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Bylaws of the Will County Beekeepers Association 

Prepared by:  2013 Executive Board 

Ratified March 20, 2013 

Revision: 1.00 – Original 

Revision: 1.01 – Remove ISBA, Allow director to manage membership, require insurance, Sep 2016 

Revision: 1.02 – Correct spelling and grammar, annual financial audit, revisit dues, remove lending library deposit, add APPENDIX III- WILLBEES WEBSITE, etc., November 15, 2023 

 This document is the complete Bylaws and Charter of the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) as approved by the Board and the General Membership on this 20th Day of March, 2013.  

ARTICLE I – PURPOSE  

SECTION 1 – PURPOSE  

WillBees is a non-profit organization that raises awareness of the products and services of the honey bee hive, encourages cooperation among local beekeepers, contributes to the advancement of education about beekeeping and its related activities, and offers support to our members and neighboring communities.  

Our mission is summarized by the tagline: Awareness, Cooperation, Education, Support. This may be occasionally abbreviated as ACES. 

SECTION 2 – GOALS  

To engage in educational and helpful activities focused on beekeeping and related activities as a common foundation. 

To learn more about honey bees, bee evolution, and beekeeping techniques. 

To promote the practice and enjoyment of beekeeping. 

To educate others about honey bees and beekeeping. 

ARTICLE II – RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES  

SECTION 1 – HOLD HARMLESS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONS 

Each member’s participation in WillBees is strictly voluntary. Each member realizes that participation in WillBees activities may involve bee stings, which may cause an allergic reaction. All members shall be responsible for their own conduct and actions as well as those of their guests. Each member and guests of members accepts sole responsibility and all liability for their conduct behavior and actions and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless WillBees, its Officers, its members and any business (including owners, staff, and patrons) where meetings or organization gatherings are held from any and all claims or liability whatsoever resulting from actions of WillBees, its members and guests of members. Through membership in WillBees, each member agrees to and is bound by this article. 

No individual general member nor any member of the Board, nor any authorized representative of WillBees shall be personally liable for any debt, obligation or conduct of other member’s guests of the organization. 

No member shall receive compensation for services rendered to the organization except as otherwise approved by the Board. A member may be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred on behalf of the organization, subject to approval and/or pre approval preapproval of the Board. 

SECTION 2 – RIGHTS OF MEMBERS 

Active members of WillBees shall have the right to vote on organization matters. Voting rights for other types of members are described in Article III. 

SECTION 3 – INSURANCE 

WillBees shall carry liability insurance for all activities in which it participates as an organization. The Board shall review quotes provided by no fewer than three carriers on a bi-annual basis.  

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP 

SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP POLICIES

A. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

General Membership is unlimited and open to any individual person interested in beekeeping, who will support the charter and basic policies of this organization, subject only to compliance with the provisions of the bylaws. Only members of the organization shall be eligible to participate in its business meetings, or serve in any of its elective or appointed positions. 

The purpose of General Membership is to provide guidance and assistance to the Board on issues that are within the purview, charter, and function of the organization. 

General Membership provides an opportunity to give feedback on issues and concerns that need to be brought to the attention of the BOARD Board. 

General Membership Affords a pool of members to draw from for the election of the Board, and all members a vote in the annual election of that Board.

B. ELIGIBILITY

All persons are eligible for membership. Membership in this organization shall be available without discrimination.

C. MEMBERSHIP YEAR

Membership in WillBees is in effect from January 1 through December 31 of a given calendar year.  

D. DUES

Dues are outlined in Appendix I.

E. SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION FOR CAUSE

a. Any member may be suspended or expelled from membership upon a showing of willful disregard of these bylaws or other actions detrimental to WillBees in any way, as determined by a majority vote of the Board. Should the Board not come to a majority vote, the decision will go to the General Membership via an anonymous vote.

b. The charges against the member will be considered at a regular Board Meeting or a Special Meeting called for that specific purpose. The member will be notified of the charges and date, time and place of the meeting. The member may appear and respond to the charges and/or bring one (1) member to speak on their behalf.

c. The decision of the Board shall be final.

F. REINSTATEMENT

a. A suspended or expelled member, or one who has resigned with disciplinary action pending, may be returned to full membership upon written application and with a two-thirds approval vote of the Board. (see a. under Section E. above)

G. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

Any person may, by a majority vote of the Board, become an Honorary Member of the Association. Once officially designated, such a member shall enjoy Honorary Membership with full privileges, except voting or holding an Officer or Director position. The Honorary Member will not pay without dues payment for the remainder of the calendar year plus one additional calendar year. 

