Mission and Constitution (ratified March 5, 2010)

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 April 2011 12:59 Written by Administrator Wednesday, 20 August 2008 10:11

Mission Statement

 

To promote the general welfare of beekeeping in Palm Beach County, Florida

 

Constitution of the Palm-Beach County Beekeepers Association

 

Article 1:

Name

 

1. The name of this organization shall be the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association. (the Association)

2. The Association is a non-profit organization.

3.  The Association is an affiliate of the Florida State Beekeepers Association

   

Article 2:

Principle Business Location

 

1 .The Association's principle office shall be located at 531 N. Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415

 

Article 3:

Purpose

 

1. The purpose of the Association shall be to promote the common interests and general welfare of beekeeping.

2. Act as an educational resource in the development and promotion of beekeeping and its methods to the public and community and foster the best practices and techniques in apiary management.

3. Act in the interest of domesticated bees and their beekeepers in protecting and conducting beekeeping affairs.

4. Act as the representative of the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association members before State, and National beekeeping organizations.

5. Encourage all members to interact positively and pro-actively with State of Florida apiary officials,   commercial beekeepers, beekeeping supply houses, federal agricultural officials, university researchers, and the elected representatives and citizens of the region centered around Palm Beach County Florida.

 

 

Article 4:

Membership

 

1.   This Association shall be composed of individuals interested in promoting the art and skill of beekeeping and assisting the Association in carrying out its purpose.       1

2. Members of the Association shall consist of the following classes: Active, Associate, Honorary, and Junior (under 18).

a. An Active member is current dues paying member. Active members have the ability to vote on issues.

b. An Associate member is a member of another local, state, or federal organization. They do not have voting rights.

c. The Board of Directors may, by majority vote, confer Honorary membership upon an individual in recognition of services to the Association or to the beekeeping industry. They do not have voting rights.

 

Article 5:

Dues

 

1. The annual dues for membership in this association is twenty dol1ars ($20.00) per year paid to the treasurer. This shall be adjusted by a majority vote of the membership as deemed necessary. This sum will cover one membership, one family vote per household and each membership will be entitled to cast one vote at association meeting.

2. The membership year shall be from October 1 to September 30 of each year.

3. The application must then be submitted to the Board for approval within 30 days. If not approved, dues will be refunded.

4. Dues paying members may vote at all general membership meetings in person, via live teleconference, video conference, email, or by written, signed proxy on agenda items.

5. Members of the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association shall become members of the Florida State Beekeepers Association upon payment of dues. The amount of fifteen dollars ($15.00) collected from the dues shall be forwarded to the Florida State Beekeepers Association (FSBA) for membership in the FSBA.

d. The annual dues shall be payable at the October meeting of each year. A member becomes delinquent if dues are unpaid by the November meeting.

 

 

Article 6:

Board of Directors

 

1. The elected officers of the association shall constitute a Board of Directors.

2. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Secretary on the request of the President or a majority of the Board of Directors. lf the Secretary is not available the President may call directly for a meeting. A meeting may also be called by 25% of the dues paying members.

3. A majority of the board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Every decision made by a majority of the directors at a duly held meeting at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as an act of the board or directors.

 

Article 7:

Duties of the Officers

 

1. The officers of this Association shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  All officers shall be elected by a majority vote by the membership.

2. The Secretary shall record the minutes of the regular meeting and board meetings and send copies of the minutes to the members before the next regular meeting.  The Secretary shall be prepared at all times to make such report as requested by the President.

3. The Treasurer duties shall include the following:

a. Have charge of all the Association's funds.

b. Keep an accurate record of all monies received and expended in books provided.

c. Deposit funds in the Name of the Association in a depository approved by the Board of Directors under the directions of the Board of Directors.

d. Present at each meeting or whenever requested by the Directors a detailed account showing the exact financial condition of The Association.

e. Furnish to the Recording Secretary at each meeting of the Board of Directors an itemized report of all financial transactions since the previous meeting of the Board.

f. Submit all records for audit in time for the auditor's report to be presented at the Annual Meeting in October and at any other time required by the President.

g. Money expenditures shall be cosigned by a cosigner.

 

5. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the president or because of the inability of the president to perform the duties. Perform such duties as maybe assigned to him by the President or by the Board of Directors. Become the President for the unexpired part of the term in case of vacancy in that office.

6. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board Directors.  Appoint all standing committee chairpersons and special committee chairpersons.  Be an ex-officio member of all committees.

7. In the event of a vacancy of the Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer the remaining board shall appoint a successor to fill the remaining term.

8: The Board of Directors shall:

a. have general supervision of the affairs of the Association;

b. fix the date, hour, and place of the meetings and formulate the policies of the Association

c. consider and approve applications for new members

d. Fill all vacancies of elected officers except that of President

e. approve all expenditures exceeding $100.00, and submit for the approval of the general membership any expenditure in excess of $100.00

f. a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

 

Article 8:

Meetings

 

1. The regular meeting of The Association shall be held monthly at a dates hour, and place as fixed by the Board of Directors.

