Adopted April 7, 2020
Amended April 13, 2021

NEWCOMERS CLUB OF RIDGEFIELD, INC. CHARTER

ARTICLE 1 - NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1

This corporation shall be known as the Newcomers Club of Ridgefield, Inc. (the “Club”) founded October 3, 1967, and ​incorporated February 10, 1969.

Section 2

The purpose of the Club is to develop fellowship among new and existing residents of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and the surrounding areas, to coordinate, direct, and develop the social activities of its members, and work on charitable community projects. It shall be a non-profit organization with no remuneration to any member.

ARTICLE 2 - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

Membership is open to any Ridgefield, Connecticut resident and residents of the immediate surrounding areas.

Section 2

Membership may be accomplished by paying the applicable annual dues in full, with no refunds.

Section 3

Membership is for a one-year period with optional additional years, for which full annual dues will be charged.

Membership terms shall expire on the last day of their respective anniversary month for all members.

Section 4

Members may continue in any activities they have paid for until the end of their anniversary month. They may hold any ​office in accordance with the terms of the By-laws.

Members who fail to renew their membership will not receive the newsletter past their membership anniversary date.

ARTICLE 3 - MEETINGS

Section 1

The Club shall meet no less than seven times per year.

Section 2

The Executive Committee shall meet as often as is deemed necessary by the President.

Section 3

The Board of Directors shall meet monthly. The presence of one third of the Board members shall constitute a ​quorum.

Section 4

The annual meeting for installation of officers shall be held in the month of June.

ARTICLE 4 - AMENDING THE CHARTER, BY-LAWS, AND STANDING RULES

Section 1

The Charter and Bylaws shall be reviewed at a minimum of every two years by the Member-at-Large and a committee appointed a​t the discretion of the Member-at-Large to ensure they are in keeping with the current workings of the Club.

Section 2

The Charter and Bylaws may be amended by the membership in either one of two ways:

a) The material changes must be read at two consecutive Board meetings and ratified by a majority vote of ​those Board members present at the second meeting,

or

b) The material changes must be published in the Club newsletter and then read at the next regular Board m​meeting with ratification by a majority vote of those Board members present.

Section 3

The Charter shall be supplemented by the By-Laws and the Standing Rules. In the event of a discrepancy ​between the By-Laws and the Standing Rules, the By-Laws shall prevail.

Section 4

Standing Rules may be amended or changed by the Board of Directors by majority vote in their reasonable discretion.

BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1 - OFFICERS’ QUALIFICATIONS, TERMS AND DUTIES

Section 1

The officers of the Club are the

• President
• Vice President
• Director of Community Affairs
• Director of ​Activities
• Director of Special Events
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Membership Director
• Member-at-Large

Section 2

The term of office shall be one year for all Board members, with the exception of the President and Vice President who will each serve an overlapping 2-​year term (i.e., the first year as Vice President and the second year as President), from June meeting through June meeting.

Section 3

All Board members are expected to make an effort to represent the Club as needed at events organized by the Club to ​increase membership and community involvement.

Section 4

The President shall perform the following ​duties:

a) preside over all regular meetings of the Club, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.

b) appoint, with the assistance of the Executive Committee, the Publicity and ​Information Technology (“IT”) Directors.

c) keep a complete file of all official Club documents and submit an annual report at the June Board meeting, both to be p​assed to the incoming President.

d) if requested, receive two copies of each Board member’s annual report at the June Board meeting and ​pass one copy of each to the incoming President and one copy to the appropriate incoming Board member.

e) vote only in the event of a tie.

The President may be exempt from payment of annual dues of the Club.  Additional payment exemptions with regard to the President will be at ​the discretion of the Treasurer.

Section 5

The Vice President will assist the President in carrying out all of his/her tasks and responsibilities with the intention of assuming the office of President upon the completion of the President’s two-year term.   Specifically, the Vice President shall perform the following duties:

a) preside over all Board meetings in the absence of the President.

b) assist the President when necessary and be thoroughly acquainted with the workings of the Club.

c) fill the office of President if a vacancy occurs.

d) coordinate any meetings and other programs for the Club (with the exception of the activity chairpersons’ ​appreciation event).

