BYLAWS
of the
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT
OF THE
FEDERATED GARDEN CLUBS OF MISSOURI, INCORPORATED
Revised October 5, 2022
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be Southwest District of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Incorporated; hereinafter referred to as District.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
To operate on a nonprofit basis for civic purposes.
To coordinate the interests of the garden clubs of the District and to bring them into a close relationship of mutual helpfulness by association, conference, and correspondence.
To maintain membership in and cooperate with the objectives of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Incorporated; hereinafter referred to as FGCM.
To aid in the protection and conservation of natural resources, to protect civic beauty, and to encourage the improvements of roadsides and parks.
To advance the fine art of gardening, of landscape design, and the study of horticulture.
To cooperate with other agencies furthering the interest of horticulture and conservation.
To restrict the activities of the District so that it shall not be used or operated for private profit, and no property of the District shall inure to the private profit of any member or special group or be used for any purposes other than stated herein.
In the event of District’s dissolution, any remaining assets will be gifted to FGCM.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. A club or division of any other organization within the District having a minimum of eight members interested in the objectives of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Incorporated, shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2. Application for membership shall be made to the District Director and shall be acted upon by the District Director and the FGCM President. (See Article IV – Membership, Section 3, page 24, Garden Club Manual).
Section 3. The membership shall consist of clubs fulfilling the requirements of a Federated Garden Club as follows:
Study in some aspect the fine art of gardening.
Have a minimum of eight members.
Pay FGCM dues.
Subscribe to all other objectives of FGCM.
Section 4. The District shall refrain from membership in any organization other than the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Incorporated.
ARTICLE IV – DUES
Section 1. The annual dues payable to FGCM shall be on a calendar-year basis.
Section 2. Each club shall pay annual dues to District in accordance with the Standing Rules.
Section 3. Dues for the following calendar year shall be paid to the FGCM and District Treasurers on or before the due date as shown on the FGCM Calendar. Typewritten rosters indicating each club’s president for the next year shall accompany the payment of dues. These rosters shall list the members in alphabetical order with complete and correct mailing address of each, including phone number and email address if available.
Section 4. Dues are delinquent after December 31. Clubs failing to remit dues by this date shall forfeit voting privileges at District meetings.
Section 5. Clubs still delinquent in payment of dues as of October 31 of the following year shall forfeit membership.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Section 1. The District shall elect a Director, Assistant Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers which it may deem necessary. These officers shall be elected at the Fall Meeting of each odd-numbered year, to serve until the Fall Meeting of the next odd-numbered year. The District shall be governed by FGCM.
Section 2. DIRECTOR (ratified by the FGCM Board of Directors at the preconvention Board Meeting in the odd-numbered year) shall:
Supervise the District and preside at all District meetings.
Appoint a Parliamentarian.
Appoint Chairs of Standing Committees to head necessary departments, which shall be in conformance with FGCM departments.
Provide names of District Chairs of each Standing Committee to the appropriate FGCM Chair.
Provide club, name, and address of current presidents to FGCM Membership Chair by January 20 of each year.
Notify FGCM Membership Chair of any change of club presidents or addresses.
Provide the name, address, and phone number of District Treasurer to FGCM Treasurer.
Be familiar with basic parliamentary procedure.
Work closely with the Assistant Director.
Be a member of FGCM Board of Directors and, following ratification, attend future Board of Directors meetings.
Serve as District’s representative on the FGCM Nominating Committee.
Attend all FGCM meetings and report business transacted to the clubs within the District.
Keep informed on work of National Garden Clubs, Incorporated, and report to the clubs.
Be familiar with the contents of FGCM’s Garden Club Manual, NGC’s The National Gardener, and FGCM’s The Garden Forum.
Communicate regularly with the clubs within the District through personal visits, newsletters, and meetings.
Issue the Call Letter for the Fall Meeting at least six weeks prior to the date of the meeting to all clubs within the District; members of the District Board of Directors; FGCM Executive Committee; members of the FGCM, Central Region, and NGC Board of Directors residing in the District; and other such guests as appropriate.
Review for accuracy the club presidents’ Annual Reports received from the individual clubs. Provide an alphabetical list of clubs submitting reports to the FGCM Club Ratings Chair on or before the due date as shown on the FGCM calendar.
