Purchase Area Master Gardener Association

(PAMGA)

PURCHASE AREA MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

As amended November 4, 2003

ARTICLE I-Name

The name of this organization shall be "Purchase Area Master Gardener Association".

ARTICLE II-Mission Statement

It is the purpose and intent of the University of Kentucky Purchase Area Master Gardeners to provide quality service and horticultural education to all the people of Kentucky under the guidance and care of the Cooperative Extension Office, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture through continuous volunteer internship. Our goal is to further horticulture education, enhance our communities and region, and continue our own growth and education in striving for the excellence required by our Land Grant University. We will provide research-based information to assist and serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin. We will work in a cooperative effort with the University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Kentucky and Kentucky counties.

ARTICLE III-Objectives

The objectives of this organization shall be to provide:

A. Continuing educational opportunities for the membership.

B. Various volunteer opportunities for the membership.

C. Input to the Extension staff for the development, implementation and evaluation of the County Extension Program.

D. The necessary volunteer leadership and support for conducting County Extension Programs.

E. Representative to the County Extension Council.

F. Assistance in explaining and promoting past, present and future Extension Programs to the public.

G. Assistance in training future Master Gardeners.

ARTICLE IV-Membership

A.  Membership shall consist of Regular Members, Lifetime Members, Honorary Members, and Garden Friends.

Regular Membership shall include any person who has completed or is completing the Master Gardener training program. This includes all Master Gardener Interns, Master Gardeners and Advanced Master Gardeners who are active in the sense that they are working towards completion of their volunteer training and are participating in Master Gardener sponsored activities. Regular Members will achieve "Lifetime Member" status after serving 300 volunteer hours.

Honorary Membership shall consist of those individuals that have demonstrated valuable support and/or service to the PAMGA and have demonstrated the expertise to meet minimal requirements for membership in the organization. Approval shall be by a 2/3 majority vote of said membership for honorary memberships.

Garden Friends shall consist of those individuals who are not Master Gardeners, but who have demonstrated valuable support and/or service to the PAMGA. They are not required to perform a minimum number of volunteer service and education hours annually.

B.  The Purchase Area Master Gardener Association welcomes all Master Gardeners regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin

ARTICLE V-General Meeting

The organization shall have regular meetings at least quarterly. The calendar year shall be from January 1 through December 31.

B. The meeting in October shall be known as the annual meeting and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving annual reports of the Executive Board, and for any other business that may arise. The calendar of meetings for the upcoming year will be distributed at this time. Elected officers shall be installed at the January meeting of the following year.

C.  The Executive Committee may call special meetings. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least three (3) days notice shall be given.

D. Quorum shall consist of more general members than officers represented at the meeting at hand.

E. Voting by proxy at any regular or special meeting shall be allowed with prior approval.

ARTICLE VI-Executive Committee and Officers

A.  The Executive Committee shall consist of Master Gardeners of the elected officers of the PAMGA and a Horticulture agent from the McCracken County Extension Service as the advisor. The advisor shall not have voting privileges. The Executive Committee shall be voting members of the organization.

B.  The Executive Committee may appoint officers to perform such other duties as may be deemed necessary from time to time.

C. At the September meeting, nominees for the offices to be filled shall be presented by the Nominating Committee, and nominations shall also be taken from the floor.

D.  The Nominating Committee shall be appointed in August as follows:

1. President shall appoint a chairman.

2. Two other members shall be voted on from the general membership.

E. There shall be six (6) offices filled by election by the voting membership. Those offices shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations and Historian. Election of officers will be held in October. Their term of office shall be two years beginning with the January meeting of the following year.

F. Nominees for office must have completed Internship requirements and be members in good standing with the association.

(Initial Elections will designate terms: President - 2 Years, Vice President - 1 Year, Treasurer-2 Years, PR- 2 Years, Historian -1 Year)

G. Election of the offices of President, Treasurer and Public Relations will be held in odd years, with the remaining offices of VP, Secretary and Historian being elected in even years.

H. No office shall be held for more than two (2) consecutive terms by the same member.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

1. Shall be principal officer of the organization.

2. Shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Executive Committee.

3. Shall be advisor and member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

4. Shall be authorized to sign checks or other such instruments, which may be authorized by the Executive Committee.

5. Shall, in general, perform duties incident to the office of President and such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Committee.

VICE PRESIDENT

1. Shall, in absence of the President, perform all duties of the President.

2. Shall chair the Program Committee with the assistance of the President and the Extension Service Advisor, and serve as the liaison to the Community Outreach and Education Committees.

3. Shall, in general, perform duties of the office of Vice President and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.

