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Bylaws

Star City Brewers Guild Bylaws
1. Name and Purpose
The club shall be the Star City Brewer’s Guild. The club will strive to encourage a healthy interest in the history and culture of craftbrewing through lectures, demonstrations, educational activities, and competitions. The club will conduct homebrewing competitions annually with prizes and public acknowledgements. The club may choose to participate in other brewing competitions on an individual or a group basis. The club will participate in a variety of judging, social, charitable or festival events designed to further promote the craft, history and culture of craftbrewing. Members are expected and encouraged to act in a responsible manner while representing the club.

2. Membership
Any person who has an interest in or enjoyment of the craft of making beer, the judging of beer styles, or learning the history and culture of craft beer may become a member of the club upon the payment of annual membership dues. Annual membership dues will run for a calendar year beginning January 1 through December 31 of that year. Membership rates will be publicly posted to the guild website.  New members who join after the club has paid the annual liability insurance premium (typically August/September) will pay the full membership dues; however, their term of membership will carry to the end of the succeeding year and their dues will be reported as income within the year of their membership expiration.  This provision is for new members only and not for members whose dues are in arrears for the current year.  The Treasurer shall keep a membership roster of all current members. Only members current in the payment of club dues shall be allowed to vote in any club election or on any club matter.

3. Meetings
The annual meeting of the membership for the election of officers and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors, the President and Vice-President or by a resolution of the Quorum of the membership.

Special meetings of the membership for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, the President, or by a notice signed by a majority of the membership. The annual meeting, regular meetings, and any special meetings shall be held at such place and at such time as may be designated by the Board of Directors, the President or by a Quorum majority of the membership.  Notice stating the place, day, and hour of any meeting, and in the case of any special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is called, shall be given (i) at any regular meeting, or (ii) by e-mail to each member and on the club’s web-page, or (iii) by written notice to each member. One-third of the membership shall constitute a Quorum for the transaction of any club business, amending the by-laws, or electing officers. If less than a Quorum is present, and the membership has been given at least one week notice by email to submit an absentee vote or ballot on such a measure, then the total number of absentee ballots and members present at the next ensuing meeting, shall also constitute a Quorum. Also, other club business may be transacted if one of the officers is in attendance.

4. Board of Directors
a) The business and the affairs of the Guild shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of three (3) members as provided in the Articles of Incorporation. Directors shall serve a three (3) year term of office. Directors may succeed themselves. The terms of office of the initial board of directors shall be staggered: the outgoing president will be a director for three years, one elected director shall serve for two years, and one elected director for one year.

b) The Board of Directors shall have all of the powers and duties necessary for the administration of the affairs of the Guild and may do all such acts and things as are required by the Articles of Incorporation to be exercised and done by the members. The Board shall delegate to the President and the other officers the authority to act on behalf of the Board on such matters relating to the duties of the Guild, which may arise between meetings of the Board or as the Board deems appropriate. In addition to the duties imposed by any other provision of the Articles of Incorporation or by any resolution of the Guild membership that may hereafter be adopted, the Board shall perform the following duties and take the following actions on behalf of the Guild:

i) Prepare and adopt an annual budget to defray the expenses of the Guild;

ii) Authorize the Treasurer to pay the cost of all authorized goods and services provided to the Guild, and to pay for items authorized in the adopted budget;

iii) Provide for the administration and maintenance of the Guild’s property, as well as purchase equipment, supplies and materials to be used by the Guild;

iv) Adopt and amend any reasonable rules and regulations not inconsistent with the Articles of Incorporation;

v) Authorize the Treasurer to open bank accounts on behalf of the Guild and designate the signatories;

vi) Initiate the removal of officers who fail to perform their duties;

vii) Establish annual dues of the membership, subject to approval by the membership;

viii) Authorize non-budgeted expenditures up to $100 without membership approval.

ix) Pay for items authorized in the adopted budget; equipment, supplies and materials to be used by the Guild; Incorporation. signatories;

5. Officers
Officers of the club shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and may include one or more assistant and subordinate officers who may from time to time be appointed by the Board of Directors or the President. Officers must be club members.

President: The President is the chief executive officer of the club; shall preside at all club meetings and functions; shall collect and disseminate information regarding brewing activities and events, upcoming meetings, and any other information that is necessary or relevant to the well-being of the club in a timely manner to the club membership. The President shall be responsible for filing of all corporate documents and reports, and all tax forms. The President shall have general supervision over, responsibilities for and control of the other officers and agents of the club during club functions. This statement does not infer or suggest that the President is responsible for the actions of the club’s members. The President may designate club members or appoint committees as necessary to perform club duties or responsibilities or to attend functions relating to the club’s interests. Term of office shall be one year, but he/she is eligible to stand for re-election and serve for up to 3 years or until a successor is appointed or elected, whichever occurs first.

