Bylaws

Adopted 1964, Revised April 1977, Further Revised (no date shown), Revised April 22, 1990, Revised April 21, 1996 Revised April 20, 1997, Revised April 21, 2002, Revised April 18, 2004, Revised April 17, 2005, Revised April 23, 2006, Article 6 revised April 5, 2007, Article 5 revised May 20, 2007

ARTICLE 1: Name

The name of this religious society shall be the "Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sussex County."

ARTICLE 2: Purpose
The purpose of this Fellowship is to further individual freedom of belief and to advance the quest for truth, the use of the democratic process in human relations, and mutual respect and understanding among people, undivided by nationality, race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE 3: Membership
Any person may become a voting member of this Fellowship who is in sympathy with its purpose and other bylaws, and who has signed the Membership Book, and who has made a monetary contribution of record within the preceding 12 months. A new member may vote at any Fellowship business meeting 30 days after signing the Membership Book.

ARTICLE 4: Denominational Affiliation
This Fellowship shall be a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association and of the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York.

ARTICLE 5: Meetings
The time and place of the Fellowship meetings will be determined by the Fellowship or any person designated by it.

The annual business meeting shall be held each year on the third Sunday in April at such time and place as fixed by the Executive Board. A notice of the agenda, times and place of the annual meeting shall be mailed to all voting members either by special mailing at least fourteen days prior to the meeting or publication in the Fellowship's newsletter (The Quest).

Special business meetings may be called at any time by the Executive Board or by written request of 20% of the voting members. A notice of all special business meetings shall be mailed to the voting members at least fourteen days prior to the meeting or published in the Fellowship newsletter (Quest)

Forty percent (40%) of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at a business meeting. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern and will be interpreted by a parliamentarian appointed by the presiding officer.

Absentee ballots shall be distributed with the meeting notice. Absentee ballots will contain choices for all planned voting questions. In addition, there will be a choice covering unanticipated issues raised at the meeting, where absent members can chose to either abstain or have the Board cast their vote.

Voting members must deliver their absentee ballots (either in person or by mail) to the Secretary before the day of the meeting. The Secretary will tally the absentee ballots prior to the meeting and cast them on behalf of the absent members. The absentee ballots will count towards the required quorum. If members are able to attend the meeting after having submitted their absentee ballots, the Secretary will return their ballots at the beginning of the meeting so they can vote as present members.

ARTICLE 6: Officers
Officers shall consist of:
(1) Corporate Trustees
(2) Executive Board Members

(1) Corporate Trustees
The Corporate Trustees shall consist of five members and shall act as the official body of the Fellowship in all corporate matters.
The Corporate Trustees shall meet annually between February 1st and 15th at a time and place to be designated by mutual consent of the members comprising the Corporate Trustees. The Trustee responsible for calling this meeting shall be the senior member of the Corporate Trustees; that is, the Trustee whose term is expiring that year. Additional meetings may be called into session at any other time deemed necessary.
Corporate Trustees shall serve for a five year period commencing July 1st. They may fill vacancies, and persons so elected shall serve for the duration of the unexpired term.
The President of the Executive Board shall, upon the conclusion of his or her term be nominated to serve as a Corporate Trustee. In the event that the President is already a Corporate Trustee or chooses to decline the nomination, the Corporate Trustees shall nominate another person. Any year in which there is not a retiring President, the Corporate Trustees shall nominate another person.
The Corporate Trustees shall be responsible for nominating individuals to serve on the Executive Board. Additional responsibilities of the Corporate Trustees will be described in the document, UUFSC OFFICERS’ JOB DESCRIPTIONS, which is appended to the Bylaws and can be changed by the Executive Board from time to time.

(2) Executive Board
The Executive Board shall consist of the following members and shall serve a term and limit as indicated, beginning on July 1st.
POSITION TERM LIMIT
President One year Two full terms
Vice President One year Two full terms
Treasurer One year Two full terms
Secretary One year Two full terms
Executive Trustee One year Three full terms
Executive Trustee One year Three full terms
Executive Trustee One year Three full terms
Advisor (optional; nonvoting) One year None
Advisor (optional', nonvoting) One year None

The three Executive Trustees are all elected every year but can not serve more than three consecutive years. They shall have staggered expiration dates so that one is elected for their first term each year.

The Executive Board shall have general charge of the property of the Fellowship and the conduct of its noncorporate business affairs and the control of its administration, including the appointment of such committees as it may deem necessary. Four of the seven voting members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. The Executive Board may fill vacancies, and persons so appointed shall serve until the end of the unexpired term.

All members of the Executive Board are expected to attend monthly Board meetings and other Board meetings as scheduled. Any member who fails to attend 3 meetings without a compelling reason may be replaced by a person appointed by the Board to complete the term.

Additional responsibilities of the Executive Board Members will be described in the document, UUFSC OFFICERS’ JOB DESCRIPTIONS, which is appended to the Bylaws and can be changed by the Executive Board from time to time.

(3) Election of Officers and Trustees

The Corporate Trustees and the Executive Board Members shall be elected at each annual business meeting by a majority of the membership comprising a quorum. All Officers and Trustees shall be chosen from the voting membership of the Fellowship.

ARTICLE 7: Budget and Fiscal Year

An annual budget shall be submitted to the membership on the third Sunday in May. Approval by a majority of the voting members comprising a quorum shall constitute acceptance.

The Treasurer shall make recommendations to the Executive Board, who, in turn, shall formulate the proposed budget.

Total off-budget capital expenses for the fiscal year shall not exceed 10% of the annual budget except in the case of:
(a) emergencies that must be dealt with immediately: or
(b) expenses approved by the membership at the annual business meeting or at a special business meeting.

The fiscal year shall commence on July 1st.

ARTICLE 8: Amendments
These bylaws, so far as allowed by law, may be amended, or replaced, at any business meeting of the Fellowship by a two thirds vote of the voting members. Notice of any change shall be contained in the notice of the business meeting.

ARTICLE 9: Dissolution
Should this Fellowship cease to function and the membership vote to disband, any accrued assets of the Fellowship will be assigned to the Unitarian Universalist Association, to be used for the extension of liberal religion