SECTION 2. MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

The purpose of the Board is to provide responsible leadership, structure, conduct business, and be responsible for the management of the affairs of the organization. 

Board Members must have been members in good standing for the past three (3) months. 

The Board shall consist of four (4) elected Officers and three (3) Directors (elected by the Organization) as follows: 

President 

Vice President 

Treasurer 

Secretary 

Director 1 

Director 2 

Director 3 

The Board may create committees and committee leads as needed.

a. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Election of Officers shall be held at the Meeting in November of each year. 

Nominations for Elective officers of The Organization shall be nominated annually from the floor at the October meeting.

b. TERM OF OFFICE:

The term of office for the Organization Officers shall serve for a period of one (1) year starting immediately following the November meeting. 

The newly elected Organization Officers should participate in all meetings from the date of the elections if at all possible. 

The Organization Officers terms expires with the election of the new Board, immediately following the November meeting. 

Outgoing officers/directors shall acquaint the incoming officers/directors with their duties and assist where possible to ensure a smooth transition. Outgoing officers/directors shall turn over all Association properties to an active Board member. 

There is no limit to the number of terms an elected officer may serve as long as he or she is elected in accordance with Article III.

c. VACANCIES

Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the Board, by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, the office shall be filled without delay by Presidential appointment with the Board approval. The person will then hold office until the annual meeting for the Election, and assumption of duties. 

If the office of President should become vacant, the Vice President assumes the responsibilities and duties of the President until such time as the association elects a new President.

d. ROTATION OF DIRECTORS

One Director is elected each year to a three-year term.

e. REMOVAL OF BOARD MEMBERS

Any one or more of the Board may be removed with cause, at any time, by the vote of the General Membership; through a special meeting called for that purpose, or at a regular monthly meeting, provided that a majority of the General Membership present shall vote in favor of such removal.

f. DUTIES OF THE BOARD

The duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors shall be as follows: 

PRESIDENT 

Shall preside as President at all meetings of the Board and General Membership and be ex officio member of every committee, but can vote only to break ties within that committee 

Shall plan the meeting, arranging for topical discussions, demonstrations, or guest speakers 

Shall ensure adherence of the Board and the General Membership to these bylaws 

Shall cause to be called regular and special meetings of the General Membership and Board in accordance with these bylaws 

Shall create committees and coordinate the efforts of all Committees 

Shall review the financial records of the organization on a regular basis 

Shall act as the principal point-of-contact or appoint a member to do so between WillBees and other organizations and businesses. 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Shall in the absence of the President, assume the responsibilities and duties of the President 

Shall assist the President with coordinating all duties deemed necessary 

Under the direction of the President, is responsible for the promotion and education of the organization; arranging for educational programs such as peer and guest speakers, workshops, Q & A sessions, etc. 

Shall work under the direction of the President to advance and promote the good image and beneficial works of WillBees 

Shall work with the President to recommend, determine and implement policy decisions made by the Board 

TREASURER 

Shall have the overall responsibility of care and custody for all organization funds and securities.  

Shall be responsible for deposits for the organization into the WillBees accounts. 

Shall render a statement of the condition of the finances of the organization at each meeting of the Board and General Meetings or at such other times as required. 

Shall keep correct books of account of all its business and transactions and such other books of account as the Board may require. 

Shall exhibit at all reasonable times the books and accounts to any members when requested. 

Shall produce and exhibit an annual report to the General Membership at the first meeting of each year. 

Will advise the Board of methods for improving WillBees financial management. 

Shall do and perform all other duties normally pertaining to the office of the Treasurer. 

 SECRETARY 

Shall keep written minutes of all the meetings and forward a copy of these minutes to the President as soon as possible 

Shall in the absence of the President and Vice President, assume the responsibilities and duties of the President 

Shall assist the President with coordinating all duties deemed necessary 

Shall work under the direction of the President to advance and promote the good image and beneficial works of WillBees 

Shall work with the President to recommend, determine and implement policy decisions made by the Board 

Shall assist in the execution of committees and be responsible for directing and advising committees formed by the Board and coordinate committee activity with other functions of the organization. 

Shall manage the archive of all official documentation of WillBees, including these bylaws. 

