COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

AMGA committees shall consist of three (3) members each unless otherwise specified in the committee description.

Each committee shall exercise only those powers and responsibilities that are delegated to it. No committee or member thereof may authorize the expenditure of AMGA funds or obligate the AMGA in any manner unless authorized by the board to do so. Committee chairmen shall be responsible for submitting to the board their proposals for such authorization.

Each committee chairman will:

1. recruit committee members and ensure that members have the information needed to do their jobs.
2. prepare a summary report of committee activities which will be provided to succeeding committee chair.
3. provide a report, listing any anticipated action item(s) at the end to the secretary two (2) weeks prior to each board meeting.
4. provide committee reports to the newsletter editor for inclusion in the quarterly AMGA newsletter when appropriate.
5. provide copies of all relevant documents to the chairman of the records and retention committee for permanent storage.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

An Audit Committee, none of whom are members of the board, shall be appointed by the president and approved by the board at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the fiscal year. The audit committee shall examine the treasurer’s accounts for the fiscal year and, at the annual meeting, submit in writing a report signed by all members of the committee.

The Audit Committee shall:

• review all financial records maintained by the Treasurer including verification of expenditures.
• prepare a report to the AMGA President and Board of Directors, giving the results of the audit.

AWARDS COMMITTEE

The Awards Committee, consisting of a minimum of five (5) members, administers the AMGA Awards Program that annually recognizes Master Gardeners for exceptional service to the Master Gardener program. The awards committee chairman, with the approval of the president, identifies another AMGA member to serve as the “Reach for the Stars” Chairman.

Awards include:

1. Mary Lou McNabb Alabama Master Gardener of the Year Award
2. Gary Murray Award for Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Alabama Master Gardener Program
3. Jean Lee Lifetime Hours Award
4. Top Hours of the Year Award
5. Outstanding Newsletter Award
6. Reach for the Stars Program

The awards are described in detail under the Awards Program, pages 16–20. Award winners are announced at the AMGA Annual Conference.

The Awards Committee shall:

• determine the types of awards to be given to Master Gardeners across the State of Alabama and submit these recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval.
• solicit nominations from local associations through written correspondence with each local association president and/or ACES agent.
• review nominations and select the award winners or appoint an ad hoc subcommittee to review the nominations and select the winners. If an ad hoc subcommittee is used, suggested subcommittee members include the State Master Gardener Program Coordinator, the AMGA President, the AMGA Past President, and others who have a working knowledge of the Master Gardener Program and its objectives.

The Reach for the Stars Chairman shall:

• serve as custodian of the stars for the program.
• receive requests from local associations for stars and badges and send the stars to local associations for presentation.
• work with the manufacturer to acquire badges/advanced stars to be presented to recipients at the Annual Meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

The primary responsibility of the communications committee is to promote communications between all facets of the Master Gardener Program and its membership.

The Communications Committee shall:

• develop and maintain an annual AMGA calendar of significant and mandatory dates for both the AMGA and the Local MG associations. The approved calendar will be provided to the AMGA Webmaster for inclusion on the AMGA Website. (The Calendar can be found in Appendix B).
• research and resolve questions raised by Alabama master gardeners regarding policies and procedures, at both the local and state levels.
• review AMGA documents (Board Manual, Local Association Handbook, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation) annually and amend as needed to maintain consistency with current operational practices and across documents. All modifications will be subject to the approval of the board and as necessary approval by the AMGA membership.
• work with the newsletter editor and the webmaster in order to facilitate their roles as chairs of subcommittees of the communications committee.
• perform other tasks when assigned by the President or BOD.

NEWSLETTER SUBCOMMITTEE

The Newsletter Editor shall chair this sub-committee, which will consist of the editor, copy- editor and proofreader. The editor shall work with the communications committee chairman, as content manager.

