Appendix 1, GOS Bylaws
THE GEORGIA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RESOURCE SHARING POLICY
The Georgia Ornithological Society (GOS), a 501(c)(3) organization, exists to further the science and practice of Ornithology in the State of Georgia. GOS will conduct its affairs in accordance with the law, GOS Bylaws, and address the needs of and deal honorably with its members and society.
GUIDELINES FOR RESOURCE SHARING
The Georgia Ornithological Society recognizes its responsibility to society and to other nonprofit organizations. GOS, society, and the environment are closely related, and the health and well-being of one affects the others. In accordance with its guidelines, GOS will share its resources with a limited number of nonprofit organizations as a means of supporting the efforts of others whose goals are endorsed by GOS.Contributions will be considered by the GOS if they are-- beneficial to the primary goals of GOS;-- primarily focused on but not limited to the geographical area of Georgia; and-- within the limits of GOS’s economic abilityContributions are to be considered and voted upon by the GOS Executive Committee.The President is authorized to respond to contribution requests up to $100.00. The President shall report the disposition of nominal contribution requests to the Executive Committee at its next meeting.
Revised by the GOS Executive Committee, 12/4/99
Appendix 2
Handbook for the Checklist and Records Committee
I. Name and Affiliation
A. Name. The official nameof this organization shall be the "Georgia Ornithological Society's Checklist and Records Committee," which may be shortened to the "C & R Committee," or "Georgia Bird Records Committee," and is hereafter referred to as the "Committee."
B. Affiliation. This is a committee of the Georgia Ornithological Society.
II. Purposes
A. Validate reports of selected birds from the State of Georgia and adjacent waters. "Adjacent waters" is herein defined as that area within 200 nautical miles of the nearest part of the Georgia coast between latitudinal lines drawn due east from the Georgia state borders with South Carolina and Florida: at the Georgia/South Carolina border, 32°0'55"N between 80°50'59"W and 75°45'W and at the Georgia/Florida border, 30°42'40"N between 81°26'38"W and 78°14'W.
B. Maintain permanently the original bird records and all committee votes for use by future bird students.
C. Publish at least minimal data on all reports receiving a decision.
D. Provide a means by which sight records can gain universal acceptance as valuable scientific data.
E. Increase knowledge of the birds of Georgia.
F. Establish standards of observation and reporting against which field observers may compare their own techniques.
G. Keep or cause to keep the official Georgia State List of Birds.
III. Membership
A. Number and Definitions. The Committee shall consist of at least 5 persons, as follows: at least four "Members" plus a "Secretary," each with one vote. The term "Voting Member" includes all Members and the Secretary.
B. Qualifications. In choosing persons to serve as Voting Members on the Committee, consideration should be given to demonstrated expertise in field identification of birds, knowledge of avian biology and distribution and active participation in GOS functions.
C. Members.
1. Appointment and Term of Office.
a. The four or more members shall be appointed by the President of the Georgia Ornithological Society for two-year terms (except in the case of the Secretary, as defined below).
b. Members take office at the close of the GOS Fall Meeting at which they were appointed and serve until the close of the GOS Fall Meeting two years later.
c. Members may serve three consecutive full terms, after which they must retire for two years before they may be considered for reappointment.
d. During the initial two years of operation of the Committee under this Handbook, two Members will have terms less than two years. Two will retire after the initial year. Decision as to whom will retire will be made by first calling for volunteers. If less than two persons volunteer for retirement, then the President of the Georgia Ornithological Society will make a selection.
2. Nominations. While the authority to appoint Voting Members is the responsibility of the GOS President, nominations from the serving Voting Members of the Committee is appropriate. The Committee Chair will poll serving Voting Members 30 days prior to the biennial GOS Fall meeting in which a new GOS President is to be installed and make recommendations for new Voting Members. Each nominator may make a maximum of one nomination per each vacancy. If the total number of nominees is not sufficient to fill the vacant seats, it is the responsibility of the Chair to nominate the number of persons required. The Chair shall mail the names of the nominees to the GOS President at least three weeks in advance of the biennial GOS Fall Meeting.
D. Chair.
1. Qualifications. In addition to the Qualifications of Membership above, the Chair must not at the same time be the Secretary.
2. Appointment and Term of Office.
a. The Chair is appointed by and serves at the discretion of the GOS President for a two-year term.
b. The Chair takes office at the close of the biennial GOS Fall Meeting at which he/she is appointed and serves until the close of the next biennial GOS Fall Meeting or until a successor is appointed.
3. Duties.
a. Call and preside at Committee Meetings. b. Assure that the bylaws are appropriately applied.
b. Assure that the bylaws are appropriately applied.
c. With the approval of members, appoint chairs of subcommittees.
d. Present Committee reports to the GOS Executive Committee at least annually, as directed by the GOS President.
e. Furnish the GOS President with a list of nominees for membership at least three weeks prior to the GOS Fall Meeting.
E. Secretary.
1. Qualifications.
a. In addition to the qualifications of Membership above, the Secretary must not at the same time be the Chair.
b. The Secretary must have been a Member for at least one year (not necessarily the previous year).
c. The Secretary cannot take office if he/she has just completed three consecutive terms of office on the Committee.
d. During the initial two years of operation under these bylaws, the requirement for the Secretary to have been a Member for one year is not applicable.
2. Election and Term of Office.
a. The Secretary shall be elected for a term of two years. Election shall be by vote of a quorum, present in person, not by proxy or absentee ballot, at the Annual Meeting of the Committee. Election should be by written ballot of those present. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected; if necessary, a tie shall be decided by an additional ballot(s) listing only those persons tied. The Chair, if present, shall conduct the election. All Voting members, including the candidate(s), may vote.
b. The Secretary takes office at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Committee at which he/she is elected and serves until the close of the next Annual Meeting of the Committee.
c. If the Secretary's term exceeds his/her appointed term as a member, his/her term as a Member shall be extended, with the approval of the GOS President, to be concurrent with his/her term as Secretary.
3. Nominations. Nominations for Secretary shall be made only by Voting Members and only at the Annual Meeting of the Committee, either in person or by letter to an attending Member. Each nominator may make a maximum of one nomination, and may not nominate himself.
