The Williamstown Garden Club serves the Williamstown community through its mission of Civic Beautification. This work is visible each growing season as members work to plant and maintain flowers and plants at numerous locations throughout town. 

 

 

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Bylaws of the Williamstown Garden Club (Last amended 10.9.2018)

 
Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Williamstown Garden Club.

Article II: Objectives

The objectives of the Williamstown Garden Club shall be:

  • To promote and create civic beauty in Williamstown.
  • To stimulate an interest in gardening and horticultural knowledge.
  • To aid in the protection and conservation of environment and natural resources.
Article III: Members 

Section 1. Membership is open to any individual who is interested in the promotion of the objectives of the Williamstown Garden Club.

The Williamstown Garden Club shall not permit in their conduct of club affairs, any restrictions or limitations whatsoever based on race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or employment status.

Section 2. Classes of membership shall be:

  • Active – Those members paying dues and participating in Club meetings and activities.
  • Associate – Those members paying additional dues in lieu of active participation in Club meetings and activities. Five years of active participation is required before a Member may become an Associate Member.
  • Honorary – Those members selected by the Club for distinguished service to the Club or for outstanding contribution to gardening

Section 3. All members shall be eligible to attend meetings and vote.

Section 4. A new member may join the Club by indicating an interest in promoting the objectives of the Club to the Membership Chair. New members may be accepted at any time.

Article IV: Fiscal Year

The Fiscal Year for the Club shall be July 1 through June 30.

Article V: Dues 

Section 1. Dues shall be set at the annual meeting and paid by January 31. Honorary members shall pay no dues.

Section 2. A member shall be automatically dropped for nonpayment of dues.

Article VI: Officers

Section 1. The elected officers of this organization shall be:

  • Co-President(s) (one or more as required by the membership)
  • Co-Vice President(s) (one or more as required by the membership)
  • Recording Secretary
  • Corresponding Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Program Chair
  • Civic Improvement Chairs (2): Annuals and Perennials
  • Communications
  • Membership/Outreach Chair

Section 2. Officers shall be elected for one-year terms with the privilege of being reelected for consecutive terms if the membership sees fit. Each officer shall write and submit to the President (previously Vice President) for safe-keeping an annual report of activities, schedules, and details, so that orderly transitions for committee activities shall occur.

Section 3. Duties of the officers are:

President: The Co-Presidents shall be responsible for conducting all Club business, coordinating the activities of committees, calling meetings and appointing standing committee chairs as authorized by the bylaws, and appointing on recommendation of the Executive Board delegates to represent the Club as the need arises.

Vice President(s): as requested.

Recording Secretary: The Secretary shall record.

Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct all official correspondence of the club as directed by the President.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect dues and report the payment of current dues to the Membership Chairman, report on financial status at meetings, transact and record all the Club’s fiscal transactions, prepare a yearly financial report and notify new members of their acceptance. The financial report will be presented to the membership at the annual meeting for acceptance. The Executive Committee, guided by the Finance Chair, shall develop an annual budget, and establish and execute a procedure for processing grant applications made to the Club.

Program: The Program Chair working with the Executive Board, shall plan at least six (6) regular meetings of the Club per year. The Chair is responsible for scheduling speakers, making necessary arrangements for trips and tours as required by the program. The program shall be included in the Yearbook and distributed to the membership.

Civic Improvement: The Civic Improvement Chairs shall conduct a continuing program of beautification and civic improvement for the Williamstown community; and shall cooperate with any other community group interested in this objective. There will be two chairs, one each for Annuals and Perennials.

Communications: The Communications Chair serves as the Club’s source for maintaining and sharing information with members and the community at large. The Communications Chair shall oversee the Club website and assist with all electronic and print communications; solicit, collect, and store club photographs; maintain the list of club-owned equipment; maintain an accurate database of member contact information; and produce the Annual Membership Booklet.

Membership/Outreach: The Membership/Outreach Chair shall lead a committee of members for the purpose of recruiting new members to the club, publicizing and promoting the club for the purpose of attracting new members and promoting general awareness of the Club in the community. The Membership/Outreach Chair shall receive membership requests, keep an updated list of members’ addresses, email and telephone numbers, pursue delinquent membership dues and oversee name tags.

Article VII: Standing Committees (as needed)

Section 1. Chairs of the Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President. The number of Standing Committees may be increased or decreased at the discretion of the Executive Board. Each Standing Committee Chairman shall write and submit to the President for safe keeping an annual report of activities, schedules, and details, so that orderly transitions for committee activities shall occur:

Section 2. Duties of the Standing Committee Chairs are as follows:

Awards Program: The Awards Program Chair shall be responsible for gathering and distributing to our club membership information about awards material and applications received from Berkshire District Garden Clubs, the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc., and/or the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc.

Finance: The Finance Committee, headed by the Finance Chairman, shall develop an annual budget, and establish and execute a procedure for processing grant applications made to the Club.

Garden Therapy: The Garden Therapy Chair shall be responsible conducting educational and outreach programs with nursing homes an similar community facilities.

Horticulture: The Horticulture Chair shall carry on a continuing program of education within the Club, including at least one horticulture and/or conservation meeting scheduled through the Program Chair.

Hospitality: The Hospitality Chairman shall be responsible for providing refreshments at scheduled Club meetings. 

Librarian-Historian: The Librarian-Historian shall be responsible for preserving historical documents and for maintaining a scrapbook of Garden Club activities, including pictures and publicity from all Club events. The Librarian-Historian shall also inform the membership of books and publications of interest.

