Knights of Columbus
ST. TIMOTHY
COUNCIL NO. 7369
CENTREVILLE/CHANTILLY, VA
Adopted February 12, 1992
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BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
Section 1. This Council shall be known as ST. TIMOTHY COUNCIL NO. 7369, Knights of
Columbus.
Section 2. The initiation fee shall be 15.00 except that for applicants under 26 years of age it
shall not exceed 10.00 and for Priests and religious it shall be nil.
Section 3. Each member shall pay annual dues. The annual dues of members shall be
36.00,except honorary members who shall pay the sum of State and Supreme Council per
capita charges and levies, and honorary life members who shall pay nothing. A reduced rate
of dues for insured members under 26 years of age may be established, but it shall not be
less than 3.00 per year. Except as stated above, the dues of associate and insurance
members shall be the same..
Section 4. The Financial Secretary shall receive annual compensation, payable in quarterly
installments at the end of each quarter, from the council an amount equal to 8 percent of the
moneys collected on account of dues from both insurance and associate members.
ARTICLE II – Elections
Section 1. The annual election of officers shall take place at a council meeting held between
May 1 and June 15 of each fraternal year. At least two months before the annual election, the
Grand Knight shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three who shall prepare a slate of
candidates for the elective council offices. This slate shall be presented to the council not
later than the council meeting preceding the meeting at which annual elections are to take
place. Other nominations may be made from the floor and nominations may not be closed
until the election meeting has convened and the members are ready to ballot.
Section 2. The election of officers shall be by ballot and a majority of all votes cast shall be
necessary to elect. When only one candidate is proposed for a particular office and no further
nominations have been made from the floor, the presiding Grand Knight shall declare the
individual elected by acclamation. Voting by absentee ballot is prohibited.
Section 3. The Grand Knight shall appoint two members to act as Tellers. After all who are
entitled to do so have voted, the ballot shall be declared closed and the Tellers shall then
proceed to count the votes in full view of the Council. One of the Tellers shall examine
eachballot singly and pass the same to his associate, who shall read aloud the name or
names written or printed on all legal ballots. The Recorder shall tally the same and the result
thereof shall be announced by the Grand Knight.
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Section 4. Each officer elected must qualify and fill the office to which he is chosen, with or
without installation, at the first council meeting in the month of July succeeding his election,
unless excused by a vote of the Council, and must present himself for installation at the time
specified in the notice issued by or through the State Deputy or District Deputy, unless
excused by such officer. Otherwise such office shall be considered vacant.
Section 5. Vacancies in elective offices shall be filled, after notice to the members, by
election at the council meeting next succeeding the council meeting at which the vacancy
was created.
ARTICLE III – Officers
Section 1. Only members who are in good standing and who have been initiated in the first
three Degrees of the Order shall be eligible to hold office in this Council. No member shall
hold more than one office at the same time.
Section 2. The elective offices shall be as follows: Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight,
Chancellor, Recorder, Treasurer, Advocate, Warden, Inside Guard, Outside Guard (two
Outside Guards may be elected) and Board of Trustees.
Section 3. The appointive officers shall be as follows: Financial Secretary, Lecturer and
Chaplain. The Financial Secretary shall be appointed by the Supreme Knight. The Chaplain
shall be selected by the Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight and Board of Trustees in
accordance with any rules established by the Bishop of the Diocese. The Grand Knight shall
appoint the Lecturer.
Section 4. At the last council meeting in June of each year, the Council shall determine the
amount of bond to be given by the Treasurer and Financial Secretary in addition to the bond
furnished by the Supreme Council. The Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall not take
office or be installed, or receive any money or property of the Council until they have
furnished such bond and the same has been approved by the Board of Trustees. The
premium on said bond shall be paid by the Council.
Section 5. The Council Officers shall perform the duties required of them by the Laws and
Rules of the Order, and by these By-Laws and such other duties as the Council may direct.
Section 6. At the end of each semiannual period, the Board of Trustees shall meet and audit
the several books of this Council. In each January and July, the Board of Trustees shall
make a full report of their findings, including the receipts and disbursements of the moneys of
this Council for the previous semiannual period, the balance on hand to the credit of each
ofthe various funds at the end of each semiannual period, and the assets and liabilities of the
Council. The Grand Knight shall issue the call for such meeting of the Board of Trustees.
