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Constitution
of the
WILLAMETTE VALLEY GROTTO
a chapter of the
National Speleological Society
As amended 12 July 1975
ARTICLE I
The name of this organization shall be the WILLAMETTE VALLEY GROTTO, a chapter of the National Speleological Society.
ARTICLE II
To pursue and promote, exclusively for and in furtherance of scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, projects in speleological research and conservation of caves and cave related natural features.
ARTICLE III
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the conservation and preservation of caves in Northern California, Oregon and the Far West; and to promote communication and cooperation among the cavers, speleologists, Government agencies, cave owners, and the public through publication and dissemination of information on caves, cave conservation, and caving activities.
ARTICLE IV
All regular voting members of this organization must be members of the National Speleological Society.
ARTICLE V
This organization shall be governed by officers elected by a majority vote of the members voting. The officers shall include a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary. Additional officers may be established by bylaw.
ARTICLE VI
In the event of the dissolution of the organization, upon such dissolution all funds and assets remaining after payment of all liabilities of the organization shall be donated to the National Speleological Society or to other non-profit organization devoted to the scientific study and conservation of caves and operated exclusively for educational or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
ARTICLE VII
Funds for the publication of informational, educational, and conservation-oriented materials shall be secured through donations, primarily from the members and participants of the organization. The results of scientific research conducted by the members of the organization shall be published and distributed as directed by the officers of the organization, except that any such publication and distribution shall be in accord with the policies of the National Speleological Society and in the furtherance of cave conservation. In the event of the dissolution of the organization, upon such dissolution all funds and assets remaining after payment of all liabilities of the organization shall be donated to the "Save the Caves Fund" of the National Speleological Society or to other non-profit organizations dedicated to the conservation and preservation of caves and other features of nature.
ARTICLE VII
The publications of this organization, in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article III, shall be distributed without charge to members of the organization. Publications shall be distributed to the United States Geological Survey Library, to any State Library, to any branch of the Park service of any state, to the United States Park Service, to the United States National Forest Service, to the forest service of any state, to the Bureau of Land Management, or to any organization devoted to the preservation of natural features, as directed by the officers of this organization.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a majority vote of the officers of the organization, or may be proposed by written petition of any currently active member of the organization. A proposed amendment will become effective upon its ratification by a majority of the members voting, provided that ratification occurs within three months of publication of the proposed amendment to the membership.
Retyped revision #2 (Feb 1976), Dec 30, 1996 and added Table of Contents. - bc.
Revision #2 supercedes revision #1 of Sep 1975.
I. Membership 4
C. Privileges of Membership By Category 5
F. Change of Membership Status 6
C. Distribution of Publications 9
G. Newsletter Subscriptions 10V
D. In case of dissolution of grotto 12
I. Membership
A. Categories of Membership
Voting Member (regular member)
Associate Member
Provisional Member
Dependent Member
Honorary Member
B. Membership Requirements
Voting Member
a. NSS membership and;
b. Active in the grotto (at least on one of the following)
Participates in grotto work
Attends grotto trips
Contributes in other functions and meetings
Associate Member
a . Active in scientific or conservation efforts for caving
b. Professional status in a field allied to caving
Provisional Member
a . Meets all requirements for regular voting membership except is not an NSS member
Dependent Member
a. Is under sixteen years of age
Honorary Member
a. Has made a significant act of friendship towards the grotto or its purpose
C. Privileges of Membership By Category
Voting Member
a. May vote in grotto business at any grotto meeting
b. May hold grotto office
c. Receives all grotto publications (unless waived)
d. Has access to grotto files
e. May use grotto equipment
Associate Member
a. May consult or advise on grotto projects
b. Receives grotto publications as authorized by grotto
c. May have access to grotto files if authorized by vote of grotto
Provisional Member
a. May participate in grotto activities
b. Receives all grotto publications
c. May gave access to grotto files if authorized by vote of grotto
d. May use grotto equipment if approved by vote of grotto
Dependent Member
a. May participate in grotto activities
b. May be granted regular voting member status, providing;
Meets all requirements for voting membership except age
Regular voting membership status is approved by vote of grotto
Honorary Member
. May participate in grotto activities
a. Receives grotto publications as authorized by grotto vote
D. Membership Consideration
Applicant must complete membership form
a. Caving experience and interest
b. NSS membership status
c. Other caving affiliations
Membership must be approved by majority vote of the grotto
E. Membership Suspension
Any member may suspend his membership upon his request
Any member may be suspended from the grotto by a 2/3 vote of the grotto for the following reasons
a. Inactivity for a period of three months or more
b. Misuse of grotto equipment or funds
c. Actions detrimental to the grotto, its purpose, caves or caving
Any membership suspension action will be held during the regular meeting of the grotto
a. The person involved must be notified in writing prior to the meeting
b. The person may appear at the meeting to defend himself
c. The suspension must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the grotto
F. Change of Membership Status
Any member may change status at his request subject to approval by vote of the grotto
Any member who becomes inactive for a period exceeding three months may be changed from voting status to provisional status or subscriber status by vote of the grotto
a. Any person subject to such change must be given sufficient notice prior to the meeting where the vote will be taken
Reversion to provisional status is automatic for any voting member upon renewal of WVG membership if his NSS membership is not in good standing
II. Offices of the Grotto
A. Officers
