THE CONSTITUTION OF THE

DUTCHESS COUNTY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

 

CONSTITUTION

 

ARTICLE I - NAME

         

          This organization shall be known as the Dutchess County Music Educators Association, a non - profit organization, hereinafter referred to as the "DCMEA", or the "Association".

 

 

ARTICLE II - AFFILIATION

 

          This Association shall function as an affiliated unit of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) - the state unit of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC).

 

 

ARTICLE III - PURPOSES

 

          The purposes of this organization are to:  

1  Encourage, develop and increase the effectiveness of music education in Dutchess County,

    New York.

                   2. Encourage a closer cooperative professional relationship among the music educators of

                       Dutchess County.

                   3. Offer an opportunity for outstanding school musicians to appear in Festival Bands, 

                       Orchestras, Choirs and Jazz Ensembles.

          4. Offer an educational program through our meetings which will be of value to all, and other

             activities approved by the association.

                   5. Encourage the active support of school administrators, boards of education and general public of

                       Dutchess County in the maintenance and improvement of the place of music education in the

                       public school curriculum.

 

         

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

 

                   1. All music educators employed in public or private institutions shall be eligible for active

                       membership in this association.

                   2. Retired music educators who were employed in public or private institutions shall be eligible for

                       retired membership in this association.

                   3. Only active and retired members "in good standing", and honorary life members may hold office

                       and may vote.

                   4. Private music teachers, music dealers, and music publishers or their representatives and friends

                       of music, shall be eligible for associate membership in this association.  Associate members shall

                       have membership with the association without the privileges of voting or of holding office.

                   5. Institutions of higher education and music corporations shall be eligible for an institution

                       membership in this association.  Institutional membership privileges shall be determined by the

                       Executive Board. 

                   6. College students shall be eligible for student membership in this association.  Student members

                       shall have membership with the association without the privileges of voting or of holding office.

                   7. Honorary membership shall be determined by the executive board for each school year.

                   8. The President shall be exempt from dues while serving his/her term.

                   9. Membership shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th of each school year.

 

 

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES

 

                   1. Regularly scheduled meetings will be held with locations and dates designated by the

                        Executive Board.

                   2. Performing groups, selected on a county-wide basis, will present annual concerts.

                   3. Scholarship awards will be given annual consideration.

                   4. Other endeavors will be promoted, sponsored, or supported as the Executive Board

                       deems advisable.

 

 

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD

                  

                   1.  The following officers shall be elected:

                             a ) President 

                                          b ) President - Elect 

                                          c ) Recording Secretary 

                                          d ) Corresponding Secretary

                                          e ) Treasurer 

                                          f ) Directory Chairperson 

                                          g ) Public Relations.

                   2.  Other members of the Executive Board shall be:

                             a) NYSSMA Zone 10 Representative

                             b) NYSSMA Zone 10 PR-GRC-MIOSM (Public Relations-Government Relations Committee-

                                 Music In Our Schools Month) Representative

                             c) Past-President

                   3.  All members of the executive board shall have one vote.  The President will vote only in the

                        event of a tie.

 

 

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND CHAIRPERSONS

 

          The PRESIDENT shall:

                   1.  Act as the County representative of the Association to the New York

                        State School Music Association, through the County Presidents' Assembly.

                   2.  Appoint all standing and special committees with the approval of the Executive

                        Board.

                   3.  Preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board.       

                   4.  Call special meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee as the need arises.

                   5.  Be responsible for carrying out the purposes set forth in Article III of the

                        DCMEA Constitution.

                   6.  Act as a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees.

                   7.  Be present at all Festival performances.         

 

 

          The PRESIDENT-ELECT shall:

                     1. Perform all the duties of the President in the absence of, or request of, the President.

                    2. Be present at all meetings, and Festival performances.

                    3. Generally supervise County Festivals and finances.

         

 

          The RECORDING SECRETARY shall:

                    1. Shall keep minutes of membership meetings and of Executive Board meetings in a

                        permanent file available to members at any time at mutual convenience and to be turned

                        over to the new secretary upon completion of the office.

                    2. Shall submit a summary of the minutes of the Executive Board for publication in the

                        newsletter.  This summary shall be approved for publication by the President.       

         

 

          The CORRESPONDING SECRETARY shall:

                    1. Be responsible for all correspondence of the Association.

                    2. Establish and maintain any communication between the Executive Board and

                        members.

                    3. Be responsible for assembling and mailing the newsletter            

         

          The TREASURER shall:

                   1. Receive all dues; collect all fees with the approval of the Executive Board.

                   2. File necessary tax returns at the end of his/her term.

                   3. Be responsible for insurance claims and fees with the approval of the Executive Board.

                   4. Make all disbursements authorized by the Executive Board.

                   5. Keep an accurate record of all monies received and disbursed by the association: this

                       record may be made available to members at any time at mutual convenience.

                   6. Deposit all funds in a bank in Dutchess County in the name of the association with

                      himself/herself as Treasurer.

                   7. Assist with ticket sales at Festivals at the request of the presiding President-Elect.

                   8. Shall prepare and present for approval by the Executive Board, a budget for the succeeding

                      year.                  

