By Laws

Project Acclaim By-Laws

Approved March 4, 2014

Revised Jan. /Feb. 2015

Revised March 1, 2016

Revised April 5, 2016

 

Article I   The Name of the Corporation

The name of this corporation shall be “Project Acclaim – honoring civic pride.” Project Acclaim is a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Illinois and is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Project Acclaim holds a 501c3 federal tax status.

 

Article II  The Mission and Vision and Slogan of The Corporation

The mission of The Corporation shall be to:

Promote a positive image of the Joliet and Will County area and it’s people,

Engage residents and organizations to make their neighborhoods better, and to

Partner with anyone or any organization working toward that same end.

 

The Vision Statement for Project Acclaim is as follows:

Project Acclaim will lead our community in recognizing and commemorating local accomplishments

 

The Slogan for Project Acclaim is:  Joliet & Will County: A great place to work, play, and stay.

 

Article III  Membership/Dues

The membership shall be comprised of any person or organization demonstrating a desire to be a part of this Corporation’s mission and shall consist of the following categories:

               Board of Directors (including Officers)

               Members

 

Annual dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and shall be adjusted solely by a majority vote of the membership.

 

All members are required to pay annual dues not later than January 31st.  Non-payment is grounds for dismissal.

 

 

Article IV   Board of Directors (The Board)

The activities of this Corporation shall be coordinated and conducted by the Board of Directors elected by a majority vote of the membership.

              

The Board (includes Officers) shall consist of nine (9) members eligible to serve two consecutive one-year terms.  In order to insure effective transitions, two (2) new Board members will be elected each year.

Upon ratification of these by laws, two members will be elected to the Board for a one year term and two for a two year term in order to initiate the rotation of two members per year.

 

The Board’s duties shall include:

               Establishing the direction for this organization.

               Recommending actions for approval votes by the membership.

               Review by laws for currency and propose revisions as needed for a vote by the membership.

               Meet on an as needed basis.

 

Article V   Members

Members shall have the following duties:

               Elect Board of Directors.

               Approve Hall of Pride and Allen Award Recipients.

               Vote adjustments to dues.

Attend Board of Directors meetings as desired.

Serve as committee chairpersons as needed.

Other duties as determined by The Board.

 

Honorary Membership:

By a majority vote of the membership, an honorary membership may be awarded to an individual or organization that has contributed greatly to Project Acclaim through continued service to this organization.  All rights and privileges of membership shall be granted.  Dues will be waived.

 

 Article VI  Meetings

                                               Section A.  There shall be an annual Hall of Pride Banquet and Induction Meeting held

                                                                 near the end of the year at which time Officers shall also be installed

                                                                 for the following year beginning January 1st.

                                               Section B.  The Corporation shall meet at least monthly.

                                               Section C.  Special meetings of The Corporation shall be called by a written

                                                                (includes email and text) notice sent to all members at least five (5) days prior

                                                                 to the specified meeting.  Time, place, and agenda shall also be specified.

                                               Section D.  The Officers shall meet as needed and as determined by the membership

                                                                 or Board.

                                               Section E.  It is preferred that members attend a minimum of 75% of monthly meetings.

                                               Section F.  A required quorum shall be 51% of eligible attendees. 

                                                                 Proxy votes are allowed.

 

 

Article VII  Committees

                                             Standing Committees shall consist of:

                                             Membership/Alumni Relations

                                             Finance    

                                             Social Media Coordination

                                             Clean & Proud 

                                             Ad hoc committees as directed by The Board such as:

                                                            Hall of Pride Selection Committee

                                                            Hall of Pride Banquet Committee

                                                            Nominating Committee

                                                            Audit Committee

                                                            Neighborhood Hero Program Committee

                                                                                                 

 

Article VIII  Officers

The elected officers of this Corporation shall be: 

                President

               Vice President

               Secretary

               Treasurer

               Immediate Past President

 

The term of office for officers is one (1) year.  Officers are eligible to serve two (2) consecutive one-year terms.

 

Exceptions, regarding term limits, may be granted based on a recommendation by the Board and a majority vote by the membership present.

 

Article IX  Duties of the Officers

Section A.  President:  It shall be the responsibility of the President to organize and conduct all meetings, appoint committees as needed, and to sign all documents authorized by the Board.

The President shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

 

In the event of a vacated Officer or Board position, the President shall appoint a replacement for the duration of the vacated term.

 

Section B.  Vice President:  It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President to fulfill the duties of the President in his/her absence and to succeed said President if he/she is unable to complete his/her term.

 

The Vice President shall have primary responsibility for membership growth.

 

The Vice President shall chair the Nominating Committee for The Board, the Hall of Pride Selection Committee, and the Banquet Committee.

 

The Vice President shall oversee the Membership/Alumni Relations Committee.

 

Section C.  Treasurer:  It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to maintain all funds in an account under the name of the Corporation and to report, at least monthly, the financial status of the Corporation.  The Treasurer shall also maintain records of all donations (including the PayPal account) and dues collected.

