Bylaws

Bylaws of the Shire of Roxbury Mill

Society for Creative Anachronism

Montgomery County, Maryland

Current bylaws as voted on and approved July 15, 2018.

Article 1: Name

The name of the organization is the Shire of Roxbury Mill (“Shire”).

Article 2: Object and Purpose

The Shire is a group within the Society for Creative Anachronism (“Society” or “SCA”), a public benefit corporation organized under the laws of the State of California.  The Shire resides within the Kingdom of Atlantia (“Kingdom”), one of twenty kingdoms within the Society.  

The Shire is a non-profit organization exclusively organized for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes and dedicated to the promotion of research and recreation in the field of pre-Seventeenth Century culture.  The boundaries of the Shire, as determined by the SCA, encompass most of Montgomery County, Maryland.  

Article 3: Membership in the Shire

  1. All paid members of the SCA who reside within the borders of the Shire of Roxbury Mill will be considered to be “Members” of the Shire.  Membership in Roxbury Mill is open to any interested individual residing within said borders without restriction of race, citizenship, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital status, national origin, ancestry, or disability. 
  1. All Members of the Shire may:
  2. Make and vote on proposals at Shire business meetings.
  3. Stand for election to Shire Officer positions.
  1. Paid members of the SCA who are not Members of the Shire may:
  2. Attend Shire business meetings but may not make or vote on proposals made therein, excepting if they are an Officer.
  3. Stand for election as an Officer, but only as specified in Subsection 4.7.3 below.
  1. Non-members of the SCA are welcome to attend business meetings, weekly practice, and other Shire events, but shall have no official standing within the Shire and may not stand for election as an Officer.

Article 4: Shire Officer Positions, Election and Removal.

  1. Those holding officer positions within the Shire (“Officer(s)”) are tasked with various duties—to the Shire, to the Kingdom, and to the Society.  It is the responsibility of the Officer to ensure that they are familiar with and able to complete all duties assigned to that position.
  1. The Society requires that the Shire maintain at all times the offices of Seneschal, Exchequer, and at least one of the following: Herald, Marshal, or Minister of Arts and Sciences (“Required Offices”).  The Shire shall maintain Required Offices at all times, but shall also allow for additional offices as specified in Section 4.6 below, as the Members deem necessary.
  1. All Officers are elected to a term of two years.  The Shire sets no limit on number of terms an individual may serve in office, however there is a limit of two consecutive terms per office.
  1. The Seneschal may hold no other office. Other Officers may hold no more than two concurrent offices.  
  1. All Officers must maintain membership in the SCA for the duration of their term. A one-month grace period will be given between expiration and renewal, after which said Officer will be considered to have resigned.
  1. A brief description of the Officer positions (collectively the “Offices” or individually each “Office”) follows:
  1. Seneschal – Acts as administrative head of the Shire
  2. Exchequer – Supervises Shire financial matters
  3. Herald – Supervises heraldic activities
  4. Knight Marshal – Supervises martial activities
  5. Archery Marshal – Supervises archery activities
  6. Chronicler – Records business meetings and produces the Shire newsletter, if any
  7. Chatelaine – Organizes recruiting and newcomer activities
  8. Minister of Arts and Sciences – Organizes arts and sciences activities
  9. Web Minister – Organizes and maintains the Shire’s presence online, including maintenance and periodic updates of the Shire Web site
  1. Election of Officers.

7.1. When an Officer position becomes available it shall be announced by the Seneschal on the Shire e-mail list.  At the discretion of the Seneschal, announcements may also be made at any other public gathering or via other electronic means, including, but not limited to, business meetings, weekly martial practice and/or A&S gatherings, on the Shire Web site, on the Shire Facebook group, or via any other social media venue normally visited by members of the Shire.

