Knights of Columbus - Dayton District at 267 Bainbridge Street, Dayton Ohio, OH 45402-2208 US - Constitution and By-Laws of the Greater Dayton Chapter as approved on July 16, 2008

Knights of Columbus

Greater Dayton Chapter

Constitution and By – Laws

The Constitution and By-Laws governing the Greater Dayton Chapter of the Knights of Columbus were adopted at the special session of the Greater Dayton Chapter in Dayton, Ohio in February 1965;

revised in July 1969, August 1973, August 1975, October 1979, August 1987, and June 1990.

The Following By-laws were amended on July 16, 2008 by a vote of the Chapter.

Article I

Section I. The State Deputy, in accordance with the Supreme Council Chapter rules and laws of the Knights of Columbus, and through the power invested in him by virtue of his office has designated that a Chapter be organized in the Greater Dayton Area and the Councils now located in such area hereby organize accordingly and this organization henceforth shall be known as the Greater Dayton Chapter of the Knights of Columbus. The Greater Dayton area is defined as all cities, communities and townships within Montgomery Greene, Miami, Darke, Clark, Warren, Preble, and Butler Counties.

Section II. The primary purpose of the Chapter shall be to promote the well being of the Order within the Greater Dayton Chapter Area. The Chapter shall strive to bring closer all member Councils for the intention of planning unified or common action and to manage such combined programs as far as practical for the benefit of all member Councils. As a minimum, the Chapter shall conduct for the good of the Order, one major Chapter – wide activity each year. Chapter activities shall not be in competition with State or member Council sponsored activities.

Section III. The Officers and regular voting delegates of the Greater Dayton Chapter are hereby vested with full power and authority to make, alter and repeal all laws, rules and regulations for the government, management, discipline and control of the said organization. Provided, however, that said powers shall not conflict with the Constitution and Laws of the Supreme, State, or Local Councils of the Knights of Columbus.

Section IV. The Greater Dayton Chapter shall meet in the month of July on the day determined and announced by the President at which time the annual election of officers will be conducted. Other meetings will be at such times as the President may call or upon demand of the majority of the voting delegates.   The election meeting shall be announced to the membership at least one week in advance. 

Article II

REPRESENTATION

Section I. Voting delegates of the Greater Dayton Chapter shall include:

1.  The Grand Knight of each Council and two additional elected delegates from each member Council. The elected delegates shall be any Third Degree Council member in good standing (Sec.242) Each delegate shall have one vote at the Chapter meeting. Election of the two Council delegates is a member Council responsibility and should be accomplished with their regular election of officers.

2. The District Deputy of each District within the Greater Dayton Area.

3. The Chaplain of the Chapter.

4. The State Deputy shall be an ex-officio member of the Chapter and shall have a vote on all matters coming before the Chapter.

5. The alternate delegate appointed by the Grand Knight of a member Council when the alternate is replacing one of the delegates of that Council who is unable to attend the Chapter meeting. To maintain Chapter continuity, it is encouraged that the Grand Knight of each member Council appoints an alternate for the entire fraternal year rather than for individual meetings. Preferably, this alternate will be a Past Grand Knight, however, any Third Degree member in good standing may be appointed.

Section II. New Councils and non member Councils within the Greater Dayton Chapter Area shall be invited to join the Chapter within the first three months of each fraternal year. They may request such an invitation at any time during the year. They shall be added to the Chapter Membership after:

1. A majority positive vote of their members present and voting at announced Council meeting following written notice to the entire Council membership.

2. Payment of the yearly assessment (not pro- rated for partial year).

3. Notification to the Chapter by the Grand Knight of a positive vote.

Section III.  Any Council outside the Greater Dayton Area may apply for membership in the Chapter; following the procedure in the above section.

Article III

OFFICERS

Section I.  Chapter Officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Warden, who shall serve a term of one year: from Aug. 1 through July 31 of the following year and until their successors are elected and qualified. No officer shall serve more than two successive terms in any one office. 

Section II.  Election of Chapter Officers shall take place following the presentation of slates of candidates by an election committee and nominations from the floor at the first Chapter meeting following the election of council delegates (July meeting).

Section III.  No vacancies shall be filled at a meeting unless due notice that such a vote will be taken is first given to the delegates by mail.

