BYLAWS
STEVENS POINT AREA RETIRED TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION (SPARTA)
Article I. NAME
The name of this Association shall be the Stevens Point Area Retired Teachers’ Association (SPARTA).
Article II. PURPOSES
The purposes of this Association are to:
A. Promote and protect the interests, rights, and welfare of the retired educators of the Stevens Point area in
conjunction with the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association (WREA).
B. Monitor and work to improve the benefits for retired educators and other members of the Wisconsin Retirement
System (WRS).
C. Encourage Association members to maintain membership in the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association
(WREA).
D. Develop working relationships with local service organizations whose main emphasis is on aging groups and
with organizations sharing goals similar to those of the Association.
E. Inform Association members about and advocate for educational and other relevant societal issues.
F. Inform members of activities in the area provided for seniors.
G. Encourage Association members to be active participants in community affairs on an individual basis.
Article III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Classes of Members
A. Regular (voting) - Any retired educator (teacher, administrator, or school employee) who lives in the area and who was formerly employed by any school system may become a member of the Association. The term “school system” means any public, private, parochial, technical, or university system. Some regular members are accorded special status as enumerated below:
1. Life Members – Life members are those who pay the SPARTA life Association dues.
2. Emeritus Members – Any Association member who is confined to home care, assisted living, or a nursing home and is unable to continue paying membership dues is granted Emeritus membership.
3. Centennial – Any Association member who reaches the age of 100 is granted free centennial membership and is given special recognition.
B. Associate (non-voting) – Spouses of regular members who are not involved in education, other Wisconsin Retirement System annuitants, or friends of public education become associate members upon payment of dues. Retired teachers, administrators, and other school employees may not join as associate members. Individuals who qualify for regular membership must join as regular members. Associate members may not hold office and may not vote.
C. Inactive (non-voting) - Removal from Membership – Any member who has failed to pay Association dues by December 31 for the current year may be removed from the membership list.
Section 2. Dues. The fiscal year for the Association begins September 1 and ends August 31. The annual dues for each membership category are recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the chapter membership at the May meeting. All SPARTA dues are payable on or before October 1 of each year. New chapter members have SPARTA dues waived for their first year.
Article IV. STRUCTURE
The Stevens Point Area Retired Teachers’ Association (SPARTA) shall maintain an affiliation with the
Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association (WREA).
Article V. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES AND OTHER POSITIONS
Section 1. The officers shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President.
A. The President shall:
1. Call regular meetings and special meetings of the Executive Committee and of the chapter.
2. Preside at all meetings of the chapter and all meetings of the Executive Committee.
3. Appoint the chair of each of the committees, except the Nominating Committee, and aid them in selecting the members of those committees.
4. Serve as a non-voting member of all committees.
5. Appoint Ad Hoc Committees as deemed necessary.
6. Ensure that an annual financial audit and review of the financial records is performed at the close of the fiscal year.
7. Be a member of WREA.
8. Work with the WREA Regional Director and the WREA Executive Directors and Council as needed.
9. Support and promote the mission and goals of the WREA.
10. Serve as the official spokesperson for SPARTA.
11. Serve as a delegate to district meetings and state conventions.
12. Perform any other duty as directed by the Executive Committee or the chapter membership.
B. The Vice President shall:
1. Become President if a vacancy in the presidency occurs.
2. Preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.
3. Assist the President in the execution of the duties of the Presidency.
4. Assumes the responsibilities of the President whenever the President is unable to act.
5. Act as a non-voting member of the committees when the President is unable to attend.
6. Be a member of WREA.
7. Work with the WREA Regional Director and the WREA Executive Directors and Council as needed.
8. Support and promote the mission and goals of the WREA
9. Perform any other duty as directed by the Executive Committee or the chapter membership.
C. The Secretary shall:
1. Keep the minutes of the Executive Committee and the chapter membership meetings and present them for approval.
2. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President and the Vice President.
3. Provide a copy of the minutes to the President promptly after each meeting.
4. Complete the correspondence of the chapter as necessary.
5. Be responsible for the safe keeping of the meeting agendas and minutes of the chapter.
6. Prepare news articles as needed.
7. Be a member of WREA.
8. Perform any other duty as directed by the Executive Committee or the chapter membership.
D. The Treasurer shall:
1. Be responsible for the funds of the chapter.
2. Review financial reports monthly with the Executive Committee.
3. Keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures of the chapter.
4. Prepare the annual financial report and assure it is available for review by chapter members.
5. Prepare an annual budget under the direction of the President and the Executive Committee.
6. Present a treasurer’s report at chapter meetings.
7. Recommend dues amount to the Executive Committee at the May meeting.
8. Collect dues paid by members and make copies of the checks, update member data in membership list, and turn the membership data over to the membership committee chair.
9. Disburse funds as authorized the Executive Committee, the chapter membership, or the budget.
10. Work with WREA to obtain insurance coverage for the book sales.
11. Be a member of WREA.
12. Perform any other duty as directed by the Executive Committee or the chapter membership.
E. The Immediate Past President shall:
1. Serve as a mentor for the President and Vice President.
2. Act as a member of the Executive Committee.
3. Monitor the need for bylaw changes and ensure that the bylaws are reviewed at least every five years, request that the President appoint a Bylaws Committee, with the Immediate Past President serving as chair.
