Bylaws

Bylaws of the Trustees of the

Pillsbury Free Library, Warner, NH

 Downloadable pdf

Article I:  Powers and Duties of Trustees

The duties of the Board of Trustees are to oversee the assets and activities of the Pillsbury Free Library and to set Library policies, as provided by New Hampshire RSA Chapter XVI, Chapter 202-A:11 Powers and Duties . Trustees are duly elected or appointed in accordance with the provisions of RSA Chapter XVI, Chapter 202-A:6 and 202-A:10.

 Article II: Officers

The Board of Trustees shall consist of nine members, elected by the voters of Warner, or, in the case of a resignation, appointed by the Selectmen. The officers of the Board of Trustees shall consist of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary, who shall be chosen by ballot annually from the members of the Board and shall hold their office one year and until others are chosen in their stead. Officers shall be elected at the organizational meeting at the regular monthly meeting in March.Officers shall not serve more than 3 consecutive years in the same office.

 Article III: Duties of Officers

It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to prepare an agenda for, and preside at all of the regular monthly and special meetings of the Board and to be the representative the Board in official capacities. The Chairperson shall have the option to appoint standing committee chairpersons, or to request that the committees elect a chairperson from their membership.

 In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall act in his or her stead, and, in that instance, shall have the authority and responsibilities of the Chairperson.

 The Treasurer shall serve as the chief financial officer of the Board and shall prepare an annual budget with the finance committee for approval by the Board. The treasurer shall keep full and accurate accounts of all monies received and expended for use of the library, shall oversee bookkeeping activities, and shall provide a written monthly financial report to the Trustees at the regular monthly meeting. The Treasurer shall advise the Trustees on financial matters and shall provide appropriate financial reports to auditors and regulatory authorities.

 The Assistant Treasurer, in the absence of the Treasurer, shall assume all duties of the Treasurer until such time as a new Treasurer is duly elected.

 The Recording Secretary shall keep records of all monthly meetings and special meetings of the Board and shall post Agendas and Minutes in a timely manner as provided in RSA 91-A:2 II, the NH Right-to-Know-Law. The Recording Secretary shall also post notices of standing committee meetings. The Recording Secretary shall, on behalf of the Chairperson, provide the agenda and related materials to Trustees for monthly Trustee meetings.

 The Corresponding Secretary shall write correspondence on behalf of the Trustees as needed.

 Article IV: Meetings

Section 1. The annual meeting for the choice of officers shall be on the third Tuesday in March at the Pillsbury Free Library building at 7:00 P.M. Regular meetings shall be held at the same place and time on the third Tuesday of each month.

Section 2. A special meeting may be called at any time, by the Recording Secretary, on the order of the Trustee Board Chairperson, by giving notice to the members and stating the purpose of such meeting. The Secretary shall call a special meeting at any time on petition to the Chairman by two or more members. In the case of a special meeting, the Secretary will publicly post an agenda of the meeting in compliance with RSA 91-A:2 II. and will record the minutes of the meeting.

Section 3. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all regular and special Trustee meetings.

Section 4. All monthly meetings, committee meetings, and special meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be public meetings, and shall be posted as required by NH laws. Minutes of all meetings shall be publicly posted, and minutes of all meetings shall be filed as required in RSA 91-A:2 II, NH Right to Know Law

Article V: Committees of the Board of Directors

Section 1: Standing committees of the Board of Trustees shall consist of the Executive Committee, Buildings and Grounds, Personnel and Policies, Budget, Technology, and Publicity and Programs.A Chairpersons of these committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, or by the membership of the committee.A Regularly scheduled meetings of these committees will be posted by the Recording Secretary. Notices of other unscheduled meetings shall be posted by the committee chairperson. Minutes of all committee meetings shall be taken and filed in accordance with State laws.

 Section 2: Ad Hoc committees may be created for purposes other than functions of the standing committees. These committees may consist of Trustees as well as members of the general public and shall act in an advisory role to the Board of Trustees. Members of these committees shall be selected by the Board of Trustees, and the ad hoc committee chairperson shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Ad Hoc committee meetings are public meetings and shall be publicly posted and minutes shall be taken and properly recorded.

 Article VI: Conflicts of Interest

The Board of Trustees shall comply with New Hampshire RSA 7:19 regarding conflict of interest on any issues before the Board.A The statute reads in part “Directors, officers, and trustees of charitable trusts shall serve on the governing boards of such charitable trusts only for the charitable purposes of the organization. If such directors, officers or trustees are serving for any other expressed or intended reasons, they shall not serve on the governing board of the organization.”

Trustees of the Pillsbury Free Library may recuse themselves from any vote in which there is a perceived conflict. In those cases, the Trustee shall also refrain from any discussion or participation on the issue in question. Questions regarding conflicts of interest shall be presented to and decided by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

 Article VII: Library Staff

A Library Director, Assistant Library Director, Janitor and such other appointees as the Board shall believe necessary to the proper operation of the Library shall be appointed at the annual meeting of the Trustees and by a majority vote of the Board. Salaries will be fixed by majority vote of the Board.

 The Library Director of the Pillsbury Free Library shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Board of Trustees and all Committees and shall not count in determining a quorum of the Board.

 Article VIII: Amendments to By-Laws

These Bylaws may be altered or amended by two-thirds majority vote of the full Board at a regular meeting, notice of the proposed changes having been given at a previous meeting and publicly posted in accordance with RSA 91-A:2 II, NH Right to Know Law.

 Article IX: Parliamentary Authority

“Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised” shall be the Parliamentary authority in all matters not specified by the Bylaws.

 This revised version adopted: May 18, 2021

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