7.2. Any Member of the Shire may be nominated or self-nominate.  

7.3. If no Members of the Shire wish to hold said open Office, any member of the Society from outside the Shire may be nominated or self-nominate.  Any member of the Society who is not also a Member of the Shire may be required to demonstrate reasonable previous participation in the Shire before being nominated or self-nominating. Any dispute as to whether said individual may stand for any open Office shall be resolved by a majority vote of any then-existing Officers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, only a member of the Shire may hold the position of Seneschal.  

7.4 Any individual seeking an Office for which the Society mandates certification and/or the completion of certain educational requirements must meet said certification and/or educational requirements before such time as the vote for such Office shall take place. 

7.4. The election of any open Office(s) will occur at the next business meeting after the official announcement of said position on the Shire e-mail list. All individuals who wish to be considered for the open Office(s) must attend the designated business meeting and provide proof of SCA membership. All Members present at the business meeting may cast a single vote, including the nominee(s). In a tie vote, the decision will pass to a majority vote of the Shire Officers then present. If this also results in a second tie, the Seneschal will cast the deciding vote. 

 

7.5. If there are no nominees for any open Office, other than the Required Offices, or if no individual is elected to fill the open Office(s), the Office shall remain unfilled. The Seneschal may, in his or her discretion, elect to leave the Office unfilled and/or call for additional nominees at a later date.

  1. Each Office may have up to two deputies to serve as assistants to the Officer and to share the work (“Deputies” or “Deputy”). Deputies may be elected at the discretion of the Officer. Deputies are not Officers and shall not have the rights and obligations of Officers, except as otherwise described herein.  As Deputies are actively training to succeed the Officer and provide for the transfer of institutional knowledge. No Officer shall be required to have any Deputies.

8.1. Though individuals interested in acting as Deputies may express interest in a Deputy position, any candidates for a Deputy position must be nominated by the Officer to whom they will be deputized.  Any Deputy must be confirmed by a majority vote at a business meeting. These nominations and confirmations may take place during the same business meeting.

8.2. Deputies are elected to a term of two years. The Shire sets no limit on number of terms an individual may serve as a Deputy, however there is a limit of two consecutive terms per Office. An individual may be deputized to more than Office.  An Officer may be a Deputy, but may not be his or her own Deputy.

8.3. All Deputies must maintain membership in the Society for the duration of their term. A one-month grace period will be given between expiration and renewal, after which said Deputy will be considered to have resigned.

8.4. Preference for Deputies is given to individuals who are Members of the Shire. Any member of the Society who is not also a Member of the Shire may be asked to provide reasonable assurance of his or her commitment to the Shire during the pendency of the Deputy position and must secure the approval of the Seneschal in advance of his or her nomination as a Deputy.

  1. Resignation.

9.1. Any Officer who wishes to resign must give sufficient notice to the Seneschal to allow for announcement and election of his or her replacement, as such process is set forth in Section 4.7 above. Once notice has been given and acknowledged by the Seneschal, said Officer will present his or her resignation to the other Officers and to the Shire.  Any resigning Officer is expected to either complete outstanding duties or brief a selected replacement of all important factors. Any resigning Officer shall also arrange to transfer all documents, papers, or other tangible property of the Office to the Seneschal or the Officer’s replacement.

9.2. Any Deputy who wishes to resign must give sufficient notice to the Officer to whom he or she is deputized. Once notice has been given and acknowledged by said Officer, the Deputy will present his or her resignation to the Shire.  Any resigning Deputy is expected to complete outstanding duties and arrange for the transfer of papers or other Shire property to the Seneschal or any such Member as the Seneschal may designate or approve.

9.3. Moving outside the boundaries of the Shire shall require resignation, unless the Officer is moving to a Society group with a boundary adjacent to the Shire, in which case, the Officer shall be permitted to serve out the remainder of his or her term so long as the Officer can continue to actively fulfill the duties of his or her Office. Any disputes or questions as regards this qualification shall be resolved by the Seneschal.