Vice-President: The Vice-President shall assist the President in his/her duties, and shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence. Term of office shall be one year, but he/she is eligible to stand for reelection and serve for up to 3 years or until a successor is appointed or elected, whichever occurs first.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection, disbursement and safekeeping of all club funds. The Treasurer shall keep a roster of all current and active members. The Treasurer shall be appointed by the President and Vice-President, shall hold office as they may prescribe, and may be removed at any time, with or without cause. The Treasurer may act in the absence of both the President and Vice-President.

Qualifications: To qualify for election to any club office, a nominee or candidate for office must be a member of the club, eligible to vote in any club election, and current in the payment of club dues.

Obligations of office: An officer should attend all monthly meetings and fulfill the duties and responsibilities of his/her office.

Removal: An officer or director may be removed from office if he/she is not fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of that office. Any member of the club or the Board of Directors may initiate a removal action upon motion made at a regular monthly meeting, or at a special meeting called specifically for that purpose. A vote of the Quorum of the members of the club is necessary to remove an officer or director from office.

6. Elections
Frequency and schedule of elections: Elections for officers and directors will be held annually. Nominations will be made in November, and elections will be held in December for service in the subsequent year. Limitations of service: An officer may not serve more than three (3) consecutive years. After one year out of office, that member is again eligible to serve.

Interim elections: If an officer or director resigns or is removed from office, an interim election will be held for the remaining unexpired term of that office. The format of the interim election will be identical to that of the annual officer or director election, as described below

Nominations: To be considered on the election ballot, a prospective officer or director may nominate him/her self, or may be nominated by a member. No second is required. A nominated member may remove him/herself from consideration at any time prior to the election. Open nominations will be held at the monthly meeting in November and considered closed at the end of the business portion of the meeting. Nominations may be submitted to the club by any means of communication up to the close of the business meeting in November. After nominations are closed, the list of nominees will be published on the club’s email list and the club’s web site.

Order of voting will be President, Vice President, then Board of Directors.  Presidential nominees will be automatically nominated for Vice President and a director position, if available, unless specifically declined by the nominee. This is in addition to those solely nominated for the latter positions.

Elections: Elections will be held at the December meeting (or if a special election, then one month after the nominations meeting). Only club members that are paid-in-full may submit a ballot.

Ballots: The ballots shall consist of a list of all nominees, and voting shall be tallied by two officers, directors or their appointees that are not on the ballot.

Voting: The voting club member will cast his/her ballot for President, Vice President and for Director(s).

Absentee ballots: Absentee ballots will be accepted at any time prior to the election meeting. No absentee ballots will be accepted after voting occurs at the election meeting. An absentee ballot may be submitted by any means of communication. Absentee ballots for Vice President will require the voter to select two ranked choices in case the voter’s first choice was elected President. Similar ranking will be used for the Director ballot(s).

Tally of ballots: The votes will be tallied by two club members that are not nominated for any officer or director position.

Ties: In case of a tie for either position, the nominees who tied will be placed on a new ballot to decide the said position.

7. Internal Homebrew Competitions
a) The Star City Brewers’ Guild will have quarterly homebrew competitions between its members, occurring in March, June, September, and December of each year. The styles for each competition will be determined by vote of club membership at the November meeting of the preceding year. Prior to the November meeting, each member will submit his/her 4 choices of the BJCP main categories. At the November meeting, club members will vote on the subcategories of each of the top 4 main styles.

c) Only members current in the payment of club dues will be allowed to participate in the competitions for point acquisition.

d) The BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) score sheet and style guidelines will be used for judging and scoring each beer entry. Participants may only submit one entry per quarterly competition. When the number of entries submitted makes a single table of judges per style impractical, multiple sub-tables will be used. Each judge will fill out the score sheet and the judges at the sub-table will determine a composite score for the entry. If there are multiple sub-tables, each sub-table will select an entry or entries to be judged in a final round. The judges in the final round will determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and the members will receive an award or trophy accordingly. These members will also receive the following point additions to their composite scores: 3 points for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and 1 point for 3rd place. The composite score for each entrant will be tallied and tracked throughout the year. At the end of the year, the member with the highest cumulative score will be named Brewer of the Year, and his/her name will be added to the guild plaque.

8. Amendments
These By-Laws may be altered, amended, or repealed, and new By-Laws may be adopted by the club membership at a regular or special meeting. One month’s notice is required prior to the vote.
Voted on and approved by members January 2020