By-Laws

Of The 

Northwest Miniature Bottle Club

Article I

This organization shall be known as the NORTHWEST MINIATURE BOTTLE CLUB (NWMBC), a non-profit organization devoted to fostering  an interest in the collecting of miniature liquor bottles.

Article II

 By-laws:

 A.   The By-Laws shall be reviewed by Club Officers every two (2) years, and presented to the membership at the February meeting.  All proposed changes to the Articles, or the addition of new Articles, shall be proposed in writing at one meeting and voted upon at the next meeting.  All proposed changes to be voted upon at a meeting shall be incorporated into the notice for that meeting. 

B.  Changes to the By-Laws can only be made with a majority vote of all Club members whose dues are paid and current.  Club members who are unable to attend a meeting where a vote is to take place may submit their vote in writing to the Secretary prior to the meeting.                                                                

Article III

Meetings will be held the third (3rd) Saturday of each month with the exception of July.  Any social gatherings agreed to by a majority of the members and held during the aforementioned month, (July), are not (Official) meetings, though regular activities of the club, such as bottle swapping, may take place.  Any expenditures of the club money at these events must be agreed to at a previous official meeting and by a majority of the members in attendance.  Meeting places for the year shall be agreed upon at the November meeting, and subsequent meetings until the calendar is filled.  Times of official meetings will be 1 P.M., or as close to as possible, until adjourned.  The dates and times of a given meeting may be altered to meet special needs of the host/hostess or a majority of the membership.  A majority shall consist of at least 51% of the members present at a meeting.                                                                                                                                            

Article IV

Membership:

A.   Membership in the NWMBC shall be open to all who have attained their twenty first (21st) birthday.

B.   Guests attending meetings and special functions of the club who have not reached their twenty first (21) birthday are welcomed.  Guests under twenty one (21) years of age are not eligible to participate in any club raffles, or any other activities where they might be eligible to receive miniatures or other gifts that contain alcohol.                                             

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   Article V

Dues for each year will bet set at the September meeting and payable at that time.

Article VI

OFFICERS:

A.   Officers shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant-at-Arms, here-in referred to as the Club Officers

B.  Term limits for elected Club Officers shall be a maximum of 2 consecutive 1 year terms in the office to which elected.

C.    Nominations for Officers shall be made at the October meeting.  Further nominations may be made at the November meeting prior to the election.  Nominees not in attendance at the October meeting will be notified by telephone, by the Secretary.  Anyone wishing to decline nomination must do so in person, OR, in writing to the Secretary at least two, (2), weeks prior to the November meeting.                                                                                                                                            

Article VII

Duties:

A.   President:

     1.  The President shall preside at all regular club meetings and at all club officer meetings, in accordance with the accepted procedure in ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

     2.  The President shall appoint Committee Chairpersons, both standing and special as the need arises.

B.  Vice President:  The Vice President shall officiate at any regular club meetings at which the president is unable to reside.

C. Secretary:

     1.  The Secretary shall record and maintain the minutes of regular club meeting and of any club officer meetings.

     2.  The Secretary will provide a copy of the minutes of said meeting to the President.

     3.  The Secretary, or designee, will mail notices of each upcoming Club meeting prior to its set date.  The Secretary, or       designee, will include notice of any club officer meeting when notified by the President to do so.

     4.  Postage and expenses for said notices or incidental fees shall be paid by the club when the Secretary, or designee, presents the bill for said expenditures.  Any expense not related directly to this function shall be voted on by the membership of the club present at the meeting at which the bill is presented for payment.

     5.  If the Secretary is unable to attend a meeting, it will be his/her responsibility to appoint someone to act as Secretary Pro-Tem.

D. Treasurer:

     1.  The Treasurer Shall act as the club's banker, to maintain a record of all expenditures and income.

     2.  The Treasurer is authorized to pay  all bills presented to him/her under the regulations stated in previous Articles, or upon a vote of the majority of the membership present at the meeting at which a bill is presented.

     3.  Any bank accounts held in the club's name shall have the signature of two (2) members of the Club Officers, which will include the Treasurer's signature.  The second signature shall be either the President or the Secretary.  Checks issued will not require two (2) signatures.

