Section                                      Title

    I                                 Membership

    II                                Admission to Membership

    III                               Directors

    IV                               Election Procedures

    V                                Meetings

    VI                               Financial

    VII                              Finance Committee

    VIII                             Miscellaneous

    A. Categories of Membership

        1. Full Members

        2. Dues Only Members

    B. Definition of Membership

        1. Regular Membership –

            a) Each member shall retain all privileges of membership in the Club, including attendance at all regular and special meetings of the Club, providing such member is in good standing.

        2. Life Membership -

            a) Life Member will be administered to any Past-President, after fulfilling all duties of the office of President, and any other member as selected by the Board of Directors.

            b) Life Member designation shall enable said member to retain all benefits of life membership in Optimist International, as presently and heretofore established.

            c) Life Members may choose to be Full Members or Dues Only Members.

        3. College Membership –

            a) Any member in a post secondary educational institution who is enrolled as a full time student may be classified as a college member.

            b) A college member shall pay annual dues as set forth by the Board of Directors and shall have the same rights and privileges as any member of the Club.

            c) College membership includes lunch at all regular meetings

    C. Privileges

        1. Each member shall retain all privileges of membership in the Club providing such member is in good standing.

        2. Attendance at all regular and special meetings of the Club.

        3. One vote for matters presented to the membership.

        4. Subscription to Optimist Magazine.

        5. Paid lunch

            a) Full Members lunch at all regular meetings

            b) Dues Only Members include one lunch a month at a regular meeting. Additional lunches may be purchased on a weekly basis.

    D. Fee Schedule

        1. Full Members - $91

        2. Dues Only Members - $45 quarterly

        3. College - $9

            Dues may be suspended for a member, for a brief period, upon Board action due to extraordinary or exceptional circumstances.

        A. Application & Application Fee

            1. Prospective member fills out an application

            2. Application and application fee are turned in together to the Club Secretary through the sponsor or representative

        B. Readings

            1. The Sponsor or representative reads the application at three (3) successive regular meetings of the Club.

            2. The applicant is encouraged to be in attendance at least once during the readings.

        C. Vote by Board of Directors

            1. An applicant may be voted into the Club by the Board of Directors before the three (3) readings are complete.

            2. The vote is contingent upon the absence of objections from the membership.

            3. Upon acceptance by the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall immediately forward the new member’s name and processing fee to Optimist International in the prescribed form and manner.

            4. Upon acceptance by the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall notify the new member and the sponsor of such acceptance and contingences prior to induction.

        D. Induction

            1. The official induction of the new member into the Club shall occur at the next regular meeting or scheduled function of the Club attended by the new member.

            2. The new member shall receive a copy of the Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures of the Club after induction.

        E. Objections and Rejection

            1. Objections should be made to a member of the Board of Directors before applicant is inducted.

            2. The Board of Directors shall take into consideration any objections for membership in confidence.

            3. Upon rejection of a proposed membership by the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall notify the sponsor and applicant of the rejection, without explanation of the Board of Directors’ action.

            4. Upon rejection, the Treasurer shall immediately refund the membership fee.

            5. Upon rejection, the Secretary shall cancel the registration of the new member to Optimist International.

III. Directors

The number of Directors elected at the date of the annual election of Officers of the Club, will be based upon the following formula relating numbers of Directors to membership, with membership determined based upon the number of members in good standing on April 1 of each year prior to the date of election:

    MEMBERSHIP             DIRECTORS

        Less than 49                     6

        50 – 75                              7

        76 – 100                            8

        125 – 150                          9

        Greater than 150            10

IV. Election Procedure

        A. Nominating Committee

            1. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed according to the Bylaws of the Club no later than March 15.

            2. The immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee.

        B. Absentee Ballots

            1. Absentee Ballot information will be posted on the website and in the Nooner for the 3 consecutive weeks prior to the election.

