Constitution

Updated 05/09/2005

ARTICLE I-NAME

The name of this organization is the Richmond County Medical Society.

ARTICLE II-OBJECTS AND PURPOSES

The purpose of this Society shall be to form an organization of the physicians of Richmond County, to include Burke, Columbia, Jefferson, McDuffie, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington and Wilkes Counties, so that by meeting with frank interchange of views they may make effective the opinions of the profession in all scientific, legislative, public health, material, and social affairs, so that the profession may receive that respect and support from within and from the community to which its honorable history and achievements entitle it; and with other county medical societies of the State of Georgia to form the Medical Association of Georgia and through it, with other associations, to form and maintain the American Medical Association.

ARTICLE III-MEMBERSHIP AND ELIGIBILITY

SECTION I. Classes of Members.

This Society shall consist of:

(1) Active Members
(2) Life Members
(3) Retired Members
(4) Associate Members
(5) Scientific Members
(6) Student Members

SECTION 2.

The Society shall be judge of the qualifications and desirability of applicants for membership. Every reputable and legally qualified physician of Richmond County or associated Counties, or an adjoining county who has graduated from an accredited American medical college or its equivalent and who conforms to the Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association, Medical Association of Georgia, and the Richmond County Medical Society, shall be eligible for membership subject to the classification set forth in the By-Laws of this Society. All applicants must be citizens of the United States , and must not have been adjudged guilty of moral turpitude or other serious crime.

SECTION 3.

Qualifications for each class:

(1) To be an active, associate, or scientific member, one must be licensed to practice medicine in Georgia.

(2) To be an active member one must;

(a) Be in the active practice of medicine in Richmond or associated Counties, or an adjoining county.

(b) Active members may be excused from the payment of dues for one of the following reasons: financial hardship or illness; postgraduate training, defined as that period during which a member participates in an organized training course within a hospital and therefore retired from active practice ; and or on temporary service in the Reserved Armed Forces. A member excused from dues payment for services in the Armed Forces shall not be required to pay annual dues for the period beginning January 1 or July 1 following the date of entrance into the service. Active members excused from payment of dues shall have the right to vote and hold office but shall not receive any publication of the Richmond County Medical Society except by personal subscription.

(3) To be eligible as a life member one must be in good standing , be over seventy years of age , and make application for Life Membership to the Society. Life members shall be exempt from dues, this exemption to begin following the member's 70th birthday. They may vote and hold office. Nothing in this section shall be construed to be retroactive to affect previously elected Life Members. Life members are not required to maintain a license.

(4) To be eligible as a retired member one must be in good standing, have retired from practice, be over sixty years of age, and make application for Retired Membership to the Society. Retired members shall be exempt from dues, this exemption to begin following the member's 60 th birthday. They may not vote or hold office and are not required to maintain a license.

(5) To be eligible as an associate member one must:

(a) Be a member in good standing of some other component medical society in this state, or another state ; or,

(b) Be a member of some a branch of the medical service of the United States ; or,

(c) Be an intern or resident undergoing training in this state; but in no case shall such membership be continued for a period in excess of six months from the completion of training.

(d) Reapply after associate membership ends obtain active membership. Associate members are exempt from dues and may not vote or hold office.

(6) A physician, if meeting qualifications set forth in Article III, Section III, paragraph 1 and 2 a, may apply for scientific membership in this Society. If granted, such membership shall include the privilege of participation in all scientific sessions. These members shall not be required to pay dues nor shall they have the right to vote or hold office.

(7) A student member shall not be required to pay dues nor have the right to vote or hold office. To be eligible as a student member, one must be enrolled as a full time medical student at the Medical College of Georgia.

SECTION 4.

Rights and duty of members: The right to vote and to hold office in this Society is limited to active members. Only active members shall be required to pay dues. Within these limitations the By-Laws may provide the respective rights and duties of the respective classes of members.

ARTICLE IV-OFFICERS

(1) The officers shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, the Trustees, a Director, an Alternate Director, the Chairmen of the standing committees, and the Delegates and Alternates to the Medical Association of Georgia. All officers shall serve for the terms hereinafter specified or until their successors have been elected or appointed, as hereinafter provided.

(2) The President-Elect, Vice-President , Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected at each November meeting, by the procedures specified in the By-Laws. They shall hold office for a term beginning with the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting in December following the November election and ending with installation of officers at the next Annual Meeting. The President-elect shall become President at the installation of officers at the annual meeting in the next calendar year after election, and shall serve as President until the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting in the second calendar year after his election as President-Elect.

