ByLaws and Constitution

     USS JOHN W. WEEKS ASSOCIATION  

BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION    

Article I Name   

 The name of this organization shall be the USS John W Weeks (DD 701) Association.    

  Article II Status   

 The Association is a nonprofit, volunteer membership organization.  

  Article III Purpose   

 The purpose of the Association is to maintain and promote a strong cohesive organization comprised of shipmates who have served on board USS John W Weeks (DD 701) and their dependents, and shipmates who may serve on board any future vessel named USS John W Weeks and their dependents.  Our goal is to foster the spirit of goodwill among its shipmates and dependents, and afford opportunities for communication and enjoyment among its members, to perpetuate the camaraderie developed among men who have served aboard the Weeks and in the United States Navy, and to preserve the ship’s prominent place in history.   Other purposes include serving as the focal point for preservation of U.S. Naval ships and artifacts, especially those relating to the same class of Warship as the USS John W Weeks (DD 701) and any future naval ships holding the same name. In addition, to increase the awareness of and appreciate the sacrifices made, the ordeals endured, and the services rendered by Destroyer men of WWII, Korea, The Cold War and Vietnam.    

Article IV Membership   

 Hal Gross who served on the USS John W Weeks during World War II established the Association in 1986.  Membership is open to all personnel, officer and enlisted, who have served on board the USS John W Weeks (DD 701).  Moreover, any persons serving aboard any future vessel named the USS John W Weeks shall be eligible for membership as regular members.   Membership in the Association shall require that annual dues, in an amount as may be prescribed by the vote of the Membership, be paid no later than March 31 of each year unless exempted according to the provisions stated in this paragraph. The amount of the annual dues will be clearly stated in the newsletter each year and membership will be based on the calendar year. Donations above and beyond the required annual dues will continue to be accepted. Regular members who cannot afford to pay annual dues are exempted and will be enrolled at no cost as long as the member notifies the Association’s President or Treasurer. Lifetime membership is hereby granted to all active members as identified by the Executive Board who served on board the Weeks 1949 or before. This group and their spouses and widows will also be exempted from paying annual dues.   Wives, widows and other family members of shipmates are eligible for regular membership contingent upon paying annual dues. Accordingly, they shall have the right to vote on matters put before the membership.   Honorary Membership is also available for individuals of special interest to the Association. Such a person would be subject to a favorable vote by a majority of the membership attending the business meeting at which the vote is taken. If approved, the honorary member would not have voting rights and would not be required to pay dues to the Association.   Monies collected from dues shall be used for the purposes of furthering the work of the Association, publishing The USS John W Weeks (DD-701) Newsletter hereafter referred to as the Newsletter and mailing it to dues paying members and a select group of members not having access to the Internet. The dues shall also be used to support the internet website, and such other Association business as may be determined by the general membership and /or the Executive Committee.   

Article V Newsletter and Website   

 The Newsletter will be published at least three times a year and at such additional times as the Executive Committee may deem appropriate.  Distribution shall be made available to all Regular Members, widows of deceased members, and such others as the Executive Committee may deem appropriate.  Distribution will be suspended to any regular member whose annual dues are not current.  If the suspended regular member pays the current year’s expected dues after notice of suspension, they will be reinstated into the Association with full voting privileges.  The preferred method of distribution shall be by Email and posting on the Association website; however, those members wishing to have a paper copy may do so by notifying the Editor(s) of the Newsletter.   In addition to the Newsletter, the Association shall maintain a website in order to disseminate information to members and nonmembers.  The website shall be updated each month and at such additional times as may be appropriate.  The internet website shall be www.ussjwweeks701.org/uss/   

  Article VI Reunion and Annual Meeting   

 A reunion of the Association membership shall be held each year in September, or some other date as determined by the President working in cooperation with a professional military reunion planning organization or by an appointed reunion committee. Each regular member whose dues are current and widows and other family members who are regular members will have the opportunity to vote for the reunion site locations recommended by the Board.   An annual business meeting of the Association’s regular members shall be held in conjunction with the annual reunion.  The purpose of this meeting is to act on such matters as may be presented.  Except as specified elsewhere in these articles, the majority vote of those Regular Members in attendance shall determine passage of the matter under consideration.   

  Article VII Association Fiscal Year and Financial Report   

 The Association’s Fiscal Year shall start January 1 of the current year and shall end on December 31 of that same year.    The Treasurer shall prepare a Fiscal Year End Financial Report prior to each annual meeting, submit the Report to the President for his approval, and present the same to the Association at the Association’s Annual Reunion.   

  Article VIII Elected Officers and Executive Committee   

 The officers of the Association are President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and four Directors who are elected by the regular membership.  The positions of the Editor, Chaplain, and Webmaster shall serve in an advisory position to the Executive Committee. All three advisory positions, if held by a Regular Member, may also hold another office.  Spouses, widows and other family members are also eligible to serve as Directors, in advisory/adjunct positions and on committees but no two family members may concurrently serve as Directors. The officers are all volunteers and receive no pay. There are no limitations to the number of terms any officer may serve.  Should one individual hold multiple offices, his influence in Executive Committee deliberations shall be as one individual.   The President of the Association shall appoint a Chaplain, Newsletter Editor, and Web Master.  Members of the Executive Committee of the Association may hold these positions.   Business meetings will be discontinued at all mini reunions. One business meeting will be held once a year at the reunion. All Association business between reunions will be conducted by email, mail, telephone or teleconference.     