4. Serve as Parliamentarian at chapter meetings.
5. Be a member of WREA.
6. Perform any other duty as directed by the Executive Committee or the chapter membership.
Section 2. Other Association Positions. These are positions needed to effectively run the Association but are not a part of the Executive Committee.
A. The Newsletter Editor shall:
1. Prepare a newsletter before all bi-monthly chapter meetings and distribute it to the membership via email and/or USPS mail prior to chapter meetings.
B. The Social Media Coordinator shall:
1. Oversee the design and post updates to the chapter website.
2. Maintain and keep all chapter social media up-to-date, current, and relevant by posting regularly.
3. Maintain a chapter presence in social media, such as: Facebook, X, etc.
Section 3. The officers shall serve a term of two years. They shall be elected at the September meeting of years ending in even numbers and shall take office on the November 1 following the election. Officers may be re-elected for successive terms.
Section 4. Removal from office: A chapter officer may be removed by the Executive Committee after due notice and hearing. A removal requires a two-thirds roll call vote of the Executive Committee at a duly convened or special meeting.
Section 5. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the remainder of the vacated term shall be filled
by the Vice President. Vacancies in any other office shall be filled by special election.
Article VI. ORGANIZATION
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall:
A. Consist of chapter officers and the committee chairs. Other chapter members may attend.
B. Meet at the call of the President or at the request of a majority of the Committee. The first meeting of the year
shall be held as soon as feasible after the September meeting.
C. Oversee the preparation of an annual budget for presentation at the September meeting. The budget shall include the amount of chapter dues for the next year and mileage rate at which expenses of chapter members are to be reimbursed.
D. Arrange for the election of a Nominating Committee at the November meeting of years ending in uneven numbers.
The members of the Nominating Committee shall select a member to serve as chair.
Section 2. Standing Committees
A. The Membership Committee shall:
1. Recruit and maintain membership.
2. In coordination with the Treasurer, maintain an up-to-date list of members and furnish copies to officers upon request.
3. Produce the chapter membership directory and distribute it yearly to members.
4. Assist WREA in providing educational resources for pre and post retirees.
5. Contact retired educators in the area and extend to them an invitation to join the chapter.
6. Contact all members whose dues are not paid by the November meeting.
7. Submit a copy of SPARTA’s membership list to the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association (WREA) membership chair.
8. Send notifications of any deaths or contact information changes to the WREA membership chair.
9. Work with the Treasurer to send a memorial donation to the Community Foundation upon a member’s death.
10. Be a member of WREA.
B. The Legislative Committee shall:
1. Research legislative issues.
2. Keep informed on state and national legislation of importance to retired educators.
3. Initiate contact with our assembly representatives, state senators, and congressmen regarding legislation of interest to educators as needed.
4. When needed, attend selected sessions called by the WREA president or the WREA legislative chair on proposed bills of interest to educators and keep members of the chapter informed on their progress.
5. Help to organize email alerts to members encouraging contact with legislators when necessary.
6. Review educational issues and studies and support legislation that promotes quality public education.
7. Monitor and advocate for a strong Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).
8. Inform members on issues proposed by area School Boards.
9. Keep members apprised of area School Board candidates.
10. Be a member of WREA.
C. The Grant Committee shall:
1. Solicit and prioritize applications for grants.
2. Recommend the dollar amount to be awarded.
3. Recommend grant recipients.
4. Request written checks from treasurer for payment of grants.
5. Write congratulation letters to accompany checks to grant recipients.
6. Write letters to non-recipients encouraging them to apply again.
7. Prepare and submit an end of the year report to the Executive Committee for the WREA annual report.
D. The Scholarship and Endowment Committee:
1. Replaced and Disbanded in 2015 – (See Addendum – page 8)
.
E. The Book Committee shall:
1. Coordinate with the Executive Committee to locate appropriate storage of books collected.
2. Coordinate with the Executive Committee to locate sites to hold the book sales.
3. Plan, organize, and advertise the book sales
4. Receive, sort, and maintain book donations for bi-annual book sales.
5. Organize workers for set-up, working at sales, and clean-up.
6. Account for daily sales receipts, give a report of total sales to the Treasurer, and then coordinate with the Treasurer for the deposit of the funds.
7. Work with the Treasurer to prepare a Final Book Sales report for the Executive Committee.
F. The Program Committee shall:
1. Plan the meeting programs for the coming year in coordination with the President.
2. Contact presenters prior to the meeting and arrange for audio-visual and other needs.
3. Set up laptop and projector for chapter meetings and run the equipment during the meeting.
4. Introduce the speaker at the meeting.
5. Write a follow-up thank you letter to the speaker/s.
6. Arrange for payment of the speaker stipend with the Treasurer.
G. The Health Committee shall:
1. Inform members of the educational and service programs centered on preventive health care and related programs.
2. Keep the membership informed of WREA health and wellness programs.
3. Arrange for periodic sessions to assist the chapter and community members with the preparation of
Advanced Directives.
