Section 1.      The name of this association is the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association.

Section 2.      The mission of the Association is to:

a.      Promote and support all aspects of beekeeping in the Northwest of New Jersey and surrounding areas;

b.     Educate the general public about the benefits and importance of beekeeping, pollination services, honey, beeswax and other products from the hive to the economy and environment of New Jersey;

c.          Dispel myths and misinformation concerning the honey bee; and

d.      Inform and educate the general public concerning the honey bee and the beekeeping industry.

Section 1.       The membership shall consist of beekeepers and others interested in beekeeping or allied activities without regard to race, color, religious creed, disability, age, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.

Section 1.      The officers of the Association shall be president, three vice-presidents, a secretary and a treasurer.

Section 2.      The president shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Board. The president shall appoint such standing committees as are specified by the by-laws and shall be an ex-officio member of these committees. The president shall serve as an exofficio member of those committees established by the president or Executive Board.

Section 3.       The vice-presidents, in the absence or disability of the president shall perform the functions of the office of the president; the vice-presidents will succeed the president and each other in numerically ascending order. Each vice-president shall have supervision of those committees as may be assigned by the president.

Section 4.      The secretary shall keep a full and correct record of all meetings of the Executive Board and Membership as required, and manage Association elections pursuant to election rules identified herein. The secretary shall give timely notice of all meetings and shall submit, at the annual meeting, reports of the activities of the Association. In addition to the foregoing, the secretary shall, under the direction of the president, prepare all communications, printed and electronic, with external parties, the Membership, and, in consultation with the treasurer, shall maintain the membership roll and member information.

Section 5.      The treasurer shall manage the financial affairs of the Association. The treasurer shall receive all monies and deposit same to the credit of the Association in such depository institutions as may be approved by the Executive Board, prepare quarterly financial statements for presentation to the Executive Board, prepare and cause to be distributed to the members of the Association annual financial statements. The treasurer is empowered to collect dues.

Section 1.      The Executive Board shall consist of the president, the three vice-presidents, the secretary, treasurer, the immediate past president of the Association and the chair of each standing committee.

Section 2.      The Executive Board shall meet no less than four times per year and at times set by the president. Board members may attend meetings in person or by electronic means. A board member must attend the meeting to cast a vote at the meeting. No board member may convey a proxy to another board member. 

Section 1.      The president, three vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected at the annual meeting. They shall assume office at the end of the annual meeting and hold their offices until their successors have been elected. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms other than the treasurer who may serve five consecutive years. The term of office shall be two years. Not withstanding the foregoing, if at the time of election there are no nominees for a position due to become vacant, the membership may decide, by majority vote, to extend the tenure of the incumbent officer.

Section 2.      Three months prior to the annual meeting at which elections shall be conducted, the president shall appoint a nominating committee of three or more members who shall: notify the membership of the pending election, solicit indications of interest from the membership, and present their nominations for officers to the membership at least forty-five (45) days prior to the annual meeting. Those nominees, together with any nominations made from the floor, will be voted upon. The candidate

receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared duly elected and shall assume office at the close of the annual meeting.

Section 3.      The election shall be managed by the secretary and the nominating committee. Each full member in good standing shall be entitled to cast one vote. Votes may be cast in person at the meeting, by mail-in ballot, or by electronic means as may be determined by the nominating committee. The membership will be duly notified how to exercise any of these options in a timely manner.

 The nominating committee shall develop the rules, procedures and methods for conducting elections and present such to the Executive Board which shall approve the rules, procedures and methods governing voting by mail or by electronic means no less than ninety (90) days prior to the date of the election. Such rules, procedures and methods shall be published in the New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter, by secure electronic means, or in a letter mailed to all members at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the mailing of the ballots.

Section 4.      The president shall appoint three members to act as election tellers at the annual meeting or at any meeting where votes for officers or amendment to the Constitution or By-Laws shall be conducted; tellers shall be responsible to count the ballots and announce the results. In the event of a tie, the secretary shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 5.      Vacancies for officer positions or any other positions that occur between elections shall be filled by appointment by the president, subject to approval by the Executive Board.

Section 1.      Any amendment of this constitution must first be presented by a member in writing at a regular meeting of the Executive Board for consideration. Upon approval of the proposed amendment by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Board, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the membership for ratification at a subsequent Association meeting held not less than sixty (60) days after either publication of the proposed amendment in the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter or by electronic means or by mail. The amendment shall become effective upon approval by 60% of the votes cast.

Section 2.      Any amendment of the by-laws must first be presented by a member in writing at a regular meeting of the Executive Board for consideration. Upon approval of the proposed amendment by simple majority of the Executive Board, the proposed change shall be submitted to the membership for ratification at a subsequent Association meeting held not less than sixty (60) days after either publication of the proposed amendment in the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association

newsletter or by electronic means or by mail. The amendment shall become effective upon approval by a majority of votes cast.