Section IV.  The President shall annually select a Priest to be Chaplain, subject to the Ordinary of the Diocese.

Article IV

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section I. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT:  The President of the Chapter shall be the chief executive officer of the Chapter and shall preside at all Chapter meetings. He shall call special meetings at his discretion or as required under Article IX, Section 3. He shall represent the organization when called upon to do so. He shall appoint all committees on an ad hoc basis and shall be a member ex-officio of all committees. He shall have approval power of all expenditures by countersigning all checks drawn and signed by the Treasurer in favor of appropriation authorized by vote of the membership. He shall sign the annual report of Chapter activities and finances to be filed by 1 August of each year. His withholding of his signature signifies non – approval  

Section II.  DUTIES OF THE VICE PRESIDENT:  The Vice President shall preside and perform all the duties of the President in his absence and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him by the Chapter.

Section III. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY:  The Secretary shall keep a record of the doings of the Chapter. He shall keep publish and distribute (or read) the minutes of regular and special meetings and special reports of the Chapter. He shall notify all members of special meetings and all committee members when called upon by the President. He shall draw all orders (vouchers) on the Treasurer for the disbursement of all monies. He shall sign the annual report of the Chapter activities and finances to be filed by 1 August of each year.  

Section IV.  DUTIES OF THE TREASURER:  The treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Chapter and keep all books and records of financial accounts. He shall collect and receive all funds due the Greater Dayton Chapter and shall provide adequate banking arrangements for safe keeping of the funds. He shall keep an account of indebtedness to any organization or persons and perform the billing function for the Chapter. Payment of all orders / bills shall be by check signed by him and countersigned by the President. However, all banking accounts will be arranged so that any two officers from among the President, Vice President, or the Treasurer may sign the checks. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties as are delegated to him by the Chapter and shall sign the report of the activities and finances to be filed by August 1 of each year.

Section V.  DUTIES OF THE WARDEN  The Warden shall verify that all present at an official Chapter meeting are in possession of the appropriate credentials to participate in the meeting, to ascertain that the quorum is present, and to determine the official  delegate count to be used when voting procedures require it. The Warden shall be present at each Chapter meeting. The Warden shall perform the duties of the Warden as prescribed in Section 143 of the Laws of the Order.

Article V

FUNDS

Section I. The funds of the Greater Dayton Chapter, Knights of Columbus, shall be deposited in a general account in the name of the Greater Dayton Chapter of the Knights of Columbus.

Section II.  No money in excess of $500.00 shall be paid or transferred from the Treasury of this Chapter except such funds as the Chapter is called upon to regularly pay for its current expenses and as provided by the laws of the Order and as further stated in Article V, section IV unless by a two thirds vote of the  delegates present and voting at the regular Chapter business meeting at which notice in writing of a resolution to pay or transfer such money and the purpose and amount to be paid or transferred shall have been given and read at the preceding meeting.

Section III.  When expenses have been approved by the enactment of a budget by the Chapter delegates, they shall be paid at the appropriate time.

Section IV.  The Greater Dayton Chapter may establish a separate fund for any activity or program within the realm of the Greater Dayton Chapter purpose (Art. 1, Sec. 2) Separate funds shall be deposited in a special account and entrusted for management to an ad hoc committee consisting of at least three third Degree members and to include not less than one Chapter delegate. Transfer of separate funds shall be made only upon the recommendation of the ad hoc committee and approval of the Chapter membership, except such funds as the committee may be called upon to regularly pay for its current expenses. Any net funds raised from any activity shall be irrevocably dedicated and segregated, or disbursed for charitable, educational or religious purpose within 12 months of the date they are raised.

Article VI

ASSESSMENTS

Section I.  The assessment of each Chapter delegate shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per annual payable by the organization he represents.

Section II.  Annually the delegates of the Chapter shall vote additional funds if necessary, based upon membership of each Council as of April 30. This assessment will exclude honorary members as determined by Supreme Council. The amount of such assessment shall be determined by the Governing Body.