            2. Absentee Ballots must be received by the secretary on the day preceding the election in one of the following methods:

                a) Electronic mail

                b) Hand delivered

                c) Mail delivery

V. Meetings

        A. Annual Meeting

            1. An invitation to attend the annual installation meeting shall be extended to the spouse or a guest of each member if the Club in good standing.

            2. The President-Elect (incoming President) shall be responsible for organizing the installation meeting.

            3. The President (leaving office) shall be responsible for organizing and presenting the year end recognitions.

            4. The installation shall be performed by the Lieutenant Governor-Elect or any Past or Present District Officer.

            5. The Optimist of the Year Award shall be presented by the previous year’s recipient. Unless there is a timing conflict, this award will be presented at the annual installation meeting.

        B. Optimist of the Year Meeting

            1. There will be an annual meeting to determine the recipient(s) of the club’s Optimist of the Year award.

            2. Attendees shall consist of all past recipients of the Optimist of the Year award.

            3. The meeting shall be scheduled in the fourth quarter of the Optimist calendar year, usually in the month of August.

            4. The recipient of the award prior to the current Optimist of the Year shall be responsible for scheduling the meeting date and time and for chairing the meeting.

        A. Bonding

            1. All officers who have check signing privileges shall be bonded.

            2. The Secretary shall be responsible for the annual process and records keeping of bonding.

            3. Bonding shall be updated annually no later than October 1.

        B. Financial Review: A financial review shall be performed as described under Section VII of the Policies and Procedures Manual.

        C. Convention Reimbursements

            1. District Meetings

                a) The Club shall pay the registration fee for any member and their spouse or companion to attend any District Meetings.

                b) The Club shall pay 50% of the room cost (at the standard rate offered through the District) of any member who attends any District Meeting. Reimbursement shall be made only if the location of the meeting is outside of Montgomery County.

                c) The Club shall pay 100% of the registration fee, room cost, and meals noted on the meeting agenda for the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and their spouse or companion to attend district meetings held during their year of office. Reimbursement for room cost shall be made only if the location of the meeting is outside of Montgomery County, Ohio.

                d) Reimbursements for District Meetings are subject to availability of funds in the Club’s approved budget. Priorities for reimbursement will be first to the President, Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, Secretary-Elect, and Treasurer-Elect, respectively. Second to any Officer or Board Member and then to general membership.

            2. International Convention

                a) The Club shall pay the Registration fee for the President-Elect, Secretary-Elect, Treasurer-Elect and their spouse or companion to attend the International Convention. In addition, the Club shall pay for the President-Elect’s and spouse or companion’s meal cost for the breakfast for President-Elects. The Club shall pay the meal expense for the President’s Banquet for all approved attendees.

                b) The Club shall pay 100% of the room cost (at the standard convention rate offered through Optimist International) and 100% of the most economically reasonable travel based on distance, for the President-Elect, Secretary-Elect, Treasurer-Elect and their spouse or companion to attend the International Convention held during their year of office. If because of distance, the most economical transportation is by air, the Club will reimburse the above members’ airport shuttle expenses to the hotel and from the hotel to the airport on return. If the most economical transportation is by private vehicle, reimbursement shall be for gasoline supported by receipts and for hotel parking if this is an expense.

                c) Reimbursements for the International Convention are subject to the availability of funds in the Club’s approved budget. Priorities for reimbursement will be first to the President-Elect, Secretary-Elect, Treasurer-Elect. Second to the President. Third to any Officer of Board Member and then to general membership.

            3. General Reimbursement Info

                a) If the Club shall have prepaid any of the above costs for any member and such member does not attend the applicable meeting without sufficient excuse (such as emergency or illness), the member will be requested to reimburse the Club the amount of the prepaid costs.