4. Duties.
a. Receive, acknowledge, circulate, and file all bird reports and supporting data submitted to the Committee. Whenever possible the records filed should be originals, as copies fade with age.
b. Vote on bird records (see voting) and in all elections.
c. When possible, procure additional data on records when deemed desirable by a Voting Member, and especially when a record is to come up for discussion at a meeting of the Committee.
d. Prior to any meeting, furnish Members with a list of post-secondcirculating records to be discussed.
e. Tabulate the results of all votes of the Committee, including votes on bird records, but excepting the election of the Secretary.
f. Keep current the Review List, furnish it to anyone upon request, and occasionally publish it in The Oriole and/or The Goshawk.
g. Furnish members with such equipment as needed, including Validation Forms.
h. Furnish anyone, upon request, with copies of all evidence, including Committee comments (without Member's names), concerning any accepted or rejected bird records.
i. Furnish Report Forms to anyone upon request and free of charge.
j. Keep current a roaster copy of this Handbook.
k. Keep or cause to keep minutes of the Committee.
F. Removals. The Committee may remove, for cause, the Secretary or Members (except the Chair) who are delinquent in their duties. Such action requires a vote of the majority of all other Voting Members, not merely of a quorum. A removal must be accomplished at a meeting of the Committee; absent Voting Members may vote by an absentee ballot to the Committee.
G. Vacancies and Special Elections. If the Committee loses a Voting Member during mid-term (through death, resignation, removal, or otherwise), the Chair shall immediately request the GOS President appoint a replacement to serve out the unexpired term.
H. Compensation. Neither the Chair, Secretary nor Member may receive compensation for Committee work, but may be reimbursed by the Treasurer of the Georgia Ornithological Society for expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of Committee duties.
IV. Meetings
A. Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting of the Committee shall be held once a year, at a time and place set by the Chair in consultation with the Members, for the purpose of election and for transacting such other business as may be brought before the meeting. The Chair must give to all members prior notice of the Annual Meeting. An agenda and list of nominees for Members and Secretary shall be provided at least three weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.
B. Special Meetings. Special Meetings of the Committee shall be called by the Chair, or by agreement of three or more members. Whoever calls the meeting must notify and provide an agenda to each Voting Member prior to the meeting.
C. Quorum. Three Voting Members in good standing, present in person, not by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of the Committee.
V. Handbook
A. Formation. This Handbook and other procedures of the Committee are to be determined by and only by the Committee, except that they may not be inconsistent with the bylaws of the Georgia Ornithological Society or with rules adopted by its Executive Committee.
B. Review. This Handbook shall be reviewed regularly, at least once every five years, by the Committee.
C. Changes. This Handbook may be changed by a majority vote of a quorum at any Committee meeting.
VI. Bird Records.
A. Definitions. For the purposes of this Committee and this Handbook, a "record" is considered to be written documentation submitted to the Committee as proof of the identity of a sighted, heard, collected, banded, or photographed bird. The "Review List" is that most recent list of species that will be accepted for review by the Committee.
B. Records Treated.
1. Records only from the State of Georgia and adjacent waters, as defined in paragraph II.A., will be treated.
2. The species treated will be as determined from time to time by the Committee. In general, the Review List will initially consist of species that have occurred within Georgia and adjacent waters ten times or less. In addition, any record which the Secretary judges to be sufficiently rare or unusual to require action by the Committee may be considered. By majority vote of a quorum at a meeting, the Committee may as it sees fit, revise the Review List. Records of species not on the Review List, but for which there is no accepted records for Georgia, will be treated.
3. The criteria for inclusion on the Review List and the species treated, will be reviewed at least once every five years.
4. The Secretary will be responsible to have the Review List duplicated, made available to all who request it, and occasionally published in The Oriole and/or The Goshawk.
5. Records based on specimens or bandings will be accepted and treated in the same manner as other records.
6. Any record, whether published or not, old or new, may be submitted by a Voting Member or other person, whether or not an observer, if he/she has first attempted to obtain details from the observer(s). An exception to this is a record that has received a previous Committee Decision (See Resubmission).
7. Records concerning species that are only locally or temporally rare in Georgia will generally not be treated.
8. Subspecies or species pairs will not be treated unless listed on the Review List.
C. Submission. Records should be, but not need be, submitted on the Committee's official Report Form, along with any supporting documentation.
D. Resubmission. A record that has received a final Committee decision, whether accepted or rejected, and even though published in the Committee Annual Report, may be resubmitted by the Chair, Secretary, a Member, an observer, or any other person, if and only if there becomes available new and substantial documentary evidence that might reverse the decision. For a record rejected because of questionable origin, such evidence might include the recognition of a natural pattern of occurrence. Such a record might be resubmitted and circulated as if never before submitted, except that it should be accompanied by all previous votes and comments of the Committee, its publication status, and all new evidence marked as such.
E. Retraction. A record submitted to the Committee by the observer(s) involved may not be retracted after circulation has begun. The observer(s) may submit opinions or additional data that totally or partially negate the record. Such information shall be treated as "new and substantial documentary evidence" (See paragraph VI.D.) and the record shall have its first submission terminated at the end of the then current circulation and be resubmitted under the same record number, except that if the record has already received a final "reject" vote, no further circulation need take place.
F. Circulation Procedures.
1. Initial Receipt by the Secretary. Upon receipt of a record, the Secretary should do the following:
a. Affix to it a unique number, consisting of the year of receipt (not the year of observation) followed by a hyphen and the next available unused number, starting with "I", for that year. If a record is represented by descriptions from more than one person, each description should receive the same number followed by a capital letter in sequence beginning with "A".
b. Record in a safe place at least the name of the reporter, the name of the bird species, the date and locality of the record, and the record number.
c. Check the description for completeness and clarity and, if deemed desirable, request additional information from the reporter or other observers. Details thus acquired must be clearly marked as such and kept separate from the original submission; the original submission should not be returned to the reporter except in copy form.
d. Vote on the record (see voting).
e. When 5-10 reports have accumulated or three months have elapsed since receipt of the first record, send the record(s) to a Member along with a cover sheet, which must list, in order of circulation, the names and addresses of all Voting Members, with the Secretary listed last, as well as the numbers both of the records(s) and the circulation round.
2. Receipt by Member. Upon receipt of a record, the member should do the following:
a. Judge its validity and vote.
b. Send the record to the next Member as soon as possible.
c. Send the completed Validation Form to the Secretary.
d. The last member to vote should return the record to the Secretary.
e. Proposed lengthy absences from a Member's mailing address should be reported to the Secretary. The circulation may be rerouted to accommodate such absences.
