Organization By-Laws
BY-LAWS OF THE ENGINEERS’ CLUB OF LINCOLN
As Amended 24 January 2019
It is the Lincoln Engineers’ Club Mission to:
Section 1. An application for membership in the Club must be signed by the applicant and contain, at minimum, his/her name, residence, age and be accompanied by one year’s dues. The application shall then be referred to the Board of Directors for action.
1.a Any applicant who is enrolled as a full-time student at a credible institution of higher learning shall be eligible for a student membership. The requirement of annual dues shall be waived for student members and they shall enjoy all rights and privileges afforded to full members.
Section 2. Members who have been in good standing for twenty-five years, not necessarily consecutive, shall automatically become “Life Members” without further payment of dues.
Section 3. Members who have achieved significant distinction and who have been selected after proper qualifications in accordance with the “Basis of Award” outlined below, shall be known as “Distinguished Members.” A suitable certificate of citation attesting to this award shall be presented to the member chosen for this distinction and he/she shall enjoy the privileges of full membership without further payment of dues, the same as a Life Member. One member only may be selected each year to receive this citation. It is not to be implied, however, that a member must be selected each year.
3a. Award Committee
3a.1. The Award Committee shall consist of up to five members in good standing, one of which shall be a Director, and the rest of which shall be appointed by the President at the beginning of his term of office. The Director shall continue to serve on the Award Committee another year as a past Director, together with the new Director and three other appointed members.
3a.2. Immediately upon appointment, the Award Committee shall begin to scrutinize the roster of members for the selection of candidates who might qualify for the citation. They may select up to, but not exceeding, three names of candidates in accordance with the “Basis of Award.”
3a.3. The names of the proposed candidates, together with the points of qualification shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for final selection. This final selection shall take place at the Board Meeting immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, and the citation shall take place at the Annual Meeting.
3b. Basis of Award. To be eligible for consideration, the candidate must have been an active member for at least ten years. The following points for qualification shall be considered in selecting candidates for the Distinguished Member citation. It is not necessary that all points be met.
3b.1. Outstanding active production service in the Engineers’ Club of Lincoln committee work.
3b.2. Outstanding activity or service that has particularly advanced the Club’s prestige, standing or interest.
3b.3. Outstanding activity in technical, industrial or educational fields pertaining to engineering or phases thereof.
3b.4. Distinguished recognition in engineering fields of local or national scope.
3b.5. Any distinguished service to the Club not otherwise specifically provided for herein.
Article III
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Club shall be from January 1 to December 31.
Article IV
Dues
Section 1. Dues per year for each member shall become due the first of January and become delinquent on the first of March. The amount of the dues shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by two-thirds of the members present at a meeting when recommendation is contained in the call for that meeting.
Section 2. Assessments for special purposes may be made upon recommendation of the Board of Directors and approval by two-thirds of the members present at a meeting when the recommendation is contained in the call for the meeting, provided the total amount assessed in any fiscal year shall not exceed one-half of the annual dues. Assessments shall be due upon receipt of notice thereof and delinquent sixty days from receipt of notice.
Article V
Withdrawal, Cancellation and Reinstatement of Membership
Section 1. Members in good standing may withdraw by resignation and be reinstated without penalty.
Section 2. A member who permits his dues to remain unpaid for seven months from the date they were delinquent shall be dropped automatically.
Section 3. A member dropped for non-payment of dues may be reinstated by payment of the current year’s dues plus dues for the previous year.
Section 4. A member may be suspended by the Board of Directors for conduct unbecoming to the engineering profession.
Article VI
Election of Officers
Section 1. Immediately after the annual meeting, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three members, none of whom is on the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee shall select candidates for President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and two Directors, and shall report to the Annual Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Meeting. Voting shall be by ballot and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected.
Article VII
Duties of Officers and Directors
Section 1. The duties of the officers shall be those which regularly pertain to their respective offices.
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and at meetings of the Board of Directors.
The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall record all minutes of meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors and be the custodian of all Club funds. He/she shall collect all money due the Club and shall pay such bills against the Club as the Board of Directors may approve. He/she shall deposit or invest the funds of the Club in its name as directed by the Board of Directors. He/she shall be an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall manage the business affairs of the Club, act upon election of new members, approve withdrawals, suspend members, as provided in Article IV, and fill any vacancy which may occur among the officers or Directors. The Board of Directors shall meet not less than ten days prior to each regular meeting and at the call of the President.
Section 3. The Board of Directors may give the Secretary-Treasurer an honorarium per annum for conducting the duties of that office.
Article VIII
Standing Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees of the Club shall be appointed by the President immediately after the Annual Meeting as follows:
(a)Membership Committee - secure and recommend new members; service as a reception committee at meetings.
(b)Program Committee - provide programs for meetings and arranges inspection trips.
(c)Publicity Committee - promote publicity of Club activities and publish and mail to every member a notice of the time and place of every meeting not less than three days before each meeting.
(d)Civic Committee - ascertain the Club’s interest in civic matters and make recommendations concerning endorsement thereof or participation therein.
(e)Finance Committee - recommend a budget for the current and coming year and audit the Secretary-Treasurer’s accounts.
(f)Distinguished Member Award Committee - serve as provided in Article II of these By-Laws.
Section 2. One member of each Standing Committee shall be designated as Chairman and another as Vice-Chairman. Chairman of the Standing Committees shall report to the Board of Directors whenever requested by the President and to the Club at the Annual Meeting.
Article IX
Meetings
Section 1. The Club shall meet regularly on the fourth Monday of September, October, November, January, February, March, April and May. The regular meeting in January is designated as the Annual Meeting. Special meetings of the Club may be called by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Any regular meeting of the Club may be cancelled by the Board of Directors with the exception of the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. For the purpose of determining a quorum, a number equal to ten percent of the resident dues paying members of the Club at the beginning of the fiscal year shall constitute a quorum. A smaller number may meet for presentation of a program and such action may be entered on the records of the Club.
Article X
Order of Business
Section 1. The order of business for the Annual Meeting shall be:
(a)Reading of minutes of previous meeting
(b)Report of the Board of Directors
(c)Report of Nominating Committee
(d)Election of New Officers
(e)Reports of Officers and Standing Committees
(f)Unfinished business
(g)New business
(h)Presentation of program
(i)Installation of new officers
(j)Adjournment
Section 2. The order of business for other regular meetings shall be:
(a)Reading of minutes of previous meeting
(b)Report of the Board of Directors
(c)Unfinished business
(d)New business
(e)Presentation of program
(f)Adjournment
Article XI
Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to the By-Laws may be proposed in writing at any regular meeting and be voted upon at the next regular meeting provided the proposed amendment is contained in the call for the meeting. Adoption of the proposed amendment requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present.
Article XII
Rules of Order
Section 1. All business of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts’ Rules of Order except as herein provided.