 

          The DIRECTORY CHAIRPERSON shall:

                   1. Compile a Membership Directory and furnish copies to members in good standing.

                   2. Computerize all of the association records.  This should include but not be limited to the

                       following:  Membership Directory

                   3. Keep a list of all names and addresses of current members.

                   4. Endeavor in all ways to increase the membership of this association.

                   5. Issues cards to members upon receipt of dues.

                   6. Assist Treasurer in the collection of dues.

                   7. Check on membership of directors sending students to Dutchess County Music Educators

                       Association sponsored festivals.

 

          The PUBLIC RELATIONS Chairperson shall:

                       Handle all DCMEA PR.

 

          The WEBMASTER shall:

                       Maintain and update the DCMEA web site.      

 

          The LIBRARIAN shall:

                   1. Act as custodian to the DCMEA Music Library and make it available to All-County Festival Chair

                       people and the membership in accordance with the procedures that have been approved by the

                       Executive Board.

                   2. Maintain a computerized library catalogue.

         

          The NYSSMA ZONE 10 REPRESENTATIVE shall:

                       Be a voting member of the Executive Board and shall function as prescribed by NYSSMA.

         

          The NYSSMA ZONE 10 PR-GRC-MIOSM REPRESENTATIVE:

                       (NYSSMA Public Relations-Government Relations Committee-Music In Our Schools Month)

                       representative shall be a voting member of the Executive Board and shall function as prescribed

                       by NYSSMA.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

                   1. The Executive Board shall consist of all the officers as stated after ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE

                       BOARD in the Constitution.

                   2. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

                   3. The Executive Board shall set policy and establish outside contracts.

                   4. The Executive Board shall plan meetings, festival dates and other activities of this Association

                       and it shall be empowered to make any decision on problems arising between membership

                       meetings of the association.

                   5. The Executive Board shall authorize disbursement of funds.

                   6. The Executive Board shall determine all honorary memberships and awards each year.           
                   7. Interpretation of the Constitution shall at all times be the responsibility of the Executive Board.

                   8. The following positions shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the elected

                       members of the Executive Board: a) Webmaster b) Librarian

 

 

ARTICLE - IX CONDITIONS OF ELECTIONS, TERMS OF OFFICE

         

1. A nominating committee consisting of President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, and  

   one member-at-large shall meet in January of an election year to create a slate of officers. 

   Interested members should submit their name to the committee.  Suggestions may also be

   submitted at the All-County Festival meetings.  Additional nominations may be made from the

   floor at those times.  A ballot containing the names nominated shall be mailed to each voting

   member in good standing with the return written votes to be counted by the executive board. 

   The results shall be announced as soon as they are determined.

                   2. A majority of ballots cast shall elect a candidate.

                   3. Should the office of President become vacant" before the conclusion of the term", the

                       President-Elect shall become President.  If any other elected or appointed position other than

                       the President-Elect become vacant, that position shall be filled by a majority vote of the

                       Executive Board.  

                   4. Elected officers shall serve for a two-year term.  The President must have served at least one

                       year on the Executive Board.

                   5. Appointed officers shall serve a one year term, July 1 to June 30.

 

 

ARTICLE X - GENERAL FUNDS

 

                    1. MONIES RECEIVED.  Any monies received from any source what-so-ever shall be rendered to

                        the Treasurer and properly receipted.

                    2. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS.  Funds of the Association shall be disbursed by the Treasurer in

                        accordance with an annual budget adopted by the Executive Board.  Profits may be used for a

                        scholarship fund and/ or mini-clinics.

                     3. AUDITING OF FUNDS.  An auditor shall be appointed to examine the various accounts of the

                        Association at the completion of the fiscal year and furnish a report to the Executive Board.

                    4. The President shall be afforded a discretionary fund for unexpected or emergency expenses. 

                        This fund shall not exceed an amount to be determined each year by the Executive Board.

 

 

ARTICLE XI - DUES

                  

                   1. Those eligible for membership in this Association shall become members in good standing  upon

                       payment of annual dues.  The fee shall be determined by the incumbent Executive Board for the

                       following year. 

                   2. Each member shall be provided a membership card.

 

 

ARTICLE XII - DISSOLUTION PROCEDURE

                  

                       In the event of a dissolution, all the remaining assets and property of the Association shall, after necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to the New York State School Music Association or the Music Educators National Conference, providing  such organizations shall qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended; or to another organization to be used in such a manner as in the judgment of a Justice of  the Supreme Court of the State of New York will best accomplish the general purposes for which the Association was formed.

 

 

ARTICLE XIII - NON-INUREMENT PROVISION

                  

                       No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director of officer of the Association or any private individual, (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the Association) and no member, trustee or officer of the Association or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any assets on dissolution of Association.

 

 

ARTICLE XIV - RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION PROVISION

                  

                       No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be carrying on propaganda , or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (h) or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication and distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.            

 

ARTICLE XV - AMENDMENTS

 

                   1. Amendments to this Constitution must be presented in writing at a regular meeting of the

                       Association.  The amendment must then be tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting, at

                       which time the proposed amendment shall be presented for discussion.  In the interim,

                       notification of the amendment will be included in the regular membership mailing.

                   2. Amendments to this Constitution may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the membership

                       responding in a mail ballot.

 

                  

ARTICLE XVI - INTERPRETATION

 

                       Interpretation of the Constitution and its laws shall at all time be left to the understanding of the majority of the members of the Executive Board.  Robert's Rules of Order revised, shall govern all DCMEA meetings.  The President may appoint a Parliamentarian for his/her tenure of office.

 

 

(adopted May 1997)

 

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