Rules and Procedures of the Metro Atlanta Contemporary Quilters

This document outlines rules and procedures for the general operation of the Metro Atlanta Contemporary Quilters, hereafter “MACQ”. It supplements the Bylaws, but does not supersede them. It can be modified or amended by vote of the Board of Directors.

This document was last updated on Sept 3, 2022.

MACQ Membership Benefits

Members are eligible for membership benefits upon payment of dues. Membership benefits include, but are not limited to:

Admission to monthly meetings,
Ability to vote in business transactions (budget, office elections and bylaw changes) polls, and challenges,
Free or discounted admission to Sew Ins and discounted rates for activities including classes, workshops, and retreats,
Priority registration for sponsored classes/workshops that are open to the public,
Participation in swaps, exchanges, bees, field trips and special guest speakers,
Participation in sponsored giveaways and challenges or community events,
Full access to the MACQ website and resources, and
Authorization to advertise member’s business at MACQ-sponsored events and on MACQ social media, unless otherwise prohibited. The Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse support of a business if deemed inappropriate and detrimental to MACQ.

MACQ Guest Policy

A Guest of the Metro Atlanta Contemporary Quilters is defined as any person attending a meeting or other event (sew-in, retreat, workshop, etc.) that is not a paid Member.

Both Members and Guests must sign in prior to the start of all general meetings.

Guests may attend two (2) general meetings free of charge before being asked to consider full membership, but may be required to pay a special lecture fee if one is required at a specific meeting.
Special events open to friends and family, such as quilt shows or other events specified by the Board of Directors, will not count against this limit.
Guests may attend an unlimited number of sew-ins without counting against this limit, but must pay any posted fee designated by the Board of Directors.
Guests are not eligible for special member benefits (i.e. sponsored gifts, store discounts, participation in MACQ activities unless otherwise specified) until they become a paid Member.
Guests are expected to follow the same rules and procedures as all Members of the MACQ.

MACQ Personal Conduct

Membership may be revoked if any member acts in a way that jeopardizes MACQ’s non-profit status. Guests are also expected to follow personal conduct guidelines, and may be asked to leave otherwise. Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Violating the policies of host locations for MACQ events and meetings.
Soliciting money or goods from outside organizations on behalf of MACQ in any manner without explicit permission.
Altering documents in a dishonest manner.
Fraud.
Theft of any kind.
Misuse or distribution of confidential information, including use of MACQ members’ contact information for solicitation.
Harassment or sexual misconduct of any manner.
Any action that impacts the physical safety of members or guests either intentionally or through negligence.

Failure to act according to these guidelines may result in:

First Offense: warning
Second Offense: termination of membership benefits with no refund of dues

Any activity that is blatantly criminal will result in automatic removal from MACQ and any offices or positions held therein, and may result in charges and/or legal action.

Officer Roles and Responsibilities

Officers of MACQ, in addition to their specific roles and responsibilities are expected to:

Promote the purpose of MACQ,
Serve as a consultant to the incoming Officer at the end of their term,
Attend the majority of general meetings and board of director meetings.
Maintain a current procedure document for the role in case of absence and to facilitate transfer

Office of President

Subject to the rights and powers of the Board of Directors, the President will:

Manage MACQ’s business and affairs, serve as the chairperson of the Board of Directors and preside at all general meetings of MACQ.
Be responsible for the administration of MACQ policies and overall management of MACQ’s financial affairs, subject to the delegations set forth in these Bylaws.
Be responsible for all paperwork and procedures for maintaining non-profit status with the assistance of the Treasurer.
Be the primary user of the MACQ email account and be responsible for sending out the monthly newsletter
Have such powers and perform such duties as specifically imposed on them by law and as may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors.
Be authorized to co-sign checks and handle financial matters if/when the Treasurer is unavailable.
Instruct the Secretary regarding the issuance of notices, minutes and general correspondence as needed.
Schedule monthly meetings and organize locations with the assistance of the Vice President
Respond to email questions about Guild membership
Be a representative of MACQ to external organizations and businesses.

At the end of their fully-served term, the President may choose to continue serving as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors, known as the Immediate Past President (IPP), for one year. The President is also eligible to sit on the Past Presidents Council, regardless of whether they serve a term as the IPP.

