BY-LAWS OF THE OKLAHOMA GOLF COURSE
SUPERINTENDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I. NAME
Sect. 1 The name of the association shall be "Oklahoma Golf Course Superintendents Association".
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Sect. 1 The purpose of the Association shall be to advance the art and sciences of golf course maintenance through the support of research, education, exchange of ideas, and the mutual cooperation of the membership. It shall also be the purpose of the Association to cooperate with and support the interests and purposes of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Definition of a Golf Course Superintendent.
A Golf Course Superintendent is one who is entrusted with the management and operation of the tract of land defined as a golf course, including involvement in construction and maintenance of golf courses and related equipment.
Sect. 1 Membership in the Association shall consist of nine (9) classes: A, SM, C, D, AA, S, F, G, and I. All Class A and SM membership applicants must submit an application for membership or evidence of membership with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and must maintain that membership thereafter.
Sect. 2 Class A-an individual with a minimum of three (3) years experience as a golf course superintendent.
Sect. 3 Class SM-an individual with less than (3) years experience as a golf course superintendent.
Sect. 4 Class C-an individual who is an assistant to a golf course superintendent, and is presently employed in such capacity.
Sect. 5 Class D-Class D members are honorary members and pay no dues and are not able to hold any elective office, but may be appointed by the President to a committee for only one year. To receive an honorary membership, the applicants must be voted upon by the Board of Directors each year.
Sect. 6 Class AA-To qualify for Lifetime Membership, a member must have retired from active service as a Golf Course Superintendent. A lifetime member shall have all rights and privileges of the Association except that of holding office and shall be excused from payment of annual dues and assessments. To receive a life-time membership the applicant must be voted upon by the Board of Directors.
Sect. 7 Class S-Class S memberships are available to any person attending a College or University in the study of turfgrass management. Class S members may not hold office or vote, but such members may serve on a committee by appointment.
Sect. 8 Class F, Affliiated-To qualify for membership, an applicant must be an individual, business firm, or governmental body interested in golf course management and/or in the growing production of fine turfgrass, either individual or through employment by, or an affiliation with a company, proprietorship or association, and who does not qualify for membership in another class. Affiliate members shall have privileges of the Association as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules, except those of voting and holding office.
Sect. 9 Class G, Associate-To qualify for Associate membership, an applicant must be an individual in golf course management and/or in the growing production of fine turfgrass. Associate members shall have privileges of the Association as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules, except those of voting and holding office.
Sect. 10 Class I, inactive-an inactive member is an individual who by reason of unemployment, illness, or other adverse circumstances, has been placed in this class upon his/hers application. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to act on such application and to place a member on inactive status subject to terms and conditions as the Board of Directors may specify by Standing Rules.
Sect. 11 Denial of membership-denial of membership application, denial of application for reinstatement by a suspected member, or suspension of a current member except for nonpayment of annual dues or assessments shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the current membership at a meeting called expressly for the purpose by the President or upon receipt of a petition by at least ten (10) members. The membership including the affected member or prospective member shall be notified of such such a special meeting by the Secretary-treasurer at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
Sect. 12 Classifications-classifications of all members as to membership status will take place January 1 of each year, except that a member an request reclassification any time during the year on the presentation of supporting evidence to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be the sole judge of all membership classification.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Sect. 1 Applications for membership shall be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer and shall be accompanied by the current initiation fee and the annual dues. All applicants shall be acted upon by the Board of Directors at the first meeting following receipt of the current annual dues.
Sect. 2 Membership cards and certifications shall be issued annually to each member following receipt of the current annual dues.
Sect. 3 Membership in the Association shall be on a calendar year basis.
Sect. 4 Any change in the amount of the annual dues of the Association shall be decided by the majority of the voting members present at the annual business meeting immediately preceding the calendar year in which such application is received by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
Sect. 1 Nonpayment of dues or assessments: All members whose dues are not paid in advance of the fiscal year may have services and benefits suspended. All members, whose dues remain unpaid more than 31 days past the first day of the fiscal year, or after the due date of the assessment, shall be dropped from the membership roll of the Association without further notice.
Sect. 2 The Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to expend funds for secretarial supplies and flowers for the Association not to exceed two hundred ($200) dollars each month. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to pay expenses for any Association function approved by the Board of Directors. All other disbursements of the funds accrued by the Association must be approved by the majority vote of the Board of Directors and this action reported to the members at the next meeting.
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS
Sect. 1 The officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, The Vice-President shall automatically succeed the President in office. All officers must be members of the GCSAA.
Sect. 2 The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected offices, and four (4) directors, and the immediate Past President. Majority of the Board of Directors must be members of the GCSAA.