     4.  Prior to the election meeting in November, the incumbent Treasurer will present a detailed report, in writing, of the past year's financial affairs.  A copy of this report will be incorporated with all sustaining papers and retained with, but separate from, other club papers.  Copies of this report shall be available to members of club at said meeting.

E.  Sergeant at Arms:

     1.  It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms to keep order during regular meetings

     2.  The Sergeant-at-Arms will collect a fine of $.25 at each meeting for any member in attendance who is not wearing his/her official name tag in plain view.  These funds will be turned over to the Treasurer and become part of the general fund.

Article VIII

There shall be one Standing Committee.  It shall be the Raffle Bottle Committee.  The Chairperson for this committee shall be appointed by the President.

     A.  The Raffle Bottle Committee Chairperson shall find means for supplying raffle bottles throughout each year that he/she is appointed to this committee.

     B.  The Raffle Bottle Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for storing the raffle bottles and having the appropriate quantity of bottles available for each raffle.

     C.  Methods for acquiring the Club's bottles must be approved by a majority vote of the members present at the meeting at which the methods were discussed.

     D.  The Raffle Bottle Committee Chairperson shall be in charge of selling the raffle tickets at Club meetings and be responsible for turning over the proceeds to the Treasurer.

     E.  The Raffle Bottle Committee Chairperson may choose members to serve on the Raffle Bottle Committee as necessary.

Article IX

The official address of the NWMBC will be the PO Box held in the Club's name or the home address of the current Secretary or Treasurer of the Club, or as agreed upon by the membership                                            

 Article X

Bottle Selling or Trading:

     A.  At meetings, all bottles which will be offered for trade or sale by dues-paid members will not be displayed until after the President has declared the meeting to be adjourned.  All bottles which will be offered for sale or trade at meetings, will be displayed so all members will have equal opportunity to purchase the same.  No sale or trade will be made prior to all bottles being placed on display.                                                                                                                                    

     B.  Any NON-MEMBER wishing to sell bottles at a club meeting must contact and make arrangements with the club and the Host/Hostess at least one meeting prior to the time he/she brings the bottles to a meeting, thereby allowing time for the membership to be notified of such sale, giving all members equal opportunity to see and/or purchase bottles.  (These bottles may not be placed on display until after the meeting has been closed.)

Article XI

All long distance telephone calls made by any member of the Club Officers or any other person who has been authorized to do so by the club, on behalf of the club, will be paid for after such calls and the cost of the calls have been entered into the minutes of the meeting in which such calls are announced.  Payment for unauthorized long distance telephone calls made by a club member must be voted on and passed by a majority of members present at the meeting at which such calls are announced.

Article XII

Club Library:  The club will periodically purchase books or pamphlets relating to miniature liquor bottles or bottle collecting.  These books will be made available to members on a rotating basis.                                         

 Article XIV

.Reserve Fund: 10% of all monies collected for raffles at each meeting will be set aside in a special Emergency Fund.  The Emergency Fund will have a maximum limit of $1000.00.  This fund is established to help club members when an emergency arises by purchasing their collections or parts thereof at a cost negotiated and approved by a majority of club members present at any official meeting.

Article XV

Membership Incentives:

     A.  Membership Hosting Incentive: As an incentive for volunteering to host a meeting, a member household will receive one (1) Figural and two (2) Straight bottles of their choice.  Hosts will receive a first choice of bottles from the set of raffle bottles provided by the bottle chairperson.                                      rev 08/05

     B.  New Members Incentive:  New members shall be awarded a gift basket containing four (4) Straight bottles and two (2) figural bottles at a meeting following receipt of payment of annual dues.                                     

     C.  Attendance Incentive:  The member or members (in the event of a tie) with the best attendance record for the calendar year, January-December, will be announced at the January meeting. The Attendance Incentive Awardees will recieve a Certificate which they may redeem at any meeting for their choice of one (1) Figural bottle or one (1) Straight bottle from the Raffle bottles presented for that meeting.  The Attendance Award Selection will override the First Choice Host/Hostess Award. 

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