 

It shall also be the responsibility of the Treasurer to manage all tax return filings, reports to the Illinois Secretary of State, and all needed communications with the IRS.

 

The Treasurer shall oversee the Finance Committee

 

The Treasurer shall distribute annual dues invoices NLT December 31st and shall follow up on all dues payments.

 

Section D.  Secretary:  It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to record all minutes of Board and general membership meetings and to make notification of all up-coming meetings.

 

The Secretary shall oversee the Social Media Committee.

 

Section E.  Immediate Past President:  The Immediate Past President is retained on the Board to insure effective transition and continuity.  Term of the Immediate Past President will be for one year following the election of a new President.  After one year, should there be no Immediate Past President, the office will stand vacant until there is a qualified Immediate Past President.

 

Section F.  Officers and Board members may be terminated for lack of performance by a majority vote of the Board.

 

 

ARTICLE X      Fiscal Procedures

  1. All Project Acclaim accounting procedures shall be in compliance with 501(C)3 requirements.
  2. An annual audit of the Project Acclaim financial activities shall be completed by January 1st.
  3. The Treasurer shall present a draft budget to the Officers no later than November 1st. The Officers then present the draft to the Board and ultimately the membership for final approval.

 

 

ARTICLE XI    Hall of Pride Guidelines

  1. Hall of Pride inductees are recognized because they have, by virtue of their efforts; brought a heightened sense of pride to the Joliet and Will County area.
  2. Individual candidates, groups, or organizations are recognized within their chosen profession, career, or field of endeavor; as having gone “above and beyond” normal expectations. Candidates, groups, or organizations demonstrating exceptional community involvement beyond their chosen field are preferred.
  3. Among qualified candidates, those suffering from a long-term illness shall be given priority in any given year. Additionally, deceased, qualified candidates shall not be excluded from consideration.
  4. As the Corporation includes all communities within Will County, candidates from anywhere therein are eligible. 
  5. Selection Committee members shall attempt to include all arenas such as profession, volunteerism, religion, community service, business, sports, philanthropy, etc.
  6. The Selection Committee is accountable to the Vice President (See Art. IX). In order to insure a timely nomination process, the following timeline shall apply:
  7. Two months (minimum) prior to the Induction Meeting, the committee and the Board shall agree on the list of nominees.
  8. At a meeting no less than one month from the Induction Meeting, the committee shall present its recommended list of prospective inductees (maximum of five (5)) to the Board for approval.
  9. Two (2) complimentary tickets shall be provided to each inductee. They will also be encouraged to purchase additional tickets for family members and friends.
  10. Project Acclaim reserves the right to defer the induction of a chosen candidate to a future class if it is known that the selectee is unable to attend that year’s induction meeting.

 

 

Article XII   The Reverend James E. Allen Award For Service To The Community

 “The Allen Award” may be presented at any time of the year to an individual or organization that meets the following:                                   

  1. Selfless devotion to community by direct action.
  2. Resident of Will County.
  3. Performed action above and beyond the call of duty.
  4. Action has community-wide impact which significantly improved the life or well-being of individuals.
  5. Action promotes the Project Acclaim vision and/or mission.
  6. Action enhanced the best interests of the community.
  7. Actions observed can be singular or repeated events not necessarily associated with a long term activity or career where the Hall of Pride honors might be more appropriate.

                                           

Nominations for this award (individual or organization) may be submitted by presenting a write-up and contact information to any Officer or Board Member for review and follow-up.

 

The Board will make recommendations for approval by a majority vote of the membership present.

 Article XIII     Amendments and Additions

Amendments to these by-laws shall be presented to the entire membership. A vote will be taken at the following monthly meeting.  A majority vote of the entire membership present affirms the amendment.

 

Article XIV      Dissolution of the Corporation

Should the dissolution of the Corporation become necessary, all liabilities shall be paid from the available treasury.  The Board shall dispose of all remaining assets under the provision of applicable laws and regulations. 

 

Article XV    Committee Descriptions

  1. Membership/Alumni Relations is responsible to keep past and present members and Hall of Pride Inductees abreast of Corporation activities and to encourage their participation.
  2. Finance Committee is responsible for Corporation financial It reports to the Treasurer.
  3. Social Media is responsible for keeping all Corporation-related social media current.
  4. Hall of Pride Selection Committee is responsible for selecting qualified candidates for inauguration into the Hall of Pride and presenting their findings to the Board for ultimate approval of the membership.
  5. Hall of Pride Banquet Committee is responsible for all aspects of  planning and executing of the Banquet.
  6. Nominating Committee is responsible for creating a slate of officers to be voted on prior to the Annual Induction Meeting and Banquet.
  7. Neighborhood Hero Committee is responsible to review qualified candidates, arrange for plaques and signage, and present proposed award winners to the Board and ultimately the membership for approval.
  8. Audit Committee is responsible for providing an annual audit,  complete with report to the Board, prior to the end of the calendar year.
  9. Clean & Proud Committee is responsible to manage outreach and community cleanup opportunities with the following partner agencies as well as others that may present themselves:  Sharefest, Harrah’s Casino Joliet, Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC), and the Joliet Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Program.