  1. Officers and Members are encouraged to resolve disputes in an amicable, direct manner.  However, if any Member believes that any Officer is incapable of fulfilling his or her duties, that Member may report the facts giving rise to this belief with the Seneschal.  The Seneschal will discuss the situation with the Officer in question and attempt to resolve the situation. If a situation is perceived to be ongoing and of sufficient severity, the matter will be brought before the other Officers, at which time they will decide whether it is necessary to consider removing said Officer.

10.1. To remove an Officer, the Seneschal shall call a meeting attended by all Officers, excepting that an Officer (other than the Officer at issue) may send a Deputy as a proxy, if needed.  Both the Officer at issue and the Seneschal must be present at this meeting. The Officer at issue will be given a chance to defend his or her actions, after which the Officers (and any Deputies sent as proxies) will vote on the Officer’s removal.  Removal of an Officer requires a 2/3rd vote of all then-current Officers (including proxies), but excluding the Officer at issue.

10.2. If a conflict of interest exists that may unduly influence the decision of an Officer in a vote to remove another Officer, the influenced Officer shall either abstain from the vote, in which case that vote shall not count towards the total number of votes, or the Officer may ask his or her Deputy to serve as a proxy so long as the Deputy does not also have an conflict of interest. By way of example, a conflict of interest could include such things as a marital or other romantic relationship or a long history of animosity.

Article 5: Acts of the Shire; Regular Meetings.

  1. For the purposes of these Bylaws, an act of the Shire (“Act”) is defined as any event, meeting, action, statement, gift, etc. that is done publically in the name of, or intimately concerns, the Shire of Roxbury Mill.
  1. Acts.

2.1. Any Officer or Member may be authorized as specified in Subsection 2.3 to undertake an Act.  All such Acts must be approved by a majority vote at a Shire business meeting, including unanimous approval from all Shire Officers present; provided, however, that where the required timeline for an Act does not permit presentation at a business meeting, the proposal may be approved by the Seneschal and presented to the Shire Officers for a majority vote.  Such Acts shall be subsequently announced on the e-mail list and/or the next business meeting.

2.3. Events and meetings hosted by the Shire are deemed to be Acts and shall be conducted in accordance with Society rules and, as applicable, the Shire Financial Policy.

2.4. Contracts and agreements with other organizations and groups shall be conducted in accordance with Society rules, and, as applicable, the Shire Financial Policy.  All Shire contracts and agreements with other organizations and groups must have the full agreement, and if applicable, signature, of the Seneschal.

  1. Non-Acts.  

3.1. Regular reports made by Shire Officers to the Kingdom of Atlantia are not considered Acts, even if made on behalf of the Shire. Officers are encouraged to share pertinent information at Shire Officer meetings and monthly business meetings.

3.2. Routine statements made by Officers or Members of the Shire are not considered Acts.

  1. Regular Meetings.  

4.1. A rotating Member of the Shire may host a monthly business meeting in which the business of the Shire may take place, including such activities as are outlined herein, and for any other purposes as are desired by the Members.

 

4.1.1. Business meetings will generally happen once a month, on the third Sunday of the month; provided, however, that the Seneschal may reschedule and/or cancel a business meeting to serve the needs of the Shire. Business meetings shall be run by the Seneschal or a designee.  

4.1.2. The Seneschal shall announce the date, time, and location of the business meeting on the e-mail list, and may also make announcements on such other platforms as she or he deems appropriate.  The Seneschal shall endeavor to post announcements of the business meetings at least one week in advance, but no business meeting shall be deemed ineffective or invalid if the announcement is not timely made.  The following month’s business meeting may also be announced in the meeting minutes of the current business meeting.

4.1.3. In order for a business meeting to have quorum, it must be attended by at least five (5) Members, two of whom are current Officers.  If the Seneschal is unable to attend a business meeting, he or she may designate a Deputy or Officer as proxy.

