Hosting a District Meeting

Revised 2015 & 2018

Responsibility for Hosting

Each District has its own method of rotating the responsibility of hosting the District Meeting. Each District may use the method that works best for its clubs. The rotation order should be voted on by the District and made available to the clubs. This is important so the clubs are aware of their responsibility and when in the rotation.

Date of Meeting

The State President and District Director shall set the date of the meeting. The State President shall attend each District Meeting, and the date must not conflict with other commitments of the office. The dates should be set as soon as possible after the installation of the District Director and State President at the Annual Meeting and should be made available at the June Executive Committee Meeting.

General Chair of the District Meeting

The President of the Host Club serves as General Chair or appoints a member to serve. The General Chair appoints a vice chair and all other committee chairs for the meeting.

Invitation to the District Meeting

The President of the Host Club where the next District Meeting is to be held shall extend an invitation to the District Assembly the year prior to that District Meeting. No specific date or place need to be mentioned at this time.

Information to the Bulletin

The September Bulletin prints the date, place and registration and cost of the District Meetings and this information must be given to the editor no later than July 1^stby the District Director.

Agenda for District Meeting

The District Director plans the agenda and the order of business (a suggested agenda follows) for the District Meeting and provides the General Chair a list of those participating in the program in ample time to be included in the printed program.

The District Director makes final approval of the program before it goes to print and issues invitation to state officers and chair and /or other officials.

Duties of General Chair

The General Chair Shall:

Work with the District Director on theme, location and date of the meeting. The GCKY President must approve the date.
Set registration fee to include location cost, refreshments, meal, speaker’s fee and lodging and other accommodations for GCKY President, Director and Speaker.
Provide information to the Director for the Bulletin to include: date, time, registrar and address, location, program, speaker, registration fee, late fee and deadline, and location directions. Deadline to the Bulletin is July 1^st for the September Issue.
Arrange accommodation lodging and hospitality for the GCKY President, District Director and Speaker and any special guess of the district.
Consult with the District Director on all meeting plans.

Suggested Chairs for the District Meeting as needed:

Registrar – duties may include credentials. Copies of the Registration must be given to the District Nominating Committee and State Nominating District Representative. Keep copies of all registration information, as sent to you, so you can confirm payment and for what, delegate or not, office or other information needed for Credentials report.
Treasurer – Record all financial transactions. Keep a record of all expenses with a copy of receipts. Remit 50% of meeting profits to the District Treasurer.
Name tags – Name, club name, office, (number on name tag for door prizes with Director as 1 and GCKY President 2 and so forth)
Facility – Lighting, Heat/Air, Microphones, Lectern, Display Tables, etc.
Morning Refreshment and Luncheon – Food and drinks, (alternate meals to address any special diets – if possible) Head Table Seating and Place Cards (consult with Director as to whom will be seated at the Head Table) Honor Tables, Table Designs (as needed)
Printed Program with the approval of Director
Amenities- Gifts for GCKY President and/or District Director, Registration Packets, Table Favors, Door Prizes (if desired)
Hospitality (as needed
Signage – Rest Rooms, Meeting Rooms etc. (as needed)
Transportation (if needed)
Ways and Means (if desired)
Pages for District Director, GCKY President and Speaker (as needed)

Program and Type of Meeting

The District Director presides throughout the District Meeting and works closely with the Host Club (s) in planning the meeting. The Vice Director, with the approval of the Director, usually obtains and arranges for the featured speaker or program and sees that all necessary equipment and/or props are provided.

The Vice Director also determines the speaker’s fee in advance and arranges for payment with the General Chairman and Treasurer. If a gift is indicated in lieu of a fee, the Vice Director shall select and purchase the gift, giving the receipt to the treasurer for payment or reimbursement.

Head Table Seating

The District Director plans the head table seating and is responsible for invitations and/or seating instructions which are issued to all those who are to be honored. Notification may be placed in the registration packets or verbally.

The number seated at the head table is determined by the size of the room, table and number to be honored. Special seating at an honor table for State Officers, State Chairs or program presenters may be provided but is not required.