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Section 7. Where a member ipso facto forfeits his membership, the Grand Knight and
Financial Secretary shall immediately notify the Supreme Secretary of such forfeiture and
shall immediately send notice in writing to the member. The notice shall state with
particularity the reason for the forfeiture and the date the forfeiture occurred. In those cases
relating to ipso facto forfeiture for failure to pay council dues, such notice shall not be sent to
the Supreme Secretary or to the member until an officer or a member of the Retention
Committee shall contact the member and endeavor to have him retain his membership.
Section 8. The Recorder shall file all reports in a filing book to be provided for that purpose
and the same shall be preserved as a part of the records of this Council.
ARTICLE IV – Meetings
Section 1. Monthly council meetings and officers’ planning meetings shall be held at a date,
time and location established by the Council. Eight members shall constitute a quorum at
meetings.
Section 2. All meetings shall be presided over by the Grand Knight, who will ascertain from
the Warden if all present members in good standing of the council, members in good
standing of the Order, or invited guests.
Section 3. The agenda for council and officers’ planning meetings shall conform to the
standards established by the Supreme Knight and Board of Directors.
Section 4. Special meetings can be convened: (1) by vote of the Council at a preceding
council meeting; (2) by vote of the officers and members at a preceding officers’ planning
meeting; or (3) by direction of the Grand Knight; (4) by the Grand Knight upon the written
request of seven members stating the object of the meeting. Due notice of special meetings
and their purpose shall be given to each member in the usual way and no other items shall
be considered at any such meeting.
Section 5. Special meetings shall follow the order of business that is covered in ARTICLE IV,
Section 3, noting that only the stated purpose of the special meeting shall be considered.
Section 6. It shall be the duty of all officers to attend all meetings In case of inability of any
officer to attend a meeting, due notice shall be given to the Grand Knight and arrangements
made to have all necessary books and papers in the possession of such officer at the
meeting. If a Chair Officer is absent from a meeting, the presiding officer shalldesignate a
member to act for him. If an elected officer, without reasonable excuse approved by the
Grand Knight, is absent from three consecutive council meetings, the Grand Knight may
report this fact to the District Deputy for such action under Section 92(b) of the Laws and
Rules of the Order as the District Deputy deems appropriate.
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Section 7. In the absence or inability of the Grand Knight the Deputy Grand Knight shall
preside and he shall execute all of the duties of the Grand Knight. In the absence of the
Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight the duty of presiding shall devolve on the other
officers of the Council in the order in which they are named in Section 126 of the Laws and
Rules of the Order.
Section 8. If any meeting shall fall on a legal holiday, said meeting shall be held the following
day unless the Council, by vote at a previous council meeting, annuls such meeting or fixes a
different date for such meeting within the month for which it is scheduled.
ARTICLE V – Balloting for Candidates
Section 1. The Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight shall privately inspect the ballot box,
both before and after the ballot, and the Grand Knight shall announce the result. The Warden
shall be responsible for the balloting of candidates and shall distribute ballots to all members
present. He shall place the ballot box on the salutation table and take his place six feet
therefrom. He shall then request that all officers vote and after they have voted, he shall
request the members to vote. They shall advance in single file and deposit their ballots. No
member shall pass the Warden until the member preceding him has voted. After all who
desire to do so have voted, the Warden shall exhibit the ballot box to the Grand Knight and
Deputy Grand Knight and they shall count the votes. If the number of negative ballots cast
does not exceed one-half of the members present, the applicant shall be declared elected,
otherwise rejected. The exact number of negative ballots shall not be stated. If more than
one candidate is to be balloted for at a meeting, the Grand Knight may announce that thefirst
ballot shall be a general one upon all the candidates, and if not more than one-half of those
present shall cast negative ballots upon the such general ballot, no other ballots shall be
taken. If such announcement is made, and no more than one-half negative ballots are cast
upon said general ballot, all candidates so balloted for shall be declared elected. If more than
one-half negative ballots are cast upon said general ballot, then an individual ballot shall be
taken on each candidate.