The Editor shall, with the assistance of the committee as needed:

• work with local MGA newsletter editors across the State.
• establish deadlines for when newsletter articles are due based on the board- established publication schedule.
• send a reminder to individuals responsible for regular columns two to three weeks prior to the deadline for submission. A second reminder will be sent when needed.
• adhere to parameters regarding submission of articles.
• edit all submissions as needed and prepare first draft following the format approvedby the communications committee and the board.
• provide first draft to copy-editor for editing.
• make corrections noted by copy-editor, and send second draft to the proofreader for final editing.
• prepare final electronic copy and submit to communications committee chair for approval and posting to the AMGA website. (Newsletters will be emailed to members in good standing.)
• attend AMGA BOD meetings and Advisory Council meetings on an “as needed” basis.

The Copyeditor shall:

• be familiar with a style manual such as the AP Style Guide for current guidelines relating to usage “for the digital age.”
• check all articles for readability, correct spelling, grammar and punctuation
• check that names of individuals, places and organizations are spelled properly andthat facts, dates and statistics are accurate.
• check that illustrations and photos are correctly captioned.
• when necessary, research cited sources to make sure they are reputable and thatproper credit is given.
• make sure the writing is easy to read, and rewrite and update written content when needed.
• make necessary changes to articles to meet AMGA’s standards.

The Proofreader shall:

• be familiar with a style manual such as the AP Style Guide for current guidelines relating to usage “for the digital age.”
• proof the final copy of the newsletter before it is submitted to the communications committee and the board.
• check that spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct and consistent
• check that names of individuals, places and organizations are spelled properly andthat facts, dates and statistics are accurate.

WEBSITE SUBCOMMITTEE

The Webmaster shall work with the communications committee chairman, as content manager, to maintain the association’s website.

The Webmaster shall:

• maintain the association’s web site.
• maintain the website hosting company to host the site.
• coordinate with Officers, Board Members, and Committee Chairmen to maintain current information on the web site.
• acquire photographs of association events to post on the web site.
• maintain a list of contacts to include AMGA officers, board members, and committeechairs.
• coordinate with Alabama Cooperative Extension System (State Master Gardener Program Coordinator) to post information about future Master Gardener classes and Extension related information.
• report the status of the website to the communications committee.
• insure that articles & photos are posted and removed in a timely manner.
• attend AMGA BOD meetings and Advisory Council meetings on an “as needed” basis.

CONTINUING EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The State Master Gardener Program Coordinator serves as chairman of the continuing education committee that consists of at least three additional members.

The primary purpose of the committee is to develop programs that will offer continuing education (CEU) opportunities for certified Master Gardeners to assist the membership in meeting annual continuing education recommendations.

The Continuing Education Committee shall:

• coordinate a one-day fall seminar with the event location changing each year as a convenience to all members.
• prepare a budget request, and submit it to the AMGA treasurer for approval by the AMGA board of directors.
• identify continuing education subject matter in the many areas of horticulture that should interest and benefit master gardeners in their volunteer efforts.

ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE

It is the policy of AMGA to support Alabama resident students seeking degrees in horticulture or closely related courses of study at Auburn University through both undergraduate and graduate scholarships funded through endowment funds established by AMGA in cooperation with Auburn University. The endowment committee cooperates with Auburn University (AU) in the administration and promotion of the AMGA/Auburn College of Agriculture Endowment funds per the endowment agreements.

The Endowment Committee shall:

• determine if sufficient funds are available to offer a scholarship. Any deviation from the stated policy is subject to approval of the board of directors.
• work with AMGA Board of Directors and Auburn College of Agriculture to maintain endowment agreements.
• communicate and follow-up with the AMGA treasurer to forward scholarship funds to Auburn within the established time frame.
• attend the yearly Scholarship Awards Ceremony at Auburn University and participate as requested by AU.
• attend other events at AU when invitations are issued.
• maintain records of yearly fund performance as provided by AU.
• report to membership at annual business meeting regarding fund balance/performance and status of recipients.
• work with the AMGA BOD and Auburn College of Agriculture to update the agreements as necessary.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

The Membership Chairman shall have primary responsibility for maintaining records and for working with local associations and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) in increasing and retaining master gardener membership.