Report the activities of the District at the FGCM Annual Convention.
Provide a brief report of 100 words or fewer about Fall Meeting to the editor of The Garden Forum for publication. This shall be done as soon after Fall Meeting as possible but before the Winter Publication Deadline as published in The Garden Forum (usually October 31). In the odd-numbered year, this shall be the duty of the outgoing Director.
Duties of the Director relative to the Fall Meeting are set forth under Annual Meetings (page 79 of FGCM’s Garden Club Manual).
Accept and approve applications for new clubs (page 24 of FGCM’s Garden Club Manual, Article IV—Membership, Section 3). If necessary, assist in the selection of a club name. Refer to FGCM Club Presidents Roster to avoid duplication of club name. Install the new club’s first officers.
Assist with the FGCM Annual Convention when District is hosting.
Deliver within thirty days to the new Director upon her/his installation all files, a list of clubs, names and addresses of club presidents, and other records pertinent to the office.
Following any revisions, provide a copy of District Bylaws to the FGCM Organization Study Chair.
Follow suggested District Director’s calendar located in the Director’s file.
Appoint a Corresponding Secretary, if needed, to perform administrative tasks to assist the Director in her/his duties.
Be responsible for District’s display at the Missouri State Fair.
Appoint a committee to conduct a financial review of the Treasurer’s books at the end of each two-year term and upon change of Treasurer.
Appoint a committee to conduct a financial review of the Convention Committee Treasurer’s books after District hosts the FGCM Annual Convention.
Have the authority to call a special meeting of the District, Board of Directors, or Executive Committee.
Initiate the committee for selecting the Garden Club of the Year. This committee shall be composed of the Director, Assistant Director, and another member of the District Executive Board or a District Chair. Guidelines include:
An individual Garden Club of the Year will be selected. Clubs will be eligible every three years. A certificate and check for $50 will be presented to the club from the District.
Awards will be presented at the Spring Meeting by the Director or her/his appointee.
Judging will be based on the president’s report submitted by each club. (See point system on pages 119-123, Chapter XI of the Garden Club Manual.) The club’s yearbook and list of projects will also be considered in the judging.
Section 3. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR shall:
Work closely with the Director and be fully informed of the duties of the Director and activities of the District.
Perform the duties of the Director in the absence of or at the direction of the Director.
Serve as a member of the FGCM Board of Directors and attend FGCM Board Meetings and Annual Conventions.
Be responsible for District recognition given to outgoing Director.
Serve as District Awards Chair and Chair of Yearbook Judging Committee. Be responsible for reviewing rules on pages 132-136 of the Garden Club Manual and have at least one member on the committee who has previously judged yearbooks.
Section 4. SECRETARY shall:
Prepare accurate minutes of all District meetings, including Fall Meeting, Spring Meeting, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
Provide a copy of meeting minutes to the Director, other members of the Executive Committee, and the Historian within thirty days following each meeting.
Present for approval the minutes of the Spring and Fall Meetings and any Board of Directors meetings at the next District meeting.
Act as custodian of records and official papers of the District. Maintain a current copy of the District Bylaws and Standing Rules in the minute book.
Section 5. TREASURER shall:
Collect and hold all money belonging to the District and pay authorized expenditures.
Provide the Director and the FGCM Club Ratings Chair an alphabetical list of any clubs that are delinquent in paying dues.
Purchase Director’s pin to be given at installation of new Director and provide appropriate gift at the expiration of the term. (Also see Standing Rules Number 5).
Section 6. PARLIAMENTARIAN shall:
Attend meetings of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Spring and Fall Meetings, and any other meeting called by the Director.
When requested, advise the Director and all members of the District on parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE VI – NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS, AND TERMS OF OFFICE
Section 1. Nominations of officers shall be made by a Nominating Committee appointed by the Director. There shall be three members of the Nominating Committee, each to be selected from a different club of the District. This committee shall present a list of officer candidates at the Spring Meeting in the odd-numbered years. One candidate will be nominated for each office after it has been ascertained that the candidates are qualified and are willing to serve if elected.
Nominations may also be made from the floor.
When there is but one nominee for any office, election may be by voice vote.
When there is more than one nominee for any office, election shall be by ballot.