Section III.  Assessments shall be payable on September 1 of each year and any Council failing to make said payment by October 10 shall be considered delinquent and subject to action under the Constitution and Laws of the Order 

Article VII

BUDGET

Section I.  The Budget shall be presented at the September meeting of the Chapter and a copy of said proposed budget shall be sent to all delegates at least 10 days prior to the meeting at which time the necessary assessments shall be voted.  And a copy of said

A.     Should the proposed budget not be accepted, by the October business meeting it (the proposed budget) shall be declared null and void, and the Chapter shall operate its fiscal policy according to Article V of the Constitution and Laws of the Chapter or as otherwise provided for by the rules of the order.

Article VIII

COMMITTEES

Section I.  Committees may only be appointed by the President on an ad hoc basis. Each committee shall include at least one delegate of the Chapter and shall consist of a minimum of three Third Degree members of the Order in good standing.

Section II.  Ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President to conduct those Chapter activities approved by the Chapter delegates and shall include at least one major Chapter-wide activity each year. As a minimum, the following committees shall be appointed by the meeting following the election of the Chapter Officers.

A.     A FINANCE COMMITTEE shall be appointed to review all Chapter expenditures, make recommendations to the delegates as necessary, to maintain a stable annual budget, and perform an annual audit of the Chapter activities and finances which shall be filed with the Supreme Secretary, State Deputy, State Secretary, and Chapter Secretary by  1 August of each year.

B.     AN ELECTION COMMITTEE shall be appointed each year to prepare slates for each Chapter office from among the Grand Knights, District Deputies, and elected Council delegates.

C.     A DEGREE COMMITTEE consisting of member District Deputies shall be appointed to promote and assist in the preparation, coordination and exemplification of Degrees within the Greater Dayton Chapter, as required

Article IX

MEETINGS

Section I.  The business meeting of the Chapter shall be conducted in the Knighthood or Third Section.

Section II.  The Chapter shall hold a regular meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, and said meeting shall be called to order by 8:00 P.M., unless prior notice of a different date and time (and place, if appropriate) is given at least 15 days in advance to all Chapter delegates.

Section III.  Special meetings of the Chapter shall be at the call of the Chapter President, a majority of the officers, or on petition of five Grand Knights of member Councils directed to the Chapter President who shall, upon receipt of such petition, call a special meeting of the Chapter to be held on five days notice.

Section IV.  Third Degree members of the Order in good standing may attend Chapter meetings, but they shall have no voice or vote in the deliberations. However, said members may request the privilege of the floor and that request may be granted by the President. (Also see Article IX, Section I).

Section V. Council alternates who attend a meeting of the Chapter when not replacing a Council delegate, shall not be entitled to any privileges other than those enumerated in Article IX, Section IV above.

Section VI.  A quorum shall consist of eleven delegates representing six Councils of the Chapter.

Section VII. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted

Section VIII. Except where otherwise provided in the Constitution and By-Laws the proceedings of the Chapter meetings, and its committees, shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order (revised). Proper Parliamentary rules shall be followed according to the rules and customs of deliberative bodies.

Article X

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

Section I. All current State Officers, Faithful Navigators of Assemblies with Councils within the Chapter’s area, State Council Appointees; Former Supreme Directors, Past State Deputies, Past Chapter Presidents, and Past Grand Knights in good standing residing within the Chapters area shall be consider Ex-Officio members of the Greater Dayton Chapter. They shall be accorded proper honor and consideration at Chapter meetings and functions and shall have the privilege of the floor at Chapter meetings but shall not have the privilege of making motions or voting unless they have such rights by virtue of another position or status as a regular delegate of the Chapter.

Article XI

SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Section I. Individual making recommendations to the Chapter for activities which are subsequently adopted by the Chapter shall have the privilege of being Chairman of said committee.

1. Said committee shall consist of not less than three members and shall include at least one Chapter delegate.
2.  Special committees may be selected at any time to deal with specific matters.

Article XII

VOTING

Section I. The privilege of voting shall belong to the Chapter delegates.

1. Voting on motions take place when there are no more requests to speak on a motion or after debate has ended.
2. If any Chapter delegate questions the result of a voice vote as announced by the President, a re-vote by show of hands is required

Section II. The presiding officer usually votes only when his vote would change the result of a vote by the members.

Article XIII

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Section I. The order of business of all meetings of the Greater Dayton Chapter of the Knights of Columbus shall be as follows: