Greater Monterey Bay Area Chapter Bylaws

To serve and support the Naval Academy and the Monterey Bay Chapter members and other alumni in an exemplary fashion by:

• Initiating and sponsoring activities which:
  1. Facilitate friendship and association among alumni.
  2. Perpetuate the history, traditions, and memories of the Naval Academy.
  3. Strengthen the Naval Academy.
  4. Communicate the message of the Naval Academy to the local community.
• Encourage and facilitate:
  1. Aid to the members and spouses.
  2. Mentoring and advising relationships.
• By seeking out, informing, encouraging and assisting outstanding, qualified young men and women to pursue careers as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps through the Naval Academy.

Bylaws

Article I – Name and Location

1. The name of the organization, as recognized by the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association herein after called the Alumni Association, shall be the Monterey Bay Chapter of the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, hereinafter called the Chapter.
2. The location of this organization shall be in Monterey, CA, serving the communities comprising the central coast and nearby inland communities.

Article II – Membership

1. Regular Member – Any person who has been sworn in as a Midshipman at the Naval Academy and whose service has not been terminated under other than honorable conditions is eligible for membership in this chapter.
2. Honorary Members – Surviving spouses of deceased persons eligible to be Regular Members, and distinguished persons elected by the Board of Directors.
3. Associate Members – Persons who have demonstrated active support or made significant contributions to the Naval Academy or the Alumni Association may be invited to join with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Article III – Officers

1. The Officers of the Chapter shall consist of a President, Vice-President (President Elect), Secretary and Treasurer.
2. The term of office shall normally be three years and begin on June 1 and end on May 31 but can be terminated for cause or extended by a majority vote of the other board members. The terms shall be staggered to ensure continuity.

Article IV – Board of Directors

1. The Board of Directors, hereinafter called the Board, shall consist of the Chapter Officers, Past President and three or more Regular Members.
2. A plurality of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
3. All Board members will be volunteers and be selected for their willingness and capability to arrange and coordinate a mission-critical related activity or event.
4. A separate non-voting Advisory Board will be selected to further support and guide Chapter activities. Advisory Board members will be invited to attend all Board meetings and be encouraged but not required to arrange and coordinate mission-critical activities.

Article V – Duties

1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and of the Board and shall exercise the power and the duties usual to that office.
2. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President during his or her absence.
3. The Secretary shall record minutes of the meetings of the Chapter and the Board and shall be the primary line of communications with members. Email is the preferred means of communication. The Secretary will maintain the Chapter web pages on the USNAAA website.
4. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funs of the Chapter and keep them safe. He will also keep a record the the names and addresses of all the potential and active members including transfer date information on active duty personnel. He or she shall prepare and maintain a statement of all receipts, expenditures and fund balances and present same for audit on or about May 31st or when otherwise requested by the Board.
5. Each officer may have other duties as assigned and authorized by the Board.
6. The Board shall have general charge and control of the activities and properties of the Chapter not otherwise provided for.
7. Other Regular and Associate Members may be appointed as chairpersons and members of committees and directors of programs and projects or as advisory board members and determined by the President with the approval of the Board.

Article VI – Nominations/Elections

1. General elections are considered cumbersome, impractical and will not be conducted. Every three years volunteers for the Officers and Board shall be recruited and approved by a majority vote of the currently sitting Board after seeking input from the members. The President shall be recruited only when there is no Vice-President available and willing to succeed.
2. The slate of Volunteers will be selected in April and submitted to the membership for ratification. Barring reasonable objections the new slate will be initiated on June 1.

Article VII – Board Meetings

1. The Board will meet at least quarterly and more often as necessary to accomplish the Chapter mission.

Article VIII – Financial

1. Regular members will pay annual dues in an amount to be set annually by the Board.
2. These monies will be used to defray administrative expenses, – e.g. memorial flowers, guest speaker expenses/gifts, postage, etc. Expenses in excess of $100 muse be approved by a majority vote of the Board.

Article IX – Amendments

1. Any Regular Member may propose an amendment to the Mission, or to the Bylaws, at any regular meeting or by submitting it in writing to the Board. If approved by a majority vote of the Board and the USNAAA, the proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary in writing to all members. If the amendment is then approved by a two-thirds vote of the responding regular members, it shall become effective provided the amendment is in accord with the Mission and Bylaws of the national U. S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.