H. The Social Committee shall:
1. Select places for chapter membership meetings, take reservations if needed, select menus, and receive
payments, if needed.
2. Act as greeters at all chapter membership meetings and make persons in attendance feel welcome.
3. Have nametags available at meetings.
4. Plan and organize social events for the chapter.
I. The Sunshine Committee shall:
1. Phone, send a card, or visit homebound or ill chapter members.
2. Upon the death of a chapter member, send a sympathy card on behalf of the chapter to the member’s family and inform them that a monetary memorial will be sent to the Community Foundation in the member’s name to SPARTA’s Scholarship Endowment.
3. Inform the Executive Committee of actions taken relating to homebound, member illness or a death of a chapter member.
J. The Historical Committee shall:
1. Electronically or in paper format store and maintain the history of the chapter, by doing such things as: photographing events, clipping relevant newspaper articles, archiving the chapter newsletters, etc. for the chapter record books.
2. Display archival materials at chapter membership meetings.
3. Pass chapter historical information older than ten years onto the Portage County Historical Society.
4. Coordinate with the Portage County Historical Society to obtain volunteers to teach early 20th century lessons at the Hie Corners School.
Section 3. Ad Hoc Committees: The President may appoint other committees for special projects such as the Nominating Committee and the Retirement Planning Committee. Such ad hoc committees shall be dissolved upon completion of their projects.
A. The Nominating Committee shall:
1. In January of years ending in even numbers, begin recruiting candidates for office.
2. In May of years ending in even numbers, present a slate of candidates for office for the following year.
3. Oversee the election of officers at the September meeting.
B. The Retirement Planning Committee shall:
1. In odd-numbered years, work with the WREA to organize and publicize an on-line or in-person retirement program for active educators and others in the community included in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).
2. Encourage membership in WREA at the retirement programs.
Article VII. CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. There shall be six regular chapter membership meetings per year.
Section 2. Regular chapter membership meetings shall be held on the second Mondays of September, November,
January, March, May and July at a place acceptable to the members.
Section 3. Should a chapter membership meeting not be held as scheduled, it may be rescheduled if feasible.
Section 4. A special chapter membership meeting of the chapter will be held at the request of one-fourth of the average number of members attending regular meetings during the preceding twelve months. Such a request
shall be accompanied by a signed petition of voting members.
Article VIII. DUES
Section 1. Annual dues shall be fixed at the May meeting.
Section 2. SPARTA chapter dues are waived for new members for the first year.
Section 3. Members paying their dues after May 31 shall have them credited as paid for the following year.
Article IX. FINANCES
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall be from September 1 through the following August 31.
Section 2. An annual budget shall be prepared by the Treasurer under the direction of the Executive Committee for presentation at the September meeting.
Section 3. Members shall be reimbursed for expenses they incur in carrying out Association business within the framework of the annual budget. Such expenses shall be documented by written receipt or in a manner acceptable to the Treasurer.
Section 4. A financial audit and review will be completed annually by a three member audit committee in cooperation of the treasurer sometime near the end of the fiscal year. The committee to be appointed by the Executive Committee.
Section 5. Donations or contributions by the Association outside the budget in amounts not to exceed $100.00 shall be approved by the President.
Section 6. Donations or contributions by the Association outside the budget of more than $100.00 shall be referred to a meeting of the Executive Committee and approved by the chapter membership.
Section 7. Donations to the Association shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee.
Article X. PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE
Section 1. At regularly scheduled meetings of the chapter, those members present shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not stated in these bylaws.
Article XI. AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any regularly scheduled chapter membership meeting, provided notice was given of the proposed changes at a previous meeting. Amended bylaws become effective upon adoption.
Article XII. DISSOLUTION
In the event of circumstances which cause the dissolution of the Stevens Point Area Retired Teachers’
Association (SPARTA), all funds and other assets of the Association shall be transferred to any successor organization or disbursed to such not-for-profit educational or charitable agency or institution as the Stevens
Point Area Retired Teachers’ Association (SPARTA) Executive Committee shall designate.
ADDENDUM
Scholarship and Endowment Committee
The Scholarship and Endowment Committee was dissolved in 2015 and replaced with the Community Foundation Endowment Fund.
In 2015 the chapter set-up an endowment fund for the sole purpose of distributing continuing educational scholarship/s to student/s pursuing a college degree in the field of education.
In 2019 there was a revision to the endowment contract designating the authority to the Community Foundation to choose the scholarship recipient/s based on the Association’s eligibility criteria in the contract.
Two $500 scholarships can be given out annually.
Constitution and Bylaws adopted January 19, 1970.
Amended January 10, 1972; November 11, 1985; March 11, 1991; March 8, 2004; May 11, 2015, May 14, 2018.
Revised and adopted May 13, 2024 for implementation beginning September 1, 2024.
Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee 2024
Sherrilee Wallerman
Ginny Williams
Under the direction of the Executive Committee
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