Section 2. All terms of office shall be for two years. No officer shall succeed herself/himself in office except the Treasurer.
Section 3. To be eligible for the office of District Director, a member must have served on the District Board of Directors for at least one full term, shall have attended two Fall Meetings, at least one FGCM Annual Convention, and be a resident of the District.
Section 4. A report of the Nominating Committee shall be included in the Call Letter to the Spring Meeting in the odd-numbered years.
Section 5. Installation shall be the last order of business at the Fall Meeting. Officers will assume duties immediately. Officers shall be ratified at the next FGCM Annual Convention.
Section 6. In the event the Director becomes unable or unwilling to continue in her/his elected position, thereby creating a vacancy, the Assistant Director will immediately assume the office of Director. The Executive Committee shall then within thirty days elect by ballot a member to fill the unfinished term of the Assistant Director, provided that the member has first given consent to be elected to that office.
Section 7. In the event any officer other than Director becomes unable or unwilling to continue in her/his elected position, thereby creating a vacancy, the Executive Committee shall then within thirty days elect by ballot a member to fill the unfinished term, provided that the member has first given consent to be elected to that office.
Section 8. If any officer has served for less than the full two-year term by virtue of being elected to fill a vacant position, that officer remains eligible to serve in that same office for one more two-year term, upon nomination and election in due course, and will not be deemed to have succeeded herself/himself in office as described in Article VI, Section 2, above.
Section 9. Each officer shall, within one month after the expiration of her/his term, deliver to her/his successor all books, records, and papers belonging to the office.
ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the District Director, Assistant Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall render decisions on matters demanding immediate attention between meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Three members shall constitute a quorum for such action: Director or Assistant Director and two others. For any event in which the action involves the expenditure of funds of the District, the Treasurer must be included in the deliberations.
Section 4. All other action taken by the Executive Committee shall be advisory and must be confirmed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VIII – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The members of the Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee, Advisory Council, chairs of Standing Committees, and club presidents or their respective representatives. This Board shall be empowered to transact any and all business of the District between meetings. Recommendations of the Board of Directors shall be read at the Spring and Fall Meetings. Ten members shall constitute a quorum, four of whom shall be officers.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall meet at the Call of the Director or upon written request of three members of the Board.
ARTICLE IX – ADVISORY COUNCIL
Section 1. There shall be an Advisory Council to which any questions relating to FGCM or District procedure or policy may be referred from time to time by the Board of Directors. Such Advisory Council shall consist of all past District Directors, provided they remain a member of one or more clubs of the District.
Section 2. The Chair of the Advisory Council shall be that Director who most recently completed her/his term of office. In the absence of the Chair, the Advisory Council shall elect from its membership a Chair pro tempore.
Section 3. Three members present at a meeting of such Advisory Council shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE X – DISTRICT MEETINGS
Section 1. There shall be two scheduled meetings per year, a Spring Meeting and a Fall Meeting. The Fall Meeting will be deemed District’s Annual Meeting. The location and responsibility of hosting will be rotated among the member clubs (Host Club) according to the schedule outlined in the Standing Rules. The specific dates will be determined by the Director and Host Club in consultation with the FGCM President.
Section 2. District officers shall be elected at the Fall Meeting in the odd-numbered year and shall serve until the Fall Meeting in the next odd-numbered year.
Section 3. Host Club shall receive $100 from the District treasury at the Spring Meeting to defray expenses of the Fall Meeting.
Section 4. District officers and club presidents shall give oral reports at the Fall Meeting.
Section 5. A quorum of the Spring and Fall Meetings shall be a majority of the voting body registered and present. The voting body shall consist of the members of any club in good standing at the time of the meeting.
ARTICLE XI – COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Director shall appoint Chairs of Standing Committees to head necessary committees, which shall be in conformance with FGCM Standing Committees.
Section 2. The Chair of each Standing Committee and Special Committee shall prepare and send an Annual Report to the Fall Meeting to be read aloud to the members. It shall be concise and limited to two minutes.
Section 3. The Director shall serve as an ex officio member of all Committees except the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE XII – FISCAL YEAR
Section 1. The fiscal year of the District shall begin on June 1 and end on May 31 of the following year.
ARTICLE XIII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 1. The Rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order—Newly Revised shall govern the District in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or with those of FGCM.
