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By-Laws
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
St. Thomas Council 13861
Sanford, Maine 04073
Article 1 – Council
Sec. 1. This Council shall be known as St. Thomas Council No. 13861, Knights of Columbus. {Sec. 97, 98}
Sec. 2. The initiation fee shall be $25.00 and for Priests and Religious it shall be nil. The initiation fee shall accompany the application but it shall be refunded if the applicant is rejected. {Sec. 118 (a)}
Sec. 3. Each member shall pay annual dues, payable at the first regular meeting in January. The annual dues shall be $25.00 excepting honorary members who shall pay $10.00, and honorary life members who shall pay nothing. {Sec. 118(b), (c), (d)}
Article 2 – Elections
Sec. 1. The annual elections of officers shall take place at a regular meeting held between May 15 to and including June 15 each year. Not less than two months before the annual election the Grand Knight shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three who shall prepare a slate of candidates for the elective council offices. This slate shall be presented to the council not later than the regular business meeting preceding the meeting at which annual elections are to take place. Other nominations may be made from the floor and nominations may not be closed until the election meeting has convened and the members are ready to ballot. {Sec. 128, 135(2)}
Sec. 2. The elections of officers shall be done by ballot. A majority of all the votes cast shall be necessary to elect; except that where several of equal degree are to be chosen, a majority shall not be necessary, but all shall be voted for on one ballot and no ballot containing names of more or less candidates than there are offices to be voted shall be counted, and those receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected in the order of number of votes received. {Sec. 93, 128}
Sec. 3. The Grand Knight shall appoint two members to act as Tellers. After all who are entitled to do so have voted, the ballot shall be declared closed and the Tellers shall examine each ballot singly and pass the same to his associate, who shall read aloud the name or names written or printed on all legal ballots. The Recorder shall tally the same and the result thereof shall be announced by the presiding officer.
Sec. 4. Each officer elected must qualify and fill the office to which he is chosen, with or without installation, at the first regular meeting in the month of July succeeding his election, unless excused by vote of the council, and must present himself for installation at the time specified in the notice issued by the State Deputy or District Deputy, unless excused by such officer. Otherwise such office shall be considered vacant. {Sec. 129}
Sec. 5. Vacancies in elective offices shall be filled, after notice to members, by election at the regular business meeting next succeeding the regular meeting at which the vacancy was created. {Sec. 131}
Article 3 – Officers
Sec. 1 Only members who are in good standing and who have been initiated in the first three degrees of the order shall be eligible to hold office in this council. No member shall hold more than one office at the same time. {Sec. 92(a)}
Sec. 2. The elective officers shall be as follows: Grand Knight, ----Deputy Grand Knight, -----Chancellor, --- Recorder, Treasurer, ---- Advocate,--- Warden, -- Inside Guard –Outside Guard, ---and Board of Trustees. {Sec. 126, 128}
Sec.3. The appointive officers shall be as follows: --Financial Secretary, ---Lecturer, --- Chaplain. { Sec. 126, 128}
- The Financial Secretary shall be appointed by the Supreme Knight {Sec. 128}
- The Chaplain shall be selected by the Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight, and Board of Trustees in accordance with the rules established by the Bishop of the Diocese. {Sec.128}
- The Grand Knight shall select the Lecturer. {Sec. 128}
Sec. 4. The Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall not require a bond beyond that furnished by the Supreme Council, and the Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall not take office or be installed or receive any money or property of the council until they have been qualified for such a bond and the same has been approved by the Board of Trustees. {Sec. 130}
Sec. 5. The Council Officers shall perform the duties required of them by the Laws and Rules of the Order and by these By-Laws and other such duties as the council may direct. {Sec. 135}
Sec. 6. At the end of each semiannual period the Board of Trustees shall meet and audit the several books of this Council and shall in January and July make a full report of their findings, including the receipts and distribution of the moneys of this Council for the previous semiannual period, the balance on hand to the credit of each of the various funds at the end of each semiannual period, and the assets and liabilities of this Council. The Grand Knight shall issue the call for such meeting of the Board of Trustees. {Sec. 145}
Sec. 7. Where a member ipso facto forfeits his membership the Grand Knight and Financial Secretary shall immediately notify the Supreme Secretary of such forfeiture and shall immediately send notice in writing to the member, including the date and reason thereof. In those cases relating to ipso facto forfeiture for failure to pay Council dues, such notice shall not be sent to the Supreme Secretary or to the member until an officer or a member of the retention committee shall contact the member and endeavor to have him retain his membership. {Sec. 164}
Sec. 8. The Recorder shall file all reports in a filing book to be provided for that purpose and the same shall be preserved as a part of the records of this Council. {Sec. 135}
Article 4 --- Meetings
Sec. 1. Regular meetings of this council shall be held on the second Thursday of each month. The Officers meeting will commence at 6:00 P.M. and the regular business meeting will commence at 7:00 P.M. Fifteen members shall constitute a quorum at business meetings. {Sec. 124}
Sec. 2. All meetings of the Council shall be presided over by the Grand Knight, who will ascertain from the Warden if all present are in possession of a current membership card. {Sec. 135(1)}
Sec. 3. The following shall form part of the order of business and procedure at regular business meetings of this Council.
