Below are the approved by-laws for GAYA. The by-laws will be reviewed at least every three (3) years. These by-laws may be amended by a majority of those voting members present at an annual or special meeting called by the Board. Please give them a read over and let us know what you think by leaving your comments in the form at the bottom of this page.
Article I - Identification
Section 1. 1. Name.
The name of this organization shall be Greater Asheville Yoga Association, hereafter referred to as GAYA.
Section 1. 2. Principal Office and Resident Agent
The post office address of the principal office of the Principle Officer is 135 Louisiana Ave, Asheville, NC 28806. The registered agent is the President of the corporation.
Section 1. 3. Nonprofit Status
The GAYA tax-exempt status is educational, 501 (c) (3) and is currently being applied for. We have no affiliation to other tax-exempt organizations.
Section 1. 4. Fiscal year
The GAYA fiscal year ends on December 31.
Article II - Purpose
Section 2. 1. Mission
The Greater Asheville Yoga Association (GAYA) is a membership organization of individuals who practice yoga and know its healing and transformative benefits. Our mission is to foster and celebrate community, encourage education, and promote prosperity for the yoga community of the Greater Asheville Area.
Section 2. 2. Purpose
GAYA will serve several purposes for the Greater Asheville Yoga community:
• building bridges between area yoga teachers, studios, health care professionals, local government officials and the greater community at large;
• providing an inroad into the community for new practitioners while educating students about yoga and connecting them to classes that best serves their needs;
• coordinating and promoting continued education programs for teachers and students alike;
acting as a central referral source for Yoga events, conferences, and seminars;
• coordinating Karma Yoga/Seva/Volunteer opportunities (from Yoga classes to those in need to arranging community service days);
• organizing community Yoga cooperative yoga events,
• unite the yoga community of Asheville and become a unified voice in the city.
Section 2. 3. Vision
GAYA will create an awareness of the practice of yoga throughout Greater Asheville Area, thereby broadening people’s understanding of yoga’s benefits to the individual and to the community. It will also encourage improved mental, physical, and spiritual health through regular yoga practice and will help promote health consciousness in the communities of the Greater Asheville Area.
Article III - Membership
Section 3. 1. General Membership requirements
A member of GAYA. may be any person attaining 18 years of age who feels in sympathy with its purpose and vision. Applying for membership includes making application, paying GAYA yearly dues ($30 for teachers) and performing Seva (2 hours per year for teachers/ Advisory Board participation for Studios owners). Annual dues will be paid for one year and renewal will be the month before the anniversary month.
Section 3. 2. Voting Members
Members entitled to vote must have made application and paid dues 30 days prior to the scheduled date of any meeting where a vote is requested. Each member of record is entitled to vote to elect Board Officers when needed.
Section 3.2.1 Membership Voting
Members of GAYA shall vote for Board Positions.
Section 3. 3. Termination of membership
Any member may resign by written notice to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may terminate membership when a member has died, relocated or cannot be located.
Section 3. 4. Meetings
Location and procedure for the meetings will be designated by the Board of Directors. An annual meeting of members will be held during the first quarter of the year. The agenda for this meeting includes the election of Directors, an annual report by the Officer person, a year-end financial report, and a service/activity report. A notice of this meeting, including time, date, location, and agenda, will be published in a mailing to all members between 10 and 60 days prior to the meeting. Special meetings may be called as needed.
Article IV - Board of Directors
Section 4. 1. Number of Directors (Officers)
There shall be four (4) Director offices, to be called “Officer” positions. All officers shall be as enumerated in Article V. Each shall serve a term of one (1) year.
Section 4. 2. Term of office
Each Officer will serve 1 year or otherwise determined. The officer may continue in the same position or choose another position at the end of term. Officers shall commence their terms of office at the beginning of each year.
Section 4.3 Limitations of Terms
Officers’ terms will end after the one year term. There is no limitation on the number of terms an Officer may remain in office.
Section 4. 4. Qualifications
Officers shall be voting members of GAYA and shall have attained the age of 18 years by the time he/she assumes the Officers’ position.
Section 4. 5. Board Quorum
In order for the Board to act, the quorum for a Board meeting is three (3) Officers in attendance.
