BYLAWS OF COLUMBIA RIVER MENSA

ARTICLE I.  NAME AND PURPOSE

1. The name of this organization shall be Columbia River Mensa.
   
2. Columbia River Mensa is a local group of American Mensa, Ltd., and is subject to the Constitution of Mensa, the Bylaws of American Mensa, Ltd., and the resolutions adopted by the American Mensa Committee.  American Mensa, Ltd. is herein abbreviated as “AML,” the American Mensa Committee as “AMC,” and Columbia River Mensa as “CRM.”

ARTICLE II.  MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership in CRM shall be open to all members of AML in good standing in the geographic areas assigned to CRM by the AMC, or as otherwise assigned by AML.
   
   Mensa members in good standing who are not also members of CRM are welcome to participate in the social activities of the local group, but may not vote or hold office, nor may they participate in business activities unless they be the national Ombudsman or his designate, members of the AMC in the discharge of their responsibilities, or are invited to participate by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III.  OFFICERS & DUTIES

1. The governing body of CRM shall be an Executive Committee consisting of four officers (Local Secretary, Assistant Local Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor).  No more than one-half of the voting members of the Executive Committee may be appointed officers.
   
2. The Local Secretary shall be the chief executive officer and the liaison with other local groups and with AML.
   
3. The Assistant Local Secretary shall assist the Local Secretary, preside over meetings in the absence of the Local Secretary, and succeed to the office of Local Secretary if that office becomes vacant.  The Deputy Local Secretary shall also be responsible for keeping minutes of the business and Executive Committee meetings.
   
4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for financial matters of the local group, including the finances of the local group newsletter, and shall submit to the Executive Committee a semi-annual financial report which shall also be published in the local group newsletter.  The financial report shall contain schedules of income, expenses and balances for all funds under the control of the local group, including RG, scholarship and other special funds.  The Treasurer’s Report shall also include a listing of all equipment owned by the local group.  The Treasurer may assist the Editor in the preparation and submission of any postal forms that might be required.
   
5. The Editor shall edit the local group’s newsletter.  The Editor shall publish notices of meetings and programs, required ballots, results of business meetings and elections, amendments to the bylaws and related discussions and ballots, and the semi-annual financial reports, and shall prepare and publish Post Office forms if required.  The Editor may be removed by the Executive Committee or upon petition signed by one-third of the members in the local group.  The outgoing Editor must turn over all files in good order to the incoming Editor no later than 15 days after the outgoing Editor leaves office.
   
6. Other appointed positions of the local group may include, but are not limited to, a Proctor Coordinator, a Membership Chairman, a Scholarship Chairman, a Gifted Children's Program Coordinator, Area Coordinators for outlying groups of members, and Coordinators for other activities as deemed necessary.
   
7. The terms of office of elected officers shall be one year from January 1st to December 31st, or until installation of a properly qualified successor, except in the case of resignation or removal from office as provided in Article III (10).
   
8. The term of office for all appointed officers and positions expires at the end of the term of office of the current elected officers.  Appointed officers, positions and committees are appointed by the Local Secretary with the approval of the Executive Committee, and may be removed from office by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
   
9. All officers and appointees shall turn over all files, office equipment and materials pertaining to their offices to either their successor(s), to the current Local Secretary, or to another member of the Executive Committee no later than four weeks after leaving office unless otherwise stated herein.
   
10. Elected members of the Executive Committee may be removed from office for cause by unanimous vote of all other voting members of the Executive Committee or by recall election. A recall election may be called by a petition citing the reason for such action, and signed by 10% of the membership of the local group as listed on the most recent membership roster provided by AML.  The balloting provisions of a regular election shall apply except that a recall election must be held within 60 days of a presentation of a properly qualified petition at either a regular or special meeting of the local group, and the dates set forth in Article V shall be adjusted appropriately.
    
11. The Executive Committee shall select a replacement for any Executive Committee member who resigns, or who is removed or recalled.  A simple majority of all voting members of the Executive Committee constitutes a quorum to transact business.
    
12. All officers and appointees shall be current members in good standing of AML and of CRM.

ARTICLE IV.  MEETINGS