Bylaws

As Approved November 11, 2023

Article I: Dues

1.0. ACBO members are also members of the national ACB through an annual dues subscription of $5.00 per member paid by ACBO to the national organization. Members’ dues may be received by the ACBO office at any time in the year and may not be prorated. Dues paid by an individual during an annual ACBO convention entitle that individual to membership through December 31 of the following year.

1.1. Dues for Members of Chapters: Chapters may levy dues in any amount acceptable to their members provided that $10 per member is forwarded to the ACBO executive director, $5 for ACBO and $5 for the ACB national office.

1.2. Dues for members at large are $15 and are paid directly to ACBO.

1.3. Dues for Life Members: Life Members are those who have paid $1000 to the national office of the ACB for a lifetime membership. Thus, ACBO annual dues are reduced by $5 because that national dues assessment is no longer necessary. Therefore, for each Life Member, a chapter shall forward $5 to the executive director and an at-large member shall send $10 annual dues directly to the executive director.

Article II: Chapter Membership Records

2.0. Each chapter shall forward its membership forms, available on our website, and corresponding dues assessments to the ACBO office no later than February 15. Dues may be paid at any time of the year, but, for a member to vote in the ACBO annual convention, dues must be to the ACBO office no later than 30 days prior to the convention.

Article III: Standing Committees

3.0. Committees consisting of board members and others perform predefined tasks for the board and corporation. Divisions and actions of any committee may be appealed to the president and to the board if deemed necessary. Committee participants need not be members of the board or chapter representatives. However, participants must be current ACBO members in good standing and committee chairs shall be board members.

3.1. Unless otherwise specified in the constitution or bylaws, the chair of each standing committee shall be appointed by the president. Board members must submit their committee choices in writing to the president within 30 days after election. The president shall forward a list of these individuals to the various chairs from which they may select members for their committees. There is no limitation for how many committees on which a board member may serve or may chair.

3.2. The president may establish other committees as deemed necessary to further the corporation’s purposes.

3.3. Awards: The committee shall have responsibility for soliciting nominations; selecting winners to receive the various awards presented at the annual ACBO convention; and work with the ACBO executive director to arrange lodging, transportation, and purchase of plaques. The committee shall consist of a chair and at least two others.

3.4. Budget: The committee shall prepare and present an annual budget to the board of directors for adoption for the ensuing calendar year. Once adopted by the board of directors, a budget cannot be altered except by a two-thirds vote of the board. The committee shall consist of the treasurer as chair and at least two others appointed by the president in consultation with the treasurer.

3.5. Convention Program: The committee consists of the program committee and includes the site and exhibits subcommittees.

3.5.1. Program: The committee has responsibility for organizing the convention program, including events and speakers, arranges for speakers’ transportation and lodging as needed, and for any other materials and arrangements necessary for the convention program. The committee shall make arrangements for printing and embossing of the program prior to the convention. The committee shall consist of two co-chairs and as many members as deemed necessary to do the work of the committee.

3.5.2. Site: The committee has the responsibility of identifying a suitable location for holding the convention; assessing the location for accessibility, including signage, dog relief areas, and overall safety; arranging for convention facilities, such as meeting rooms, serving of meals, sleeping accommodations, exhibit space, and such other of the usual considerations for a successful convention. The committee shall work with the executive director to review and approve the contract with the hotel. The program committee co-chairs shall appoint a chair for this committee and shall choose two others to work with the chair.

3.5.3. Exhibits: The committee shall develop a list of possible exhibitors and vendors and invite them to participate. It shall determine the needs of specific exhibitors, such as the number of tables needed, the need for electricity, and the number of days each can be present. The committee shall also seek out sponsors for the convention, for both the entire convention and specific parts, such as transportation of speakers and award or scholarship winners, the Friday evening activity, the banquet, and the auction. The program committee co-chairs shall appoint a chair for this committee and shall choose two others to work with the chair.

