Lodge Bylaws – Ohlone Lodge #63

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 has 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

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 their 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.
d. Work with Scoutmasters and SPLs to schedule unit vistations.
e. Work with lodge leadership to conduct visitations in every unit in the Council.
f. Report monthly unit election status at the LEC meetings.
g. Responsible for upholding council relations and coordinating with council officials on offering OA help

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 Ordeal Master.
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. Work to ensure that new Ordeal members have an opportunity to attend an event within 6 months 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. Primarily responsible for the lodge website ohlone63.org and the OA pages at PacSky.org.
d. Oversee the creation of all publications including the official newsletter (News from the OtterSide), twice-monthly email updates (In Otter News), and weekly council email newsletter (News You Can Use).
e. Coordinate with the Social Media Chair to promote upcoming events.
f. Responsible for the Publications Committee of the lodge.
g. Responsible for ensuring all publications are mailed or sent on time.

6. Lodge Treasurer
a. Works with the Lodge Staff Adviser and the Treasurer 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.).

7. Chapter Chief
a. Hold monthly Chapter meetings
b. Gives updates on chapter events to the LEC and specifies any support that the chapter chief requires of the LEC.
c. Communicates with their adviser to plan the monthly meetings.

8. 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 convenes 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.

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

J. 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, there will be a special election among LEC to elect one elected LEC youth to the role of Lodge Chief to remain for the remainder of the term.

K. Replacement of a lodge officer (excluding the Lodge Chief position) or filling a vacant position during the year will be by a special election to be conducted at the a lodge function and must be publicized in advance in a lodge communication beforehand.

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

Article III: Lodge Finances and Property

A. The Pacific Skyline Council will maintain all lodge funds in a trust account. Annual dues will be collected from the membership and must not exceed $25.00. The exact dues amount for the year will be set by the LEC as part of the annual budgeting process.

B. Disbursement of funds will be by the approval of the voting members of the Lodge Executive Committee.

C. The Lodge Treasurer must make a regular report of the account to the LEC and a full accounting showing actual and projected figures for the following year, which must be presented at the Annual Business Meeting.

D. The Lodge Treasurer shall be responsible for all lodge properties. He or she should maintain an inventory of the items including, but not limited to: location, condition and value. He or she is responsible for ensuring all materials are maintained. All requests for use must be approved by the Lodge Treasurer.

Article IV: Amendments

A. Amendments and modifications to these Lodge Bylaws must be made in writing to the LEC at least one meeting before the Annual Business Meeting or the meeting where the vote will take place.

B. If the Bylaws need to be updated during the year, they may be updated at any lodge event. The LEC must give at least one meeting notice to the lodge and must email the currently registered members of the lodge the proposed changes prior to the event.

C. Amendments must be approved by simple majority vote of the entire membership in attendance at the meeting.

D. Amendments become effective 24 Hours after approval.

Article V: Lodge Insignia and Patch Policy

A. Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to establish a policy on how lodge flaps are issued by Ohlone Lodge, Pacific Skyline Council, Boy Scouts of America. This policy shall outline to whom, how, and where lodge flaps are issued.

B. Policy: Gold Border – Lodge Executive Committee
The Gold Border lodge flap is issued to those who hold a youth or adult position on the Lodge Executive Committee. Those positions are the Lodge Chief, the Lodge Vice Chief of Visitation, the Lodge Vice Chief of Induction, the Lodge Vice Chief of Activation, the Lodge Secretary, the Lodge Treasurer, and their Advisers.
Only one (1) gold border flap is issued per person, per design, per lifetime.

C. Policy: Silver Border – Chapter
The Silver Border lodge flap is issued only to the Chapter Chief & Chapter Adviser.
Only one (1) Silver Border flap is issued per person, per design, per lifetime.

Policy: Blue Borders – Service
The Blue border service flap is a special flap given to those who do service such as running unit visitations, staffing ordeals, and attending the LEC meetings. An Arrowman may earn up to 3 blue borders in their lifetime.

D. Policy: General Member Border – General Membership Patch
These patches are issued to the general membership to designate membership in Ohlone Lodge. Original patch is earned by completing the Ordeal.

E. National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) Patch
These flaps are for those attending the national conference. The lodge typically makes two versions of this patch, one version is the contingent patch and the second is a trader/fund raiser patch. The contingent flap is usually made so each member of a contingent can have up to five (5) flaps. Trader Flaps are usually made in quantities that the contingent feels can be effectively sold to raise funds to help offset the price of the national conference or travel expenses. There is no limit on the number of these patches that can be bought- up to the amount manufactured. NOAC flaps will only be made once and in sufficient quantities for this need.

F. Specialty Patches – Chenille, Rounds, Prototypes, etc.
Periodically the lodge will issue a specialty patch to commemorate a special event or function. Examples are the Chenille arrowhead for the lodge banquet and the round patch for Conclave Host in 1999 and 2006.

G. Prototypes of patch designs
Red Border Member Patch was issued the first year of the lodge. These are typically limited number patches and once all are issued they are no longer available.

H. Patch Design
Whenever a new patch design is needed it is the lodge’s intent to have a design contest where designs from any member of the lodge may be submitted for consideration. The designs should be in a shape appropriate for the design being requested. The LEC shall set an opening and closing date for submission of designs. Designs received after the closing date will not be considered. The designs will be presented at the next LEC meeting where they will be voted on and the winning design chosen.

I. Issuance of restricted patches
The Gold, Silver, and Specialty Border patches are restricted. These patches are for special recognition and are controlled by the Lodge Adviser. The Lodge Adviser shall issue these restricted patches and shall keep a log of who receives these patches. When a youth or adult has completed the requirements below, they are eligible to receive his or her Silver or Gold Border patch. Contact the lodge Adviser to receive your patch. The Lodge Adviser may ask for verification of meeting the criteria below from anyone who can verify compliance with the conditions below. In order to receive a gold or silver patch the person selected shall meet the following criteria:
1. For youth: Be elected Lodge Chief, Lodge Vice Chief of Visitation, Lodge Vice Chief of Induction, Lodge Vice Chief of Activation, Lodge Secretary, or Lodge Treasurer.
2. For adults: Be appointed by the Lodge Adviser to serve as an Adviser for the youth positions listed above.
3. Shall serve for a minimum of 6 months in his or her position.
4. Participate in at least 2 lodge functions, e.g. ordeals, Scout-O-Rama, conclave, NOAC.

J. Replacement of restricted Patches
Restricted patches may be replaced with a patch of similar design if available. If the patch being replaced is no longer available it may be replaced with the newer version. The loss of the restricted patch shall be verified, as circumstances allow, by the Lodge Adviser prior to issuance of a replacement.

K. Patch Ordering
Patch ordering shall be through the Pacific Skyline Council Staff Adviser. Quantities and designs shall be as directed by the LEC. The staff Adviser shall place the order for the patches and once billing is received shall process the payment for the patches.

L. Record Keeping
Because the lodge restricts certain patches i.e.: Silver and Gold, the Adviser shall maintain a list of all people who have received these special border patches or others special recognition patches. This log shall be made available to anyone who asks to see it within 10 days of the request or as arranged with the requestor.

M. The LEC may decide to impose a purchase limit on newly released patches before and during events for which they were made. However, after the event in question, limits on the number of patches one can purchase may not be added..