4.2. The Shire will generally hold weekly martial practice(s) and/or Arts and Science gatherings at such dates, times, and locations posted on the Shire Web site (“Weekly Meetings”).  Weekly meetings may be cancelled, rescheduled, and/or relocated as needed. The Seneschal or his/her designee shall provide notice of any cancellation, rescheduling, and/or relocation at the time and in the manner of his or her choosing.

4.3. The Shire may hold irregular meetings of the Officers. Officer meetings may take place during business meetings.

4.4 The Shire may hold irregular meetings of the members of the Finance Committee.  Finance Committee meetings may take place during business meetings.

4.5 The Shire may hold such other meetings as the Seneschal determines to be warranted.

Article 6: Precedence and Amendments

  1. If any provision herein conflicts with any rule, regulation, or requirement of the Society, the Society rule, regulation, or requirement shall govern and control.
  1. If any provision herein conflicts with any provision of the Shire Financial Policy, the Shire Financial Policy shall govern and control.
  1. Amendment.

3.1. All proposed amendments to these Bylaw shall be announced at a business meeting, with copies distributed therein and shall be subsequently published to the Shire e-mail list (which two events shall collective be known as “Publication”). The Seneschal may also publish, or request any other Officer to publish, the proposed amendment in any other manner.

3.2. A vote on the proposed amendments may occur at the next business meeting after Publication.

3.3. The proposed amendment will be deemed accepted if it is approved by a vote of at least sixty percent (60%) of those Members present at the business meeting in which the voting takes place.  

  1. Any ambiguity or incompleteness in the Bylaws herein established shall be resolved on a case-by-case basis by the Seneschal, in consultation with the Officers as needed.  

Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Shire of Roxbury Mill

Branch Financial Policy – Second Addendum

Approved and ratified by the Shire populace on this _____ day of _______, 2018.

Purpose

This Second Addendum to the Society for Creative Anachronism (“SCA”) – Branch Financial Policy (“Financial Policy”) is established to provide local group controls in accordance with the regulations of the SCA and the Kingdom of Atlantia (“Kingdom”).  It shall serve as our operational protocol for financial matters to protect our status as a tax-exempt organization and ensure continuity in administrative functions to meet the needs of our educational and event-related activities as a public, non-profit organization.  This Second Addendum will amend and replace the previous Addendum.

Definitions

A “member” is defined as a currently paid member of the society.

“Shire” means the Shire of Roxbury Mill, a geographic branch of the SCA.

“Business Day(s)” means each day from Monday through Friday that is not a federal or State of Maryland holiday. All days herein not otherwise specified as “Business Days” shall be counted as calendar days.