Section 6

The Director of Community Affairs shall perform the following duties:

a) coordinate and oversee all community related activities and events undertaken by the Club as necessary or select a Club member representative to work on their behalf.

b) work closely with the Publicity Director(s) with regard to all community related activities undertaken by the Club.

c) in the event the Vice President is asked to assume the President’s role, the Director of Community Affairs will assume the Vice President’s role on a temporary basis.

d) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

Section 7

The Director of Activities shall perform the following duties:

a) act as the principal coordinator for the operation of all activity groups, working closely with the Activity ​Chairpersons, including training incoming Activity Chairpersons on event set-up on the Club’s internet platform.

b) work closely with the Publicity Director(s) with regard to all Club activity groups and maintain the Club’s calendar.

c) should funds be available, coordinate a demonstration of the Club’s appreciation for all Activity ​Chairpersons.

d) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

Section 8

The Director(s) of Special Events shall perform the following duties:

a) act as the principal coordinator(s) for all Club special events (e.g. Holiday Party).

b) ensure that the cost of any Special Event does not exceed the allotted dollar amount in the Club’s yearly budget.

c) partner with the Membership Director to leverage Special Events as membership drives, where applicable.

d) work with the Publicity Director(s) and Director of Activities to ensure the Club’s calendar is updated with Special Events.

e) with regarding to any planned Club fundraisers:

i. submit a proposal to the Board for approval, including estimated expenses and revenues.

ii. start work on formulating committees on a timely basis.

iii. reserve facilities, as necessary.

iv. recommend to the Board for approval all recipients of profits that are raised at any such event.

f) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

Section 9

The Secretary shall perform the following duties:

a) record the proceedings of all Board meetings and send minutes of the meetings to Board members in a​ timely fashion.

b) be custodian of all permanent records of the Club.

c) request and file copies of all correspondence made on behalf of the Club by other Club members.

d) assist the President in preparing the order of business; have all necessary papers readily available.

e) keep an attendance record of Board meetings.

f) write letters, invitations, thank-you(s), get well cards, and other correspondence as requested by the B​oard.

g) read or give the content of important correspondence at meetings and have custody of such correspondence.

h) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

SECTION 10

The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all Club monies. The Treasurer shall:

a) keep an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements and aged receivables of the Club on a monthly basis.

b) disburse funds in accordance with the adopted budget approved by the Board.

c) sign and be custodian of all contracts entered into by the Club, unless otherwise authorized by the President.

d) be custodian of the Club’s post office box.

e) prepare a fiscal budget for presentation at the September Board meeting.

f) submit a full financial report to the Board monthly and individual activity transaction records as r​requested.

g) e-file 990N or tender the books of the Club to an approved tax preparer for a timely tax filing based on the financial needs ​of the Club.

h) ensure that any monies remaining at the end of the year are either retained in the Club’s bank account(s) or donated to charities or other non-profit organizations selected by a majority vote of the Board.

i) submit a full financial report to the Board and a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the ​June Board meeting.

Section 11

The Membership Director shall:

a) work with the IT Director to keep an accurate account of all member names, addresses, phone ​numbers and dates of membership and present key statistics relating to membership at monthly Board meetings.

b) solicit new Club members and renewals and be responsible for membership registration at events open to the ​public, and personally welcome each new member to the Club.

c) coordinate and hold hospitality functions (e.g., coffee mornings) at least bi-annually at a public location.

d) maintain all hospitality supplies.

e) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

Section 12

From time to time, the Board may appoint two Publicity Directors with duties to be shared. Those duties shall include:

a) support legacy advertising on the Club’s online camp/pre-school fair.

b) create and distribute a monthly newsletter to all Club members.

c) coordinate advertising in the Club’s newsletter and website on an as-needed basis, at prices determined appropriate ​by the Board of Directors.

d) provide representation of the Club via social media and the local press.

e) coordinate development of all Club promotional materials (i.e., posters, flyers, etc.)

f) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June Board meeting.

Section 13

The Member-at-Large shall perform the following duties:

a) every two years, with the assistance of a committee, if deemed necessary by the ​Member-at-Large, review the Charter and By-Laws of the Club and suggest amendments, if necessary.

b) assist in identifying appropriate candidates for potential Board positions.

c) be responsible for introducing proposed Board candidates, taking nominations from the floor, and holding the election and installation of officers.

d) act as a liaison between the Board and the Club’s membership.

e) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June board meeting.

ARTICLE 2 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Director of Community Affairs, Director of ​Activities, Director of Special Events, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Director, Member-at-Large, Publicity Director(s) and IT Director. The Board shall be governed by the Charter and the By- Laws and charged with the prudent management and general direction of the Club.

Each member of the Board of Directors shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records and information relating to their respective role (e.g., check lists, procedures lists and passwords) and providing adequate training to any new Board member who assumes their role upon completion of their term.

Section 2

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, the Director of Community Affairs, the Director of Activities, and the Director of Special Events, with the Treasurer serving as an alternate. The Executive Committee is empowered to act for and must report back to the Board of Directors. They also shall appoint any officer/director, except President or Member-at-Large, when a vacancy occurs. In the event of a vacancy in the Member-at-Large position, a new Member-at-Large shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Board.