(3) The Society shall elect, at the November meeting, as many Delegates and Alternates to the Medical Association of Georgia as shall be allotted by the Association. One third of the allotted number, or as near one third as can be, shall be elected each year. Each Delegate and Alternate shall serve until the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting in the third calendar year after election. At each third November meeting, the Society shall elect a Director and an Alternate Director , who shall serve until the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting in the third calendar year after election. These shall be elected by the procedures specified for election in the By-Laws.

(4) The Board of Trustees shall consist of the President, who shall be the Chairman of the board, a Vice-Chairman, the President-Elect, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Director, the Alternate Director, the three immediate past-presidents, and eleven elected Trustees -at-Large . Each Past-President shall serve as a Trustee for three years. Trustee s shall serve for three years beginning with the installation of officers at the Annual Meeting following their election. Board members shall be required to attend three-fifths of board meetings each year unless they have been granted proper excuse by the Chairman. Members who do not comply may be asked to resign their position, which would then be filled by appointment by the Chair until the next election when a new member would be elected to fill the remainder of the term.

(5) The Chairmen of all standing committees of the Society shall be annually appointed by the President (except for the grievance committee which consists of six members elected by the Society) for a term beginning with the adjournment of the Annual Meeting when they shall be appointed and ending with the adjournment of the Annual Meeting in the next calendar year after their appointment.

(6) Any vacancy in the office of President shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Vice-President. Vacancies in the office of Delegates to the Medical Association of Georgia shall be filled by Alternates. Each vacancy in any other office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person appointed by the Board of Trustees or by the President acting for the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE V-STANDING COMMITTEES

The standing committees of the Society shall be:

• COMMITTEE ON PROGRAM S
• COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
• COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION
• THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
• COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
• COMMITTEE ON MEMBERSHIP
• COMMITTEE ON THE ALLIANCE
• COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH
• COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WELFARE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
• COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND FINANCE
• COMMITTEE ON LIAISON WITH AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA CHAPTER

Each standing committee shall consist of a Chairman and at least two members appointed by the President unless otherwise provided in the By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI-BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees shall be the Board of Directors of the Society and shall have and exercise the powers and authorities usually exercised by the Board of Directors of Corporations of the State of Georgia except as otherwise specified in this Constitution and By-Laws. The Board shall supervise all standing and special committees , all appointive officers, agents, and employees, from whom it may require reports at least annually. A quorum, 50% of the members, shall be necessary to transact business of the Board of Trustees at any regular or called meeting.

ARTICLE VII-MEETINGS

The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be held on the second Tuesday of December of each year, notice of which shall be given in writing to each active member by the Secretary at least seven days prior to the meeting.

Regular meetings shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month except the months of December (Annual Meeting), June, July, and August. The time and place of all meetings shall be selected by the Board of Trustees, and the Secretary shall notify the membership by mail and in adequate time of the date, time, and place of such meetings.

Special meetings shall be called by the President on the written request of 5% of the active membership who shall state the particular purpose for which the meeting is called. Notice of a special meeting shall be given as required for regular meetings, and at such special meetings no business other than that specified in the call of the meeting shall be transacted.

A majority of the active members present shall be necessary to transact business of the Society at any regular, annual, or special meeting. Voting shall be by a simple majority of those members of the Society eligible to vote and hold office except for those exceptions set down in the Constitution and By-Laws.

ARTICLE VIII-FUNDS, DUES, DISBURSEMENTS

SECTION 1.

Funds may be raised by annual dues and voluntary contributions, from the Society's publications, and in any other manner approved by the Board of Trustees. Funds may be appropriated by the Board of Trustees to defray the expenses of the Society, to carry on its work, and for any purpose approved by the Board of Trustees.

SECTION 2.

All resolutions involving the appropriation of funds must be referred without debate, discussion, or action, to the Committee on Budget and Finance and then to the Board of Trustees before action thereon is taken by the Society. The Board of Trustees shall make recommendation s on such resolution s at the next regular meeting at which time they shall be voted upon by the Society.

SECTION 3.

The Board of Trustees shall have sole charge of all property belonging to the Society. Real property may be bought, sold, or leased by the Board on approval by a majority of the active members voting in a secret ballot taken at a regular meeting or by mail after publication of notice in the Society's bulletin.

