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OZ Bylaws

Article One – Name of Organization

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  1. The name of this organization shall be Ozark Zymurgists. It shall be hereinafter referred to as OZ in all instances both public and private.


​Article Two – Purpose and Goals

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  1. OZ will operate as a not-for-profit organization, in accordance with all applicable state and federal regulations.

  2. The mission of OZ is to provide education to enhance the awareness for the understanding of the art, science, and craft underlying the at home brewing of beer, ciders, wines, as well as other fermented beverages throughout the Northwest Arkansas region, and using that craft to benefit other charitable organizations in the area.

  3. The objectives of OZ are as follows:

    1. To provide educational activities that share information on brewing and fermenting techniques, based upon both professional and scientific knowledge as well as shared knowledge and experience.

    2. To promote the hobby of at home brewing of beer, ciders, wines, and other fermented beverages.

    3. To engage in and subsidize social activities designed to foster the foregoing purposes of the organization as limited by the laws. In furtherance of the objectives, and in accordance with the powers conferred by its Certificate of Incorporation, OZ may collect membership dues, admission fees, gratuities, and bequests: may buy or otherwise acquire, sell, or otherwise dispose of, and mortgage or otherwise hypothecate real, personal, and mixed property of all kinds; and may, in general, exercise all the powers granted by corporate law in the State of Arkansas.

    4. To benefit the local community whenever feasible, through events, competitions, and in-kind donations.

    5. To promote the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages.


Article Three – Membership

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  1. Standard Membership is open to all interested persons over 21 years of age, without discrimination. Membership is required to participate in any OZ activities. The Board of Officers will determine the dollar amount of dues which may be a requisite of membership. Dues are payable when a person joins OZ, and after that, yearly, at the membership meeting in February. The fiscal year for OZ begins January 1st and ends December 31st of the same year. Dues will be considered to have been paid when the Treasurer, a Board member, or a duly appointed representative of the Board has received them.

  2. Voting members of OZ shall have the right to vote upon issues pertaining to the organization. See Article Seven.

  3. No member shall receive compensation for services rendered to the club except as otherwise approved by the Board of Officers of the club. A club member may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the association, if approved by the Board of Officers.

  4. The memberships available within OZ are as follows:

    1. Memberships with voting rights and ability to hold office:

      1. Standard Membership – any eligible person(s) as stated above.

      2. Honorary Membership – appointed to a person(s) by the Board of Officers for the time of one (1) year. This membership is awarded to a person(s) who has been nominated by an existing OZ member for specific reasons or services in relation to OZ. There is no limit of honorary memberships that can be awarded and is at the discretion of the Board of Officers.

      3. Lifetime Achievement Membership – awarded to an individual who has been nominated to the board by an existing OZ voting member, and voted in by past OZ presidents. Nominees will be chosen based on merit and contributions to OZ.

    2. Memberships without voting rights or ability to hold office:

      1. Sponsor Membership – appointed by the board to any person(s) that has contributed value to the club. This membership is valid for one (1) year and is renewable at the Board of Officer’s discretion. There is no limit to the number of sponsor memberships that can be awarded, and is also at the discretion of the Board of Officers.

 

Article Four – Meetings

 

  1. The regular meeting of OZ shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month, or on another day if approved by the Board of Officers depending on the schedule of the venue OZ will be using that month or the activity scheduled by OZ.

  2. The agenda for the monthly meeting immediately preceding that for the installment of new officers will include a year-end review. While at the discretion of the Board of Officers, the review should include an update on the club goals, membership, and treasury report.

  3. The presence of a majority (more than half) of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of OZ; however, a lesser number may adjourn the meeting.

  4. Special meetings of OZ may be called by the President when it is deemed necessary for the best interest of OZ. Notice of such meetings shall be sent to all members at least five (5) days before the scheduled date set for such special meeting. Such notice shall state the reasons that such meeting has been called, the business to be transacted at such meeting and by whom called.

  5. At the request of two (2) members of the Board of Officers or ten (10) members of the organization, the President shall cause a special meeting to be called but such request must be made in writing at least ten (10) days before the requested scheduled date.

  6. No business but that specified in the notice may be transacted at special meetings without the unanimous consent of all the members present at the meeting.

  7. All notices may be sent by mail, email, in the club newsletter, on the club website or other media that will reach the membership as determined by the Board of Officers.

  8. The business part of the meeting shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order. This should include a discussion of old business, new business, reports of committees, and reports of officers. All discussions held and decisions made during the meeting shall be recorded by one of the officers present or a member delegated to do so by an officer.

  9. No set of Bylaws can cover all circumstances. In the event of an issue arising, which is not covered in these Bylaws, the issue will be decided upon on the basis of fairness, the good of Ozark Zymurgists, and common sense.

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Article Five – Officers

 

  1. OZ shall be governed by a Board of Officers consisting of the following elected positions:

    1. President

    2. Vice President

    3. Social Chair

    4. Secretary

    5. Treasurer

  2. A Past President, if one is available, shall serve as an advisor to the Board of Officers. The position of the Past President will be filled by the person who has most recently served as President of OZ. If the most recent person is unable to fulfill the role, it will pass along to the most recent past President prior. If no prior President is available, the role will remain unfilled for the current term. This will not prohibit the Board of Officers from seeking advice from another source.

  3. The Board of Officers is responsible for the overall policy and direction of the organization. The board receives no compensation other than reasonable expenses. The Board of Officers shall be exempt from the payment of dues during their tenure. The Board of Officers shall meet at least monthly, at an agreed upon time and place. Meetings will be held in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

  4. Officers will be elected by a majority of club members present during the January meeting. If a quorum does not exist in the January meeting, the presiding officers will continue in their current roles until the next monthly club meeting where a quorum of voting members is present.