Section 3

Any member nominated for and elected or appointed to a position on the Board of Directors, must be a Club member in good standing.  Non-renewing members whose membership will expire during a year may serve on the Board of Directors if

a) no one else can be found to fill the position.

b) their membership expires after December 31. They shall retain full membership privileges.

Section 4

Any member elected or appointed to the Board of Directors shall be expected to attend Board meetings.

Section 5

The Publicity Director(s) shall be appointed by the President with the assistance of the Executive Committee.

The Publicity Director responsible for the Newsletter shall:

a) ​create, edit and distribute the Club Newsletter, and maintain its files.

b) ​direct all activities necessary to publish the Newsletter in a timely manner each month and coordinate with ​the IT Director to ensure that the Newsletter is archived in a timely manner.

c) u​pon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June board Meeting.

The Publicity Director(s) shall also be responsible for all Club-related social media and serve as the Club’s liaison with all local press. Their responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:

a) publishing articles, photographs, and calendar items regarding Club activities, events, and services.

b) maintaining and updating all Club social media accounts as necessary.

c) updating Club informational and marketing materials.

d) upon request, the Publicity Director(s) shall submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June board meeting.

Section 6

The IT Director (or “Webmaster”) shall be appointed by the President with the assistance of the Executive ​Committee.

The IT Director shall:

a) update the Club website on a timely basis.

b) utilize available tools to maintain a members-only section in addition to a homepage with information f​or the general public.

c) update membership contacts on a continuous basis and archive old members’ contact information as needed.

d) coordinate with the Publicity Director(s) to ensure the timely archiving of Newsletters on the Club’s website.

e) work with the Treasurer to ensure that all website hosting and domain fees are current.

f) ​periodically change the password of the shared login account used by the activity chairs and distribute same to existing activity chairs, thus preventing unauthorized access to the Club’s website.

g) annually or as needed, update the email mappings on our DNS server for the correct routing of Club emails; this shall include routing official mails to the incoming Board of Directors, removing outgoing Board of Directors from email routing, and routing of event emails to the correct and current event coordinator.

h) change the permissions assigned to designated Board members on the Club’s website administration backend as needed and annually when the Board changes at the end of the year.

i) run DNS checking tools to check the status of our DNS on the world wide web and make changes as necessary to ensure the optimum security of the Club’s website.

j) periodically review and update as necessary the Privacy Policy as it pertains to the use of the Club’s website.

k) make all reasonable efforts to implement system updates and update Board members as to any system changes that may affect the workings of the Board and/or the Club.

l) upon request, submit a written annual report in duplicate to the President at the June board meeting.

Section 7

In an effort to carry out the mission and workings of the Club, the Board may temporarily appoint, for no longer than one Board year, a committee of 3 officers to serve in the capacity as President of the Club in the event the President and/or Vice President seats are vacant. Decisions that would have been made by the President shall be made by a unanimous vote of this committee.

ARTICLE 3 - NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Section 1

Prior to the April Board meeting, if the Member-at-Large deems that a Nominating Committee to identify proposed Board candidates should be convened, the Nominating Committee shall meet as often as necessary to select at least one slate of candidates for presentation to the Board at the April Board meeting.

At the April Board meeting, the Member-at-Large will introduce any proposed Board candidates. The Club membership shall be advised in the Newsletter which precedes the May Board meeting of the slate of candidates. It is the responsibility of the Member-at-Large to ensure publication of any proposed candidate recommendations.

In selecting candidates (both new and returning) for recommendation to the Board, the Member at Large will review the tenure, performance and contribution of existing Board members if they wish to be considered for re-election, and consider all aspects of each nominee’s qualifications and skills in the context of the needs of the Club with a view toward creating a Board with a diversity of experiences and perspectives.

Section 2

At the May Board meeting, the election of Board members will be conducted by the Member-at-Large.

However, if there is only one nominee for each office, the Secretary shall cast the elective ballot of the Club for the nominee for each such office. Election shall be by a majority vote of the Board members in attendance. Once elected, the new Board can then begin to fill the appointed Board and Activity Chairpersons positions for the coming year.

Section 3

At the June Board meeting, the newly elected Board will be installed by the Member-at-Large.

ARTICLE 4 - ACTIVITY GROUPS

Section 1

Any member of the Club may attend any Activity Group of their choice.

Section 2

The Board of Directors shall be responsible for determining the numbers and types of Activity Groups.

Section 3

Policies of Activity Groups shall be subject to review by the Board of Directors.