ARTICLE IX-MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 1. CHARTER

The Society was granted its present Charter by the Council of the Medical Association of Georgia in September 1955. The original Charter was granted in 1905.

SECTION 2. INCORPORATION

The Society shall have authority to elect a Board of Trustees and to provide for articles of incorporation whenever it may deem necessary.

SECTION 3. AMENDMENTS

The Society may amend any article of this Constitution by a three-fourths vote of its members present at any regular meeting, provided that such amendment s are not in conflict with the laws and regulations of the state association and that such amendment s have been first recommended by the Board of Trustees , have been read in open session at a previous regular meeting, and have been published in an issue of the newsletter of the Richmond County Medical Society in advance of the meeting at which final action is to be taken.

By-Laws

CHAPTER I. MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1.

A candidate for membership shall make application in writing, giving date and place of birth, the medical college attended, date of graduation, places of previous practice, state license number, and date and place of registration. The application must be endorsed by two active members of this Society. When properly executed, the application shall be given to the Secretary who shall read it in a regular meeting. The President shall refer it to the Board of Trustees who shall inquire into the standing and qualifications of the applicant and ascertain that membership requirements have been duly complied with . It shall publish the name of the applicant in the Society's newsletter and report promptly to the Society on its recommendation of the candidate for membership. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be necessary to accept a membership recommendation and, when the Board has recommended against admitting a candidate to membership, a two-thirds majority shall be necessary to reverse the Board's decision.

Any completed application once recommended by the Board of Trustees, shall be acted on by the voting members of the Society, present and voting, by:

1. Acceptance; or
2. Acceptance with re-classification of membership category; or
3. Rejection

Refusal of an applicant to accept re-classification by the Society shall be considered the withdrawal of the application.

SECTION 2.

A physician transferring from another component Society may do so with a letter of good standing from that Society, signed by its secretary and president, plus completion of the usual application form for this Society.

The Board of Trustees shall consider this as a new applicant and report to the Society recommending that the application be accepted or rejected. Annual dues shall be prorated making due allowance for dues previously paid by the transferee during the fiscal year.

SECTION 3.

A member in good standing who wishes to withdraw , who is free from all indebtedness to this Society, and against whom no charges are pending, shall be granted a transfer card. This card shall state the date the member became associated with this Society, the date of issuance of the card, and a statement that the member is in good standing with dues paid until the date specified, and it shall be signed by the President and the Treasurer.

SECTION 4.

All members shall be eligible to attend and take part in all meetings and take part in all proceedings, and all active members shall be eligible to any office or honor within the Society so long as they conform to this constitution and by-laws, including the payment of dues. A member who has been suspended or expelled shall not be permitted to take part in any of the proceedings, or be eligible to any office until relieved of such disability. And further, that no privileges of membership shall be extended to any person not a member of this Society except on a majority vote of the Society in regular meetings.

SECTION 5.

A member who is guilty of a criminal offense or of gross misconduct, either as a physician or as a citizen, or who violates any of the provisions of this constitution and by-laws, shall be liable to censure, suspension, or expulsion. Charges against a member must be made in writing and be delivered to the Secretary, who shall immediately furnish a copy to the accused and to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The Board shall investigate the merits of the charges but no action shall be taken by the Board within ten days of the presentation of charges to the accused, nor before giving the accused and accusers ample opportunity to be heard. The Board shall report (1) that the charges are not sustained; or (2) that the charges are sustained and the accused be (a) censured ; (b) suspended for a definite period of time ; or (c) expelled. Censure or suspension shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular meeting of the Society and expulsion shall require a three-fourths vote of those present and voting. No action shall be taken by the Society in any such case until at least six weeks have elapsed since the filing of the charges. A member suspended for a definite time shall be reinstated at the expiration of the time.

SECTION 6.

If charges are filed against a member and the matter is found to be not significant , the Chairman or some other member of the Board of Trustees designated by the Chairman must make every possible and expedient effort to eliminate misunderstanding and effect reconciliation or withdrawal of the charges. Failure to attempt reconciliation shall not preclude or otherwise affect investigation, hearing, report and action on charges.

SECTION 7.

Members expelled from this Society for any cause shall be eligible for membership after one year from date of expulsion and on the same terms and in like manner as original applicants. Members who have been suspended shall automatically become members again in good standing on expiration of the period of suspension and payment of dues then current.

CHAPTER II-PURPOSE AND POWERS

SECTION 1.

