Bylaws

ARTICLE I

Name

 The name of this organization shall be the Landscape Design Council of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. (GCFM).

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of the Council is to encourage and support the application of sound landscape design practices in individual and community projects; to offer informative programs on landscape design; and to promote and provide assistance at landscape design schools and refreshers.

ARTICLE III

Membership

Section 1. 

a. Membership in this Council shall be open to a member of a garden club that is associated with National Garden Clubs (NGC) and who is an accredited Landscape Design Consultant.

b.  Invitation to membership shall be sent to eligible consultants by the membership chair, who obtains the list from the chair of the Landscape Design School. 

Section 2.

There shall be four classes of membership: Active, Provisional, Emeritus and Honorary.

a.   Active

Any person who is an active member of a garden club that is associated with NGC and who holds a current Landscape Design Consultant certificate shall be eligible for Active membership.  Upon payment of dues,  Active members shall have all privileges, including the right to make motions, vote and hold office.

b.   Provisional

Any person who is an active member of a garden club that is associated with NGC shall be eligible for Provisional membership upon successfully completing two courses of the Landscape Design School.  Upon payment of dues, Provisional members shall have all privileges except the right to make motions, vote and hold office. Provisional membership automatically terminates at the end of seven years.

c.   Emeritus

Any person granted Emeritus Consultant status by NGC is eligible for Emeritus membership in the Council. Upon payment of dues Emeritus members shall have all privileges of membership except the right to hold office.

d.    Honorary

Honorary membership shall be granted by the board of directors and by majority vote at the annual meeting. Honorary membership may be conferred upon any person who has rendered distinguished service to the Landscape Design School or Council, or whose achievements have been outstanding.  Honorary members are exempt from payment of dues and have all privileges of membership, except the right to make motions, vote and hold office.

ARTICLE IV

Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall be the same as that of GCFM, July 1 to June 30, inclusive.

ARTICLE V

Dues

Counsel dues are determined by the board of directors and approved by the membership at the Annual meeting.  If dues are not paid by June 30, membership is automatically terminated. 

ARTICLE VI

Officers

Section 1. The officers of this Council shall be chair, vice chair, recording secretary, corresponding secretary and treasurer. All officers shall report as required at board of directors and membership meetings.

Section 2.  Duties of Officers:

a. The chair shall preside at all meetings, perform all duties pertaining to the office and be a member ex-officio of all standing and special committees.

b. The vice chair shall serve on the program committee and shall preside at meetings in the absence of the chair. 

c. The recording secretary shall record and keep the minutes at all board of directors and council meetings.

d. The corresponding secretary shall send meeting notices and announcements to the membership.

e. The treasurer shall collect dues and other monies, keep records of receipts and disbursements and inform the membership chair of those whose dues are not paid and who are no longer members.

 ARTICLE VII

Board of Directors

Section 1. The board of directors consists of the officers and the chairs of the committees. The Chair of the Landscape Design School is an ex-officio member of the Executive Board. Past chairs of the council are advisors to the Board. 

Section 2. The board shall exercise general supervision of the business of the LDC between regular meetings. The board shall fill vacancies in offices arising between elections in the offices and may establish additional committees as needed.

ARTICLE VIII

Standing Committees

Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees: Membership, Program, Hospitality, Membership, Newsletter, Nominating, Program, Publicity and Yearbook. 

Section 2. Chairs of standing committees, with the exception of the nominating committee, shall be appointed by the chair of the council and shall be members of the board of directors.

Section 3. The nominating committee, comprised of the immediate past or present chair, a member of the board of directors and member-at-large.

Section 4.  This elected member-at-large shall be the chair of the nominating committee.

ARTICLE IX

Elections

The nominating committee shall present a slate of officers and a member-at-large to the Counsel membership at a regular meeting preceding the annual meeting, and/or in writing no later than ten days prior to the Annual meeting. Nominations may also be accepted from the floor. The officers and member-at-large shall be elected at the annual meeting by a majority of votes cast. In the event there is only one candidate for each office, by vote of the Council, the secretary shall cast one vote for the entire slate. 

 ARTICLE X

Meetings

Section 1. There shall be a minimum of two meetings in addition to the Annual meeting each fiscal year.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the chair, with the approval of the board of directors, for the transaction of business and/or special programs.

ARTICLE XI

Quorum

Ten (10) members shall constitute a quorum at any  membership meeting. 

ARTICLE XII

Nondiscrimination

The Landscape Design Council of the GCFM shall not permit in its conduct of the council’s affairs, any restrictions or limitations whatsoever based upon age, race, color, creed, gender, national origin, or employment status.

ARTICLE XIII

Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings of the Council to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these bylaws or the bylaws of GCFM. 

ARTICLE XIV

Amendments

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote, provided that notice of the proposed amendment was submitted at a previous meeting or in writing ten days before the proposed meeting.

ARTICLE XV

Dissolution

In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the Council shall, after payment of necessary expenses, be distributed to such organization as shall qualify under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, subject to the provisions of any federal or state law.

  Submitted by: Mrs. Alfred D. Cole (Evelyn R. Cole), Chairman pro tem Adopted: Oct 14, 1964. Revised: May 15, 1973; Oct 16, 1975; Apr 23, 1979; Sep 26, 1980; Sep 17, 1984; Apr 26, 2000, Apr 18, 2001, Apr 25, 2002; Spring 2003 (by NGC and GCFM directive), May 29, 2014, May 26, 2016, June 8, 2026.