N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 344: Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications of voters

§ 344. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications

of voters. 1. At a corporate meeting of an incorporated church to which

this article is applicable, the following persons, and no others, shall

be qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are then members in good

and regular standing of such church by admission into full communion or

membership therewith in accordance with the rules and regulations

thereof, and of the governing ecclesiastical body of the Byelorussian

Autocephalic Orthodox Church, and who have been stated attendants on

divine worship in such church and have regularly contributed to the

financial support thereof during the year next preceding such meeting.

2. The annual corporate meeting shall be governed with respect to its

organization and election of laymen trustees and the clerk of the

corporation by the same provisions as set forth in this article for the

incorporation of said church, except if there be no rector or he be

necessarily absent or if he refuses to call such meeting to order, the

chairman of the board of trustees shall do so.

3. The same provisions shall apply to a special corporate meeting.

4. At the annual corporate meeting the trustees shall cause to be

prepared and read thereat a budget giving the approximate amount of

money needed for the maintenance of worship, the administration of the

temporal affairs of the church and for the care of the property, and

such other regular and special items as shall be brought to the

attention of the meeting, which budget shall be discussed and decided

upon, ratified or amended by the said meeting by majority vote, with

ample provision made to raise such funds by whatever usages the church

shall elect.

5. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at any annual

corporate meeting and no election of the trustees and officers shall be

accordingly had thereat, the board of trustees shall call a special

meeting (which may be referred to as an adjourned annual corporate

meeting) at a time and place to be fixed by it. Notice of such meeting

shall be given in the same manner as provided for any special meeting.

If such special meeting be not called by the board of trustees within

two weeks following the date for such annual meeting, the rector is

authorized to and shall call such special meeting and notice thereof

shall be given in like manner. The election of officers and any other

business required or scheduled to have been had or conducted at the

annual corporate meeting may be had and conducted at such special

meeting. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at such special

meeting and no election of officers shall be accordingly had thereat,

the rector, vicar or minister in charge of the church or congregation,

with the approval of the bishop, not more than sixty days thereafter, is

authorized to and shall appoint the laymen trustees, and other lay

officers to the offices not filled by election at such annual corporate

meeting or such special meeting, and they shall hold office as such

until the next succeeding annual meeting. If such rector, vicar or

minister shall fail to make such appointments, the bishop is authorized

to and shall make such appointments, with like force and effect.