Overview
Greater Austin Area Chapter Bylaws, 2015 Revision. Adopted March 20, 2015, and approved by the Supreme Advocate on April 9, 2015. Download the signed original (PDF).
Article I Organization
Section 1. This organization shall be known as the “THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA CHAPTER KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.”
Section 2. The purpose of the chapter is to promote the wellbeing of the Order within the Greater Austin area. It shall conduct for the good of the Order one or more major Chapter-wide activities each year. Chapter activities shall not be in competition with state or subordinate council sponsored activities. All Chapter activities are to self-funding to maintain adequate funds for seed money needed for future activities.
The chapter shall also hold meetings to facilitate communication between Councils, District Deputies and the Diocesan Deputy within the Austin Diocese.
Section 3. The Chapter shall operate on a fiscal year basis, starting July 1 of a given year and end on June 30 of the following year.
Article II Membership
Section 1. The Chapter shall consist of the Knights of Columbus councils in the Greater Austin area who express their intention to join the Chapter by designating their delegates as provided by Article II, Section 4 below and paying the dues prescribed hereafter. Each council must be in good standing with Supreme and State Councils.
Section 2. All councils, in the Greater Austin Area, are eligible for membership in the Chapter. A list of the Councils will be maintained by the Secretary of the Chapter and updated as Councils are added or removed.
Section 3. Active Knights of Columbus councils in the Greater Austin Area, will be accepted for membership upon payment of dues. Member Councils will elect delegates who will participate in Chapter Business. Application for membership shall be made with assurances that said council is making application for membership in the Chapter in accordance with Section 242 of the Knights of Columbus Charter Constitution Laws. Said council further assures that its delegates will attend meetings of the Chapter on a regular basis. Upon acceptance, delegates from said council will be seated at the first meeting following payment of dues prescribed in Article V, Section 5.
Section 4. The Chapter’s representatives shall consist of: (1) The Grand Knight and two elected representatives from each member council, (2) District Deputies within the Chapter’s jurisdiction, (3) the State Deputy, (4) the Chapter officers and (5) any current Supreme Director residing in the state. Each representative is entitled to one vote. In the event a council representative is unable to attend a Chapter meeting the council’s Grand Knight shall appoint a temporary alternate to replace the representative. The temporary alternate shall have the same authority as the elected representative.
Section 5. The Grand Knight of a council must notify the Chapter Secretary the name of all alternates before the effective Chapter Meeting if the alternate is to participate in Chapter business.
Section 6. The delegates must be members in good standing of the Third Degree. Councils less than one year old may designate delegates who are members in the First Section.
Article III Officers
Section 1. Third Degree members in good standing of member councils shall be eligible to hold office in this Chapter. A current Grand Knight shall not be eligible to hold office unless his term as Grand Knight expires on the last day preceding the fiscal year before he takes office in the Chapter. No member shall hold more than one Chapter office at the same time.
Section 2. Chapter officers shall consist of a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer who shall serve a one-year term. Chapter officers shall be elected by Chapter delegates. Members who have served two consecutive terms in a Chapter office shall be ineligible for re-election to said office until two years have passed after a two year consecutive term. Chapter Officers will be considered voting members of the Chapter.
Section 3. The president of the Chapter shall be the chief executive officer of the Chapter and shall preside at all Chapter meetings and shall enforce the rules, regulations, and by-laws of the Chapter and the laws of the Order. He shall appoint all committees in and for the Chapter and shall be an ex-officio member of same, countersign all checks or drafts. He shall perform any and all such other duties as the Chapter may impose.
Section 4. The vice-president of the Chapter shall perform the duties of the president when the president is absent and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him by the Chapter. He shall be responsible for receiving all Chapter funds, recording them, and submitting them to the Treasurer for deposit. He shall be responsible to verify all persons participating in Chapter business are authorized delegates, those not authorized may not participate in Chapter Business. Serve as advocate of the Chapter and facilitate activities related to motions and voting by Chapter Delegates.
Section 5. The secretary shall keep a record of all minutes of the meetings of the Chapter and shall perform such other duties as the Chapter may delegate to him. He shall maintain a current roster and term of office of each member council, including current authorized delegates for each. He shall draw orders for payment of authorized funds.
Section 6. The treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Chapter and keep all books and records of financial accounts, sign checks on orders drawn upon him by the secretary, said checks to be co-signed by the president, and shall perform other duties as the Chapter may delegate to him. He shall give the vice-president a receipt for monies received and promptly deposit the same. The treasurer will insure that all appropriate tax reports are filed on a timely basis and the appropriate records are maintained.
Article IV Elections
Section 1. The election of officers for contested offices must be made by secret ballot. A majority of all the votes cast shall be necessary to elect.
Section 2. No council may have more than one member holding an elected office within the Chapter.
Section 3. Vacancies in elective offices shall be filled, after announcement at a regular meeting, by election at the regular business meeting next succeeding the regular meeting at which the vacancy was created or announcement was made. If such vacancy shall occur in the office of the president, then the vice-president shall succeed and serve as president for the remaining term.
Article V Funds
Section 1. All monies obtained from any source, by or through any person or persons, acting for or in the name of the Chapter, or under its direction or authority, shall be considered Chapter funds and shall be forthwith delivered to the vice-president. The vice-president shall give a receipt therefore and shall report at each meeting the amounts received. The vice-president shall forward all funds to the treasurer. The treasurer shall give the vice-president a receipt for said funds and shall promptly deposit them.