Section 4. 6. Duties and limitations of power
All Board work is voluntary. Officers shall have the general supervision over the real and personal property of GAYA and shall have control of the administration. Officers shall hold quarterly board meetings. The date, time, and place shall be announced in a e-mailing. Because email is the primary forum for communicating, GAYA officers must have access to email and agree to keep up with GAYA board activities via email. Officers shall designate special committees on which individual members may serve. Officers shall not do any of the following without a majority vote of the Board:
1. execute or authorize the execution of any deed, contract or property of GAYA
2. authorize the expenditure of money outside the approved budget in excess of $100.00. Each board member may submit an annual budget at the beginning of the fiscal year for anticipated costs associated with the Officer position for items such as advertising or venue deposits. A suggested amount for budgeted items for these costs is $200.00. Additional monies require a vote by the board members.
Section 4. 6.1 Compensation of Board Members
1. GAYA board members will receive $100 annual compensation for attending board meetings, for planning GAYA events and for any teaching of yoga classes or workshops for GAYA events.
2. GAYA board members may elect to be paid for professional level services at a rate of $25/hr. Professional services will include website design and maintenance (Timothy Burgin), public and press relations (Jackie Dobrinska) and accounting (John Mole). The amount of this type of professional work will be less than 12 hours per board member per year. The board members may elect to not be paid for this work and consider their work a donation to GAYA. The rate of compensation will be assessed each year to make sure it at or below the current market rate for these types of services. A board member will recuse themselves from any votes on awarding professional level work to GAYA board members.
Section 4. 7. Vacancies
A Officer shall resign by giving notice to the Board through email or other means. Members of the Board may appoint GAYA members to serve in a Officer's position when there is a vacancy. Any statement of interest submitted by a GAYA member will be considered. In the case that an Officer's position is desired by more people than spaces available, then further nominations and elections by the Board may ensue.
Section 4. 8. Elections
The open positions of the Board of Directors shall be filled by Self Nomination, Board Confirmation and/or Membership Election.
4. 8. 1. Self-Nomination
Any interested GAYA member may submit a statement of interest throughout the year. Interested individuals will then be informed of the tasks required of the Director positions and asked to select where their talents serve best. Board Members may appoint GAYA members to serve in open Director positions.
4. 8. 2. Board Confirmation
Individuals who have submitted a statement of interest and selected one or more Officer's position(s) that they would like to serve in will be confirmed by the Board before the Annual Meeting. No more than two (2) people will be confirmed for an Officer's position. The Board Officer will notify individuals of their confirmation for an Officers position.
4. 8. 3. Membership Election
In the event that more than two people have expressed an interest in a Officer's position, a vote will take place by ballot, available online to all of GAYA Membership. Candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be deemed elected. Unelected individuals may choose to volunteer for a Board committee. The results of this election will be announced at the annual meeting, with an attempt to notify the candidates ahead of time. Any remaining positions that are unfilled may be nominated for and filled by vote at the annual meeting.
4. 8. 4. At the conclusion of the annual meeting, four (4) Director positions will be filled. If there are still vacancies after the annual meeting, then the Board may appoint someone in accordance with section 4.7.
4.9 Advisory Board
The Board has the discretion to appoint Advisory Board Members who can advice and support GAYA as needed. The Advisory Board shall be an owner of each studio in the Greater Asheville Area.
4.9.1 The Advisory Board Members is honored for her or his service for the greater good of GAYA.
Service for the greater good is described as "Tapas" in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Tapas -- Austerity -- is the willingness to do what is necessary to reach a goal with discipline. Practicing Tapas means making sacrifices as necessary and displaying enthusiasm for the spiritual path. Joyfulness with outer discipline leads to inner discipline.
4.9.2. The Advisory Board will be considered as resources of the Greater Asheville Area Yoga Association.
The experience and wisdom of the Advisory Board Member will be considered a resource to help GAYA grow and flourish. The current Board of Directors may choose to call upon this group for advice and support as needed.
4.9.3. The Advisory Board Duties and limitations of power.
The Advisory Board shall hold quarterly meetings, to which the Board shall be invited. Each member is required to attend at least 3 meetings per year either in person or by conference call. The date, time, and place shall be announced in a e-mailing. Because email is the primary forum for communicating, GAYA advisory Board members must have access to email and agree to keep up with GAYA board activities via email. The members of the Advisory Board shall not do any of the following without a majority vote of the Board:
1. execute or authorize the execution of any deed, contract or property of GAYA
2. authorize the expenditure of money.
