FTGA Bylaws (As Amended 12/05/2024)

ARTICLE I: POWERS AND PURPOSE

The Association is formed for the following purposes:

(a)   To promote the gathering together of all turf interests in the State of Florida into a cooperative group for the collection, preservation and dissemination of scientific knowledge and information pertinent or related to the development and maintenance of turf.

(b)   To conduct such investigations and experiments as may be necessary to develop and maintain turf.

(c)   To receive, own, buy, sell, convey and mortgage such property, both real and personal, of every nature whatsoever, which may be necessary, useful or convenient for the transaction of its business and the accomplishment of the purposes of this Association, and to use the income derived therefrom in its work and not for any benefit of any of the members of the Association.

(d)   To receive, hold, own and invest monies, stocks, bonds and any kind of personal or real property, and to establish trusts or endowments, and to accept the benefit of trusts or endowments for the work and objects set forth herein.

(e)   To engage in the financing of any of the above-enumerated activities and to perform or furnish business or educational services on a cooperative basis for its members engaged in the development or maintenance of turf.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATION AND PRIVILEGES

Section 1: The membership of this Association shall consist of any person or entity in sympathy with the objectives of this Association.

Section 2: Membership in the Association shall be divided into the following classes with privileges as stated:

a)    ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP shall include all persons in and out of the State of Florida who are actively engaged in or have supervision over turf development or maintenance, or who are engaged in an endeavor directly related to the turf industry. Active members shall be eligible to serve on committees, hold office in the Association and vote on matters properly coming before the membership.

b)    AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP shall include any person who is an employee of an Active Member. They shall have the same privileges as the Active Member.

c)    TECHNICIAN MEMBERSHIP is for individuals who are active as technicians in equipment, irrigation, fertilizer and pesticide applications, municipal, sports turf or other turfgrass-related classification of technician who want enhanced opportunities for education and technical updates. Technician Members shall be eligible to vote and to serve on committees but may not hold office.

d)    ACADEMIC MEMBERSHIP shall include teachers, researchers, professors and cooperative extension agents with an interest in turf management, horticulture, ornamental or related agronomic fields. Academic Members shall be eligible to serve on committees and vote on matters properly coming before the membership but may not hold office.

e)    RETIRED MEMBERSHIP shall include any person who has retired from Active or Affiliate membership status and from active participation in the turfgrass industry for a major part of his/her career. In the event of a question regarding the retired status of the member, the decision will be made by the Executive Committee. Retired members shall be eligible to vote, to serve on committees, and hold office.

f)     STUDENT MEMBERSHIP may be extended to students engaged in the study of turf development or maintenance at any accredited or recognized educational institution in Florida. Student members shall be eligible to serve on committees but may not vote or hold office.

g)    HONORARY MEMBERSHIP may be awarded upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and approval by the Board of Directors, to those who have performed a single service in the field of turf or have rendered a conspicuous contribution to the advancement of the turfgrass industry in the State of Florida. Honorary Members may serve on committees, vote, and hold office.

h)    HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP may be conferred by recommendation of the Past President’s Committee and approval by the Board of Directors, to those who have long and faithfully served as members but, because of unique conditions or circumstances, can no longer actively continue as members. Any Past President, who has retired, will automatically be considered an Honorary Life Member. Honorary Life Members shall pay no dues. Honorary Life Members may serve on committees, vote, and hold office.

i)     GROUP MEMBERSHIP this classification is for those organizations or corporations that are actively engaged in or have supervision over turf development or maintenance, or who are engaged in an endeavor directly related to the turf industry that wish to have several employees belong to the Association. In this category, the membership belongs to the organization (and not to the individual), thereby accommodating shifts in staffing. All employees of the group are eligible to receive discounted member pricing for all FTGA events and offerings. The Group can identify individual employees that will receive recognition as members of the FTGA (in addition to group recognition). Only those employees that are recognized as members may serve on committees, vote and hold office.

Section 3: All members of the Association shall be entitled to receive official publications and notices and to attend membership meetings, conferences and activities sponsored by the Association. The Board of Directors shall have the power to levy charges for special publications, attendance at turf conferences and other activities.

Section 4: Application for membership shall be executed in writing on such forms as shall be designated by the Board of Directors.

Section 5: The Board of Directors shall have the power to establish membership dues, pass upon membership applications, issue membership certificates and determine the classification of any member when, in the opinion of the Board, the situation warrants such action.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall consist of Officers and Directors as follows:

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Immediate Past President

Section 2: The Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected for a term of one (1) year and shall have served at least twelve (12) months on the Board of Directors.

Section 3: The Vice President shall be the President-Elect.

Section 4: The Treasurer may be elected to the Vice President position, may be elected to another one-year term as Treasurer, or may be elected to a three (3) year term on the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the term as Treasurer.

Section 5: The Secretary may be elected to the Treasurer position, may be elected to another one-year term as Secretary or may be elected to a three (3) year term on the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the term as the Secretary.

