CARBOY By-Laws
Article I- Purpose
Section 1- Purpose
To enjoy and promote the hobby of homebrewing.
Section 2- Goals
To engage in enjoyable social activities focused on homebrewing as a common foundation. To learn more about beer, beer tasting, beer judging and brewing techniques, based on sharing knowledge and experience. To promote the hobby and enjoyment of homebrewing. To promote the responsible use of alcoholic beverages.
Article II- Membership
Section 1- Eligibility
All persons who may legally drink alcohol in NC are eligible to join.
Section 2- Acceptance
All eligible persons who maintain their annual dues will be accepted.
Section 3- Memberships
A- Regular Members
Open to all persons as provided in Sections 1 and 2 of Article II.
Dues for regular members are as outlined in Section 1 of Article VII.
B- Associate Members
Open to all persons who are full or equivalent members of other homebrew clubs as approved by the executive committee. All approved clubs should provide similar benefits for Carboy members. Associate members may not become club officers or vote on club matters. Associate members may not represent Carboy in any matters. Dues for associate members are as outlined in Section 1 of Article VII.
C-Complimentary Members
Open to one family member of a regular member as provided in Section 1 of Article II. Complimentary members have all club benefits but may only vote in the absence of the regular member. Dues for complimentary members are included in the regular member dues.
Section 4- Guests
Members are encouraged to bring guests to club meetings and other events. Guests should be recognized by other members and encouraged to join our club.
Section 5- Membership Year
The membership year shall be the same as the fiscal year and shall run from January 1-December 31 each year.
Section 6- Non-Discrimination
Club membership shall not be denied to any person on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, or national origin.
Section 7-Hold Harmless Agreement
Participation in this club is entirely voluntary. Participation in club activities involves the consumption of alcoholic beverages and it may affect your perception and reactions. By joining Carboy, you as a member accept full responsibility for your conduct, behavior, and actions. Participation includes any invited guests that accompany you on any club activity, wherever they may be held. All regular members will be required to sign a liability disclaimer.
Section 8- Rights and Liability of members
All regular members as defined in Article II Section 3 shall have the right to vote on club decisions. All other types of members shall not have the right to vote. The members of the club shall not be responsible for the debts of the club except as approved by the executive committee and by the membership. No member shall receive compensation for services rendered to the club. Club members may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the club if approved by the club, the executive committee, or if included in the annual budget. The Treasurer may approve other reimbursements up to $100.00 with sufficient documentation.
Section 9- Upgrading of Memberships
Associate and complimentary members may change to regular members by paying the difference in annual dues for that fiscal year.
Section 10- Revocation of Membership
Membership may be revoked by a unanimous decision by the executive committee or a majority vote by all regular members.
Article III- Voting
Section 1- Eligibility
All regular members current on their annual dues may vote.
Section 2- Voting
The executive committee shall decide when and the kinds of issues and topics that should be voted on by the membership. Any member may request that the executive committee bring an issue to the full membership for a vote. The vote may be taken at that meeting or referred to the appropriate committee for further study. All items referred to a committee should be reported online and a vote taken at the next scheduled meeting.
Section 3- Quorum
A quorum shall consist of at least two elected officers and one-fourth of the regular members or 15 regular members whichever is less. No official business of the club shall be conducted unless a quorum exists.
Section 4- Election Dates
Elections shall be held annually in June with new executive committee members to take office in July.
Section 5- Nominations
Nominations shall be made by an appointed nominating committee. Additional nominations to the proposed slate of officers may be made by any regular member.
Section 6-Voting Method
Voting is by controlled ballot. This means a ballot will be available to all regular members with one ballot per membership.
Article IV- Officers
Section 1- Executive Committee
The executive committee shall consist of the following officers who are elected according to Article III.
President
Vice-President for Education
Vice-President for Social Activities
Treasurer
Communications Director
Section 2- Executive Committee Duties
President – This member will secure a meeting location, conduct all monthly meetings and set the agenda for each meeting. Meetings other than the regular monthly meetings may be conducted by the chairman of the responsible committee. The President will appoint all committee chairman for all functioning committees.
Vice-President for Education – This member shall plan events for the membership that are educational. These events may be done at regular monthly meetings or at special meetings that are announced in the newsletter. These events may be seminars, brew-ins, trips to breweries/brewpubs or other events as created by the Vice-President. This member shall maintain or appoint a committee member to maintain the club library.
Vice-President for Social Activities – This member shall assist with all monthly meetings with the sharing of member beers. This member will chair or delegate a chair for all committees that plan and conduct other social events. Social activities for the membership will be announced online to allow sufficient time for member involvement.
Treasurer – This member shall receive all funds for the club and direct the dispersal of funds to cover all expenses. This member shall consult with the President and Finance Director liaison to propose the annual projected budget prior to each fiscal year. The Treasurer shall maintain the membership and bill new members as they join the club. A quarterly balance sheet shall be published online along with the progressing budget.
