Section 6.
THE ORGANIZING SECRETARIES Shall:
a. Be responsible for publicity of all activities of the Ewe Association of Chicago (MILENOVISI) and public relations affairs.
a. be responsible for arranging venues for all General Assembly and the Executive Committee meetings and all other events being organized by the organization.
a. Co-ordinate with the Secretary to ensure optimum attendance at all monthly meetings.
a. Be responsible for all social and cultural activities of the organization, including all cultural and educational activities of the Youth of the organization.
a. Act as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the organization by keeping Law and Order at all meetings.
Section 7
The Treasurer
i) Accept monies collected by the Financial Secretary for deposit in the association’s authorized bank by the next business day.
ii) Prepare the budget, present it to the executive board for approval, and ensure that association activities adhere to the budget
iii) Maintain accurate financial records
iv) Transact business through a bank. Be a signatory to the bank account. Reconcile all bank statements. v) Inform the association of its financial strengths and weaknesses.
vi) File appropriate forms with the Internal Revenue Service by February 15.
vii) Disburse funds and pay bills promptly as approved by the executive board
viii) Bill members for unpaid dues
Section 8.
THE YOUTH SECRETARY Shall:
a. Be responsible for the cultural education of the youth, and their participation in the activities and social functions of the association. Shall encourage the senior (older) Youth to join the Association upon reaching adulthood or age 24. a. Be responsible for encouraging the youth who are unable to speak or understand the Ewe language to learn to speak the Ewe language. He/she shall also act as a liaison between the Youth and the adult members of the association.
b. Encourage the Youth to always dress in the traditional Ghanaian attires or African attires to all cultural events, and to also take part in all cultural activities /event being organized by the Ewe Association and the Ghanaian community. He/she shall also act as a liaison between the Traditional council members, and the Youth. Additionally, he/she shall be responsible for the education of the Youth in the Ewe history, and the tracing of the lineage of their ancestors.
c. Be responsible for the cultural education/ enlightenment of the Youth in regards to the rationale behind the youth referencing adults in the community as uncles and aunties even though there might not be any biological lineage.
d. Supervise and organize children’s games at meetings to encourage meeting attendance and to aid the youth in the transition into adulthood.
ARTICLE XII
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
b) Registration fees for both welfare and association dues shall be $55.00. The treasurer shall allocate $25.00 to association registration fees and $30.00 to welfare registration dues for accounting purpose.
e) Senior citizens (65 years or older) shall pay half the association dues of regular members subject to approval by the President and upon submission of proof of age. Senior members shall pay all applicable welfare dues and levies.
f) The Traditional Leadership (Chief and Queen mother) shall be exempt from payment of association dues. However, they shall pay all applicable welfare dues and levies as stipulated in the by-laws of the association.
ARTICLE XV
ELECTIONS
Section 2
a) The general assembly shall elect the President, the Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, two representatives to the Ghana National Council, and one representative to CEANA every three years. b) Nominations shall be from members of the general assembly in good financial standing during the October meeting of the election year d) Election day shall be the third Sunday in November each election year. Only those in good financial standing shall be allowed to vote at elections. To be in good financial standing, a member must have met all financial obligations at least one month prior to elections. h) Elected officers shall assume office on the third Sunday in January. If the President is unable to form a cabinet, he or she shall use the present executive until a new cabinet is established. i) The General Assembly shall decide on a three member electoral commission who shall conduct elections for President, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, two representatives to the Ghana National Council, and one representative to CEANA every three years.
ARTICLE XVI
QUALIFICATION TO HOLD OFFICE:
Section 1
c) must have fulfilled all financial obligations, association dues, welfare dues, and levies prior to nomination to hold office d) Must have attended at least 50% of all association meetings and 50% of all approved organizational activities e) To run for President, one shall be a fully paid member for at least two (2) years. Other executive shall be fully paid members for at least one (1) year.
Section 2
a) To hold office as Togbe or Mama, one shall have been in good standing at time of nomination.
b) Must speak the Ewe language fluently and be immersed in the Ewe culture.
c) Have Ewe parentage as defined by patrilineal inheritance of the Ewe people, whereby one’s father must be Ewe and/or both parents are Ewe.
d) Must not have been installed or currently hold position as a chief or queen mother from a jurisdiction in Eweland.
ARTICLE XXI
Rules of Order
Section 6
Only members in good standing shall vote on issues when called by the President. The Secretary shall identify members in good standing and a hand vote or secret vote shall be held as applicable.