  5. Officers will operate the club from February 1st to the following January 31st.

  6. The responsibilities of the officers shall be:

    1. The President is the face and voice of the club to both the membership and the community. The President shall preside over all meetings but is free to delegate this responsibility to others, depending on the situation. While he/she may gain feedback and advice from others, the President has the final say on policy matters. The President will ensure that all books, reports and certificates as required by law are properly kept or filed and have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the Chief Executive of any organization. Along with the Treasurer, the President shall be on the signature list of the club bank account.

    2. The role of the Vice President is to be the second in charge behind the President. Whenever the President cannot fulfill his/her role, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President. The main role of the Vice President shall be to promote the club’s goals and vision to the membership. The Vice President shall oversee education regarding home brewing to the membership. This includes coordinating with others,both internal and external to the club, to present educational opportunities to the membership. In a nutshell, the Vice President is the lead driver of the club’s goals.

    3. The Social Chair is mainly an externally facing role. This person shall be responsible for interacting with other social organizations and projects to promote the club goals. The Social Chair is responsible for organizing and coordinating home brew events and other social events as deemed necessary by the club goals. While the Social Chair may work with a group of members on such projects, it is the responsibility of the Social Chair to lead and coordinate the effort.

    4. The role of the Secretary is to be the club scribe. In addition to taking minutes of meetings, the Secretary shall be responsible for publishing the meeting minutes as well as any other topic related to club business, this includes sending notifications to members as directed by the Board of Officers. The Secretary shall also be the official custodian of the records of OZ and shall be responsible for maintaining the membership list. The Secretary is responsible for setting up club meetings with whatever items will be necessary to conduct business. The Secretary shall be responsible for the creation and distribution of a monthly or quarterly club newsletter.

    5. The office of Treasurer has a fiduciary responsibility to the club and shall act as a trustee of the club’s assets. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all monies belonging to OZ and be solely responsible for such monies or securities of the organization. The Treasurer shall be listed on the signature list of OZ bank account along with the President. All expenditures of OZ shall be paid using a check or an official method of payment that is traceable by the bank. The Treasurer shall render to the Board of Officers a written account of the finances of the organization at each monthly Board of Officers meeting. A high-level expenditure report will be given at each monthly membership meeting. Such an account shall also be available to any club member upon request. The Treasurer shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Treasures as deemed necessary by the Board of Officers.

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Article Six – Nomination of Officers

 

  1. Nominations for officers will be made at the beginning of the meeting to elect officers. The nominating process will be presided over by the chairman of the meeting and will follow Robert’s Rules of Order.

  2. Any voting member may nominate a candidate for a particular office, including the nominee. A nomination does not require a second; however, only eligible candidates may be nominated.

  3. To be eligible for office, a candidate must be a voting member whose dues are up to date. A candidate must understand and be able to accept the duties and level of commitment required for the office.

  4. If an eligible member has been nominated for multiple offices, he/she will be free to choose which of the nominations they will accept.

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Article Seven – Voting

 

  1. Election of Officers:

    1. Officers shall be elected once per year during the January monthly meeting.

    2. Ballots will be provided for the election of officers. Voting members will write the name of their choice for a given office and then fold the ballot in half to keep their choice concealed from view.

    3. The chairperson of such a meeting shall immediately prior to the commencement of balloting appoint at least one person, the “Inspector of Elections”, to collect and count the votes. The results will be relayed back to the chairperson, who will announce the results to the membership.

    4. No “Inspector of Election” shall be a candidate for office.

  2. Voting at Meetings:

    1. The Board of Officers shall propose to the members the issues and topics to be voted on by the membership. Any member may petition to any officer for issues to be brought to a vote.

    2. Officers must vote on expenditures of $100 or more. Expenditures of $500 or more require membership approval. This excludes board approved expenses for large events.

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Article Eight – Removal and Resignation

 

  1. Any officer or member of the club may be removed by one of the following methods:

    1. A unanimous vote of the other officers.

    2. A vote of a majority of the members in attendance at a regular monthly meeting. A request for vote must be recommended by a club officer or by ten (10) members of OZ. A petition with the member signatures shall be presented to the Board of Officers at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Officers with the explanation of the reason for the request of removal. Notification to the membership that an election will be conducted on the removal of an officer must be sent to the membership to less than five days prior to the monthly meeting.

  2. On the resignation of an officer, other than the President, the remaining officers shall select a person to take the responsibility of the officer who has resigned. This person shall serve out the remainder of the resigned officer’s term.

  3. In the event the President is unable to complete their term of office, the Vice President shall assume responsibilities of the office of President for the remainder of the term. In so doing, the Vice President will resign from his current office, leaving to the Board of Officers to choose a replacement.


Article Nine – Committees

 

  1. Committees may be formed as deemed necessary by the Board of Officers or as recommended by the members at a regularly scheduled meeting.


Article 10 – Amendments

 

  1. Any voting member may petition for a change in the bylaws. When changes are suggested, the petition must be presented in writing and introduced at a regular meeting of the organization. The proposed changes shall be published on the club website and will be voted on at the next regular club meeting provided a 30-day waiting period has been met. A vote of the majority of a quorum of the club’s current members who are present at the meeting must approve a bylaw change.


Article 11 – Liability

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  1. Members and supporting organizations of OZ shall not be liable for the debts or obligations of OZ.


Article 12 – Dissolution

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  1. OZ may be dissolved only with authorization by its Board of Officers given at a special meeting called for that purpose and with subsequent approval by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Voting Members. Upon dissolution or other termination of OZ, all remaining assets of OZ, after payment in full of all its debts, obligations, and necessary final expenses, or after the making of adequate provision therefore, shall be distributed to such tax-exempt organizations (with purposes similar to those of OZ) as shall be chosen by the then existing Board of Officers of OZ.

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