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Orange County Mensa Standing Orders

I. Standing Orders

  1. These Standing Orders are the complete Standing Orders as of July 17, 2022.
  2. The Secretary shall ensure that the list of Standing Orders available on the OC Mensa website is a complete and accurate copy of the latest version.

II. Appointed Officers

  1. To the extent feasible, the membership shall be notified of open positions before they are filled.

III. Financial

  1. The Treasurer shall provide a monthly report of income, expenses, and current balances to the Board.
  2. In addition to the Treasurer, the Board shall maintain at least one additional Board member as a signatory on all OC Mensa accounts.
  3. The outgoing Treasurer is responsible for issuing the year-end statement that is required by AML.
  4. At the discretion of the Board, the outgoing Treasurer will continue to act in that capacity until the transition of signatories at the bank is effected and a smooth transition is assured.
  5. The Board shall maintain a minimum balance in the general fund to ensure that sufficient funds are available to cover all planned expenses as well as a reserve for such contingencies as the cancelation of an event that requires an advance commitment.

IV. Receipts

  1. The Treasurer of OC Mensa shall deposit all funds received into the appropriate account within one week of receiving the funds.
  2. Treasurers of OC Mensa special events (e.g., RG Treasurer, etc.) shall deliver a financial statement with supporting receipts to the Board within three months after the event. Any OC Mensa funds in a separate account for the special event shall be available for transfer to the primary OC Mensa accounts within three months after the event.
  3. Members of OC Mensa, other than the Treasurer and special events treasurers, who receive payments on behalf of OC Mensa shall forward the payments to the Treasurer within one week of receipt.

V. Expenses

  1. Members of OC Mensa who spend personal funds on Board-approved expenditures shall be reimbursed from OC Mensa funds if they provide the Treasurer with receipts for the amount spent, a request for a check and an explanation of the expense. The Treasurer shall issue a check within a reasonable time unless Board approval is required and this approval has not previously been given.
  2. Members of OC Mensa requiring advance checks for Board-approved expenditures are required to collect receipts for the expenditures. The member shall submit the receipts and any unspent funds within one week of making the final purchase or expenditure.
  3. Members’ mileage and other travel expenses shall not be reimbursed, except in extraordinary circumstances, and then only with the approval of the Board.

VI. Liability for Loss

  1. OC Mensa is not responsible for lost or stolen cash or property. OC Mensa will not reimburse purchases or expenditures without supporting receipts.
  2. If a check from OC Mensa to a member is lost or stolen, OC Mensa will replace the check if it has not been cashed. The member is responsible for any additional bank charges to cancel the original check and issue a new check. If the check has been cashed or cannot be reissued, the loss will be handled in the same manner as if it were a cash loss.

VII. Newsletter

  1. The name of the newsletter shall be Oracle.
  2. Printing of additional copies of the Oracle, beyond those required to satisfy mailing needs, is subject to Board approval.
  3. To the extent feasible, the Oracle Editor shall provide reasonable space for announcing the RGs of other nearby local groups.
  4. Listing of Elected Officers
    1. With the exception of the April issue, the officer in a given position at the time the Oracle goes to press shall be printed.
    2. For the April issue, if the name of the incoming officer for a given position is known at the time the Oracle goes to press because that person has been declared elected, that person shall be listed. If the name of the incoming officer for a given position is not known because no one has been declared elected yet, the listing shall be “TBD”, with the standard ocmensa.org email address for the position also given. If the name of the incoming officer for a given position is not known because no one ran for that position, the listing shall be “OPEN”.
  5. Listing of Appointed Officers
    1. For all issues of the Oracle, the person listed for an appointed position shall be the person holding that position at the time the Oracle goes to press. If the position is open, or if it is known that the position will be open on the publication date, the listing shall be “OPEN”.
  6. Statements of political or religious opinion shall not be allowed in the Oracle or any other form of official OC Mensa communication.

