About us

For nearly fifty years, the Civic Club has served as a social and community service organization that brings together lovers of the island for monthly business meeting dinners and a host of year-round volunteer activities.

The Civic Club meets at the Jay Abbott Firehouse, St. George Island, every third Thursday.  A social half hour begins at 6:30 pm with a dinner at 7:00 pm and a business meeting after dinner.  Members and guests are asked to bring their own dinnerware so that we can reduce our footprint of disposable plastic and paper on our island. Each member brings a side dish, appetizer or dessert, and the Civic Club provides the entrée. A guest speaker of local interest is usually on the agenda for the business meeting.

The purpose of the Civic Club is to support community-based projects and organizations.  Two important organizations supported include St. George Island Volunteer Fire Department and First Responders, and  St. George Island Lighthouse Association. We support many other functions with volunteers and donations and is a 501 C 3 non-profit organization. The Civic Club also schedules and coordinates forums for local and state candidates for office. A monthly newsletter and this website keep our members informed.

This year the Island needs volunteers more than ever.  In light of our near-escape from the devastation of Hurricane Michael and the overwhelming support of 98% of the voting membership of the Civic Club for improving the storm water drainage and roads of our Business District, the Civic Club will be seeking county support for grant funding for these critical island business district roadway improvements.  Visit sgi2025 to learn more about this important plan for the future of St. George Island.

Memberships are available at $20 a person per year and are due January 1. Checks should be made out to SGI Civic Club and mailed to P.O. Box 451, Eastpoint, FL  32328. Please include the name of each member, a mailing address and an email address. Newsletters are emailed monthly and due to the rising costs of the USPS, we would prefer using email to contact our members. CLICK HERE to link to the membership page.


St. George Island Civic Club By-Laws (Amended December 2020)

Pursuant to a written ballot of a majority of the voting membership of St. George Island Civic Club, Inc., as required by the original By-Laws passed The proposed new language is bolded and underlined. Words to be deleted are stricken. Sections proposed for change are double-spaced on individual pages for easier reading.

 

St. George Island Civic Club By-Laws (Proposed Revisions 2020)

Pursuant to a written ballot of a majority of the voting membership of St. George Island Civic Club, Inc., as required by the original By-Laws passed March 6, 1972, amended October 19, 1983, amended October 22, 1987, amended May 16, 2013, the ballots being counted at the regular monthly meeting April 18, 2013, and ______,2020, the following have been adopted as the By-Laws of the St. George Island Civic Club, Inc.

 

ARTICLE 1.  NAME

Section 1.  The name of this incorporated organization is the St. George Island Civic Club, Inc.

 

ARTICLE 2.  STATUS

The Civic Club is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501 (C ) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code and relevant Florida Law.

 

ARTICLE 2.  OBJECTIVES

The general Objectives of this organization are:

  • promoting social interaction;
  • providing a forum for discussing issues that interest and impact
    island residents and homeowners;
  • supporting the St George Island Volunteer Fire Department/First Responders;
  • supporting other community interests;
  • providing leadership for Island improvements;
  • playing a role in preserving and/or enhancing the natural beauty and ecology of the island; and
  • taking concerted action on matters which will in any way affect the welfare of the Island.

 

ARTICLE 3.  MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the St. George Island Civic Club is open to all persons and organizations interested in furthering the purpose of the Civic Club. The privilege of making, seconding and voting on motions affecting the Civic Club is limited to members in good standing. Receiving the club newsletter, if any, is limited to members in good standing. A member in good standing is one who has paid his or her dues at the time the motion or vote is made.

 

ARTICLE 4.  FEES AND DUES

Dues for memberships shall be $20.00 per person per calendar year. All dues are payable by the first regular meeting in January of each year. On April 30th of each year, the membership rolls shall be purged to delete the names of those persons who are not members in good standing.

 

ARTICLE 5.  OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 1.  The Officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer and shall be appointed by the Board of Directors after election of directors by the General Membership.

Section 2.  The immediate past president shall automatically be a member of the Board of Directors as Past President.

Section 3.  Two members or more of the Civic Club will be members of the Board of Directors as Directors at Large.

Section 4.  The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and past president and the at large Directors.

Section 5.   The Directors shall serve a term of one year or until their successors are elected. Officers and Directors must be members in good standing of the Civic Club.

