Memberships

ANNUAL Members Meeting 2024 OCTOBER 13 2 pm Old Historic Courthouse

Members asked to vote on these changes/adjustments/updates to by-laws

Rationale for significant changes
Article III.
Section 1 clarifies the membership year, since that was a matter of concern in the recent dispute; it has
become to difficult to track the actual anniversary date and send individual notices. It also makes clear
that family members do not inherit life memberships
Sections 2 & 3 clarify the rights of members and their duty to protect the collections and assets of the
JCHS.

Article V

Section 1 establishes a procedure, similar to that used by the Trails Library, to identify potential Board
members well in advance of the election.
Section 2 allows members to declare their candidacy and to be reviewed prior to the election
Section 3 ensures that members know who the candidates are
Section 4 prevents surprises and requires a secret ballot for contested elections.
Article VI
Section 1 ensures that a Board member who is delinqent in dues has fair notice prior to removal (Article
III, Section 1 should make this easier).
Section 3 ensures that all Board members know their duties and limitations
Article VII
Section 6 requires specific pre-approval of all expenditures with certain exceptions, whatever the method.
and restricts removal of financial records.

See Below for full changes

By-Laws of the Johnson County Historical Society, Inc. If Approved,

Revised — 2024
Article I – Name

The name of this corporation shall be: “THE JOHNSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.”

Article II – Objectives

The objectives of the Society, organized as a nonprofit corporation, shall be (1) to collect organize and
make available for public use documents, records and published materials pertaining to the history of
Johnson County, Missouri and its people, (2) to collect, preserve, and exhibit historical artifacts and
objects related to the county’s history. (3) to maintain and preserve the Society’s buildings and historic
properties on the Old Town Square, (4) to encourage and promote educational activities designed to
interpret and explain the county’s rich and diverse historical past, and (5) to oversee the staffing and
operation of the Mary Miller Smiser Heritage Library and Museum.
Article III – Membership

Section 1. Membership shall be open to all interested persons upon payment of dues as established by
the Board. The membership year shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th of the following
yearThe Board may establish different classes of membership, but benefits or privileges of
memberhip (other than recognition) shall not be differentiated by class of membership. Life
memberships are not heritable or transferable.
Section 2. Members may conduct research without additional fees (except for supplies consumed)
and vote in annual meetings. Only members may be allowed unescorted access to the collections and
resources of the JCHS, after complying with any training, access, and security requirements
established by the Board.
Section 3. A Membership may be denied or cancelled without recourse if it is found that such

member(s) removed property, documents or records without complying with Article IX of these by-
laws, or damaged or destroyed any JCHS property.

Article [III] IV – Meetings

Section 1. The Annual Meeting of the members of the corporation shall be held between 15 September
and 15 October at a time and place to be established by the directors. Members must be notified of this
meeting three weeks in advance.
Section 2. A special meeting of the members, to be held at the same or another suitable place as the

annual meeting, may be called at any time by the president and in the president’s absence by the vice-
president; or by directors.

Section 3. Notice of time and place of all annual and special meetings shall be printed in the Bulletin
and sent by the membership chair to each member twenty-one (21) days before the date thereof or
notice of meetings will be published in several newspapers of the county.
Section 4. The president or in his/her absence the vice-president, shall preside at all meetings.
Section 5. At every such meeting each member shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote.
Section 6. A quorum for the transaction of business at such meetings shall consist of fifteen (15)
members; but the members present at any meeting though less than a quorum, may adjourn to a future
time.

Article V – Elections

Section 1. Any person wishing to be a candidate for the Board of Directors must complete an
application listing the candidate’s qualifications and experience as they relate to non-profit
organizations and historic preservation. All applications received will be held for review by the
Nominatiing Committee.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee will announce a call for nominations by July 1st of each year,
including the number of positions to be voted on and the deadline for submitting applications. They
will review the applications, may interview selected applicants, and recommend a slate of candidates.
Applicants not selected by the Nominating Committee may choose to also be candidates by
submitting a declaration of candidacy, endorsed by five current general members of the JCHS, at least
30 days prior to the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. The list of candidates will be printed in the Bulletin, to be distributed not later than 21
days before the meeting.
Section 4. Nominations from the floor will not be accepted. All contested elections must be
conducted by secret written ballot. All members voting must be present and sign the attendance list
so their membership status can be verified. Proxy voting is not allowed.

Article {IV} VI – Board of Directors

Section 1. The business and property of the corporation shall be managed by a board of nine (9)
directors, who shall be elected by the members. Each director shall be a member, and shall receive no
compensation for the service as a director. Cessation by a director of membership in the corporation
shall operate as a resignation of his office, provided the director has been previously notified of
membership expriration.

