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An Affiliate of NAMI : The National Alliance For The Mentally Ill |
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NAMI-SAVANNAH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS P. O. Box 13731 Savannah, Georgia 31406 Phone (912) 353-7143 AFFILIATE BYLAWS & FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT POLICY Affiliate Bylaws Amended/approved by the Board and pending ratification by the membership: I. MISSION A. To provide support, education, advocacy and research for persons with mental illness and their families. B. To promote better quality of care, rights and interests of citizens with mental illness, particularly those who cannot speak for themselves, and to advocate policies at the local, state and national levels to accomplish these objectives. C. To help families and friends of persons with mental illness by providing emotional support, education and information. II. MEMBERSHIP A. Membership is composed primarily of families and friends of persons with mental illness and of individuals who, themselves have a mental illness. B. Mental Health Care Providers and other professional members are considered non-voting associate members. Although NAMI may work closely with these member organizations, they shall have no control over NAMI business. C. Others who share an interest in issues related to mental illness may join as individual or professional members, whichever is more appropriate with voting privileges to be determined by the Board of Directors. D. Members in good standing are eligible to hold office and vote in person or by proxy on all motions considered at general membership meetings. A member in good standing is defined as someone who has paid their dues, regularly attends meetings, and is involved in affiliate activities. The affiliate may subsidize the membership for any consumer or other individual who is regularly attending and wishes to become a member but cannot afford to pay the full membership. To qualify for this subsidy, the consumer must be actively involved and be a regular attendant at the monthly meetings. E. Consumers whose membership is paid by the affiliate shall be considered Provisional Members. Provisional Members shall be reviewed regularly for attendance and involvement before the affiliate renews their membership. If the person does not attend meetings and shows no interest in continuing the membership, that person shall be removed from the membership rolls. F. Control of the organization rests with the members. Any action of the Board of Directors is subject to review and approval by a majority of the membership present at a meeting. Any member may request that any action or motion be tabled or rescinded by a majority of the membership at a regular meeting or a special meeting called for this purpose. Minutes will be submitted for this purpose. G. The organization will be independent of other agencies and advocacy groups not affiliated with NAMI, and will not create or be subject to interlocking bylaws, articles of incorporation, or boards of directors with other groups. III. DUES A. Affiliate members pay dues yearly as established by the Board of Directors. B. The Board of Directors may pay dues for individual members at their discretion. IV. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS A. Regular meetings of the membership will be held once a month. B. The August membership meeting is designated as the Annual Meeting for the election of officers. The December meeting will be the end of year holiday party. C. Special meetings of the members may be called by the President, the Board of Directors, or upon request of five or more members. V. FISCAL YEAR A. The fiscal year begins January 1 and ends December 31. VI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS A. The Board of Directors will have no more than eleven (11) members including the five elected officers; president, first vice president, second vice president, secretary and treasurer. The six Board of Director members will be elected to serve a period of two years. Executive officers will be elected each year. B. The board may remove any board member who fails to attend more than three unexcused consecutive board meetings. VII. TERMS OF OFFICE A. The officer’s regular term of office is one year, continuing until the election of their successors. B. The immediate past president serves as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for a period of one year. C. When the Nominating Committee is unable to secure suitable candidates who are willing to serve in an executive officer capacity and the current officers are unopposed and in agreement, they will maintain the office for the coming year. D. The Board of Directors may replace any director or officer who has failed to attend three consecutive board meetings. After giving reasonable notice to the director or officer involved, the board may declare the office vacant. E. The board will elect replacements to fill vacant elective positions except for the office of president. F. Any executive officer can be removed from office during his or her term by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and the by special vote of the majority of members present. G. Officers may be removed for failure to perform the duties of office, theft, or conduct that reflects negatively on the NAMI organization, as determined by the Board of Directors. H. The Board of Directors has the authority to appoint an executive director to maintain the continuity of a projected course of action, previously determined by the board, for affiliate organization. VIII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS A. The president presides at all meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors. The president appoints chairpersons for all committees except the Nominating Committee, with the approval of the board, and supervises their work. The president acts as the affiliate’s executive officer and, in general, performs the duties usually associated with the office of president. B. The first vice president succeeds the president in case of vacancy in that office and performs the duties of the president in his or her absence or disability. The first vice president undertakes other responsibilities assigned by the president. C. The second vice president succeeds the first vice president in case of vacancy in that office and performs the duties of the first vice president in his or her absence or disability. The second vice president undertakes other responsibilities assigned by the president. D. The secretary handles correspondence for the affiliate and records minutes of all meetings of the membership and the Executive Board. E. The treasurer receives and disburses all the affiliate’s funds and maintains a complete and accurate account of all funds received and disbursed. The treasurer provides members with a monthly report of receipts and disbursements at each general meeting and an annual report listing all receipts and disbursements by budget category after the close of the fiscal year. IX. AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND AFFILIATE FUNDS A. The treasurer and/or