By-Laws

FORMATION:

The Gateway Metal Detecting Club came into existence informally in October of 2015. The first formal meeting of the club was held on January 5, 2016, when officers were nominated, the club name voted upon, and by-laws drawn up. The officers and by-laws were officially voted in at the February 2, 2016 meeting.

NAME:

The name of this organization shall be the Gateway Metal Detecting Club (Gateway MDC or GMDC).

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The purposes of this organization include promoting the following:

  1. The education of detectorists in the hobby of metal detecting.
  2. Responsible metal detecting through reviews of laws and regulations.
  3. Environmental protection through responsible detecting practices, recycling, and trash removal at hunt sites.
  4. Enjoyment of the metal detecting hobby.
  5. Safety in the pursuance of metal detecting.

MEMBERSHIP:

  1. Any person may join the organization as a member. Children between the ages of 12-17 may join with a parent or legal guardian in attendance, who themselves do not have to become a member. If under the age of 12, children will be welcomed free with parental supervision, but shall not be considered a member and shall not be able to vote on club matters. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all club-sponsored activities.
  2. Only registered, paid-up members 18 or older may hold office and vote on organizational matters.
  3. The parent or legal guardian of a club member who is a minor will be responsible for any damages incurred by said minor during the course of a club-sanctioned event.

MEMBERSHIP DUES:

Membership dues are $30/yr, with additional household family members $25. Children 11 and under are free. A membership shall only be considered as going to December 31st of the current year.

EVENTS AND MEETINGS:

  1. The organization shall meet once a month, except January. A club hunt shall be held monthly from March through November, pending weather conditions or specific club activities.
  2. Meetings shall be on the first Tuesday of each month from 7-9pm at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque School cafeteria, 4900 Ringer Rd., St. Louis, MO 63129.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Four officers (president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary) shall comprise the BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

The BOARD OF DIRECTORS shall meet no less than 3 times a year to conduct organizational business.

The BOARD OF DIRECTORS shall make decisions on the day-to-day running of the organization without voting input on those measures by organization members.

A passing vote by at least 51% of fully paid up members of the organization is needed for issues which fall outside of the daily operational decisions made by the BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

BOARD PRESIDENT

–The BOARD PRESIDENT shall

Maintain oversight and ensure the cohesiveness of all workings of the organization.
Be the official spokesperson of the organization.
Ensure the organization’s meetings are run in compliance with government guidelines to maintain non-profit status.
Ensure the organization’s website reflects the proper reporting of their STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, and meeting minutes (through the newsletter), in compliance with government guidelines for non-profit status.
Conduct other duties as assigned.
Abide by the articles in the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
BOARD VICE-PRESIDENT

–The BOARD VICE-PRESIDENT shall

Take over the duties of the president if necessary.
Maintain oversight of the Finds of the Month (FOM) committee.
Maintain oversight of the Finds of the Month (FOM) contest.
Maintain oversight of the Community Action Team (CAT).
Keep files on Google DRIVE for all CAT callouts for reference in case of liability.
Conduct other duties as assigned.
Abide by the articles in the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
BOARD TREASURER

–The BOARD TREASURER shall

Maintain oversight of and handle all monetary transactions such as, but not confined to, membership dues, raffles and 50/50 contests, food and drink purchases, equipment purchases, organizational expenses, insurance premiums, and any other expenses which occur in the normal running of the organization.
Ensure that all receipts are kept in a timely and legal manner for tax purposes.
Ensure all documentation pertaining to the organization’s non-profit, tax exempt status is kept up to date and on file in Google DRIVE, with a paper backup file.
Ensure the organization has sufficient funds to facilitate the paying of bills.
Maintain a database on Google DRIVE or spreadsheet listing all income and expenditures.
Ensure proper and timely yearly reporting and payment pertaining to the organization’s non-profit tax status to the IRS.
Ensure proper and timely yearly insurance payments for the organization.
Maintain oversight of the HOSPITALITY committee.
Conduct other duties as assigned.
Abide by the articles in the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
BOARD SECRETARY

–The BOARD SECRETARY shall

Maintain the organization’s website.
Maintain the membership roster in Google DRIVE.
Record and post minutes of each monthly meeting on Google DRIVE.
Ensure there are attendance sheets with a photo release column at every club-sanctioned activity in compliance with government guidelines to maintain non-profit status. The sheets will then be entered into Google DRIVE for reference.
Maintain the organization’s correspondence such as, but not limited to, thank you notes, sympathy cards, and queries.
Conduct other duties as assigned.
Abide by the articles in the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
CRITERIA FOR HOLDING OFFICE:

All individuals wishing to hold office must be registered, paid-up members 18 and older and be elected by a 51% vote of the registered, paid-up membership.

–Criteria
A. Members wishing to run for office shall be nominated at the October meeting and by nominations submitted through the organization’s email until October 31st.
B. Nominated members running for office shall be voted on at the November meeting and by votes submitted through the organization’s email until November 30th. Results will be announced at the organization’s Christmas party in December.
C. In the case of a resignation of an officer during their term, a special election may be held to fill the office until the next election.
D. All officers hold their position for two years.
E. The offices of president/treasurer, and that of vice-president/secretary shall be voted on in alternating years to maintain continuity between elections.

No officer may hold office in the GMDC while also holding office in any other metal detecting club. This is to ensure that club passwords, personal information of GMDC members, and internal operations of the GMDC are protected. If it becomes known that a current officer of the GMDC is also a current officer in any other metal detecting club, that officer will be asked to terminate either their office in the GMDC or in that of the other metal detecting club. Failure to do so will be grounds for dismissal from office in the GMDC.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH MEDIA OR IN SOCIAL MEDIA:

Only a Board Member is authorized to speak on behalf of this organization to the media or on social media.
Members developing any electronic venue such as, but not confined to, a website, blog, video channel, social media site, or creating any electronic component that mentions this organization must be pre-approved by the organization’s Board of Directors.
No member may share information that is confidential and proprietary about this organization. This includes, but is not limited to, organization finances, personal information of members, organizational strategy, sales of products, or any other information that has not been publicly released by the organization.
No member may film and/or sell this organization’s training classes, organization products which include, but are not limited to, shirts, business cards, or organizational written articles such as newsletters, flyers, or posters etc., without prior consent of the Board of Directors.
MEMBERS:

Any member who refuses to follow this organization’s code of ethics, by-laws, or statement of purpose shall, by consensus of 3 of the 4 officers, be barred from any further organizational participation, and his membership shall be rescinded immediately.

When there is a Mystery Hunt or other members-only activity, no non-member shall be allowed to participate, except the parent or legal guardian of an underage member, or an aide to a handicapped member. This ensures the exclusivity of becoming a member in the GMDC with its attendant special privileges, including participation in special members-only hunts.

When the organization has been granted special hunting privileges on private property, wherein the owner has stated that they wish to review and possibly keep any finds made, no member shall keep any find, no matter its worth, unless the owner gives permission. Intentionally secreting any find from that location without the owner’s knowledge will result in the immediate expulsion of the member and could result in legal action.

CLUB DISSOLUTION:

Upon the dissolution of this club, assets shall be distributed to a state or local government for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of the non-profit section of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax.