BYLAWS

ARTICLE 1. Name

Governor Wentworth Arts Council, Inc.

P.O. Box 1578 Wolfeboro, NH 03894-1578

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ARTICLE II. Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be to enrich the cultural environment in the local communities; to stimulate interest in the arts, and to assist local artists and craftspeople. Said organization is organized exclusively for educational purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.) No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation 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 above. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in or intervene (including the publication or distribution of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these bylaws, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on: (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law), or (b) by a section 170(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law).

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ARTICLE III. Members

Section 1. Qualifications. The qualifications for membership shall be the desire to support and advance the purposes of this organization.

Section 2. Membership. Any individual/family, business or organization interested in becoming a member of the organization may pay the required membership fee, and make a record of such payment to the membership chairperson. Membership fees will be renewed annually upon notification by the membership chairperson. Membership fees must be current to remain a member.

Section 4. Voting Rights. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote by the members.

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ARTICLE IV. Meetings

Section 1. Two meetings shall be held each year to include the general membership. The location will be announced at each previous meeting and it will also be publicly announced.

Section 2. The Board and Executive Committee shall meet six to twelve times per year.

Section 3. Special meetings may be held at the request of the President.

Section 4. Special committee meetings may be held as needed at the request of the committee chairperson.

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ARTICLE V. Officers

Section 1. The Officers shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 1 Committee Chair. These officers shall be nominated at a board in early fall and a vote held at the late fall general meeting. Officers shall assume their duties beginning in the new year.

Section 2. A Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and three additional members, for example; membership, publicity, and display chairperson. The board members will be nominated and voted upon at the same time as the officers and will serve the same annual term.

Section 3. Vacancies in office shall temporarily be filled by the Board of Directors appointments and confirmed by a majority vote at the next regular meeting.

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ARTICLE VI. Duties of the Officers & Chairpersons

Section 1. President. The president shall perform the usual powers of a presidential officer subject to the provisions of these bylaws. The president shall also exercise general supervision and control over all the business and affairs of the corporation. The President must be a member for at least one year before stepping into the position.

Section 2. Vice President. The Vice President shall exercise the powers and perform the functions that are from time to time assigned to them by the President or the Board of Directors. The Vice President shall have the powers and exercise the duties of the president whenever the president is unable to do so.

Section 3. Secretary. It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep a record of all the meetings and conduct the correspondence of the corporation.

Section 4. Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to be the corporation’s chief fiscal officer and custodian of its funds and bank records. They shall oversee or conduct the payment of all bills incurred by the corporation. These records shall be audited as requested by the Board of Directors.

Section 5. Membership. It shall be the duty of the Membership chairperson to keep and maintain all records of membership including fees, renewal dates, and current addresses of GWAC members.

Section 6. Publicity. It shall be the duty of the Publicity chairperson to publicize the corporation’s activities and meetings for the general public.

Section 7. Board of Directors. The board of directors shall be an advisory board and shall act under the provision of the bylaws. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and committee chairpersons.

Section 8. Term Limits. The term of each office shall be staggered to a 2-year commitment in order to maintain consistency within the corporation. The Vice President and Treasurer will be elected in even-numbered years, the President and Secretary elected in odd-numbered years. Officers and committee chairs will have the option to continue beyond their 2-year term.

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ARTICLE VII. Amendments of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended at a regular meeting by a majority vote of the members entitled to vote.

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ARTICLE VIII. Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporations in such manner or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational purposes and shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law), as the board of directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Superior Court of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated for such purposes.

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ARTICLE IX. Discrimination

The Governor Wentworth Arts Council, Inc. agrees there will be no discrimination in any practices or procedures on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, or handicap.

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AMENDENT

1. The PRISCILLA HODGES SCHOLARSHIP shall be a subsidiary committee/organization with membership open to anyone in the community. It shall be governed by its (PHS) Executive Board and officers, and GWAC Treasurer who shall oversee its fiscal affairs. Funds may be used solely for the benefit of the PRISCILLA HODGES SCHOLARSHIP except should the committee undergo a hiatus of six years, its assets, if any, would become the property of GWAC. If the PRISCILLA HODGES SCHOLARSHIP is still active and the GWAC dissolves, then the PRISCILLA HODGES SCHOLARSHIP may seek affiliation with another organization or file for its own tax-exempt status as an independent organization.