4.9.4. Board and Advisory Board Voting
The Boards will vote on topics and issues as needed using a consensus model: specifically the model called Voting Fallback. In consensus, people try to build agreement for a proposal and modify the proposal as needed. In Voting Fallback, the group attempts to reach consensus once. If they don’t reach consensus on the first vote, then a second vote can be cast, at the next meeting. If the proposal fails a second time, the Boards can immediately resort to a majority-rule of 75% vote.
Article V - Officers
The Officers, along with the Executive Director, form the leadership team for the association. This team represents those individuals who are committed to their own and others' yogic development. As such, an Officer is committed to his or her personal spiritual development, and so will have a regular, daily spiritual practice. A study of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is especially recommended, so that the Officer continues with his or her yogic path. The path of Yoga is to realize Samadhi -- the perfect state of unity with the Infinite Creative Force of the Universe.
Section 5. 1. Officers defined
There shall be four (4) Officer positions. The four Officer positions include: Board President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Officers may form volunteer committees to assist with the work of the organization.
Section 5. 2. Duties
5.2.1. Board President shall
Set and moderates Board meetings. Receive agenda items from members and compose the agenda in advance for board review. Provides information to fellow Board members about current events;
Oversee, create and/or edit the publication of the monthly e-newsletter; Write articles as needed for each issue or recruit others to write as needed. Edit all copy for the newsletter. The Vice-President of GAYA assists with both of these tasks;
• Supervise the maintenance and development of web-site and web based communications;
• Advise the Board on and maintains bylaws, and policies of GAYA, and resolves procedural questions during Board meetings;
• Direct the electronic outreach collateral for studios and marketing strategies;
5.2.2. Board Vice-President shall
• Co-Chairs the Hospitality committee with the Activities Coordinator.
• Assumes the responsibilities of President in the event that the president is absent or the position is vacant.
• Act as the chief liaison officer for the Association and maintains ongoing relationships with community contacts (teachers, studio owners, members, holistic health providers, city officials and more etc);
• Oversee all committees, boards and attends meetings as needed. Delegates tasks and follows-up on performance;
• Work closely with the board to stay current with all GAYA activities, incentives, and programs;
5.2.3. Treasure shall
• Oversee the financial books and records;
• Supervise the collection of fees and donations at all events. Works closely with the Vice President to collects membership dues and to keep the roster up to date;
• Present a financial report at each Board meeting;
• Signs checks, makes deposits, and reconciles monthly bank statements;
• Submit a not-for-profit report to the state of NC (form sent via mail each year);
• Compiles an Annual Report at the end of each fiscal year, and submits this report to for publication;
• Coordinate a budget for members to operate from, so each director position has funds available for operation.
5.2.4. Secretary shall
• Keep minutes at each Board meeting;
• Distribute minutes to Board members within one week of the meeting date;
• Maintain a “Board Contact List” and distributes it to Board members as it is updated;
• Maintain copies of the constitution, bylaws, and policies for use by the Board;
• Provide training/orientation for new Board members;
• Maintain files on all minutes (including committees), publications, newsletters, photographs, etc. in permanent holding for GAYA;
• Compile any business information that transpires between meetings;
• Coordinate the documentation of GAYA events with notes, photos or other media.
Section 5.4. Vacancies
An Officer may resign his/her office by notifying the Board in writing through email or other means. In the event of a vacancy, the Board shall elect another Officer from the current Board to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. Officers resigning their office are deemed to be also resigning from the Board.
Article VI - Meeting and Quorums
Section 6.1. Quorum
For any meeting requiring a vote of members a quorum shall be 3 of the Board Members.
Section 6. 2. Annual Meeting
An annual meeting shall be held in the first quarter of each year at a designated place in the Greater Asheville Area. The meeting will be published in a mailing as specified in section 3.4.
Article VII – Release of Liability
For all GAYA sponsored events participants must sign the “Release of Liability” waiver prior to participation.
Article VIII - Conflict of Interest
A disclosure by the Board and the Officers is required at the annual membership meeting so that an analysis can be undertaken to handle any identified conflict.
Article IX - Amendments and Review
The by-laws will be reviewed at least every three (3) years. These by-laws may be amended by a majority of those voting members present at an annual or special meeting called by the Board.
Article X- Dissolution
Should GAYA cease to function and membership vote to dissolve the organization, any and all of its assets shall be transferred to a local not-for-profit organization, chosen by the members. This transfer is to be made in accordance with the laws of Greater Asheville Area.
The services and activities of this corporation shall at all times be administered and operated on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to color, national origin, sex, sexual preference, religious preference, creed, age or physical ability.
