The Deputy Treasurer shall assume the powers and duties of the Treasurer, as defined in Section 5 of this Article, during the absence or inability of the Treasurer.
SECTION 7 - RECORDS: All records and materials received or prepared by the officers or employees of the Executive Committee in discharge of their duties shall be the property of the Executive Committee and each such officer or employee at the conclusion of his or her term of service shall deliver all such records and materials to his or her successor or to the Chairperson, except as the Executive Committee may otherwise direct.
ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES
Section 1 - Standing Committees: The following committees (if there are enough members to form a committee) shall be the standing committees of the Executive Committee:
(a) FINANCE COMMITTEE. There shall be a Finance Committee, which shall consist of the Treasurer, who shall serve as the chairperson, the Deputy Treasurer, the County Chairperson, and four (4) persons to be appointed by the County Chairperson with the approval of the Executive Committee. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for developing and implementing the fundraising plan of the Executive Committee.
The Finance Committee shall review the proposed annual budget which shall be submitted to it by the County Chairperson and may approve or modify the budget by majority vote. The Finance Committee shall submit the proposed budget as approved or modified by its action by February 15 of each year for review and approval or modification by the Executive Committee.
The Finance Committee shall meet at least quarterly and shall regularly report to the Executive Committee the current status of the financial policies and programs of the Executive Committee. The Finance Committee shall recommend such changes and alterations in the budget as are necessary when actual revenues and revised revenue projections are not adequate to support budgeted expenditures. Recommendations of the Finance Committee with reference to the budget shall be presented to the Executive Committee for acceptance or modification at the next Executive Committee meeting.
(b) MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE. The Membership Committee shall develop and implement a membership program to maintain and increase the number of dues paying members of the Alcona County Republicans. The membership and officers of the Membership Committee shall be determined by the Chairperson, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
(c) COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE. The Communications Committee shall develop and implement a variety of action plans for the Alcona County Republicans, including but not limited to, letter to the editor programs, volunteer recruitment, political and issues forums, political interest mailings, and preparation of a newsletter. The membership and officers of the Communications Committee shall be determined by the Chairperson, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
(d) EVENTS, HOSPITALITY, AND RECOGNITION COMMITTEE. The Events, Hospitality, and Recognition Committee shall develop and implement a variety of events and programs, including but not limited to, all non-fundraising events and county conventions, a visitor/guest welcoming program, volunteer programs, a recognition letter program, and an Alcona County Republican recognition program. The membership and officers of the Events, Hospitality, and Recognition Committee shall be determined by the Chairperson, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
(e) CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE. The Campaign Committee shall develop and implement programs to recruit and train reliable party workers, precinct delegates, and qualified Republican candidates. The membership and officers of the Campaign Committee shall be determined by the Chairperson, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
(f) REMOVAL FROM STANDING COMMITTEES. A member of a standing committee of the Executive Committee may be removed by the Chairperson.
SECTION 2 - OTHER COMMITTEES: The Chairperson may appoint such other committees as deemed necessary.
ARTICLE VIII - RESOLUTIONS
SECTION 1 - NOTICE: All resolutions, with the exception of resolutions honoring an individual for special service to the Party or community, shall be submitted to the County Chairperson at least five (5) days prior to the mailing of notice of the meeting at which they are proposed to be introduced.
SECTION 2 - MAILING OF PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS: The Chairperson shall cause a copy of each proposed resolution to be mailed to each member of the Executive Committee with the notice of the meeting of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 3 - POLICY: It shall be the policy of the Executive Committee not to endorse or support individual candidates in contested Republican primary elections, except as provided in Section 4.
SECTION 4 - ENDORSEMENT IN CONTESTED REPUBLICAN PRIMARY: In the exceptional circumstances where an endorsement will benefit the Republican Party in Alcona County, the Executive Committee may endorse, support, or disavow an individual candidate in a contested Republican primary election; provided that a resolution to endorse or disavow a particular candidate be adopted by two-thirds of the Executive Committee present and voting, and provided notice of the resolution is given as provided in this Article, with the consent of the candidate to be endorsed where an endorsement is proposed.
SECTION 5 - RESOURCES:
The resources of the Alcona County Republicans shall not be used to endorse or support individual candidates in contested elections unless the Executive Committee has endorsed the candidate as provided in Section 4; provided that Executive Committee resources may be made available on an equal access basis to all announced candidates in Republican primary elections where no candidate has been endorsed.
Out-of-pocket costs shall be reimbursed to the Executive Committee by candidates using Executive Committee resources, and the use of such resources shall not interfere with the operation of headquarters, if any, nor with the functioning of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 6 - CONDUCT OF OFFICERS: It is the policy of the Executive Committee that the officers of the Executive Committee in their official capacity shall not endorse partisan candidates in a contested primary election, except where the candidate has received Executive Committee endorsement.
ARTICLE IX- PROCEDURE
Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Executive Committee and its standing committees in all cases where said rules are not in conflict with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS
These Bylaws may be amended by a majority of the total membership of the Executive Committee present and voting; provided that notice of any proposed amendment shall have been furnished with the meeting notice to each member of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XI - ADOPTION
These Bylaws shall be adopted when approved by a majority of the total membership of the Executive Committee present and voting at the meeting where they are presented. These Bylaws shall govern the conduct of the Executive Committee and its officers and committees upon adoption by the Executive Committee. When adopted, these Bylaws shall remain in force and effect during the term of the Executive Committee, which shall have adopted them, and until the first meeting of the committee selected to replace it. The Secretary shall deliver to each member of the Executive Committee a copy of these Bylaws and a current copy of Article XIII of the Bylaws of the Michigan Republican Party following the adoption of these Bylaws.
FINALIZATION: These Bylaws for the Alcona County Republicans were approved and adopted by majority on May 27, 2017.
/s/ Lawrence Brozowski /s/ Carrie Mullins
ACR Chairman ACR Secretary