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BY-LAWS
Francis Wilson Playhouse,
Inc.
I NAME
The name of this non-profit
corporation shall be FRANCIS WILSON PLAYHOUSE, INC. formerly
Little Theater of Clearwater, Inc.
II PURPOSE
The purpose for which the
Corporation is organized is: to foster, encourage, promote
and develop the artistic and theatrical abilities and
talents of people, to promote and encourage public
acceptance of and recognition for the fine arts, to develop
talent and train its members in all branches of the dramatic
art, and to produce stage plays and theatrical productions
of any type for the entertainment and benefit of its
members, in keeping with local community standards.
III MEMBERSHIP
A. A member is a
person who has purchased any category of full subscription
(eight (8) performances) or short season subscriptions (six
(6) performances) for the current membership year defined as
August 1st of one year to July 31st of the next year. A
membership includes one (1) ticket to all scheduled
productions of the subscription category and entitles the
member to all privileges and responsibilities of membership.
B.
Prestige classes of membership such as “Co-Producer”,
“Angel”, “Patron” and “Sustainer” may be authorized by the
Board of Directors from time to time. Unless otherwise
specifically authorized by the Board of Directors, (i) a
Co-Producer shall be entitled to six (6) full season
tickets, (ii) an Angel shall be entitled to four (4) full
season tickets, (iii) a Patron shall be entitled to two (2)
full season tickets, and (iv) a Sustainer shall be entitled
to one (1) full season ticket. Prestige Members shall be
entitled to vote at all membership meetings the same number
of votes as the number of tickets issued for that class of
Prestige Membership, provided that the Prestige Member
designates, in advance, a specific individual, other than
the Prestige Member, to be the recipient of, and voter for,
each Prestige Member ticket.
C. Honorary Membership may
be conferred by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of
Directors at a regular or special meeting. An Honorary
Member has the same rights and privileges as a member.
D. All members may vote at
any meeting of the membership and are eligible for election
to the Board of Directors. A member may vote either in
person or by a proxy executed in writing by the member or
his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be
valid after the duration of 3 months from the date thereof
unless otherwise so provided in the language of the proxy.
IV ELECTION AND DUTIES OF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A. Election
1. The affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors
consisting of twelve (12) members. The twelve (12) members
shall be elected by and from the membership of the
Corporation at the annual meeting. All directors must be
current season members while serving.
2. Four (4) members of the
Board of Directors shall be elected by the membership each
year, for a term of three (3) years to replace such elected
members whose terms have expired.
3. The Board of Directors
shall have the authority but not the obligation to elect up
to three non-voting Directors-at-Large who shall serve for a
term of not more than two years, and may be re-elected for
subsequent terms at the discretion of the Board of
Directors. Duties and obligations of each Director-at-Large
shall be defined by the Board of Directors at the time of
their election.
4. The Board of Directors
shall elect replacement members of the Board of Directors to
serve the remaining portion of any unexpired Board Members
terms which becomes vacated between annual meetings.
5.
At a meeting of Members called expressly for that purpose, any director
or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed, with or
without cause, by a vote of the majority of the members then
entitled to vote at an election of directors.
6.
These By-Laws shall specifically permit a member of the Board of
Directors to serve in such a capacity when other business or
personal activities would normally preclude him from doing
so because of a conflict of interest or an abandonment of
his fiduciary responsibilities, provided however, that
director shall be restricted from voting on any action when
such a conflict of interest may exist. Further, any member
of the Board of Directors who believes a potential conflict
of interest may exist must so announce same at the beginning
of discussions on that subject or at the beginning of a
meeting of the Board of Directors and the same will be so
recorded in the minute book.
B. DUTIES
1. The Board of Directors
shall have general charge of the affairs and custody of the
funds and property of the Corporation. At the close of each
fiscal year, an accounting firm selected by the Board of
Directors shall review all accounts. The accounting firm’s
principals may not be members of the Board of Directors. The
accounting review shall be completed within ninety (90) days
after the end of the fiscal year.
2. The Board of Directors
shall have the power to remove any officer, Board of
Directors member, or committee chairman for cause, by a
three-fourths (75%) vote of those present at a Board of
Directors meeting, if a quorum is met.
3. Each Board of Directors
Member shall be provided a current copy of the By-Laws, as
amended.