3. Recirculation.
a. A record shall be recirculated automatically, together with the votes and comments of every member from the previous circulation (without the member's name), if it does not receive a decision vote on the first round.
b. If after recirculation the record still has not received a decision vote, it will be kept by the Secretary until it can be discussed at a meeting of the Committee.
c. The Secretary should solicit additional information from the reporter or other observers for any record scheduled to come before the assembled committee.
d. Prior to each meeting, the Secretary should inform Members of any post-recirculation records scheduled for discussion.
e. A record that has not received a decision vote after two circulations is to be discussed and voted upon at a meeting of the Committee. The final decision must be made at the first meeting in which the record is discussed.
f. Regardless of whether or not a "final" decision is reached during the two circulations (but not at a meeting), any Voting Member may bring up a controversial record for discussion at a meeting of the Committee.
g. Regardless of whether or not a "final" decision is reached during the first circulation (but not during the recirculation), the Secretary may recirculate a record if he/she feels that the Committee's comments might alter the decision.
h. All decisions are final unless a record is to be resubmitted.
G. Voting.
1. Validation Forms. The votes of each Voting Member, together with his/her comments, if any, must be submitted on an official Validation Form or reasonable facsimile thereof. This form must include spaces for at least the: (a) record number, (b) name of the species, (c) name of the Voting Member, (d) date of review, (e) number of the circulation, (f) Voting Member's decision, and (g) comments.
2. Voting categories.
a. Accept
b. Reject, origin questionable.
c. Reject, identification questionable.
Note: (b) and (c) are both termed "non-accept" votes.
3. Abstentions.
a. Voting Members may abstain from voting, if, in their opinion, they do not personally feel expertly qualified to pass judgment.
b. Voting members will abstain from voting on their own records.
4. Secretary Vote. The Secretary must vote. On the first circulation, he/she must vote prior to sending the record to members (thus without seeing Members' comments).
5. Comments. On all circulations, an "accept" vote should be supported by appropriate comments. "Reject" votes must be supported by appropriate comments.
6. Consultations. On the first circulation, a Voting Member should not discuss a record with another Voting Member prior to both having voted. On the second circulation, pre-vote discussions with other Voting Members are acceptable. On any circulation, a Voting member may consult anyone outside the Committee before voting.
7. Voting Criteria. Except for the categorization of a species as "Hypothetical" (see below), the criteria used by a Voting Member for acceptance or rejection of a record are an individual matter and are not treated by this Handbook.
8. Change in members. A circulation in progress at the time new Member(s) is/are elected should be completed by the retired Member (except that removed Members do not qualify). Subsequent circulations, and hence in some cases final voting, should be completed by the new Member(s).
9. Tabulation. The Secretary will tabulate the results after all Members have voted.
10. Decision from Circulations. On any circulation round, with all Members voting:
a. A record is considered accepted if it receives a unanimous "accept" vote or it receives no more than one "non-accept" vote.
b. A record is considered rejected if it receives any combination of three or more "non-accept" votes.
c. A record is to be recirculated, or after two circulations is to be presented at a meeting, if it receives votes in any combination other than in (a) or (b) above.
11. Voting at Meetings. Voting on records at meetings should be by written ballot of those present.
12. Rejected Records. Any record that receives three or more "reject, identification questionable" votes will be published as "unaccepted, identification questionable." All other rejected records will be published as "unaccepted, origin questionable."
H. Official State List. Species reported from Georgia may be placed on one of three lists.
1. Regular Species List
a. A species shall be included in the Regular Species List of Georgia Birds when a specimen has been collected in the state, identified by one or more qualified individuals, and preserved and deposited at an institution in the public domain, preferably at the University of Georgia Museum of Natural History.
b. A species shall be included in the Regular Species List of Georgia Birds when one or more photographs, tape recordings, or sonograms clearly demonstrating definitive characters have been obtained and submitted to the Committee. Photographs should preferably be published in The Oriole or elsewhere, with an account of the record and original photo-graph(s), tape(s), sonogram(s), etc., placed in the files of the University of Georgia Museum of Natural History.
c. A species shall be included in the Regular Species List of Georgia Birds when four or more independent sight records of separate occurrences have been made. Each record of occurrence must be submitted with substantiating details including species, exact locality, date, observer(s), optical equipment, habitat, length of time observed, description, reasons for identification, and the observers' experience with the species. These accounts should be published in The Oriole or submitted to the Committee on a standardized Georgia Rare Bird Record Form. Non-acceptance does not preclude publication of reports.
d. An introduced or escaped species, not directly dependent on man, must have bred successfully in the state for 10 years before acceptance onto the Regular Species List of Georgia Birds. Only those species maintaining a stable or increasing population through successful reproduction will be considered.
e. All species considered for the Regular Species List of Georgia Birds must also be on the current official A.O.U. Checklist.
2. Provisional Species List. Species for which fewer than four accepted sight records exist shall be placed on the Provisional Species List.
3. Hypothetical Species List. Species represented by only unsubstantiated accounts or deemed "non-accepted" by the Committee shall be placed on the Hypothetical Species List. Birds suspected of being escapes, birds directly dependent on human support, or whose origin as a wild bird is in doubt shall also be placed on the Hypothetical Species List.
I. Publication.
1. The Secretary shall report the vote results of the Committee to the person(s) submitting records prior to publication elsewhere.
2. The decisions of the Committee shall be published annually, under the authorship of the Secretary and/or others as desired, in the form of an Annual Report, in The Oriole. A section of this Annual Report shall be devoted to bringing the Georgia State List up to date.
3. The published data for accepted and rejected records should include at least the name of the species, date(s) of observation, and locality. Names of observers for rejected records should not be published. The term "unaccepted" should be used instead of "rejected." Other data may be added at the discretion of the author(s) and Voting Members.
4. Ideally, publication of a full account of an occurrence should not take place until after acceptance by the Committee. However, the Committee cannot veto publication of records in The Oriole but may append a comment about a published account of questionable occurrence, if the editor so desires.
5. Committee members shall follow all Committee decisions in all publications that they author, or annotate any deviations.
Historical Summary
This Handbook is a modification of the Bylaws of the Western Field Ornithologists' California Bird Records Committee. As written by William P. Blakeslee, 1995 Voting Member, and adopted December 2, 1995: William C. Hunter (Chair), Giff Beaton, John Paget, John Parrish, and Emil Urban.
Sources:
GOS Checklist Committee. 1975. "Criteria For Accepting A Species In The Official List Of Georgia Birds." Oriole 40:41.