ARTICLE VI – Committees
Section 1. In addition to the Committees provided for in the Laws and Rules of the Order, the
following Directors shall be appointed:
(a) Program Director whose goal will be the direct involvement and personal commitment of
the council and membership in activities that will establish the Knights of Columbus as truly a
Catholic, family, fraternal, service organization.
(b) Membership Director to have supervision of a comprehensive plan of recruitment and
retention for his council.
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(c) Director of Faith Activities to promote programs that will strengthen our members and
their families in the faith, while supporting the work of the Church.
(d) Director of Family Activities promote programs that strengthen the familial bond of our
members and communities.
(e) Director of Community Activities to promote programs that positively shape our
community by addressing the needs of its citizens.
(f) Director of Life Activities to promote programs that build a culture of life and civilization of
love.
(g) Such other Committees as may be required by these By-Laws or may be established by
the Council or its Grand Knight.
Section 2. Except as herein provided, all Committees shall be appointed by the Grand Knight
and the first person named on the Committee shall act as Chairman thereof. Standing
Committees shall serve for the current year or until their successors have been appointed. A
majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII – Funds
Section 1. All moneys obtained from any source, by or through any person or persons, acting
for or in the name of the Council or under its direction or authority, shall be considered
Council Funds and shall be forthwith delivered to the Financial Secretary, who will give his
official receipt therefore and who will report at each officers’ planning meeting the amounts
so received and from what source and shall deliver the same to the council Treasurer and
take his receipt therefore.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys received from the Financial Secretary in a
bank to the credit of the council. Disbursements from this fund shall be made in accordance
with the Laws of the Order and the rules promulgated on the Officers’ Desk Reference. The
depository bank shall be furnished with a copy of this section.
Section 3. No money in excess of 500.00 shall be paid or transferred from the Treasury of
this Council, (except such moneys as the Council is called upon to regularly pay for its
current expenses and as provided by the Laws and Rules of the Order or for purposes
approved by the Supreme Council or Board of Directors), unless by a two-thirds vote of the
members present and voting at a council meeting held subsequent to a council meeting at
which notice in writing of a resolution of intention to pay or transfer such money and the
purposes and amount to be paid or transferred shall have been given and regularly read.
Section 4. All bills shall be presented to the Recorder and referred to the Board of Trustees.
In case a bill is not approved by the Board of Trustees, it shall be referred back to the Council
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for action.
ARTICLE VIII – Funerals, Etc.
Section 1. Upon the death of a member in good standing, the Grand Knight or his duly
appointed respective(s) shall give notice to the members and, if time permits, shall request
them to assemble and pay their respects to the memory of the deceased at a time and place
to be indicated in such notice.
Section 2. When notice of the death of a member in good standing is received, the Grand
Knight or his duly appointed respective(s) shall forward to the family of the deceased a
message of condolence on behalf of the Council.
The Grand Knight or his duly appointed respective(s) shall arrange to have one Mass said for
the repose of the soul of the deceased.
The Grand Knight or his duly appointed respective(s) shall arrange for the celebration during
the month of November of each year a Mass for the repose of the souls of the deceased
members and shall cause five days notice to be given to the members of the time and place
of such Mass. The Mass shall be celebrated by the Chaplain unless he is indisposed.
Section 3. The Council shall receive Holy Communion in a body during the Easter period, at
a time and place to be determined by vote of the Council.
ARTICLE IX – Miscellaneous
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present
and voting at a council meeting held subsequent to a council meeting at which a resolution in
writing providing for such amendment shall have been read and notice of the proposed
amendment shall have been given to the members in writing or in the council publication at
least five days prior to the second meeting.
Section 2. Procedure and debate shall be in accordance with the Laws and Rules of the
Supreme Council, the Supreme Board of Directors, these By-Laws and the Rules of
Parliamentary Law known as “Robert’s Rules of Order.”
These By-Laws adopted by vote of the Council, February 12, 1992.
Brian Tumulty
Grand Knight
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Anthony Estrada
Recorder
Date of Institution: June 28, 1979
Bylaws of our council
by Brian Tumulty