Office of Vice President

The Vice President will:

Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
Coordinate monthly meeting programming, including speakers or other events.
Coordinate the annual updating of the officer and committee responsibilities and be responsible for a remembrance of the outgoing President
Serve as Parliamentarian (an ‘expert’ in the bylaws, rules and procedures of MACQ) with responsibility to see that the rules set forth in the bylaws and the Rules & Procedures document are followed.
Shall oversee the review of the bylaws every year or as needed.
Be authorized to co-sign checks and handle financial matters if/when the Treasurer is unavailable.
In the event that the President cannot complete the term of office elected to, the Vice President will assume all duties and responsibilities of the office of the President for the remainder of the term.
Be responsible for social media and website updates unless delegated to a committee
Add members to the private Facebook group once they are marked as paid on the Membership Roster

Office of Treasurer

The Treasurer will:

Have the care and custody of MACQ’s funds.
Maintain accounts at institutions approved by the Board of Directors and pay all accounts owed by MACQ.
Collect and deposit all monies due or belonging to MACQ. In the event they are unable to attend a meeting or event, a Board Member or their designee will collect necessary funds.
Keep accurate records of all receipts and disbursements, publish periodic financial reports, and be responsible for all tax, insurance and other financial affairs. Copies of all financial records and documents will be delivered to all board members, or published on a private website or database accessible to Board Members.
Prepare the books for audit at the close of each fiscal year.
Present a Treasurer’s report to MACQ at each meeting
Submit a proposed budget for the following year to the President, due on a date prior to the Annual Meeting as set by the President.
Assist the President in all paperwork and necessary procedures for maintaining non-profit status, keeping up with deadlines, etc.
Be the primary user of the macq.treasurer@gmail.com email account
Be responsible for maintaining the master membership database, consisting of both paid Members and Guests
Be responsible for Member and Guest sign-in at each general meeting and special meetings as needed.

Office of Secretary

The Secretary will:

Attend all general meetings and Board of Directors meetings. In the rare event they are unable to attend, they will appoint a Board Member to handle minutes during meetings and handle any other responsibilities.
Draft an agenda before each general and executive meeting and distribute to the other Board Members prior to the meeting.
Record all votes and minutes of all proceedings and meetings. Once the minutes are complete, each office on the Board of Directors will sign their approval on the minutes and the minutes will be stored in a master archive.
Give a short review at each month’s general meeting of the previous month’s meeting minutes.
Have custody of MACQ’s corporate seal (if one exists) and will have the authority to affix the seal to any instrument, the execution of which is duly authorized, and will attest to the same by their signature whenever required.
Give any required notice of Board of Director meetings.
May conduct general correspondence for MACQ as needed (via email, thank you notes, etc.).
Maintain a master calendar that includes all aspects of MACQ (general meetings, board meetings, events, etc.). The calendar shall be updated at all times and accessible to Board Members and general members.

Standing Committee Responsibilities

The following committees will establish each year, concurrent with the MACQ fiscal year, unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise:

Note: Members are eligible to participate in all Committees; however, to ensure proper attention is paid to each Committee’s responsibilities to MACQ, Members will fill the role of Chairperson for no more than two (2) Committees at a time.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee will:

Form within 30 days of the start of the fiscal year.
Consist of three (3) or five (5) general members who do not wish to be considered for a Board position in the next election.
Attend the Annual Meeting in June.
Assist in calling for Members interested in the Board of Directors offices.
Ensure that quorum for voting has been met by counting eligible voting Members and absentee ballots.

The Nominating Committee Chair has these additional duties:

Send a notice to Members to solicit for absentee ballots, and send an electronic ballot to each Member who requests one.
Collect absentee ballot results to be included in official counting at the Annual Meeting.
Administer the vote for all eligible voters in attendance and mark their name on a master Member list.
Tabulate all votes, including absentee ballots, in private and have the count verified by a designated member of the Nominating Committee.
Announce the final results.
Vote on the removal of a Board Member, if necessary.

In the event that the Committee does not have the appropriate number of Committee Members, the Board will fill in as necessary, starting with any Board Members not seeking office in the upcoming election, followed by the Vice President, then the Treasurer, then the Secretary until there are no fewer than three (3) Committee Members.

Current Ad-Hoc Committee and Coordinator Responsibilities

Ad-hoc committees and coordinator positions may be formed as needed by the President with approval of the Board of Directors. Once established, ad hoc committees will operate with the same responsibilities as standing committees, and have specific responsibilities as outlined below. All coordinators and ad hoc committees report directly to the President unless otherwise noted.

There are no ad-hoc committees currently operating in the 2022 fiscal year.

Past ad-hoc committees have included:

Social Events Committee
Responsible for planning social events outside of meetings; organizing sew-ins; organizing retreats; planning swaps and bees; organizing a holiday party; staying aware of and promoting local quilt shows to members; and/or planning field trips.
Challenge Committee
Watches for local, regional, or national challenge opportunities (Kona Color of the Year, calls for Community/Charity Quilts, etc); and organizes challenges for MACQ (including establishing rules, soliciting prizes, and organizing the presentation of finished projects).
Website/Creative Committee
Develop and maintain the logo and other marks; maintain usage policies of brand identity; handle design of external documents; maintain website; and/or develop social media content.