Fort Dearborn Bylaws
(Restated November 16, 2017)
Article I – Duties of Officers
Section 1: The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Chapter. He shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and the Board of Managers. He shall, with the approval of the Board of Managers, appoint all committee chairmen, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws. He shall be Chairman of the Program Committee. He shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2: The Vice President shall preside at all meetings and perform all required duties as necessitated by the absence of the President. He shall perform other such duties as may be assigned by the President.
Section 3: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of both Chapter meetings and meetings of the Board of Managers. He shall keep attendance and membership records. He shall mail meeting notices and carry on all correspondence directed by the President or required by the Illinois Society or the National Society. He shall mail dues notices each year. He shall maintain a current list of members, notifying the State Treasurer and State Secretary of any changes in membership or in the addresses of members.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall receive all funds of the Chapter and shall deposit them in such bank or banks as designated by the Board of Managers. He shall distribute these funds as directed by the President or Board of Managers. He shall provide a report of the financial status of the Chapter at each Board of Managers meeting. The Treasurer shall establish an Annual Budget and submit reports thereof on a quarterly basis.
Section 5: The Historian shall collect and maintain historical information and printed publicity of the Chapter. He shall submit to the Illinois Society or the National Society such news items or contest entries as may be designated by the Board of Managers.
Section 6: The Registrar shall refer prospective members to the online application system and shall ensure that these forms are properly prepared and the necessary proofs are attached before they are forwarded to the Illinois Society for processing. He shall be custodian of the Chapter's copies of the original and supplemental applications of all current and past members of the Chapter. He shall maintain a record of all past and present members indicating when and how membership was attained and how it was terminated.
Section 7: The Sergeant at Arms arranges for a meeting room for each chapter meeting and designates members to lead in the traditional rituals: the Pledge of Allegiance, the SAR Pledge and the Recessional.
Section 8: The Digital Strategy Officer shall maintain the chapter website, keeping it current and accurate. The Digital Strategy Office is also responsible for establalishing and maintaining a presence in Social Media to attract and inform members (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
Section 9: The Chaplain shall pronounce the Invocation and Benediction at all Chapter meetings and ceremonies, and shall furnish the membership with spiritual guidance. He shall conduct services for deceased Compatriots, if so requested by the surviving family.
Article II – Membership & Dues
Section 1: Eligibility for membership in this Chapter shall conform to the Constitutions of both the Illinois Society and the National society.
Section 2: An individual desiring to affiliate with this Chapter shall present evidence of membership in good standing with both the Illinois society and the National Society.
Section 3: A member of another Chapter in the Illinois Society may be accepted for membership in this Chapter with the full rights and responsibilities of other members.
Section 4: Any member who is in arrears in Chapter dues for longer than a period of one year will automatically be dropped as a member of this Chapter.
Section 5: Any member desiring to resign from this Chapter should notify the Chapter Secretary in writing or orally. Such resignation will be effective as of the date of the resignation notice if not otherwise stipulated.
Section 6: The dues of members shall be determined annually by the Board of Managers, with increases approved by the membership, and be payable to the Treasurer by April 1 of each year. Member dues for the Fort Dearborn chapter is $25 per year.
Section 7: Additional monies may be raised by assessing each member a designated amount for a specific project. Any such assessment must be pre-approved by the membership at a regular meeting.
Section 8: Newly approved members of the National Society who either reside in the Chapter's administrative area or who applied for membership through the Chapter shall have his dues waived for the first year.
Section 9: Any man shall be eligible for an associate membership in the Chapter who, being of the age of eighteen years of age or older, and a citizen of good repute in the community. Associate members shall be afforded the respect and fellowship of the lineal members of the Chapter, and shall be considered Compatriots-in-Waiting if they are working on their lineage.
Article III – Committees
Section 1: The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Managers, shall establish Committees necessary to conduct the business of the Chapter.
Section 2: The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Managers, shall appoint the Chairmen of all Committees, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 3: Each Committee shall submit a report of their activities during the previous year to the President and the Historian at the April Meeting.
Article IV – Meetings
Section 1: Meetings of the general membership shall be held at least four times each year. The time, date, and place of these meetings shall be specified by the President with the approval of the Board of Managers.
Section 2: The Annual Meeting will be held in April.
Section 3: Special meetings may be called by the President or the Board of Managers. Any general business may be conducted at a special meeting.
Article V – Amendments
Section 1: These bylaws may be altered or amended at any meeting of the Chapter provided 30 days written notice of the proposed alteration or amendment is given to each member in good standing. A vote of two-thirds of those present shall be required for the adoption of the alteration or change.