VIII. Events, General

  1. Attendance at Board meetings is restricted to OC Mensa members, and invited guests of Board members.
  2. Attendance at Oracle mailing parties is restricted to Mensa members and their guests.
  3. Events that are open to “Members Only” shall be so designated in the Oracle
  4. All fundraising at official OC Mensa events must be approved by the Board. Entertainment plans for official OC Mensa events must be approved by the Board or, for events such as RGs and Speakers Forums, by the event chair. Event chairs shall follow any guidelines established by the Board.
  5. All non-members, regardless of age, shall be assessed the prevailing guest price for admission.
  6. Display of non-Mensa-related literature at official OC Mensa events is subject to the approval of both the event host and the Board.

IX. Events, Open Houses

  1. If receipts are provided, the host shall be reimbursed up to $300.
  2. An OC Mensa board member shall be present to be responsible for funds collected, and to authorize expenditures above the normal maximum if attendance numbers justify it.
  3. Admission is $5 per person for members and each guest.
  4. Every person attending shall pay the amount set, except for the host’s immediate family and OC Mensans attending their first Open House, whose admissions shall be free.

X. Events, Speakers Forums

  1. Speakers Forums are open to the public.

XI. Events, Board Meetings

  1. There shall be no audio or video recordings made of Board meetings without the majority consent of the Board.

XII. Events, RGs

  1. Members of the RG Committee shall not be paid for their work. Exceptions to this, such as providing registrations at no cost to key committee members, must be approved by the Board.
  2. All members of the RG Committee shall be reimbursed for all legitimate expenses incurred in the course of their duties. However, their travel expenses shall not be reimbursed, except in extraordinary circumstances, and then only with the approval of the Board.
  3. Bids for the RG shall include the following:
    1. Proposed dates
    2. A proposed budget, which includes registration prices with increase dates, the expected attendance, and an outline of planned expenses
    3. An outline of the theme of the event with ideas for implementation.
    4. A proposed RG committee with names and positions of the volunteers
  4. The RG Chair shall report to the Board at least monthly on RG plans and progress. This is to include information about the status of the program, hospitality, registration, etc.
  5. The RG shall have a website linked to the OC Mensa website, and updates shall be posted at least monthly.
  6. The RG shall be operated within a budget approved by the Board.
    1. The budget shall include sufficient detail so that the Board and other interested members know in which categories the funds will be spent.
    2. All expenditures shall be made within the constraints of the budget. The budget may be changed, but only with the Board’s approval.
    3. Any money to be paid to or on behalf of any speakers, entertainers, or other guests must be included in the budget.
    4. The budget must be approved by the Board before approval is given to proceed with the RG.
  7. A hotel contract shall be negotiated by the RG Chair or OC Mensa’s President or his/her designee. It shall be signed by the President and RG Chair after being approved by the board. Changes to the hotel contract must be signed by the President and the RG Chair. Copies of the completed contract shall be distributed to OC Mensa’s President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, RG Chair and RG Treasurer. The hotel contract shall not be signed until after the RG budget is approved by the Board.
  8. All expenditures shall be made at arm’s length. Members of the RG Committee, their families, and their households shall not be vendors to the RG. Any exceptions require advance approval by the Board, based on sufficient documentation to justify the exception.
  9. Speakers, entertainers and other guests shall not be provided with free registrations nor counted as registrants. They may be provided day passes, provided they are not Mensa members, at the reasonable discretion of the RG Chair.
  10. The RG Treasurer shall provide a preliminary financial statement, as complete as possible, to the Board within one month after the conclusion of the RG. The statement shall include best estimates for items that have not been finalized.
  11. The RG Treasurer shall provide a final financial report to the Board within two months after the conclusion of the RG. The report shall include the numbers of paid registrants by payment category (amount paid), including day passes, and the number of room nights used by the group and its attendees at the hotel.
  12. All Mensa members participating in the RG in any way shall pay for their registrations to the RG, unless budgeted otherwise. This includes, without limitation, all speakers, entertainers, those presenting a program, and volunteers.