4. Directors and officers of
the Corporation shall serve without compensation. However,
actual and reasonable expenses incurred by a director or
officer during the normal course of their official duties
shall be reimbursed upon the approval of the Board of
Directors.
5. A director of the
Corporation who is present at a meeting of the Board of
Directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken
shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken
unless he votes against such action or abstains on the
record from voting in respect thereto.
V ELECTION AND DUTIES OF
OFFICERS
A. A President, a First
Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Treasurer, a
Vice-President of Investments, and a Secretary are to be
elected by, and from, the Board of Directors, to serve for
one (1) year.
B. The President shall act
as Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall be an
ex-officio member of all committees. He shall preside at all
meetings of the Corporation and at all meetings of the Board
of Directors. He shall call special meetings of the Board of
Directors at his discretion and Special Meetings of the
members when he shall consider the same necessary.
C. The First Vice-President
shall assist the President in the performance of his duties
and, in his absence, perform the duties of the President.
D. The Second Vice-President
shall assist the President and the First Vice-President in
the discharge of their duties and in their absence perform
the duties of the President or the First Vice-President, as
applicable.
E. The Treasurer shall be
custodian of the funds of the Corporation and shall be
entitled to demand, and receive, all monies pertaining
thereto.
1. The Treasurer shall pay
all bills authorized by the Board of Directors. The
Treasurer shall keep a correct account of all receipts and
disbursements. The Treasurer shall keep bank accounts in the
name of the Corporation and shall verify deposit of all
monies to the credit of the Corporation in banks designated
by the Board of Directors.
2. The Treasurer shall
submit a written report to the Board of Directors at its
regular monthly meeting, showing all monies received, and
paid as Treasurer during the preceding month and the balance
then in his custody. At the Annual Meeting of the
Corporation, the Treasurer shall submit a similar report
covering the preceding fiscal year, ending December 31st.
3. The Treasurer shall
prepare an annual budget for the Corporation to be submitted
to the Board of Directors at its regular November meeting.
Upon approval by the Board of Directors the approved annual
budget shall be presented to the membership then present at
the Annual Meeting of the Membership.
F. The Vice-President of
Investments shall be responsible for all capital funds of
the theatre held for investment purposes and not employed
for on-going annual budget operations. The Vice-President of
Investments, in accordance with an investment plan approved
by the Board of Directors, shall report all investment
activities to the Board of Directors at all Directors
meetings. Theatre funds transmitted to, and received from,
investments shall be under the signature of the Treasurer.
G. The Secretary shall keep
a true record of the Annual and Board of Directors meetings
and submit these minutes to Board of Directors members
within fourteen (14) days after each annual meeting and each
Board of Directors meeting.
VI MEETINGS
A. Regular meetings of the
Board of Directors shall be held once each calendar month.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at
the discretion of the President, or at the written request
of three (3) Board of Directors members. Eight (8) members
of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
B. The Annual Meeting of the
Corporation for the election of directors and any additional
business to be brought before it shall be held on a date
between March and July of each year which exact date
shall be determined at a regular or special meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation held not less than 120
days prior to the proposed date. Eighteen (18) members shall
constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Written notice of
the Annual Meeting shall be mailed to the members by first
class mail not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date
determined for the meeting.
C. A Special Meeting of the
members of the Corporation may be called by the Board of
Directors or by the written request of 11% of the members.
At special meetings of the Corporation, twenty-four (24)
members shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings shall
have the purpose stated in the call and written notice
thereof shall be given to all members. A Special Meeting
shall be called for a date not less than ten (10) nor more
than thirty (30) days after notice to the members is made.
The call for a meeting shall be issued by the Secretary.
D. Only current members may
vote at any meeting.
E. All meetings will be conducted in
accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, except as specified
herein.
F. When a meeting is
adjourned to another time or place, it shall not be
necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting at
which the adjournment is taken, and at the adjourned meeting
any business may be transacted that might have been
transacted on the original date of the meeting. If, however,
after the adjournment the Board of Directors fixes a new
date for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned
meeting shall be given to each member of record on the new
record date entitled to vote at such meeting unless the
reconvened date for the adjourned meeting is less than
fifteen (15) days from the date of adjournment.