Section 6: Directors shall be elected for three (3) year terms of office with one-third to be elected each year at the Annual Meeting of the Association. Directors may be elected for two consecutive three (3) year terms.

Section 7: The Immediate Past President shall be a member of the Board of Directors. The Immediate Past President may be elected for an additional three (3) year term on the Board of Directors at the conclusion of his/her term as Immediate Past President.

Section 8: The Officers and Directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Association by majority vote of those members present and voting and shall assume office at the close of the final business session of the Annual Meeting.

Section 9: Unexpired terms of office shall be filled by appointment by the President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Upon conclusion of the unexpired term, the appointed board member may be elected for two additional three (3) year terms.

Section 10: If a Director is absent from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Board, the Board of Directors may declare a vacancy of the delinquent Director and may appoint a successor to serve the balance of the term.

Section 11: In order to maintain the one-third balance of directors to be elected each year, as described in Article III, Section 6, the President may appoint an outgoing director to one or two additional years of service on the Board of Directors, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV: DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 1: The President of the Association shall preside at all meetings of the Association, be Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee and make Standing Committee Appointments subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and may appoint other committees as needed for the operation of the Association. The President shall be a voting ex-officio member of all Committees. The President is the lead strategist for the association to help establish overall objectives, while seeking new areas for expansion that are consistent with the direction given by the association’s Executive Committee and its Board of Directors.

Section 2: The Vice President shall act in the capacity of the President in his/her absence or incapacity and be responsible for such committee activities as the President may direct. The Vice President is the chief operating executive of the association. The Vice President will be the Chair of the Conference Committee. The Vice President will oversee staff activities, maintain appropriate staffing level. The Vice President will act as a parliamentarian for the FTGA, maintaining and updated FTGA ByLaws as needed.

Section 3: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the records of the Association and be responsible for receiving and disbursing the funds of the Association at the direction of the Board of Directors. The books and records of the Treasurer shall be, always, open to inspection. The Treasurer is the chief financial officer of the association. The Treasurer is the chair of the Finance Committee and will work to maintain a balanced budget and neutral cash position. The Treasurer will oversee the communications with the Association Manager and the accounting firm.

Section 4: The Secretary will be the chief communications executive of the association. The Secretary will Chair the Communications Committee to maintain a calendar of social media posts according to schedule of upcoming events. The Secretary will work with the Editor of the Florida Turf Digest and Association Manager.  The Secretary will manage the Fl Green Industries Account.

Section 5: Board of Directors members shall be responsible for: attendance at all FTGA Board meetings; participation on at least two FTGA Standing or Ad Hoc Committees; ensuring that all actions are consistent with the Mission of the FTGA; reviewing and advising on FTGA programs and events, outreach and advocacy efforts, and educational and promotional materials; and reviewing the financial records of the FTGA.

ARTICLE V: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers and Directors listed in Section 1 of Article III.

Section 2: The Board of Directors shall initiate and direct the policies of the Association. They shall make all necessary rules and regulations consistent with Bylaws for the conduct of the affairs of the Association.

Section 3: A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Board of Directors.

Section 4: The Board of Directors shall meet at least four (4) times a year. Any member of the Association may attend all such meetings, but may not be privileged to speak therein, except upon invitation of the Presiding Officer.

Section 5: In the event that Board action is required between scheduled meetings, the President may elect to conduct electronic balloting (e-mail) of Board members on said action item(s).

Section 6: The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Director to advise and execute the policies of the Board and provide appropriate compensation for such services.

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

Section 1: The following are Standing Committees of the Association:

• Executive Committee
• Nominating and Elections Committee
• Finance Committee
• Past President’s Committee

Section 2: The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, the Immediate Past President and the Executive Director Ex-Officio (non-voting) member. This Committee shall carry out the policies of the Board of Directors when the Board of Directors is not in session, reporting their actions and recommendations for approval at its succeeding meeting. Three (3) voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Meetings may be called by the Chairman or by three (3) non-voting members of the Committee.

Section 3: The Nominating and Elections Committee shall consist of five (5) members: the Immediate Past President who shall serve as Chairman, the Current President, one (1) member of the Past President’s Committee other than the

Immediate Past President and two (2) from the membership at large. This Committee shall select and present at the Annual Meeting of the Association a slate of candidates as follows:

a)    One (1) candidate for the office of Vice President.

b)    One (1) candidate for the office of Treasurer.

c)    One (1) candidate for the office of Secretary.

d)    One (1) candidate for the seat of each Director whose term of office expires at the close of that Annual Meeting.

The Committee shall also cause this slate to be made known to the membership at large not less than thirty (30) days prior to said Annual Meeting. In particular instance, should events result in an inability to meet this requirement without postponing the Annual Meeting, this requirement may be waived or modified by affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the Directors present and voting at a legally constituted and conducted meeting of the Board of Directors of the Association. The Committee shall monitor the elections to ensure that only qualified voting members of the Association, in good standing, receive and cast ballots at the Annual Meeting. The Committee shall be charged to make an official, impartial count of the balloting and to announce its results.

