bylaws

BYLAWS, EARTH DECADE COMMITTEE

Jun. 13, 1995

Article I – NAME

The name of the organization is Sustainable Sudbury, formerly known and founded as The Earth Decade Committee.

Article II. PURPOSES

The Earth Decade Committee is dedicated to honoring and caring for the earth as the home of all living things and as the source of their survival. The goals of the committee are:

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Earth Decade Committee is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and shall not carry out any activities not permitted to be carried out by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under IRC 501(c) (3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent tax laws.

No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(h), and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including publication and distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATION

All interested individuals and groups that wish to support the purposes of the organization are eligible for membership. The Officers may, by resolution, establish membership categories and requirements. All members have voting privileges.

Article IV. OFFICERS

Officers will be selected by consensus at the June meeting. Term of office will be one year. A Steering Committee shall consist of the Officers of the organization and Project Coordinators. Any member is eligible for these positions. Project Committees will be formed as need for work in the community becomes apparent and resources to carry out that work become available. Establishment of new committees must be approved by the Officers. Projects will promote the purposes outlined in the Statement of Purpose.

Officers of the organization will be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President will facilitate the work of the committee and serve as liaison with the public. The Vice-President will assist the President in his/her duties. The Secretary will keep records of Steering Committee meetings. The Treasurer will keep the financial records and transact the financial business of the organization.

Article V. ADMINISTRATION

The affairs of the organization will be administered by the Steering Committee.

Article VI. MEETINGS

The Steering Committee will meet four times yearly in March, June, September and December. Officers will be .elected at the June meeting. Members will be notified of these meetings and those who attend may vote on the business transacted.

Article VII. FINANCES

The organization will be financed by contributions of members, donations made at public meetings, solicitations for special projects, and from the sale of environmentally beneficial products.

The fiscal year will run from January 1 through December 31.

No part of the net earning of the organization shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, officer of the corporation, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation be paid for services rendered to or for the organization), and no private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporate assets on dissolution of the corporation.

In the event of dissolution all the remaining assets and property of the organization shall, after necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to another organization exempt under IRC Section 501(0) (3), or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or to the Federal government, or state or local government for a public purpose, subject to the approval of a justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Massachusetts.

In any taxable year in which the organization is a private foundation as described in IRC Section 509(a), the organization shall distribute its income for said period in such time and manner as not to subject it to tax under IRS Section 4942, and the corporation shall not (a) engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in IRC Section 4941(d), retain any excess business holdings as defined in IRC 4943(0), (b) make any investments in such manner as to subject the organization to tax under IRC Section 4944, or (c) make any taxable expenditures as defined in IRC Section 4945 (d) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.

Article VIII. AMENDMENTS

These/bylaws may be amended by a majority vote at any quarterly Steering Committee meeting provided that all amendments promote the purposes of the organization as set out in The Statement of Purpose.

CERTIFICATION

We declare under penalties of perjury that we are authorized to sign this certification on behalf of the Earth Decade Committee, that we have examined these bylaws and, to the best of our knowledge, they are true, correct, and complete.

Sustainable Sudbury