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Mission Statement

The Loess Hills Audubon Society exists to educate individuals and the general public, to enjoy and promote birding, to support ornithology, and to be an advocate for wild areas and environmental issues.

Chapter Goals

1.  To educate the public on the need to protect wild birds and all other animals, trees and all other plants, soil, air and water, and to promote a better public understanding of these natural resources.

Action Plan:

--Raise monies for the purchase and distribution of Audubon Adventures for local schools.

--Support the Important Bird Areas and Bird Conservation Areas programs.

--Promote issue advocacy.

--Increase membership.

2.  To provide the opportunity for study and observation of birds and other wildlife.

Action Plan:

--Schedule monthly outings to observe birds and educate club members and the public about bird and other wildlife habitat.

--Present bird identification classes as part of some monthly meetings.

--Maintain a bird hotline to advise members and the public of local sightings.

--Promote the marketing and distribution of our Siouxland Bird Guide.

--Continue Bird Food sales as a primary fund raiser.

3.  To contribute to research in the fields of conservation and ornithology by monetary support and active participation.

Action Plan:

--Participate in local annual Christmas Bird Counts.

--Participate in the annual Birdathon.

--Participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count.

--Participate in Feederwatch.

--Participate in local bird surveys.

--Maintain Bluebird trails and report results to the Iowa Bluebird Directory.

4.  To promote the conservation of wildlife and the natural environment and encourage interest in the study of nature.

Action Plan:   

--Hold 9 club meetings during the year that emphasize the conservation of birds and other wildlife.

--Publish a bi-monthly newsletter of club activities and conservation news.

--Publish club meeting dates and program  information in the Sioux City Journal.

--Maintain a web site of club activities and conservation news.

--Support Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center projects.

--Support Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve projects.

--Support Stone State Park projects.

--Support local Nature Conservancy projects.

 

 

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CONSTITUTION

Constitution of the Loess Hills Audubon Society

 

ARTICLE I: NAME

This organization shall be known as the Loess Hills Audubon Society (LHAS). Incorporated as the Loess Hills Chapter of the National Audubon Society (NAS).

 

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

Section 1.  The purpose and objectives of the LHAS shall be to engage in any such educational, scientific, investigative, literary, historical, philanthropic and charitable pursuits as may be part of the stated purposes of the National Audubon Society (NAS), of which LHAS shall function as a Chapter.

Section 2.    LHAS is organized exclusively for charitable, literary, educational, and scientific purposes consistent with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 3.    The LHAS shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, nor shall LHAS participate in organizations or coalitions whose activities are contrary to this section.

Section 4.    Upon dissolution, or upon abandonment, the assets of LHAS remaining after payment of debts and liabilities shall be donated to Iowa Audubon or NAS provided that none of such assets shall be donated to any organization other than one organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes as presently set forth in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.    The membership in LHAS shall be open to all persons interested in the objectives stated in Article II, Section 1.

 

Section 2.    Types of memberships shall be:

  1. NAS Membership in accordance with the schedule prescribed by the National Audubon Society.

  2. Chapter-Only Membership on a calendar-year annual basis.

BY-LAWS

By-Laws of the Loess Hills Audubon Society

Chapter of the National Audubon Society

 

ARTICLE I:  MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1.   Any person interested in the purposes of the Society is eligible for membership.

Section 2.   Classes of membership shall be the same as those maintained by the National Audubon Society.

Section 3.   Annual dues of membership shall be as established by the National Audubon Society.

Section 4.  All members in good standing shall enjoy all rights and privileges pertaining to the members of both LHAS and the National Audubon Society.

Section 5.  Membership in Loess Hills Audubon Society is effective from the date one becomes a member of the National Audubon Society or of the LHAS chapter.

Section 6.   Should renewal of National Audubon Society membership or the LHAS Chapter-only membership dues not be paid within six months after the time that they are payable, that member’s official Loess Hills membership shall be ended.

 

 

                                                        ARTICLE II:  MEETINGS

 

Section 1.   General meetings of the Chapter shall be held at least once each month from September through May. The May meeting shall be the Annual Business/Membership Meeting at which time new officers will be elected. New officers will take office at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

Section 2.   Should the general meeting be cancelled (for instance, due to weather), then the Board Meeting scheduled for that date is also cancelled.

Section 3.  Special meetings may be called by the President, or pursuant to a resolution of the Board. Ten days notice of such special meeting, stating objectives thereof, shall be given to members at their last known post office address or electronically.

Section 4.   If proper notice has been served of a general or special meeting, and all attendees are in agreement that such notice was given, a quorum shall be deemed present for the transaction of business.

 

 

                                          ARTICLE III:  BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.  The control and conduct of business of the Chapter shall be vested in its Board of Directors.  The Board shall determine the policies of the Society.  The Board shall include (a) the elected officers and (b) five Directors elected by the members for terms of two years.

Section 2.   Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least once every other month, September through June. The last meeting of the fiscal year shall be the Annual Board Retreat during which time the goals and budget for the coming fiscal year will be decided and new Board members will be properly advised of their duties.

Section 3.   A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.

Section 4.   Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President or upon request of the majority of the Board. Ten days notice of such special meeting, stating objectives thereof, shall be given each Board member at their last known post office address or electronically.

 

 

                                                       ARTICLE IV:  OFFICERS

 

Section 1.  The elected Officers of the Chapter shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  The terms of office for every officer shall be for two years with a maximum of two consecutive full terms. The President and Vice-President shall be elected in even-numbered years and the Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected in odd-numbered years.

