Role Descriptions:
Elected Officers of the Branch Executive
Duties Common to All Officers:
Some of the duties of the Officers are common to each position. In order to reduce the size and redundancy of the Officer’s position descriptions, common duties and expectations are listed here.
All officers must:
- Be a member in good standing of both MGS and the Branch
- Attend all Executive meetings (10 per year) if possible
- Attend a majority of the eight (8) Branch General Membership meetings held annually. These usually take place the second Monday of the months of June, September, October, November, January, February, March, and April.
- Attend the Branch AGM in May
- Notify the President if unable to attend a meeting and arrange for a representative if appropriate
- Perform duties from time-to-time as requested by the President (may include attendance at external meetings, serving on Ad Hoc or Special Committees; representing the Branch at Society or external functions)
- Make suggestions to the First Vice President concerning future programming
- Direct information received and requests for services and/or information to the most appropriate Branch Executive member to be dealt with
- Make an effort to personally meet new and prospective members during general membership and special interest group meetings
- Support the By-laws of the Branch, and the objectives of MGS
- Upon leaving office, transfer to the Executive, as soon as possible and within 30 days, all books, papers, records, and other property of the Branch
Role Description: President
Primary Duties:
The President presides at meetings of the membership and Executive; assigns and coordinates work of officers; is a co-signer on all Branch financial accounts; ensures that periodic reports on the Branch and its activities are made to MGS; and receives, sorts, edits, files and responds to all general correspondence addressed to the Branch.
Specific Activities:
Governance
- Calls Executive and Branch meetings
- Determines the agenda for each Executive and Branch meeting
- Solicits agenda items from all Executive members at least one week prior to Executive meetings
- Provides a copy of the agenda to all Executive members at the beginning of the meeting
- Presides at each Executive and Branch membership meeting
- Seeks and appoints the chairs of the Standing and Special Committees, with approval of the Executive officers
- Is an ex-officio member of all committees of the Branch
- Appoints, together with the Executive, the person who conducts the annual financial review
- Recommends temporary replacement for any vacancy in any elected office and brings recommendation to the Executive for approval by vote
- Ensures that a Branch Annual Report is prepared and presented at the Branch AGM
- Is one (1) of three (3) authorized signators on Branch accounts (two signatures are required on each cheque)
- Is aware of and periodically recommends that certain Branch members be recognized for their service
Correspondence
- Receives all correspondence for the Branch
- Ensures all general correspondence and requests directed to the Branch are responded to appropriately by directing information or requests to the appropriate Executive officers
- Speaks for the Branch in press, public, or printed forums. The President is the main representative of the Branch to the general public. The President may delegate these tasks to other Executive officers at his/her discretion
Liaison with MGS
- Ensures that the Branch is represented at meetings of the MGS Council and that a written Branch Report is submitted
- Ensures that an annual, written Branch Report is submitted for the MGS AGM and publication in the MGS Annual Report
Role Description: First Vice President
Primary Duties:
The First Vice President is responsible to oversee the work of the Programming Committee — recommending a Chairperson for appointment and reporting to the Executive on the behalf of the committee.
Specific Activities:
-
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Ensures that the program for general meetings and special interest group meetings of the Branch is developed, scheduled, managed and publicized each year
- Attends as many of the General Membership and Special Interest Group meetings as possible
- Presents the budget request for the Programming Committee to the Executive before the beginning of the fiscal year in June. Some of the anticipated expenses will be:
- Honoraria for speakers
- Photocopying of handouts
- Reports monthly to the Executive on the work of the Programming Committee
- Serves as President of membership and Executive meetings in the temporary absence of the President
- Serves as Acting President upon the resignation, dismissal, death or long-term disability, or other inability of the President until the Executive appoints an interim President or a new President is elected.
- Has signing authority as one (1) of three (3) Executive officers with signing authority, the other two (2) being the President and the Treasurer. Two (2) signatures are required for each cheque.
Role Description: Second Vice President
Primary Duties:
The Second Vice President is responsible to oversee the work of the Communications Committee and the Library Committee — recommending a Chairperson for appointment to each committee and reporting to the Executive on the behalf of both committees.
Specific Activities:
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Ensures that the content of information about the Branch and its activities is accurate and current in all formats in which it is published, including brochures, programming schedules, website content, and e-Zine publications
- Ensures that information about the Branch and its activities are published
- Presents the budget request for the Communications Committee to the Executive before the beginning of the fiscal year in June. Some of the anticipated expenses will be:
- Fees for e-Zine distribution
- Printing costs for Branch pamphlets and Programming schedules
- Advertising costs for special Branch activities (e.g., workshops)
- Reports monthly to the Executive on the work of the Communications Committee
- Ensures that there are volunteers scheduled to cover all required Wednesday evening shifts to open the MGS Library to the public
- Reports monthly to the Executive on the work of the Library volunteers
- Is second-in-line to succeed the President, and would assume the duties of the First Vice President should the First Vice President have to assume the duties of the President on an ongoing basis
Role Description: Treasurer & Membership Secretary
Primary Duties:
The Treasurer manages and administers all funds of the Branch; prepares and administers the Branch’s annual budget; regularly reports to the Executive and the membership on the state of the Branch’s finances; annually submits all Branch accounts for review; and maintains a historical file of the Branch’s financial records. The Membership Secretary prepares and maintains the Branch’s membership list; collects membership dues; contacts members who have overdue membership accounts. This position is appointed annually by the Executive following the Branch AGM.
Specific Activities:
Financial
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Manages and administers all accounts and funds of the Branch.
- Uses accounting software or spreadsheet software to maintain financial records and stores a back-up copy in the MGS Resource Centre
- Knows all of the passwords for all accounts, and upon taking office, shares all passwords with the President
- Receives dues and other monies collected or received by MGS on behalf of the Branch
- Assures that a suitable account record is maintained of the Branch income and expenditures, assets and liabilities
- Maintains paper copies of records, monthly reports, deposits, and cheques and ensures all cash transactions are documented with paper receipts
- Together with the President and Recording Secretary, ensures that all expenditures are approved by vote by the Executive
- Ensures that the current President, First Vice President and Treasurer are the authorized signators on all accounts. (In special circumstances, as determined by the Branch Executive, signing authority may be given to other Executive members, but in no circumstance should there be more than three or less than two officers authorized to sign on behalf of the Branch.)
- Prepares the annual budget for the Branch’s operations, for approval at the June Executive meeting
- Reports monthly to the Executive on the Branch financial accounting
- Reports, as required, to MGS on the Branch’s financial accounting
- Attends the Branch AGM and present a reviewed Branch financial statement
- Submits a reviewed Branch financial statement annually to MGS for its Annual Report and AGM
- Maintains a list of equipment owned by the Branch
- Upon leaving office, transfers to the executive as soon as possible and within 60 days from end of fiscal year (30 days mid-year), all books, papers, records and other property of the Branch. The Financial records must be complete and balanced to the last day in office.
Membership
- Maintains a current membership list, updates changes of address and contact information
- Presents an updated membership list, identifying members in good standing and members in arrears, each month to the Executive
Role Description: Recording Secretary
Primary Duties:
The Recording Secretary takes minutes for the Annual General Meeting of the Branch (usually in May); records the official results of the vote at the AGM; takes minutes at all Executive meetings; maintains an historical file of minutes, resolutions and other documents of the Executive.
Specific Activities:
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Maintains a current list of officers, committee chairpersons, and committee members and distributes as appropriate
- Attends each meeting of the Executive on time as no official meeting may start without a secretary.
- Records the minutes of the all Executive meetings
- Sends minutes of the Executive, via e-mail, to all Executive officers and the MGS President within 14 days of the meeting
- Places a copy of the Executive minutes and the monthly financial report into the Branch Executive binder, maintained in the MGS office
- Together with the President and the Treasurer, ensures that all expenditures are approved by vote by the Executive
- Attends the Branch AGM to take minutes and record official results of the vote
- Brings copies of all Executive meeting minutes from the current fiscal year to the AGM for reference
Role Description: Councillor
Primary Duties:
A Councillor represents the interests of the general membership of the Branch; supports the President in directing the activities of the Branch; and performs other duties as required and directed by the President.
Specific Activities:
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Participates, as a member or Chairperson, on one (1) Standing Committee
- Participates in Ad Hoc committees as directed by the President
- Acts as Recording Secretary for Executive Meetings and/or the AGM in the absence of the Recording Secretary, as directed by the President
Role Description: Past President
Primary Duties:
The immediate Past President serves as a member of the Executive to provide continuity and assistance to the President and the Executive.
Specific Duties:
- See Duties Common to All Officers
- Advises the incoming President of all contractual arrangements, contracts, and appointments upon change of presidents
- Assists in a smooth transition at the end of the his/her last year as President
- Serves as an institutional memory to ensure continuity of appointments, programs, policies, and procedures
- Helps the Executive with meeting processes (“parliamentarian”)
- Serves as Nominating Committee Chairperson:
- Prepares the nominations form for distribution through various methods
- Contacts those nominated for office
- Prepares the ballot
- Runs the elections during the AGM
- Counts the ballots
- Reports the results to the membership at the AGM
- Serves as Acting President on occasions when the President and both Vice Presidents are unavailable
- Chairs Branch Executive meetings if requested by the President
Term of Office:
The immediate Past President shall serve on the Executive until the current President has completed his/her term(s). Should the current President vacate the office during his/her term, the immediate past President shall continue to serve during the term of the interim administration, and for the full term of the next elected President.
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