Blount Library By-Laws

b. Intellectual development

c. Literacy awareness for personal growth and pleasure

d. Appreciation of the visual and performing arts

e. Community betterment

f. A desire for excellence

g. Cooperation

PREAMBLE

The Board of Trustees (hereinafter designated as the “Board”) of The Blount Library, Inc. as a not-for profit corporation created under a charter granted under Section 253 of the New York State Education Law by the Board of Regents (or Secretary of State) of the State of New York, dated February 3, 1995 shall be governed by the laws of New York State, the regulations of the Commissioner of Education and by the following by-laws.

BY-LAWS

1. NAME OF ORGANIZATION

a. The name of the organization shall be the Blount Library, Inc.

2. AREA SERVED

a. This library shall serve all persons in the Franklinville Central School District Residents, including Franklinville, Farmersville, Humphrey, Ischua, Lyndon, and Machias. If new residents, proof of a minimum of 30 days residency would be required.

3. FISCAL

a. The fiscal year of the library shall be from January to December.

4. Board of Trustees

a. A Board of Trustees shall govern the library. The Board shall consist of five-nine (5-9) members,

elected for terms of three (3) years each.

b. Newly elected Trustees will begin serving on January 1^st^. Appointed (interim) trustees will begin

serving immediately.

c. Eligibility for office shall be limited to adults residing or owning property within the

geographical limits of the library district. Franklinville Central School District Residents, including

Franklinville, Farmersville, Humphrey, Ischua, Lyndon, and Machias. If new residents, proof of a

minimum of 30 days residency would be required.

d. Absence from three consecutive meetings shall constitute automatic dismissal from the

Board, unless the Board defers this dismissal by majority vote. The President shall inform the

absent Board Member, in writing, that he/she is no longer on the Board. If dismissal is

deferred by Board action, the President shall inform the absent Board Member in writing the

conditions of this deferral.

e. A board member shall serve no more than two consecutive 3-year terms, beginning on January

1st , unless there is a majority vote approving an additional 3-year term. In a case where a new

trustee is fulfilling the term of a former trustee, the years left in that term will not count

towards the two consecutive term limits of trustees.

f. Any vacancy shall be filled by special election by the remaining Trustees. The newly elected

Trustee shall serve for the remainder of the term.

g. Each Trustee shall have one vote, irrespective of office held.

h. A Trustee must be present at a meeting to have his/her vote counted. Emergency meetings

may be conducted remotely, at the discretion of the President.

i. All actions of the Board shall be of the Board as a unit. No Board member shall act on behalf

of the Board, on any matter, without prior approval of the Board. No Board member by virtue

of his/her office shall exercise any administrative action with respect to the library nor, as an

individual, command the services of any library employee.

5. Officers

a. The officers of the Board shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer,

elected annually by the Board at the annual meeting.

b. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board, authorize calls for any special

meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the Board, serve as an

ex-officio voting member of all committees, and generally perform all duties associated with

that office.

c. The Vice-President, in the event of the absence or disability of the President, or of a vacancy

in that office, shall assume and perform the duties and functions of the President. The

President may also assign him/her special responsibilities.

d. The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Board, shall issue

notice of all regular and special meetings, and shall perform such other duties as are generally

associated with that office.

e. The Treasurer may be the disbursing officer of the Board (unless a professional bookkeeper is

appointed) and shall perform such duties as generally devolve upon that office. In the absence

of the Treasurer, a majority of the Board may designate another Board member to perform the

duties of the Treasurer.

6. Director

a. The Board shall appoint a Director, who shall be the executive officer of the policies of the

Board and shall have charge of the administration of the library under the direction and

review of the Board.

b. The Director shall be responsible for the care of the buildings and equipment, for the

employment and direction of the staff, for the efficiency of the library’s service to the public,

and for the operation of the library under the financial conditions contained in the annual

budget.

c. The Director shall render and submit to the Board reports and recommendations of

such policies and procedures, which, in the opinion of the Director, will improve efficiency

and quality of library service.

d. The Director shall attend all Board meetings except the portion of the meeting at which

matters involving the director are to be discussed or decided.

7. Committees

a. The President shall appoint a nominating committee at the October meeting, who will present

a slate of officers and names of candidates for new trustees. Additional nominations may be

made from the floor.

b. The President may appoint committees for specific purposes. Such committees shall serve

until the completion of the work for which they were appointed.

c. All committees shall make a progress report to the Board at each of its meetings.

d. No committee will have other than advisor/ powers unless, by suitable action of the Board, it

is granted specific power to act

e. The President shall be, ex officio, a member of all committees.

8. Meetings

a. Meetings shall be held each month, the date and hour to be set by the Board. Written notice of

all meetings shall be E-mailed (regular mail for those without computers) to each member at

least five days before the meeting.

b. A special meeting of the Board may be called at any time by the President or upon the request

of three members for a specific purpose. No business may be transacted at such special

meeting except the stated business.

c. The Annual Meeting shall be held in January of each year. The business transacted at this

meeting shall\ include the election of new trustees and new officers.

d. The operating and financial reports for the previous year shall be presented at the regular

meeting in January.

e. The preliminary budget for the subsequent calendar year shall be presented at the regular

meeting in November.

f. The final budget for the subsequent calendar year shall be presented for approval at the regular

meeting in December.

g. A simple majority of the existing Board shall constitute a quorum for the conducting of all

business. If a quorum is not present at a regular meeting, the attending members may set a

date for another meeting be held within one week, and the presiding officer shall notify the

absent members of this specially called meeting.

h. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to the following

items which shall be covered in the sequence shown unless circumstances make an altered

order more efficient.

i. Roll call of members (Ascertain a quorum is present)

ii. Disposition of minutes of previous regular meeting and any intervening special

meetings

iii. Treasurer’s Report

iv. Director’s Report

v. Committee Reports

vi. Communications

vii. Old Business

viii. New Business

ix. Period for Public Expression

x. Adjournment

9. Amendments

a. Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed at any regular meeting and shall be voted

upon at the next regular meeting. Written notice of the proposed amendment or amendments

shall be sent to all absent members at least ten days prior to the voting session. A simple

majority of the Board shall be sufficient for adoption of an amendment.

b. Any rule or resolution of the Board, whether contained in these By-laws or otherwise, may be

suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand but such suspension, to be valid,

may be taken only at a meeting at which two-thirds of the members of the Board shall be

present and two-thirds shall so approve.

10. Parliamentary Procedure

a. Unless otherwise specified herein, all parliamentary procedures shall be in accord with

Robert’s Rules of Order.

Approved by the Blount Library, Inc. Board of Trustees, dated 21 May 2009

The undersigned Secretary of the Board of Trustees, certifies that this copy of the foregoing, furnished by her, has been compared by her, with the original and that said copy is a true and complete copy thereof.

Updated and approved by the Board of Trustees at the November 19, 2020 Meeting

Respectfully submitted by,

Diane Soulvie, President