G. A Special Meeting of the
members may occur at any time without notice when the
majority of the members or the Members of the Board of
Directors (as applicable) entitled to vote at such a meeting
so agree and sign a waiver to that effect. Members able to
hear, speak and vote via telephone, or similar device, shall
be considered in attendance at such a meeting. Communiqués
transmitted and received via facsimile or other electronic
devices to and from members before and during such a
meeting, which communiqués emanate from, or are received by,
the secretary of a meeting shall be considered as submitted
or received as if the member were personally present at the
members meeting.
H. Any action required to be
taken at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or any
action which may be taken at a Special Meeting of the Board
of Directors, or a committee thereof, may be taken without a
formal meeting if a consent in writing, including writings
transmitted and received by electronic mail or facsimile,
setting forth the action so to be taken, signed by the
majority of the directors, or the majority of the members of
the committee, (as the case may be), is filed in the minutes
of the proceedings of the Board of Directors or of the
minutes of the committee. Such consent shall have the same
effect as a majority vote.
I. Meetings of members and
the Board of Directors shall be held at the Francis Wilson
Playhouse, Clearwater, Florida, or at such other place as
may be designated by the majority of the Board of Directors.
VII PAID STAFF
The General Manager, Guest
Directors and other paid staff may be employed for specific
periods or plays without regard to membership. Other staff
may be engaged as necessary within the fiscal abilities of
the Corporation as approved by the Board of Directors.
VIII COMMITTEES
A. Committee Chairmen shall
be appointed by the President, from, and ratified by, the
Board of Directors, and may be any committee that the Board
of Directors deems appropriate for the operation of the
theatre or any of its financial or administrative functions.
The Chairman of each committee shall appoint additional
persons to serve on each committee. Each committee must have
at least two (2) season members, but may have as many
additional committee members as the Chairman desires. A
majority of the members of any committee shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business. Any Committee so
appointed shall have the duties and authority of that
committee defined at the time of appointment and such shall
be recorded within the minutes of that meeting.
B. Nominating Committee
1. At least ninety (90) days
prior to the annual meeting, the Board of Directors shall
elect a nominating committee of at least two (2) members,
none of whom shall be members of the Board of Directors. The
Membership Chairman shall serve as advisor to the Nominating
Committee to verify nominees' eligibility.
2. At least sixty (60) days
prior to the annual meeting, the Nominating Committee shall
present to the Board of Directors a list of qualified
candidates for positions on the Board of Directors.
3. At least thirty (30) days
prior to the annual meeting, the Board of Directors shall
publish and present this Nominating Committee Board of
Directors candidate list to the membership. Any member may
make additional nominations from the floor, at the annual
meeting, of additional qualified candidates for election to
the Board of Directors.
4. The four (4) candidates,
from the complete list of nominees, receiving the largest
number of votes at the annual meeting shall serve on the
Board of Directors for a term of three (3) years. Any
remaining vacancies on the Board of Directors then existing
must also be filled for the balance of that unexpired term.
All members of the Board of Directors must be members in
good standing to serve on the Board of Directors.
IX BOOKS AND RECORDS
The corporation shall keep
correct and complete books and records of account and shall
keep minutes of the proceedings of its members, Board of
Directors and committees of the Board of Directors. The
corporation shall keep at its principal place of business a
record of its members, giving the names and addresses of all
members. Any books, records and minutes may be in written
form or in any other form capable of being converted into
written form within a reasonable period of time.
X CORPORATE SEAL
The Board of Directors shall
provide a corporate seal.
IX CHANGE OF BY-LAWS
These By-Laws may be changed
or amended at any Annual Meeting provided that the notice of
a proposed change shall have been presented to the members
in the form of a written notice at least thirty (30) days
prior to the meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those
voting shall be necessary for the adoption of any change in,
or amendment to, the By-Laws.
Adopted March 7th,
2009, with amendments, at the Annual Membership Meeting at
the Francis Wilson Playhouse, Clearwater, Florida.
._________________________________________.
Peggy Reay-Jones, By-Laws
Committee Chairman
Francis Wilson Playhouse,
Inc., formerly Little Theatre of Clearwater, Inc.
By-Laws Revision History
Revised, presented and
amended: June 10, 1986.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 13, 1989.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 11, 1991.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 17, 1997.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 15, 1999.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 13, 2000.
Revised, presented and
amended: June 7, 2003.
Revised, presented and
amended: March 7, 2009. |