BY-LAWS OF THE WEYMOUTH DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE
ARTICLE I
NAME
The organization shall be known as the Weymouth Democratic Town Committee.
ARTICLE I
PURPOSES
The Committee is organized and constituted under the authority of and in accordance with the provisions of the General Laws of Massachusetts and shall have as its purposes the following: to advance the ideals and aims of the Democratic Party; to work in cooperation with the Democratic State Committee; to aid in carrying out the plank of the platform of the State and National Conventions of the Party; to work and organize for the success of Democratic candidates in the town, in the state, and in the nation; and to strengthen the Democratic Party in Weymouth.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
The Weymouth Democratic Town Committee shall be composed of the following:
1. Elected members (voting members):
a. Thirty-five members elected by the voters of the Town of Weymouth at the Presidential Primary or their successors referred to in Article VII (2). Such members shall have the right to vote on all Town Committee matters.
b. Twenty-year members will have full voting rights (as long as they live in the town).
c. State Committee Members living in the town are deemed to be full voting members.
2. Associate members approved by majority vote of the Town Committee. Such members shall not have the right to vote on Committee matters.
3. Duties of members:
a. Pay dues as determined by the Committee.
b. Attend at least 50% of scheduled meetings.
c. Financial support of Committee by participation in events and activities.
d. Participation in Committee as designated by Chairman.
e. Physically and financially supporting Democratic candidates.
ARTICLE IV
QUORUM
A quorum shall consist of eighteen voting members.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
ARTICLE VI
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
a. The Chairman shall be the principal executive officer of the Town Committee with primary responsibility for enforcement of the provisions of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Town Committee by-laws and for communications between the Town Committee and the State Committee. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings and caucuses.
b. The Chairman shall be the only person empowered to incur liabilities that shall be binding upon the Committee with the approval of the Executive Board.
a. The Vice Chairman shall serve as Chairman Pro-Tem of the Committee in the absence of the Chairman.
b. The Vice Chairman shall perform such duties as are designated by the Chairman.
a. The Secretary shall keep a record of all the proceedings of the Town Committee and of the Executive Committee, send out notices of meetings, and perform all other duties appropriate and consistent with the office.
b. The Secretary's report shall be read at each meeting, consisting of a report of the previous meeting and of any executive meetings that have occurred in the interim. The Secretary shall deliver all books, papers, and property of the Town Committee in his possession to his successor when said successor assumes office.
c. In case of the absence of the Secretary, the Chairman shall designate an elected member to serve in pro-tem.
a. The Treasurer shall open a bank account and execute a signature card in the name of the Weymouth Democratic Town Committee and deposit all monies and checks received in said bank.
b. The Treasurer's report shall be read at each meeting.
c. The Treasurer shall sign checks for all expenditures of money for authorized purchases. All disbursements shall be made by check.
d. The Treasurer's accounts shall be audited annually in March by an audit committee selected by the Chairman and a report of said audit shall be read at the next regularly scheduled meeting of members.
e. The Treasurer shall file all reports required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
f. The Treasurer shall deliver to the successor all money and property of the Town Committee within fifteen (15) days after the election f the successor, at which time the audit committee chosen by the Chairman shall make a final audit of his account.
g. In case of absence of the Treasurer, the Chairman shall designate an elected member to serve in his place pro-tem.
a. The Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer shall encourage full participation by all segments of the population.
b. The Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer shall conduct affirmative action and outreach programs on behalf of target groups: minorities, persons with disabilities, lesbians and gay men, youth, senior citizens, low and moderate-income people.
ARTICLE VII
VACANCIES
1. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, or Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer due to death, resignation or inability to serve, or if the office is declared vacant by two-thirds vote of the elected members present and voting, said vacancy shall be filled as follows:
a. The Chairman Pro-Tem, in the case of a vacancy in the office of Chairman, shall call a meeting of the elected members within fourteen (14) days after the vacancy occurs, at which time a new Chairman shall be elected by a majority vote of the elected members present and voting.
b. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, or Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer, the Chairman shall call a special meeting of the elected members within fourteen (14) days of said vacancy, at which time a new Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, or Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer, as the case may be, shall be elected by a majority vote of the elected members present and voting.
c. All members of the Town Committee shall be notified in writing of any special meetings called to fill vacancies in the offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer or Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to said meetings.
