Constitution and By-Laws

Proud Partners

Logo of Professional Photographers of America, PPETN
Logo of the Tennessee Valley Authority showing a blue outline of the state of Tennessee PPETN

ARTICLE I
Name and Purpose

The name of the organization shall be Professional Photographers of East Tennessee and be abbreviated only as PPETN when necessary. The two primary purposes of the organization are:

·         To promote the exchange of ideas and techniques related to photography.

·         To maintain the highest degree of professional standards in photography.

PPETN exists specifically for the benefit of its members; it is not a governing body of the business practices of its members.

ARTICLE II
Membership

Membership shall have notification of changes and date of voting 30 days ahead of time. The board shall determine how membership is obtained. Membership levels are to be determined by the board and voted on by the membership as previously defined. Only those members whose membership levels include voting privileges may vote. Eligible Voting Members must be in attendance at the announced meeting to vote—the majority vote rules.

ARTICLE III
Board of Directors

(a)    The Board of Directors shall consist of no less than two (2) members. It shall serve, being elected or appointed, as provided below from January 01 to Dec 31 (or for the then-remaining portion of a calendar-year term) or whatever abiding local, state, or federal laws demand.

(b)   The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee to provide qualified candidates for each Office.  A ballot of candidates shall be provided to the Association.

(c)    Nominations from the Floor.  At the annual meeting before the election, any eligible voting member may nominate an additional eligible, qualified voting member for any office.  After a second by an eligible voting member, that candidate’s name shall be placed on the ballot.

(d)   Voting shall be held at the year's last meeting. The majority of members who may vote rule.

(e)   If a director’s office is vacated during the year, the Board may appoint a person to serve in his or her stead until the next board election.

The Board of Directors of the Association shall have the following duties if filled:

·         It shall be the duty of the Chair to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to this office. The Chair only votes in the event of a tie.

·         It shall be the duty of the President to preside at meetings of the Association, the Board, or the Board of Directors in the absence of the Chair and to perform such duties as would ordinarily pertain to this office.  The President signs all legal documents.

·         It shall be the duty of the Vice President to preside at meetings of the Association and Board of Directors in the absence of the Chair and President and to perform such other duties as would ordinarily pertain to this office. The Vice President shall be the President in training.

·         It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record the attendance of meetings and preserve the minutes of the meetings and such other duties as pertain to this office.

·         It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to maintain proper accounting of all Association funds, income, and disbursements.  Reports of funds shall be available at the Annual Meeting and at any other time upon demand and to perform such duties as pertain to this office.

Committees – The President, with the advice of the Board, shall appoint all standing committees and other such committees as may be deemed necessary for conducting the affairs of the Association.

ARTICLE IV
Accounting and Expenditures of Funds

The board shall be fiscally responsible for the membership’s finances. Expenditures shall be used to increase membership value and to keep a reserve for the longevity of the organization.

·         Any individual expenditures of $100 or more or those encapsulated in a budget shall be voted on before disbursement by the majority vote of the board.

·         Only expenditure(s) below $100 per month in total approved by the President and/or Treasurer shall be paid by PPETN. This practice shall be solely for emergencies.

·         A minimum balance of at least $7,500.00 (Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars) shall be maintained for the financial health of PPETN. If the bank account becomes lower than the minimum, all activities must become self-funding until the minimum is reached.

·         PPETN funds shall be used to pay yearly insurance fees that cover the PPETN board of directors, website fees, and annual PPA renewal fees.

·         In case of an audit, at the discretion of the board, PPETN funds may pay for fees of an independent accountant

ARTICLE V
Amendment Or Replacement of By-Laws

·         Changes in the By-laws shall only be made through a vote by members with voting privileges. The Standard Operating Guidelines are directives and guidelines that are flexible and adaptable to changing times and may be altered as necessary by the Board in concert with the wishes and desires of the Board.

·         Proposed amendments to or replacement of these By-Laws shall be published on the channel or channels then in use by the Board. They shall be voted on by members with voting privileges at a meeting no sooner than 30 days after such publication.  If the Board deems it appropriate, voting by proxy and/or absentee ballot shall be allowed.