  1. Maintenance of Financial Policy
    1. This Financial Policy is superseded by Corpora, SCA Financial policy, SCA Exchequer policy, Kingdom Law, Kingdom Financial policy, Kingdom Exchequer policy and all applicable federal and state laws.
    2. This policy shall be accepted by a majority vote of the membership and shall replace all previous financial policies and may be amended or replaced by a majority vote of the Financial Committee.  It may be reviewed at any Shire meeting and shall be published on the Shire Web site.
    3. The populace will be allowed a voice in any financial discussions, however only members may vote to ratify any changes made to this Financial Policy.
    4. Financial Policy will be reviewed by the Financial Committee annually and upon any change in the positions of Seneschal or Exchequer.
    5. Financial Policy will be available to any member online on the Shire Web site and a paper copy will be given to any member upon request.
    6. After approval by a majority of the members of the Shire, this Financial Policy will be submitted to the Kingdom Exchequer for final review and approval, at which point it shall become effective.
  1. Financial Committee Composition
    1. The Financial Committee is composed of five members:  The Seneschal, Deputy Seneschal, Exchequer, Deputy Exchequer, and one “at- large member” of the Shire.  In the absence of a Deputy Seneschal or a Deputy Exchequer, one or both of these positions on the Financial Committee may be filled by additional at- large member(s) until the position(s) of Deputy Seneschal and/or Deputy Exchequer have been filled.  There may be no more than three (3) at- large members on the Financial Committee at any time.  No member of the Financial Committee may share the same address or be immediately related to any other member of the Financial Committee.
    2. At- large members are elected by majority vote of the general membership of the Shire then present at the Shire’s monthly business meeting (“Business Meeting”).  
    3. At- large members shall serve a term of two (2) years at their leisure, excepting that if a majority vote of the membership at any Business Meeting where that individual is present determines the need to replace any at- large member, then that member may be removed and replaced by a new member following election as set forth in paragraph (B) above.
    4. In cases where a member of the Financial Committee (any at- large member, Deputy Seneschal, or Deputy Exchequer) is no longer active or otherwise incapacitated, the Seneschal and Exchequer may jointly recommend that the inactive member be replaced on the Financial Committee by an at- large member, which new member shall be elected according to the provisions of paragraph (B) above.
    5. All members of the Financial Committee shall be current, paying members of the SCA in good standing, as shall be verified by the Exchequer at the beginning of each calendar year. 
  1. Financial Committee Responsibilities
    1. The Financial Committee is responsible for overseeing the finances of the Shire.
    2. The members of the Financial Committee serve as the local signatories on the Shire’s checking account.
    3. In accordance with the requirements set forth in this Financial Policy, the Financial Committee makes (1) initial approval of financial matters that require a vote by the general membership and (2) final approval of financial matters that do not require a vote by the general membership.
    4. The Financial Committee will support the Exchequer and assist with the preparation of the Quarterly Financial Reports as needed.
    5. The Exchequer will report on the Shire’s financial status and any proceedings of the Finance Committee at every Business Meeting. In the event that the Exchequer is unable to attend a Business Meeting, she may appoint a designated representative to report in her stead.
    6. The Financial Committee will recommend actions needed to preserve adequate operational finances or increase reserves to meet projected needs.
    7. The Financial Committee is responsible for keeping abreast of any changes to the superseding governance documents or applicable mundane law and incorporating those changes into the Financial Policy.  Such changes do not require membership ratification; however, any changes to the Financial Policy within the scope of this Section shall be (a) published via the Shire e-mail listserv; (b) read aloud at the next Business Meeting; and (c) updated and replaced on the Shire Web site.
  1. Financial Committee Operations
    1. The Financial Committee shall meet prior to or immediately following the monthly Business Meeting.  The Exchequer shall keep a record of agenda items and actions to be reported on at the next Business Meeting.
    2. A quorum of the Financial Committee may meet at any time to conduct routine business such as signing checks and assisting the Exchequer in fulfillment of other financial responsibilities. In order to have a quorum to conduct business, four out of the five Financial Committee members shall be present.
    3. The Seneschal or Exchequer may call an emergency meeting to address time-sensitive issues as needed. Emergency meetings may be conducted telephonically, via the Internet, or in person.  The Seneschal or Exchequer shall keep a record of agenda items and actions to be reported on at the next Business Meeting. For the purposes of this Financial Policy, an “emergency” shall be an unanticipated, financial situation that requires an immediate decision that cannot wait until the next Finance Committee Meeting.  
    4. The Financial Committee may approve or reject any expenditure of less than or equal to Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) without seeking pre-authorization from the Shire.  Any such approvals or rejections shall be reported to the Shire at the next Business Meeting following such approval or rejection. This does not include line items within Event Budgets.
    5. The Financial Committee may approve emergency (as defined in Section IV(C) expenditures up to $250.00 in conjunction with sanctioned Shire activities and only with the full agreement of a quorum of the Finance Committee.  Justification must be presented to the membership at the next Business Meeting.
    6. If any member of the Shire has a reason to believe that any member of the Financial Committee has engaged in an improper act, the member may report such suspicion of impropriety to the Kingdom Regional Seneschal and Kingdom Regional Exchequer for further investigation.  Contact information for the Kingdom Regional Seneschal and Kingdom Regional Exchequer can be found on the Kingdom Web site.
    7. Any member of the Shire may propose an amendment in the Financial Policy that does not duplicate or conflict with, and is not less restrictive than, existing Kingdom governance documents to the Financial Committee. Once the Financial Committee approves or disapproves of the proposed amendment (or some variation thereof), a discussion of same must take place at a Business Meeting where the general membership may take a majority vote to accept or reject the amendment.
  1. Internal Accounting Structure (Ledger Accounts)
    1. Unallocated Funds.  “Unallocated Funds” means monies collected by the Shire to support the Shire’s administrative and event-related functions.  Unless otherwise specified, all money collected will be considered to be Unallocated Funds.
    2. Designated Funds.  “Designated Funds” means funds allocated for an anticipated expenditure.  Designated Funds may be established by the Financial Committee for use as short-term obligations occur and with the consent of the general membership of the Shire. Designated Funds shall be given a primary and secondary purpose and, if not used for the primary purpose, said funds may be used for the designated secondary purpose. Establishment of Designated Funds shall not exceed one (1) calendar year or the designated period of use set by the Financial Committee when it establishes the Designated Fund, whichever is longer.  Funding for Designated Funds will be determined by the purpose of the fund.  Any funds remaining after the expiration of the time limit will revert to Unallocated Funds.
  1. Income
    1. Definition.  “Income” shall include all monies that come to the Shire through event proceeds, fundraising efforts, or direct contribution.
    2. Designation of Direct Contributions
      1. Donors may propose a specific purpose for the funds that they donate to the Shire. Once accepted by the Financial Committee and consented to by the general membership of the Shire, the donated funds shall become Designated Funds. 
      2. Should a Designated Fund no longer exist or already be at its established ceiling, the donor will be afforded the opportunity to change her/his designation or withdraw the donation.  If the donor does not elect to change or withdraw the donation within thirty (30) days, the funds shall become Unallocated Funds.
  1. Disbursements
    1. Definition.  “Disbursements” are any monies released from the Shire account for the purposes of funding events, activities or administration of the Shire.
    2. Controls
      1. Advance Payments
        1. Advance payments can only be made with the prior approval of the Financial Committee.
        2. Receipts or repayment must be provided to cover the total amount disbursed within fourteen (14) days of the purchase of the item or service that was approved by the committee unless prior arrangements have been made with the Financial Committee.
      2. Reports to the Populace