office manager is authorized to pay all valid budgeted expenses. B. A budget will be established and authorized by the board of directors for every affiliate sponsored program. C. NAMI-Savannah Policy #1-06, Financial Oversight Policy, dated January 15, 2006, will be adhered to for and in consideration of all financial activities. E. An independent auditor will be hired at the end of any fiscal year, if required under any relevant law or regulation, to audit financial activities of the affiliate. A report will be submitted to the Board of Directors. X. ELECTIONS A. Officers are nominated by a three-member Nominating Committee appointed by the president ex-officio and including at least one member who is a past president of the affiliate. B. After securing the consent of the nominees to serve if elected, the Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of candidates for election of officers. C. Officer nominations are permitted from the floor, provided the candidate is a member in good standing and has agreed to serve if elected. D. Nominees must be the relatives of persons with mental illness or mental health care consumers. XI. STANDING COMMITTEES A. The Executive Board creates suitable standing committees as needed. B. The Board of Directors may create special committees as needed. XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY A. A current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order will govern the conduct of business in all cases in which they are applicable and not in conflict with the bylaws. XIV. AMENDMENTS A. Any proposed amendments to the affiliate bylaws is to be presented in writing to the entire general membership at least three weeks before the meeting at which it is to be voted on. Ratification of the amendment requires a favorable vote by at least two-thirds of the members in good standing present at the meeting. TED BANTA, President NAMI-Savannah, Inc. P. O. Box 13731 Savannah, Georgia 31406
NAMI-SAVANNAH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS SAVANNAH, GEORGIA FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT POLICY AFFILIATE POLICY NUMBER 1-06 JANUARY 15, 2006 The following guidelines will be followed to provide a comprehensive, cross-check system of oversight for all financial activities within the NAMI-Savannah affiliate: NAMI SAVANNAH BUDGET · A budget will be developed by the board financial advisor on a yearly basis. · Any requests for program expenditures must be submitted to the board for budget approval on the form attached to this policy. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE · All checks designated for NAMI-GA will be copied by the office manager prior to deposit, and said copies will be filed in the NAMI-Savannah office and kept on file for that fiscal year. If someone other than the office manager receives the check, a copy of the check must be given to the office manager for filing prior to deposit. · Deposits may be made by the office manager or the Treasurer. If the deposit is made by the office manager, he/she will ensure that a copy of the deposit, with a clear list of each check, is given to the Treasurer. · Cash receivables will be entered in a log kept by the office manager. Cash deposits will be reported to the Treasurer or office manager as appropriate and copies of these deposits will be filed in the NAMI office. These deposits must match the cash log book. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE · The office manager will apprise the Treasurer of all automatic debits that currently exist. If further automatic debits are needed for routine utility or office expenses, this will be decided and agreed upon by the Treasurer and the office manager. · The checkbook will be kept in the office and the office manager will write checks for the Treasurer or President’s signature. · Routine reimbursement requests for program supplies, etc. will be turned in to the office manager for review and approval prior to payment. All requests for reimbursements must be accompanied by receipts and a statement of cause. · All other payments will be made by the Treasurer in accordance with NAMI-Savannah bylaws. · After payment, the Treasurer will turn over any payment statements to the office manager for filing. These statements will be kept on file for that fiscal year. VOIDED CHECKS · All voided checks must be turned over to the office manager who will keep them on file for that fiscal year. · Stop payments will be avoided if at all possible. CREDIT CARD USAGE · The credit card is used primarily by the office manager for office expenses; however, it may be used by executive officers when the justifiable need arises. Credit card use shall be monitored by the President and the Treasurer. · Monthly credit card statements will be reviewed by the President prior to turning over to the Treasurer for payment. The office manager (or anyone else using the credit card) must make credit card receipts available for the President to match against charges listed on the credit card statement. · After payment, the Treasurer will return the statement (including receipts) to the office manager for filing and said statements will be kept on file for that fiscal year. MEMBERSHIP DUES · Dues may be paid to either the Treasurer or the office manager. · Dues will be deposited following above accounts receivable guidelines. · Once the dues are deposited, the office manager will enter required data in the NAMI website for processing. It will be the responsibility of the office manager to keep the membership files accurate and up to date. · NAMI-GA will then send a statement to NAMI-Savannah which will be paid in accordance with the above accounts payable guidelines. BANK STATEMENT, RECONCILIATION, & FINANCIAL STATEMENT · The bank statement will be reviewed by the office manager as soon as it arrives. Any questionable activities will be reported immediately to the President who will meet with the Treasurer for resolution. This should all happen within one week of receipt of the bank statement. · The Treasurer will reconcile the bank statement on a monthly basis. · The Treasurer will put together a financial statement and report said statement to the membership on a monthly basis. If the Treasurer cannot attend a monthly meeting, he/she will ensure that the financial statement is given to an executive officer for reporting. Financial statements must be reported monthly without exception. FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES · The Financial Committee will be comprised of the Treasurer, the board financial advisor, and the office manager. · An outside, independent audit will be conducted of all NAMI-Savannah financial activities on a yearly basis. · NAMI-Savannah Financial activities are a matter of public record and will be the responsibility of the Treasurer and the office manager. Each of these persons will be expected to maintain financial activities; i.e., filing, checkbook, etc., in an organized and comprehensive manner so that anyone inquiring into this information may access it reasonably, accurately, and timely upon request. TED BANTA, PRESIDENT MARTHA WALSH, SECRETARY
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