ARTICLE XIV – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at any Fall Meeting by a two-thirds vote of the voting body registered and present, provided the proposed amendment shall have been published in the Call Letter to the Fall Meeting. Without such notice, Bylaws may be amended at any Fall Meeting by unanimous vote.
Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, a member club, or a committee on revisions.
Section 3. Standing Rules may be amended at any meeting of the District or Board of Directors.
STANDING RULES
(Revised October 5, 2022)
The annual District dues shall be $2.00 per member of each club.
The Director shall be allowed Two Hundred Dollars ($200) annually for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses related to conducting the affairs of the District. The Director and Assistant Director shall be compensated by the District for attendance at the FGCM Annual Convention and FGCM Fall Board Meeting, with full registration and rooms for the length of the Annual Convention and one night for the Fall Board Meeting.
Gas expenses shall be reimbursed for the transportation of the District display to and from the Missouri State Fair in August. The display is to be placed in a large plastic bag and given to the FGCM Chair.
All other District officers and committee chairs shall be allowed out-of-pocket expenses necessary to properly carry out the duties of their office.
The District shall present the outgoing Director with an FGCM Life Membership at the expiration of her/his term of office. If she/he already has a Life Membership, a brick may be purchased for placement in the Redbud Garden at the Springfield Botanical Gardens or a Central Region Life Membership may be awarded.
The Director and Treasurer shall be signatories on all District checking and other bank accounts. Only one signature will be required to sign checks.
Registration fee for the Fall Meeting will be left to the discretion of the Director and Host Club.
A District bank account shall be opened, separate from the normal District account, for the sole and express purpose of conducting the financial business of hosting the FGCM Annual Convention.
Personal contact information of any club member of the District shall not be used by members or their families, nor provided to other organizations, for business-related or marketing purposes. Such information also shall not be made available to any commercial firm or agency. Upon discretion, the Director may send notices of activities of interest to the membership.
Standing Rules may be adopted from time to time to meet the needs of the District. They may be amended or rescinded at any meeting of the District or Board of Directors by a majority if previous notice of such amendment has been given. Without such notice, they may be amended or rescinded by a two-thirds vote.
The Missouri State Fair Display will be a rotational responsibility of the clubs in the District, assigned in alphabetical order. This display is created yearly with a topic assigned by the FGCM President at the FGCM Fall Board Meeting. The club responsible for a particular year will research the assigned topic and create a display board with pictures and narrative. This display is created for presentation first at the District Spring Meeting and then at the FGCM Annual Convention, where it will be judged. The display is delivered to the FGCM Annual Convention by members of the club responsible or by the Director. At the end of the convention, it is given to the Missouri State Fair Chair and is taken by the FGCM President to the Fall Meeting and returned to the assigned club.
The responsibilities of the clubs in creating the Missouri State Fair Display and in hosting Spring and Fall Meetings shall be assigned in an alphabetical rotation in a manner that spreads the duties out to avoid an undue burden to the clubs.
The Missouri State Fair Display rotation list is as follows:
2023 Hillbilly Garden Club
2024 Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club
2025 Twilight Gardeners Garden Club
2026 Brentwood Garden Club
2027 Buffalo Garden Club
2028 Dogwood Trail Garden Club
2029 Hillbilly Garden Club
2030 Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club
2031 Twilight Gardeners Garden Club
2032 Brentwood Garden Club
Clubs shall act as Host Club for the Spring Meeting in rotating order as follows:
2023 Buffalo Garden Club
2024 Dogwood Trail Garden Club
2025 Hillbilly Garden Club
2026 Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club
2027 Twilight Gardeners Garden Club
2028 Brentwood Garden Club
2029 Buffalo Garden Club
2030 Dogwood Trail Garden Club
2031 Hillbilly Garden Club
2032 Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club
Clubs shall act as Host Club for the Fall Meeting in rotating order as follows:
2023 Twilight Gardeners Garden Club
2024 Brentwood Garden Club
2025 Buffalo Garden Club
2026 Dogwood Trail Garden Club
2027 Hillbilly Garden Club
2028 Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club
2029 Twilight Gardeners Garden Club
2030 Brentwood Garden Club
2031 Buffalo Garden Club
2032 Dogwood Trail Garden Club