BY‑LAWS OF THE
ADAMS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
approved JANUARY 11, 1973;
amended April 27, 1998, September 28, 1999, April 10, 2011
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the Society is the Adams Historical Society.
ARTICLE II
Location
The office of the Society shall be located in Adams, Massachusetts.
ARTICLE III
Purposes
The purposes for which this Society is formed are as follows:
To bring together those people interested in history, and especially in the history of Adams, as understanding the history of our community is basic to our democratic way of life.
To discover and collect any material which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the area: its exploration, settlement, development, and activities in peace and in war; its development in population, wealth, education, religion, arts, science, agriculture, manufacture, trade, and transportation; to collect printed material such as histories, genealogies, biographies, descriptions, gazetteers, directories, newspapers, pamphlets, catalogs, circulars, handbill programs, and posters; manuscript material such as letters, diaries, journals, memoranda, reminiscences, rosters, service records, account books, charts, surveys and field books; and museum material such as pictures, photographs, paintings, portraits, scenes, aboriginal relics, and material objects illustrative of life, conditions, events, and activities of the past and the present;
To provide for the preservation of such material and for the accessibility, as far as may be feasible, to all who wish to examine or study it; to cooperate with officials in insuring the preservation and accessibility of the records and archives of the town and to encourage the preservation of historic buildings, monuments and markers;
To disseminate historical information and arouse interest in the past by publishing historical material in the newspapers or otherwise; by holding meetings with addresses, lectures, papers, and discussions; by encouraging the marking of historic buildings, sites and trails; by using the media of the press, radio and television to awaken public interest; and to cooperate with other historical societies.
No part of the net earnings of this Society shall inure to the benefit of any private member or individual; no substantial part of its activities shall be to carry on propaganda or otherwise to attempt to influence legislation; this Society shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, shall not engage in any “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code or in any illegal business or practice; and shall not be an “action organization” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code. In the event of dissolution of this Society all of its assets, after the payment of all Society debts, shall be transferred to a Massachusetts corporation or other entity which is organized and operated exclusively for educational or charitable purposes within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE IV
Membership
1. Members. Any person, firm, association, trust, corporation or other entity or organization shall be eligible for membership in the Society upon the payment of annual dues.
2. Voting. Each member shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the members of the Society at which he or she is present. Each firm, association, trust, corporation or other entity or organization shall designate one person to cast its vote.
3. Dues. The schedule of annual dues and a classification of membership shall be as follows:
Individual Member......................... $ 5.00
Student Member................................ 3.00
Family Membership......................... 10.00
Contributing Member...................... 25.00
Supporting Member......................... 50.00
Patron............................................. 100.00
Dues shall be payable as of January 1 of the calendar year.
ARTICLE V
Meetings of the Members
1. Annual Meetings. An annual meeting of the members shall be held for the purpose of electing officers and directors-at-large and conduct such other business as may be necessary.
2. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of membership shall be held from time to time during the year at the discretion of the board. (amended 6/14/73)
3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the members may be called at any time by the president and shall be called by the president upon written application of ten or more members who are entitled to vote, stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting. Notification of special meetings shall be by publication in the local newspaper.
4. Quorum. At any meeting of the members those members present who are entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. When a quorum is present at any meeting the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the members represented and entitled to vote thereat shall be necessary to the decision of any question brought before the meeting.
ARTICLE VI
Officers and their Election
1. Officers. The officers of the Society shall be a president, vice president, treasurer, recording secretary and corresponding secretary.
a. President. The president shall have executive supervision over the activities of the society within the scope provided by these by‑laws. He shall preside at all meetings. He shall report annually on the activities of the society. He shall appoint the members of committees and delegates not otherwise provided for including the appointment of a member of the board to review the treasurer’s annual report.
b. Vice President. The vice president shall assume the duties of the president in the event of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the president.
c. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of society funds and for maintaining adequate financial records. He shall deposit all monies received by him with a reliable banking company in the name of the Adams Historical Society. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by the treasurer and the president. The treasurer shall collect dues, and he shall render an annual report based on the calendar year.
d. Recording Secretary. The recording secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the society and of the board of directors, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report.
e. Corresponding Secretary. The corresponding secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the society in accordance with the direction of the president and/ or board of directors.
2. Election. The officers and directors shall be elected by the members at the annual meeting.
3. Terms. Unless otherwise provided, each director shall hold office for three years; each officer shall hold office for three years.
4. Vacancies. Vacancies in officers, directors‑at‑large, and the chairmen of standing committees shall be filled by the Board for unexpired terms.
ARTICLE VII
Board of Directors
1. The Board. The Board of Directors shall consist of the five officers and up to ten directors‑at‑large.
2. Powers. The Board shall control the management of the Society under instructions, if any, from a vote of the members of the Society at any membership meeting. The Board shall supervise all officers and committees, and shall determine all issues of function and jurisdiction not covered by these by‑laws.
3. Meetings. The Board shall meet at least once a month throughout the year, excluding July and August.
4. Quorum. A quorum of the Board shall be five.
ARTICLE VIII
Nominating Committee
This committee shall consist of three members of the Society appointed by the directors‑at‑large. It shall, in preparation for each annual meeting, nominate the members of the Board of Directors and in doing so shall designate the officers and the directors‑at‑large.
ARTICLE IX
Fiscal Year and Reports
1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Society shall begin on the first day of January of each calendar year and shall terminate on the thirty‑first day of December of the same year.
2. Reports. The treasurer shall make a financial report to the membership at the annual meeting of the Society.
ARTICLE X
Amendment
These by‑laws may be amended or repealed at any meeting of the members, a quorum being present, by a two‑thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided notice of the general nature of the proposed action is given in the notice of the meeting.