ARTICLE 1. NAME

 

The name of the organization shall be Bay Port Music Association (BPMA).

 

ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the organization is to enable the success of Bay Port High School music programs and the students that participate in them by enhancing music program activities, recruiting and encouraging adult volunteers, and by raising funds to provide financial support.

 

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP

 

Any person may be a member of the organization, provided they are not an active student in the Howard-Suamico school district and are admitted by the Executive Committee per Article 11.  

 

ARTICLE 4. MEETINGS AND QUORUM REQUIREMENTS

 

Membership meetings will be held periodically as called by the President.  The meetings will be held whenever and wherever most convenient for the members, as determined by the President’s judgement.  For membership meetings, any number of members present shall constitute a quorum, provided notice of the meeting time and location is provided to all members at least 10 days in advance.  Executive Committee meetings will be held whenever and wherever most convenient for the officers, and can be called by either the President or the Vice President.  A majority of officers must be present to constitute a quorum for Executive Committee meetings.

 

ARTICLE 5. OFFICERS

 

The organization shall elect four officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  These officers represent the Executive Committee of the organization.  Officers are elected as follows:

 

1. Officers are elected annually by the general membership, and no later than June 30 each year.

2. Officers are elected to one-year terms, can be elected to consecutive terms, and there are no term limits.

3. Terms of office begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year.

4. Vacancies in office mid-term shall be filled by appointment by the President.

5. Each member shall have one vote for each of the four officers, or four votes in all.

6. Voting will occur in person at a regularly scheduled meeting, and by voice vote.  If a member is absent, they may appoint another member as a proxy to vote on their behalf, or they may send instructions to the Secretary prior to the meeting on how they wish to vote.  If appointing a proxy, the member must notify the Secretary about their choice of proxy prior to the meeting.

7. Officers are elected by receiving a plurality of the votes cast for each office (i.e. by receiving the most votes).  The currently sitting President is responsible for breaking any ties by casting an additional vote.

 

ARTICLE 6. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 

The duties of the officers are as follows:

 

President – Presides at all meetings and ensures that the Constitution and Bylaws are followed.

 

Vice President - Performs the duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence, resignation, or removal from office.  Leads all fundraising activities for the organization.

 

Secretary - Keeps a record of the minutes of all meetings.  Keeps a current list of all the parents of all music students, with assistance from Bay Port music faculty.  Handles all correspondence, publicity, and communication to the general membership and the public.

 

Treasurer – Keeps records of the organization’s financial standing and delivers financial reports to the general membership from time to time, and no less than quarterly.  Maintains all funds for the organization at an FDIC insured bank, deposits all money under a separate account, and pays all bills incurred by the organization.  Maintains accurate records of all student account credits, debits, and balances.

 

Delegation of Duties - To carry out their duties, officers may receive assistance from other members.  For example, the Treasurer may delegate responsibility for tracking student account balances to another member, or the Secretary may receive assistance from another member to maintain a website or social media account.  Officers remain accountable, however, to the general membership for any of their duties delegated to other members.

 

ARTICLE 7. NON-PROFIT STATUS, FINANCES AND STUDENT ACCOUNTS

 

The Executive Committee shall ensure the organization operates as a non-profit and maintains status as a 501(c)(3) organization through the Internal Revenue Service.  No part of the net earnings shall benefit any private individual, and no substantial part of the organization’s activities shall involve lobbying or political campaigning.  The organization shall operate in accordance with applicable federal, state, and school district laws.

 

ARTICLE 8. FINANCES AND STUDENT ACCOUNTS

 

The fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30.

 

All bills submitted to the Treasurer for individual items exceeding $1,000 must have approval of a majority of the Executive Committee prior to payment.

 

At least two members of the Executive Committee shall be listed as controlling officers for the organization’s bank accounts, including the President and Treasurer.

 

The organization shall maintain dedicated fundraising accounts for specific students.  Students are eligible for fundraising accounts when they participate in music related academic programs of Bay Port High School.  These accounts provide a way for students to raise funds for music related activities, and help pay for their supplies, lessons, music camps, trips, or other music education related activities.  The organization shall maintain procedures for managing these funds and student reimbursements for their expenses.  When an individual is no longer a Bay Port student and has a credit balance in their student account, the funds may be transferred to another family member’s account upon request of a parent or guardian.  Credit balances not transferred to another family member's account after graduation or upon leaving Bay Port High School are transferred to the organization’s general fund, and are not refundable to the student or the student’s family.  Student accounts are tracked for record-keeping purposes only.  All funds are the property of the organization and will be applied toward music-related activities in accordance with IRS guidelines.  Fundraising proceeds are not guaranteed to any individual and may not be refunded.

 

ARTICLE 9. PROCEDURES AND RECORDS RETENTION

 

The Executive Committee shall maintain policies and procedures for the organization and may update them from time to time.

 

The Executive Committee shall maintain records for a minimum of 7 years, including financial statements, meeting minutes, and fundraising reports.  Electronic storage is acceptable if secure and accessible by the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE 10. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

All members of the organization shall disclose any potential conflicts of interest.  Any member with a conflict shall abstain from voting on related matters.  The Secretary shall maintain a record of all disclosures.

 

ARTICLE 11. MEMBERSHIP CHANGES AND DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

 

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for maintaining a membership list.  New members may be admitted to the organization with a majority vote of Executive Committee members.

 

The Executive Committee will accept resignations from members as they are received, preferably planning ahead for resignation events to facilitate an orderly transition of responsibilities (e.g. parents with graduating seniors).

 

The Executive Committee may remove an individual from membership for cause with a majority vote of Executive Committee members, provided they first give written notice to the individual indicating the reasons for their removal, and give a fair and reasonable opportunity for the member to respond to the Executive Committee’s concerns.  If the Executive Committee is considering one of its officers for removal for cause, that officer may not vote on the issue of their removal.

 

ARTICLE 12. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

 

The organization will not discriminate with respect to age, race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin in regards to membership, officer selection, or program participation.

 

ARTICLE 13. AMENDMENTS

 

The constitution and bylaws of the organization may be amended from time to time by a two-thirds majority vote of the members, provided notice of the proposed change has been distributed to the membership at least 10 days in advance of the vote.