Communications Director – This member will publish the monthly Carboy newsletter and assist with all online activities. The Carboy calendar will be maintained and published monthly so that all activities of the club can be enjoyed by members. This director will provide, with assistance, all communications for members and other homebrewing organizations.
Section 4- Appointed Officers
Appointed officers shall consist of the following officers who are appointed by the executive
committee, not elected, and serve at the pleasure of the executive committee and the membership. A
member of the executive committee may also serve as an appointed officer.
Director of Information Technology
Finance Directors
Section 5- Appointed Officer Duties
Director of Information Technology – This member (or members) maintains the website and online archives for the organization and assists the Communications Director and Treasure as needed to fulfill their reporting duties. The Director of Information Technology will serve until they are removed or resign.
Finance Directors – These members will pay all bills promptly when instructed by the Treasurer and deposit all monies in a timely fashion. They will maintain a list and location of all organization assets and provide the Treasurer reports as requested. The Finance Directors will decide who will be the main liaison for the Treasurer and the other Finance Directors will act as backup. In no case shall there be less than two Finance Directors. Finance Directors must have been regular members for at least 5 years and have served on the executive committee for at least 2 years.
These Finance Directors will serve until they are removed or resign.
Section 6- Officer Removal
Any member of the executive committee may be removed by a majority vote of the regular members. Such a vote must be recommended by the executive committee and voted on only after a notification is published online. Appointed officers may be removed by a unanimous vote of the executive committee, or by a majority vote of the regular members. If an elected officer is removed, the executive committee shall appoint a member to serve out the remaining term. If an appointed officer is removed, the executive committee shall appoint a replacement.
Section 7- Officer Resignation
If an officer resigns from the executive committee, the executive committee shall appoint a member to serve out the remaining term. If an appointed officer resigns, the executive committee shall appoint a
replacement.
Section 8- Officer Dues
As a reward for service to Carboy, dues will be waived for the calendar year in which the officer
serves. If the officer is removed or resigns, dues will be due for the remainder of the calendar year as
outlined in Section 1 of Article V1 and Section 1 of Article VII.
Article V- Nonprofit Organization
Section 1-Status
Carboy, Inc. is a nonprofit organization registered with the State of North Carolina. However, this does not give us a tax exemption under the Internal Revenue Service codes. Carboy may apply for and receive this status at a later time.
Article VI- Calendar Year
Section 1- Calendar
Dues are paid annually from January 1-December 31. Dues for both regular members and associate members shall be paid prior to January 1 each fiscal year. Regular members who join after one-half of the calendar year shall pay two-thirds of the annual dues unless approved otherwise by the executive committee.
Article VII- Dues
Section 1- Calendar
Dues are to be paid annually by January 1. Dues are $15 for regular members and $10 for associate members unless set otherwise by the executive committee and approved by the membership. Dues must be paid for the full fiscal year except as provided in Article VI. The dues for a single regular member includes that member and one other family member who is of legal drinking age and sharing the same household.
Section 2- Form
Dues will be collected and membership recorded by the Treasurer.
Section 3- Reporting
The Treasurer shall report the financial status of the club quarterly and this report will be published online.
Article VII- Meetings
Section 1- Meeting of Members
Members shall meet at least monthly unless otherwise proposed by the executive committee.
Section 2- Meeting Procedures
Roberts “Rules of Order” shall generally govern all meetings of the club.
Section 3- Executive Committee
The executive committee shall meet quarterly to provide direction and long-range planning for the club. The executive committee shall meet at the beginning of each year to develop a set of goals for the next year and publish these goals online. The executive committee should meet as often as needed to provide the members with an excellent program.
Article IX- Committees
Section 1- Definitions
Committees for Education, Social Activities, Finance, Communications, and Competitions shall be standing committees. The President shall appoint a chairman for the Competitions committee. Other standing committees may be chaired by officers on the executive committee or a chairman may be selected by the committee.
Section 2- Special Projects
The President shall appoint committee chairman for other events as the need arises. A Nominating Committee shall be established each year to propose to the club a slate of officers for the next year. Other committees may include any special events that the club proposes.
Section 3- Committee Members
In order to involve as many members as possible in the operation of the club, each committee chairman of a standing committee shall appoint 1 or more members to assist with their assigned club duties. Committees should meet at least twice each year to fulfill these duties.
Article X- By-Law Changes
Section 1-Acceptance
The by-laws shall be accepted at the time of adoption by a two- thirds vote of regular members after it is published online.
Section 2- Procedures for Change
Any member may petition for a change to the By-Laws. When changes are proposed, the changes must be presented in writing and introduced at a regular monthly meeting. The proposed changes shall be published online and voted on at the next monthly meeting. A majority vote of all regular members is required in order to make the By-Law change.
Adopted February 1996
Revised July 2007
Revised August 2010