2. Elected member vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote of the elected members present and voting, and the person so chosen must be a legal resident of Weymouth and an associate member of the Democratic Town Committee.
ARTICLE VIII
ELIGIBILITY TO AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
1. No person shall be eligible to membership in the Democratic Town Committee unless such person is an enrolled Democratic voter in the Town of Weymouth, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. The resignation in writing of an officer or member of the Democratic Town Committee received in the regular course of business by the Chairman or Secretary of the Committee shall terminate that person's position and/or membership. The Chairman shall report the fact of such resignation in the notice of the next meeting and said resignation shall be acted upon by the body.
3. In a contested, partisan election, active public support, financial contributions, or endorsement of a candidate other than a Democrat by any member shall require that the Chairman immediately request the resignation of that member and shall cause such request to be made public forthwith.
4. Failure to attend at least half of the regularly scheduled Committee meetings during any calendar year shall be cause for dismissal by due process and by a majority vote of the membership.
5. Unauthorized use of the Party name or resources shall be cause for dismissal by due process and by a majority vote of the membership.
6. Conviction after appeals are exhausted of a criminal offense other than a misdemeanor shall be cause for dismissal by due process and by a majority vote of the membership.
7. A member must be given an opportunity to resign before notice of the hearing on the question of removal is given to the membership of the Committee.
8. A member removed under this section shall have thirty (30) days to appeal to the State Committee Judicial Council, and the vacancy may not be filled in such case until the final decision of the Judicial Council is made.
ARTICLE IX
COMMITTEES
a. There shall be an executive committee composed of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer, Immediate Past President, and five members chosen by the Chairman from the duly elected member of the Committee, one of whom shall be an attorney (when feasible) who shall act as Counsel for the Town Committee.
a. The Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee is authorized to appoint clerical, organizational and legal assistants, and such Committees as deemed necessary to carry out the established purposes of the Committee with the provision that any and all appointees be from members of the elected or associate members of the Town Committee.
ARTICLE X
MEETINGS
ARTICLE XI
CHANGES IN THE BY-LAWS
1. These By-Laws may be amended or repealed at any regularly called meeting of the elected members of the Democratic Town Committee. Proposed change shall be in writing and signed by the elected member proposing it and submitted to the Chairman before the call of the next meeting, at which such proposal is to be acted upon.
2. Proposed changes in the By-Laws shall be referred by the Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee to the By-Laws Committee which shall make a report with its recommendations at the next meeting.
3. A majority vote of the elected members present and voting shall be sufficient to uphold the recommendations of the By-Laws Committee. A two-thirds vote of the elected members present and voting shall be necessary to overturn the report of the By-Laws Committee.
4. Unless amended or repealed by the elected members, these By-Laws shall continue in effect from year to year.
ARTICLE XII
INTERPRETATION OF BY-LAWS
In case of any question arising as to the interpretation of any provision of the By-Laws, the Chairman shall refer the matter immediately to the By-Laws Committee which shall confer and then render a decision, which decision shall be binding upon the body.
ARTICLE XIII
ORDER OF BUSINESS
The order of business at meetings shall be as follows:
1. Reading the records of the previous meeting and communications addressed to the Town Committee.
2. Treasurer's report
3. Reports of officers and committees
4. Old business
5. New business
6. Good of the Committee -- guest speakers, announcements, suggestions, roll call, etc.
7. Adjournment
The order of business may be waived by a two-thirds vote of the elected members present and voting.
ARTICLE XIV
CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
The meetings of the Democratic Town Committee and of the Executive Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the parliamentary procedure set forth in Roberts' Rules of Order.
ARTICLE XV
ENDORSEMENT OF PERSONS FOR APPOINTED POSITIONS
The Democratic Town Committee shall have the authority to endorse any person for appointed position in the town or state by a majority vote of the elected members present and voting at a regular or special meeting called under the provision as set forth by these By-Laws or by a petition signed by a majority of the elected members.
