Crimson Express and Company

Constitution

Revised September 2006

 

ARTICLE I.                OFFICIAL NAME

                                    The official name of this Organization shall be the CRIMSON EXPRESS & COMPANY.

 

 

ARTICLE II.               PURPOSES

                                   

                                    The Crimson Express & Company is a non-profit Organization, whose purposes are:

 

Section 1.        To serve as the official voice of parents of Crimson Express members.

 

Section 2.        To establish and maintain an enthusiastic community interest in the various functions of the Crimson express, Murphysboro High School Band Program.

 

Section 3.        To lend all possible support, both moral and financial, to the Crimson Express, recognizing that all final decisions pertaining to the curriculum, musical organization, public performance and aims of the musical ensembles shall be the responsibility of the musical director.

 

Section 4.        To cooperate with those in charge of the Crimson Express program to the end that this program be kept at the highest possible degree of excellence.

 

Section 5.        To aid in bringing the Crimson Express of Murphysboro High School in closer contact with the parents of band members and with the community.

 

ARTICLE III.             MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1.        All parents or legal guardians of students participating in the Crimson Express shall be members of the Organization and entitled to vote.

 

Section 2.        Any other person who is a resident of the school district and is interested in the Organization may become an Honorary Member without voting privileges.

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV.             OFFICERS

 

Section 1.        The officers of this Organization shall be:  President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer and such other assistant officers as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.  No elected officers may serve in the same office longer than two consecutive terms, a term being one year.

 

Section 2.        The President shall preside at all meetings of the Organization, appoint all committees, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

 

Section 3.        The Vice-President shall assume all of the duties of the President in his/her absence.  He/she may be encouraged to take over the duties of the President for the following year.

 

Section 4.        The Secretary shall keep all records and minutes of all meetings in permanent form and conduct correspondence.

 

Section 5.        The Treasurer shall keep a record of all funds received and disbursed, serve as Chairperson of the Finance Committee, and provide a monthly financial report.  He/she shall write all checks.

 

Section 6.        The newly elected officers shall take office on August 1st.  Retiring officers shall continue to discharge their duties until relieved by their successors.

 

ARTICLE V.              THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 

Section 1.        The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Officers of the Organization, five (5) elected Board Members and the Music Director of the Crimson Express, who will act in an advisory capacity.

 

Section 2.        It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to have general supervision of the affairs of the Organization, to prepare a tentative budget for presentation at the September meeting and to carry on the business of the Organization between meetings.  It shall be necessary for a minimum of 6 members to be present to constitute a quorum.

 

Section 3.        The Executive Committee shall meet as needed to prepare and present a proposed program to the membership at the regular meetings.

 

 

ARTICLE VI.             FINANCES

 

Section 1.         In a non-profit organization, all officers have a high fiduciary responsibility to all members to appropriately collect and expend funds.  To discharge this responsibility, the Executive Board shall operate under a budget approved by the Executive Committee and the General Membership.  Expenditures shall be made in accordance with Financial Policies established by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2.        A Finance Committee, composed of the Band Director, President, Vice President, Treasurer and 1 Executive Committee member shall serve for a period of one year and shall be responsible for formulating an Operating Budget and shall administer the fiscal policies of the Crimson Express and Co.  The Operating Budget shall be prepared and submitted to the Executive Committee and the General Membership no later than the September General Membership meeting.  The fiscal year shall be from August 1st – July 31st.

 

Section 3.        Any non-approved expenditure is not the responsibility of the Crimson Express and Co. unless otherwise ratified by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 4.        If approved budget line item has exhausted its approved limit, approval must be obtained from the Executive Committee prior to further expenditures.

 

Section 5.        For legal and liability reasons, Crimson Express and Co. shall not be an employer.  [Crimson Express and Co. shall provide donations to the Murphysboro Unit District #186 for its use in providing auxiliary staff in support of the Crimson Express.]

 

Section 6.        An annual audit of the TreasurerŐs records shall be conducted annually by 2 Executive Committee members appointed by the President.

 

 

ARTICLE VII.            EQUIPMENT

 

All equipment and materials purchased by this Organization shall be donated to Murphysboro School District No. 186.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII.          ELECTIONS

 

Section 1.        A Nominating Committee shall be composed of the Band Director, the Elected Officers or another Board member if situation requires (i.e. an elected officer wishes their name to be put in nomination for an elected position on the upcoming Board).

 

Section 2.        The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of nominees for elected office at the April General Membership meeting.  Nominations may be made from the floor and shall be added to the list of nominees. Further nominations may be made by the general membership by submitting the name and the proposed office in writing to the President or Secretary at any time up and until 7 days prior to the May General Membership meeting.

 

Section 3.        Election for all elected officers shall be held at the May General Membership meeting.  Those elected shall officially take office on August 1st, but newly elected officers shall have responsibility and authority to commence planning for the Fall band season.  They shall not have authority to make expenditures until August 1st.  Requests for Fall expenditures may be made to the existing Board.

 

Section 4.        The newly elected officers shall present a slate of 4 ŇAt LargeÓ Executive Committee members at the June General Membership meeting.    Nominations may be made from the floor and shall be added to the list of nominees. The election of the 4 ŇAt LargeÓ members shall be held at that meeting.

 

Section 5.        The remaining Ňat largeÓ Executive Committee position shall be nominated in August.  Nominations may be made from the floor and shall be added to the list of nominees. Further nominations may be made by the general membership by submitting the name and the proposed office in writing to the President or Secretary at any time up and until 7 days prior to the September General Membership meeting.  This position is held open until this time in order that parents of freshmen and new students to have an opportunity to serve. The election shall be held in September

 

Section 6.        Assistant to elected officers may be appointed as needed (i.e. Asst. Treasurer) but shall not serve as voting members of the Executive Committee.

 

Section 7.        Election is by a simple majority of members present in person at the General Membership meeting.

 

 

ARTICLE IX.             MEETINGS

 

Section 1.        There shall be regular meetings held during the school year.

 

Section 2.        Special meetings shall be held on the call of the President, the Band Director, or 3 members of the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE X.              AMENDMENTS  TO THE CONSTITUTION

 

Before being voted upon, all proposed amendments shall be submitted beforehand for consideration of the entire membership of the Organization.  Proposed amendments, after due submission to the membership of the Organization, shall be voted upon either (1) at special meetings called for that purpose or (2) at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Organization.  A two-thirds vote of the members present shall be required to amend the Constitution.