Lakselaget bylaws allow for the formation of chapters as long as they abide by the bylaws set forth by the original, Minnesota-based Lakselaget organization, hereto referred to as the founding organization. Amended bylaws are posted to its website at http://lakselaget.org/.
Newly established chapters will make a one-time payment of $500 to the founding organization for the privilege of using its registered trademark name and logo. The founding chapter will use the funds for expenses associated with chapter formation and deposit any remaining money in its scholarship fund.
Articles of Incorporation
Each chapter must register its own articles of incorporation in the state in which the chapter meets and according to all the rules, regulations and laws of that state. This information is found through each state’s Secretary of State’s Office. A copy must be sent to the founding organization’s board of directors via its current president.
Finances
Each chapter is responsible for setting its own dues, but may wish to pattern itself after the founding organization whereby working adults pay one amount and students less than half that amount; there is no senior discount, since dues are minimal. Chapters are not obligated to share any portion of their dues with the founding organization.
Luncheon costs are dependent on prevailing market prices in the areas in which the chapter meets. The local chapter is responsible for setting the luncheon cost, collecting the money, depositing the money and being accountable for its local funds.
Each chapter is responsible for setting up its own checking account and for sharing its annual audit report with the founding organization, if so requested by the founding organization’s current treasurer. Chapters have the right to request financial statements from the founding organization’s treasurer.
Scholarship and Stipend Program
In keeping with the founding organization’s bylaws and practices, each chapter is expected to set up and manage a scholarship program by the end of its second year. The guidelines for the founding organization’s Foundation activities are found at http://lakselaget.org/pages/foundation.html.
Chapters must abide by the rules, regulations and laws concerning solicitation of funds in its jurisdiction, which can be obtained through each state’s Secretary of State’s Office. It must also send an accounting of scholarship money solicited and received to the founding organization’s current Foundation Director. Chapters may request a statement of same from the founding organization’s foundation director.
Although not required, the founding organization highly encourages chapters to allow it to be the recipient of donations solicited by new chapters, then the Minneapolis Foundation, which invests Lakselaget scholarship money, will assign those funds back to the chapters of origination. The purpose is that each chapter will earn more interest if all scholarship monies are jointly invested.
Website
Each chapter will have a link from the founding organization’s website to its own. Each chapter is responsible for the cost of designing and maintaining its own portion of the website. It should include the same types of information as are included on the founding organization’s main site. The chapters are encouraged to use the founding organization’s webmaster, but are not obligated to do so as long as they adopt the founding organization’s format and link to it.
The Nordic News calendar will be enlarged to include the states in which chapters meet. It is the chapters’ responsibility to add events about their areas.
Annual Statement of Potential Conflicts of Interest
In any organization there are potentials for intermingling of personal and organizational interests. It is important that representatives of any Lakselaget Chapter manage their activities appropriately so that there is no appearance of impropriety or possibility of private benefit related to their Lakselaget activities.
Conflicts of interest include any activities that could put individuals in a position where there could be the appearance of personal gain or benefit while they are engaged in activities that benefit Lakselaget.
Members of each chapter’s board, executive committee and committees should avoid any activities that could seem to be in conflict of interest. If any activity involving personal gain is proposed or conducted by any organizational member, including committee members, approval must be given in advance by the founding organization’s board of directors, and a full report of such gain must be submitted to it within two months of the completion of the activity.
For the purposes of this policy, a conflict of interest may exist in any contract or transaction entered into by a Lakselag chapter and (a) one or more of its directors or their family members, (b) an organization in or of which a director of Lakselaget or one or more of her family members is a director, officer, employee or legal representative, or in some other way has a material financial interest.
Annual Statement of Potential Conflicts of Interest (Sample for signatures)
We have read and understand Lakselaget’s Conflict of Interest Policy, as stated above. By our signatures below, we acknowledge our agreement with the spirit and intent of this policy and we agree to report to the founding organization’s president any possible conflicts (other than those stated below) that may develop before completion of the next annual statement.
¨ We, the (name) Lakselaget Chapter are not aware of any conflict of interest at this time.
¨ We the (name) Lakselaget Chapter may have a conflict of interest in the following area(s):
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Signatures of Chapter Board Members
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Date: _______________