This Society shall encourage among the members of the profession the interchange of views on all phases of professional advancement to equip each member of the profession to serve society and to promote public health; shall maintain a program of scientific education for members of the Society; shall advance the standard of medical practice, and insure observance of the ideals and ethics of the profession.

SECTION 2.

This society shall have the power to acquire and hold title to such real and personal property as may be necessary to accomplish its purposes and to carry on such functions and activities as are deemed necessary to effectively accomplish the above purposes, provided however, it shall not engage in activities that cannot reasonably be considered incidental or necessary to its charitable, educational or scientific purposes.

SECTION 3.

The officers and committee on programs shall profit by experience and by example of other similar societies, and strive to arrange for the most attractive and successful proceedings for each meeting. Crisp papers and discussions and reports of cases shall be arranged for, sought after and encouraged, and tedious and profitless proceedings and discussions shall be avoided as far as practicable.

SECTION 4.

The Society shall meet at 7:30 PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month from September through May, provided however that not more than twice a year the meeting time may be changed by majority vote of the members to provide for special programs. Notice of meetings shall be sent to all members at least seven days before each meeting. A majority of the active members present at any called meeting shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 5.

The Society shall endeavor to develop understanding between medicine and the public and it shall be ever ready to explain medicine's position as it relates to ethics, science, or economics.

SECTION 6.

This Society shall endeavor to educate its members to the belief that the physician should be a leader in the community, in character, in learning, in dignified and honorable behavior and in courteous, respectful treatment of his fellow physicians, to the end that the profession may occupy that place in its own and the public estimation to which it is entitled.

CHAPTER III-OFFICERS

SECTION 1.

The Officers of the Society shall be elected at the November meeting each year. Prior to the October meeting a Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President-Elect, who shall serve as the Chairman, and shall prepare a list of nominees for the offices with terms expiring in that calendar year. At the October meeting, this list shall be presented to the members, and nominations shall be received from the floor. All names thus nominated, by the Trustees and from the floor, shall be printed on an official ballot, with spaces for writing in names other than those nominated, which shall be mailed to reach each member no less seven days in advance of the November meeting.

A locked and attended ballot box shall be available at place and hours designated by the Trustees, but for no less than the day proceeding and the day of the November meeting. Members shall deposit marked secret official ballot s in the ballot box, at which time their signature s shall be recorded on the voters roster. To be counted, a ballot must be in the box before the call to order of the November meeting. An absentee ballot may be obtained from the Secretary to be used in case of illness or bona fide absence from the city on the days of balloting, and such a ballot must be in the hands of the Secretary by 6:00 o'clock p.m. of the day of the November meeting.

At the November meeting the ballot box shall be opened and the ballots counted and recorded by Tellers appointed by the Trustees or their designees, and the results of the balloting announced to the members. For each office , the person receiving the majority of votes cast shall be declared elected. If for any office no nominee or write-in has received a majority of the votes cast, the two names receiving the larger numbers of votes shall be voted on by the active members present and election shall be by majority of those voting.

SECTION 2.

The President shall preside at the meetings of the Society, and perform such other duties as custom and parliamentary usage may require. This officer shall be the real head of the profession in the county during the year, and it shall be the pride and ambition and pride of those filling it to leave it in better condition as regards both scientific attainments and harmony than it was at the beginning of their terms of office.

SECTION 3.

The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of duties, shall preside in the absence of, and, in case of the death, resignation, or removal of the President from the county, shall succeed to the presidency.

SECTION 4.

The Secretary shall record the minutes of the meetings and receive and care for all records and papers belonging to the Society, including its charter. Duties shall include notifying each member of the Society as to time and place of each meeting, and, whenever possible, giving the program for the meeting making and keeping a list of the members of this Society in good standing, noting of each the correct name, address, place and date of graduation, and the date of the state certificate for practice of medicine in this state ; sending a copy of such lists, on blank forms furnished him for that purpose, to the Secretary of the state association at such time as they may designate en deavoring to account for each physician who has moved into or out of the county during the year, stating when possible, both his present and past addresses.

SECTION 5.

The Treasurer shall keep account of all funds of the Society, shall receive all dues and money belonging to the Society from the members, and shall pay out the same only on the written order of the President pursuant to appropriations and office expenditures made in accordance with this Constitution and By-Laws.

SECTION 6.

