Mission
Statement
(Based
on the Preamble to the Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts):
"We, the
Democrats of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in common purpose with
the National Democratic Charter, are united in seeking for our State,
for our Nation, and for all people: individual and political freedoms
and social and economic justice.
"We affirm
that we can best attain these goals through a strong, cohesive party-honest,
open, and accessible to all, and steadfast in the idea that our people
have the ability to govern themselves. Following the national Democratic
Charter, we acknowledge that a political party that wishes to lead must
listen to those it would lead, a party that asks for the people's trust
must prove that it trusts the people, and a party that hopes to call
forth the best that the Commonwealth can achieve must embody the best
of the Commonwealth's traditions."
BYLAWS
OF THE
WAYLAND DEMOCRATIC
TOWN COMMITTEE ADOPTED
MAY 17, 1994
Article
I - NAME
This organization
shall be known as the Wayland Democratic Town Committee herein after called
the Committee.
Article
II - PURPOSES
This Committee
is organized and constituted under authority of and in accordance with
the provisions of the General Laws of the Commonwealth, and shall have
as its purposes the following: to foster and advance the ideals and aims
of the Democratic Party; to work and organize for the success of the Democratic
candidates of the District, County, State and Nation; to do all things
necessary and incidental to the building and strengthening of the Democratic
Party in Massachusetts and within the Town of Wayland.
ARTICLE
III - MEMBERSHIP
A. The Wayland
Democratic Town Committee shall consist of thirty five (35) [or number
designated and reported to the Massachusetts Secretary of State prior
to Presidential elections] registered Democrats in Wayland who shall have
been elected at the Presidential Primary for a period of 4 years together
with those elected to membership by the members of said Committee, in
conformance with the provisions of law.
B. The Committee,
following the election of its members, shall meet and organize, choose
a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Affirmative Action
and Outreach Advisor, and such other officers as it may decide to elect.
At such meeting the Committee may add to its elected members provided
it does not exceed the total allowed by law as found on file with the
Secretary of State's Office.
C. The Committee
may, by vote at any meeting, authorize the appointment of associate members.
Associate members shall not have the right to vote but shall have such
other powers and duties as the Committee may determine.
D. Any duly
elected member of the Committee who changes residence from Wayland during
the said four years shall cease to be a member of the Committee at that
time.
E. Vacancies
shall be filled by vote of the Committee. Associate members, if any, may
be the candidates first considered for filling the vacancies.
F. Members
may be removed in conformity with Section II of the Charter of the Democratic
Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Article
IV - OFFICERS
A. The officers
of this organization shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson,
Secretary, Treasurer and Affirmative Action and Outreach Advisor. These
officers shall be elected at the Committee organizational meeting and
shall serve for a term of two years, at the end of which new elections
for officers shall be held.
B. There shall
be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Committee
and others elected,
C. In the
event of death, resignation or the permanent removal from the Town of
any of the above named officers, their places shall be declared vacant
and be filled at the next regular meeting of the Committee. A statement
of such changes in the officers of the Committee shall be sent immediately
by the Secretary of the Committee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
to the Secretary of the Democratic State Committee and to the town clerk.
Article
V - CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson
shall, in addition to the duties required by law, preside at all meetings
of the Committee and shall have general charge and supervision of all
Committee activities. He/She shall have the power to appoint all standing
committees and such other special committees as are created from time
to time. He/She shall have the power to call all special meetings of the
Town Committee and all regular meetings at such time or times as may seem
to her/him to be advisable, subject only to the vote of the Committee
in fixing the number of regular meetings to be held during the course
of the year.
Article
VI ? VICE CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson
shall preside at all meetings of the Town Committee in the absence of
the Chairperson. She/He shall perform all duties and have the powers of
the Chairperson in the case of her/his temporary absence.
Article
VII - SECRETARY
The Secretary
shall keep record of all proceedings of the Committee and shall issue
notice by mail to each member of the Committee at least seven days prior
to the date of the meeting. The Secretary shall, within ten days after
the organization of the Committee, file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
the Secretary of the Democratic State Committee and the town clerk, a
list of officers and members of the Committee, and shall immediately file
with the same officials a statement of the changes in the organization
or membership of the Committee thereafter.
Article
VIII - TREASURER
The Treasurer
shall have the custody of all funds belonging to the Committee and shall
pay all orders subject to the approval of the Chairperson and shall procure
and file vouchers for all such payment. No expenditures of funds of the
Committee shall be made by the Treasurer outside the regular activities
or expense thereof except upon the approval of a majority of the Committee
at a special or regular meeting. She/He shall submit a report of the financial
condition and transactions of the Committee at all regular meetings. A
detailed report shall be provided at least annually. Additionally, the
Treasurer will file reports with the appropriate state and local offices
with regard to fund raising.
Article
IX - AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND OUTREACH ADVISOR
The Affirmative
Action and Outreach Advisor shall be responsible for developing strategies
and activities to expand participation in the Committee of the Party"s
Affirmative Action target groups.
Article
X - CALLING A MEETING WITHOUT CONSENT OF CHAIRPERSON
A. In the
event of a refusal of the Chairperson of the Committee to call a meeting
of the Committee, a majority of the executive committee may, in writing,
order the Secretary of said Committee to call a meeting of the committee.
B. Said executive
committee shall have the power to act upon all matters pertaining to the
Committee arising between the meetings of said Committee.
C. Seven members
of the Committee can request a meeting by a petition in writing to the
Secretary and the Secretary shall call such meeting within two weeks.
Article
XI - QUORUM
Seven members
of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Article
XII - Bylaws Committee
There shall
be a Bylaws Committee appointed by the Chair person from the duly elected
Members. The Chairperson shall designate the Chairperson of the ByLaws
Committee
Article
XII - Changes in the Bylaws
A. These Bylaws
may be amended or repealed at any regularly called meeting of the elected
members of the Committee, provided such proposed change is in writing
and signed by the elected member proposing it and is in the hands of the
Chairperson before the call of the next meeting, at which such proposal
is to be acted upon. The proposed by law change shall be sent to all members
with the announcement of the meeting.
B. Such proposed
changes in the Bylaws shall be referred forthwith by the Chairperson to
the Bylaws Committee which shall make a report with its recommendations
at the same meeting, if possible, but no later that the following meeting.
A majority of the elected members present and voting shall be necessary
to overturn the report of the By Laws Committee By Law change proposals
which contradict the provisions of the Massachusetts Democratic State
Party Charter cannot be considered.
C. Unless
and until amended or repealed by the elected members, these shall continue
in effect from year to year and no formal motion shall be necessary at
any meeting of the Committee in order that they continue in force.
Article
XIV - ENDORSEMENTS
A vote of
two-thirds of the elected members present and voting is required for endorsements.
Article
XV - MEETINGS
Regular meetings
of the Committee shall be held at least four times in non election years
and six times in election years. |