The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County, Inc.
BY-LAWS
Article I Purpose
CHAPTER 1 – The Association shall be known as THE FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK OF HUNTERDON COUNTY, INC.
CHAPTER 2 – The membership shall be open to men who are at least 21 years of age and of good moral character. Each application for membership must be approved by the membership committee as established by the President and chaired by the second Vice President. Applications for membership will not be accepted and approved at the same meeting.
CHAPTER 3 – The purpose of this Association is to support and implement our charter, as approved by the Charter Members on February 22, 2008. (Note: The charter is included in this document in Appendix A.)
CHAPTER 4 – The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. For the purpose of clarity, we direct that 100% of all remaining funds be distributed to the following organizations, in order of preference (e.g. if organization #1 is unavailable or problematic with IRC compliance, then the funds should go to organization #2):
- The Hunterdon County Family Success Center, Flemington NJ 2. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Morris County Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction in Hunterdon County, NJ, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization(s), as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
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Article II Officers
CHAPTER 1 – This Association shall be governed by the general membership and administered by the Executive Committee, with the advice of the Board of Directors.
CHAPTER 2 – The Executive Committee shall consist of the current officers and the past three Presidents. They shall be the only ones having a vote at an executive meeting. All members of the Board of Directors shall be invited to all Executive Committee meetings.
CHAPTER 3 – The Board of Directors shall be made up of the Chairman of the Board, the twelve Charter Members, all past Presidents and Chairmen, and other members that have been appointed by the existing Board. For clarity, Appendix B includes the list and status of all Board Members.
CHAPTER 4 – The officers of this Association shall be as follows: Chairman of the Board, President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Sergeant at Arms and Three (3) Trustees.
CHAPTER 5 – All officers, except for the Chairman of the Board, shall be elected at a meeting of the Association biannually in the month of November, from the list of nominees determined as specified in Article II, Chapter 7. The current Secretary shall notify the members of the meeting not later than two months prior to the election. A candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected; the candidates must be a member in good standing for one year prior to the election. Vacancies during the year shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors taken at a special meeting called by the Chairman of the Board. Terms for all officer positions shall be two years.
CHAPTER 6 – Any member seeking an elective office must be a member in good standing for one year prior to the election. No one shall be allowed to vote in the election of officers unless he was a member in good standing in the year prior to the election.
CHAPTER 7 – The President shall form a nominating committee consisting of 5 active members. The President shall appoint the chairman of this committee. The remaining members of this committee may be appointed by the President or this duty can be delegated to the appointed chairperson. The duty of the nominating committee is to search for a proper slate of officers to run for office for the following year. This slate of officers will be made public one month prior to the election by written notice to all names listed on the mailing list as active members of this Association. Other nominations may be made from the floor in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
CHAPTER 8 – A quorum shall consist of at least 5 members of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors.
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Article III Duties of Officers
CHAPTER 1 – Chairman of the Board: It shall be the duty of the chairman to call and preside at all meetings held by the Board of Directors. Two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting, he will notify and request that all Directors attend the meeting. He will keep minutes and report to the officers and to the general assembly at the following calendar meeting. The chairman shall have the authority to call an Executive meeting.
CHAPTER 2 – President: It shall be the duty of the President to call and preside at all executive meetings. Except for emergency situations, the president shall give at least two weeks prior notice about an executive meeting to all Executive Committee members and members of the Board of Directors requesting their attendance. The President shall preside over all general meetings and enforce the rules of the Association. He shall have the privilege to appoint any chairman for a standing committee and/or special committee to perform such work as may be necessary during his term of office and shall be ex-officio over all committees. He shall have the power to limit discussion. He shall be authorized to sign/authorize checks and dispersals under $1,000. Checks and dispersals over $1,000 will require two signatures.
CHAPTER 3 – First Vice President: It shall be his duty to assist the President at all times and act in his place if the President is absent.
CHAPTER 4 – Second Vice President: He shall assist the President at all times and act in the First Vice President’s place if he is absent. He shall oversee the membership committee as appointed by the president and report to the President.
CHAPTER 5 – Secretary: It shall be his duty to keep a correct record of the minutes of each meeting and fill out and execute all credentials and perform the duties required by the Association. It shall be his duty to read all communications and bills, and mail notices of all meetings. He shall write all communications and correspondence required by the Association.
CHAPTER 6 – Treasurer: It shall be his duty to hold all funds belonging to the Association and to deposit them in a reliable bank. He shall file a financial report of all receipts and disbursements at each regular meeting. He shall pay all bills and be authorized to sign/authorize checks and dispersals under $1,000. Checks and dispersals over $1,000 will require two signatures.
CHAPTER 7 – Assistant Treasurer: He shall assist the Treasurer at all times and act in the Treasurer’s place if he is absent. The Assistant Treasurer will help in the preparation of the financial report and be authorized to cosign/authorize checks and dispersals over $1,000.
CHAPTER 8 – Sergeant of Arms: It shall be his duty to take charge of the door and admit no one except members or invited guests. He shall be responsible for all property of the
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Association. He shall assist the President in keeping order. If the Sergeant of Arms is absent at a meeting, the President will name an alternate to take his place.