The Exchequer, or her designated representative, shall report to the populace all expenditures made since the last Business Meeting.

  1. Purchases by Members of the Populace
    1. Members of the Shire desiring to use Shire funds to purchase permanent goods for the Shire must first submit a written purchase request to the Exchequer, who shall then submit the purchase request to the Financial Committee for a vote. 
    2. The Exchequer will compare all such requests against the current Shire inventory and will advise the Financial Committee on the validity of the requested purchase.
    3. The written purchase request must contain the modern name of the requestor, the requestor’s contact information, the date of the request, a description of the item, the cost of the item, and the reason for the purchase.
    4. The Exchequer shall maintain any approved purchase request with the Shire financial records. 
    5. When required under the rules set forth herein, any purchase request approved by the Financial Committee shall be forwarded to the Shire for additional approval.  In all circumstances, the approval or disapproval of the purchase request shall be reported to the Shire at the next Business Meeting.
  2. Inclusion into Inventory  

a) Any permanent use goods purchased with Shire monies or donated to the Shire must be turned over to the Exchequer for official recording into the Shire inventory.  All items will be clearly marked as belonging to the Shire in the most appropriate fashion.

b) The Exchequer is authorized to establish a warranted “Quartermaster” Deputy to maintain a list of inventory items.

  1. Pre-Approved Disbursements.  The Exchequer is authorized to make the following regular disbursements:
    1. Event-related Expenses

Reimbursement may be disbursed for event-related expenses, not to exceed the amount outlined in the Event Budget and only upon presentation of valid receipts.  Advance payments are only authorized for items specified in the Event Budget.  Receipts or repayment for advance payments must be provided to the Exchequer within seven five (75) Business Ddays from the closing date of the event.

