Article I Name and Purpose 

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table hereinafter and in written form may also be referred to as RVCWRT. 
 

Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to stimulate interest in all aspects and phases of the Civil War period; to further the serious discussion and study of the Civil War; to support and aid efforts to preserve and maintain Civil War sites, structures and objects. 

  

Article II Management of the Organization 

The business of the organization shall be conducted by its officers and an Executive Committee.  Officers and members of the Executive Committee shall all be members of RVCWRT in good standing. 

  

Article III Officers and Their Duties 

Section 1.  The organization shall have the following elected officers: President, Vice-President, Meeting Scribe, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The organization shall also have the following additional officers: Membership Committee Chair; Newsletter Editor; Webmaster; Scholarship Chair, and Dinner Meeting Coordinator. The Officers shall be active members of RVCWRT in good standing. 
 

Section 2.  The responsibilities of each officer shall be as follows:
  

A.  President: The President shall be elected for the term of two years. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee. The President shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint the chairperson of all committees. Upon the election of a new President, the immediate past president will serve one year on the Executive Committee. 
 

B.  Vice--President: The Vice-President shall be elected for a term of two years. The Vice-president shall serve as chairperson of the Program Committee unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.  The Vice-President shall perform any other duties assigned by the President, and, in the absence of the president, shall perform the duties of that office. 
 

C.  Meeting Scribe: The Meeting Scribe shall be elected for a term of two years. The Meeting Scribe will write a review of the previous month’s program and provide same to the Newsletter Editor for inclusion into the RVCWRT Newsletter. 
 

D.  Secretary: The Secretary shall be elected for a term of two years. The Secretary shall keep complete and correct minutes of organization and Executive Committee meetings. The Secretary shall coordinate and retain all external correspondence 
 

E.   Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all financial transactions, receipts and disbursements, collect all dues and assessments, and make payments of all reasonable expenses.  Disbursements greater than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars must be approved by another officer. The Treasurer shall present monthly reports to the Executive Committee and semi-annual financial reports to the organization as a whole. 
 

F.   Assistant Treasurer:  The Assistant Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years.  The Assistant Treasurer shall serve as a member of the Membership Committee unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.  The Assistant Treasurer shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Treasurer, and, in the absence of the Treasurer, shall perform the duties of that office. 
 

G.  Membership Committee Chair.  The Membership Committee Chair shall serve for a term of two years.  The Membership Committee Chair shall be responsible for organizing and coordinating such activities designed to encourage enrollment of new members and retention of existing members.  The Membership Chair shall from time to time report the status of membership rolls and participation to the Executive Committee and RVCWRT membership. 
 

H.  Newsletter Editor.  The Newsletter Editor shall serve for a term of two years.  The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for the production of the monthly RVCWRT newsletter. 
 

I.   Webmaster.  The Webmaster shall serve for a term of two years.  The Webmaster shall be responsible for the administration of the RVCWRT Web Site. 
 

J.   Scholarship Chair.  The Scholarship Chair shall serve for a term of two years. The Scholarship Chair shall be responsible for the administration of the Annual Student Scholarship. 
 

K.  Dinner Meeting Coordinator.  The Dinner Meeting Coordinator shall serve for a term of two years.  The Dinner Meeting Coordinator shall be responsible for arranging the monthly dinner meeting including making reservations for the group. 

  

Article IV Executive Committee 

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of all officers, the immediate past president, and three members elected at large from the general membership of the RVCWRT and acts in the name of the organization.
 

Section 2. The three elected members of the Executive Committee shall serve a term of two years. In the event that it is not possible to fill the position on the Executive Committee intended to be held by the immediate past president, a fourth person shall be elected from the membership to also serve for two years on the Executive Committee . 
 

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President, or upon a call of two-thirds of the committee membership. Two-thirds of its members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Executive Committee shall arrange all meetings of the organization and perform all other acts necessary for the preservation, prestige, and well-being of the organization. 
 

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies that occur between regular elections.  A two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee shall be necessary to fill the vacancy. 

  

Article V Nominations and Elections 

Section 1. The President shall appoint a nominating committee  whose duty shall be to submit nominations for officers, including the at-large members of the Executive Committee, at the December meeting of every odd numbered year.  The nominating committee shall publicize their slate of nominees at least one month prior to the December meeting.
 

Section 2.  In addition to the nominees presented by the nominating committee, nominations for all officers and Executive Committee may be made from the floor subject to a statement that the nominee agrees to the nomination and will serve if elected. 
 

Section 3. The election shall be held at the January meeting of each even-numbered year and the officers, and the Executive Committee, shall take office at the close of the election meeting.
 

Section 4. Any members (as defined in Article VII. Section 2) present at a regular meeting of the membership shall constitute a quorum and a majority vote of the active membership shall govern. 

 

Article VI  Special Committees 

Section 1.  Special committees appointed by the President shall function until such time as the Executive Committee determines that such Special Committee is no longer required.   
 

Section 2.  Members of the Special Committees may be appointed from among the membership of the Executive Committee or the membership at large. 

  

Article VII Fiscal Year 

The fiscal year of the RVCWRT shall run from January 1 through December 31. 

  

Article VIII Membership and Dues 

Section 1.  Membership shall be open to all persons interested in the purpose of the organization. Membership shall be open to both men and women. 
 

Section 2. The membership categories shall be as follows:
 

Family Membership: The member, spouse, and immediate family members 

Individual Membership: The member only 
 

Family Life Membership: Membership conferred by a majority vote of the 

Executive Committee for the life of a member, spouse, and immediate family.
 

Individual Life Membership: Membership conferred by a majority vote of the  

Executive Committee for the life of the member. 
 

  E.     Family Associate Membership: membership conferred by a majority vote of the 

Executive Committee to such persons, their spouse, and immediate family, who, 

because of circumstances beyond their control, cannot maintain routine 

participation. 
 

  F.     Individual Associate membership: Membership conferred by a majority vote of 

The Executive Committee to such persons, who, because of circumstances beyond their control, cannot maintain routine participation. 
 

  G.    Student Membership: A member that is a high school or collegiate undergraduate Student. 
 

Section 3. Dues shall be voted upon by the membership at large, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee and shall be based on twelve months payable on a calendar year basis. Dues for any member joining on or after July 1st shall be one-half of the annual dues.
 

Section 4. Membership shall be terminated for the following reasons: 
A.  Non-payment of dues 
 

B.  Conduct detrimental to the prestige and the general welfare of the organization as determined by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. 

  

Article IX Policies and Procedures 

Section 1.  The Executive Committee shall determine all policies and procedures of the organization. 
 

Section 2.  The current version of Robert’s Rules of Order as identified on www.robertsrules.com  shall govern at all meetings either of the organization or the Executive Committee, although it shall be the intention that meetings be as informal as proper decorum permits. 

  

Article X Amendments 

This constitution may be amended or substituted for in entirety by a two thirds majority vote of all members present at any meeting, provided that written notice of the proposed changes have been furnished to the membership at least one month in advance of the meeting at which the changes are to be acted upon. The Executive Committee shall provide reasonable space in the newsletter to any member who desires to inform the membership of such proposed amendments.