Policies & Procedures

B. New Members

Certain responsibilities and prerequisites must be satisfied before new members are admitted to the club. A new member must be sponsored by an existing member. The sponsoring member must advise the new member on the prerequisites of membership and must accompany the new member while he satisfies those prerequisites. Before sponsoring a new member, an existing member must be satisfied that the new member will promote the purposes of the club and will fulfill the minimum attendance requirement of 60% of all luncheon meetings.

The new member must:

1. Attend three out of four luncheon meetings immediately prior to his admission to membership;
2. Attend a New Membership Meeting with his sponsor;
3. Attend a Board of Directors Meeting; and
4. Pay the initiation fee and applicable dues.

Membership meetings are attended by at least four Past Presidents, the President-Elect, new member(s), and the sponsors of each new member. The purpose of such meetings is to orient new members and to enable the Past-Presidents and President-Elect to get to know the new member. These officers are charged with recommending to the Board the acceptance or rejection of each new member. If accepted, a new member is formally inducted at the luncheon meeting following acceptance of his application by the Board of Directors. The initiation fee should be attached to the new member's application form and given to the President-Elect at the Board of Directors meeting. The amount of the initiation fee depends upon when the Board approves the application for membership. If the application is accepted, the member is responsible for the payment of a National New Member Fee and prorated National Dues, as well as current Club #50 dues. No refunds of dues or prorated dues will be allowed. In addition to attending the New Membership Meeting, the sponsor of a new member is expected to: (a) meet the new member in person (outside of a Club lunch meeting) to orient the new member to the Club and its expectations; (b) pay for the new member's lunches when he attends Club lunch meetings; and (c) if the new member is accepted into the Club, the sponsor should periodically check in with the new member (and, in any event, at least at the three-months' mark and six-months' mark after they become an active member).

C. Club Customs

The following is a statement of customs of the Club. The purpose of these customs is to set forth and preserve certain traditions which have been made a part of the historical development of this Club. These Club customs are not to be construed as bylaws of this organization, but rather are indicative of customs and traditions of the organization.

Club Saying & Motto

Club Code: "With the productive years of my life before me, with ambitions and ideals to be realized, I accept the following principles necessary in their attainment: (a) to show proper appreciation for my community, and to do everything in my power for its growth and development; (b) to recognize that friendship is reciprocal and that friendly cooperation is the foundation of society; (c) to offer sincere service to Active 20-30 and to fulfill to the best of my ability any task that the organization my assign me; and (d) to recognize the intrinsic worth of the objects of Active 20-30, which are the development, by precept and example of a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship, providing of a practical means of forming enduring friendships, of rendering altruistic service and building better."

Motto: "Youth, to be served, must serve."
Slogan: "One [or a man or a woman] never stands so tall as when kneeling to help a child."
George Dutton: "You only get out of this Club what you put into it."
Greg Hurd: "If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot."
Evert Fernandez: "If we all get dirty, we all stay clean."
Michael Hyman: "At 40, you leave the Club, but the Club never leaves you."

Brass & Dodo

At the inception of each meeting the President of the organization shall appoint a brass and dodo. The brass shall be selected at random from the names of the members and the dodo shall be the newest member of the Club in attendance. Their respective duties are as follows:

The brass is the only person who has the authority to fine the President. The brass may fine the President for whatever infractions, conduct, lack of conduct, and the like that shall be brought to his attention by any member of the organization who shall request permission to speak to the brass prior to raising any matter. The brass may also, on his own motion, fine the President at any time. The member holding the bell may fine the brass only upon a passed motion from the floor. If the member holding the bell or the brass is dealt a maximum fine, the member holding the bell must appoint a new brass.

Any person who holds the bell during a meeting of the Club is entitled to fine up to the maximum allowable amount during that portion of the meeting.

The dodo shall be responsible for collection of all fines and shall be entrusted with the dodo pot. The new member, prior to their first time serving as dodo, shall be properly instructed on the duties of the dodo by their sponsor or another member selected by the President. The dodo shall be responsible at all times for the custody of the dodo pot and, in the event that the pot shall be taken from him, it shall be auctioned to the highest bidder with a limit of twice the maximum fine as the highest bid possible. The dodo must bid until the maximum is bid, and the dodo shall always have the right to bid the maximum. Any money that is actually inside the pot must be matched as well.