  1. The Financial Committee must approve expenditures that exceed the Event Budget and are not covered by section IV(E) before the additional funds may be disbursed.
  2. All event-related costs shall be disbursed from Unallocated Funds or from the appropriate Designated Fund.
  3. Pre-approved, Reoccurring Expenses

Disbursements may be made for expenses of the Shire that commonly reoccur and equal the same amount each time, provided that the Shire has voted to approve the expenditure of such reoccurring expenses. If the payee or amount of the reoccurring expense changes at any time, it shall no longer be considered a pre-approved reoccurring expense and the Shire shall be required to approve the new reoccurring expense before such disbursements may be made on an on-going basis.

  1. Events
    1. Event Budget
      1. Members of the populace who desire to hold and run an event (“Event Steward”) must submit a preliminary budget (“Event Budget”) to the Financial Committee as part of their event proposal no later than three (3) months in advance of the proposed event. Submission of an Event Budget to the Shire during a Business Meeting as part of an event proposal shall fulfill this requirement so long as there is a quorum of Financial Committee members present at the Business Meeting.
      2. Event-related reimbursements may not occur until after the Financial Committee has recommended approval and the membership has ratified the bid for that event and only upon presentation of valid receipts.
      3. Planned event budgets in excess of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) must be recommended for approval or rejection by unanimous vote of the Financial Committee prior to being submitted to the general membership for ratification. 
      4. The general membership may override an event budget disapproval by the Financial Committee by majority vote at the next Business Meeting following disapproval of the proposed budget and the Financial Committee’s explanation of its reason(s).
    2. Separation of Event and Fundraising Proceeds
      1. Should fundraising activities be held at an event, the monies being collected for the fundraiser shall be kept separate from the monies being collected at the gate.
      2. The fundraiser organizer must ensure that the monies collected for the fundraiser are turned in to the Exchequer within five (5) Bbusiness days Days of the event.
    3. Gratis Attendees
      1. The following individuals shall be offered free admittance and feast (if applicable) (“Gratis”) at Shire events:
        1. The King and Queen of Atlantia
        2. The Prince and Princess of Atlantia
        3. Children 5 and under 
      2. Any per person fees required by the owner of the site shall be paid by the Shire only for the specific individuals mentioned above and only if that individual has accepted the offer of free admittance to the event.
    4. Event Rates
      1. Event attendees who are 18 years of age or older shall pay the full site fee.
      2. At the discretion of the Event Steward, an event may offer a reduced fee for children between the ages of 6 and 17.
      3. At the discretion of the Event Steward, an event may offer a cap on large family site fees. In the event that the Event Steward offers a cap on large family site fees, the event flyer shall clearly define what constitutes a large family for the purposes of the cap. The Event Steward shall also inform the reservationist(s) and Gate attendant(s) of the definition of large families for the purposes of that event.
      4. With the exception of persons admitted Gratis as set forth above, all attendees shall pay the full feast fee.
    5. Reporting for Shire Events
      1. The Event Steward must turn over the event profits, the original gate logs, and all applicable receipts to the Exchequer within seven five (57) business Business days Days from the closing date of the event.  The Exchequer shall retain the original gate logs in the Shire records in accordance with Kingdom policy.
      2. The copies of the gate logs and any original waiver forms that were collected shall be turned over to the Seneschal within seven five (75) Business Ddays from the closing date of the event.  The Seneschal shall deliver copies of the waiver forms to the Kingdom Waiver Secretary in accordance with Kingdom policy.
      3. Following receipt of the items mentioned above, the Exchequer shall prepare the financial report for the event within 15 days of the closing date of the event.  The Exchequer shall, ensure that the financial report is reviewed and approved by the Event Steward, and submit the approved financial report to the Kingdom Exchequer, within 30 days of the closing of the event or according to Kingdom policy, whichever period is longer.