DIRECTOR 

Shall work with the President to recommend, determine, and implement policy decisions made by the Board.

Shall assist in the execution of committees and be responsible for directing and advising committees formed by the Board and coordinate committee activity with other functions of the organization. 

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR (ROLE) 

Shall be either the Secretary or a Director 

Shall maintain the organization membership list, accept new member information and dues, renew membership and expire memberships. 

A. VOTING

All General Members of WillBees are eligible to vote as outlined in ARTICLE V of these Bylaws.

B. MEETINGS

WillBees shall have at least one (1) meeting or event every other month, between the months of February and November. 

GENERAL MEETINGS 

General meetings are outlined in Appendix II. 

ANNUAL MEETING 

The Annual Meeting shall be the membership meeting in November each year for the purpose of electing Officers to the Board, considering proposed bylaw amendments, and conducting other regular meeting business. 

SPECIAL MEETINGS 

Special meetings, organization sponsored events, organization involved parties, field trips, and workshops may be organized and approved by the Board. Announcements will be made to all current members. There may be additional requirements and/or fees involved in these types of meetings. Examples include volunteering time or equipment, and paying various fees or costs. 

  

ARTICLE IV – ORDER OF BUSINESS 

SECTION 1. PROCEDURES: 

In order tTo conduct business as rapidly as possible, “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered within these bylaws. 

SECTION 2. REGULAR MEETINGS 

The order of business at regular meetings shall be as follows: 

President’s Call to Order 

Welcome New Members / Guests 

Quorum to conduct business 

Secretary’s Report 

Treasurer’s Report 

Committee Reports 

Old Business 

New Business 

Administrative Comments 

Guest Speakers 

Educational Presentation Topic and Discussion 

Adjournment of Regular Meeting 

Mentoring Groups 

This order of business may be changed for any meeting at the direction of the President. 

SECTION 3. AUDIT 

At a minimum of every four (4) years WillBees finances shall be audited by an outside, independent auditor.

An Audit Committee shall be formed at the September meeting, consisting of four (4 ) WillBees Member volunteers, with two (2) Committee members from the WillBees Board (excluding the Treasurer), and two (2) Committee members from the General membership, and voted on by the General Members. The Committee will audit the WillBees financial records with the cooperation of the WillBees Treasurer before the October meeting and report the results to the members at the October meeting.

ARTICLE V – VOTING 

SECTION 1 – ELIGIBILITY 

All members with voting rights as described under Articles II & III shall be eligible to vote. 

SECTION 2 – ITEMS PUT TO VOTE

A. The following items will be decided by a vote of the general membership at a regularly scheduled meeting:

Election of officers 

Changes in bylaws 

Spending of funds greater than $300.00. 

 B. Any issue, other than proposed bylaw amendments and the Election of Officers, may be considered by the membership at a Regular Meeting prior to the meeting at which the issue will be considered voted on. The issue must be raised in the form of a motion and requires a second before being considered. Any issue considered and defeated by the majority of the members at the meeting may not be considered again and shall not be attached to another vote for six (6) calendar months.

SECTION 3 – QUORUM 

A quorum shall be used to mediate and decide disputes, disagreements or any other conflicts between members as recorded on the member roster. Any number of regular members at a regularly scheduled meeting shall constitute a quorum. Four (4) members of the Board, either in person, via conference call, or electronically, shall constitute a quorum. A quorum is required to transact business of WillBees. 

SECTION 4 – VOTING METHOD 

OPTION A. Election of officers shall be by controlled ballot. All members in good standing shall be eligible to cast a ballot. Members unable to attend the November meeting may cast an “absentee” ballot. All absentee ballots must be in a sealed, unmarked envelope and received by the Secretary prior to the November meeting. A non-candidate member will tally all ballots and two impartial organization members will verify the results. Vote totals and the new organization officers shall be introduced prior to ending the end of the November meeting. Votes on other issues may be conducted by any appropriate method that insures ensures a fair determination of a majority decision of eligible voting members as determined by the officers. 

OPTION B. Election of officers shall be by any means that allows the general membership to participate, including: Voting by closed paper ballot, voting by internet, voting by email, voting with For/Against for uncontested positions, etc. 

ARTICLE VI – NON-PROFIT STATUS 

SECTION 1 – NON-PROFIT STATUS 

WillBees is declared to be a non–profit organization. This does not give the organization tax-exempt status under the rules of the United States Department of Internal Revenue unless applied for and received at a later date. 

