Section 1. The name of the organization shall be El Dedon Verde Garden Club.

Section 2. The emblem of the organization shall be a Green Thumb.

• The purpose of El Dedon Verde Garden Club shall be to promote the love of gardening among amateurs, to protect and
  promote the growth of our native trees, flowers, and birds and to encourage civic planting and civic beauty.

Section 1. The membership shall consist of four classes of membership: Active, Sustaining, Non-Resident, and Life Members.

Section 2. The membership of the club shall be limited in number to 65 Active and 100 Sustaining members.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of one-third (1⁄3) of the Active membership.

Section 4. A leave of absence may be granted with the approval of the Executive Committee. Dues must be paid during absences.

Section 5. Upon written request of the President, any member who resigns in good standing may rejoin as a Sustaining member after current members requesting Sustaining status have been placed. The Sustaining membership must not exceed 100.

Section 6. Active Members

                   (a.) Shall be required to pay annual dues of $100 [effective June 1, 2016].
                   (b.) Shall be required to participate in the annual Flower Show.
                   (c.) Shall be required to serve as a hostess/cook each year.
                   (d.) May take a leave of absence for a period of one year for the reason of absence from the city. Dues must be paid.
                   (e.) An Active member in good standing may request Sustaining membership after five years or more by submitting a written request to the President provided the member has participated in at least five Flower Shows and that the Sustaining Membership does not exceed 100.                                                                                                                                                                   (f.)  A past Active member who resigned in good standing, upon written request to the President, may rejoin the Active membership provided the Active Membership does not exceed 65 members.

Section 7. Sustaining Members

                   (a.) Sustaining members shall be required to pay annual dues of $100 [effective June 1, 2016].                                                                                    (b.) Sustaining members are those who after five years or more of Active membership and participation in at least five Flower shows, request to remain in the club, but not as active, participants.
                   (c.) Sustaining membership will be granted on a first come basis based on the date of the request, provided the Sustaining membership does not exceed 100 members.
                   (d.) May propose new members.
                   (e.) May not vote.
                   (f.)  Upon written request, a Sustaining member may return to Active status provided the Active, membership does not exceed  65.
                   (g.) Any Sustaining member who resigns in good standing may rejoin as a Sustaining member upon written request to the President after current members requesting Sustaining membership have been placed, and provided the Sustaining membership does not exceed 100 members.

Section 8. Non-Resident Members

                   (a.) Non-Resident member will be a member who lives outside the city of El Paso.
                   (b.) Shall pay annual dues of $20.
                   (c.) Shall receive an annual yearbook.
                   (d.) Will not receive monthly meeting notices.
                   (e.) May not propose new members
                   (f.) May not vote.
                   (g) If a Non-Resident member moves back to El Paso, she may submit a written request to the President to be reinstated to either Active or Sustaining status provided the Active membership does not exceed 65 and the Sustaining membership does not exceed 100.                                                                                                                                                     (h)  While awaiting Active or Sustaining status, the Non-Resident member may attend meetings by paying the $20 guest fee for each meeting. After payment of three guest fees in a single year, she will not be charged for any additional meetings she attends in that year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Section 9. Life Members

                   (a). Reserved to members in good standing who are eighty years of age or older who have supported the club for numerous years.
                   (b). Life Members status may be granted upon written request to the President and with approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 10. New Members

                   (a.) New members may be proposed to the Membership Chairman in writing prior tothe February meeting, which shall be a CLOSED MEETING.
                    (b.) Shall be elected by a secret ballot composed of all the names being
                    (c.) The persons receiving the highest number of votes in order shall be considered elected to fill vacancies in the membership.
                    (d.) The results shall be kept secret until after the prospective members have been notified and have accepted membership.
                    (e.)  In the event an elected member cannot join the club, the person on the list with the next largest number of votes is eligible.                          

                    (f.)  Should there be a tie vote between the next two persons on the list, the Executive Committee shall be polled for are-vote, and the person receiving the highest number of votes will be asked to membership.

Section 1. The Club shall be financed by annual membership dues, guest fees, and various fundraising projects.

                   (a). Dues for Active and Sustaining members shall be $100 [effective June 1, 2016].  and shall include lunches, yearbook, meeting, notifications, dues paid to the National, state, and District Garden Clubs, and general operating expenses of the Club.                    

                   (b.) Dues for Non-Resident members shall be $20 and shall include the annual yearbook only.
                   (c.) Life Members no longer pay annual dues, but are accorded all privileges of membership.
                   (d.) Guest fees shall be $20 for each guest, [effective September, 2022].  payable at the meeting. Prior reservations must have been made by the deadline as set by the Notifications Chairman. If guest reservations are made, the guest fee must be paid whether or not the guest attends the meeting.                     

                    (e.) Lunch fees for Members shall be $20 excluding Holiday Tea and Flower Show (effective September, 2022). The reservation REQUIRES prepayment for members, thereby guaranteeing their meal. If member reservation is made, the fee must be paid whether or not the member attends the meeting.

Section 2. Funds shall be used for operating expenses and projects voted on by the membership.

Section 3. Participate in the Annual Flower Show or pay a fine of $100 for failure to participate.

              (a.) The fine is due and payable to the Treasurer by May 31.
              (b.) A fine may be appealed by a written request to the President.