CHAPTER 9 – Trustees: It shall be their duty to audit the books once a year, prior to the election of officers and report to the members their findings. There shall be three Trustees.
CHAPTER 10 – All officer positions shall be considered voluntary, and there shall be no compensation, monetary or otherwise, for execution of duties.
Article IV Membership
CHAPTER 1 – Membership dues will be collected annually. Dues shall be set every two years after the election of officers. The Trustees shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee based upon a budget analysis formulated by the Treasurer. Any change in dues shall be voted on by a majority vote at a regular meeting of the membership. Notice of such a meeting will be mailed to all names listed on the mailing list as active members one month before the scheduled meeting. New members’ dues shall accompany their application.
Article V Meetings
CHAPTER 1 – Any member wishing to be heard must stand up and address the Chair. If two or more members shall rise at the same time the Chair shall decide which is entitled to the floor. No member shall interrupt another speaker while they are speaking except to call a point to order. The Chair shall decide such point without debate. If a member, while speaking, is called to order, he shall take his seat until the point is decided. If the Chair decides that he is in order, he may proceed.
CHAPTER 2 – Any member conducting himself in a manner detrimental to the harmony of the Association shall be reprimanded by the President and if he still persists in his bad conduct, he shall be ejected from the meeting room.
CHAPTER 3 – No motion to adjourn will be accepted until all the business before the members is finished either by a vote or a motion to table the issues.
CHAPTER 4 – Any amendments to the by-laws shall be made as follows: By presenting such amendments in writing to avoid any error, signed by (5) members in good standing. Said proposed amendments will then be considered by the Board of Directors, and voted upon. Proposed amendments will be adopted provided a majority of the Board of Directors votes for approval.
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CHAPTER 5 – Unless otherwise stated in the by-laws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern.
CHAPTER 6 – The general meeting of the membership each November shall also serve as our Annual Membership Meeting.
CHAPTER 7 – The Annual Board of Directors Meeting shall take place each December as called for, and presided over, by the Chairman of the Board.
CHAPTER 8 – All decisions by the Board of Directors are binding.
Article VI Order of Business CHAPTER 1 – Order of Business
- Pledge of Allegiance 2. Prayer 3. Roll Call of Officers 4. Reading of minutes of previous meeting 5. Initiation of new members 6. Reading of communications and bills 7. Financial Report 8. Committee Reports 9. Officers Reports 10. Unfinished business 11. New Business 12. Adjournment
Article VII Pledges/Ceremonies
CHAPTER 1 – Initiation Pledge for new members:
President: My friends, do you agree to enroll yourselves in this Association and to promote its principals and interests in every lawful way?
Candidate: Yes.
President: Raise your right hand and repeat after me the following obligation: “Before the members of this Association, I promise to obey its laws, promote its interests, further its principals, attend its meetings, take part in its deliberations and discharge all duties imposed upon me by this Association.
CHAPTER 2 – Installation Ceremony:
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Installing Officer: Members, do you accept the offices to which you have been elected?
Officers Elected: We do.
Installing officer: Raise your right hand and repeat after me: Upon my sacred word of honor, I do solemnly promise that I will faithfully perform all my duties of the office to which I have been elected, so far as I am able, that I will attend all meetings of this Association during my term of office when possible to do so, that I will endeavor to advance the interests of the Association and when my successor is elected and installed, I will turn over to him all books, papers, funds or other property of the Association which I may have. I further promise that I will never defraud this Association out of anything whatever, or allow it to be defrauded, if within my power to prevent it.
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Appendix A:
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County
Our Charter
Our Values
Our beliefs
- We believe that integrity and excellence are at the core of everything we do.
- God, family and country are top priorities for all of us, both as individuals and as an organization.
- We believe that supporting our community is fundamental, and we believe that this support should come from individuals and private entities, first and foremost.
- We believe that respecting and embracing ones heritage is not only appropriate but essential to ones happiness.
- Our organization is nondenominational and apolitical.
Our Purpose
Why we do what we do
- To have fun.
Our Mission
What we would like to achieve
- We strive to promote and preserve Irish-American culture. We are equally proud of our Irish heritage and our American heritage.
- We serve our community through initiatives such as scholarships, volunteerism and charitable donations.
- We seek to establish and nurture camaraderie between our members. We are men of similar ideals, values and objectives.
Our Strategy
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County plan of action
- We will organize and conduct various social gatherings such as picnics, outings and parades.
- We will work with community leaders to develop opportunities and ideas for community service.
- We will promote solidarity and friendship amongst our members through an assortment of group activities.
Copyright © 2019 The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County. All rights reserved.
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Appendix B:
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Hunterdon County
Members of the Board of Directors Effective January 1, 2020
Charter Members – Active:
- Pat Barrett
- Shane Berry
- Bernie Gallagher
- Eddie Gibney
- Jay Joyce
- Ken Oldam
- Kevin Walsh
- Dan Whalen
- Pat Whalen
Past Presidents
- Shaun Connolly
- Mike Darcy
- Brian Manning
Other Approved Members
- Bill Healy
- Gary Sanderson
Charter Members – Inactive
- Allan Beaton (Voluntarily Withdrew)
- Dale Garber (Voluntarily Withdrew)
- Ed Hesketh (Voluntarily Withdrew)