Article I: Name, Affiliation, and Functions of the Organization

A. The name of the organization shall be Ohlone Lodge #63, WWW.

B. The lodge is a functional unit of the Boy Scouts program in the Pacific Skyline Council, Boy Scouts of America, located in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties of California. As part of the Boy Scouts Program, the lodge will report to the Scout Executive of the council either directly or through his or her designee, and to the Council Executive Board through the appropriate committee assigned.

C. The official totem of the lodge shall be the California Sea Otter.

D. The lodge will produce a lodge patch to be worn on the right breast pocket of the official scout uniform.  Those who wear the patch will be active members of the Boy Scouts Program and agree to the principles of the Council, the Order of the Arrow, and the Boy Scouts of America.

E. The lodge will maintain active program elements according to the Order of the Arrow Handbook, the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisers, and the Section Field Operation Guide.  This will include at a minimum:

1. Lodge officer elections and training.
2. Unit elections in all Scout units desiring one.
3. Support and promotion of the Scout Council Program with emphasis on the Boy Scout Outdoor Program and council camps.
4. Active participation in the OA Section, Region, and National activities.
5. Suitable ordeals to assure that every elected scout have an opportunity to be inducted into the lodge.
6. Maintaining adequate records of the lodge membership and active communications with membership via lodge publications.

Article II: Officers and Advisers of the Lodge and Conduct of Business

A. Governance of the lodge will rest in the youth membership of the lodge and their elected officers. Except for items presented during the Annual Business Meeting, the Lodge Executive Committee (LEC) will conduct all affairs of the lodge. This body shall meet as needed to conduct all business except for the amendment of the Lodge Bylaws, which may only occur at the Annual Business Meeting.

B. The elected youth officers of the lodge shall be as follows: Lodge Chief, Lodge Vice Chief of Visitation, Lodge Vice Chief of Induction, Lodge Vice Chief of Activation, Lodge Secretary, and Lodge Treasurer. All elected officers and committee chairs must be under 21 years of age during his or her entire term of office.

C. The Lodge Executive Committee (LEC) shall be composed of the elected lodge officers, immediate past Lodge chief, committee chairs, the Lodge Adviser, committee Advisers and staff Adviser. Only youth LEC members may have one vote at LEC meetings. Any youth members may vote on any matter at the Annual Business Meeting in May and at Lodge Leadership Elections.

D. The official term of the LEC officers will match the calendar year, January 1 to December 31. Lodge officers shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting, which is typically held at the Fall Ordeal. The lodge should hold a Lodge Leadership Development (LLD) training session within a month of the LEC elections. The new LEC shall be installed at the Annual Lodge Banquet in December or January.

E. Duties of the Lodge Officers:

1. Lodge Chief

a. Overall responsibility for lodge operations.
b. Preside over all LEC meetings.
c. Represent the youth as a member of the Lodge Key Three.
d. Approve appointments of committee chairs by Lodge Vice Chiefs.
e. Create ad-hoc committees as needed.
f. Serve as a member of the Council Executive Board when invited.

2. Lodge Vice Chief of Visitation

a. Responsible for all lodge committees related to unit visitation (Lodge and Chapter Unit Visitation teams, Camp Promotion, OA Unit Representative).
b. Appoint committee chairs with approval of the Lodge Chief.
c. Create teams for hosting unit visitations.
e. Work with Scoutmasters and SPLs to schedule unit vistations.
f. Work with lodge leadership to conduct visitations in every unit in the Council.
g. Report monthly unit election status at the LEC meetings.

3. Lodge Vice Chief of Induction

a. Responsible for all lodge committees related to the induction process (Ceremonies, Elangomat, Nimat, Ordealmaster, Taskmaster).
b. Appoint committee chairs with approval of the Lodge Chief.
c. Coordinate Ordeals in conjunction with the Ordealmaster.
d. Develop and maintain programs to assure all Ordeal members attain the Brotherhood Honor.

4. Lodge Vice Chief of Activation

a. Responsible for all operational committees (Dance, Insignia/Promotions, Nominations, Cub Scout Outreach).
b. Appoint committee chairs with approval of the Lodge Chief.
c. Assume the role of the Lodge Chief in the absence or resignation of the Lodge Chief.
d. Work to ensure that new Ordeal members have an opportunity to attend an event within 6 moths of their Ordeal.

5. Lodge Secretary

a. Responsible for keeping all records of the lodge current and accurate.
b. Record minutes and actions at all lodge and LEC meetings.
c. Work with the Lodge Chief to establish agendas.
d. Primarily responsible for the lodge website ohlone63.org and the OA pages at PacSky.org.
e. Oversee the creation of all publications including the quarterly newsletter (News from the OtterSide), twice-monthly email updates (In Otter News), and weekly council email newsletter (News You Can Use).
f. Coordinate with the Social Media Chair to promote upcoming events.
g. Responsible for the Publications Committee of the lodge.
h. Responsible for ensuring all publications are mailed or sent on time.

6. Lodge Treasurer

a. Works with the Lodge Staff Adviser and the Treasusr Adviser to keep financial records of the lodge.
b. Records dues and event registration payments.
c. Prepares the annual budget.
d. Responsible for the lodge trading post, including inventory, setup, pricing, and record keeping.
e. Responsible for maintaining adequate inventory (sashes, books, flaps, etc.).

F. The Scout Executive appoints Advisers. Each Adviser in the lodge provides support for the program to which he or she has been assigned.

1. Lodge Adviser

a. Responsible for recommending all adult Advisers of the lodge to the Scout Executive.
b. Serves as a member of the Lodge Key Three.
c. Serves on the Council Executive Board when invited.

2. Lodge Staff Adviser

a. Responsible for ensuring compliance of National Order of the Arrow Policy and National Boy Scout Policy.
b. Serves as a member of the Lodge Key Three.
c. Professional Scouter appointed by the Scout Executive.

G. The entire lodge membership will convene once a year at the Annual Business Meeting (typically held at the Fall Ordeal) to conduct all formal lodge business, to elect officers to serve the following year, and to amend the Lodge Bylaws as needed. This meeting must be held within the confines of the Pacific Skyline Council. The Nominations Chair will chair this meeting. Current youth members of the lodge with dues paid may vote at the Annual Business Meeting. Adult members of the lodge may attend but will not be allowed to sit in the voting section of the house. Elections will be by division of the house.

H. The dues calendar will begin November 1 and end October 30.

I. Should any officer of the lodge (except the chief) fail to live up to the obligations of his or her office, he or she may be replaced by a 75% majority vote of the LEC. Replacement is only possible after a thorough review of the situation by the Lodge Key Three and the Lodge Chief makes a motion for removal from office. Should the Lodge Chief fail to live up to the obligations of his or her office, a request for the motion to remove him or her must be submitted to the Lodge Secretary by both the Lodge Adviser and the Scout Executive. The Lodge Secretary must present the motion to the LEC at the next scheduled meeting. Should the motion carry the 75% margin, the Lodge Vice Chief of Activation will become the Lodge Chief for the remainder of the term of office.

J. Replacement of a lodge officer during the year will be by a special election to be conducted at the next lodge function and must be publicized in the next lodge email (In Otter News).

K. The Lodge Chief may appoint other members to special committee chair positions as needed during the year. These chairs will serve as ex-officio (nonvoting) members of the LEC.