CAMEROONIAN COMMUNITY OF LANSING

CAMEROONIAN COMMUNITY OF LANSING BY-LAWS

PREAMBLE

The Cameroonian Community of Lansing (CCOL) refers to an association formed by friends and native from Cameroon based in Greater Lansing. The CCOL shall not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic group, age, political affiliation, religion, sex, or sexual preference.

The purpose of these Bylaws is to establish the rules and the governing structure of the Association as agreed upon by all it members.

ARTICLE I: OBJECTIVES OF THE CCOL

The purpose of the CCOL is to PROMOTE SOCIAL INTERACTION among it members. In the pursuance of this goal the CCOL shall provide a forum for its members to interact socially.

ARTICLE II: STRUCTURE OF THE CCOL

The structures of the CCOL are:

·        The General Assembly

·        The executive committee

·        Committees:  Advisory, Bylaws, Financial, Social Events, and Membership:

Sub-Committees: Financial Sub-committees (Fundraising, Membership) Social Events Subcommittees (Mentorship, children‘s Party, Weddings, death, social events)

SECTION 1:  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY: RIGHTS AND DUTIES

The General Assembly shall provide the overall direction for the CCOL and in particular:

3)                  Approve the minutes presented by the Secretary General

4)                  Assist the Executive Committee in carrying out the activities of the CCOL

5)                  Determine which special and/or ad hoc committees should be put in place to address specific issues as they arise.

6)                  Assign duties to officers as appropriate

7)                  Request a financial report quarterly from the Treasurer

8)                  Elect or nominate the election committee to be in charge of the election process

9)                  Elect Office bearers

10)              Seek the dismissal of an office bearer or a member

11)              Amend or suspend the by-laws in accordance with Art 6 

SECTION 2:  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RIGHTS AND DUTIES

The CCOL Executive Committee shall be constituted of six officers, namely: A President, a Vice President, a Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Assistant Treasurer.

The Executive Committee is responsible for carrying out all the activities that meets the goals and objectives of the CCOL in consultation with the General Assembly. 

The President

1)         Shall preside over all CCOL sessions. However, He/She can nominate a member to preside over a session if he/she is present at that meeting.

2)         Shall prepare and present an agenda listing all topics to be discussed, and activities for the meeting at least one week prior to every session.

3)         Shall be one of the principal signatories of all CCOL financial transactions.

4)         Shall nominate CCOL members to special committees created by

            the General Assembly

5)         Shall perform public relations as assigned by the General Assembly.

Vice president

1)         Assist the president.  The duty and responsibility of the VP are similar to that of the president.

The Secretary

                        1)         Shall take and keep all CCOL minutes.

      2)         Shall distribute an electronic version and/or hardcopy of the minutes to the members at least one week prior to next CCOL session

      3)         The secretary should keep all CCOL records in a folder, which should be available upon request at each CCOL session.                                              

The Assistant Secretary

1)         Assist the secretary.

2)         Shall be responsible to prepare the correspondence of the CCOL and shall maintain an up-to-date directory of the CCOL members

The Treasurer

1)                  Shall be the principal accounting officer responsible for the CCOL books of accounts.  In this capacity, he/she shall present to the General Assembly a written financial report quarterly.

2)                  Shall be one of the principal signatories of all CCOL financial

transactions

3)                  Shall be responsible for determining the good financial standing status of     each member when requested.

4)                  Shall keep all final financial report in a folder

The Assistant Treasurer

1)                Shall perform the same duties as the treasurer

2)                Shall keep track of members’ contribution to various events in the community

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1: DEFINITION AND GENERAL CONDITIONS

Membership is open to all Cameroonians and friends of Cameroon.

SECTION 2: ADMISSION PROCEDURES

A prospective member must satisfy the following conditions:

·        Be 21 years old or have a family if less than 21 years old

·        Pay an annual membership of $25(Single) or $50(family) to the treasurer

·        Attend and participate actively in all community events

A family is defined as married couple with or without children or any individual who has children or dependents.

SECTION 2: BENEFITS

1- In case of death of a member, The CCOL will hold an emergency session to decide what measures should be taken.

2- The CCOL strongly encourages its members to purchase Life Insurance.

3-The CCOL will contribute $500 for each of the following events in the community:

 Death of the following immediate family member: father, mother, child, spouse, brother and sister (same mother or father)

4- The CCOL gives the opportunity to its members to recognize their real parents (parent who raised them) and substitute to either of their biological parent.  The CCOL will contribute only once for each set of parents.

