Club ByLaws

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

August 11, 2003

Revised:  November 21, 2008

Revised:  December 31, 2009

Revised:  August 10, 2018

ARTICLE 1

Name and Object

 Section 1. The Name of this organization shall be THE PIPELINERS CLUB OF ATLANTA (herein referred to as “Club” or “Pipeliners Club”).

Section 2. The PURPOSE OF THE CLUB shall be the advancement of pipeline engineering and operating practices for the mutual benefit of the members and the industry.

Section 3. The Means employed for the attainment of this purpose shall be meetings for the presentation of appropriate material and discussion of same, as well as discussions of books, publications, and other items of general interest.  The Club shall be non-political in character but may co­operate in civic enterprises.

 ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. The MEMBERSHIP of this Club shall be classified as follows:

a.)         An INDUSTRY MEMBER shall be employed by a pipeline company and be actively engaged in design, engineering, construction, operation or maintenance of cross country or distribution pipe­lines or pipeline related equipment or operations.

b.)         A SUPPLIER/CONSULTANT MEMBER shall be employed by a company providing supplies or support to pipeline companies and is actively engaged in design, engineering, construction, operation or maintenance of cross country or distribution pipe­lines or pipeline related equipment or operations.

c.)         A RETIRED MEMBER shall be one who was a previous Club member has since retired or a Past-President of the Pipeliners Club and shall not be required to pay annual dues.

Section 2. The QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP shall be deter­mined by the applicant’s capability, acquired by professional education or practical experience, to engage in pipeline engineering, consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, or the responsible supervision of construction or operation of pipelines or pipeline facilities.

Section 3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP shall be made on forms as prescribed by the Officers of this Club and said application shall be referred to the Board of Directors of the Club for approval or rejection.  The Board shall have the sole power to accept or reject the applicant.

 ARTICLE III

Fees and Dues

Section 1. On acceptance of the applicant by the Board, the Initiation Fee shall be payable. Where the, applicant is approved but membership is not confirmed by payment of the proper dues within 90 days, the application shall be rejected.

Section 2. DUES shall be payable in advance on the first day of each fiscal year for the Club, which shall begin September 1, or at such times as the Board may direct.

Section 3. DUES shall be assessed by the Board of Directors for each fiscal year.  Lunch fees shall be paid by each member at the time of meeting.

Section 4. Any member whose dues remain unpaid for three months after the date they became due loses all rights and privileges enjoyed as a member of this Club, and the Secretary shall so notify them.  Should such individual desire to join the Club again, they shall be treated as a new applicant.

Section 5. Any Member in good standing who resigns from the Club by notifying the Secretary shall be eligible for reinstatement but they will be required to make advance payment of dues for the current fiscal year only.

 ARTICLE IV

Officers and Duties

 Section 1. PRESIDENT — The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club and shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Club.  The President shall preside over all meetings of the members and of the Board.  The President shall have power to appoint all standing Committees.  The President shall be ex-officio a member of all standing Committees.

Section 2. VICE-PRESIDENT – – In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President.  The Vice-President shall be responsible for managing programs (including obtaining speakers) and shall be ex-officio a member of all standing Committees.

Section 3. TREASURER — The Treasurer shall attend all meetings of the members and of the Board and shall have custody of all Club funds and shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements.  The Treasurer shall disburse funds of the Club as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and Directors at regular meetings of the Board and whenever requested by them, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Club. The Treasurer shall, upon completion of their term of office, submit to an audit of the books and funds of the Club in a manner determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 4. SECRETARY — The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the members and of the Board and shall preserve the minutes of the proceedings of all meetings, maintain and distribute the monthly newsletter announcing meetings and Club business, account for members attending meetings and coordinate with the meeting venue regarding planned meeting participants and menu items

Section 5.  MEMBERSHIP CHAIR — The Membership Chair shall be responsible for soliciting membership to the Club, maintaining the membership list of the Club, maintaining membership information and payment of dues and shall provide any membership funds to the Treasurer and information of membership to Club officers.  The Membership Chair shall also be responsible for maintaining the Club’s website and posting relevant information for members use.

Section 6.  SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR – The Scholarship Chair shall be responsible for maintaining the Club’s scholarship program, soliciting applicants from Club members, evaluating potential scholarship awards, maintaining information regarding the evaluation or scholarship applicants and making recommendations to the Board for approval of scholarships awards.