- Call to Order
- Warden’s Report on Membership Card.
- Prayer
- Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
- Roll Call of Officers.
- Reading of the Minutes of Previous Meeting.
- Chaplain’s Comments
- *Reading of Bills and Communications.
- *Reading by Grand Knight of Receipts of Treasurer to Financial Secretary and Treasurer’s Voucher of Deposit.
- *Reports of Committees.
- Reading of applications after referral to admission Committee.
- Balloting for members
- Reading of Notices of Applications in other Councils.
- Unfinished Business.
- *Treasurer’s Report.
- *Reports of Auditors or Trustees
- *New Business.
- Initiations.
- *Good of the Order
- Prayer
- Closing
(*) Parts of the order of business marked with an asterisk may be omitted at regular meetings other than regular business meetings. At regular business meetings, minutes of all meetings to and including the last regular business meeting shall be read.
Sec. 4. Special business meetings shall be convened as follows: By vote of the council at a preceding regular business meeting; by the direction of the Grand Knight; By the written request of seven members, which request shall state the object of the meeting. Due notice of special business meetings and their purpose shall be given to each member in the usual way and no other business shall be transacted at any such meeting.
Sec. 5. The following shall be the order of business and procedure at special business meetings.
- Call to Order.
- Warden’s Report on membership Card.
- Prayer
- Roll Call of Officers.
- Special Order of Business.
- Prayer
- Closing
Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of all officers to attend each meeting of the Council. In case of inability of any officer to attend a meeting, due notice shall be given to the Grand Knight and arrangements made to have all necessary books and papers in the position of such Officer at the meeting. If a Chair Officer is absent from the meeting, the presiding Officer shall designate a member to act for him. If an elected Officer without reasonable excuse approved by the Grand Knight, is absent from three consecutive regular business meetings, the Grand Knight may report this to the District Deputy for such action under section 92(b) of the Laws of The Order as the District Deputy deems appropriate.
Sec. 7. In the Absence or inability of the Grand Knight the Deputy Grand Knight shall preside and he shall execute all of the duties of the Grand Knight. In the absence of the Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight the duty of presiding shall devolve on the other officers of the council in which they are named in section 126 of the Laws of the Order.
Sec. 8. If any meeting shall fall on a legal holiday said meeting shall be held the previous week unless the Council by vote at a previous business meeting, annul such a meeting or fix a different date for such a meeting within the month for which it is scheduled.
Article 5 ---- Admissions
Sec. 1. The Grand Knight shall refer all applications to the Admission committee, within five days of the presentation to him of the application, and thereupon said Committee shall examine the applicant as to his qualification for membership. {Sec. 101, 108}
Sec. 2. Except when notice of applications shall be published as provided by Section 110 of the Laws and Rules, it shall be the duty of the Grand Knight, as early as practicable, before each regular meeting, to file with the Recorder a list of candidates to be balloted upon such a meeting. {Sec.109(1)}
Sec. 3. The Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight shall privately inspect the ballot box, both before and after the ballot, and the former shall announce the result. Balloting of candidates shall be in charge of the Warden who shall distribute ballots to all members present. He shall place the ballot on the salutation table and take his place six feet there from. He shall then request that all Officers vote and after they have voted, he shall request the members to vote. They shall advance in single file and deposit their ballots, but no member shall pass the Warden until the member preceding him has voted. After all who have desired to have voted, the Warden shall exhibit the ballot box to the Grand Knight and the Deputy Grand Knight and they shall count the votes. If the number of negative ballots cast does not exceed one half of the members present, the applicant shall be declared elected, otherwise rejected. The exact number of negative ballots shall not be stated. If more than one candidate is to be balloted for a meeting, the Grand Knight may announce that the first ballot shall be a general one upon all candidates, and that if not more than one half of those present shall cast negative ballots upon such general ballot no other ballot shall be taken. If such announcement is made, and not more than one half negative ballots are cast upon said general ballot, all candidates so balloted for shall be declared elected. If more than one half negative ballots are cast upon said general ballot, than an individual ballot shall be taken on each candidate. {Sec. 112, 113}
Article 6 -----Committees
Sec.1. In addition to the committees provided for in the Laws and Rules of the Order, the following Service Program Director shall be appointed: {Sec. 135(2)}
- Program Director --whose goal will be the direct involvement and personal commitment of the Council and membership in a program that will establish the Knights of Columbus as truly a Catholic, family, fraternal, service organization.