        D. Annual Disbursements

            a) The Board of Directors shall designate 20% of the net proceeds of the Tree Lot fundraiser for Long Range projects. These funds shall be transferred to the Long Range Committee after the net proceeds for the fundraiser have been determined.

            b) At the November Board Meeting, if the Board of Directors deems it appropriate in view of available assets in excess of current donation requests, it may make a disbursement of net proceeds from fundraisers to Long Range Projects. This disbursement shall be made keeping in mind Article X, Section 2 of the club’s bylaws regarding the unrestricted fund balance to be carried over.

        A. Purpose

            1. The Board of Directors shall arrange for an annual review of the financial statements of the club by the Finance Committee.

            2. To provide an oversight function to the Treasurer and financial activity of the Club.

        B. Members

            1. Shall consist of no fewer than 3 nor more than 5 members.

            2. At least 60% of the committee members shall have a financial background (either be a CPA, CMA, CIA or have a 4 year accounting degree from a post-secondary school).

        C. Duties

            1. To review annual budget with Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect and President-Elect before submitting to Board of Directors.

            2. To review the financial records of the Club as to their quality and accuracy.

        D. Potential financial risks to address

            1. Cash receipts not properly deposited.

            2. Cash disbursements not supported by appropriate receipts.

            3. Cash disbursements made for non-Club activities.

        E. Internal Controls/Procedures for Fundraising Activities

            1. Each club fundraising activity which generates in excess of $1,000 of Gross Receipts shall designate a Club member to be responsible to maintain a record of cash receipts for the fundraising activity.

            2. Upon completion of the fundraising activity, such Club member shall report the Gross Receipts to the Finance Committee.

            3. The Finance Committee shall determine that the receipts were properly recorded into the Club’s accounts.

        F. General Procedures

            1. The Finance Committee shall complete or have completed the following procedures in a timely manner and immediately report any unusual findings to the Board of Directors. By the January Board Meeting, the Finance Committee shall present to the board its results for the previous fiscal year.

                a) Agree the Gross Receipts from any fundraising activity occurring during the period to amounts contained in the Club’s accounts.

                b) Ensure that a monthly bank reconciliation is completed for each of the Club’s bank accounts, noting any unusual reconciling items. The bank reconciliation shall be done by a club member other than the treasurer or the president.

                c) Ensure that the reconciled cash amount agrees to the general ledger.

                d) Review the bank statements for the period noting any unusual activity, primarily disbursements.

                e) Review all checks paid during the period for any unusual payments or payments not supported by appropriate receipts/documentation of payment.

                f) Review documentation for each disbursement.

                g) Obtain the year to date financial statements presented to the Board and compare such financials to the general ledger maintained by the Treasurer.

                h) Obtain the number of Club members from the Club Secretary, determine the expected amount of quarterly dues collection and compare that amount to actual dues collected for that quarter– testing for reasonableness.

                i) Review any write-off of / credit recorded to dues billed and not collected and determine that the Board previously approved the dues write-off.

                j) Review any excessively delinquent dues and report same to the Board as deemed necessary.

            2. For each annual budget, the Committee shall review the budget and provide commentary to the Board at its first regular meeting of each fiscal year.

            3. Assist the Treasurer in any activities to improve the Club’s financial reporting and investment of funds.

            4. Understand the finance charter of Optimist International and ensure that the Club’s financial activity follows such charter to the extent practicable.

        A. Bylaws

            1. The Vice Presidents and the incoming Vice Presidents shall be responsible for an annual review of the Bylaws prior to the August board meeting.

            2. All board members shall be familiar with the Bylaws.

                3. There will be an annual Bylaws and Policies and Procedures training meeting for new board members and other interested Club members.

        B. Policies and Procedures

            1. Changes and additions to the Policies and Procedures may be enacted by the Board of Directors or the Club in accordance with the Bylaws.

            2. The Vice Presidents shall jointly be responsible for maintaining, updating, and reviewing the Policies and Procedures.

            3. The Vice Presidents shall jointly be responsible to have all current changes and additions, on a monthly basis to the Policies and Procedures.

            4. An updated copy of the Policies and Procedures shall be distributed to the board members annually at the beginning of the fiscal year.