3.6. Fundraising: The committee shall explore and implement ways to bring in donations to support the organization. With the support of the board, it will plan and carry out any resulting fundraising activities. The treasurer shall serve as chair of this committee, which shall be comprised of the executive director and at least two other members.

3.7. Legislative: The committee is responsible for keeping the ACBO board and membership apprised of state and federal legislative issues. It shall promote and/or coordinate involvement of the board and membership with legislators and the public for greater understanding and appreciation of the needs and concerns of the ACBO membership. It shall also be responsible for coordinating ACBO’s participation in the annual leadership conference in Washington, D.C. The committee shall consist of at least three members.

3.8. Matching Grants: The committee receives and considers requests for grants from ACBO chapters and Ohio residents who need funds to expand membership, develop projects, or purchase adaptive equipment. All requests must fall in line with our mission. The committee shall consist of at least three members with the first vice-president as chair.

3.9. Membership: The committee shall have the responsibility for developing and implementing programs to promote ACBO membership. The committee shall consist of a chair and at least three others.

3.10. Newsletter: The committee solicits and gathers items for the Ohio Connection. The president serves as chair and works with at least three members, including the editor and the executive director. The committee edits the articles and offers suggestions for the layout and presentation of the newsletter. It is the responsibility of the editor and the executive director to ensure that the finished document is printed and mailed by the 15th of March, June, September, and December.

3.11. Nominating: The committee shall solicit candidates for incumbent and open officer and board positions prior to the annual convention. It shall prepare the slate for publication in the fall newsletter and to the ACBO list at least 30 days before the annual business meeting. The committee chair shall conduct elections during the annual business meeting. The committee shall consist of a chair appointed by the president and at least two other persons appointed by the chair, the committee having no more than one person from any given chapter. The committee shall not place any of its members on its proposed slate of nominees. However, members of the nominating committee are still eligible to be nominated from the convention floor.

3.12. Organization Documents: The committee is responsible for regularly reviewing the constitution, bylaws, and policy document. The committee shall be available to any ACBO member who wishes to propose amendments and may draft amendments of its own. It shall be responsible for seeing that notices of proposed amendments reach the membership at least four weeks prior to the annual meeting at which these amendments are to be voted upon. To publish amendments in the newsletter may suffice if the information is in the hands of the membership at least four weeks prior to the annual meeting. When submitting amendments for a vote at the annual meeting, this committee may attach a recommendation of “recommend” or “do not recommend.” The committee shall consist of a chair and at least two other members.

3.13. Personnel: The committee offers support to the executive director as needed to assist with operations, staff, or other matters. It prepares an annual evaluation of the executive director and reports results to the board. When hiring a new executive director, the committee seeks, vets, and interviews potential candidates, and makes suggestions to the board for hiring. The committee consists of a chair and at least two other members of the board of directors.

3.14. Scholarship: The committee is responsible for disseminating information about the ACBO scholarships. The committee shall select winners based on the guidelines set forth in the scholarship documentation. The committee makes arrangements for attending the convention, including lodging, transportation, and registration. The committee consists of a chair and at least three others.

3.15. Sports and Recreation: The committee plans and promotes retreats and other activities. The committee consists of a chair and at least two members.

3.16. Technology: The committee keeps the ACBO website up to date, makes recommendations for updates to equipment and software as necessary, and assists in choosing and setting up of equipment as needed. The committee shall consist of a chair and at least two others.

Article IV: Chapter Standing

4.0. If the president receives a written complaint that a chapter is violating its own constitution or bylaws or the constitution or bylaws of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio, and the president believes that this complaint is not frivolous, the president shall:

4.1. Notify the president of the chapter, by way of a letter, of the nature of the complaint, explaining the procedure which will be followed by the board of directors in evaluating the complaint;

4.2. appoint a committee to investigate and determine the validity of the complaint and report its findings to the ACBO board of directors.