Southern Nevada Chapter 2024-2025 – Inactive

The GSN’s Southern Nevada Chapter is inactive as of June 1, 2022.

If you’d like to volunteer to lead this GSN Chapter based in Las Vegas, please contact GSN President, Patty Capistrant @ plcapistrant@gmail.com

Southern Nevada Chapter Bylaws

Article I. Southern Nevada Chapter General Membership Meetings

Section 1. Approximately eight Southern Nevada Chapter General Membership Meetings shall take place each year, the dates of these being on the last Thursday of the month, unless some other day is more convenient or appropriate during a specific month. However, the schedule meeting date may not conflict with the general meetings of the GSN, or those of the Winnemucca or Elko Chapters. Additional GSN Southern Nevada General Membership Meetings may be held as deemed appropriate or necessary by the Southern Nevada Chapter Officers.

Section 2. Southern Nevada Chapter General Membership Meetings may consist of a talk and slide show, film, or other activities approved by the Executive Committee. Decisions concerning the times and places and content of the GSN General Membership Meetings shall be made by the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee.

Article II. Election Procedures

Section 1. Officers shall consist of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, webmaster, and newsletter editor. The term for each office shall be one year. Each year shall run from June through May.

Section 2. Nominations for officers will be made each year to the current President of the Southern Nevada Chapter prior to January 31 st of each year. The Southern Nevada Chapter President shall then present the slate to the GSN Board of Directors for their review and approval.

Section 3. The Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee will have the proposed nominees published as an announcement in the April GSN Newsletter. The Announcement shall also indicate the election will be conducted by electronic mail ballot in early May.

Section 4. The Executive Committee will distribute the ballots to all Members of the Southern Nevada Chapter by email after the April meeting.

Section 5. The aforementioned ballot shall: 1) identify the Officer nominees and provide for a for or against vote for each nominee; 2) provide for a place for the voter to place their name; 3) state that for a vote to be considered the vote must be received by the Southern Nevada Chapter President within ten working days of the date it was distributed to the membership; and 4) the distribution date shall be included on the ballot.

Section 6. All valid ballots received by 11:59 pm on the tenth working day after the ballot is distributed to the Membership shall be counted. For a ballot to be valid the name of the member must be attached to the ballot. The Southern Nevada Chapter President working with the Southern Nevada Chapter Vice President shall count the votes. The Southern Nevada Chapter President shall announce the results of the vote on the Southern Nevada Chapter webpage.

Article III. Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee

Section 1. The Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee shall meet monthly, or as determined necessary by the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee, to review, plan and conduct the monthly business of the Southern Nevada Chapter. The Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee may create subcommittees that may be composed of any Member of the Southern Nevada Chapter, as needed to conduct specific functions of the Southern Nevada Chapter. All subcommittees shall have a chair that reports to the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee.

Section 2. Voting by Southern Nevada Chapter Officers shall be done by the person(s) in that officer position or another Southern Nevada Chapter Officer with that personal written proxy to vote for them. In the event that a position on the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee is held by more than one person, that position still has only one vote. Should one or all of the people serving in a position, or their written proxy, not be present for the vote, then that position shall be considered absent for that vote.

Section 3. Duties of the GSN Southern Nevada Chapter Officers, which can be modified by vote of the GSN Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee:

  • President: The president shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Directing chapter activities;
  • Chairing chapter meetings, including but not limited to:
  • Opening and closing meetings;
  • Introducing speakers; making announcements;
  • Chairing Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee meetings;
  • Coordinating Southern Nevada Chapter activities with GSN and other chapters;
  • Attending and participating in GSN Board of Directors meetings and activities; and
  • Coordinating and arranging for speakers at each chapter meeting.
  • Vice-President: The vice-president shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Chairing chapter meetings in the absence of the president;
  • Coordinating and arranging for one or more annual field trips;
  • Insure that a guidebook is produced for the field trip(s); and
  • Securing sponsorship, financial or otherwise, to support the Southern Nevada Chapter activities including monthly meetings, field trips, and special events.
  • Secretary: The secretary shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Preparing and sending all meeting, field trip, and special announcements;
  • Maintaining chapter records;
  • Working in cooperation with the GSN Office Manager to maintain a complete and correct Southern Nevada Chapter membership list;
  • Recording minutes of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee meetings; and
  • Work in cooperation with the GSN Office Manager to tally the votes for the Southern Nevada Chapter elections.
  • Treasurer: The treasurer shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Recording expenses and income;
  • Keeping financial matters in order and maintaining checking and savings accounts;
  • Responsible for collecting and distributing mail to the appropriate Southern Nevada Chapter Officer and maintaining the P.O Box in good standing.
  • Payment of all Southern Nevada Chapter bills;
  • Sending invoices, accompanied by ‘thank you’ letters to all Southern Nevada Chapter sponsors;
  • Assist the Southern Nevada Chapter President with preparation of an annual budget and operating plan;
  • Managing Southern Nevada Chapter investments approved by the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee; and
  • Coordinating with the GSN Treasurer on budgets, audits, and financial planning.
  • Newsletter Editor: The newsletter editor shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Writing and producing the monthly newsletter.
  • WebMaster: The webmaster shall be responsible for the following activities:
  • Keep the Southern Nevada Chapter website up-to-date.