GOS Checklist Committee. 1983. "Procedures of the GOS Checklist/Records Committee." Oriole 48:1-3.
GOS Checklist Committee. 1986. Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds. Occasional Publication No. 10 Georgia Ornithological Society.
GOS Executive Committee. 1993. Bylaws Of The Georgia Ornithological Society, Inc.
Appendix 3
H. Branch Howe Student Research Grant
Guidelines for Grant Applicants
1)Applicants must be GOS members to apply for the Howe Graduate Student Research Grant.
2)The applicants, during the grant period, must be enrolled graduate students in the State of Georgia.
3) The research must be primarily ornithological and must be conducted under faculty direction.
4) Preference will be given first to research performed in Georgia; second to that performed in the U.S. outside Georgia; third to that performed in the Americas outside the U.S., especially when involving species moving between North and South America; and then to that performed in other parts of the world.
5) The grant will normally be for a period of 12 months. Application for renewal is permitted. The grant will not fund the grantee's salary, tuition, university overhead, or indirect costs.
6) The grant committee** will determine the amount to be granted per applicant. It may award the entire grantable amount to one applicant (unlikely) or apportion varying amounts among several applicants as it deems fit.
7) The applicant should state whether he/she can do the necessary work if the amount granted were less than the amount requested.
8) GOS will not award money from both of its graduate student grant sources (i.e., Howe and Terrell) to an individual applicant within the same calendar year.
9) The typewritten grant application, double spaced, not to exceed 10 pages, should include a description of the research project, literature citations, an itemized budget, a statement of other financial support, and a brief resume of the applicant. Two letters of reference, submitted separately, are also required, one of which should be from the directing faculty member.
10) Three copies of the application and of each letter of reference should be submitted. Photocopies are acceptable.
11) The grant application and the letters of reference shall reach the Research Grant Committee no later than December 31 each year. The grantees shall be selected by February 28, with the concurrence of the GOS Executive Committee.
12) At the end of the grant period, the grantee is required to submit to the Research Grant Committee a brief written summary of research results and grant expenditures. The grantee is encouraged to present research results to the members of GOS at a semiannual meeting and/or to submit a manuscript to the journal of GOS, The Oriole.
GOS Howe Research Grant Committee
152 Willow Oak Lane
Dawsonville, GA 30534
Grant applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a three-person committee (i.e., Howe Grant Committee). The chairperson of this committee shall be appointed by the GOS president. The chairperson shall then appoint two committee members with the concurrence of the president. The committee shall then appoint two committee members with the concurrence of the president. The committee shall include at least one research scientist. In the event that there is a conflict of interest involving an applicant and a committee member, the committee member shall recuse himself or herself from the review process for that application. If a committee member must be recused, the chairperson or acting chairperson shall recommend a temporary replacement for the president’s concurrence.
Appendix 4
Bill Terrell Student Research Grant
I) Applicants must be GOS members to apply for the Terrell Graduate Student Research Grant.
II) The applicants must be enrolled graduate students in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, or Alabama. First priority will be given to supporting students enrolled in Georgia universities or students who were born in Georgia if enrolled out-of-state.
III) The grant will be for a period of one year, and GOS may grant no more than $15,000 total to all applicants within that timeframe. Students may apply for follow-up grant money once the grant period has expired.
IV) GOS will not award money from both of its graduate student grant sources (i.e., Howe and Terrell) to an individual applicant within the same calendar year.
V) The grant committee** is authorized to determine the amount to be granted per deserving applicant. For example, in some cases there may be only one quality application, and the committee may decide to reward that application with the entire $15,000. In other cases there may be multiple quality applications, and the committee shall determine how to distribute the grant total among them.
VI) The applicant should state whether he/she can do the necessary work if the amount granted were less than the amount requested.
VII) Grant money shall not be used to fund the grantee's salary, tuition, university overhead requirements, or other indirect costs.
VIII) The research must be ornithological and must be conducted under faculty direction. Although a broad range of ornithological research may be supported by this grant money, those projects which emphasize the following areas will receive highest priority:
a) Ecosystem function
b) Habitat use, quality, and conservation
c) Avian communities
d) Federally- and state-listed species) Invasive species
IX) The typewritten grant application, not to exceed 10 pages, should include a description of the research project, literature citations, an itemized budget, a statement of other financial support, and a brief resume of the applicant. Two letters of reference, submitted separately, are also required, one of which should be from the directing faculty member.
X) The grant application and the letters of reference shall reach the Research Grant Committee no later than December 1 each year. The grantees shall be selected by January 31, with the concurrence of the GOS Executive Committee during that body's February meeting.
XI) At the end of the grant period, the grantee is required to submit to the committee a brief written summary of research results and grant expenditures. The grantee is encouraged to present research results to the members of GOS at a semiannual meeting and/or to submit a manuscript to the journal of GOS, The Oriole.
J. Michael Meyers, Ph.D. Research Wildlife Biologist
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Warnell School of Forest Resources
The University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602-2152
Tel: 706-542-1882
Fax: 706-542-1235
Grant applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a three-person committee (i.e., Terrell Grant Committee). The chairperson of this committee shall be appointed by the GOS president. The chairperson shall then appoint two committee members with the concurrence of the president. The committee shall include at least two active research scientists. In the event that there is a conflict of interest involving an applicant and a committee member, the committee member shall recuse himself or herself from the review process for that application. If a committee member must be recused, the chairperson or acting chairperson shall recommend a temporary replacement for the president's concurrence.
Appendix 5
Bill terrell Opportunity Fund
The Georgia Ornithological Society has provided for Graduate Student Research Grants through both the H. BRANCH HOWE, JR. and the BILL TERRELL grants. There is also the RICHARD PARKS Birding Conference Scholarship for young birders to attend an ABA Conference. We realize that there may be other financial needs for research, special birding programs, conservation projects, etc. that do not fall within the criteria of the above grants. GOS has therefore created an OPPORTUNITY FUND to handle special requests.
This Fund is available to individuals as well as organizations. The Request Form must be completed in full and submitted to the Committee Chairman, preferably electronically.
Questions may be directed to the Committee Chairman:
Dan Vickers
Committee Chairman
5249 Beech Forest Drive
Lilburn, GA 30047
770/923-4927(h)
770/939-0393(w)
770/235-7301(c)
dvickers@mindspring.com
Committee Members
Mark Beebe
Larry Carlile
Appendix 6
Meeting Planning Handbook for 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents
The purpose of this document is to provide GOS meeting planners with a time-table and checklist to aid them in carrying out their duties. Responsibility for planning and organizing the meetings of the society falls to the 1st and 2nd vice presidents, with the aid and advice of the Executive Committee and volunteers from the membership in the meeting locales.
