Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Bylaws

Alternatively: download a printable Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Bylaws. Exhibits available upon request.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council is to assist the County Extension staff and 4-H volunteers to coordinate a positive, hands-on, educational experience for individual growth and development. The Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council supports and adopts the mission of Montana 4-H as outlined in the Montana 4-H Policy. Exhibit A.

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council. The operating year shall commence October 1 of each year and end September 30 annually. Hereafter in this document, Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council will be referred to as Council.

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Article II: Objectives

The primary purpose of the Council is to provide guidance and assistance to the County Extension staff in planning and conducting educational programs. In addition, the Council advises the County Extension staff in the establishment of county 4-H policies that are not in conflict with the State 4-H policy statement. Council is also the governing body of the Cascade County 4-H program and all the committees within the Cascade County 4-H program.

The objectives of the Council shall be to:

1. Plan and coordinate county-wide activities.
2. Provide a channel for offering suggestions and helping develop the countywide program.
3. Enable leaders to undertake projects or activities on a county-wide or district basis, and to offer suggestions for the state 4-H program.
4. Provide a channel of communication and exchange of ideas for leaders and Extension personnel.
5. Provide closer association and exchange of ideas for leaders and other youth organizations.
6. Provide opportunities for leaders’ training and development.
7. Work with and through the Cascade 4-H Foundation.
8. Recommend policy for the county 4-H program when not pre-determined by the district, state, or national regulations.

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Article III: Membership and Voting

The Council membership eligibility will consist of 4-H adult leaders and 4-H members of Cascade County that have registered and paid dues for the current year, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, or national origin. MSU Extension Cascade County 4-H Agents shall serve in an ex-officio non-voting capacity. Voting membership will be limited to one 4-H leader and one 4-H member vote per active club in good standing, in addition to the Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The President will only vote to break a tie.

A quorum shall consist of at least 9 voting members present. A 50% + 1 vote majority of eligible voters is required for approval of any motions. You must be present at the entire meeting to vote.

Any business between meetings will be conducted electronically. Electronic votes will be coordinated by the County 4-H Agent through each club’s organizational leader. It will be the organizational leader’s responsibility to timely respond to the County 4-H Agent with the club vote (1 leader representative; 1 member representative). The electronic vote must pass by 50% + 1 of the quorum.

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Article IV: Election of Officers

Annual elections are to be held at the November meeting. Nominations will be posted at the beginning of the meeting. Voting will take place by secret ballot. Ballots will be counted by the County Agent.

Terms of office shall be for two years. An officer may succeed him/herself in office, but not to exceed three two-year terms for a total of 6 years in an office. The President and Treasurer are elected in even years and the Vice President and Secretary are elected in odd years.

If an officer resigns before their term is up, the executive committee will appoint a replacement to complete the current term of office. This appointment does not affect term limits as stated above.

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Article V: Duties of Officers

President:

The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings, appoint committees, and perform such duties as prescribed by the Council. The President in cooperation with the County Agent sets and posts the Council meeting agenda to the MSU Extension Cascade County website two weeks prior to the meeting. The President will not have voting rights at Council or Executive meetings unless to break a tie vote. The President serves as the chairperson of the Executive Committee. The President will have signature authority on all Council accounts.

Vice President:

The duties of the Vice President shall be to assume the duties of the President in their absence or in the event the President’s office is vacant. The Vice President serves as an ex-officio member of all committees. The Vice President shall learn the duties of the President and be prepared to follow the latter into office at the end of the President’s term if elected. The Vice President will have signature authority on all Council accounts.

Secretary:

The duties of the Secretary shall be to keep and maintain a record of the minutes of the meetings, call the roll, and submit the roll and minutes to the Extension Office to be e-mailed to the 4-H members and 4-H leaders within two weeks after the meeting. Duties also include keeping all current records of all current bylaws, policies, and guidelines, as well as preparing the agenda for the upcoming meeting.