The District Director is the highest-ranking officer in the District, and sits in the center of the head table as presiding officer. The GCKY President sits to the immediate right of the director. District officers and those participating in the program are seated either to the right or left of the director

Financing the District Meeting

A registration fee must be paid by everyone, except the District

Director and GCKY President, attending any session or function in connection with the District Meeting. The registration fee is used to pay for ALL expenses which includes the following: hospitality for the GCKY President including lodging, meals and registration: printing of District meeting programs, registration packets, name tags, speaker’s fee, postage, and any other expenses of the meeting.

Hospitality to GCKY President

The State President is the guest of the District. All necessary expenses (lodging, registration, meals, etc.) are paid for by the District from registration fees collected at the District Meeting. The State Corresponding Secretary or traveling companion who shares the room is considered a part of the hospitality provided to the State President. But the traveling companion pays registration and meal fees.

Hospitality to District Director

The host club of the District Meeting may show its appreciation to the District Director by taking care of the necessary lodging and meal expenses the evening prior to the Meeting should this be needed.

Convention Treasurer

Collects and deposits all registration fees and pays the necessary expenses of the meeting as noted under Financing the District Meeting. Makes reservations and pays for meals and lodging for the GCKY President and any other guests of the District. Provides a full accounting of all receipts and expenses of the meeting for the District Director and District Treasurer as soon as possible after the Meeting for the permanent record. Remits 50% of meeting profits to the District Treasurer and the Host Club retains the other 50% of profits.

Local Arrangements

The Host Club is responsible for providing adequate space for the District Meeting. Rooms for Board of Governors and/or General Assembly and luncheon are required. The host club is also responsible for all local arrangements including those for the GCKY President lodging. Consulting with the District Director on arrangements for the Meeting is required.

Remit 50% of meeting profits to the District Treasurer and host club retains the other 50% of profits.

Sample script for District Director-

I am (District Director Name) and I would like to welcome you to the ___

(Number of Meeting) of the __________ District

The _________ District will come to order. Please silence all phone and electric devices.

Our Invocation will be given/or Collect lead by____________________

I will appoint the following persons to approve the minutes – ( Need 3)

The Preliminary Credentials Report will be given by Credentials Chair – (name)

The question is on the adoption of the Preliminary Credentials Report. Is there debate? All those in favor, say aye. Those oppose, no. The ayes have it and the Preliminary Credentials report is adopted with a voting strength of ______________.

I declare a quorum present

(Name) from (club) will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. Please stand

(The Flag belongs on the right as you face the audience – DO NOT have the pledge without the flag.)

The Welcome will be given by (Name)(club or title)

Response to the Welcome will be given by (Name) (club or title)

Our Memorial Service will be conducted by (Name) (Club)

Please join your Director in Welcoming The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. President (name). Stand for GCKY President.

The message of The GCKY President.

Our District Secretary (name) will now read the Minutes from last years ____________District Meeting. These minutes were approved by committee.

(name) District Treasurer will now give the financial report.

Are there any questions regarding the report of the treasurer? If there are no questions (or further questions) the treasurer’s report will be filed.

The next business in order is the recommendations from the Board of Governors. (Name) District Secretary will read the first recommendation.

You have heard the recommendation. Is there debate? The question on the floor is …(Repeat the recommendation exactly as given). All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The _______have it and the motion to (repeat motion)is approved. Or Not.

(Repeat this process until all recommendations have been voted on).

(Secretary will need to say after reading the recommendation “I move the adoption of the recommendation. No second is necessary since it has come from committee or board.)

It is now time for our reports.

District Officers who want to report further

District Chairs who want to report

Reports of State Officers and Chairs – (Recognize State Officers and Chairs and have them stand even if they do not report.)

(Find out who needs or wants to report before the meeting if possible)

Our time keeper for club president reports is (name)

How will you designate that the time is up?

Thank you (time keeper)

The time limit is ( ) minutes.

Reports of Club Presidents will now begin. The Club Presidents will be called in order as given in the program. Please be ready to give your report as soon as the previous club president is finished. Our secretary will call the names of the clubs for reporting.

ODD YEARS-

The next order of business is the election of State Nomination Committee Representative and Alternate.

Are there Nominations from the floor for Representative to the State Nominating Committee?

The chair declares the nominations closed. Should there be more than one nominated then vote on each. Or if not then say-

All in favor of (name) to serve as State Nomination Committee representative say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it and (name) will serve as __________District ‘s representative to the Nominating Committee.

Are there Nominations for Alternate to the State Nominating Committee?