The 1st VP is responsible for program content: obtaining speakers, determining their needs, notifying the GOShawk editor and 2nd VP of their identity, biographical information, and topics, and insuring their proper reception and escort. The 1st VP will also insure that field trips are arranged and led.
The 2nd VP is responsible for meeting arrangements with the facility where the meeting takes place, for providing timely notification to members of meeting details, for handling advance and on-site registrations, and for printing name tags to be presented to attendees upon registration. The 2nd VP will be the single point of contact between the society and the management of the meeting facility.
The Executive Committee approves the meeting sites, which may be suggested by any GOS member, as well as the guest speaker selections for each meeting.
I. SELECTING A MEETING WEEKEND AND DESTINATION
GOS meeting planners should begin making arrangements 12 to 18 months in advance. Review past meeting locations with a view toward “spreading the joy around,” especially if members in an area that has been by-passed lately extend an invitation or, when asked, would be willing to help out. The vice presidents should make meeting location recommendations to the Executive Committee and ask for a decision on locales for the meetings. Winter (January) and fall (October) meetings generally take place in coastal locations such as Jekyll Island or Tybee Island, whereas spring (April) meeting locations tend to range across the state. Meetings in the Georgia mountains are generally arranged every two to three years, and ideally should be scheduled for mid to late May. It’s important to periodically bring meetings to Georgia’s major urban communities and university/college towns: Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Kennesaw, Macon, Milledgeville, Rome, Savannah, Statesboro, and Valdosta, Popular meeting destinations in the mountains include Blue Ridge, Clayton, Hiawassee, and Unicoi State Park. Consider holding joint meetings with ornithological societies in adjoining states every five to ten years.
Meeting dates should be determined based on the probability of good birding in the area, the availability of appropriate facilities, and avoidance of conflict with holidays or special events such as birding festivals or the Youth Birding Competition, All Women’s Birding Bust, Thanksgiving, Easter, major sporting events, local fairs or conventions, or Winter Waterbird Counts. Winter meetings have occasionally been scheduled in conjunction with the Winter Waterbird Count so that the count occurs on the Friday morning of the meeting weekend, thereby reducing travel time and costs for birders who like to participate in both.
II. MEETING OUTLINE
GOS meetings generally run from Friday afternoon to Sunday mid-day, with the following sequence of events:
FRIDAY: Registration opens at 5:30 pm. For larger meetings (>90 attendees) a cash bar should open 30-60 minutes before the program, which should start at 7:45 pm in order to give attendees adequate time to eat dinner on their own. Following the program, the field trips for Saturday should be described, preferably by the trip leaders.
SATURDAY: Early breakfast at 6:00 am, after which field trips depart. Social hour with a cash bar and a scientific poster session should begin at 5:30 pm, followed by the banquet (7:00 pm), program (8:00 pm), business discussion (if necessary), and species countdown. Cancel the countdown if the program ends much later than 9:00 pm.
SUNDAY: Early breakfast at 6:00 am, after which field trips depart.
Note: Field trips may be offered on Friday morning and possibly a few on Thursday morning or afternoon during fall meetings, in which case registration may also occur on Thursday night or Friday morning. Field trips are often arranged for Monday during winter meetings, which have frequently been scheduled for MLK weekend in January.
III. HOTEL/FACILITY SELECTION
GOS members in the meeting locale may have recommendations regarding meeting facilities. In addition, the Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus can help. An on-site inspection of possible meeting sites is essential unless the facility has been used in the past and has not changed.
Considerations:
1. Sleeping room rates (single, double, multiple occupancy), cut-off dates for guaranteed reservations, deposit and cancellation policies. Know the average number of members who attend meetings in the given location, and avoid committing to a guaranteed number of room nights that’s likely to be higher than the meeting attendance.
2. Availability, attractiveness, and suitability of space for meetings, registration, and banquet. Is the banquet room designed in such a way that a large audience will be able to sit close enough to the speaker to see the presentation screen? Insulation from other groups (noise, conflicting schedules, demands on staff). It’s best to avoid holding meetings in hotels that have locally popular drinking establishments (bars) sited so that they’re in close proximity to the guests’ rooms. Meeting room rental and A/V support charges, if any.
3. Menus and prices, including gratuity and tax for the banquet. Avoid high-rent meeting space. It should be free or low cost, especially if meals are served. The sleeping rooms and the banquet will offset the hotel’s cost. Cash bar expenses. Dining room hours, especially breakfast, both Saturday and Sunday. If not early enough, proximity of alternate early-hour eating places.
4. Cut-off time for banquet numbers guarantee and percent of overage that can be accommodated (usually 5% of guarantee).
5. Adequate and safe parking? Will there be serious traffic problems to contend with when attendees are trying to depart for, or return from, field trips?
6. Will the hotel provide a contact person who is capable and will be on call throughout the meeting weekend?
When a decision is made on a particular facility, request a written contract and review it carefully to insure that all needs are specified and all charges are as agreed upon. The menu, price of the buffet, and bar set-ups are arranged with the kitchen, generally 1 ½ months in advance. As time draws closer to meeting date, give the manager the number of meals needed – usually one week in advance. They will also need to know the number of vegetarian meals requested if an adequate choice of vegetarian foods is not included on the buffet.
IV. SPEAKERS, PROGRAMS, AND FIELD TRIPS
Ideally, meeting announcements should include as much information as possible on programs and field trips, as an inducement to attend. Therefore, these details should be finalized at least three to four months prior to each meeting.
Once a meeting locale has been selected, GOS members in or familiar with the area may be willing to assist in the development of programs and field trips. Such assistance ranges from merely suggesting possibilities to assuming responsibility for all arrangements.
The Executive Committee will determine honoraria amounts for speakers. These honoraria may either be provided as a check to each speaker, or can be donated to a charity chosen by the speakers. In some instances it may be necessary to increase the honorarium in order to attract an especially prominent speaker, but this should not be done frequently or it will be difficult to pay for meeting expenses with registration and banquet fees. Increased honorariums must be approved by the Executive Committee. Friday night programs often feature speakers who have received grants from GOS, particularly graduate students, and have been asked to provide presentations to the membership concerning their accomplishments with the society’s money. If this is the case, GOS will pay the speaker’s expenses, but will not provide an honorarium.
