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This nonprofit organization shall be known as the Mid-Tennessee Council of the Blind, Inc., hereafter referred to as MTCB. MTCB is an affiliate of the Tennessee Council of the Blind, hereafter referred to as TCB. An affiliation such as that mentioned with TCB establishes MTCB as an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, hereafter referred to as ACB.

ARTICLE II - MISSION

The mission of MTCB shall be:

  a. To expand the social, educational, and employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired persons in Middle Tennessee, and to encourage and assist such persons in becoming more active, productive, and responsible members of the community.

  b. To inform and educate the general public of the capabilities and accomplishments of blind and visually impaired persons.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Membership in MTCB shall be comprised of three classifications:

Section 1
Active Membership

An active member is an individual who is in accord with the purpose of the organization and has submitted in full all dues to MTCB. Active membership status in MTCB entitles the individual to all rights and privileges of MTCB, TCB and ACB.

Section 2
Honorary Membership

An honorary member is an individual who has made a significant contribution to the purpose of MTCB, and shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of active members except those of voting and holding office. Honorary members may be inducted into the organization by recommendation of the body.

Section 3
Junior Membership

A junior membership may be bestowed on any person who is at least sixteen (16) years of age for a nominal fee, and shall be entitled to voting rights.

ARTICLE IV
DUES

Dues shall be paid annually at times and in amounts to be established by a majority vote of MTCB members. Dues must be paid between October 1st and February 15th with the fiscal year running from January 1st to December 31st. A designated portion of these dues, which entitles the individual to membership in TCB and ACB, will be forwarded to these organizations.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

Section 1 Officers

The officers of MTCB shall be: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. The president and one (1) of the vice presidents shall be blind or visually impaired. Either the president, first vice president of the second vice president shall have a working knowledge of the Braille code.

Section 2 Duties of the President

It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all MTCB meetings, appoint committees not explicitly established and supported by the constitution, serve as ex officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee, serve on the Executive Board of TCB or appoint someone from the body to serve in his/her stead, convene regular committee meetings, and perform all other customary duties of the office. Also, the president shall be the delegate for MTCB at the TCB and ACB conventions.

Section 3 Duties of the First Vice President

It shall be the duty of the first vice president to perform the duties of the president in his or her absence, and perform any other customary duties of the office.

Section 4 Duties of the Second Vice President

It shall be the duty of the second vice president to perform the duties of either the president or the first vice president in their absence, and perform any customary duties of the office.

Section 5 Duties of the Recording Secretary

It shall be the duty of the recording secretary to accurately record and make available upon request of the entire body or individual MTCB member, the minutes of all meetings; keep up-to-date records pertaining to the membership.

Section 6 Duties of the Corresponding Secretary

It shall be the duty of the corresponding secretary to prepare official correspondence.

Section 7 Duties of the Treasurer

It shall be the duty of the treasurer to collect and deposit all funds, pay all outstanding bills, keep a record of all expenditures incurred by MTCB, and to report monthly to the membership, and submit books for an annual examination by an auditing committee appointed by the President.

ARTICLE VI - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The board of directors shall consist of the six (6) designated constitutional officers, the immediate past president, and three elected board members. The integrity of rotation of the elected board members shall be maintained, as it appeared when this document was adopted. The board shall study, formulate and recommend policies and projects, and carry out the actions directed to it by the standing committees. The board shall present an annual budget to the membership at the regularly scheduled January MTCB meeting by means of a majority of members present and eligible to vote.

A majority of the members of the board of directors shall be blind or visually impaired. The president may vote only in the event of a tie.

ARTICLE VII - ELECTIONS AND TERM LIMITS

Officers and elected board members shall be installed in their respective terms of office at the regular scheduled January MTCB meeting by means of a majority of member’s present eligible to vote.

