Constitution and By-Laws of the Empire State Honey Producers’ Association   (Amended 12/3/05)

ARTICLE I:  NAME

This Association shall be known as the Empire State Honey Producers’ Association.

ARTICLE II:  PURPOSE

The purpose of this Association is to promote and protect the interests of New York State beekeepers.

 ARTICLE III:  MEMBERSHIP

Membership in this Association is open to anyone interested in beekeeping.  Annual and life membership dues are set by the Board and approved by the general membership. Only paid up members are eligible to vote on Association business.  Spouses must take out a separate membership if they wish to vote. A paid membership is entitled to one vote.

 ARTICLE IV:  OFFICERS AND DUTIES

The officers are as follows:  a President, a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer.  These officers are to be nominated at the Summer Picnic and elected at the Annual Business Meeting.

             A:  The President will preside over the Board of Directors’ meetings as well as the Annual Business Meeting.  He or she is responsible for scheduling the Board of Directors’ meetings. (As a rule these will include a meeting immediately preceding the Summer Picnic and the Annual Business Meeting, as well as one in the spring of the year.)  The President oversees all matter of the Association and may delegate other responsibilities as he or she sees fit.  He or she may appoint one Director-at-Large to serve a one year term on the Board of Directors. A Quorum will be 7 members.

             B:  The 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Vice Presidents will assist the President in any way he or she requests.  In the normal course of events, at the end of a two-year term, the 3^rd V.P. will succeed the 2^nd V.P., the 2^nd V.P. will become the 1^st V.P., and the 1^st V.P. will become President (subject to the election process).  The 1^st V.P. will fill in for the President as needed.

             C:  The Secretary-Treasurer is subject to re-election but may serve indefinitely.  He or she is responsible for membership information requests as well as handling all revenues and expenditures of the Association.  The Secretary-Treasurer will make available to the membership a financial statement for the previous year at the Annual Business Meeting.

              D:  Any Officer or Director may be removed from office before his or her term is up only by a 2/3 vote of the entire Board of Directors (ten votes) or by a majority vote of the entire membership. The President has the power to fill vacant positions by appointment until such time as the position can be filled by election.

 ARTICLE V:  BOARD OF DIRECTORS

             A: The Board of Directors will consists of the President, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-Treasurer, and the immediate past President as well as eight Directors and Newsletter Editor.  (The Newsletter Editor is appointed by the Board of Directors and then becomes a voting member of the Board.)   Directors will be elected to a three year term (limited to two consecutive terms) and seven will represent the different areas of New York State as follows:  two from Western New York (west of the Genessee River), two from the Southern Tier (south and west of the New York State Thruway) and two from Northern and Eastern New York (north and east of the Thruway), and one from Long Island.  The eighth Director is at-large and is to be appointed by the President. 

             B:  In the event of an emergency, the President may poll the other Board members by phone. Any action taken by the President in the name of Association without an official meeting requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority or ten Directors in favor.

             C:  The Board may form committees as they see fit to oversee specific activities of the Association.

 ARTICLE VI:  ENDORSEMENTS

 Any use of the Empire State Honey Producers’ Association name is prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors at an official Directors’ meeting or a majority vote of the entire membership.

 ARTICLE VII:  MEETINGS

 The Empire State Honey Producers Association will hold two meetings a year.

A.     Summer Picnic:  The Summer Picnic will be held the last Saturday in July (unless announced otherwise) at a site to be determined at the preceding Winter Meeting.  A meeting of the Board of Directors will be held.  A business meeting will be held at which nominations for Officers and Directors will be made (to be voted on at the Winter Meeting).

B.     Winter Meeting:  The Winter Meeting will be held in November or December at a location to be determined by the Board of Directors.  A two-day meeting with an extensive array of speakers as well as a banquet is the norm.  An Annual Business Meeting will be held at this time to elect Officers and Directors as well as transact other business of the Association.  The Secretary-Treasurer will make a financial report for the previous year available to the membership at this time.

 ARTICLE VIII:  AMENDMENTS

By-laws may be amended at the Annual Business Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of members present, provided that any such amendment be made available in writing to all members thirty days prior to the vote.

 This page last edited November 12, 2007