Sect. 3 The elected officers shall serve one (1) year terms. Two (2) Directors shall be elected each year. The newly elected Directors shall be the Junior Directors, the other Directors shall be the Senior Directors their second year of the term.
Sect. 4 In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency and shall appoint a Vice-President. Any other vacancy of the Board of Directors shall be filled for the unexpired term by presidential appointment of a member. All appointments shall be subject to approval of a majority of the Board of Directors.
Sect. 5 Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office by a petition bearing the signature of two-thirds (2/3) of voting members.
Sect. 6 No member of the Association may hold two (2) offices concurrently.
ARTICLE VIII DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Sect. 1 Duties of the President
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and at the meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall be an ex-officio member at all committees, and shall perform all other duties as may properly as may properly by required of him by the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all committee members.
Sect. 2 Duties of the Vice-President
In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform all his duties, and if the office of the President should become vacant the Vice-President shall succeed to the office or the President until the next election. The Vice-President shall be program chairman for all meetings of the Association.
Sect. 3 Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer shall conduct all official correspondence of the association and keep an accurate list of its members. He shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Association. He shall collect annual dues from embers and any other monies due or bequeathed to the Association. He shall have custody of all funds and shall disburse funds as specified in these by-laws. He shall maintain a current account of receipts and expenditures and shall prepare a financial report of the Association to be presented to the Association membership at each annual business meeting and a list of expenditures to each board member before each Board of Director meeting. His records shall be subject to audit by a
committee if at least three (3) members appointed by the President. He shall send notice of meetings of the Association to the membership at least ten (10) days prior to each meeting.
ARTICLE IX. ELECTIONS
Sect. 1 The President shall appoint four (4) voting members as a nominating committee thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting. Two (2) committee members will be from the western part of the state and two (2) from the eastern part of the state. Their purpose will be to nominate one (1) person from their half of the state. There may be also be nominations from the floor.
Sect. 2 Election of the members to the offices of Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Directors, and GCSAA voting delegate representative and his alternate shall be by majority vote of the members present at the annual meeting. Election shall be by open show of hands unless a motion for secret ballot is made, seconded, and approved by majority vote of the members present at the annual business meeting. New officers will assume office on December 15th the same year following the election.
ARTICLE X. MEETINGS
Sect. 1 Meeting of the Association shall be held at least seven (7) times a year. The Vice-President will serve as Program Chairman to schedule meeting dates and locations and announce these to the membership at the January meeting.
Sect. 2 Notice of each meeting of the Association shall be sent to each member at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting by the Secretary-Treasurer.
Sect. 3 No business can be transacted at a meeting of the Board of Directors when less than five (5) members of the Board are present.
Sect. 4 The Board of Directors shall meet immediately prior to each scheduled meeting of the Association.
Sect. 5 Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all meetings.
Sect. 6 Special meetings of the Association may be called by the President or by a petition of at least ten (10) members, provided notice of such meeting is sent to each member at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
ARTICLE XI. LIABILITY
Sect. 1 In consideration of the Associations acceptance of each individual member into membership into the Association, each member, upon being accepted into the membership, agrees to release and hold the Association harmless from any injuries or damages to such member while he may be engaged in any meeting demonstration, function or other activity in behalf of the Association.
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS
Sect. 1 A) These by-laws may be amended at any annual meeting of the members, provided all amendments shall be presented in writing to the By-Laws committee at least ninety (90) days in advance of the annual meeting and the committee shall submit to the members all such proposed amendments at least thirty (30) days in advance of the annual meeting, together with it's report. The By-Laws committee may submit it's own proposals for amendments in writing to the members at least thirty (30) days in advance of such annual meeting.
Sect. 2 A two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members present and voting, shall be necessary for the adoption of any amendments.
ARTICLE XIII. INDEMNIFICATION
The Oklahoma Golf Course Superintendents Association shall indemnify any and all persons who may serve or have served at any time as officers or directors, and their respective heirs, paid administrators, successors and resigns, against any and all expenses, including amounts paid upon judgements, counsel fees and amounts paid in settlement (before or after suit is commenced) actually necessarily incurred by such persons in connection with the defense or settlement of any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, in which they or any of them are made parties, or a party, or which may be asserted against them or any of them, by reason of being, or having been, an officer or director, shall be adjudged in any action, suit, or negligence or misconduct in the performance of his/her duty. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any law, by-law agreement, or otherwise.
ARTICLE XIV. DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution of the Association, after all liabilities and responsibilities have been met, it's assets shall be distributed in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code concerning it's exempt status or in accordance with state law. The decision of distribution shall be made by the Executive Committee.
