Purpose:
We are a self-help organization composed of people who are blind or visually
impaired. We meet every month to discuss how we can (1) educate and inform
people in our community and government about our abilities and needs, (2)
avail ourselves of opportunities and services for blind and visually
impaired people, and (3) advise and support each other as we strive to
improve our lives.
Our meetings are usually held on the first Saturday of each month at the
Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talkingbook Library located at 40 West 20th
Street in Manhattan.
Upcoming meeting dates: April 7, May 5, June 2.
For more information, contact Bob White, president, at 718-379-4908 or gnycpresident@acbny.info.
Officers:
President: Bob White
Vice-President: Karen Gourgey
Corresponding Secretary: Rachel Graff
Recording Secretary: George Ashiotis
Treasurer : Gail Susman
Bylaws
*GREATER NEW YORK COUNCIL OF THE BLIND CONSTITUTION & BILAWS, REVISED JULY
2003*
**
*ARTICLE I: NAME*
*The name of this organization shall be the Greater New York Council of the
Blind (American Council of the Blind).*
*ARTICLE II: STATUS*
*This Association shall be in compliance with the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 as a tax exempt, not for profit Association under Section 501(C)(3).
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the Association shall
not carry on any other activity not permitted to be carried on by an
Association exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(C)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.*
*ARTICLE III: AFFILIATION*
*The Greater New York Council of the Blind is both an affiliate of the
American Council of the Blind of New York, Inc. and its national
organization, the American Council of the Blind.*
*ARTICLE IV: PURPOSE*
*1.**To foster and develop opportunities for blind and visually impaired
persons to become self-sufficient, self-supporting and contributing members
of society.*
*2.**To increase public awareness of the gains to be made by the whole of
society by the inclusion of blind and visually impaired persons as
contributing, participating members.*
*3.**To provide a local forum for the discussion of issues pertaining to
blind and visually impaired persons. To study these issues and to strive to
find, develop and promote solutions in these areas.*
*4.**To provide information to blind and visually impaired persons about the
availability of resources; to educate them about their rights, duties and
responsibilities as participating citizens in their communities and society
at large.*
*5.**To provide a vehicle for communication between blind and visually
impaired consumers and those public, private and educational institutions
which serve them and to work toward the attainment of optimum quality of
services which are relevant and accessible.*
*6.**To plan and implement a variety of social action programs which will
lead to the improvement of the living and working conditions of blind and
visually impaired persons within the Greater New York area.*
**
*ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP*
*Membership shall consist of blind, visually impaired and sighted
individuals who are interested in the development and advancement of the
purposes as set forth in Article IV.*
*1.**Members shall be 18 years of age or older and shall be residents of or
work in the Greater New York area.*
*2.**Junior Members. Any members 16 or 17 years of age residing in the
Greater New York area.*
*3.**Membership in this organization shall be contingent upon the payment of
dues as set forth in Article VI.*
*4.**A majority of the members of this organization shall be blind and/or
visually impaired.*
*5.**Membership in this organization shall be of three types: Active,
Associate and Junior.*
A.*Active membership shall entitle an individual to vote, to serve on
committees and to hold office.*
*B.**An Associate Member is one who philosophically and financially supports
the purposes of this organization. An Associate Membership shall entitle and
individual or organization to to participate in meetings and activities
without the right to hold office or to vote.
Associate Members shall not be counted in the roster of membership of this
organization for purposes of State and National representation and
elections.*
*C.**A Junior Member shall not have voting privileges or hold office and
shall not be counted in the roster of membership of this organization for
purposes of State and National representation and elections.*
*6.**An Active Member of the Greater New York Council of the Blind shall not
hold an active membership in another affiliate of the American Council of
the Blind except a special interest group.*
*ARTICLE VI: DUES*
*1.**For Active Members, dues for the calendar year shall be as follows:*
A.*Employed or Financially Able to Pay. The dues shall be in the amount set
by the membership from time to time.*
*B.**Students or those unable financially unable to pay: The dues shall be
set by the members from time to time at an amount lower than that specified
in Article VI Section 1A.*
*2.**Associate Members. Contributions shall be no less than the amount
specified for Active Members in Article VI Section 1A.*
*3.**Dues for Junior Members shall be as specified in Article VI Section
IB.*
*4.**For new members joining prior to July first of the calendar year, the
dues shall be as specified in Article VI Section 1A or IB.*
*5.**All members must pay dues within a period as specified by the Board of
Directors which is in compliance with the requirements of the National
American Council of the Blind.*
*ARTICLE VII: VOTING*
*1.**Active Members in good standing shall be entitled to one vote at
business meetings.*
*2.**The visually impaired and blind members eligible to vote at a business
meeting shall constitute a majority of the total number of members voting at
the meeting.*
*3.**A quorum shall consist of at least ten members in good standing and
eligible to vote and shall include at least one officer.*
*ARTICLE VIII: OFFICERS*
*1.**This organization shall have five officers. They shall be:
President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and
Treasurer.*
*2.**The officers shall serve for a term of two years. The term of office
shall begin on January first of the year following the elections.*
*3.**Officers shall be elected biannually at the final meeting of the
calendar year.*
*ARTICLE IX: BOARD OF DIRECTORS*
*1.**The Board of Directors shall consist of the five Officers, the Delegate
to the American Council of the Blind of New York, Inc., the Immediate Past
President and four additional members elected to the Board of Directors.*
*2.**The four elected members of the Board shall serve for a term of two
years with the provision that two Board members be elected annually.*
*3.**The Delegate to the State Board of Directors shall be elected annually
at the final meeting of the calendar year,*
*4.**The Officers and Directors of this organization shall have such duties
and powers as are usual to the respective positions. They shall be governed
by Roberts Rules of Order (Rev.).*
*ARTICLE X: ELECTIONS*
*1.**Elections shall be held at the final meeting of the calendar year.