Section 2.  The elected Directors of the Chapter shall serve for terms of two years with a maximum of two consecutive full terms and be designated as Director 1, Director 2, Director 3, Director 4, and Director 5.  Odd-numbered Directors shall be elected in odd-numbered years and even-numbered Directors shall be elected in even-numbered years. A Director who has reached their maximum term of service may not run for a different Director position without waiting for one year

Section 3.  A vacancy in the office of the President or in any other office or any director shall be filled by the majority vote of the Board of Directors to hold office until the next annual meeting at which time the vacancy shall be filled by election of the general membership. If an officer or director is appointed/elected this way and will serve for less than half of the normal two-year term for that office, s/he shall still be eligible to serve up to two consecutive full terms. Thus, any officer or director could potentially serve for a maximum of five consecutive years.

Section 4.  The President shall be President of the Chapter, Chairman of the Board of Directors and an ex-officio member of all committees and shall perform all other duties associated with the Office of President.

 

Section 5.   The Vice-President shall assist the President in the carrying out of their duties and shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.  The Vice-President shall be designated by the President to head one of the Standing Committees.

Section 6.  The Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings of the Board and the Chapter and conduct the correspondence of the Chapter.  All, important letters will be signed by the President of the Chapter.

Section 7.   The Treasurer shall have custody of the Chapter’s funds.  The Treasurer shall disburse the funds as may be ordered by the Board, report to the Board of Directors at their regular meetings, or as requested, and will prepare an annual report on the financial condition of the Chapter as required by National Audubon Society. 

Section 8.  Either the Treasurer or the President may sign all checks and drafts, of the Chapter.

 

 

ARTICLE V:  NOMINATING COMMITTEE

 

Section 1.  The Board of Directors shall annually appoint a Nominating Committee to consist of not less than three members. The Nominating Committee shall be formed by the February meeting date. The names of the members of the Nominating Committee shall be made known to the membership of the Chapter.  Any member of the Chapter may submit suggestions for nominations for officers and directors to the Committee.

Section 2.  The Nominating Committee shall nominate candidates for officers and directors to succeed those whose terms of office expire. Its report shall be presented to the membership at a regular meeting one month prior to the Annual Business/Membership Meeting.

Section 3.   Nothing herein contained shall prevent nominations of officers or directors from the floor at the time of the meeting at which elections are to be held.

 

 

ARTICLE VI:  ELECTIONS

 

Section 1.  The election of officers and directors shall take place at the Annual Business/Membership Meeting.  Elected officers and directors shall take office at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

Section 2.  Candidates for elected positions to the Board presented by the Nominating Committee shall be elected by a voice vote of the membership present at the Annual Business/Membership Meeting, or by motion of the Membership instructing the Secretary to cast a unanimous ballot in favor of the recommendations presented by the Nominating Committee.  However, if there is more than one candidate for any position, the election to such position shall be by ballot with the winner receiving the majority vote of the ballots cast.

 

ARTICLE VII:  COMMITTEES, SPECIAL COMMITTEES, AND TASK FORCES

 

Section 1.  The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint chairs of Standing Committees who, in turn may select their own committee members with approval from the Board. Terms of office shall be for one year or until a successor is appointed.  No Chair shall serve more than three consecutive years for the same committee. No person shall be the Chair of more than one committee concurrently. However, members can serve on more than one committee at a time.

Section 2   Standing committees shall be composed of not less than three members. 

Section 3.  The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may appoint Special or Task Force Committees whose terms of office will be determined by the length of the assignment to be done.

Section 4.  Standing committees of the Chapter will be as follows, and other such Committees as become necessary to carry out functions of the Chapter.

 

STANDING COMMITEES

 

Membership Committee

     It shall be the duty of this committee to cooperate with Chapter Services of the National Audubon Society in order to maintain the current records of NAS members within the LHAS territory.   It shall also be this committee's duty to conduct local membership campaigns to add new members and to retain current members.

 

Chapter Activities Committee

     It shall be the duty of this committee to plan and organize chapter activities. It shall promote interest and appreciation of the mission and goals of the chapter.

 

Conservation Committee

    It shall be the duty of this Committee to inform the chapter about relevant issues related to conservation and to educate the public about conservation. The committee shall also advise the board on related conservation activities the chapter may wish to pursue.

 

 

Communications Committee

     It shall be the duty of this committee to keep the membership and community informed about the mission and activities of the chapter.  This committee shall publish a newsletter and manage social media services as appropriate.  The committee shall provide public notices through appropriate media.

 

Projects Committee

     It shall be the duty of this committee to help establish and manage the “Project Fund” for the purposes of funding projects approved by the board.  This committee shall also advise the Board on possible projects the chapter may wish to support.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII:  COMMITMENTS

 

This Chapter shall not enter into any commitments binding on the National Audubon Society without authorization from the latter. In like manner, The National Audubon Society shall make no commitments binding on this Chapter without its consent.

 

 

ARTICLE IX:  DISCONTINUANCE

 

The Chapter reserves the right to terminate its Chapter status on six-months’ notice, given in writing to the National Audubon Society, in which case all allocation of dues by the National Society to this Chapter will cease on expiration of the six-months’ period.  This Chapter recognizes the right of the National Society to terminate the chapter relationship on six-months’ notice, given by it to this Chapter in which case the members of this Chapter continue as members of the National Society for the balance of the term for which dues have been paid.

 

 

ARTICLE X: DISSOLUTION

 

      Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision of the payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all of the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes as 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 District 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 exclusively for such purpose.

 

 

ARTICLE XI:  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

 

In matters not covered by these By-Laws, Roberts Rules of Order shall govern.

 

 

ARTICLE XII:  AMENDMENTS

 

The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of members in good standing present at any general meeting or at any special meeting thereof, regularly called, provided a quorum is present and provided further that notice of such amendments shall have been mailed to each member of the Society at their known address or given electronically, at least fifteen days before said meeting.