The chair declares the nominations closed.

All in favor of (name) to serve as Alternate to the State Nominating Committee say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it and (name) will serve as Alternate.

The next business in order is the District Nominating Committee.

The following have agreed to serve – You should ask before the meeting and you need three (3)

Give (name) and (club)

Are there nominations from the floor?

If none, do I have a motion to accept these by acclimation (wait for the motion and second). All those in favor of accepting this slate for the district nominating committee say aye. Those opposed, no. the ayes have it and the District Nominating Committee will be (name, name, name)

I will ask (name) to serve as Chair.

Even years – We will now have the report of the District Nominating Committee.

The Chair will give the names and offices of those nominated.

Vote for each as you did for Nominating Committee in the odd year.

Repeat the names of those to serve.

Depending on District Rotation

Odd Years – Audubon and Blue Grass

Even Years – Dogwood, Limestone, and Mt. Laurel

The next order of business is the election of the_______District Representative to the State Headquarters Board of Trustees.

Are there nominations from the floor. (do the same as for nominating committee)

(give any instructions for information necessary about lunch before you recess)

We will now recess for lunch.

At Lunch

I will now introduce those seated at the head table. Stating on my far left is (name and title, name and title, name and title etc.) Then to my far right is (name and title etc.) This leaves the GCKY President last to be introduced.

Our Blessing will be given by (name)

(should it be a buffet the head table goes first)

(name) will introduce our program

Program

Awards

Final Credentials Report will be given by (name)

The question is on the adoption of the Final Credentials Report. Is there

Debate? All those in favor, say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it

and the final Credentials Report is Adopted.

The Invitation to the next _________District Meeting will be given by

(name) from (club).

Even Years-We will now have the installation of our new Officers.

Will (name)incoming District Director. (name) Vice Director (name)

Treasurer(name) Secretary (name) come forward. Our installation service

will be conducted by (name). (The rest of the installation is up to

whomever is doing the installing.)

Recognize any club or club member that has contributed to the meeting

that has not been thanked

Announcements

Door Prizes
Anything that has not been done.
Do I have a motion to adjourn? Second? Those in favor say aye.
Have a safe trip home. Etc.

Suggested Agenda for District Meeting

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Coffee and Registration

9:30 – 9:55 a.m. Board of Governors Meeting – (District Officers, Chairs, Club

Presidents) and should be in separate room from coffee and

registration if possible

10:00 a.m. General Assembly – All members

Call to Order-District Director Presiding

(Please silence all phone and electronic devices)

Collect or Invocation

Appoint Committee to approve minutes

Preliminary Credentials Report and adoption

Declare a Quorum

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United State of

America (Flag belongs on the right as you face the audience

Do NOT have the pledge without a flag)

Welcome – President of Host Club or Chair

Response

Memorial Service

Message from The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. State

President

Minutes of Previous Meeting

Recommendations from Board of Governors Meeting

Introductions of the District Officers

Introductions of officers and chairs of The Garden Club of

Kentucky

Reports of officers, chairs, special committee

Appoint Time Keeper

Reports of Club Presidents (time allotted)

Elections:

Odd Years:

State Nominating Committee Representative & Alternate

District Nominees for consideration for State Office and/or

Chairmanship (four candidates).

District Nominating Committee

Even Years:

District Officers

Election of State Headquarters Board of Trustees

District Representative

Odd Years – Audubon and Blue Grass

Even Years – Dogwood, Limestone and Mt. Laurel

Recess for Lunch

Luncheon and Program

Introduction of those seated at the Head Table

Blessing

Program

Awards Presentation

Final Credentials Report and adoption

Invitation for Next District Meeting

Installation of Officers in even years

Announcements

Door Prizes should there be any

Adjournment

Credentials Report

Preliminary________________ Date and Time___________________

Final ______________________Date and Time___________________

District Director ___________

State President ___________

District Officers ___________

District Chairs ___________

Club Presidents ___________

Delegates – 1 vote per 10 members or fraction ___________

Former District Directors ___________

State Officers ___________

State Chairs ___________

NGC Officers ___________

NGC Chairs ___________

Voting Strength less duplications

(Those serving in more than one capacity) ___________

Total Attendance ___________

At the end of the report the Credentials Chair makes the Motion:

I move for the adoption of the credentials report.