Section 3.      The election procedures defined in Article V, Section 3 for the election of officers shall also be utilized for amendments to the constitution and by-laws. 

Section 1.      Upon the dissolution of the Association, all books and records of the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association shall automatically become the property of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association. All monies in the treasury, if any, of the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association shall be assigned to the New Jersey Beekeepers Association subject to any and all outstanding liabilities and debt.

Section 1.      The Executive Board of the Association may warn, suspend or terminate an individual member or members for serious reasons such as a violation of the constitution or by-laws, unlawful conduct adversely affecting the Association or any conduct determined by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board to be detrimental to the Association or the practice of apiculture.

Section 2.      Any individual member who is the subject of charges shall be informed in writing by certified mail of the charges and shall be given the opportunity to defend themselves against such charges at a meeting of the Executive Board, to be held no sooner than thirty (30) days from such notification nor no later than sixty (60) days, before final action is taken by the Executive Board. Under no circumstances shall such member, regardless of outcome, be entitled to reimbursement, in whole or in part, of membership dues.

Section 3.      The Executive Board action on any such charges requires a 2/3 majority of that board and may consist of actions up to and including termination of membership

Section 1.      Anyone interested in apiculture may become a member. Section 2. There shall be three categories of membership: Junior, Full and Honorary.

Section 3.      All categories of membership shall receive both the State and Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association periodic newsletter and shall enjoy all other membership privileges, except the right to vote unless otherwise explicitly granted in the definition of each membership category.

Section 4.      Any person under the age of 18 or who is enrolled in an institution of higher education who is interested in apiculture may become a junior member. Junior members shall not be entitled to vote in Association elections or any other matters requiring a vote, but are entitled to all of the other rights and privileges of membership.

Section 5.      Multiple family members residing at the same address shall have the option to become collectively a Full member. Full members shall receive one subscription to the newsletters and shall be entitled to one vote (on behalf of the family) in Association elections. All family members who comprise the Full membership shall be entitled to all of the other rights and privileges of membership.

Section 6.      The Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association may propose an individual for Honorary Membership who has rendered outstanding service to the Association or to the field of apiculture. The New Jersey Beekeepers Association Executive Board shall approve, at its discretion, the proposed Honorary member for a period of either one year (thereby renewable each year), or for their lifetime. An Honorary member shall not be entitled to vote in Association elections.

Section 7. No new members will be accepted as Life members. Current Life members will continue to receive all membership benefits without payment of annual dues. 

Section 1.      The Executive Board shall determine the Association annual dues by membership category. The dues levied by the Association shall include allocations for both the New Jersey Beekeepers Association dues and The Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association dues.

 Dues may be collected either by the New Jersey Beekeepers Association treasurer or the The Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association treasurer, and, as appropriate, promptly allocated upon collection

Section 2.      Memberships are effective for the twelve month period, beginning January 1 and terminating December 31. New members who pay after July 31 will have their memberships run from the date paid to the end of the next year.

Section 3.      Any member who has paid his or her dues to another branch association may become a member of The Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association branch by paying that portion of the branch dues directly to the treasurer of that association.

Section 4.      Honorary members shall not be assessed dues. For a one year Honorary membership the honoring group shall pay to the Association treasurer the Association’s portion of the annual dues for an individual member. For a lifetime Honorary membership, a funding fee to be determined annually by the Executive Board will be paid to the Association treasurer.

Section 5.      All membership dues shall be payable commencing on January 1. Members who have not paid their dues in full by February 1 shall be considered delinquent and their names dropped from the secretary’s roll. 

Section 1.      The annual meeting of the Association shall be held before March 1st, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2.      Field meetings shall be held shall be held in various locations to promote and support all aspects of beekeeping and are open to all members of NJBA in general, as well as the public, as approved by the Executive Board.

Section 3.      A quorum at any Association regular meeting shall consist of no less than six members present in person or by absentee ballot. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be no less than four (4) members. The secretary shall determine a quorum at all meetings.

Section 4.      Any action by the presiding officer in adopting rules for, and in conducting, a meeting of the membership shall be fair to all members. The conduct of the meeting shall generally follow simplified Robert’s Rules of Order. 

Section 1.      The president shall appoint the following standing committees: Membership Committee and Publicity & Public Relations Committee.   

Section 2.      The Membership Committee shall prepare an annual report, no later than March 1st, reporting on membership statistics for the year ended on December 31st.

Section 3.      The Publicity and Public Relations committee shall disseminate information regarding the activities of the Association. It shall arrange for all exhibits and meetings with other organizations to acquaint the public with beekeeping and the uses of honey.

Section 4.      Special committees may be established by the president or the Executive Board and the committee members for any such special committee shall be appointed by the president. No special committee shall exist for more than two years without the approval of the Executive Board. 

Section 1.      The president shall appoint delegates, representatives, and directors to represent the Association on the boards and committees of other organizations. Such appointments are for one year or for the duration of the office to which the member has been appointed and may be nullified by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. 

Adopted December 16th, 2017.  Last Updated December 17th, 2017.