Section 1 Limits

Except for the positions of recording secretary and Treasurer, officers may serve no more than three consecutive two year terms at one position or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

An elected board member may serve no more than one (1) three year term or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

Any vacancy on the board of directors occurring before a term has expired shall be filled on an interim basis by a majority vote of the eligible voting membership, with the exception of the office of President, to which the First Vice President shall succeed. If an individual is elected to fill a vacancy for more than half of the unexpired term, it will be counted as a full term when considering the issue of consecutive terms served in one position. All contested elections shall be decided by secret ballot unless otherwise motioned and supported by a majority of those present and eligible to vote.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

MTCB will support the existence of five (5) standing committees: Fund Development, Membership Development, Social, Public Relations, and Legislative. All standing committees shall consist of three to five persons and each shall be chaired by a member of the board of directors. The chair shall appoint the other members of the committee.

Section 1 Requirements

All standing committees shall meet separately at least twice annually to discuss current and future undertakings.

Section 2 Procedures

The President shall have the right to appoint committees as needed and establish a timetable for convening.

Section 3 Expenditures

All standing committees shall be appropriated an annual operating budget.

Section 4 The Fund Development Committee

The Fund Development Committee shall be responsible for developing and recommending fundraising projects to the Board of Directors.

Section 5 The Membership Development Committee

The Membership Development Committee shall be responsible for developing and recommending activities to increase membership for consideration by the Board.

Section 6 The Social Committee

The Social Committee shall be responsible for developing and recommending social and recreational activities for the enjoyment of the membership for consideration by the Board.

Section 7 The Public Relations Committee

The Public Relations Committee shall be responsible for developing, recommending, and submitting to the Board:

  a. Projects which will inform and educate the general public about the capabilities and accomplishments of blind and visually impaired persons.

  b. Outreach efforts to make blind and visually impaired persons aware of the existence and purpose of MTCB.

Section 8 The Legislative Committee

The legislative committee shall be responsible for reporting to the membership on legislation affecting blind and visually impaired persons. It shall also recommend to the Board of Directors specific actions to be taken by MTCB.

ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS

Section 1 Regular Meetings Meetings shall be held once a month at a time and place designated by the MTCB membership. Twenty-five percent of the active membership shall constitute a quorum at regular MTCB meetings.

Section 2 Special Meetings The President, two thirds of the board of directors and/or two thirds of the membership may call for a special meeting of MTCB at any time such a meeting is deemed advantageous or necessary, provided that due notice is provided to all members. One third of the active membership shall constitute a quorum at special or called meetings of MTCB.

Section 3 Committee Meetings

A majority of the board of directors, or the majority of a standing or special committee, shall constitute a quorum at their meetings.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

This document may be amended at any regularly scheduled meeting of MTCB by an affirmative vote of two thirds of the active membership present and voting. The proposed amendments shall have been signed by a minimum of four (4) active members in good standing and shall have been submitted and read aloud to the membership by the recording secretary at least thirty (30) days or one (1) meeting, which ever comes first, prior to the vote in order to permit discussion. Any proposed amendment may be considered immediately if UNANIMOUS consent is given.

ARTICLE XI - BYLAWS

Bylaws, which may be deemed necessary for the interpretation and/or implementation of this constitution, may be adopted at any regularly scheduled meeting of MTCB by a majority of the active membership who are present and eligible to vote.

ARTICLE XII - PARLIAMENTARY PROCUDRES

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern the procedures of MTCB provided that they do not conflict with the principles of this document.

ARTICLE XIII - DISSOLUTION

After two readings at consecutive meetings, this organization may be dissolved only at a regularly scheduled meeting by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the members present and voting. Upon the dissolution of the Mid-Tennessee Council of the Blind, all assets shall be distributed to the Tennessee Council of the Blind. In the event TCB no longer exists, those assets shall be conveyed to the American Council of the Blind. If ACB no longer exists, these assets shall be distributed to an organization with similar purposes related to blindness that has received a Section 501(c)(3) Certification by the Internal Revenue Service.