Fines

Fines shall be levied by the President on all members, and by the Brass on the President. The maximum fine for the President and Brass on any general meeting day shall be $15. The maximum fine for any member shall be $10.00 on any general membership meeting day.

The following shall be customary fines:

1. Use of swear words during the meeting;
2. Purchase of automobile – $2.50 per wheel;
3. New job -- $10 max fine for getting a new job;
4. Throwing of any items during the meeting;
5. Failure to stand while speaking (except for questions addressed to the guest speaker);
6. Use of a member's last name only;
7. Reaching across the table; and
8. Failure to wear the Active 20-30 Pin or the proper badge.

Baby Day

All fines on Baby Day are doubled ($20 max). When any member of the organization becomes a father, at the next regular meeting at which he is in attendance or at a membership meeting scheduled in advance by the First Vice-President, the new father shall announce the good news along with the child's vital statistics to the membership. The new father shall then be the dodo for that particular meeting. The amount of fines collected by the dodo from both the President and the members shall be deposited by the new father with an equal amount of his own money in a bank or financial institution selected by him (preferably at an institution represented by a Club member). At the next regular meeting the new father shall present the passbook for inspection by the general members.

In the event that the new father shall not deposit the funds prior to the next meeting and present the passbook for inspection, the amount which he shall then be required to deposit shall be double the amount he would originally have been required and shall increase in the same ratio until such time as he presents the aforementioned passbook. The passbook shall consist of an account opened in the name of the child with the parents as trustees.

It is a Club tradition that, when Club members answer the "question of the day" on a Baby Day, they engage in self-promotion and provide some words of advice for the new father. Historically, Baby Day fines were not always imposed at the maximum level, but rather, the President creatively imposed varied fines. However, in more recent times, max fines have been the norm.

Disposition of Fines Other Than Baby Day Fines

All fines collected from the President and the members other than on Baby Day shall go into the President's fund. The purpose of the President's fund shall be to enable the President to carry out his duties as President properly, and to provide social activity and refreshments prior to the installation of officers in the next succeeding term. Any unused balance of the President's fund shall be left to the discretion of the outgoing President, subject to approval of the Board, as to what disposition he desires to make of those funds.

Down On the Farm

The club song, commonly known as '"Down On the Farm" may be called for by the President or any member on behalf of another member who has distinguished himself in some manner to warrant recognition. The member for whom the Down On the Farm is being sung shall remain seated during the singing of Down On the Farm, and in the event that he shall not remain seated, he shall be fined accordingly by the President. All new members, upon completion of their initiation shall immediately have a Down On the Farm sung for them, and someone should instruct them to remain seated, lest they be fined.

Down On the Farm goes like this: Down on the farm they all ask for [name]. Down on the farm they all ask for [name]. Down on the farm they all ask for [name]. The chickens ask, the turkeys ask, the horses ask for [name] and the pigs ask too.

New Members – Tradition

A new member ordinarily shall be installed by a Past President. If a Past President is not in attendance, the new member may be installed by an executive officer.

A "Down On the Farm" shall be sung for the new member. Immediately following "Down On the Farm" for the new member, all of the members shall greet the new member with a shake of the hand or other appropriate greeting, and share words of welcome into the Club.

Stealing of loot

The President's bell and the dodo pot shall be considered legal loot. During any open meeting, these items may be stolen; and if stolen, the person from whom they are stolen from must buy them back. The maximum price is $10 for any particular item stolen; and, in the event that more than one item shall be stolen at one time, the maximum price shall remain at $10. The person from whom the items are stolen shall have the last bid and the right to buy the items back. Any item stolen in other than an opening meeting, such as prior to the meeting, after conclusion of the meeting or while the meeting has been declared informal (free time) shall be considered illegal loot and the President shall fine the person so stealing said items the sum of $5.00; and the person stealing said item shall immediately return the item to the President or to the other officer from whom they were stolen.