GOS meeting planners should try to recruit speakers and especially field trip leaders from the area in which the meeting is to be held. Field Trip Leaders should be GOS members unless precluded by location or regulation. If the meeting speakers are notable birders, try to recruit them to lead or co-lead one or more field trips.
Speakers and field trip leaders are not expected to incur most of the expenses they would not otherwise have. GOS expects to pay for speaker accommodations, meals (including the banquet), travel expenses, registration, and field trip fees (if any). GOS will also pay for the same expenses for the speakers’ spouses. GOS will pay the registration fees, banquet costs, and field trip fees for trip leaders, but not their spouses. If a speaker comes from some distance by commercial means, reimbursement for travel expenses (e.g., airfare, rental car, or per diem) must be approved in advance by the Executive Committee and taken into consideration in setting the registration fee for that meeting.
V. MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS
The meeting announcement packet should be mailed two to three months prior to the meeting. The meeting announcement should stir the reader’s interest in participating. It should tell who the speakers are, something of their background, and describe their topics. Field trips and leaders should be included, and the registration form could, in some cases, provide for advance sign-up. The following information is essential:
1. Location and dates. Directions and map if required.
2. Sleeping room rates. Cut-off date for guaranteed reservations. Cancellation policy. Phone number and mailing address of the facility. Check-in and check-out times.
3. Member and non-member rate registration and banquet fees, including the cost for attendees who want to see the banquet speaker’s presentation, but don’t want the banquet meal. Check payable to GOS. Cancellation policy (dictated by the meal guarantee requirement). Cancellations should be received prior to the time banquet meal numbers are guaranteed, usually one week prior to the event.
4. Field trips and/or special events. Provision for sign-up in advance and payment of extra charges if any. (Note: Sometimes there is a boat trip or other voluntary activity that costs extra.)
5. A liability waiver statement to be signed by anyone planning to attend a GOS meeting.
The 1st and 2nd VPs will provide the text for the meeting announcement and the 2nd VP will draft the registration form. Meeting attendees will mail the form to the 2nd VP along with registration payment.
Meeting information should be sent to other birding organizations in Georgia in hopes it will be published in their newsletters. The information should also be posted on the GOS website and on GABO, and, if possible, should be sent to newspapers, college biology departments, and nature centers in the location where the meeting will be held. This should be done by the 2nd VP two months or more ahead of time.
VI. PRE-MEETING ACTIONS
1st Vice President
Check with speakers on their plans and needs: transportation, accommodation, audio visual support, spousal accompaniment, dietary limitations if any, expected arrival times and length of stay. Assign escorts to meet speakers upon arrival, and see that they are well looked after for the duration of their stay. Items involving the meeting facility, such as room reservations, audio visual support, etc. should be relayed to the 2nd VP as the single point of contact with the management of the facility.
Obtain biographical information on speakers and be prepared to introduce them at the meeting. Pass information to the GOS President to ease his/her greetings and conversation with the speakers.
Check on field trip plans and requirements. Are lunches, water, or snacks needed? Special clothing (e.g., boots for marsh stomping)? Duration and anticipated return? Map needs? Rendezvous locations? What is the difficulty level of the trips? Driving or walking or both? Anticipated insect problems? If box lunches may be desirable from the facility, let the 2nd VP know.
Be prepared for the unexpected: speakers who cancel at the last minute or have trouble on the way, or field trip leaders who get sick. A slide show or video in reserve is good insurance.
Feed all the above information to the 2nd VP for inclusion in handouts at the registration desk. It’s essential that field trip participants know the name and cell phone number of their trip leader(s), as well as where and when they will meet the leader(s), and have maps depicting how to get from the meeting location to the field trip destinations.
2nd Vice President
Pre-registration
The 2nd VP will receive all registrations and track income, field trip registrations, banquet reservations, and those that just want to hear the speaker. They will also need to track cancellations and refunds. A final accounting, with the checks, will be provided to the Treasurer within one week of the meeting’s conclusion. Field trip leaders will receive complementary registration to both the meeting and banquet (spouses are not complimentary). Speakers and their spouses will receive complementary registration to the meeting and banquet. Occasionally, a leader will be added at the last minute. If so, flag the name tag for a refund at the registration desk. Insure that name tags are available for each registrant, including field trip leaders, speakers, and their family.
Handouts
Handouts, placed in packets, should be available at the registration desk. Bags for preparing these packets are generally available from the local Chamber of Commerce or the Visitors Bureau, along with maps and travel brochures for the area. If the meeting is in a remote location, purchase large envelopes from an office supply store for containing packet information. The 2nd VP will insure that these packets are prepared and on hand at the registration desk along with name tags. Basic handouts include:
1. Program/Schedule of Events (see example).
2. Field trips, locations, leaders, expectations, duration, requirements (lunches, maps, boots, difficulty, etc.)
3. Roster of pre-registered attendees (name, city, state – no email address).
4. Field checklist.
5. A map of the local area and basic information about restaurant options.
Registration Desk Supplies
The 2nd VP should gather together the items that will be needed at the registration desk:
∙ GOS signs and easels. Include a dry erase board for special announcements, species tally, or phone numbers of trips leaders.
∙ Name tags and holders, including blanks.
∙ A known amount of change (e.g., $50).
∙ Office supplies: stapler, scotch tape, writing pens, and Sharpies for sign-making, name tags, etc.
∙ Registration log.
∙ A supply of blank forms for late registrations. The forms include a liability release statement which must be signed.
Facilities
Relay developing information to the meeting facility management as required: unexpectedly high or low registration, audio/visual needs, speaker room reservations, banquet menu, etc. If new personnel have taken over at the facility, review the contract with them and insure no surprises.
Nothing beats an on-site visit to the facility prior to signing a contract. This should be done to insure that the meeting space is truly adequate, the registration area is suitable, times and places are agreed upon and correct, VIPs have guaranteed reservations, etc.
At the agreed interval prior to the banquet, negotiate a guarantee on the number of meals required, mindful that this number will have to be paid for whether consumed or not. This is a guessing game, but here are some guidelines:
Be wary of “will pay at the door” advance registrations. Half will be no-shows. People who show up at the last minute often offset the number of pre-registrants who do not attend.
Hotel/motels say they can only feed 5% over the guaranteed number, but with a buffet this is not as much of a problem as with a seated dinner. So, always ask for some extra place settings to insure that last minute folks may be accommodated.
VII. MANAGING THE MEETING
2nd Vice President
It will speed on-site registration if name tags are arranged alphabetically ahead of time. Hold back any name tags of persons who owe money, or are owed money. This insures that any discrepancies will be handled at the registration desk.
Arrive at the meeting facility well ahead of time, get with the appropriate staff ( sales contact, banquet manager, etc.) and “walk through” the meeting with them, resolving any misunderstandings, insuring agreement on times, locations, needed support, etc. Also, hand them a copy of the schedule of events. A clear understanding of the payment procedures is essential. For example, will GOS pay on departure or be billed? Will the 2nd VP use his/her personal charge card and be reimbursed by the treasurer upon presenting the bill? When will the bills be ready?
Normally the bills are ready soon after the Saturday evening function or first thing the following morning. They are reviewed by the 2nd VP for accuracy and relayed to the Treasurer for payment or reimbursement. Be sure to check that complementary rooms are given credit if any are offered under the contract.
At-the-door registrants will need to fill out a registration form since it contains the release they must sign to participate in the meeting and field trips. They can then be issued name tags and invited to pick up their packets. Keep a record of checks and cash taken at the door.
By Saturday evening, the registrars should have a full accounting of the monies taken in from at-the-door registrations, and the 2nd VP should know if some or all of the no-shows can be reimbursed some or all of their pre-payments. This decision is based on meals guaranteed versus meals paid for.
It remains for the 2nd VP to obtain the bills from the facility, review and approve them, and settle the bill.
Gratuities
Facilities customarily include gratuity in their food and beverage bills, and that is sufficient for the Saturday evening function. However, the staff of a facility may be exceptionally helpful in other ways, such as opening the dining room early for breakfast or going out of their way to respond to last-minute requests. In such cases it is not uncommon for meeting planners to show appreciation with an additional gratuity.
Registration Table Location
The GOS registration area should be in or near the hotel lobby, but sited so that there is sufficient space for members to mill around and chat. If this is not possible, a sign should be posted in the lobby explaining how to find the registration table. Two 8 ft. tables will be needed, along with several chairs. During busy hours, two volunteers will be needed to tend the registration table. A GOS logo sign on an easel or fastened to the table will steer registrants to the right spot. Place name tags on the table in alphabetical order. Have packets ready to hand out to attendees as they pick up their name tags. Any name tags not claimed will indicate a no-show and can be helpful in adding additional meals requested by at-the-door registrants.
Field trip locations and descriptions, along with an area map and a list of local restaurants, including breakfast options, should be available to registrants. Try to set up the registration tables in the lobby of the meeting hotel, or erect a sign in the lobby directing members to the location of the registration tables. A set-up area (two additional 8 ft. tables) should be arranged for the business manager.
Banquet Night
Monitor registrations and coordinate with the banquet manager on numbers for the Saturday evening buffet. It is best to set a few more places than you expect to need. Be sure that the table closest to the podium is reserved for the speaker, president, etc.
Be on-hand and visible prior to and during the social hour Saturday evening to resolve any last-minute requests for additional banquet seats or other registration matters, to resolve any questions the banquet manager may raise and coordinate the timing for opening the buffet line.
Let the president, 1st VP and their guests know ahead of time when you are about to announce the meal being ready so they can be first in line. Keep an eye on the food line and let the kitchen know if they are running out of an item, with numbers of people left to be served.
Write thank you letters to the management of the meeting facility, volunteer registrars and anyone else who assisted in putting the meeting on.
1st Vice President
Check on the set-up and preparations for each meeting prior to the scheduled commencement. Be sure that audio/visual equipment requested is in place and operating, unless otherwise provided. Know where the light switches are and see that they are actuated as necessary. Test the microphone and know how to operate the amplifier. Check the line of sight for the audience to the projection screen, and make sure that people won’t be seated too far away to see the screen. Find out whom to contact on the hotel staff for last-minute help.
Look after the guest speakers and their spouses. Make sure they are greeted on arrival and their hotel room needs are taken care of. Provide an escort to get the speaker’s gear to the meeting place and help to get set up. Offer refreshments after their journey, and see that they have a good meal in pleasant company at our expense. See that he/she meets our president and other interesting members before the meeting. Obtain enough information about each speaker and their topics to introduce them when they speak. Be sure each speaker knows how to operate the mike and audio-visual equipment, and you know when to dim the lights for their presentation. Upon departure, see that he/she is sent on the way with our thanks, and within a day or two, receives a nice letter from us thanking him/her again for being with us. Ensure that the speakers receive their honorarium.
Coordinate with the president on the sequence of events at the Friday and Saturday evening meetings. Oversee or conduct the briefing on field trips Friday evening. Provide sign-up sheets on Friday and Saturday night for the field trips, as well as maps to the destinations. Meet with the trip leaders and ensure they describe the trips to the audience, including where participants will rendezvous, and provide their cell phone numbers to trip participants. Also ensure that the trip leaders collect the sign-up sheets at the end of each evening. In some cases trip participants will meet trip leaders at the trip destination. Make sure that the leaders know about these people, and have agreed on a meeting time.
Arrange the species countdown following the Saturday night speaker. It’s usually a good idea to invite a member from the local area to lead the countdown. Tally the countdown, and remind meeting attendees to email or call-in any additional species observed during the Sunday field trips. Send the details to the GOShawk editor and the webmaster, and post it on GABO. A summary of the meeting, which is often written by the President, should be sent to the newsletter editor in time for the printing of the next issue. This summary should also be sent to the webmaster.
Appendix 7
See Young Birder's Scholarship Info
Appendix 8
Manuscript Guidelines for the Oriole
The Oriole publishes original articles that advance the study and conservation of birds and their habitats in the state of Georgia and adjoining states. The Oriole welcomes submission of articles describing the ecology, management, occurrence, distribution, behavior, vocalizations, or identification of birds in Georgia, as well as scientific studies from all other aspects of the field of ornithology. Historical articles concerning ornithology and ornithologists are also welcomed, as are "in my opinion" articles, provided the latter are scientifically sound. Abstracts from scientific posters presented at meetings of the Georgia Ornithological Society may also be published. Authors should submit all manuscripts electronically as an attachment to an e-mail sent to the editors.
COPY - Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout. Italicize scientific names only. Use the same font size and style throughout the manuscript. Manuscripts should include a title page (including names and addresses of all authors, and e-mail address of the corresponding author), text (beginning on page 2), literature cited, tables, figure legends (on a separate page), and figures. Number all pages through the tables in the upper right-hand corner. Avoid footnotes in the body of the paper.