Section 2. Three directors shall be elected annually by the members at the annual meeting and shall
hold offices for three years or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. [Effective 2002,]
Incoming directors shall be eligible to serve no more than three (3) consecutive terms.
Section 3. A regular meeting of the directors shall be held within thirty (30) days after the adjournment
of each annual membership meeting. Newly elected Board members will sign a document stating their
understanding of and compliance with policies relating to conflict of interest, facility access, and
handling of documents and artifacts.
Section 4. Special meeting of the board of directors may be called by the president, and in the
president’s absence, by the vice-president, or by request of four (4) board members, and with
notification by the Secretary of all Directors.
Section 5. A quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the directors
shall consist of five members of the board. Meetings may be held using electronic methods.
Section 6. The directors shall elect the officers of the corporation, such election to be held at the
director’s meeting following each annual membership meeting. The directors shall have the power to fix
the amount to be charged for membership in this corporation on basis of the anniversary date of
membership. The directors shall have an audit of all funds of the corporation made annually.
Section 7. Vacancies in the board of directors may be filled for the unexpired term by the remaining
directors at any regular or special directors meeting. Any director so appointed must comply with
Section 3 of this article.
Section 8. A Director may be removed for cause by a vote 2/3 of the entire board. Any such Director
shall be given 20 days written notice that removal will be considered and shall be given the opportunity
to present information at the meeting at which removal is to be considered. Removal of a Director due
to absence at three consecutive meetings without approved notice to the Board will be automatic.
Section 9. At each annual membership meeting the directors shall submit a statement of the business
done during the preceding year, together with a detailed report of the general financial condition of the
corporation and of the condition of its tangible property.
Article [V} VII – Officers

Section 1. The officers of this corporation shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a
treasurer. The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected by and from the
members of the Board of Directors following the annual membership meeting. The editor of the
bulletin and the membership chair shall be appointed by the president of the Board of Directors subject
to Board approval. Officers shall be elected or appointed for a term of one year subject to re-election or
reappointment. The president shall also appoint other positions, with Board approval, as the needs of
the Society may require. The president shall appoint a nominating committee at the May meeting with
board approval. Said committee shall consist of three (3) members of the board. Said officers and

appointed chairmen shall receive no compensation for their services in such capacity. An officer may be
removed from office by a 2/3 vote of the remaining Directors.
Section 2. The Board of Directors may appoint a curator and/or administrator to manage operations
of the Society’s Library, Museum and Public Square properties in conformity with the board’s directives.
The person(s) appointed shall be directly responsible to the board of directors and will submit monthly
reports to the directors. The board will establish the rate of compensation.
Section 3. The curator and/or administrator shall, with the approval of the board of directors, establish
written policies and procedures governing the recruitment, training and appointment of volunteers.
Section 4. The president shall preside at all directors’ and [stockholders’] Membership meetings; shall
have general supervision over the affairs of the corporation and over the officers; shall sign all written
contracts and agreements of the corporation and shall perform all such other duties as are incident to
the offices. In case of the absence or disability of the president, the duties shall be performed by the
vice-president.
Section 5. The secretary shall issue notices of all director’s [and stockholder’s] meetings and shall attend
and keep the minutes of the same, shall have charge of all corporation books, records, and papers; shall
attest with their signature all written contracts and agreements of the corporation, and shall perform all
such other duties as are written incident to the office. The treasurer shall attest with their signature, all
written contracts and agreements of the corporation if the secretary is unavailable.
Section 6. The treasurer shall have custody of all money and securities of the corporation. He/she shall
sign all checks of the corporation, He/she shall sign all checks of the corporation, provided that all
expenditures of $500 or more shall be specifically approved by the Board (except utilities and
periodic subscriptions); shall keep regular books of account and shall submit a monthly financial
statement report to the Board of Directors for their examination and approval; and shall perform all
such other duties as are incident to the office. No financial records may be removed from the premises
of the JCHS without Board approval. The office of the treasurer shall be bonded at all times.

Article [VI] VIII – Endowment Fund

Section 1. The corporation shall establish and hold as a Permanent Endowment Fund the sum of at
least Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000) together with all additional amounts received from
any source and designated for the Permanent Endowment Fund.
Section 2. The Permanent Endowment Fund so constituted, together with additional amounts paid
into the Permanent Endowment Fund, shall be held, administered, and controlled as a Permanent
Endowment Fund and only the interest, dividends, and other income arising from the use of the corpus
shall be used for purposes of management, upkeep, maintenance or improvement of property belonging
to the corporation and located on the Old Town Square, Warrensburg, Missouri.

