About Us

Constitution and By-Laws

Weymouth Historical Society

Weymouth, Massachusetts

Approved April 2023

 

Constitution

Article I

The name of this organization shall be the Weymouth Historical Society.

Article II

Purposes and Aims

The object of this Society shall be to compile, preserve, and disseminate the history of Weymouth, Massachusetts, and the genealogy of its families.

To make a collection of its Antiquities and exhibit the same.

To establish public memorials related to the History of Weymouth and its families.

To promote observance of days and events of Historic importance.

To correspond with similar associations.

To encourage interest in local History by direct appeal and by collaboration with Weymouth officials and schools.

And to, in other suitable ways, fit the functions of the Society to contemporary times.

Article III

Membership

There shall be two classes of membership, Regular and Honorary.

Any person may apply for Regular Membership in the Society by submitting Annual Dues or paying for a Life Membership.

Worthy persons or Corporations, as determined by the Executive Board, may be elected Honorary Members of the Society by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Article IV

Fiscal Year

The Fiscal Year of the Society shall be from April 1st to March 31st.

Article V

Officers and Directors

The Officers of the Society shall be President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Librarian, and shall be elected by ballot for a term of one year at the Annual Meeting of the Society.

There shall be four Directors of the Society, who shall be elected by ballot for a term of one year at the Annual Meeting of the Society.

The Executive Board shall consist of the duly elected Officers and Directors, plus the Curator.

Article VI

Meetings of the Members

There shall be an Annual Meeting held during the month of April of each year to conduct the business of the Society. Additional Membership Meetings may be held but there shall be no more than four of these held in any fiscal year. One Business Meeting shall be held in March no less than 30 days before the Annual Meeting.

Article VII

Vacancies

Vacancies of Officers or Directors, for whatever reason, shall be filled until the next Annual Meeting by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Article VIII

Amendments

Amendments to the Constitution may be made at the Annual Meeting of the Society by a two thirds vote of the Members attending. Provided that the proposed amendments shall have been presented in writing and read at the March Meeting, and further provided that all members be notified in writing of the proposed amendments prior to the Annual Meeting.

 

By-Laws

Article I

Officers Duties

President: The president shall:

• Officiate at all meetings of the members and the Executive Board.
• Attend, or appoint an alternate to attend, and represent the Society at non-society events.
• Present all expenditures over $99 to the Executive Board.
• Submit an annual report encompassing Society activities for the preceding year and recommendations for future actions.
• Appoint the Chairperson of all committees.
• Appoint, with the approval of the Executive Board, a Curator of the Society.

Vice President: The Vice President shall:

• In the absence of the President, perform all of the duties of the President.
• Organize the program for the fiscal year.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall:

• Be the custodian of financial assets of the Society, which may consist of cash, securities and other investments, and monies on deposit in savings and commercial banks.
• Collect dues from members, receive donations and legacies of money or securities and shall deposit all funds in accordance with Article VI of these By-Laws.
• Disburse Society Funds as directed by the Executive Board. Pay all regularly reoccurring bills and pay any bill of $99 or less without approval of the Executive Board.
• Keep a monthly and year-to-date record of receipts and expenditures.
• Have the Society books and records available for authorized inspection at all times.
• Deliver to a duly appointed Auditor/Accountant the Society financial records (940) for the fiscal year before July 15th of each year.
• Submit a written report to the Annual Meeting of Members itemizing receipts and disbursements and the status of all Society assets.
• Surrender to any successor Treasurer audited copies of all records and all funds and other assets of the Society.

Secretary: The Secretary shall:

• Keep a record of all meetings of the Society Members, Executive Board and shall keep a current list of Members of the Society.
• Prepare all correspondence ordered by the Annual or other Membership Meetings, and the Executive Board.

Librarian: The Librarian shall:

• Be custodian of the Genealogy Library, a collection that may consist of books, or written or printed matter.
• Under direction of the Executive Board, have control of access to the Genealogical collection.
• Get approval of the Executive Board before removing from the collection any items.

Article II

General Regulations

Parliamentary authority in the conduct of all business meetings and the Annual Meeting of the Society shall be Robert's Rules of Order, and these rules shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable, in so far as they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society.