Elections may be made by secret ballot upon the request of a majority of the
members present and voting.*
*2.**Elections shall be by majority vote of the Active Members present and
voting.*
*3.**Within five months after assuming office, the President shall form a
Nominating Committee consisting of no less than three members, one of whom
is designated as Chairperson of that Committee. In accordance with the
positions to be voted, upon that year, the Nominating Committee shall
prepare a slate to be presented to the membership at its September
meeting.*
*4.**Nominations by Active Members shall be received from the floor at the
meeting one month prior to elections and again at the time of
elections.*
*5.**If, in the event a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors, the
following procedures shall be observed:*
A.*If the position of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall
assume the position for the remainder of the unexpired term of
office.*
*B.**If any office except that of President becomes vacant during the first
year of the term, a new election for that position will take place at the
next general business meeting.*
*C.**If any position except that of President becomes vacant during the
second year of the term, the remaining members of the Board of Directors
shall appoint a person to the position.*
*
*
*ARTICLE XI: MEETINGS*
*1.**General meetings ot this organization shall be held monthly at a time
and place designated by the President. Such meetings may be omitted upon the
approval of the Active Members.*
*2.**The Board of Directors shall meet at a time and place designated by the
President. The Board of Directors must hold a minimum of three meetings a
year.*
*3.**Special meetings of the general membership may be called by the
President or by three members of the Board of Directors or upon the request
of five general members.*
*ARTICLE XII: COMMITTEES*
*This organization shall have two types: (a) Standing Committees; (b)
Project Committees.*
*1.**A Standing Committee is defined as an ongoing committee, e.g.
Constitution, Legislative, Nominating.*
*2.**A Project Committee is defined as a temporary committee with a specific
task. A Project Committee shall cease to exist when its task is
complete.*
*3.**The President of this organization shall designate a chairperson for
each committee and that chairperson shall choose the committee members with
the approval of the President.*
*4.**The President of this organization shall be an ex officio member of all
committees.*
*ARTICLE XIII: DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS*
*1.**The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a financial
institution of the Treasurer’s choosing subject to the approval of the Board
of Directors.*
*2.**All financial obligations of the organization shall be discharged by
check issued by the approval of the President. All checks shall be co-signed
by two Officers designated by the Board of Directors.*
*3.**The Treasurer shall be required to submit a report of all receipts and
disbursements to the Board of Director at every Board meeting.*
*4.**No assets of this organization shall inure to the benefit of any member
or Officer and no member or Officer shall receive payment for services
rendered the organization except as reimbursement for actual documented
expenses as authorized by the President.*
*ARTICLE XIV: AMENDMENTS*
*1.**To amend this Constitution and Bylaws, the proposer of the amendment
must present said amendment to the Chairperson of the Committee on
Constitution and Bylaws.*
*2.**The Committee on Constitution and Bylaws shall submit the amendment
with its recommendations to the Board of Directors.*
*3.**The Board of Directors shall review the amendment and recommendations
of the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall
make its own recommendations to a general membership meeting for its vote.*
*4.**All proposed amendments and recommendations to be submitted for a vote
at a general membership meeting must be furnished to all Active Members in
accessible format at least five days prior to the date of the
meeting.*
*5.**Amendments may be adopted by a majority vote of the Active Members
present and voting at a regular meeting of this organization. This is
subject to the provisions of the Article on Voting.*
*6.**Within one month of the adoption of said amendment, the Corresponding
Secretary shall send a copy of the amendment in accessible format to all
members of this organization.*
*7.**The Committee on Constitution and Bylaws shall be charged with an
annual review of this Constitution and shall incorporate into it the
amendments accepted during the past year.*
*ARTICLE XV: GENERAL RULES AND PROCEDURES*
*1.**All conflicts in general rules and procedures which are not otherwise
specified herein shall be resolved in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order
(Rev.).*
*2.**A summary of all board of Directors meetings and committee meetings
will be reported at the next appropriate general business meeting.*
*3.**All Board of Directors meetings and committee meetings are open to all
members.*
*4.**General membership meetings shall be open to anyone who desires to
attend.*
*5.**Whenever possible, all meetings **shall**be held in a place that is
accessible to **all**persons.*
6.*Attendance shall be taken at all meetings of this organization and a
complete up to date list of all members in good standing shall be
maintained.*
*7.**All members shall be notified of all general membership meetings at
least five days in advance in accessible format. All members shall be
provided minutes of all general membership meetings in accessible format as
soon as possible after each meeting.*
*8.**All members must be notified at least five days in advance of all
meetings at which elections are to be held. This notification must include a
proposed slate in accessible format.*
*ARTICLE XVI: DISSOLUTION*
*In the event of the dissolution of this organization, all assets shall be
transferred to a not for profit organization organized under Section
501(C3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The organization to receive these
funds and assets shall be determined by a majority vote of the membership.*