Section 4: The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer, who shall be the Chairman of the Finance Committee and such other members as the President may appoint. This Committee shall prepare an annual operating budget for the next fiscal year to be presented for the approval of the Board of Directors at a meeting to be held at not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the end of the current fiscal year. The Committee shall also be responsible for arranging, for the presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Association, of a financial review of the past year’s financial operation. Such a review shall be conducted by a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Section 5: The Past President’s Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past President, who shall serve as Chairman, and all other Past Presidents who wish to take an active part in the Association. The Committee shall serve as a Historical Committee, to write and update the history of the Association. They may act as an Advisory Committee and make recommendations to the Board of Directors as they see fit. They shall meet not less than twice (2) annually. One (1) Past President shall give the Necrology Report at the Annual Meeting.

Section 6: Other committees of the FTGA shall be considered Ad Hoc Committees, which shall be appointed by the President as needed for the operation of the Association.

ARTICLE VII: ANNUAL MEETING

Section 1: The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held at the time and place designated by the Board of Directors.

Section 2: At the Annual Meeting of the members, questions will be decided by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

Section 3: The order of business at the Annual Meeting of the Association shall be as follows:

1.    Roll Call

2.    Minutes of the Previous Meeting

3.    Reading of Communications

4.    Reports of Officers

5.    Reports of Committees

6.    Unfinished Business

7.    New Business

8.    Election of Officers

9.    Adjournment

ARTICLE VIII: DUES

Annual membership dues shall be due and payable on January 1st and shall be delinquent thirty (30) days thereafter.

ARTICLE IX: CHAPTERS

Section 1: A voluntary association of persons engaged in some phase or phases of the turfgrass industry may make application for admission as a Chapter of this Association, for the purpose of holding interim meetings at the local level to further the objectives of this Association as stated in Article II of these Bylaws. The Board of Directors of this Association shall have the authority to approve or reject any such applications.

Section 2: Applications for admission as a Chapter of this Association shall be presented to the Executive Committee and shall be sponsored by a minimum of five (5) Active members of the Association. The Executive Committee shall investigate any such applications and present their findings to the Board of Directors for approval or rejection. The Board of Directors shall have the power to establish rules and regulations governing the conduct of such Chapters and to terminate the affiliate of any Chapter with this Association. The Bylaws of any Chapter shall not contravene the Bylaws of this Association in any manner.

Section 3: The first such Chapter established by the Board of Directors shall be designated as “Florida Turfgrass Association Chapter No. 1.” Succeeding chapters shall be designated similarly in numerical sequence based on the date of establishment.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

A choice of two (2) methods in voting on any amendment to these Bylaws or recision thereof, shall be available and the method used shall be selected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The alternate methods shall be as follows:

a)    Amendments or recision may be adopted by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members at any regular Annual Meeting of the Association, provided that the proposed amendment or recision has been circulated to each member in good standing at least thirty (30) days in advance of the Annual Meeting of the Association.

b)    Amendments or recision may be adopted by a mail ballot…using either the U.S. Postal Service or by electronic ballot (i.e. e-mail)…of all members in good standing of the Association. In the event a mail ballot is used, the polls shall be closed thirty (30) days after the date of mailing the ballots. An amendment or recision to any portion of the Bylaws shall be declared passed if it is approved by two-thirds of the members qualified to vote and voting, provided that the ballots are returned by a least forty (40) percent of the members qualified to vote.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA TURFGRASS RESEARCH FOUNDATION

The Florida Turfgrass Research Foundation (FTRF) helps to fund student scholarships and turfgrass research in Florida. FTRF is a tax-deductible, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that constantly looks for the best in students and research projects.

The FTRF is dedicated to the preservation of the natural resources of our state and to the enhancement of the quality of life of its residents.

Outdoor recreation and beautiful landscapes play a major role in the way of life of Florida residents, from the excellent condition of our athletic fields and golf courses to the aesthetic beauty of our parks, lawns and green belt areas.

In addition to its beauty and utility, turfgrass also plays a vital role in the ecology of our environment. It is a major factor in recharging the oxygen cycle and in controlling erosion; and, as the earth’s natural filtration system, it also provides cleaner water.

Research is necessary to maintain turfgrass quality against changing environmental stresses. The FTRF constantly seeks new procedures, new products, new varieties of grass to reduce the dependence on pesticides and biotechnological methods to control pests. It also seeks to develop grasses that require less maintenance with increased tolerance to shade, cold, heat and drought.

Through private endowments, the FTRF helps to offset declining research budgets caused by the reduction of state and federal funding to universities and research institutions. The foundation has the opportunity to become the largest and most productive turfgrass-research association in the United States.

Quality research is the foundation’s highest priority. Through educational workshops, seminars, literature and publications, both members and donors will be able to see and experience what the FTRF has accomplished with their gracious support. Tied closely to the need for quality research is the need for the turfgrass industry’s next generation of leaders. To this end, the FTRF provides scholarships to deserving students.

Your contribution will help the Florida Turfgrass Research Foundation find the answers necessary to maintain and improve the quality of life for us all.