The Membership Committee shall:

• oversee maintenance of an up-to-date database of dues-paying members, including name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
• work closely with the AMGA treasurer to ensure continuity of records regarding memberships and dues payments.
• notify local association membership chairs by January 31 each year of delinquencies in submission of Dues Tracker database update information and follow up on those delinquencies until the needed update information is recorded.
• assist local association membership chairs as needed in entering and maintaining membership records.
• provide an up-to-date membership list to the newsletter editor for the issue of the AMGA newsletter announcing the annual meeting.
• provide a list of members entitled to vote at annual or special called meetings at least 10 days prior to such meetings.
• issue membership cards each year to the local associations for distribution to each master gardener who has paid dues or is a lifetime member.
• identify database changes/upgrades needed to improve membership information reporting, and coordinating the proposed changes with the State Master Gardener Program Coordinator.
• when requested by the board of directors, develop a plan that encourages anyone with an interest in gardening to participate in the Master Gardener Program, or a plan that encourages graduate master gardeners to remain active volunteers and association members.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee shall be composed of three (3) members: one of whom is elected each year to serve a two-year term and one (1) appointed by the president.

The Nominating Committee shall:

• work with the AMGA Advisory Council to obtain nominations of qualified candidates for officers/board members/committee positions. Nominees must be members in good standing of both local and state associations.
• provide candidates with the responsibilities associated with the position as defined in this manual.
• publish the slate of candidates with their resumes in the state newsletter for AMGA general membership’s review.
• prepare the ballot and conduct the election of candidates during the business meeting at the annual master gardener meeting.
• provide names of potential candidates to the AMGA board of directors if vacancies occur during the year. The board of directors shall fill such vacancies.
• candidates for any master gardener office must be willing to commit the time and resources necessary to effectively perform duties of their elected or appointed office.

PROJECT FUNDING COMMITTEE

The purpose of the Project Funding committee is to develop and administer a Project Funding Program that annually awards AMGA financial assistance to master gardener projects throughout the State of Alabama.

The Project Funding Committee shall:

• prepare an annual budget request to be submitted to the AMGA treasurer for approval by the board of directors.
• prepare criteria for selecting projects for funding.
• develop an application packet to be distributed to interested MG groups.
• solicit and evaluate applications and present identified projects to the board of directors for approval.
• notify associations whose projects were selected for funding.
• establish guidelines to be followed in executing the projects and notify the award winners of the financial accountability requirements of the AMGA.
• request periodic reports of project progress.
• coordinate any publicity/recognition activities associated with these projects, andannounce the awarding of grants at the annual meeting.

RECORDS AND RETENTION COMMITTEE

The Records and Retention Committee is composed of one member.

The Records and Retention Committee shall:

• maintain hard copies of all board and committee approved documents until transferred into a digital retrieval system.
• maintain digital retrieval system when one is implemented.
• receive all board/committee approved documentation and other correspondence as deemed necessary by the board, and ensure that it is archived into the proper repository for posterity.
• establish guidelines for handling and maintaining all approved board/committee documentation and correspondence from cradle to grave.
• seek board assistance within 24-48 hours of identification of major problem.
• report to the board quarterly any progress and/or difficulties encountered during the quarter.

STATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

The State Conference Committee, chaired by the AMGA Vice-President, is composed of at least seven (7) members: (1) the chairperson(s) of the conference committee from hosting local association, (2) conference chairpersons from two previous conferences, (3) the State Master Gardener Program Coordinator, and (4) the conference chairpersons for the next two conferences. This committee shall plan and coordinate the annual business meeting and all activities associated with it. The major responsibilities of this committee are contained in the AMGA Conference Manual.

The State Conference Committee shall:

• secure a local association as host for a conference a minimum of two years prior to projected conference date.
• work with the local hosting associations to organize the annual AMGA conferences.
• secure a written conference report and a written financial report from the hostingassociation as soon as possible after the end of the conference.
• present summaries of these reports to the board of directors at the board meeting following the conference.
• work with AMGA to promote the annual conference through the state newsletter, the state website and other media.
• schedule time on the agenda of AMGA board of directors meetings for briefings by local hosting associations.
• review the AMGA Conference Manual, Guidelines for Conducting a State Conference, annually for inclusion of appropriate input from each hosting association’s final conference report. All modifications will be subject to the approval of the board. The program committee also maintains a separate archive of past conference summary reports.
• assist with the promotion of local associations’ activities, including field trips, special workshops and conferences.