NO SAUGERTIES CASINO, INC.
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
MISSION STATEMENT:
No Saugerties Casino, Inc., is an
organization of individuals without regard to political affiliation
formed to oppose the siting of a gambling casino at Winston Farm or
any other location in the town of Saugerties or neighboring towns
because of the negative impact a casino would have on our town and
region. We are dedicated to supporting an alternative for Winston Farm
that will help Saugerties grow gracefully and benefit all its present
and future citizens economically and socially.
MEMBERSHIP:
Membership is open to the public. Anyone
who agrees with the Mission Statement and who wishes to be a member of
No Saugerties Casino, Inc. and registers to be a member is a member.
VOTING:
All members registered thirty (30) days
before a meeting of the members is eligible to vote at a meeting of
the members. Each member has one vote.
REGISTRATION:
A person is registered if he/she has
filled out a volunteer form. These forms are available on the
organization’s web site of nosaugertiescasino.org.
COMMITTEES:
The organization will function through its
standing committees and any ad hoc committees created in the future by
the Steering Committee which is defined below. The Steering
Committees and their general functions are:
1. Lobbying (Reaching out to local,
county, state and federal officials).
2. Legal Action (Finding legal
representation, setting up corporate structure)
3. Technical (Reviewing environmental
impact of existing casinos)
4. Alternatives (Investigating other
proposed sites in Sullivan and Ulster Counties)
5. Winston Farm (Exploring other possible
uses)
6. Communication (Developing website,
publicity, brochures)
7. Fund-raising
(Raising money with solicitation, events)
8. Storefront (Finding
and staffing a Saugerties headquarters)
9. Coalition-building (Working with business,
environmental, labor, anti-casino groups)
10. Business liaison (Working with the
local business community)
11. Town of Ulster Casino (Opposing siting
of a casino south of Saugerties)
STEERING COMMITTEE:
The Steering Committee shall consist of two
members of the organization selected by each committee, and the officers
of the organization. No person will have more than one (1) vote on the
Steering Committee. The Steering Committee members will be reappointed
each year at the annual meeting. A member may serve an unlimited number
of terms.
MODIFYING COMMITTEES:
The Steering Committee can abolish Standing
Committees and create new Standing Committees without having to amend
this Constitution and By-Laws.
QUORUM:
A quorum is thirty (30) members of the
organization at a meeting of the members.
A quorum of the Steering Committee is ten
(10) members of the Steering Committee.
DECISIONS:
Decisions shall be made by a majority vote
of the members at a meeting of the members at which there is a quorum,
and by a majority vote of the members of the Steering Committee at which
there is a quorum.
ROLE OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE:
The Steering Committee shall be the
governing committee of No Saugerties Casino, Inc. and shall have
authority to make all decisions regarding the governance of No
Saugerties Casino, Inc. and all financial matters. Decisions of the
Steering Committee made at a meeting at which a quorum exists are
binding on No Saugerties Casino, Inc.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
The Steering Committee shall create from its
members an Executive Committee consisting of no more than seven (7)
people. The Executive Committee shall act as spokesperson for the
corporation.
The Executive Committee is authorized to
approve expenditure of funds up to but not exceeding $500.00. A
decision to reject a request for expenditure of funds made by the
Executive Committee can be appealed to the Steering Committee.
Other functions of the Executive Committee
shall be determined by the Steering Committee.
NOTICES:
Notices of membership meetings shall be
given by e-mail to all members who register and provide an e-mail
address. Notice of the meeting shall also be published in the
Saugerties Times and Post Star or other local newspaper no more than 2
weeks or less than 10 days before the meeting.
OFFICERS:
No Saugerties Casino, Inc. shall have the
following officers chosen by the members at a meeting of the members:
Chairperson, Vice Chairperson (2) Treasurer and Secretary. Officers’ terms
shall be for one year and they may be reelected.
MEETINGS:
The Steering Committee shall meet from time
to time as it determines necessary.
A special meeting of the Steering Committee
can be called by the Chairperson on his/her own initiative, or will be
called by the Chairperson upon written request of three (3) members of
the Steering Committee.
There shall be an annual meeting of the
members held in June each year to report on the state of the
organization, and such other meetings of the membership as are called by
the Steering Committee, or a written request for a membership meeting
signed by thirty-five (35) members.
AMENDMENTS:
The Constitution and Bylaws can be amended
by 2/3 vote of the Steering Committee at a meeting at which a quorum is
present, or by a 2/3 vote of the members at a meeting of the members at
which a quorum is present. Advance notice of the substance of the
proposed amendment shall be given prior to a meeting at which the
amendment is considered.
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