|
| |
Southern Indian Department By-Laws
These rules apply equally to
all members.
1.
Structure:
- As
one of the main goals of this Organization is to recruit new reenactors
and help develop them through a “mentoring” program. The
Organization will initially be divided into a “Northern Bureau” and
a “Southern Bureau”.
- The
Northern Bureau shall consist of members living in MD, WV, Eastern KY,
VA, NC, and East TN.
- The
Southern Bureau shall consist of members living in GA, FL, AL, MS, LA
and AR
- Members
living in SC, West KY, West TN, MO and those who are approved for
membership from outside the above listed areas will be given their
choice as to which Bureau they will be assigned to.
2.
Elected Officers:
- The
Organization shall have four (4) officers: President, Vice President,
Secretary/Treasurer and Field Commander. Officers shall be selected on
the basis of ability and dedication to the Organization, not length of
membership.
- President: The principal duties of the President shall be to act as a
primary contact between the Organization and outside organizations, to
conduct regularly scheduled and convened meetings, and to have general
supervision of the administrative affairs of the Organization.
- Vice-President:
The principal duties of the Vice-President shall be to expedite
communication within the Organization and to assist the President with
administrative duties. In the case of the Office of President becoming
vacant, the Vice-President shall assume those duties until such time
as a special election can be held.
- Secretary/Treasurer:
The principal duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be to keep
banking and insurance records and levy member dues if assessed. The
Secretary/Treasurer shall also ensure that meetings and elections are
scheduled and notification sent in a timely manner The
Secretary/Treasurer shall make a report on the financial condition of
the Organization annually at the first official meeting of the
Organization.
- Field
Commander: The principal
duties of the Field Commander shall be that of “safety officer”
The Field Commander shall be responsible for the safety of all
Organization members at an event and as such has the authority to
remove a member from a tactical demonstration and, if necessary, from
the event entirely.
In the event that the Field
Commander is not in attendance at an event, an Acting Field Commander for that
particular event will be chosen by the officers in attendance
- Geographical restrictions: At
any given time, the President and the Vice-President shall not be from
the same Bureau of the Organization. This is meant to ensure that
leadership is spread throughout the geographical area of the
Organization.
There shall be no restriction
on the geographical location of the Secretary/Treasurer or the Field Commander
- Election
and Term of Office: The
elective officers shall be chosen biannually by the membership at the
Election Meeting of the members. If the election of officers shall not
be held at such meeting, such election shall be held as soon thereafter
as may be practicable.
- Removal:
Any elected officer may be removed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds
of the membership whenever in its judgment the best interests of the
Organization would be served thereby.
- Vacancies: A vacancy in any office, because of death, resignation, removal,
disqualification, or otherwise may be filled by special election by the
membership for the unexpired portion of the term.
3.
Meetings:
- The
Organization shall have at least one organizational meeting per year
wherein issues of membership, events, and other business affecting the
Organization as a whole are discussed.
- More
meetings may be convened as necessary. Notification of all meetings must
be either written or printed, and delivered to each member entitled to
vote at such a meeting not less than 30 nor more than 90 days before the
date of such meeting. If mailed, the notice of a meeting shall be deemed
to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to
the member at his address as it appears on the records of the
Organization, with postage paid.
- The
Election Meeting shall be the first official meeting of every other
calendar year (even years).
- The
members holding twenty-five percent (25%) of the votes that may be cast
at any meeting shall constitute a quorum at such meeting. If a quorum is
not present at any meeting of members, a majority of the members present
may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.
- At
any meeting of members, a member entitled to vote may vote by proxy
executed in writing by the member or by his duly authorized attorney in
fact. No proxy shall be valid after 11 months from the date of its
execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
- Voting:
Each member will vote “Yea” or “Nay” on ALL of the questions for
which a vote is called at a meeting. Except where otherwise stated in
the Bylaws, a simple majority carries the vote. Votes may be made either
publicly (show of hands) or privately (written on paper and tallied
afterward) at the discretion of the Officer running the meeting.
4.
Membership:
- Probationary
membership:
- Probationary
members must attend at least 4 events with the Organization before
they may be considered for full membership.
- Probationary
members are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the
Membership Expectations outlined in these Bylaws.
- Upon
acceptance as a probationary member, the applicant will be assigned a
“mentor” in the form of a “full member” who will act as
councilor and provide guidance to the applicant in developing his kit
and persona. Probationary
members will be provided with a copy of the dress code for the
Organization and such other documentation as may be useful to
developing an appropriate portrayal. A prospective member must
demonstrate they are working towards compliance with the dress code
before they may be considered for full membership.
- A
Probationary member may
apply for full membership at any point after the attendance
requirement has been met. Application may be made either orally or in
writing to the President or Secretary. The application will then be
brought before the Organization; a majority vote will confer full
membership.