  

ARTICLE VII – BYLAWS ACCEPTANCE 

SECTION 1 – ACCEPTANCE 

These bylaws are accepted at the time of adoption by a majority vote of current members, and new members upon registration as well as any guest during sanctioned organization meetings and/or gatherings. 

SECTION 2 – AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES. 

The Board will meet annually to review the bylaws and any changes suggested by WillBees members. 

The Board may make necessary corrections (grammatical, spelling, or changes in Board titles or responsibilities) at any time with the consent of the majority of Board Members. 

Changes, Additions, or Deletions affecting the rights and/or privileges of members, the conduct of meetings or any other significant proposition for changes of these bylaws submitted by the Board or General Memberships will be reviewed and approved by the Board prior to a vote of the General Members, in accordance with Section 2-D of this Article. 

Any member or members may petition for a change or amendment to the bylaws. The petition must be presented in writing and introduced at a regular meeting. The proposed changes or amendments shall be published for review by the membership, in the newsletter or by a special mailing to all members or posting to the WillBees website and/or message board at least thirty days prior to the meeting at which the changes will be voted on. Amendments or changes must be approved by a majority vote of all present voting members. 

ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION 

SECTION 1 – DISSOLUTION PROCESS 

In the event of dissolution of this Association, after all liabilities and obligation have been paid, satisfied, and discharged, any remaining assets shall be contributed to the American Beekeeper’s Federation. 

APPENDIX I – DUES

A. The amount of the annual dues shall be determined by the WillBees Board and become effective when approved by a vote of a majority of in-person members.

B. Dues become payable on January 1 of each year. Any member who has not paid the current year dues by March 30 of a calendar year shall be removed from the WillBees active membership list.

C. Membership rates may also include the dues for the Illinois State Beekeepers Association. The cost of the state membership shall coincide with the Illinois State Association Bylaws regarding dues.

a. Annual dues for current year membership are $15 per person. To be eligible to utilize the Lending Library, a refundable deposit of $25 will be collected once from each member. This deposit will be returned upon the member’s written request to terminate membership if all items borrowed from the Lending Library have been returned in acceptable condition.

b. Members who wish to join after July 1 shall be required to pay half the dues for the current year ($7.50) plus full dues for the following year ($22.50 in total).

c. Any member who has not paid the current year dues by March 30 of a calendar year shall be removed from the WillBees active membership list.

APPENDIX II- MEETING LOCATION 

General meetings of WillBees shall be held at 7:00 pm at Will County Farm Bureau in Joliet, Illinois on or about the third Wednesday of each month, approximately eight times per year, unless changed by a majority of organization officers or by request of Will County Farm Bureau and upon written or electronic notice of the change to the members. Changes to meeting location will be determined by the board of which the board may agree upon a regular location 

APPENDIX III – WILLBEES WEBSITE, EMAIL, PHONE SERVICE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ONLINE DOCUMENTS 

The WillBees website (currently https://www.willbees.org) and the domain willbees.org are wholly owned and controlled by the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) including the content and photos therein (this excludes material published on the Willbees website with permission of the owner/copyright holder). Maintenance, changes, and expenses shall be the exclusive responsibility of the WillBees Board subject to Article V, Section 2, approval of funds. Maintenance, changes, and security can be outsourced to a designated third party under the direction and control of the WillBees Board. WillBees will not be responsible or liable for links to content on non-WillBees sites. 

All email addresses and mailboxes associated with Willbees.org (including but not limited to info@willbees.org and willbeesorg@gmail.com) are wholly owned and controlled by the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) and shall be the exclusive responsibility of the WillBees Board. 

All telephone numbers and voice mailboxes associated with Willbees.org (including but not limited to (630) 557-6233 or (630) 557-6BEE) are wholly owned and controlled by the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) and shall be the exclusive responsibility of the WillBees Board.   

All online work and social media sites associated with Willbees.org (including but not limited to Google Workspace, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) are wholly owned and controlled by the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) and shall be the exclusive responsibility of the WillBees Board. 

All online documents associated with Willbees.org (including but not limited to Google Docs) are wholly owned and controlled by the Will County Beekeepers Association (WillBees) and shall be the exclusive responsibility of the WillBees Board. This excludes material used with permission of the owner/copyright holder.