Section 2: Any amendment adopted by the Illinois Society or the National Society affecting the work of this Chapter shall become a part of these bylaws without notice of amendment
Section 1: The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Chapter. He shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and the Board of Managers. He shall, with the approval of the Board of Managers, appoint all committee chairmen, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws. He shall be Chairman of the Program Committee. He shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2: The Vice President shall preside at all meetings and perform all required duties as necessitated by the absence of the President. He shall perform other such duties as may be assigned by the President.
Section 3: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of both Chapter meetings and meetings of the Board of Managers. He shall keep attendance and membership records. He shall mail meeting notices and carry on all correspondence directed by the President or required by the Illinois Society or the National Society. He shall mail dues notices each year. He shall maintain a current list of members, notifying the State Treasurer and State Secretary of any changes in membership or in the addresses of members.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall receive all funds of the Chapter and shall deposit them in such bank or banks as designated by the Board of Managers. He shall distribute these funds as directed by the President or Board of Managers. He shall provide a report of the financial status of the Chapter at each Board of Managers meeting. The Treasurer shall establish an Annual Budget and submit reports thereof on a quarterly basis.
Section 5: The Historian shall collect and maintain historical information and printed publicity of the Chapter. He shall submit to the Illinois Society or the National Society such news items or contest entries as may be designated by the Board of Managers.
Section 6: The Registrar shall refer prospective members to the online application system and shall ensure that these forms are properly prepared and the necessary proofs are attached before they are forwarded to the Illinois Society for processing. He shall be custodian of the Chapter's copies of the original and supplemental applications of all current and past members of the Chapter. He shall maintain a record of all past and present members indicating when and how membership was attained and how it was terminated.
Section 7: The Sergeant at Arms arranges for a meeting room for each chapter meeting and designates members to lead in the traditional rituals: the Pledge of Allegiance, the SAR Pledge and the Recessional.
Section 8: The Digital Strategy Officer shall maintain the chapter website, keeping it current and accurate. The Digital Strategy Office is also responsible for establalishing and maintaining a presence in Social Media to attract and inform members (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
Section 9: The Chaplain shall pronounce the Invocation and Benediction at all Chapter meetings and ceremonies, and shall furnish the membership with spiritual guidance. He shall conduct services for deceased Compatriots, if so requested by the surviving family.
Article II – Membership & Dues
Section 1: Eligibility for membership in this Chapter shall conform to the Constitutions of both the Illinois Society and the National society.
Section 2: An individual desiring to affiliate with this Chapter shall present evidence of membership in good standing with both the Illinois society and the National Society.
Section 3: A member of another Chapter in the Illinois Society may be accepted for membership in this Chapter with the full rights and responsibilities of other members.
Section 4: Any member who is in arrears in Chapter dues for longer than a period of one year will automatically be dropped as a member of this Chapter.
Section 5: Any member desiring to resign from this Chapter should notify the Chapter Secretary in writing or orally. Such resignation will be effective as of the date of the resignation notice if not otherwise stipulated.
Section 6: The dues of members shall be determined annually by the Board of Managers, with increases approved by the membership, and be payable to the Treasurer by April 1 of each year. Member dues for the Fort Dearborn chapter is $25 per year.
Section 7: Additional monies may be raised by assessing each member a designated amount for a specific project. Any such assessment must be pre-approved by the membership at a regular meeting.
Section 8: Newly approved members of the National Society who either reside in the Chapter's administrative area or who applied for membership through the Chapter shall have his dues waived for the first year.
Section 9: Any man shall be eligible for an associate membership in the Chapter who, being of the age of eighteen years of age or older, and a citizen of good repute in the community. Associate members shall be afforded the respect and fellowship of the lineal members of the Chapter, and shall be considered Compatriots-in-Waiting if they are working on their lineage.
Article III – Committees
Section 1: The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Managers, shall establish Committees necessary to conduct the business of the Chapter.
Section 2: The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Managers, shall appoint the Chairmen of all Committees, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 3: Each Committee shall submit a report of their activities during the previous year to the President and the Historian at the April Meeting.
Article IV – Meetings
Section 1: Meetings of the general membership shall be held at least four times each year. The time, date, and place of these meetings shall be specified by the President with the approval of the Board of Managers.
Section 2: The Annual Meeting will be held in April.
Section 3: Special meetings may be called by the President or the Board of Managers. Any general business may be conducted at a special meeting.
Article V – Amendments
Section 1: These bylaws may be altered or amended at any meeting of the Chapter provided 30 days written notice of the proposed alteration or amendment is given to each member in good standing. A vote of two-thirds of those present shall be required for the adoption of the alteration or change.
Section 2: Any amendment adopted by the Illinois Society or the National Society affecting the work of this Chapter shall become a part of these bylaws without notice of amendment