Gavel Pins

It shall be the responsibility of the incoming President (the President-Elect) to obtain the Past President's pin for the outgoing President to be presented at the installation of officers. When available, a ruby pin is preferred. The Club shall bear the cost of said pin, but it shall be the responsibility of the President-Elect to order and obtain the same. It shall further be the responsibility of the outgoing President to order and obtain a gavel for the incoming President. The gavel shall be engraved with the incoming President's name, office ("President"), and term of office. The Club shall bear the cost of this gavel.

Towards the end of his term, the President-Elect shall order hangbars and pins for his upcoming Board, along with the outgoing President's Plaque. He shall also order a "Past President [Term]" hangbar for the outgoing Immediate Past President. All material shall be presented to those individuals at the President-Elect's Installation as President.

For President-Elects serving during the Fall term, in addition to the roles and responsibilities listed above, any Fall Term President-Elect shall be responsible for forming the Past Active Membership Committee for members who have aged out of the club and seek Past Active Life (PAL) or Past Active Member (PAM) status (pursuant to Article X, Section 6 of the bylaws). He shall also conduct an election at a regular membership meeting to determine the Member of the Year and New Member of the Year, the results of which are confidential and known only to the President-Elect until the winners are announced at the Annual Gala event, typically held in October. Any member recognized as Member of the Year, New Member of the Year or bestowed with PAL or PAM status shall be presented a plaque recognizing them as such. The plaques shall be created after voting has concluded and the President-Elect shall order such plaques to be presented in time for the Annual Gala event.

Birthday Contributions to the Active 20-30 #50 Foundation

Members are encouraged (but not required) to make a donation to the Foundation on their birthdays in a dollar amount equivalent to their age. For example, if a member is turning 31, he is encouraged to donate $31 to the Foundation.

D. Dog-House; Out-House; Out

The Club has adopted a system for eliminating from membership the members who fail to satisfy the bylaw that each member shall make 60% of all luncheon meetings. It is called the "Dog-House, Out-House, Out System."

If a member, within any two-month period commencing with the first two month period in each year, does not attend 60% of the luncheon meetings, he is placed in the Dog-House. If, in the following two months, the member again falls below the 60% attendance requirement, he is placed in the Out-House. If in the next succeeding two month period, the member once again fails to attend 60% of the luncheon meetings, he is automatically out of the Club. Much as a member has worked his way into the Dog-House or Out-House, he may work his way out. Thus, if a member works his way into the Dog-House in a two month period, he may work his way back into good standing by satisfying the 60% attendance requirement in the next succeeding two month period. If he has let himself slide into the Out-House, however, meeting the 60% attendance requirement in the next succeeding two month period will only move him up into the Dog-House; and it will take another two month period of 60% of more attendance at luncheon meetings to move him back into good standing.

Finally, with respect to the operation of this system, it should be noted that: (1) attendance at club projects will count as attendance at luncheon meetings for purposes of meeting the 60% attendance requirement; (2) the status of a member under the system will be published in the Hourglass, (3) a member must be in good standing, i.e., in neither the Dog-House nor the Out-House, to be eligible for elected office in the club; and (4) a member who has been eliminated from the club by the system may be reinstated by petitioning the Board to be reinstated and, if the Board approves, by paying a $25 reinstatement fee. Reinstatement will, of course, only put the Member in the Out-House. It then becomes his responsibility to work his way back up through the system into good standing.

IV. MEMBER CONDUCT

A. General Rules of Conduct

Members shall not act in any way that threatens to cause the Club or any of its members reputational harm. Members are expected to act reasonably and appropriately at all Club events, as well as out in the community. Members should be aware that even when they are not at Club functions or wearing Club attire, they are still representing the Club and should not do anything that could bring the Club into disrepute or otherwise harm its standing in the community.

Members are also expected to adhere to certain guidelines set forth in the 2017 Code of Ethics and Conduct adopted by 20-30 International, appended hereto as Exhibit A. Specifically, members must adhere to the guidelines in the following sections: 2.a; 3.c-d; 4.b; 4.d; and 5 (all sub-sections).