Section 6.  The Officers are limited to two consecutive years  in an office or until their successors are elected.

Section 7.  No Board of Directors member will receive pay for services rendered to the Civic Club.

 

ARTICLE 6.  ELECTIONS

Section 1.  All Officers and Directors at Large shall be nominated by a nominating committee appointed by the President, in January, and chaired by the Vice-President.  Any member in good standing may submit names to the committee for their consideration at any time.

Section 2.  By September, the Committee will propose to the membership a list of directors for the following year. The method of election may be by written ballot of all voting members. Members may vote in person at the November meeting or by submitting their vote  electronically or mail in time to be counted at the November meeting.

Section 3.  The term of office is one calendar year.

Section 4.  Election shall be by simple majority vote of those members voting.

 

ARTICLE 7.  DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  The duties of Officers are as follows:

• The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club.  He or she shall preside at all meetings and shall be Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The President will appoint and disband committees as needed to conduct club business. Upon assuming office the President will appoint a committee or an independent CPA to review the Treasurer’s records for the preceding year. A summary of the review will be made available to the club.

• The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of the duties of office and shall preside in the absence of the President. The Vice-President will serve as Parliamentarian for the club.

• The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and such records as necessary to reflect all club activities.

• The Treasurer shall receive all monies, deposit such funds in a bank approved by the Board of Directors, shall distribute all funds against properly approved bills or vouchers and shall report to the Club at each regular meeting. The Treasurer will transfer all records to the new Treasurer at the end of his or her term. keep the records for previous years until the Board of Directors directs disposing of the records. Records must be retained consistent with state and federal law.

Section 2.  The Treasurer’s records shall be made available within a reasonable time to an independent auditor upon call by any member at any regularly scheduled meeting. Any member calling for the production of the Treasurer’s records shall give at least two weeks’ notice to the Board. The records may also be made available to an independent auditor at the close of the Treasurer’s annual term.

Section 3.  Disbursements shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Any commitments of expenditures in excess of $250 (Two Hundred Fifty Dollars) shall be approved in advance of payment.

 

ARTICLE 8.  MEETINGS

Section 1.  Meetings shall be monthly on the third Thursday of the month unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2.  The President shall have the authority to call special meetings when necessary giving due notice to the membership.

 

ARTICLE 9.  DONATIONS MADE BY THE CIVIC CLUB

Donations made by the Civic Club will be determined as follows:

Section 1. In keeping with its organizational objectives, the Board will establish an amount to be used for charitable donations each year. Donations are for organizations or persons who provide support and services that benefit the island or the county.

Section 2. The President shall appoint a Donations Committee, chaired by the Vice-President, in January of each year.

Section 3. The Donations Committee will solicit nominations from the General Membership. Any member in good standing can nominate an organization or person to the Donations Committee for its consideration.

Section 4. By September, the Committee will propose to the membership a list, with justifications, of recommended organizations or persons to receive a charitable monetary donation from the Club.

Section 5.  The Vice President will present the proposed list to the general membership in the September meeting. Members may vote in person at the November meeting or by submitting their votes electronically or mail in time to be counted at the November meeting.

Section 6.   Requests for emergency or time-sensitive charitable donations may be considered at any time by the general membership upon approval by the board.

 

ARTICLE 10.  PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICES

Section 1.  In absence of rules in the Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Club, the proceedings of the Club’s Board of Directors meetings as well as the club meetings shall be conducted in accordance with current Robert’s Rules of Order.

 

ARTICLE 11.  AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  By-Laws are to be amended by the following procedure:

A.   The Board of Directors shall provide proposed changes or additions to the By-Laws to the membership electronically and on paper to those attending a general meeting.

B. Any member in good standing can propose changes or additions to the By-Laws to the Board of Directors.

C. The Board shall provide adequate time, not to exceed 60 days, for members to vote electronically or by mail preceding a general meeting in which members may vote in person.

D. The acceptance or rejection of the proposed changes or additions to the by-laws shall be determined by the majority of the votes received by mail or electronically in combination with the vote of those present at the meeting at which the voting takes place. The changes or additions shall become effective immediately upon acceptance by the voting membership.