Section 3. The Permanent Endowment Fund shall be held, administered, and controlled by a Board of
Trustees comprised of three members. The elected Treasurer of the Corporation shall be appointed and
serve as Trustee-Treasurer of the Permanent Endowment Fund. He and two other trustees shall be
appointed by the President of the Board of Directors, subject to approval by the Board of Directors,
from membership of the Historical Society. The Trustees shall be appointed for a term of three years
except that Trustee-Treasurer of the Permanent Endowment Fund shall serve for the same period he or
she serves as the elected Treasurer of the Corporation. Vacancies occurring on the Board of Trustees
shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Corporation for the unexpired term, subject to the
approval of the Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Trustees shall meet at least once annually
and shall receive no compensation for their services in such capacity.
Section 4. The corpus of the Permanent Endowment Fund shall be invested in sound and safe interest
and dividend bearing securities or income-producing real estate. Income received from investments
shall be transferred, whenever practicable to the Treasurer of the Corporation for the purposes
enumerated in Section 2, above.
Section 5. The Trustee-Treasurer of the Permanent Endowment Fund, after appointment and before
entering upon the duties of the office, shall cause to be made, executed, and delivered to the Board of
Directors a surety bond to the Corporation in total amount of the Permanent Endowment Fund at the
date of appointment, conditioned on the faithful keeping, preserving and paying over all moneys
coming into the hands of the Trustee-Treasurer of the Permanent Endowment Fund.
Section 6. A financial review committee appointed by the Board President shall make a review of the
endowment fund and other financial records on an annual basis. The committee shall be comprised of
Board members but may include one lifetime member of the Johnson County Historical Society who is
not a current member of the Board.

Article [VII] IX – Loans

Section 1. As a general rule, no material or item of any kind will be removed from the library (or
museum, wherever located) by anyone. This applies to the public, Board of Directors, all volunteers and
curator. An exception to this rule may be made when it appears beneficial to the Society and the
material or item is such that it can not be copied or a copy made on the premises would not be
satisfactory. Any such exception must be approved by no less than two (2) board members. The
material or item when taken must be accompanied by a designated person. In each exception to the
rule, a written record is to be made and retained. This record will state the condition of the material or
item and the time it is to be returned. It will be signed by the person requesting and witnessed by the
board members approving the exception to the rule. Additional exceptions will be brought before the
Board of Directors.

Article [VIII] X – Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws may be made at the annual meeting of the members after due notice of
such changes. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretary in writing thirty (30) days
prior to the annual September meeting.

Article [IX] XI – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the most recent version of Modern Edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order shall
govern the corporation in all cases where they are not inconsistent with these by-laws and any special
rules of order the Board of Directors may adopt.

To Order Merchandise, Join the JCHS, or Give to our Programs.

Membership Dues for 2024

Daily $5.00

Goodall Yearly $30.00 

Blind Boone Business $100.00   

Old Drum Lifetime $500.00

We thank you for your support of the JCHS and for liking our Facebook and website this past year. We hope that you can join us in 2024 on our newly invigorated historical journey into the future. We are always looking for volunteers and suggestions on how to improve our services.

2025 MEMBERSHIPS

DAILY for non-members. $5.00 This is a one-person, one-day access to our research library.  This gives access for the day to visit and research in the JCHS Mary Miller Smiser Heritage Library. It is for one person to research in our library of family files, photographs, original deeds, obituaries, and original court documents. This is geared mainly to our out-of-town guests who are visiting for only one day. There is a cost for black and white or color copies posted in the museum.

GOODALL YEARLY $30.00 Membership is for $30.00 per year and is good for all persons at one address for the year. It entitles everyone at one address access to our library during open hours, free tours of our museum and free or discounted prices for events. Allows adults in one household voting rights and Members Annual Meeting. Members also receive copy of our bi-annual newsletter The Bulletin. Newsletter can be sent electronically by request.

Blind Boone Business $100.00 This membership gives all the same features as the Goodall and advertises your business in our publications for the year and support all events held by the JOCOHS

Old Drum Lifetime. This Membership is for your lifetime. Never worry about renewals.

Click the link below to purchase your membership today.

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/8N34SX2E8RQTE/checkout/NLJPUI6PDK5Q7OOXZOUN5E6N

To Contact us: email: curator@jocomohistory.org
Follow us on  https://www.facebook.com/jocomohistory – frequently added new pictures history postings.
Postal address: 302 N. Main, Warrensburg, MO, 64093
Phone: 660-747-6480 please leave a message if we cannot answer