The Council of Manorial Lords

Mission Statement Our mission is to empower Manorial Lords and the wider community by fostering a deeper understanding of manorial heritage, governance, and relevance in contemporary society. We strive to educate through collaboration, sharing best practices, and preserving traditions, ensuring that the legacy and responsibilities of Manorial Lords thrive today and continue to enrich future generations. Statutes Article 1 – Name Section 1 – The name of this organization is The Council of Manorial Lords, (CML) Section 2 – Members of the Council shall be called either by the names of their Manors or Lord “surname” of “their manor.” Article 2 – Purpose The first purpose of this Council shall be to provide a social group and social functions for all legitimate Manorial Lords and their immediate families. oQuarterly officer meetings oAnnual general meeting oFormal Dinners oCocktail parties oFundraisers The second purpose of this Council shall be to maintain a concise roster of legitimate manorial lords, approved by the Court of Admissions. The third purpose of this Council shall be to educate: o Manorial lords in how to better interact with their individual manors, parish councils, local churches, etc. oThe public at large in the history of Manorial Lordships but primarily the relevance to the manor and the Manorial Lordship today and for the future. The fourth purpose shall be to promote the study and preservation of British history and culture through. oScholarly publications oCharitable giving oScholarships oPartnerships with likeminded groups Article 3 – Membership Section 1 – Membership a.Membership is open to all legitimate Manorial Lords. The Court of Admissions shall determine the legitimacy of each Manorial Lordship by reviewing certified copies of the documentation pertaining to the purchase or transfer of the lordship based on the membership criteria and a vote by the Officers of the council. Once membership is approved there will be a onetime rite of passage fee followed by an annual membership fee to remain in good standing with the Council. Applicants who do not meet the entrance criteria for admission will only be notified that they do not meet the criteria for admittance. No statement will be made regarding the validity or invalidity of the title of applicant that does not meet the requirements. b.Membership in good standing have the rights and privileges of membership, which include: •The right to hold office •The right to vote on council matters •The right to vote for the Court of Admissions Members •The right to participate in Council functions •The right to raise questions on any new member before final approval •New members will receive a copy of the bylaws c.Membership is organized in the following order of precedence: 1.The Officers (Governing Council) 2.The Court of Admissions 3.The members, Manorial Lords 4.Friends of the council; Heirs, scholars, fellows of the council, etc. Section 2 - Dues a. The Council year runs from January to December. All members shall pay annual dues online, in person, or by mailing a check to the Treasurer prior to or at the January meeting. A member whose dues are not paid by the March meeting will be considered in poor standing and will lose their right of membership outlined in section 1, until their dues are paid and their membership is brought back into good standing. b. Annual dues and guest fees will be set by the Officers (See Article 5, Section 3.) Section 3 – Guests Upon payment of the stipulated fee per visit, guests may attend monthly meetings (apart from the December and September dinner meetings) but will not be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership. (See Article 3, Section 1) Article 4 – Officers Section 1 – Officers of the Organization shall be: •Chairman •Vice-Chairman •Chaplain •Secretary •Treasurer •Webmaster Section 2 – Terms of Office The term of office shall be three years, with an election at the end of the term. If the Chairman resigns or otherwise is unable to fulfill the term, the Vice-Chairman will automatically assume the office of Chairman. If any officer is unable to complete their term of office, the Chairman shall appoint an interim officer. (See Article 5, Section 3) Section 3 - Election Years The elections shall take place in December of the third year of office and the newly elected officer shall start their new role the next month. Section 4 – Duties of Officers a. Chairman – Shall preside at all meetings of the Council; may call the meetings of the Officers, if needed; shall appoint all Committee Chairman and be considered a member of all committees shall be responsible for preparing the agendas and making them available for monthly meetings. b. Vice-Chairman – Shall assist the Chairman as needed; shall perform the duties of the Chairman in case of the Chairman’s absence or disability. c. Chaplain – Spiritual leader and guidance for the council. d. Secretary – Shall be responsible for the permanent records of the Council including minutes of all business meetings; shall keep a current roster of the membership information and attendance including individual members standing; shall set up emergency phone tree and communicate minutes of business meetings to all members at the next meeting. The secretary shall send email or ground mail on Council related information when requested by Officers and/or Committee Chairmen. The Book of Minutes shall contain a copy of the By-Laws and any amendments. The secretary will also be responsible for communicating with the applicants regarding approval or refusal for membership. A stock letter will be sent to anyone refused membership. e. Treasurer – Shall be the custodian of all funds, including the collection of dues and the issuance of membership cards upon payment of rite of passage fees and dues; shall handle the Council checkbook and keep records of all financial transactions; shall keep and provide an itemized account of receipts, disbursements, and balance of all accounts monthly; shall satisfy all Council’s approved financial obligations; chair Budget Committee. Two signatures (Chairman and Treasurer) shall be required on each check for the payment of said obligations. The books are to be audited annually in August by an auditor’s committee appointed by the Chairman. All records shall be delivered