Section 2.  A By-Laws committee appointed by the President in January will review these bylaws during years ending in zero and five. The committee may recommend that no changes be made to the bylaws.  The Board of Directors will consider any proposed revisions and may submit those to the General Membership for a vote in November in the same manner as stated in Section 1.

 

[Remove the History Section from the By-Laws but retain in an appropriately labeled section on the website. ]

ARTICLE 12.  HISTORY

This Article lists the amendments made to the Bylaws of the St. George Island Civic Club that were written in 1972. As a history, this Article has no force or effect on the governance of the Civic Club. In the original bylaws the dues were $10 per member per year.

 

Amendment #1 – Approved July 20, 2006 -The Board of Directors shall be limited in the amount of annual donations the Board can make without approval of the membership to an amount not to exceed twenty percent of the total receipts of the previous calendar year. No single donation exceeding two hundred fifty dollars can be made by the Board without the approval of the membership. All donations made by the Board must be approved by the majority of the Board.

 

Amendment #2 – Approved July 20, 2006 – Club Members wishing to make a motion for approval of a donation by the club membership must first have motion approved by the Board. The motion will then be placed on the agenda of the next club meeting. Any spontaneous donations will be made on a “pass the hat” basis and will not be paid out of the general funds.

 

Amendment #3 – Approved November 20, 2008 by ballot vote – Dues for voting members and for non-voting associate memberships shall be $20.00 per calendar year per member, effective January 2009.

 

Amendment #4 – Approved April 30, 2013 by ballot vote – The original bylaws written in 1972 have large and small changes most easily seen in the draft proposed by the Bylaws Review Group and approved by the membership of the St. George Island Civic Club. Amendments #1 and #2 have been replaced by the changes made in Amendment #4.

 

Amendment #5 – Approved _____, 2020, by ballot vote – The amendment adds a statement of the legal status as a tax-exempt charitable organization under state and federal law. It clarifies the use of electronic participation as well as in-person participation in club business. It changes terms of office to two years. It changes the selection of officers from general membership to board of directors, after that body is elected by membership.

 

Signed and dated this _____________, 2020.    By:_____________________________________  Jim Morris, President

 

Attest:_____ ______________________________

 

email [email protected] with questions or suggestions.


BACK TO TOP

 

About us

For nearly fifty years, the Civic Club has served as a social and community service organization that brings together lovers of the island for monthly business meeting dinners and a host of year-round volunteer activities.

The Civic Club meets at the Jay Abbott Firehouse, St. George Island, every third Thursday.  A social half hour begins at 6:30 pm with a dinner at 7:00 pm and a business meeting after dinner.  Members and guests are asked to bring their own dinnerware so that we can reduce our footprint of disposable plastic and paper on our island. Each member brings a side dish, appetizer or dessert, and the Civic Club provides the entrée. A guest speaker of local interest is usually on the agenda for the business meeting.

The purpose of the Civic Club is to support community-based projects and organizations.  Two important organizations supported include St. George Island Volunteer Fire Department and First Responders, and  St. George Island Lighthouse Association. We support many other functions with volunteers and donations and is a 501 C 3 non-profit organization. The Civic Club also schedules and coordinates forums for local and state candidates for office. A monthly newsletter and this website keep our members informed.

This year the Island needs volunteers more than ever.  In light of our near-escape from the devastation of Hurricane Michael and the overwhelming support of 98% of the voting membership of the Civic Club for improving the storm water drainage and roads of our Business District, the Civic Club will be seeking county support for grant funding for these critical island business district roadway improvements.  Visit sgi2025 to learn more about this important plan for the future of St. George Island.

Memberships are available at $20 a person per year and are due January 1. Checks should be made out to SGI Civic Club and mailed to P.O. Box 451, Eastpoint, FL  32328. Please include the name of each member, a mailing address and an email address. Newsletters are emailed monthly and due to the rising costs of the USPS, we would prefer using email to contact our members. CLICK HERE to link to the membership page.


St. George Island Civic Club By-Laws (Amended December 2020)

Pursuant to a written ballot of a majority of the voting membership of St. George Island Civic Club, Inc., as required by the original By-Laws passed The proposed new language is bolded and underlined. Words to be deleted are stricken. Sections proposed for change are double-spaced on individual pages for easier reading.