The Directors shall attend and represent the Society at the meetings of the Board of Directors of the Medical Association of Georgia, and shall make a report of the actions of the Board of Directors to the Board of Trustees and the general membership as appropriate.

SECTION 7.

The Delegates shall attend and faithfully represent the members of this Society and the profession of this county in the House of Delegates of the State Association, and shall make a report of the proceedings of that body to this Society at the earliest opportunity.

SECTION 8.

The Board of Trustees shall, upon the nomination of the Secretary elect an Executive Secretary and such other employees as may be necessary, and shall determine their salaries and terms and conditions of their employment.

Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary shall be the administrative agent of this Society, of its Board of Trustees, and of all its committees; executive agent of the Society transacting its business under the direction of the Board of Trustees ; and the directing manager of the Headquarters Office. Duties shall include discharging the administrative functions of the Society not within the duties of the Society officers and committees ; keeping informed in regards to non-professional matters affecting the medical profession ; being responsible to the Board of Trustees for the execution and carrying out of the policies of the Society and in that connection performing all specific tasks designated by the committees and the officers of the Society. The selection, terms of employment, and salary of the Executive Secretary shall be determined by the Board of Trustees.

CHAPTER IV-COMMITTEES

SECTION 1.

There shall be a Board of Trustees as provided in the constitution. The Board may accept any charge of unethical conduct and shall require that the complaint be reduced to writing and signed by the complainant. Thereupon the Board shall make preliminary investigation according to its judgment and discretion and shall make every reasonable effort to insure the complaint is valid and significant. When the Board determines that there is reasonable ground to believe unethical conduct has occurred, it shall thereupon advise the complainant and the accused of its opinion, stating the nature of the charge , and set it down for hearing. The Board shall endeavor to hear and learn all the facts necessary to arrive at a just conclusion and will accord all parties every opportunity to be heard and to present evidence in support of their respective positions. After full and complete hearing, as judged by the Board it will summarize the charges and findings and state its conclusions and recommendations, presenting them to the Society in executive session at a regular meeting. Or, the Board of Trustees may refer the matter initially to the Grievance Committee as in Chapter IV, SECTION 6 of these By-Laws.

SECTION 2.

Committee on Programs
This committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary , and Treasurer and s hall be responsible for the overall planning and promotion of the scientific and social functions of the Society. It may appoint sub-committees to arrange attractive programs for each meeting. It shall be the duty of both the committee and sub-committee(s) to encourage attendance at the meetings and to urge each member to participate in the scientific work of the Society. The committee shall work to stimulate fraternizing and good feeling among the members in every way.

SECTION 3.

Committee on Public Relations and Publications
This committee shall be in charge of the Richmond County Medical Society Newsletter under the direct supervision of the Board of Trustees. The editorial policy of the Richmond County Medical Society Newsletter shall be under the direct supervision of the Board of Trustees and they shall be held responsible for this policy. However, they may and will designate the Public Relations and Publications Committee to carry out the actual operation of the Richmond County Medical Society Newsletter.

• To allow for suitable and ethical advertising in the Richmond County Medical Society Newsletter so it will be self sustaining.
• To arrange that this will be sent out monthly to all members of the Society, and when deemed necessary or advisable to members of the profession in the Central Savannah River Area, to all members of the Medical Association of Georgia.
• To disseminate medical knowledge to the community:
• To edit all matters to be published in the lay press, to be given over radio or television, and any other means of communication to the public by members representing the Richmond County Medical Society.

SECTION 4.

Committee on Legislation.
The duties of this committee shall be as follows:

• To cooperate with the Council on Legislation of the Medical Association of Georgia in all matters pertaining to legislation.
• To coordinate and plan the Society's Legislative meeting each year, and to maintain good relations between the professions of medicine and the members of the legislature in the community.

SECTION 5.

The Grievance Committee
(a) This committee shall be composed of six members. Three members shall be elected each year at the annual meeting to serve two years. (b) All complaints by members of the Society or by lay persons regarding infractions of medical ethics may be referred to this committee by the Board of Trustees or the President before action thereon is taken by any Board, Council, or committee of the Society, or by the Society itself. (c) if the committee can satisfy itself that the complaint is based on a misunderstanding and can restore harmony among the members concerned, it shall drop the affair. (d) If, however, the committee believes the complaint sustained, when necessary it may refer the charge to the Board of Trustees and finally before the Society.

SECTION 6.