to the Treasurer’s successor within fifteen days following the expiration of the term of office. f. Webmaster - Act as the main point of contact for all areas of the organization's website; shall create and manage online and intranet portals, forms, and structures that meet the demands of the company; shall create, deploy, and support e-commerce applications in partnership with the organization's retail operations, sales, marketing, and other departments; shall encourage and support uniform, innovative, and cohesive web design across all web properties of the company; shall keep track of and document ownership of the company's internet names; shall ensure adherence to corporate policies, processes, and ethical standards, as well as software licenses and applicable state and federal laws and regulations, such as data security, privacy, and intellectual property legislation; shall update the council website and/or information on https://manoriallords.org Section 5 - Responsibilities of Officers Officers shall have the power to act on behalf of the membership between meetings as needed. They shall have the authority to set both membership rite of passage fees, dues and guest fees by way of majority vote. Section 6 - Meetings Meetings of the Officers may be called by the Chairman as needed. Article 5 – Nominations and Elections Section 1 – Nominations The Chairman shall appoint a nominating committee in June made up of two Council members. A member of the Nominating Committee shall report the proposed slate at the July meeting. Any member in good standing shall be eligible to serve as an officer. A full slate of at least one nominee for each Office is required. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at the July meeting. The nominations will then be closed. Section 2 – Elections a. Elections shall be held at the December meeting. b. The vote shall be by paper ballot. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall provide the paper ballots to members present to complete. Absentee ballots by request shall be mailed out two weeks in advance and opened at vote count. Ballots shall then be collected and counted by the Nominating Committee who shall report the results to the Chairman. c. Those elected shall take office at the beginning of January of the election year. Section 3 – Membership Dues and Guest Fees a. Membership dues shall be set by the Officers and be adjusted at the Annual General Meeting by unanimous vote of the officer’s present at the meeting, assuming quorum is met. b. Guest fees shall be set by the individual committees planning specific events or they may be set by the Officers and be adjusted at the Annual General Meeting by unanimous vote of the officer’s present at the meeting, assuming quorum is met. Article 6– Meetings Section 1 – Timing The Council shall meet on the second Friday of each month. In the event of a cancellation, members will be notified via the phone tree and email. The meeting will then be rescheduled for the third Friday upon confirmation of availability of the location. Section 2 – Quorum The Quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall be 3 officers with each member having one vote. Section 3 – Meeting Conduct Meetings will be conducted following typical business practices; when needed meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order. Article 7 – Committees Committees shall include: a. Nominations - responsible for the slate of officers to be presented at the July meeting b. Hospitality – Shall consist of two members who oversee refreshments sign-up for each meeting. c. Christian Charity - sends cards or notes on behalf of the Council to members to express sympathy, get well wishes, congratulations, etc. Memorial flowers and donations to favorite charities shall be limited to members spouse or child. d. Community Service- organize service projects to be completed throughout the Council year. e. Finance –audits Treasurer’s books annually in August. f. Planning – plan the formal dinners, cocktail parties, annual meeting. h. Fundraising - open for suggestions and volunteers. Article 8 – Amendments Section 1 - Council Bylaws Council bylaws shall be reviewed every two years in August by a committee appointed by the Chairman. If said committee proposes any revisions to the bylaws, changes shall be presented to the membership in August for discussion and a vote in October following typical business practices. Section 2 – Amended Bylaws By laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of total Council membership. All members shall receive a copy of the newly amended by-laws. Article 9 – The Court of Admissions The Court of Admissions shall consist of a minimum of three members who shall be elected by the officers. The job of the Court of Admissions is to determine the eligibility of new members. The Court of Admissions shall meet twice a year, in person or virtually. The Court of Admissions may elect to hold more meetings at their discretion. Stephen Johnson of the Manorial Society of Great Britain shall hold the permanent role on the Court of Admissions. Any MSGB member previously approved by Stephen Johnson shall not be required to go through the document approval process as they have already passed MSGB’s vetting process. The documents that will be reviewed for membership should contain all Estate documents pertaining to the lordship such as Wills, Trusts, Deeds of Trust and Deeds of Conveyance. Once the Court of Admissions has approved the paperwork of a potential new member the Officers of the council will be notified of the approval and the officers shall vote to accept the approved applicants at the next business meeting, assuming Quorum. The Officers shall be called to vote openly, passing with a simple majority and the Chair acting as tie breaker for final approval. Once the vote is complete the Secretary shall be notified of the decision and the Secretary shall send out the appropriate letter based on the decision. The form letter must be approved by an attorney versed in American law. Article 10 – Dissolution of Organization Upon dissolution of this organization, the assets of the organization shall be distributed as follows: Liquidation of material goods or distribution to a similar non-profit organization doing charity work. Distribution of cash to the Council’s current charities