Bylaws

The following bylaws were adopted May 25, 2009 by the Council, unanimously.

Ratified by the 2010 Council under Section 5 in March 2010.

Section 1: Identity — These bylaws pertain to an unincorporated organization variously known as chicago-sf.org, Chicago-SF, the Chicago Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup, Chicagoland Fantasy, Speculative and Science Fiction Meetup and permutations thereof. This document refers to the organization as chicago-sf.org, but this convenience is not meant to exclude other references. This is the codification of an organization which has existed for years and has been historically distinguished by a social dinner held on the first Tuesday of the month.

Section 2: Purpose — chicago-sf.org exists to facilitate the sociable discussion and enjoyment of literature, film, television, theater, serial art and other forms of the speculative fiction genre.

Section 3: Organization — The members of chicago-sf.org have authorized elected representatives to ensure the amenable environment of our events. These representatives, hereafter the "Council" will administer events, secure venues, arrange for electronic presence and profile enhancement, and collect and disburse funds to that end.

A) Establishment: The membership of chicago-sf.org elected a five-seat Council effective March 23, 2009. This Council is known as the 2009 Council. Subsequent Councils will be identified by the year in which they were elected.

B) Elections: Councils shall be seated for one year. A Council consists of the five volunteers receiving the most votes in the election for that Council cycle. During the month of February people may volunteer to serve on the Council. To do so they must provide the Council with the names and signatures of three supporting voters in good standing. They will then be listed on the ballot. Council voting will take place electronically in March. Valid voters will be defined as persons having joined the forum at chicago-sf.org, or the authorized meetup.com group at least 30 days prior to the start of voting. An esteemed party or parties will be asked by the Council to serve as a Board of Elections, summing the totals and reporting the next Council. No write-ins will be accepted, and each voter shall be able to vote for five names from the list of volunteers. No name may be voted for more than once upon any one voter's ballot. Ties shall be decided in favor of seniority as determined by date of registration on the chicago-sf.org forum. The new Council is seated immediately when the results are reported. Results are to be reported no later than the end of March.

C) On Councilors: Each Councilor has one vote on the Council. Councilors may be delegated specific authorities and duties within the general Council mandate by decision of that body. The same authorities and duties may be revoked by the Council at its pleasure. Councilors may hold group property in their name in the understanding that Council decisions are binding upon that property.

D) Motions: Council motions not requiring amendment to these bylaws are passed by simple majority.

E) Replacement: If a Councilor should resign, abandon their seat, or perish, the Council is directed to inquire of the Board of Elections as to the next-highest vote-recipient and offer them the option of serving out the term of the departed Councilor. Abandonment is absence for three consecutive months from all major chicago-sf.org events. Councilors are also required to vote on motions in a timely fashion. Defaulting on a Council vote by failing to respond for more than one week constitutes abandonment if it occurs three times in a row. A Councilor unable to fulfill either criteria due to banning from the forum or our events may be replaced once the sanction that necessarily leads to that end has been imposed. Abandonment may be excused by majority vote of the Council.

F) Working Groups: The Council may establish "working groups" or "committees" as it sees fit, comprising any combination of Councilors and voters as deemed appropriate to govern a particular area of responsibility or a particular endeavor. In forming such a group, the Council will specify the authorities and duties being delegated. Such delegated powers can be revoked at the Council's discretion.

G) Funds: The Council is empowered to collect funds by donation and such levying mechanisms as it may approve to further the purposes of chicago-sf.org. The Council is responsible for making the group's financial information available to members.

Section 4: Amendments to the Bylaws -- The seated Council may amend these bylaws by a unanimous vote, or by the majority vote of two sequential Councils.

Section 5: Ratification -- These bylaws can be brought into provisional effect for one year by unanimous vote of the seated 2009 Council. Their permanent effect must then be confirmed by majority vote of the 2010 Council. If they fail to achieve a majority vote at that time, that Council must draft and approve new bylaws unanimously, and achieve majority approval of the next Council for permanent effect.