5-Members are responsible to inform the executive Committee of a death in the family.

Visitation shall be mandatory except in circumstance beyond a member’s control.

6- For Members living out of the Lansing area, the Executive committee will form a delegation to go and assist the bereave member.

6- In case of death of other family members, the CCOL encourage its members to assist the bereaved member.

2.    Gifts costing no more than $100 shall be offered to a member in celebration of the following occasions:

§         Wedding of a member or member’s child 

§         Birth by a CCOL member

§         Graduation of a member of the CCOL: (An early notice by the member graduating to the CCOL is required)

§         Send off: Member of the CCOL

SECTION 3: PENALTIES

A member not in good standing (didn’t pay his/her dues, not being active in the community, missing 3 major community events without good cause: death, session of the CCOL,) may loose his/her membership unless he/she pays a fine of $50 to CCOL

Out of town members (members not living in Lansing) are excused when they do not attend all major community events

ARTICLE 5: MISCELLANEOUS RULES AND PROCEDURES

SECTION 1:  ORDINARY MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES

1.                  Community meetings shall be held 3 times a year or as needed. There shall be

four meetings a year. The modalities of the Hosting of Community meetings shall decided by the Social events Committee.

2.                  All Communities Events shall begin at 7:00pm promptly.

3.                  The president or vice president shall preside over all ordinary meetings.

4.                  The Executive Committee may convene special or emergency meetings of the

General Assembly as the need arises.

5.                  A chairperson appointed by the President and the General Assembly preside over

these special or emergency session and make a report to the General Assembly

SECTION 2: QUORUM, ELECTIONS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

1.                  Any CCOL election is held only if the quorum is met. The quorum is met if more

than fifty (50) percent of the number of CCOL members who physically attended the last three ordinary meetings are present at the meeting during which the election is to be held;

2.                  All CCOL members physically present shall have the right to nominate and vote;

3.                  Votes by proxy are permitted for Out of town members and members who

cannot attend. 

4.         Election of the executive officers shall be held during the last session of the year

5.         Officers shall be elected for one- year term and may be re-elected once.

6.                  Any Vice shall automatically be moved to the next position unless he or she does

not want to assume the position in which case, normal elections are held.

SECTION 4: RESIGNATION, REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS

1.                  If an officer wishes to resign, he/she shall submit a written letter of resignation

stating the reasons for such a decision to the President or acting President, who, in turn, shall present the letter to the General Assembly at the next immediate meeting of the CCOL

2.                  The General Assembly shall review the officer's reasons for resignation and may or may not accept the resignation; If the General Assembly accepts the resignation, the following measures shall be taken:

·        The officer resigning shall release all CCOL document or record in his possession to the G.A.

·        The financial committee shall oversee the auditing to audit the records and documents submitted.  The officer resigning shall be expected to cooperate with this committee.

·        If the resignation is justifiable, the outgoing officer shall be deemed as honorable and recognized by the General Assembly.

Removal of an Officer:

1.            The removal of an officer shall be done through a written motion to the General

Assembly. 

2              The Officer whose removal from office is sought shall have the right to a hearing

by the General Assembly

3.         the said officer is absent at the particular meeting, it shall be the duty of CCOL

Secretary to inform him/her with a written notification before the next meeting.

4.            In case of absence in question at that next meeting following reception of the

written notification, the said officer shall be considered as having resigned and no further action be taken

5.         An emergency election shall be held as soon as possible to fill vacancy. The

            newly elected officer shall serve the remaining term of the officer he/she replaced.

ARTICLE 6: MODIFICATIONS OF THE BYLAWS

SECTION 1: AMENDMENT OF THE CCOL BY-LAWS

1.         This document can be amended in whole or in part by a majority of 2/3 of the     members.

2.         Any CCOL member can propose an amendment to the General Assembly by sending the proposed amendment at least 30 days prior to the general assembly.

SECTION 2: SUSPENSION OF THE CCOL BY-LAWS     

This document can be amended in whole or in part by 2/3 of the members.

Suspension of by-laws shall be effective by an affirmative vote of at least 2/3(two-thirds) of the CCOL members present at the meeting on a motion put forth by a member and seconded by another

©2003 Br. *email*