Treasurer:

The duties of the Treasurer shall be to maintain and monitor financial records for the Council and to sign checks. The Treasurer will work with the bookkeeper on financial matters and provide a financial report, including a budget report, at each Council meeting, and facilitates bank deposits. There will be an annual review and preparation of IRS Form 990 from the Treasurer's book by January 1 annually. The Treasurer will have signature authority on all Council accounts. The Treasurer shall have the authority to pay all approved Council bills. The Treasurer will be responsible for following up with any Non-Sufficient Funds checks that are received by the Council. This will require communicating with the issuer of the check and trying to collect the funds.

Signature Policy:

Two Executive board members will sign all checks.

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Article VI: Bookkeeping Services

A contract for services bookkeeper will provide bookkeeping services. The bookkeeper will perform general bookkeeping duties and provide quarterly invoices of services to the Council. The bookkeeper will efficiently and responsibly utilize QuickBooks Software. This is a contract with the Cascade 4-H Foundation and the scope of the contract includes the Cascade 4-H Foundation, Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders, Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders, Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders, and the Council. Wages are prorated between each entity for the time worked on each entity’s account.

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Article VII: Committees

The Council will operate through a committee structure. The President may appoint additional committees to facilitate the work of the Council. All committees are required to provide the Council with an itemized budget by the November Council meeting for approval.

MSU Extension Cascade County 4-H Agents and the President are ex-officio members of all committees and may attend committee meetings but have no vote.

EXECUTIVE

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer and shall meet as needed to plan meetings and attend to Council business between the regular meetings as deemed necessary. At least one MSU Extension Staff member will serve in an ex-officio non-voting position. A majority vote will make decisions.

NOMINATING

Duties of the Nominating Committee shall be to present a slate of officers at the September meeting and to call for nominations from the floor.

POLICY

The Policy Committee reviews the Council Bylaws and Operating Policy annually. See Article IX: Policy and Procedure.

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Article VIII: Meetings

The Council will meet a minimum of 6 times a year in November, January, March, May, July, and September. Generally, meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month. Special meetings may be called by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee and the MSU Extension Cascade County 4-H Agent.

The meeting agenda will consist of, but not limited to the following:

• Meeting minutes
• Correspondence
• Treasurer’s report
• Program and committee reports
• Unfinished business
• New Business
• For the Good of the Order

Two weeks prior to each Council meeting, the agenda packet will be posted on the MSU Extension Cascade County website and e-mailed to all members. If there is a discussion about a subject not on the agenda at a meeting, then there cannot be a vote on that matter until the next meeting.

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Article IX: Policy and Procedure

The Council Bylaws and Operating Policy are reviewed annually. A Policy Committee, consisting of representatives of the various project committees and other interested individuals, is named by the President at the September Council meeting. Input from 4-H program participants should be directed to the Policy Committee prior to its annual policy review meeting. The Committee presents the final draft of the policy for approval at the January Council Meeting. If necessary, Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Council provided the amendment has been submitted and read at the previous meeting OR has been distributed to each Council voting member in writing electronically at least two weeks prior to the meeting. A quorum must be present. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present is required to amend the Bylaws.

The Montana 4-H Policy supersedes the Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Bylaws and Operating Policy and must be followed by all 4-H members and 4-H leaders. Montana 4-H Policy is attached as Exhibit A.

If you are a 4-H member or volunteer, you are permitted to use the 4-H name and emblem once your program is chartered with the official 4-H charter and you have permission from the MSU Extension Cascade County 4-H Agent.

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Article X: Dissolution Clause

Upon termination of affiliation with Cascade County and MSU extension and/or upon dissolution of the Council the governing body of the Council shall promptly pay or make provisions for the payment of all liabilities of the Council. The Council will then promptly transfer all of the remaining assets to the Cascade 4-H Foundation to be dispersed by it to a qualified entity (including the Cascade 4-H Foundation and any of its affiliates) under section 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding provision of any United States Internal Revenue Law) which is chartered by, affiliated with or supportive of 4-H programs and activities.

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Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Bylaws - January 12, 2021