WASHINGTON COUNTY WILDLIFE SOCIETY
Revised 8-26-2011
ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Washington County Wildlife Society.
ARTICLE II MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to enhance and conserve wildlife in the county through landowner education and support of local Wildlife Management Associations (WMAs) to improve the quality of life in Washington County.
ARTICLE III OPERATION
The Society shall operate under a wildlife management plan developed with assistance from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and the Texas Agrilife Extension agent.
ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Society is open to persons who own property in Washington County; they will automatically become members of the WMA where their property is located. Membership in the Society is also open to persons who are interested in the enhancement and conservation of wildlife, but do not own property in Washington County; they may choose the WMA for their membership. The Board of Directors may designate individuals as Ex-Officio Members or Honorary Members when that relationship is beneficial to the Society.
ARTICLE V FISCAL YEAR
The Society's fiscal year shall be the calendar year of January 1 through December 31.
ARTICLE VI DUES
Initiation dues are $30.00 for the calendar year, which entitles new members to a copy of the Washington County Wildlife Management Handbook, one WMA gate sign and all member correspondence. Individuals joining the Society during the last quarter (October, November, December) of the year will be paid up members for the coming calendar year. Following year dues are $20.00 per calendar year, payable at the Society's January meeting. Any member failing to pay their annual dues will be dropped from membership and notified by the secretary. Upon payment of the current year's annual dues, said member will be reinstated to membership.
ARTICLE VII ACTIVITIES
The Society's activities shall include educational programs, field days, tours, result demonstrations, certification trainings and annual meetings to support its mission statement. The members will be notified of these activities by newsletters or special correspondence.
ARTICLE VIII SOCIETY DIRECTORS
The Directors of the Society shall be the Director and Vice Director elected from each of the sponsored WMAs in the County.
ARTICLE IX ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Election of WMA Directors shall be held at the fall sponsored WMA meetings of each year. A Vice Director shall be elected each year. Directors and Vice Directors shall be installed into office at the Society’s January meeting. Directors and Vice Directors shall meet bi-monthly to facilitate activities of the Society.
ARTICLE X SOCIETY OFFICERS
At the January members meeting of each calendar year, the general membership shall elect a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer within the membership contingent. The nominating committee shall present a proposed slate of candidates and nominations will be accepted from the membership in attendance. If multiple nominees are named for a position the vote will be by secret ballot. Duties of the officers shall consist of the following:
a) President – Shall preside over all directors, annual and special meetings. The President may appoint necessary committees.
b) Vice President – Shall preside in the absence of the President and is an ex officio member of the Membership Committee.
c) Secretary – Shall keep minutes of all official meetings and coordinate keeping of membership records and mailings. Shall also assist in the coordination of news media releases such as radio and newspaper articles.
d) Treasurer – Shall review records of all receipts and expenditure and be prepared to issue financial reports at all meetings.
ARTICLE XI ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the Society will be held in January.
ARTICLE XII WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATIONS
The Society sponsors Wildlife Management Associations (WMAs) for its members to implement the Society's mission statement. The WMAs will operate under a Wildlife Management Plan developed with assistance from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist and the Texas Agrilife Extension Agent. The WMA members will approve modification of WMA Boundaries within the county. The WMA Director should call all WMA meetings.
ARTICLE XIII NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
The Washington County Wildlife Society is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.
ARTICLE XIV QUORUM AND PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Society members present at any annual meeting, WMA meeting or meetings called by the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Items of business are approved by majority vote. All meetings of the Society shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER.
ARTICLE XV AMENDMENTS
Amendments to these By-laws may be made by a majority vote of the membership in attendance at a society membership meeting. Proposed amendments must be mailed to the membership 30 days prior to the society membership meeting.
ARTICLE XVI MEMBERSHIP REVOCATION
Any member whose conduct shall be decided, by a majority of the Directors, to have been injurious to the interest or welfare of the Society shall forfeit their membership and rights, but such vote shall not be taken without giving the offender two weeks’ notice of charges, against them and affording the opportunity of being heard in their defense. They may appeal the Directors decision to the Society members at a special meeting called for that purpose, but it shall require a two-thirds vote of those present to reverse the decision of the Directors.
ARTICLE XVII DISSOLUTION
If upon dissolution of the Washington County Wildlife Society, the assets that exceed the outstanding obligations shall be distributed by the Directors to fulfill the mission statement as stated in Article II.
ARTICLE XVIII PRIVACY POLICY ON MEMBERSHIP
Members who share their e-mail addresses with WCWS for communication with WCWS will be entitled to expect:
1. That the address(s) will not be sold nor shared with other individuals, groups and/or organizations;
2. That the addresses will not be publicly published;
3. That addresses will be held confidentially as Proprietary Property collected by WCWS for WCWS's exclusive use;
4. That WCWS e-mail to its list will not reveal members' addresses to each other;
5. That WCWS will not use nor allow its list to be used for matters not connected to WCWS business, projects or news;
6. That WCWS will not use nor allow its members e-mail list to be used for forwarding any matter not within the description of #5 above.
Members are not allowed to access the list or copy it for any purpose. Members who are willing to have other members’ access their address will have to publish it through some other method. Members who violate this policy may be sanctioned by the Executive Committee as it deems appropriate.