2. The Treasurer's Annual Financial Report shall be presented at the October meeting.

3. The November meeting will be designated for purposes of electing others

4. All meeting of the Board of Directors and of the Association shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.

 

Article 9:

Special Meetings

 

1. Special meetings of this Association may be called at the request of the President or a majority of the Board of Directors, which will instruct the Secretary to issue the call.

2. Calls for special meetings shall state the place and the time of the meeting, and briefly state the purpose for which the meeting is called. No other subjects other than those stated shall be taken up at said meeting.

 

3. All members of the Association shall be notified not less than two (2) weeks prior to the date set for the meeting of the meetings date, time and location.

 

Article 10:

Finances

 

1. A1l money or property of the Association or which may be acquired by this Association, shall be under the control and direction of the Board of Directors who shall require an adequate system of collecting, dispersing and accounting of funds.

2. The Board of Managers may require the posting of a bond or surety by persons handling the finances or assets of the Association.

3. No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article 3 above.

 

Article 11:

Elections

 

1. Elections of Board of Directors will be held at the November meeting.

2. Nominations for Board of Directors will be taken from the membership thirty (30) days prior to the elections.

3. Further nominations may be made from the floor.

4. Election shall be by ballot; a majority of votes being cast required to elect.

5. The term of officers is from January 1^st to December 31^st.

6. No person shall occupy more than one office at one time.

 

Article 12:

Amendments

 

1. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members.

2. 30 day notice shall be given to the members in regards to changes to the constitution.

 

 

Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association

 

BY-LAWS

 

Article 1

 

Elections shall be held annually at the November meeting. The officers of this Association shall be elected by ballot, a majority of votes cast being required to elect. In the event there is one candidate for each office a voice vote may be conducted. The president shall appoint a committee of three members to count the ballots.

 

Article 2

 

The duty of the President shall be to act as presiding officers of meetings of the Association, meetings of the Board of Directors, to sign all documents requiring official signature, and any other required duties.

The President will also serve as the appointed delegate to the Board of Managers of the Florida State Beekeepers Association.

 

Article 3

 

In the absence of the President, The Vice-president shall act with full power of the President.

 

Article 4

 

The Secretary shall record all meetings (i.e. take minutes) and transactions of the Association and the Board of Directors; shall issue notices of meetings and other duties usually required of a secretary.

 

Article 5

 

Section 1

The Treasurer shall:

1. Be the custodian of the association's funds and receive all membership and affiliation dues and other income of the Association

2. Make a statement of the accounts showing balance, deposits, withdrawals, expenditures, and inventory on hand at each monthly meeting of the Association.

3. Also make an annual statement of monies collected and expended during the prior fiscal few (November 1 to October 31) and present it at the meeting in November.

4. Make all deposits and withdrawals within 30 days in a local bank designated by the Board of

5. Report on the Association account at each monthly meeting and to the Board of Directors upon request and present the books of the association for annual review by a committee of two members appointed by the President. The committee's review will be conducted in November and the results presented to the membership at the December meeting.

 

Section 2

The Board of Directors may, at any time, make such changes in the conduct of the Association's finances as may be needed.

 

Article 6

 

The Board of Directors shall have the right to take any action in the absence of a meeting, which they could take at a meeting by obtaining the written approval via email or regular mail of all the managers.

Any action so approved shall have the same effect as though taken at meeting of the managers.

 

Article 7

 

The meetings of the Association will be conducted in the Following order:

1. Call to order

2. Approval of the minutes of the last meeting (s)

3. Treasurer's Report

4. Old Business

5. New Business

6. Introduction of new members and guests.

7. Reports of the standing committees

8. Appointment of committees.

9. Report of special committees.

10. Election and installation of officers.

11. Miscellaneous business.

12. Discussion.

13. Adjournment.

 

Article 8

 

All meetings shall be conducted according to the "Robert's Rules of Order"

 

Article 9

 

These by-laws may be amended by two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose.

 

Secretary Certification 

The undersigned Secretary of the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association, a Florida not for profit Association, hereby certifies that the foregoing By-laws of the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors at a meeting held on March 5th, 2010, Mounts Botanical Garden, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida.  Dated this 5th day of March 2010.

 

Ruth Lynch

Board Members

Last Updated on Friday, 06 January 2012 08:44 Written by Administrator Saturday, 09 August 2008 07:49

Board Members  

2012.

 

James Chapman- President
Al Salopek-Vice President
Sara White-Treasurer
Alexandra Kaufman-Secretary

 

Access our recent board meeting minutes

Welcome Message

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 February 2012 16:53 Written by Administrator Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54

Palm Beach Beekeepers Conference

Saturday April 14, 2012

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Pine Jog Environmental Education Center

6301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33415

For the beginner and advanced beekeeper, this program will offer an opportunity to discover the joys and rewards of beekeeping.

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."…Albert Einstein

Download a full version of the Palm Beach Beekeepers Conference Brochure for more details

Meetings are the first Friday of every month at 7:00pm 

Mounts Botanical Garden

Extension Auditorium

531 N Military Trl. West Palm Beach, FL 33415

Contact us at:

561-206-4483

(561-206-HIVE)

Our next meeting is Friday March 2nd

Ms. Stephany Alvarez-Ventura will speak on measuring impacts of neem oil and Amitraz on Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies. 

The Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association has been a local beekeeping organization since 1974.