      4. Non-member surcharges registration fees collected at the event shall be forwarded to the Kingdom in accordance with Kingdom and SCA policies.
      5. Any fees collected by the Minister of ListsHerald’s Table at the event shall be handled in accordance with Kingdom policy.
    6. Reservationist(s)/Gate Operations
      1. The Reservationist(s) shall take advance registrations for an event by postal mail or in person. The Reservationist(s) shall take advance registrations for a Shire-hosted, Kingdom event in accordance with Kingdom policy. Kingdom events are Coronation, Crown, Curia, Twelfth Night, Unevent, and University.
      2. The Reservationists shall record all reservations on a reservations log kept in a fashion that records the following: attendee’s mundane name; SCA name, if any; membership number, if provided; fees paid and for what purpose; method of payment (i.e., cash or check number); justification, if Gratis; and any appropriate explanation notes.
      3. The Exchequer shall issue an advance check for no more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to the Event Steward or a designee (for example, head gate keeper) for gate change.
      4. The gate proceeds shall be kept in a secure fashion at all times.
      5. The reservation log and the gate log shall be the records of funds received for the event and shall be maintained by the Exchequer. 
      6. All attendees shall check in with the gate.  Gate keepers will validate attendance of all paid pre-registered, collect any monies due, verify current membership, collect the non-member surchargeregistration fee, if applicable, and require waiver completion, if appropriate.
        1. A gate log will be kept in a fashion that records the following:  attendee’s mundane name; SCA name, if any; membership number, fees paid and for what purpose; method of payment (cash or check number), justification if Gratis; and any appropriate explanatory notes.
        2. No reimbursements, advance overpayments, funds for supplies or other purchases, or refunds will be disbursed from the gate.
        3. An attendee or a party requesting a reimbursements, advance overpayments, or refunds, in whole or part, for fees already collected must submit a written request to the Event Steward for validation within seven (7) thirty (30) days of after thean event closes.  The Event Steward shall forward such requests to the Exchequer for payment.  This request must include the individual’s mundane name and contact information including address and phone number, SCA name, and the reason for request of reimbursement, advance overpayment, or refund.
        4. Upon approval of the request by the Financial Committee, the Exchequer will issue a check for payment or refund within thirty (30) days.
      7. Upon the close of the gate, all gate receipts, gate logs, waivers, and other related paperwork shall be turned over to the Exchequer or, in the absence of the Exchequer, the Event Steward, who shall maintain the receipts and papers in a secure fashion until they can be transferred to the Exchequer.
  1. Financial Statements
    1. In accordance with SCA policy, the financial records of the Shire shall be made available to the membership in a timely fashion.
    2. The Comparative Balance Sheet and Income Statement from the Year-End Report shall be provided to the Shire Chronicler for publication via the Shire’s electronic mailing list software application.  
    3. The Exchequer shall provide a paper copy of the Comparative Balance Sheet and Income Statement to any member of the Shire who requests one in writing. The Exchequer may request a nominal fee to cover expenses of copying.  
    4. The Exchequer shall provide a hard or soft copy of all reports to the Seneschal.
    5. A copy of the Quarterly Report and Year-End will be submitted to the Regional Exchequer using established Kingdom policies.
  1. Deposits/Withdrawals
    1. No one shall withdraw any cash funds from any and all bank accounts maintained by the Shire.
    2. All disbursements from Shire accounts shall be by check made out to a person or a business (i.e., no checks shall be paid to “cash”).
    3. The Exchequer will make all deposits into any account held by the Shire.
      1. The Exchequer may delegate deposit authority to other members of the Financial Committee or to the Shire’s Officers. For the purposes of this Financial Policy, in addition to the Exchequer, the Shire’s Officers are defined as the individuals holding any of the following offices: Seneschal; Herald; Knight Marshal; Archery Marshal; Chronicler; Chatelaine; Minister of Arts and Sciences; and Web Minister. Deputies to these offices are not considered officers.