Section 4. Active members shall serve as a cook or hostess or pay a fine of $100 for failure to serve as a cook or hostess.                                                     [effective September, 2015]

              (a.) The fine is due and payable to the Treasurer by May 31.
              (b.) A fine may be appealed by a written request to the President.

Section 5. Annual membership dues for the following year will be due and payable to the Treasuret by May 31.

Section 6. Any member delinquent in her financial obligations on May 31 will be dropped from membership without further notice 

Section 1. The club shall hold nine monthly meetings September through May.

                   (a.) The monthly meeting shall be on the fourth Tuesday at 12:00 PM unless a change is
                     announced to the membership because of the nature of the program (i.e., field trip, etc.).                                                                                             (b.) Meetings shall be held in the homes of El Dedon Verde members only or appropriate public locations                                                                 (c.) The time and place of each meeting is set by the Second Vice President and shall appear in the yearbook.
                    (d.) The January meeting shall be the Annual Meeting at which time Officers shall be elected.                                                                                     (e.) The February meeting will be a CLOSED meeting for the purpose of electing new members.                                                                                 (f.) The May meeting shall be for the purpose of installing new Officers.                                                                                                                           (g.) Member may bring Guests to any meeting except February for a fee of $15 payable at the time of the meeting.
                    (h.) Reservations must be made for each member and guest by the deadline set by Notifications. If guest reservations are made,                               the guest fee must be paid whether or not the guest attends the meeting.
                    (i.) El Dedon Verde Garden Club  meeting time shall not be used to promote any activity unrelated to El Dedon Verde                                     Garden Club, Mountain Plains District IX GardenClubs, Texas State Garden Clubs, or the National Council of State                                  Garden Clubs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           (j.) Meeting time shall not be used for personal gain or announcements, announcement time for other organizations, or for                                 commercial or solicitation purposes not pertaining to our club and organization.

Section 2. Visitors from any Garden Club shall be extended the privileges of the floor.

Section 1. A quorum shall consist of one-third (1⁄3) of the Active Membership.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of one Past President and two Members-at-Large who shall be appointed by                                 the President.
                   (a.) The Chairman of the Nominating Committee and her committee should meet in November to prepare a Slate of Officers.
                   (b.) The Slate of Officers shall be presented to the membership in December for election the following January.  

Section 3. The January meeting shall be the Annual Meeting, at which time Officers shall be elected.                                                                                            (a.) The President shall ask for nominations from the floor after the Slate of Officers is presented.
                     (b.) When there is more than one nomination for any office, election shall be by ballot.
                     (c.) Each officer shall be elected to serve for one year, but shall be eligible to serve two terms.                                                                                    (d.) Newly elected officers shall be installed at the May meeting.

Section 4. New members shall be elected by secret ballot at the CLOSED February meeting.                                                                                                             (a.) Active and Sustaining members may propose names to the New Member Admissions Chairman in writing                                                 before the deadline set forth by that committee and prior to the February meeting.                                                                                   (b.) The ballot shall be composed of all names being considered for member- ship. The persons receiving the highest                                            number of votes  – in order – shall be considered elected to fill vacancies in the membership.                                                                   (c.)  The persons receiving the highest number of votes in order shall be considered elected to fill vacancies in the                                                membership.                          

                                 (d.)  The results shall be kept secret until after the prospective members have been notified and have accepted.     
                                 (e.)  If any prospective new member cannot join the club, the person on the list with the next largest number of                                                  votes is eligible.
                                 (f.)  Should there be a tie vote between the next two persons on the list Executive Committee shall be polled for a re-vote

Section 1. The Officers of the club shall be a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice- President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2. Each Officer shall be elected to serve for one year beginning June 1 and shall be eligible to serve for two terms.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, First Vice- President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer,                                    Immediate Past President, and the Chairmen of the Standing Committees.                                                                                   

Section 4. The Officers shall perform such duties as are usually incident to their offices.

                   (a.) The Executive Committee shall perform the duties usual to such a committee and shall have the power to transact all                                          necessary business of the organization ad interim.
                   (b.) The President and the Second Vice-President shall be Chairmen of the Yearbook committee.
                   (c.) The First Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President and shall be Chairman of the Program                                            Committee

                   (d.) The Second Vice-President shall be responsible for setting locations of monthly meetings and for organizing

                          hostesses for each meeting.                                                                                                                                                                              (e.) The Secretary and Treasurer shall perform the duties usually incident to their offices.

Section 1. The Standing Committees shall be Education, Flower Show, District IX Holiday Sales, Membership Records, New Membership                          Admissions, New Member Education, Nominating, Notifications, Projects, and Yearbook.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                (a.) The Nominating Committee shall be composed of one Past President and twoMembers-at-Large, who shall be appointed                            by the President.
                    (b). The Yearbook Committee shall be composed of the President and theSecond Vice-President.

Section 2. The President, or the Chairman of each committee, may appoint members of the committees as necessary.

Section 3. The President shall have the power to appoint such special committees as she may deem necessary.

Section 1 The Bylaws may be amended at any meeting.

                 (a.) Proposed amendments must be presented to each member at least one week prior to the vote. This may be done by email.                               Those members not having email shall be notified of the proposed changes by mail.

                 (b). A quorum of at least one-third (1⁄3) of the Active membership must be present in order for the voting to be valid.

Section 1.   The current edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall be the parliamentary authority for El Dedon Verde                                Garden Club for all cases not covered in the bylaws.

Adopted April 26, 2011 Amended February 24, 2015, February, 24, 2019.