Nominating: The Nominating Chair shall select two (2) members not on the Executive Board to prepare a slate of candidates for all elected offices. All candidates shall have been members of the club for at least one year. This slate shall be presented to the membership one month prior to the Annual Meeting. The election of officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting.

Publications: The Publications Chairman shall be responsible for publishing the Club Yearbook and the Club Newsletter. The Yearbook is produced once a year prior to the first meeting of the year. The Club Newsletter is produced periodically during the year at times jointly determined by the President and the Publications Chairman.

Publicity: The Publicity Chair shall be responsible for timely publicity via the local media and other avenues for public meetings, civic programs, and other activities of the Club. Information will be sent to associated organizations as required.

Youth Activities: The Youth Activities Chair shall serve as a program liaison between the Club and its activities and the young people in the community. The Chair shall appoint a Youth Awards and Scholarships Coordinator who shall gather and disseminate to local schools and colleges information about applications for horticulturally related awards and scholarships from local, state and national garden club organizations.

Section 3. Any Standing Committee Chair may recruit members to assist in carrying out committee responsibilities.

Article VIII: Executive Board

Section 1. The officers elected at the annual meeting shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall direct the policy and have general charge of the affairs of the Club subject to the approval of the membership. It shall act on business requiring immediate attention.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet at least two times each year or as often as deemed necessary by the President. A quorum shall be a minimum of half (50%) of the Executive Board.

Section 4. Vacancies occurring in offices shall be filled by appointment of the President, with approval of the Executive Board.

Section 5. Advisors: The two immediate past Presidents shall serve as advisors to the Executive Board. Executive Board Advisors will not be counted as the quorum nor have a vote.

Section 6. The minutes of each Executive Board meeting shall be reported to the entire membership. Any member may request that an item be placed on the agenda of an upcoming Executive Board meeting.

Article IX: Elections

Section 1. Election of officers shall be conducted at the annual meeting. A slate of candidates shall be recommended by the Nominating Committee one month prior to the Annual Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 2. Each member may vote once for each office. A majority of votes cast from those present will elect a person to office.

Article X: Meetings

Section 1. There shall be an Annual Meeting, the exact date of which shall be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2. A quorum shall be 30% of the paid membership.

Article XI: Parliamentary Authority

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED, 2011, shall be the authority and govern this Club in the business procedure on all points not covered by the bylaws.

Article XII: Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Board. They shall become effective when approved by a two-thirds vote of those members present and voting at any’ regular meeting or any meeting called for that purpose. Any proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to each member, not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting, at which time they are presented for approval.

Article XIII: Dissolution Clause

In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the Williamstown Garden Club organization shall be, after payment of necessary expenses, distributed to the Town of Williamstown, Massachusetts, to be used for civic beautification and maintenance of former WGC projects, including gardens and walking trails.

 

Williamstown Garden Club Standing Rules (last revised March 25, 2025)

Standing rules shall be reviewed and amended as needed by the Executive Board on an annual basis at the beginning of the club year.

Finance Procedures

  1. Any expenditure which is not budgeted requires prior approval of the Board. For time sensitive needs, approval by the Treasurer and Finance Chair will be sufficient to approve the expenditure with notification to the Board thereafter.
  2. In the event of requests from outside groups or individuals for funds in excel of $100, the Treasure shall send a Grant Application form. The completed form will be reviewed by the Finance Committee for recommendation for vote by the full membership.
  3. Any Board member shall submit projected expenses in writing to the Treasurer for authorization as part of the budgeting process. Once budgeted, Board members may incur expenses within the budgeted item. Expense receipts for official or committee work/projects shall be submitted to the Treasurer prior to reimbursement by the Club using the format provided by the Treasurer.
  4. The Club’s debit card will be held by the Treasurer and its use is discouraged. It shall be used only with advanced permission of the Treasurer and within budget. 
  5. If included in the Annual Budget, up to two Delegates to the two yearly Federation Meetings will be reimbursed for registration and necessary expenses. Other reimbursements may be requested.
  6. Any changes to club dues shall be approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting.
  7. Subscriptions to the “Mayflower” magazine shall be received by all Board members without charge. Mayflower is also available electronically on the GCFM website.

Bank Account

1. The Club checking and savings accounts will have a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of four (4) signers: always Treasurer, President, and Finance Chair. The fourth member can vary depending on Club needs, such as out-going Treasurer or First Vice President.

2. Shortly after the Annual Meeting, the signers will present to the bank to endorse signature cards to reflect the changes in signers on the account

3. The Club checkbook, access to Quicken, and relevant financial records will be transferred to the incoming Treasurer in conjunction with the bank signature change.

Annual Meeting

  1. The President shall be responsible for the presentation at the Annual Meeting and shall ask for assistance from Board members as appropriate.
  2. Immediately following the Annual Meeting, there shall be an organizational board meeting with the following agenda: affirm the election results, specify the signers on the Club bank account, set date for appearance at bank to effect changes, as necessary. Approval of the minutes of this organizational meeting must be expedited for sharing with the bank.
  3. Newly elected Board members shall assume their office and responsibilities immediately after the Annual Meeting and shall serve until the next Annual Meeting.
  4. All Board Members shall execute “Conflict of Interest Statements” following the annual meeting.

Meetings

1. The club shall meet during the months April through December.

2. The Annual Meeting may be held any month July through December.