Committee on Constitution and By-Laws
The duties of this committee shall be to recommend to the Society, through the Board of Trustees, any amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws which it thinks would improve the functioning and interests of the Society. All proposals to amend the Constitution and By-Laws shall automatically be referred to the committee for its study and recommendations before action thereon is taken by the Society. Should a question arise as to the interpretation of the Constitution and By-Laws and Sturgis, "Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, Revised", the committee shall render a decision when so requested by the President of the Society.

SECTION 7.

The Membership Committee
The membership committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Society. It shall, with the Board of Trustees, have an indoctrination meeting with all new members of the Society. The time and place of the Meeting shall be decided by the chairman of the committee. The committee shall also introduce and give the background of each new member to the Society at the next regular meeting after the applicant has been accepted.

SECTION 8.

Committee on The Alliance
The committee on the Alliance shall cooperate with, advise, and direct the Alliance in all matters concerning the Society.

SECTION 9.

Mental Health Committee
This committee shall promote the welfare and care of the mentally ill locally and in Georgia.

SECTION 10.

Committee on Public Welfare and Community Health. Members of this committee shall be the chief medical officer/chief of staff or their designee from each county hospital, director of Public Health, the elected member who serves on the Board of Health, and an active board member of Project Access. The duties of this committee shall be as follows:

• To have the Society actively support and urge all of its members to do all in their power to ensure that the general public have access to basic medical care.
• To prepare placards or use press, radio, television, or any other media to bring this matter to the attention of the public.

SECTION 11.

Committee on Budget and Finance
This committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer of the Society. Its purpose will be to annually prepare a proposed budget for the coming year and to submit that budget to the Board of Trustees at its first meeting in January for approval. This committee will further consider budgetary and financial items through the year as referred to it by the President or the Board of Trustees and will render its recommendations.

SECTION 12.

Committee on Liaison with the American Medical Student Association, Medical College of Georgia Chapter
The purpose of this committee will be to establish and maintain liaison with the Medical College of Georgia Chapter of the American Medical Student Association , and to encourage involvement by its members in organized medicine locally, in the state, and in the nation.

SECTION 13.

Special Committees
Special committees may be created at any time when the necessity arises. Their necessity must be approved by the Board of Trustees and they shall be appointed by the President who shall designate the chairman of each. The terms of all members of special committees shall expire with the term of the President who appointed them.

CHAPTER V-FUNDS AND EXPENSES

SECTION 1.

Each new member of the Society shall pay his annual dues upon acceptance into the Society. This fee shall cover annual dues prorated to the current fiscal year.

SECTION 2.

The annual membership dues shall be recommended by the Board of Trustees and determined by the Society. These dues shall be payable by January 1. Those who become members after June 30 will not be required to pay dues for the first half of that calendar year. Any member who shall fail to pay his annual dues by April 1 shall be held as suspended without action on the part of the Society. A member suspended for non-payment-of dues shall be restored to full membership on payment of all indebtedness. Members more than one year in arrears shall be dropped from the roll of members. They may apply for membership only upon payment in full of their indebtedness to the Society.

SECTION 3.

The fiscal year of this Society shall be from January 1 to December 31, inclusive.

CHAPTER VI-ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of business shall be as follows:

• Call to order 
• Reading, correction, approval, or disposition of minutes of previous meetings.
• Reports of officers
• Reports of boards and standing committees
• Reports of special committees
• Unfinished business
• New business
• Announcements
• Adjournment

CHAPTER VII-RULES OF ORDER

SECTION 1.

The deliberations of this society shall be governed by parliamentary usage as contained in Sturgis:

Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, Revised, except where modified by the Constitution or By-Laws or unless suspended by majority vote of this Society.

SECTION 2.

When so requested by ten members, the President must call for a secret ballot on any question before the Society can vote.

SECTION 3.

The President may call for secret ballot at his discretion.

CHAPTER VIII-AMENDMENTS

The Society may amend any chapter of these By-Laws by a two-thirds vote of its members present at any regular meeting, provided that such amendment or amendments are not in conflict with the laws and regulations of the State Association; provided also, that such amendment or amendments have been first recommended by the Board of Trustees and have been read in open session at a previous regular meeting of the Society, and have been published in an issue of the Newsletter of the Richmond County Medical Society in advance of the meeting at which final action is to be taken.

The foregoing Constitution and By-Laws is an accurate
Constitution and By-Laws of the Richmond County Medical Society
January 26, 2005

Constitution and By-Laws Committee,
Jill P. Hauenstein, M.D., Chairman