B. Good Moral Character

No one convicted of a felony shall be admitted to the Club, unless that felony has been expunged. No one convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving violence or lewd acts against a child shall be admitted to the Club, regardless of any expungement.

C. Networking

The Club's primary purposes are to help youth in the community, develop virtuous leaders in the community, and foster friendship and brotherhood among Club members. Although Club members may and often do support each other's businesses and professional interests, the purpose of the Club is not networking. Therefore, Club members shall not unreasonably engage in professional self-promotion and generally shall not use Club resources (e.g. membership and alumni lists, Club-curated conversations in messaging apps, etc.) for purposes of marketing and advertising their professional goods or services.

D. Confidential Information

Unless obligated to do so by law, Club members shall not disclose sensitive or proprietary Club operational information to third parties or other 20-30 clubs, including but not limited to event budgets, contracts, and financial information.

E. Protection of Club Name

A member shall not do anything to suggest the Club's sponsorship, approval, support, or endorsement of an event or thing unless the member receives Board approval to do so or the Board has already voted in favor of same.

F. Censure

A member who is censured pursuant to Article IV, Section 2 of the bylaws is considered to be not in good standing until restored to good standing by a majority vote of the Board or upon the expiration of a time period set by the Board at the time of censure.

V. DUES

Dues are assessed by the board every six (6) months, payable in advance. They come due on January 1 and July 1, respectively, for the following six (6) month period. The Dues Invoice is prepared by the Treasurer as close to these dates as practical (but in no event later than 30 days before January 1 or July 1, as appropriate) and must be paid on or before 30 days from the date the dues are assessed (due date). A member is automatically eliminated from the club if he does not pay his dues within 30 days of the due date. If thus eliminated, a member may be reinstated only with approval of the Board of Directors and with the payment of a $25 reinstatement fee. Dues are deposited into the General Fund of the Club to be used to pay dues to Active 20-30 US & Canada to pay for the production or publication of the Hourglass, and to cover the general operating expenses of the club.

VI. BOARD PROCEDURES & OPERATIONS

A. Submitting Documents to the Board

Any Club member (including Board members) who seeks to have the Board consider any document or information at a Board meeting shall submit the document or information to the Board at least 48 hours before the meeting. Provided, however, that the Board retains discretion to consider any documents or information submitted less than 48 hours in advance.

B. Approval of Event Budgets & Final Reports

Event budgets should be presented to the Board at least six months before the event.

Unless the Board specifies otherwise, when the Board votes to approve a budget for a Club event, the Board is authorizing the Event Chair to spend the total amount indicated in the budget (and no more than that amount) and the Event Chair retains discretion to adjust the amount being spent on any particular line-item in the budget without prior approval of the Board so long as this adjustment does not cause and is not projected to cause the total budget amount to exceed what was approved by the Board.

Provided, however, that if the Event Chair increases the amount of a particular line item in a way that represents a substantial change over the amount shown for that line item in the budget approved by the Board, the Event Chair shall update the Board at the next Board meeting and explain the change, in addition to his other obligations to keep the Board informed.

No budget or final report can be approved if the Board does not have current and up-to-date bank reconciliations, including accounts for all major Club events, the YBF, and the General Fund. Reports on events are a demonstration of a person's working knowledge of the event. They are the mechanism for keeping the Board informed of the status of anything that financially involves the club. A budget typically will include estimations and target numbers that the person expects to achieve. The proposed budget should show target revenue, predicted expenses, and in the case of fundraisers the target net revenue that the club hopes to achieve. Contractual signings are to be done in accordance with the budget and with the signing authorities as defined by the Club bylaws.  Final reports should include the original approved budget, any approved amended budget and a reconciliation of those line items in the revenue or expense categories. The final report should also include a statement of checks issued, to whom and which line item on the budget they apply to.

C. Updating the Board Regarding Events

The Event Chair shall attend every Board meeting in the 90-day period before his event.