- Probationary
members are not permitted to sponsor guest participants at scheduled
events.
- Full
membership:
- "Full
Member" is defined as one who has completed the prospective
member process, the admission vote, and attends at least 2 events per
year.
- To
be eligible to be a full member, a person must have an interest in the
history of the Southern Indian Department and/or its Colonial
precursors and be at least 18 years of age. A person may also be
eligible at 16 years of age if a parent or guardian is also a member
of the Organization.
- Persons
applying for regular membership should depict a member of an
appropriate Southeastern Native American tribe, His Majesty's Indian
Department Officers and Employees, or Loyalist Rangers and Crown
Troops with duties in direct support of the Indian Department. Any
other depiction is by exception only, and must be approved by a
unanimous vote of the full members.
- Full
membership confers the right to vote in Organization elections and
other votes.
- Resignation: Any member may resign by filing a written resignation with the
Secretary, but such resignation shall not relieve the member so
resigning of the obligation to pay any dues, assessments, or other
charges accrued and unpaid.
- Reinstatement:
On written request signed by a former member and filed with the
Secretary, the member may be reinstated by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the voting members.
5.
Membership Expectations:
- The
success of this Organization depends on the willing cooperation of
members to work as a team under the appointed leadership. Persons who
have trouble working in structured environments, who cannot readily
accept the decisions of our leaders, or who advance a personal agenda
rather than support the Organization, may have difficulties adapting to
the Organization.
- Reenacting
a military-based organization representing the 18th century involves
participation in sometimes physically demanding activities under
unpleasant weather conditions. Men who have trouble hefting a musket and
other equipment during drills and marches in hot or cold weather, or
have heart conditions or other limiting incapacities, would in all
probability be unable to participate as a warrior or soldier and should
carefully consider the persona that they choose to portray.
- Members
must demonstrate that they are serious in fulfilling the obligations
required for full participation. This includes acquiring proper clothing
and equipment. A dress code for male and female members will be provided
to new members who are expected to comply as fully and as quickly as
possible with the requirements stated therein.
- Since
one of the stated purposes of the Organization is to recruit and develop
new reenactors, members who have attained “full membership” status
may, from time to time, be asked to act as Mentors for probationary
members. It is expected that you will provide them guidance with
developing their kit and persona. This does not mean that their persona
will necessarily be of the tribe/unit that you portray. The operative
word here is “guidance”
- The
primary focus of this Organization is the 18th century and, although
members come from all walks of life, reenactment of this period is a
common bond. Divisive issues of the 21st century have no place here.
Therefore, members must be prepared to "leave at the gate" all
discussion of potentially contentious subjects such as politics,
religion, or current events.
- Mutual
respect and courtesy between all members is important for the good
running of the Organization. No member will be allowed to engage in
physical or personal verbal abuse of another member of the Organization
or the public. No interpersonal interaction that is considered
harassment will be tolerated.
6.
Suspensions and Dismissal for
Cause:
- A
member will be officially notified in writing by the Secretary/Treasurer
of the Organization if any behavior is unacceptable.
- The
first step in conflict resolution shall be a meeting of the Officers
with the offending member, in order to review the problem and try to
reach a solution agreeable to all. After conclusion of this meeting, the
Organization will be notified of the meeting and the outcome.
- Suspension: The second step in conflict resolution shall be suspension. The
Officers shall have the authority to suspend a member from the
Organization for cause. Suspension for cause may include, but is not
limited to, the member failing to live up to the charter, bylaws, or
regulations of the Organization.
- Potential
conflicts or unacceptable behavior by a member shall first be brought
to the attention of the Officers by any member, prospective member, or
officer.
- The
Officers may call a meeting at any time in order to discuss said
conflict.
- Suspension
shall consist of removal of voting rights of Full Members, as well as
cessation of activities with the Organization for an amount of time to
be decided upon by the Officers.
- At
the end of the set suspension period, the member will be allowed to
resume full participation with the Organization.
- The
review and suspension process may be repeated as necessary, at the
discretion of the Officers of the Organization.
- The
Organization will be notified of the suspension, and will be notified
when the offending person is allowed to resume participation.
- Dismissal: The final step in conflict resolution shall be dismissal.
Dismissal for cause may include, but is not limited to, gross violations
by the member of the charter, bylaws, or regulations of the
Organization, or repeated suspensions for the same or similar reasons.
- Gross
violations by a member shall first be brought to the attention of the
Officers by any member, prospective member, or officer.
- The
Officers may call a meeting at any time in order to discuss said
violations.
- A
member may be dismissed from the Organization for cause by a unanimous
vote of the Officers of the Organization along with a two-thirds vote
of the full members of the Organization (the count not to include the
member in question).
- Amendments:
-
These
Bylaws of His Majesty’s Southern Department of Loyal Indian Allies
may be amended or changed by a two-thirds vote of Full Members at
any regular meeting.
|