Offices will be created and officers appointed or elected as authorized by grotto constitution, these by-laws, and/or by majority vote of the grotto
III. Voting
A. Quorums
A quorum will consist of the regular voting members present at any regular meeting of the grotto, providing that a minimum of five such members are present
B. Voting
"Vote of the Grotto" means a majority of those regular members present (a quorum) at any regular grotto meeting
IV. Election of Officers
A. Elections will be held as prescribed by the grotto officers and approved by a majority vote of the grotto
B. Elections will be held annually
C. The term of office will be one year
V. Grotto Meetings
A. Time and Location
Grotto meetings will be held at the time and place set by the officers
B. Intent
It is the intent of the grotto to make meetings accessible as possible to the grotto members by;
a. meeting on weekends
b. combining meetings with caving activities
c. rotating meetings to appropriate locations throughout the area
B. Organization of Meetings
The chairman will preside over all meetings
In the absence of the chairman, the officer next in succession will preside. The succession of officers is:
a. Chairman
b. Vice-Chairman
c. Treasurer
d. Secretary
e. Librarian
f. Historian
All grotto business will be conducted in open business session at the regular grotto meetings
C. Goals of Meetings
Communication and fellowship among the members
To conduct the work and business of the grotto
Provide educational and conservation information for the members
Assist the members to develop their skills and abilities in caving and cave research
VI. Publications
A . Types of Publications
Publications will be produced as directed by the grotto officers and approved by vote of the grotto
Publications may include:
a. Meeting notices as appropriate and requested
b. Grotto newsletter
c. Technical bulletins
B. Copyrights
All grotto publications containing technical, scientific, and/or cave location information will be copyrighted
The copyright will generally be assigned to the author of the information
C. Distribution of Publications
Publications will be distributed as directed by vote of the grotto
Regular voting members will receive all publications, except in such cases where only one member of the family elects to receive publications
Other members will receive publications as directed by vote of the grotto
Publications may be distributed to any organization in furtherance of the purposes of the grotto, upon approval by vote of the grotto
Subscribers will receive the grotto newsletter only
D. Editors of Publications
As much as possible, the editorship of the grotto newsletter will be rotated to a different member or group for each issue
Editorship will be on a voluntary basis only
E. Content of Publications
Newsletter: The newsletter will contain information pertaining to caving and caving activities, in accordance with the purposes of the grotto. Cave locations will not generally be given.
Technical Bulletins: A technical bulletin will contain scientific and technical reports on caves, equipment, techniques, and/or activities. The distribution of such information shall be restricted as provided by vote of the grotto. Cave locations may be given if appropriate.
F. Publication Expenses
Meeting notice: Each member wishing to receive a meeting notice must contribute either cash or postage sufficient to cover the cost of mailing a meeting notice to him.
Newsletter: Expenses will be covered either by subscription fees, or by member donations sufficient to cover the costs
Technical Bulletins: Each member wishing to receive a technical bulletin must contribute sufficient funds to cover his cost.
G. Newsletter Subscriptions
A subscriber to the grotto newsletter receives the newsletter only; he has no other rights of membership
The subscription rate will be established by vote of the grotto, but must be sufficient to cover the costs of publication
VII. Grotto Files
A. History
A Historian may be elected or appointed by vote of the grotto
A history of the grotto will be kept including all important documents
A history of the surrounding cave area may be established
B. Financial Records
A treasurer will be elected as prescribed by the grotto
Detailed records will be kept of all financial affairs
Financial records will be available at every grotto meeting for review by the membership
The Treasurer will prepare the annual report for the NSS and will submit it for approval to the grotto officers in January of each year
C. Grotto Library
A library may be established by vote of the grotto
The library will contain books, magazines, maps, exchange publications and other information as appropriate
Grotto Library facilities are for use by regular voting members, associate members, provisional members and dependent members
Access to the library by other persons may be authorized by vote of the grotto
A librarian may be elected or appointed by vote of the grotto
D. Cave Files
Access to cave files will be by regular voting members only
Other members may be granted access by vote of the grotto
All information in the cave files will be copyrighted, by the author if possible, otherwise by the grotto
Cave files will contain:
a. Complete description
b. maps
c. locations
d. photos
e. special information (e.g. scientific data, records of visitation, etc.)
E. Membership Files
The grotto secretary will be responsible for maintenance of a membership file
the membership file may not be used for any purpose other than record-keeping or MSS requests except by 2/3 vote of the grotto
The secretary will use the NSS monthly mailing to update the files
The secretary will use the NSS monthly mailing to contact, within 30 days, any NSS member new to the area
The secretary will notify the NSS office of any recognized member address change within 30 days
VIII. Grotto Equipment
A. Grotto equipment may be loaned to any member
B. Grotto equipment may be loaned to any speleological project by vote of the grotto
C. The treasurer will maintain an inventory of all grotto equipment including:
1. Its source
2. Its current location and the person responsible
3. Grotto equipment will include equipment will include equipment on loan to the grotto as well as equipment loaned from the grotto
D. Upon dissolution of the grotto, any equipment owned by the grotto will be donated to the National Speleological Society
IX. Grotto Activities
A . Cave Trips
Cave trips will be open to all voting members and their dependent members
Cave trips will be open to all provisional members
Cave trips will be open to others with grotto approval
Limited number trips
a. If the number of persons in a caving party are limited, selection will be made on the following basis:
Skills needed for the work to be done
Order of sign-up for the trip
Vertical caving trips
a. Each person must have his own equipment for descending and ascending
b. Each person must have appropriate experience or training for the cave to be visited
c. Each trip must have a designated leader or coordinator
B. Other activities
Grotto activities should generally be oriented toward caving
Grotto activities will generally be designed for the least cost to the grotto members