ARTICLE XXIV
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
Section 1
a) The Ewe Association shall by a resolution appoint a Webmaster to develop a website for the association, using the most economic and the latest technology of the time.
b) Access to the website shall be by a username and a password. The username and password shall be available only to the following authorized personnel; 1. The Webmaster, 2. The President and 3. The General Secretary.
c) Updates and all postings to the website shall be by the Webmaster and in his/her absence, the President.
d) All requests for advertisement on the website shall be made to the attention of the general secretary, who in turn shall forward same to the Webmaster for posting.
Section 2
a) The general assembly shall appropriate a reasonable amount of funds for the maintenance of the website.
b) The financial Secretary shall create and maintain a separate general ledger account for documenting all financial records and transactions generated by the website.
c) Fees charged for advertisement on the website shall be proposed by the executive committee or any duly appointed ad-hoc committee to the general assembly for approval.
ARTICLE XXV
EXECUTION OF INSTRUMENTS, DEPOSITS AND FUNDS
Section 1
EXECUTION OF INSTUMENTS
The Ewe Association of Chicago shall by resolution authorize the president or in his/her absence the vice- president, or in the absence of the vice-president, the General Secretary to enter into all contracts or execute and deliver all instruments in the name of and on behalf of the association. Unless so authorized, no other officer, or agent shall have any power or authority to bind the association by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or render it liable monetarily for any purpose or in any amount.
Section 2
CHECK AND NOTES
Except as otherwise specifically determined by resolution of the General Assembly, or as otherwise required by law, checks, drafts, promissory notes, orders for the payment of money, and other evidence of indebtedness of the association shall be signed by any two of the following signatories: 1. the President, the Treasurer, and the General Secretary or in absence of the President, the vice-President.
Section 3.
DEPOSITS
All funds of the Ewe Association of Chicago, including funds generated from the website shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the association in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the General Assembly may select.
Section 4.
GIFTS
The General Assembly of the Ewe Association of Chicago may accept on behalf of the association any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the nonprofit purpose of the association.
ARTICLE XXVI
CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND PROCEDURES
Section 1
DUTY TO DISCLOSE
Any officer or member of the Ewe Association elected to an office of trust with any actual or possible conflict of interest shall disclose the existence of the financial interest and shall be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the general assembly of the proposed transaction or arrangement
Section 2
DETERMINATION OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
After the disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, the general assembly shall appoint a three member ad-hoc committee from among the general assembly membership to review the existence of a conflict of interest.
Section 3
PROCEDURRES FOR ADDRESSING THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A. During the determination, an interest person may make a presentation at the ad-hoc committee meeting, but after the presentation, he/she shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest.
B. The chairperson of the ad-hoc committee shall, if appropriate appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.
C. After exercising due diligence, the ad-hoc committee shall determine whether the association can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.
D. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under the circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the ad-hoc committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested person or committee whether the transaction or arrangement is in the association’s best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination, the ad-hoc committee shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement
Section 4
VIOLATIONOF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
A. If the ad-hoc committee has reasonable cause to believe an officer or an elected member occupying a position of trust has failed to disclose actual or possible conflict of interest,, it shall inform the officer or person occupying the position of trust of the basis for such belief and afford the officer or person an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.
B. If, after the hearing the officer or person occupying the position of trust’s response and after making further investigations as warranted by the circumstances, the ad-hoc committee determines the officer or person occupying position of trust has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall make recommendation to the general assembly to take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.
ARTICLE XXVII
IRC 501 (C) (3) TAX EXEMPTION PROVISIONS (Addition)
SECTION 1.
LIMITATIONS OF ACTIVITIES
No substantial part of the activities of this organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation {except as otherwise provided by Section 501 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code}, and this organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws, this organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 ( c ) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under 170 ( c ) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
SECTION 2.
PROHIBITION AGAINST PRIVATE INUREMENT
No part of the net earnings of this organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, directors or trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organizations shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of this organization.
SECTION3.
DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS
Upon the dissolution of this organization, its assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment of all debts and liabilities of this organization shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Such distribution shall be made in accordance with all applicable provisions of the law of this state.
SECTION 4.
PRIVATE FOUNDATION REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS
In any taxable year in which this organization is a private foundation as described in Section 509 ( a ) of the Internal Revenue Code, the organization (1) shall distribute its income for the said period at such time and manner as not to subject it to tax under Section 4942 of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) shall not engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in Section 4941 (d) of the Internal Revenue Code; (3) shall not retain any excess business holding as defined in Section 4943 ( c) of the Internal Revenue Code; (4) shall not make any investment in such manner as to subject the organization to tax under Section 4944 of the Internal Revenue Code; and (5) shall not make any taxable expenditures as defined in Section 4995 (d) of the Internal Revenue Code.