Section 7.  FUNDRAISING CHAIR – The Fundraising Chair shall be responsible for organizing, planning and implementing the Club’s annual fundraising event (historically, the Club’s Golf Tournament) to raise funds for the Club’s scholarship program.  The fundraising Chair shall be responsible for soliciting sponsors and donors, event participants, support to run the event, venue selection, and records pertaining to  the tournament (i.e., funds taken in, dispersed, participants, sponsors, etc.) and for payment to the venue.  The Fundraising Chair shall coordinate with the Treasurer to ensure proper accounting of funds raised and dispersed.

Section 6. TENURE OF OFFICE — Officers shall be elected for a term of one (1) year.

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors

Section 1. The governing body of the Club shall be a BOARD OF DIRECTORS referred to herein as the Board. The Board shall be made up of the officers of the Club, shall function as the Nominating Committee, and shall have the power to bring any measure before any meeting of the membership for vote.  The Board shall also review all proposals to amend these Articles of Organization and shall have the power to reject the proposals or to bring these proposals before the Membership for acceptance.

Section 2. The Board shall consist of:

The Officers of the Club

Section 3. The ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD shall be held prior to the first club meeting in September, by notification from the President to each Member.  Special meetings of the Board may be called by any member of the Board by notification of each member of the Board of the time and p1ace thereof.

Section 4. A quorum of the Board shall consist of a majority of its Members.

ARTICLE VI

Nomination and Election of Officers and Directors

Section 1. Members shall nominate one or more candidates for each of the Club’s offices as noted in Article IV provided that any candidate so nominated shall be an active member of the Club and shall signify a willingness to accept the nomination.

Section 2. Election will be accomplished by a consensus or ballot conducted by the Secretary of the Club.

Section 3. A nominee for any office will be deemed elected if he re­ceives a majority of the votes cast for such office at the election meeting.

ARTICLE VII

Conduct of Meetings

Section 1. Lunch or other meetings of the general membership will be held as directed by the Board from time to time.

Section 2. The PROGRAM for these meetings shall be under the direc­tion of the Vice President

Section 3. Each meeting shall be under the direction of the President.

Section 4. NOTICE OF MEETINGS shall be transmitted via email or posted to the Pipeliners Club Website so that each active mem­ber will have access to the meeting notice at least six (6) calendar days prior to each meeting.

Section 5. PARLIAMENTARY STANDARD — “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall be the parliamentary standard on all points not covered by these Articles of Organization.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Section 1. These Articles of Organization shall be amendable by proper procedure.

Section 2. Proposals by Members for amendments may be submitted to the Board in writing, signed by at least ten (10) members of the Club. The Board shall consider all proposals and the proposers shall be notified of the Board’s opinion in regard thereto not later than three (3) months thereafter. The proposers may then withdraw the proposal, accept any change suggested by the Board, or insist on the original form, sending their decision to the President for submission to the membership. The Board of Directors may propose amendments.

Section 3. Proposals to amend which have been duly presented to the Board shall be presented to the Membership

Section 4. Proposals to amend shall be voted by Club members.  Affirmative vote of the majority of the membership shall be required to amend the Articles of Organization.

ARTICLE IX

Scholarship Fund

A scholarship program shall be authorized as club excess funds allow. Fund sources will be from the Club’s general funds, all as directed by the Board of Directors.

The scholarship amount and the number and effective dates of the scholarships shall be approved by the Board of Directors.

Scholarship award eligibility shall be limited to immediate relatives of the Pipeliners Association’s members in good standing.  Immediate relative shall mean spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild or grand-stepchild.  A member in good standing for scholarship purposes shall have paid dues (or been exempt) for a preceding minimum of two (2) years.  In addition, the sponsoring member must have attended a minimum of four (4) meetings, evidenced by signature and attendance records during the Pipeliners season (August-April) preceding the review of his/her relative’s application.  Each sponsoring member may nominate only one (1) applicant.

The recipient shall be a second, third, fourth, or fifth year student. First year and graduate school students are not eligible to receive a Pipeliner scholarship. The scholarship recipient shall attend an accredited college or university. No restriction shall be placed on the recipient’s degree program.

Scholarship evaluation criteria will include the applicant’s scholastic record, financial support need, and outside activities, such as social, church, service organizations, societies, sports, and so forth.

Applications are accepted, reviewed and evaluated, and interviews (if necessary)are conducted in July of each year for presentation to the Board of Directors at their Summer meeting. The Scholarships awarded will be effective for the scholastic year commencing the following September. The applicant must show he/she will be classified a second year student by the date the scholarship becomes effective.