Article IV. Amendments to the Southern Nevada Chapter By-Laws

Section 1. Any amendments to the Southern Nevada Chapter By-Laws shall be developed by the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee. The Southern Nevada Chapter Officers shall then vote on the amendments to the By-Laws and send them to the GSN Board of Directors for approval. Prior to sending the proposed amendments to the Board of Directors, the Southern Nevada Chapter membership shall be notified of the proposed amendments through an announcement in the Southern Nevada Chapter Newsletter and the GSN Newsletter or by electronic mail.

Article V. Financial Management

Section 1. The Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee shall manage the daily affairs of the Southern Nevada Chapter in a fiscally responsible manner.

Section 2. It shall be the intent of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee and the Board of Directors to follow, as closely as practicable, an annual budget where expenditures do not exceed operating income. The budget will be prepared annually by the Treasurer in consultation with the President and Vice President, and reviewed and approved by the Southern Nevada Executive Committee and GSN Board of Directors.

Section 3. The Southern Nevada Chapter President and Treasurer, in cooperation with the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee, shall prepare, on or before the April GSN Executive Committee meeting an annual operating plan and budget for the Southern Nevada Chapter. The GSN Executive Committee shall review, modify as necessary, and approve the operating plan and budget. The GSN President and GSN Treasurer shall then deliver the approved operating plan and budget to the Board of Directors for their review and approval.

Section 4. The Southern Nevada Chapter Treasurer shall, at a time specified by the Southern Nevada Executive Committee, make an annual report to the membership which will include: a summary of the income, expenditures and asset balances for the previous year; the approved budget for the upcoming year; the status of the investment fund.

Article VI. Removal of a Southern Nevada Chapter Officer

Section 1. Should the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee determine, through a simple majority vote of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee, that one of the Southern Nevada Chapter Officers is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of their position or is engaged in actions that are inappropriate with the objectives of the Southern Nevada Chapter, then the Southern Nevada Chapter President, or the Southern Nevada Chapter Vice President if the Southern Nevada Chapter President is the individual under consideration, shall initiate the process of removal of that Southern Nevada Chapter Officer.

Section 2. The President, or the Vice President if the President is the individual under consideration, and other members of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee that the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee determines are appropriate shall meet with a quorum of the Board of Directors to review the facts and findings of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee. This meeting may be conducted through a conference call. Based on the facts and findings presented to the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall determine if they have any objections to the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee proceeding with the removal action. The determination shall be through a simple majority vote.

Section 3. If the Board of Directors does not object to the removal action, the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee shall at their next scheduled monthly meeting consider the removal action. The consideration shall consist of a presentation by the Southern Nevada Chapter President, or the Southern Nevada Chapter Vice President if the Southern Nevada Chapter President is the individual under consideration, on the facts and findings of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee on the determination of action that are inappropriate with the objectives of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the GSN, and then a presentation by the Southern Nevada Chapter Officer under consideration for removal. Based on these presentations, the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee shall determine whether the actions of the Southern Nevada Chapter Officer shall warrant the removal of that individual as a GSN Officer. The determination shall be by a simple majority vote of a quorum of the Southern Nevada Chapter Officers. The Southern Nevada Chapter Officer under consideration is not eligible to vote in this determination. The decision of the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee is effective immediately.

Article VII. Officer Vacancies

Section 1. Should one or more vacancies occur in the Southern Nevada Chapter Officers within three months prior to scheduled elections, those positions shall remain vacant until filled by the results of the scheduled election.

Section 2. Should a vacancy occur that is not subject to Section 1 of this Article, then the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee shall, at their next regularly scheduled monthly meeting, consider candidates to fill the position for the remainder of the term. A vote of the Executive Committee, through a simple majority vote of a quorum of the Southern Nevada Chapter Officers, will elect a nominee to fill the remainder of a term.

Article VIII. Newsletter

Section 1. The Southern Nevada Chapter Newsletter shall be published monthly near the beginning of each month, except for May, June and July. The primary method of publication is as a pdf electronic file that is distributed via electronic mail to the Membership and posted on the Chapter website. For an additional charge, Southern Nevada Chapter members may request a paper copy by postal mail.

Section 2. The Southern Nevada Chapter Newsletter shall include, at a minimum, any announcement required by the Southern Nevada Chapter By-Laws, a calendar of events, including announcements of the Southern Nevada Chapter General Meetings, and information of general interest to the membership.

Article IX. Records Management

Section 1. The records of the Southern Nevada Chapter shall be managed in a manner that maintains the integrity of the records for future use and retrieval. The Southern Nevada Chapter shall maintain a secure location for the storage of Southern Nevada Chapter records. Southern Nevada Chapter records to be maintained indefinitely includes paper copies of membership rolls, directories, newsletters, voting records, the minutes of the meetings, and at least one copy of each publication. These records will be stored until deemed no longer necessary by the Southern Nevada Chapter Executive Committee.