In accordance with the Club's bylaws regarding contracts and financial obligations, the Event Chair shall forward all contracts to an executive board member for review and signature. The Event Treasurer shall attend the two Board meetings immediately preceding the event, and should attend at least one Board meeting per month before that and after being appointed to the position.
Should either of them not attend any board meeting, they shall nevertheless make themselves available at the request of the Board to provide necessary updates.

D. Operating Budget

The operating budget shall be presented by the President who takes office in July for the Fall term (at the start of the fiscal year, which runs from July 1 st through June 30 th ). The operating budget shall account for the expected, reasonable expenses and liabilities of the Club for said fiscal year.

At the beginning of the following term (Spring), the Board shall review the approved budget and make any modifications or corrections as necessary. The incoming President shall at the joint board meeting Present a budget for the term identifying his priorities and the Clubs general operational expenses that are expected for the term.

At the end of his term the outgoing President will present at the joint Board meeting a final report of his term identifying all expenses that occurred during the term and identify the various deviations that occurred

E. Event Treasurers

In addition to the position of Board Treasurer, the President may appoint (and Board approve) an "Event Treasurer" (who is someone other than the Club Treasurer) for Battle of the Brews, Red, White & Boom, and Kaboom, and any other event the President decides. If the President exercises his discretion to appoint an Event Treasurer, the appointment should occur at the time the budget is approved or at the soonest opportunity thereafter.

The Event Treasurer shall work with the Event Chair to ensure compliance with any Board-approved budget and assist in ensuring that the Board is informed of any material issues affecting budgeting and other financial aspects of the event.

F. Access to Storage Unit & P.O. Box

The Treasurer shall keep the key to the Club's P.O. Box.

The President, President-Elect, and Treasurer shall have access to the combination to the Club's storage unit, and that combination shall be changed at the start of each new Board term. The Board shall vote to approve a minimum of three Club members (but not more than six) to have access to the combination to the Club's storage unit.

G. Taxes

The Treasurer, in conjunction with the President and President-Elect, shall take all actions necessary to ensure the timely filing of all required state and federal tax returns and annual reports.

H. Past Active Member & Past Active Life Method of Selection

The President-Elect shall appoint and Chair a committee of five (5) members including two Past Presidents, a current board member, and a Past Active Life member for the purpose of recommending to the Board those individuals who qualify for Past Active Member (PAM) status and Past Active Life (PAL) member status. If the Board gives a member this status, the President-Elect is responsible for mailing his application to the national organization and transmitting any applicable dues or fees.

VII. CLUB ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

A. Access to the Club's Electronic Resources

The Club maintains an official Gmail account, Google Drive, website, and social media presence. At the start of each term, the Board shall vote to approve a minimum of three Club members (but not more than six) to have access to these electronic resources. To the extent any Club member who previously had access is not one of the members who the Board voted to give access during the current term, the Board shall take reasonable steps to ensure that member will no longer be able to access the electronic resources (e.g. by changing the passwords).

B. Maintenance of Club Website

The Board shall designate a member each term to be primarily responsible for the Club's website. That member shall update the Board and officer information on the website within a week of installation, maintain the domain name, hosting, and SSL certificate, run technical updates no less than twice a year, and otherwise take reasonable steps to maintain the content and technical aspects of the Club's website.

VIII. OTHER

A. Non-Political Stance of the Club

Per IRS 501(c)(3) regulations, the Club shall not directly or indirectly participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.

B. Creation of the Active 20-30 #50 Foundation

In 1996, the Board formed a separate non-profit organization named the Active 20-30 #50 Foundation (the "Foundation"). This separate foundation has its own set of bylaws, which provides the Club's current Board serve as Directors of the Foundation. The Foundation was granted 501(c)(3) tax status in 1996. The purpose of setting up the Foundation was to expand our fundraising opportunities by allowing donors to make tax-deductible contributions.

C. Amendment to These Policies & Procedures

These governing rules may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by a three-quarters (3/4) absolute majority vote.

The date that the Board votes to approve the Policies & Procedures or any modification to same shall be indicated in the applicable field at the bottom of this document, and the President and Secretary shall sign and date the document to verify the Board's approval.