 

St. George Island Civic Club By-Laws (Proposed Revisions 2020)

Pursuant to a written ballot of a majority of the voting membership of St. George Island Civic Club, Inc., as required by the original By-Laws passed March 6, 1972, amended October 19, 1983, amended October 22, 1987, amended May 16, 2013, the ballots being counted at the regular monthly meeting April 18, 2013, and ______,2020, the following have been adopted as the By-Laws of the St. George Island Civic Club, Inc.

 

ARTICLE 1.  NAME

Section 1.  The name of this incorporated organization is the St. George Island Civic Club, Inc.

 

ARTICLE 2.  STATUS

The Civic Club is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501 (C ) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code and relevant Florida Law.

 

ARTICLE 2.  OBJECTIVES

The general Objectives of this organization are:

  • promoting social interaction;
  • providing a forum for discussing issues that interest and impact
    island residents and homeowners;
  • supporting the St George Island Volunteer Fire Department/First Responders;
  • supporting other community interests;
  • providing leadership for Island improvements;
  • playing a role in preserving and/or enhancing the natural beauty and ecology of the island; and
  • taking concerted action on matters which will in any way affect the welfare of the Island.

 

ARTICLE 3.  MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the St. George Island Civic Club is open to all persons and organizations interested in furthering the purpose of the Civic Club. The privilege of making, seconding and voting on motions affecting the Civic Club is limited to members in good standing. Receiving the club newsletter, if any, is limited to members in good standing. A member in good standing is one who has paid his or her dues at the time the motion or vote is made.

 

ARTICLE 4.  FEES AND DUES

Dues for memberships shall be $20.00 per person per calendar year. All dues are payable by the first regular meeting in January of each year. On April 30th of each year, the membership rolls shall be purged to delete the names of those persons who are not members in good standing.

 

ARTICLE 5.  OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 1.  The Officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer and shall be appointed by the Board of Directors after election of directors by the General Membership.

Section 2.  The immediate past president shall automatically be a member of the Board of Directors as Past President.

Section 3.  Two members or more of the Civic Club will be members of the Board of Directors as Directors at Large.

Section 4.  The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and past president and the at large Directors.

Section 5.   The Directors shall serve a term of one year or until their successors are elected. Officers and Directors must be members in good standing of the Civic Club.

Section 6.  The Officers are limited to two consecutive years  in an office or until their successors are elected.

Section 7.  No Board of Directors member will receive pay for services rendered to the Civic Club.

 

ARTICLE 6.  ELECTIONS

Section 1.  All Officers and Directors at Large shall be nominated by a nominating committee appointed by the President, in January, and chaired by the Vice-President.  Any member in good standing may submit names to the committee for their consideration at any time.

Section 2.  By September, the Committee will propose to the membership a list of directors for the following year. The method of election may be by written ballot of all voting members. Members may vote in person at the November meeting or by submitting their vote  electronically or mail in time to be counted at the November meeting.

Section 3.  The term of office is one calendar year.

Section 4.  Election shall be by simple majority vote of those members voting.

 

ARTICLE 7.  DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  The duties of Officers are as follows:

• The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club.  He or she shall preside at all meetings and shall be Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The President will appoint and disband committees as needed to conduct club business. Upon assuming office the President will appoint a committee or an independent CPA to review the Treasurer’s records for the preceding year. A summary of the review will be made available to the club.

• The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of the duties of office and shall preside in the absence of the President. The Vice-President will serve as Parliamentarian for the club.

• The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and such records as necessary to reflect all club activities.

• The Treasurer shall receive all monies, deposit such funds in a bank approved by the Board of Directors, shall distribute all funds against properly approved bills or vouchers and shall report to the Club at each regular meeting. The Treasurer will transfer all records to the new Treasurer at the end of his or her term. keep the records for previous years until the Board of Directors directs disposing of the records. Records must be retained consistent with state and federal law.

Section 2.  The Treasurer’s records shall be made available within a reasonable time to an independent auditor upon call by any member at any regularly scheduled meeting. Any member calling for the production of the Treasurer’s records shall give at least two weeks’ notice to the Board. The records may also be made available to an independent auditor at the close of the Treasurer’s annual term.

Section 3.  Disbursements shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Any commitments of expenditures in excess of $250 (Two Hundred Fifty Dollars) shall be approved in advance of payment.