- Membership director -- to have supervision of a comprehensive program of recruitment and retention for his council.
- Church Activities Director – To promote a program that will enable the membership to respond to the constant call for active participation of the laity in the work of the Church.
- Community Activities Director ---Whose responsibility it will be to make the council aware of its life within the community and to develop programs that will be of service to the community.
- Council Activities Director --- Who will be concerned with the promotion of brotherhood through athletic, cultural, and social programs. Additionally he will be responsible for the development of public relations in the Council.
- Youth Activities Director --- To provide youth in the community with the means and the opportunity to become personally committed and involved in meeting the challenges of our times, He will also be responsible for the promotion of the Order’s junior organization, The Columbian Squires.
- Family Life Director ---to promote activities and programs within the council that would strengthen and support the family life of its members.
- Pro-Life Director --- to promote activities and educational programs within the council that will strengthen awareness and increase support in defense of human life, in all its stages.
- Such other committees as may be required.
Article 7 ---Funds
Sec.1. All moneys obtained from any source, by or through any person or persons, acting for or in the name of the Council or under its direction or authority, shall be considered Council funds and shall be forthwith delivered to the Financial Secretary, who shall give his official receipt therefore and who shall report at the close of each meeting the amounts so received and from what source and shall deliver the same to the Council Treasurer and take his receipt therefor. {Sec. 122(a)}
Sec. 2. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys received from his Financial Secretary in a bank to the credit of this council. Disbursements from this fund shall be made only by check signed by the Grand Knight and Treasurer. The depository bank shall be furnished with a copy of this section. {Sec. 140(2)}
Sec. 3. No money in excess of $200.00 shall be paid or transferred from the Treasury of this Council, except such moneys as the council is called upon to regularly pay for its current expenses and as provided by the Laws of the Order or for purposes approved by the Supreme Council or board of Directors, unless by a two- thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular business meeting held subsequent to a regular business meeting at which notice in writing of a resolution of intention to pay or transfer such money and the purpose and amount to be paid or transferred shall have been given and regularly read. {Sec. 122(b)}
Sec. 4. All bills shall be present to the Recorder and by him to read to the Council before being referred to the Board of Trustees. In case the bill is not approved by the board of Trustees, it shall be referred back to the Council for Action
Sec.5. The Grand Knight has the discretion to expend up to $100.00 without prior approval to cover unexpected expenses.. Such expenses shall be reported at the next regularly scheduled business meeting.
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Relief Fund
Sec. 5. The sum of $300.00 shall be paid from the General Fund to the Financial Secretary and shall be known as the Relief Fund. The Grand Knight, financial Secretary and Treasurer shall constitute a Relief Committee. They shall investigate the case of any brother who is reported to be in distress or in need of relief and if in their judgment the case is one deserving of assistance, they shall have the power to draw from this relief fund such reasonable sum of money to afford assistance as the circumstances of this case may require, provided that in no single case shall more than $100.00 be paid out without reference to and approval of the Council. {Sec. 122(b), 248}
Article 8 ---Funerals
Sec.1 On the death of a member in good standing the Memorial Committee shall give notice to the members and, if time permits, shall request them to assemble and pay their respects to the memory of the deceased at a time and place to be indicated in such notice.
Article 9 --- Miscellaneous
Sec. 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular business meeting held subsequent to a regular business meeting at which a resolution in writing providing for such amendment shall have been read and notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given to the members in writing or in the council publication at least ten (10) days prior to the second meeting. Amendments to these By-Laws are subject to the approval of the Supreme Advocate. {Sec. 250}
Sec.2. Procedure and debate shall be in accordance with the Laws and Rules of the Supreme Council, the Board of Directors, These By-Laws and the Rules of parliamentary Law know as “Roberts Rules of Order.”
{Sec.xxx} Bracketed texts found at the end of paragraphs refer to relevant sections found in the Charter, Constitution, and Laws of the Order, Knights of Columbus
These By-Laws adopted by vote of the Council, on
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John Chandonnet Grand Knight
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Robert Carr Recorder
Date of Institution___________________________
Approved________________20_____
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Supreme Advocate