Section 2. No money in excess of $500 (five hundred dollars) shall be paid or transferred from the treasurer of the Chapter, except such moneys as the Chapter is called upon to regularly pay for its current expenses and as provided by, or consistent with the Laws of the Order, namely the Knights of Columbus Charter Constitution Laws, Section 122 (b), unless by two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting at a regular business meeting held subsequent to a regular business meeting at written notice, of a resolution of intention to pay or transfer such money and the purpose and amount to be paid or transferred shall have been given and regularly read. The secretary will capture this to be included in the minutes as a motion. After a second of such motion the Chapter president may allow limited discussion but vote on the motion must be in the subsequent business meeting.
Section 3. By no later than June 30, the president shall appoint three delegates from separate councils to serve as an Audit Committee. The Audit Committee shall be empowered to meet and audit the financial books of the Chapter and make a full written report of their findings to the Chapter no later than July 31. The audit shall be read and entered into the Chapter minutes at the next regular meeting.
Section 4. Funds raised by the Chapter may also be used to cover Chapter Operational Expenses and maintain a cash reserve not to exceed $10,000. Such reserve is to be used for “seed” money for future Chapter wide activities. Profits from fund raising activities will be disbursed for qualified charitable (501) organizations, educational, or religious purposes by vote of the Chapter delegates. Funds of the Chapter are NOT to be used to support individual council related activities or events.
Section 5. Each member council shall pay ANNUAL DUES of $50 (fifty dollars).
- a. Dues shall become due July 1 each year. The treasurer shall send notice of these dues to each member council on June 1.
- b. There shall be no individual dues.
- c. A council may be suspended from the Chapter if its annual dues are not paid 90 (ninety) days after due date.
- d. All councils requesting to join the Chapter during the period July 1 – June 30, will be billed $50 (fifty dollars) for the Fraternal Year.
Article VI Meetings
Section 1. Regular business meetings of the Chapter shall be held on the last Monday of each month starting at 7:30 PM. The Chapter President may set an alternate meeting date when conflicts arise with the last Monday of the month.
Section 2. The order of business at regular meetings shall be:
- Call to Order
- Opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll call of officers and voting delegates; determination of quorum
- Guest Presentation if applicable
- Approval of minutes of previous meeting
- Chaplain’s report
- Vice-president’s report of Chapter receipts
- Treasurer’s report
- President’s report and correspondence and communications
- Chapter committee reports
- Unfinished business
- New Business
- a. Elections will always be the first order of new business
- Diocesan Deputy’s report
- State Committee reports
- District Deputy reports
- Field agent’s reports
- Council activity reports
- Assembly reports
- Good of the Order
- Closing prayer
- Adjournment
Section 3. Special meetings of the Chapter shall be at the call of the Chapter president, a majority of the officers, or on petition of (5) of the Grand Knights of the councils within the Chapter directed to Chapter president who shall, upon receipt of such petition, call a special meeting of the Chapter to be held on 5 (five) days notice. Such request shall state the purpose of the meeting. Due notice of special meetings and the purpose shall be given to each member council, and no business, other than the stated purpose for the meeting shall be conducted at any special meeting.
Section 4. The order of business at Special meetings shall be:
- Prayer and pledge of Allegiance
- Roll call and determination of quorum
- Treasurer’s report
- Reading of special meeting request and notice
- Special business
- Closing prayer
- Adjournment
Section 5. Should any voting delegate be absent from three consecutive business meetings without cause previously known to the president, his membership will be declared vacant by the president. The president will then notify the Grand Knight of his council to replace the delegate.
Section 6. Business at the Chapter meeting may only be conducted by qualified delegates of the Chapter, see Article II, section 4. Chapter business is defined as submitting resolutions, making or seconding motions and voting on such activities.
Section 7. The order of business may be suspended by a majority vote of voting delegates present.
Article VII Dissolution
Section 1. Violation of any of the laws of the Order or rules promulgated by the Board of Directors shall be cause for dissolution of the Chapter in accordance with Section 9 of the Knights of Columbus Chapter Constitutional Laws.
Article VIII Miscellaneous
Section 1. Proposed amendments to these by-laws shall be presented at a regular meeting in writing, but shall not be acted upon until the next meeting. Notice of such proposed amendments shall be given in writing to the councils at least one month prior to the meeting at which same shall be considered. A two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting at said meeting shall be necessary for the adoption of such proposed amendments.
Section 2. Procedure and debate shall be in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Council and other special rules adopted by the Chapter. When points arise not specifically covered by these rules, then Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all proceedings.
Section 3. These by-laws were adopted by vote of the Greater Austin Area Chapter of the Knights of Columbus on March 20, 2015.
Section 4. These by-laws and any amendments shall take effect upon approval by the Supreme Advocate. At that time all previous by-laws are suspended.
Section 5. These by-laws are hereby submitted for approval by the Supreme Advocate on this 3rd day of April, 2015.
Gregory Nelson, Chapter President
Giacomo Leone, Chapter Secretary
These by-laws were approved on this 9th day of April, 2015 by the Supreme Advocate.
John A. Marrella, Supreme Advocate