BY-LAWS OF FLORIDA FOLK DANCE COUNCIL, INC.

The name of this association is Florida Folk Dance Council, Inc., hereafter referred to as

FFDC or FFDC, Inc.

II. PURPOSES

The purposes of the corporation are to facilitate communication among Florida international

folk dance groups; to educate and inform individual international folk dancers and other

interested persons; to organize international folk dance seminars and organize an annual

folk dance week-end (membership may suggest time and place of this week-end, but the

ultimate decision will be made by the Executive Board); and to undertake from time to time

such projects as may be put forth by the Executive Board to further knowledge of, appre-

ciation for, and participation in international folk dance and related cultural activities in Florida.

A. POLICY: This organization shall be a nonprofit, nonpartisan and nonsectarian organization whose

FFDC is to have perpetual existence.

IV. MEMBERSHIP

A. Memberships are of two classes, single and "family". A person, or family, that joins

FFDC by paying the established fee is entitled to receive the corporation newsletter,

either by regular mail or via email, during the period of membership. A family, con-

sidered to be two adult persons (over the age of 18), living at the same address, and

at some time or another be active in folk dance and/or both be listed as members in

the membership roster of FFDC, shall receive only one copy of the newsletter sent by

regular mail, or if two email addresses exist, a newsletter can be sent to both email

addresses. Each member is entitled to all other considerations and privileges of

membership including voting.

B. An organization may pay one membership fee, be listed in the membership roster, and

receive the corporation newsletter, but will not be entitled to membership privileges

which includes voting.

C. The Executive Board is to determine the amount of membership dues. As of

June, 2003, they will be $15.00 single membership, and $20.00 family membership.

The membership year shall be from March 1st to the last day in February with dues

due by March 1st. A $5.00 discount will be allowed on both memberships if paid

before January 15th.

D. A new member, or family membership, who join after September 1st will not have to

pay again in March of the following year, but be allowed the privilege of retaining mem-

bership for the full following membership year with all considerations including voting.

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There will be one meeting a year of the general membership to take place during the FFDC

Weekend (aka Camp) where the election of new officers, if an election year, will take

place and/or other issues may be voted upon. If necessity dictates, write-in votes from the

general membership will be accepted.

VI. OFFICERS (A.K.A. Executive Board or Board)

A. All officers must be members in good standing of FFDC.

B. According to the "Articles of Incorporation" there must be at least three officers of

FFDC (President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer)

C. Henceforth the Officers of FFDC will be: (Revised June, 2003)

President; Vice-President/Secretary; Treasurer; Editor

President: Will manage the affairs of FFDC; conduct meetings of general membership and/

or call a meeting of the Board (and, if necessary, to include Committee members) as

necessitates, via e-mail. Voting will also be permitted via e-mail or with a write-in

vote. Also, the responsibility of the president will be the running of the FFDC Camp,

which includes choosing committees, choosing and hiring instructors and/or musicians

and/or vendors for the Camp, syllabi for dances taught, and to take care of any room

accommodations or scheduling or any other miscellany that may arise.

Vice-President/Secretary: Will assist the president in any endeavors of FFDC, or in the

If the vice-president cannot assume these duties, then a new president will be appointed

by the Executive Board to complete that term of office. The secretarial duties will

consist of taking minutes at the general membership meeting at FFDC Camp. If the

vice-president is not available to do this, then any board member (other than the

president) will do so, or, if necessary, a committee member.

Treasurer: Will maintain the membership rolls; keep records of receipts and disbursements;

submit financial reports to the Executive Board, as needed, and to the Editor, as needed

for publication in the monthly newsletter. A Treasurer’s report will be given at the yearly

membership meeting of FFDC Camp, and one yearly report for publication in the news-

letter in or about the time of the month of September.

Editor: Will be responsible for publishing the monthly newsletter with articles sent in by

officers and/or members, and which will also include any mailings that must reach the

general membership. A new membership roster will be prepared and printed in the

April edition of the newsletter, and any member of FFDC who has not paid his/her

dues by that time, will not be listed in the new roster. Optional will be the maintenance

Immediate Past President: Will serve as Parlimentarian; will be privy to any Board meetings

and may offer suggestions to the Board on any issues, but will not have any Board vote

except in the case of a tie vote in a Board decision.

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Two former officers of FFDC, in good standing, chosen by the president.

Duties of the Advisors will be to have privy to all workings of the present board

and to act in the capacity of advisors. However, they will have no Board vote on

any issues of the Board.

There will be one nominating chairperson, who is in good standing, and who will be

chosen by the president.

Duties of the Nominating Chairperson will be to select at least two members

of his/her own choice of the general membership, in good standing, to form the

Nominating Committee who, in turn, will assist the Chairperson. Prior to one

year before the next election of officers, the Committee will seek out members who

would like to fulfill the privileges of being an FFDC officer, and to submit a Slate of

Officers no later than December 1 of that year in order to present the Slate of

Officers in the newsletter at least one month before Camp. Nominating Committee

members will have no vote on Board issues.

A. Each position on the Board will be for a two year period with the right of any particular

officer to run consecutively for another two years. Any officer may then run again in

a different Board position after having completed the time period designated by the

former position. Any officer may run again for the same position as long as at least one

election term has passed since the time of his/her former position..

B. Any member in good standing may run for any position, or any member in good standing

may nominate another member in good standing (as long as written permission in agree-

ment is given by that person) to run for any office. All such nominations must be received

by the Nominating Chairperson no later than December 1 prior to the next election in

February to allow for the Slate of Officers to be presented to the general membership at

least one month before FFDC Camp.

C. If there is only one person nominated for each position, the future officers will auto-

matically be voted in by those present at the general membership meeting at the FFDC

Camp. If more than one person is running for any particular position, a write-in regis-

tration vote form will be printed in the newsletter, and must be received by the president

by February 1. No votes will be accepted after that time except from members who are

attending Camp and have not submitted a written vote prior to that time, but their written

vote must be received at time of registration at Camp. Prior to the general membership

meeting, the Nominating Committee (consisting of at least three persons, or a third person

appointed by the President) will count the votes and submit the results to the President.

D. In the event of the resignation, or the inability of any officer to perform his/her duties,

the Executive Board will appoint an interim officer to complete that term of office, with

the exception of the presidency, which will automatically be filled by the Vice-President.

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These by-laws will be printed in June or July of each year and will be the only copy

available to the membership. Any of the by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the

membership in attendance at the FFDC Camp in the following way:

A. Submit your request for changes by December 1 to the president (email requests

will be accepted) to be taken into consideration at the general membership meeting

at FFDC Camp in February where voting will take place. In this case, no write-in

votes will be allowed, nor will write-in requests (including email requests) be

accepted except from those who will be in attendance at the FFDC Camp.

Upon dissolution of FFDC, Inc., all of its assets remaining after payment of all costs

and expenses, shall be donated to not-for-profit tax-exempt international folk dance

organizations designated by the Executive Board of Officers of FFDC, Inc., or to any

other not-for-profit tax-exempt body if no international folk dance organizations qualify.

Page Four (final page)