 

ARTICLE 8.  MEETINGS

Section 1.  Meetings shall be monthly on the third Thursday of the month unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2.  The President shall have the authority to call special meetings when necessary giving due notice to the membership.

 

ARTICLE 9.  DONATIONS MADE BY THE CIVIC CLUB

Donations made by the Civic Club will be determined as follows:

Section 1. In keeping with its organizational objectives, the Board will establish an amount to be used for charitable donations each year. Donations are for organizations or persons who provide support and services that benefit the island or the county.

Section 2. The President shall appoint a Donations Committee, chaired by the Vice-President, in January of each year.

Section 3. The Donations Committee will solicit nominations from the General Membership. Any member in good standing can nominate an organization or person to the Donations Committee for its consideration.

Section 4. By September, the Committee will propose to the membership a list, with justifications, of recommended organizations or persons to receive a charitable monetary donation from the Club.

Section 5.  The Vice President will present the proposed list to the general membership in the September meeting. Members may vote in person at the November meeting or by submitting their votes electronically or mail in time to be counted at the November meeting.

Section 6.   Requests for emergency or time-sensitive charitable donations may be considered at any time by the general membership upon approval by the board.

 

ARTICLE 10.  PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICES

Section 1.  In absence of rules in the Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Club, the proceedings of the Club’s Board of Directors meetings as well as the club meetings shall be conducted in accordance with current Robert’s Rules of Order.

 

ARTICLE 11.  AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  By-Laws are to be amended by the following procedure:

A.   The Board of Directors shall provide proposed changes or additions to the By-Laws to the membership electronically and on paper to those attending a general meeting.

B. Any member in good standing can propose changes or additions to the By-Laws to the Board of Directors.

C. The Board shall provide adequate time, not to exceed 60 days, for members to vote electronically or by mail preceding a general meeting in which members may vote in person.

D. The acceptance or rejection of the proposed changes or additions to the by-laws shall be determined by the majority of the votes received by mail or electronically in combination with the vote of those present at the meeting at which the voting takes place. The changes or additions shall become effective immediately upon acceptance by the voting membership.

Section 2.  A By-Laws committee appointed by the President in January will review these bylaws during years ending in zero and five. The committee may recommend that no changes be made to the bylaws.  The Board of Directors will consider any proposed revisions and may submit those to the General Membership for a vote in November in the same manner as stated in Section 1.

 

[Remove the History Section from the By-Laws but retain in an appropriately labeled section on the website. ]

ARTICLE 12.  HISTORY

This Article lists the amendments made to the Bylaws of the St. George Island Civic Club that were written in 1972. As a history, this Article has no force or effect on the governance of the Civic Club. In the original bylaws the dues were $10 per member per year.

 

Amendment #1 – Approved July 20, 2006 -The Board of Directors shall be limited in the amount of annual donations the Board can make without approval of the membership to an amount not to exceed twenty percent of the total receipts of the previous calendar year. No single donation exceeding two hundred fifty dollars can be made by the Board without the approval of the membership. All donations made by the Board must be approved by the majority of the Board.

 

Amendment #2 – Approved July 20, 2006 – Club Members wishing to make a motion for approval of a donation by the club membership must first have motion approved by the Board. The motion will then be placed on the agenda of the next club meeting. Any spontaneous donations will be made on a “pass the hat” basis and will not be paid out of the general funds.

 

Amendment #3 – Approved November 20, 2008 by ballot vote – Dues for voting members and for non-voting associate memberships shall be $20.00 per calendar year per member, effective January 2009.

 

Amendment #4 – Approved April 30, 2013 by ballot vote – The original bylaws written in 1972 have large and small changes most easily seen in the draft proposed by the Bylaws Review Group and approved by the membership of the St. George Island Civic Club. Amendments #1 and #2 have been replaced by the changes made in Amendment #4.

 

Amendment #5 – Approved _____, 2020, by ballot vote – The amendment adds a statement of the legal status as a tax-exempt charitable organization under state and federal law. It clarifies the use of electronic participation as well as in-person participation in club business. It changes terms of office to two years. It changes the selection of officers from general membership to board of directors, after that body is elected by membership.

 

Signed and dated this _____________, 2020.    By:_____________________________________  Jim Morris, President

 

Attest:_____ ______________________________

 

email [email protected] with questions or suggestions.


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