  Article IX Duties of Officers   

 The President shall:   1. Act as head of the Association.   2. Chair the annual business meeting.   3. Chair Executive Committee meetings.   4. Appoint, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, members to positions created on a temporary basis as needed, replacements for elected officers if required and such committees/chairs as appropriate.   5. Notify the Chaplain of any deceased and/or ill member.   6. With the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint two members attending the reunion to audit the financial records of the Association and report their findings to the President and Treasurer before the business meeting.   7. Poll the membership on an as needed basis to determine preferences relating to reunion sites, how the organization is run and any other topic that would be of benefit to the Association and the shipmates who served on the USS John W Weeks.      The Vice President shall:   1. In the absence of the President, chair the annual business meeting.   2. In the event the President is unable to permanently continue his duties, the Vice President shall automatically assume the office of President until the next reunion when a special election shall be held.   3. The Vice President shall also work on special projects as assigned by the President and shall lend assistance to all committees as needed.    The Treasurer shall:   1. Maintain records of all financial transactions and assume full accountability of the Association's funds.   2. Receive dues and donations, maintain listings of members who have paid dues and made donations, and distribute this listing to the President as appropriate.   3. Submit a quarterly financial statement to the President.   4. Submit the Annual Financial Statement to the membership at each Annual Meeting.   5. Ensure that the financial records are reviewed by the Officers and Directors at the annual meeting.   6. Maintain accountability of the Association funds for each fiscal year.     The Secretary shall:   1. Keep a record of all proceedings of all meetings.   2. Maintain meeting attendance records.   The Directors shall:   1. Oversee the operation of the Association.   2. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.   3. Directors shall be elected and serve as At-Large Directors and will not be specific to geographical region. They may be assigned by the President to a specific program area.   4. Directors shall give a report on any special project or program area assigned by the President each year at the annual reunion.   The Editor(s) of the Newsletter shall:   1. Be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.   2. Collect and edit articles and items of interest for the newsletter. Print and distribute the Newsletter three times a year and such additional times as the Executive Committee shall deem appropriate. The Newsletter shall be available on the Association’s website at a time determined by the Executive Board, and will be distributed to members via email or the U.S. Postal System.    The Webmaster shall:   1. Be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Committee.   2. Maintain and update the Association website as needed.    The Chaplain Shall:   1. Be the primary point of contact for notification of illness/death of any Association member or the member’s immediate family.  In addition, the chaplain shall keep the Association informed regarding the illness or death of a shipmate. The chaplain shall send appropriate get well, condolence or sympathy cards on behalf of the Association.   2. At the reunion, or if required at any other Association event, the chaplain or his/her appointee (s) shall conduct the devotional and memorial services. The chaplain or his/her appointee(s) shall also read the names of those shipmates who have died since the last reunion in a respectful and appropriate service.   3. Offer the invocation at the annual business meeting and reunion banquet.    

Article X Removal of an Elected Officer   

 If an Elected officer fails to properly fulfill the requirements and obligations of his office or if he were charged with fraudulent conduct, the situation shall be brought before the Executive Committee for investigation.  The Executive Committee, through the President, shall notify the accused officer and afford him the opportunity to offer testimony/evidence to disprove the allegations.  Should the testimony/evidence or subsequent performance not support continuance in office, the President, with concurrence of the remaining members of the Executive Committee, shall remove that officer from office.  The President, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a replacement to serve the remaining portion of his term.  If the President is the object of the allegations, the Vice President shall chair the Executive Committee procedures.   

  Article XI Dissolution   

 Upon approval of the recommendations by membership, the committee on dissolution shall research and prepare a final report that shall be submitted to the President and the Secretary. Should the majority of voting members decide to dissolve the Association, the assets, memorabilia and artifacts of the Association shall be donated to the John W Weeks Museum and State Park located in Lancaster, New Hampshire. Sixty percent (60%) of the cash balance shall be retained in the general treasury for alternative options to avoid total dissolution and for the prepayment of server and domain name fees. Forty percent (40%) of the cash balance shall be donated to the Fisher House Foundation.   

  Article XII Effective Date   

 These Articles and any changes shall be presented for adoption at the annual meeting.  If approved by two thirds or more of the Regular Members in attendance, these articles will become effective at that time.  That fact and the vote count will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.   

  Article XIII Changes and Amendment   

 The Bylaws and Constitution may be amended at any subsequent annual meeting if a majority of the regular members in attendance approve such amendment.   All proposed amendment(s) and reasons therefore shall be submitted to the President or Executive Committee at the annual meeting. All proposed amendment(s) shall be voted upon at the business meeting of the annual reunion.   

  Revised September 2019