STYLE - For questions about style, consult the Council of Science Editors, Style Manual Committee. 2006. Scientific style and format: the CSE manual for authors, editors, and publishers. 7th ed. Reston (VA): The Council. This manual is available from Council of Science Editors, 12100 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 130, Reston, VA, 20190 USA; phone 703-437-4377, fax 703-435-4390, e-mail CSE@CouncilScienceEditors.org, Web site http://www.councilscienceeditors.org
LITERATURE CITED - List all reference cited in the text alphabetically by the first author's last name in a Literature Cited section. If there are three or fewer citations, they should be incorporated parenthetically in the text. General notes should also incorporate references in the text. Citations should conform to the style of a recent issue of The Oriole.
NOMENCLATURE - Common names of bird species should be capitalized. Provide the scientific name (italicized) at the first mention of each species. Nomenclature should follow the most recent American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds (7th edition), 1998, and supplements (http://www.aou.org/checklist/index.php3).
TABLES - Tables should be formatted with the size of The Oriole in mind and should be interpretable without reference to the text.
FIGURES - Figures should be appropriate for photo reproduction without retouching. Photos should be good-quality color or black-and-white prints or digital images.
Send manuscripts to The Oriole editor:
Dr. Renee E. Carleton
2277 Martha Berry Highway NW, Box 430
Mount Berry, GA 30149
e-mail: rcarleton@berry.edu
Appendix 9
Guideline: Earth Share of Georgia (ESG) - Chair
Title: GOS Earth Share of Georgia, Chair
Term of Service: 2 years. (Term begins in the month of October).
Qualifications: Must be a current member of GOS.
Selection Process: Appointed by the GOS President
Organizational Assignment: Reports to the GOS President. Provides information to the GOS ExCom as needed.
Purpose of Earth Share: Earth Share (ES) partners with businesses and employees to support numerous environmental organizations through workplace donation campaigns and other activities. Earth Share has a diverse mix of local, national and international nonprofits as members.
Why is GOS an ESG Member Organization?
GOS supports the objectives of ESG as an umbrella group for Georgia environmental organizations. GOS receives ESG shared funds to assist in the operation of the organization.
Informational Web Sites:
www.gos.org www.earthsharega.org
Duties:
1. Serves as a liaison between the GOS and ESG
2. Attends GOS ExCom meetings and participates in discussions and committee assignments.
3. Updates the GOS ExCom regarding ESG activities.
4. Attends GOS Winter, Spring and Fall Meetings.
5. Submits articles regarding ESG to the GOShawk editor.
6. Represents GOS by displaying the presentation board at birding festivals as needed.
7. Serves as custodian of GOS ESG hardcopy files and correspondence. Maintains electronic copies of all Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) forms and associated attachments.
8. Assists GOS Historian with maintaining a list of names of past GOS ESG Chairs and the years they served.
9. Attends ESG Annual Meeting.
10. Attends ESG training meetings and focus groups.
11. Represents ESG/GOS at ESG donor campaigns.
12. Prepares and submits to ESG the annual ESG Points Sheet.
13. Prepares and submits to ESG the annual ESG State of Georgia Sheet.
14. Prepares and submits to ESG the annual ESG CFC Sheet.
a. Attachment A – GOS Description of Programs and Services (On file)
b. County-By-County Listing of Programs and Services (Annually prepared by the ESG Chair)
c. Attachment B – IRS Tax-exempt Determination Letter (On file)
d. Attachment C – Annual Audited Financial Statement (From the GOS Treasurer)
e. Attachment D – Annual IRS 990 and 990EZ Forms (From the GOS Treasurer)
f. Attachment F – Annually Updated GOS Executive Committee List (From the GOS President)
g. Attachment G-GOS Annual Report (From the GOS President)
h. Annual Chief Administrative Officers List (From the GOS President)
i. Attachment H-Organizational Statement (On file)
15. Participates in ESG Earth Day Activities - Green Day, Leadership Breakfast, Party in the Park Fund Raiser, etc. Coordinates donated items for ESG fundraiser silent auction.
16. Verifies that ESG logo is used on GOS website, GOShawk newsletters, GOS brochures, presentation boards, banners, etc.
17. Verifies the annual renewal of the State of Georgia-Secretary of State (S.O.S.) registration for nonprofit charitable organizations. (Coordinates with the GOS Treasurer and S.O.S.’s office).
18. Verifies annual renewal of the State of Georgia-Secretary of State registration for incorporation. (Coordinates with the GOS Treasurer and S.O.S.’s office)
19. Past GOS ESG Chair provides assistance to current GOS ESG Chair until he/she becomes familiar with duties of the Chair. Past GOS ESG Chair transfers GOS ESG Chair files, correspondence and computer disks to incoming GOS ESG Chair.
GOS ESG Guideline developed on May 18, 2007 by Mark Beebe, GOS ESG Chair
Appendix 10
Guidelines: Treasurer
Position: Treasurer, Officer, Member of the Executive Committee
Qualifications: Member of GOS; must have good understanding of bookkeeping processes, and non-profit tax-related issues
Duties:
1) Receive all moneys of the Society. This includes dues, contributions, sales of inventory, and meeting fees.
2) Pay all expenses of the Society and/or reimburse approved expenses paid by others on behalf of the Society.
3) Maintain all receipts for expenditures paid, and copies of deposit slips with details of all deposits
4) Review all monthly bank and brokerage statements to assure accuracy of deposits, checks issued, and investment transactions.
5) Maintain records of all transactions in a format that can be utilized by a CPA for annual audit or financial review purposes, and tax returns
6) Coordinate with CPA for the preparation of an annual audit or financial review, and tax return
7) Chair the Finance Committee
8) Prepare informational statements for the Executive Committee including a summary of income and expenses, and current assets.
9) Maintain separate accounts for special funds or purposes as directed by the Executive Committee, or as designated by a donor.
10) Work with an investment advisor regarding asset holdings and review recommendations with the Finance Committee.
11) Maintain liability insurance policies, both general liability and directors & officers coverage.
12) Coordinate with 1st and 2nd VP’s regarding meeting registrations.
13) Maintain Charitable Organization registration with the Georgia Secretary of State as well as the annual corporate registration
GOS Treasurer Guidelines developed by Jeannie Wright, GOS Treasurer Aug 16, 2008