Section 4

Those who chair Activity Groups shall be appointed by the Director of Activities. They shall, for each ​group:

a) ensure that all activities do not operate at a loss.

b) keep accurate records of their activity’s functions, receipts, and disbursements, sending all check r​reimbursement forms to the Treasurer for reimbursement.

c) report any changes in the activity’s financial status to the Treasurer who shall hold all activity monies ​and issue all necessary checks.

d) communicate any event updates or changes through the Club website.

e) ensure communication with the Publicity Director(s) to publicize any upcoming Club event(s) to be held in public in an effort to attract potential Club members.

f) upon request submit a written annual report in duplicate to the Director of Activities no later than June 1.

ARTICLE 5 - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the By-Laws of the Club.

ARTICLE 6 - INDEMNIFICATION

The Club shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Director and each Officer to the fullest extent p​permitted by applicable law against all claims, damages, and losses (including attorney’s fees) caused by, resulting from, or arising out of the participation by any such person in the activities of the Club, provided such person acted in good faith.

NEWCOMERS CLUB OF RIDGEFIELD

STANDING RULES

1. Dues shall be $60.00 per year per family unit or $35.00 per individual membership.
   
2. Distribution of the Membership Handbook/Directory (online or paper format) and of any Activity Group membership list shall be to Club members only. They shall not be given to any other organization or commercial establishment and may not be used for personal gain.
   
3. The Newsletter shall be given only to members of the Club and shall not be given to any other organization or commercial establishment for its own use.
   
4. The Club website may provide general Club information for the public, with privileged Club information m​ade available to Club members only.
   
5. The Club shall honor no charge accounts.
   
6. Commercial products shall not be shown at Club meetings, nor shall there be any advertising permitted.
   
7. No one shall sign contracts or guarantees for the Club except the President or Treasurer or those with written/email authorization. For contract amounts exceeding $500, two signatures are required. Signing officers are:   President, Vice President, Director of Community Affairs, Director of Activities, Director of Special Events, Treasurer and Secretary.
   
8. The Board of Directors retains the option to alter the appointed positions of the Board s​should it be deemed appropriate in advance of formal amendment to the By-Laws.
   
9. Unless otherwise provided by the By-Laws, a Board meeting shall serve as a membership meeting of the ​Club.
   
10. Prospective Club members may attend one free Club event being held at a public location.
    
11. No accounts of any kind shall be created in the Club’s name without the express authorization of the President.
    

Alcohol Statement

It is expected that all Club members and their guests will act responsibly in the consumption of alcohol and will either assign a designated driver or make other transportation arrangements when needed. Each Club member who participates in a Club activity does so at his or her own discretion and risk. The Newcomers Club of Ridgefield, Inc. will not be held liable for any injuries which may occur as a result, and each Club member and guest expressly holds The Newcomers Club of Ridgefield, Inc. harmless and shall indemnify same from all damages, claims, expenses, of any nature caused as a result of acts by said Club member or guest. Attendance at any Club event will serve to demonstrate each Club member’s consent and acceptance to the aforementioned terms and conditions.

Solicitation Policy

Solicitation of Club members, guests of Club members, or prospective Club members by anyone at a Club event or activity is strictly prohibited. The Board reserves the right to not allow the distribution of certain materials, or information, which is deemed in violation of this non-solicitation policy. Some instances of solicitation may occur if approved in advance by the Board and if the intent of the solicitation is fully disclosed to Club members and participants prior to the event/activity.

Membership Guidelines

Club membership may be revoked due to inappropriate behavior such as violence, excessive intoxication, c​criminal activity, or behavior that poses a risk to the safety of Club members or their families. The revocation of membership is at the discretion of the President with the agreement of a majority of the Executive Board Members. Membership shall not be revoked due to race, gender, religion, economic status or sexual orientation. The purpose of this guideline is not to hinder Club diversity, differences in opinion and approaches, but to ensure the safety of Club members and their families.

Photography Policy

By virtue of their attendance at any Club event, a Club member grants the Club permission to take, use, reuse and publish photographs and/or videos of such member in any and all Club-related publications and in any and all other media, including but not limited to use and publication on the internet, webpages and social media accounts, whether now known or hereafter existing, controlled by the Club, in perpetuity and for other use by the Club. Members release and discharge the Club, and its Board, from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action and costs of any nature arising from or related to the use, re-use and publication of any of the aforementioned photos and videos, including but not limited to claims for invasion of privacy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Club members shall not be tagged in any social media postings. In the event a member does not wish to have the Club utilize their likeness in any Club-related publication(s), the member shall inform the event organizer of such fact at the outset of the event and the Club will take all reasonable efforts to ensure that the member’s likeness is not utilized in any Club-related publications.