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BYLAWS OF THE SHRI GAAYATRI MANDIR

ARTICLE 1 - NAME & MISSION

Section 1: The name of the organization as registered with the State of Minnesota shall be the Shri Gaayatri Mandir.

Section II: The mission of the Shri Gaayatri Mandir (SGM) is to "foster the development and growth of spirituality, religion, education, and culture within the community."

 

ARTICLE 2 - MEMBERSHIP

Section I: Any member of the community who wishes to join in the activities of the organization, shall be considered a member. 

Section II:  Members would be issued an information card to provide names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and the activities in which they would like to participate.  Members may choose to be classified as a participating member or an honorary member

A participating member is one who wants to be involved in events engaged by SGM and therefore would like to be informed of any such events.  An honorary member is one who does not want to be informed of SGM’s events and activities.

Section III: There shall be no mandatory membership fee.  Nevertheless, financial contribution to SGM is encouraged.

 

ARTICLE 3 - SATSANG

Section I: Regular satsang (service) shall be held on a bi-weekly basis. The dates of worship shall be published and made available to the members and general public prior to December of the current year for the new calendar year.  The festivals and special events that will be celebrated by SGM shall be decided upon by the Board and be published at the same time with the bi-weekly satsang schedule.

Section II: Bhajan sammelan shall be held on the first Saturday of the month, except on the months where major public holidays such as Thanksgiving, Memorial day, Independence, etc. and bhajan sammelan coincide. The Bhajan Sammelan Coordinator shall decide with consultation with the executive committee on whether to change the schedule to meet the needs of a family requesting to host the event for a particular month.  In addition, the Bhajan Sammelan Coordinator shall decide on the most effective format and may consult with Board members during the process to help determine the most appropriate format.

 

ARTICLE 4 - LEADERSHIP

Section I: The Board of SGM shall consist of a President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, Youth Representative*, Bhajan Sammelan Coordinator, Special Events Coordinator, Community Relations Coordinator, and a Youth Development Coordinator.  The role and responsibilities of each position are described in Appendix 2.1. (* - The Youth Representative will be decided upon by the youth of SGM)

The Board is responsible for the overall strategic planning and implementation of all activities of the organization.  Additional committees may be formed with responsibility for any special activities as necessary.  The Executive committee comprising of the President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer shall take the leadership role in the day-to-day activities, providing necessary feedback to the other Board members on a timely basis.

Section II: A Priest shall be appointed by the Board and will have the responsibility to promote the teachings of the scriptures and to perform the relevant ceremonies and pujas at the regular satsangs, religious celebrations, and special events.

Section III: The Board shall be formed through a volunteering system where members indicate their willingness to serve within specific capacities on the Board.  In the event that there are two volunteers for a particular position, members shall decide through a written ballot or other method as decided upon, to indicate their preference.  Each volunteer for the Board shall be approved by members. 

Section IV:  A minimum age of 16 years is required for individuals to be eligible to participate in the selection of Board members.

Section V: The appointment of Board members shall be conducted every two years (one term).  An individual is limited to serving two terms in the same position, but may continue to serve in different capacities on the Board.

Section VI: Quorum - A quorum must be attended by at least two-thirds of the Board members before any official business can be transacted or motions made or passed.

Section VII: Resignation, Termination, and Absences - Resignation from the Board should be in writing and received by the Secretary.  A Board member shall be excused from the Board for excess of three unexcused absences.  A Board member may be removed for other reasons by a two-thirds vote of the remaining members of the Board.

 

ARTICLE 5 - COMMITTEES

Section I: The Board may create committees as needed.  Examples of such committees include but are not limited to, building, fundraising, annual cultural program, special religious celebrations, and yajna.  Objectives, expectations, communication, and other pertinent matters shall be discussed and documented upon the creation of such committees.

 

ARTICLE 6 - MEETINGS & WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Section I: Official Board meetings shall be held at least on a quarterly basis to analyze, develop, design, implement, and evaluate activities of the organization.  Members can attend any of the Board meetings unless otherwise decided upon.  Minutes of the meeting shall be made available for members of SGM upon request to the Secretary.

Section II: Any official meeting of SGM and its agenda shall be approved by the Executive Committee. Notice of the agenda shall be sent to the Board members ten days prior to a meeting. 

Section III: Any written communication from the organization shall be signed by the President and/or the Secretary or a designee.  All correspondence should be sent to the organization's mailing address at:  P.O. Box 138, Rosemount, MN 55068.

 

ARTICLE 7 - FEEDBACK AMONG THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF TSGM, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Section I: The Board shall take all necessary and appropriate measures to provide accurate feedback to the members and the general public as deemed necessary.  In addition, the Board shall take all necessary efforts to seek input from members of SGM and the general community on the needs of the community and the quality and type of service the SGM is providing to the community.

Section II: The Board members shall make themselves accessible to listen to anyone who has a reasonable concern about the organization and make any necessary and appropriate changes to further meet the needs of the community.

 

ARTICLE 8 - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Section I: The Treasurer, along with the other Board members, shall be responsible for developing and reviewing fiscal procedures, fundraising, and developing an annual budget.  The Board must approve all expenditure and any change in the budget.

 Section II: The Treasurer shall provide reports of the organization's financial status at regular Board meetings.  Annual income statements shall be submitted to the Board showing all income, expenditures, account receivable and account balance.  The financial records of the organization are public information and shall be made available to the membership of SGM and members of the community as deemed necessary by Board.

ARTICLE 9 - AMENDMENTS

Section I: These Bylaws may be amended when necessary by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors.  Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretary and discussed at the next Board meeting.

These Bylaws were approved at a Board meeting held on Saturday March 17, 2001.