SECRETARY

1. Shall keep the minutes of the regular meetings and the Executive Committee meetings.

2. Shall be custodian of the organization's records.

3. Shall keep register of members' address and phone numbers.

4. Distribute active member list at the 4th meeting of the year.

5. Keep register of volunteer hours of each member and furnish such records to the Extension Service.

6. Shall determine the presence of a quorum when necessary.

7. Shall, in general, perform duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.

TREASURER

1. Shall be authorized to sign checks or other such instruments that may be authorized by the Executive Committee.

2. Shall have charge and custody of, and be responsible for all funds of the organization.

3. Shall collect membership dues and notify members of delinquent dues.

4. Shall receive and give receipts for money due and payable to the organization from any source.

5. Shall deposit such money in the name of the organization.

6. Shall keep correct and complete books and records and furnish such records to the Extension Service.

7. Shall determine the presence of a quorum when necessary.

8. Shall, in general, perform duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

1. Shall publicize through the media and/or other means, the activities of importance in which members of the PAMGA may be engaged.

2. Shall write/prepare material for publicity/publication.

3. Photograph events for such publication.

4. Furnish clippings, photographs, etc. to the Historian.

5. Shall, in general, perform duties incident to the office of Public Relations and other such duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.

HISTORIAN

1. Shall be responsible for obtaining and organizing any printed material or photographs of the events and activities of the PAMGA and placing them in an appropriate display book.

2. Shall display said book at each regular meeting of the membership.

3. Shall be responsible for historical research pertaining to the organization. 4. Shall, in general, perform duties incident to the office of Historian and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.

EXTENSION SERVICE ADVISOR/AGENT

1. Shall keep members informed of volunteer opportunities.

2. Shall keep members informed of gardening-related lectures, activities and educational programs.

3. Shall advise/assist Vice President with planning of educational programs/speakers for the regular meeting of the membership.

4. Shall ensure that the PAMGA activities are in harmony with the Extension Service objectives.

5. Shall serve as ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

I. Any officer elected by the membership or appointed by the Executive Committee may be removed by a three-fourth (3/4) vote of the membership, whenever in the membership's judgment the best interests of the organization would be served thereby.

J. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, or disqualification will be filled by Executive Committee appointment for the remaining portion of the term.

K. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association, shall conduct the business of the Association, shall fix the hour and place of the general meetings, announce them to the membership, and report critical decisions prior to the next general meeting.

ARTICLE VII-Contracts, Checks and Funds

A. The Executive Committee may authorize any Master Gardener of the organization to enter into an approved contract on behalf of the organization.

1. The Executive Committee may accept on behalf of the organization any contribution, gift bequest, or device, for the general purpose of, or any special purpose of the organization.

2. No earnings shall inure to any private individual, officer, director or member.

3. In the event of dissolution of the Association, all monies shall, after payment of all debt, be turned over to the McCracken County Extension Education Fund.

B. Other committees, standing or special, may be appointed by the Executive Committee to carry on the work of the organization. The President and the Advisor shall be ex-officio members of all such committees.

C. Checks over a $750 amount shall be approved by Executive Committee and require the signature of either the President or Treasurer.  All programs, Projects and/or activities with a budget exceeding $750 shall be approved by vote of the General Membership.

ARTICLE VII - Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the organization shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December in the same year.

ARTICLE IX-Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt.

ARTICLE X-Amendments to the Constitution

The constitution and/or by-laws of the Association may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided that the amendment has been submitted to the membership thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

BY-LAWS

1.  Membership

A. Minimum requirement for continued membership in the PAMGA shall be 25 volunteer hours per year, with an additional 10 hours of continuing education.

B.  The Executive Committee shall approve exemption from the 25 hourly requirement.

1. Request for Inactive Status:  Members requesting exemption from active membership requirements shall submit a written request for inactive status. This request may be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Once granted, inactive members shall no longer have a vote as a PAMG and volunteer hours will not count towards reinstatement. They may attend any PAMGA functions, meetings, programs, etc. If fees are involved, inactive members may receive the Master Gardener discount rate if applicable. Inactive members shall remain on the mail-out list for PAMGA.

2. Request for reinstatement of Active Status: Members requesting to be reinstated to active membership shall submit a written request to become an active member.  Once this request is received, the member shall have one year from the date of the request to fulfill the provisional 40 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of continuing education. Upon completion of the fulfillment of these requirements, the Executive Board may grant active status.

C. Persons desiring to resign membership shall notify the Secretary prior to the next scheduled meeting.

2.  Volunteer Hours

                A. 40 Hours: Extension Service Certificate

100 Hours: Badge Attachment

150 Hours: Badge Attachment

200 Hours: Badge Attachment

300 Hours: Badge Attachment

B. Certification of all volunteer hours must be recorded by the Secretary and approved by the McCracken County Extension Service Horticulture Agent.

3. All Programs/Projects/Activities of the PAMGA, with a budget exceeding $750, shall be approved by vote of the General Membership.

Purchase Area Master Gardener Association, 2705 Olivet Church Road, Paducah, Ky 42001 270/554-9520  FAX 270/554-8283  www.pamga.org