Article III

Duties of the Executive Board

The Executive Board shall:

• Be the governing body of the Society and shall carry out the Purposes and Aims of the Society as set forth in Article II of the Society Constitution.
• Between the Annual Meetings of Members be responsible for approving or authorizing expenditures of Society funds.
• Appoint a Nominating Committee in October of each year consisting of two Regular Members in good standing plus a Chairperson appointed by the President, and charge it with the responsibility of proposing a slate of Officers and Directors to be presented for approval to the Executive Board or to a Business Meeting at least thirty days prior to the Annual Meeting.
• Appoint a qualified person, who need not be a member of the Society, to audit the records of the Treasurer.
• Appoint Regular Members to fill all vacancies of Officers and Directors in accordance with Article VII of the Society Constitution.
• Hold its meetings in such places and at such times as they may decide.
• Designate the time and place of all membership meetings in accordance with Article VI of the Society Constitution except that the Annual Meeting must be held the last week of April of each year.
• Appoint Standing Committees for arrangement of special programs and events and for research and study of subjects of historical importance, or such other committees as may be required to carry out the Purposes and Aims of the Society.

Article IV 

Membership

Membership is open to any person who supports the Purposes and Aims of the Society.

Members are required to be of honorable character and reputation and refrain from conduct injurious to the Society and its purposes. Any member guilty of tending to injure the good name of the Society, disturb its well-being, hamper it in its work, or other serious offense will be subject to expulsion from the Society.

Offenses included but not limited to:

• Violation of Federal Laws regulating a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation.
• Criminal behavior or conviction.
• Theft of Society property or funds.

Article V

Dues

Annual dues of the Society, the amount of which shall be approved by the members, shall be due and payable April 1st of each year.

Article VI

Society Funds and Investments

All funds of the Society shall be deposited in the name of the Society in such banking institutions as may be designated by the Executive Board and all investments shall be subject to approval by the Executive Board. All donations or legacies of money and securities, unless restricted by the direction of the donor, shall be deposited in the general funds of the Society or held as permanent investments under the control of the Executive Board.

Article VII

Accountant

The Accountant will reconcile the books by electronically submitting the Federal 940 by July 15th of each year unless an extension is filed. The Treasurer will have an analysis of each account available to any member of the Society by July 15th of each year unless an extension has been filed.

Article VIII

Curator

The Curator shall:

• Be appointed by and be responsible to the Executive Board and under their direction shall have custody of the historical collections of the Society.
• Cause an inventory to be made of all historical property and shall prepare and maintain accessible lists or catalogs of the same.
• Cooperate with all committees or authorized persons in making available items of the collection to be used in exhibits, displays or special events.
• Under direction of the Executive Board have charge of the Museum and the Holbrook House and make appropriate arrangements for opening them to the public and take such measures as may be deemed necessary to preserve and safeguard the historical collections of the Society.
• Under direction of the Executive Board appoint members or committees of members as deemed necessary to carry out the duties of the Curator.
• Get approval of the Executive Board before removing from the Collections of the Society any items for display or study.
• Continue in the position at the discretion of the Executive Board.

 

Weymouth Historical Society

Federal ID Number 237 041 846

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under IRC Section 501(c)(3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
2. No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, or officer of the corporation, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the corporation), and no member, trustee, officer of the corporation or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporate assets on the dissolution of the corporation.
3. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be carrying of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(h)), and does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publication or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
4. In the event of dissolution all of the remaining assets and property of the corporation shall, after necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to another organization exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(3), or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax Laws, or to the Federal Government, or State or Local government for a public purpose, subject to the approval of the Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Massachusetts.
5. In any taxable year in which the corporation is a private foundation as described in IRC Section 509(a), the corporation shall distribute its income for said period at such time and manner as not to subject it to tax under IRC Section 4942, and the corporation shall not (A) engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in IRC Section 4943(c), (B) make any investments in such a manner as to subject the corporation to tax under IRC Section 4944, or (C) make any taxable expenditures as defined in IRC 4945(d) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax Laws.