BYLAWS
SISTERS IN CRIME DESERT SLEUTHS CHAPTER, INC.
Raising professionalism, serving as the voice for excellence,
and achieving diversity in crime writing.
ARTICLE I
NAME AND SEAL:
Section 1. The name of this nonprofit corporation shall be Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, Inc., referred to herein as “Desert Sleuths” or “the Chapter.” Its seal shall be a cactus with the words “Desert Sleuths” and “Sisters in Crime,” but the Executive Committee may adopt a new design if desired, that will have been approved by Sisters in Crime, Inc (hereinafter “National” or “SinC”). Its principal location shall be the metropolitan Phoenix area of Arizona, primarily the Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler areas. Meetings may take place in person, virtually, or as a hybrid of both.
ARTICLE II
Vision, Mission, and Core Values:
Vision: Sisters in Crime (SinC) sets standards for itself, its members, and the crime writing community. Through advocacy, programming, and leadership, SinC empowers and supports all crime writers regardless of genre or position on their career trajectory.
Mission: SinC was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers.
Core Values: SinC’s core values are intrinsic to our organization’s identity and are reflected in every decision, action, program, and communication we undertake.
SinC’s core values are:
Advocacy: Championing our mission, vision, and members.
Equity: Ensuring fair and just practices and policies that enable all community members to thrive, participate, and succeed.
Inclusion: Actively, intentionally, and continually creating an environment where every member of our community is valued, respected, and has a sense of belonging.
Community: Fostering a diverse community where differences are valued, everyone feels accepted and free to express their authentic selves, and individual needs are acknowledged and respected. Our community embraces everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, age, religion, disability, neurodiversity, national origin, citizenship, socioeconomic status, educational background, publishing path, or chosen genre.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP: Membership is open to all persons and entities worldwide who have an interest in mystery and crime writing and in furthering the purposes of Desert Sleuths, as defined in Article II.
The term “Active member” or “Member” within this document henceforth shall refer to any member whose membership dues for both SinC and Desert Sleuths are paid in full, regardless of membership category.
Section 1. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP. A PROFESSIONAL member is an Active member who is one of the following: a writer interested in crime and mystery writing, a bookseller, a publisher, a librarian, an editor, or one who has an interest in promoting the mission of Desert Sleuths as defined in Article II.
Section 2. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP. An ASSOCIATE member is an Active member who does not have a business interest in promoting the purposes of SinC. This includes, but is not limited to, fans and readers, and precludes Professionals as listed in Section 1.
Section 3. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP. An HONORARY member is a person who is elected as such by the Board of Directors and has no voting rights. No dues at the Chapter level are required; however, dues to SinC are required per the national organization’s policies.
Section 4. INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP. An INSTITUTIONAL member is an organization such as an educational institution, business firm, or other group.
Section 5. YOUTH MEMBERSHIP. A YOUTH member is aged 18-25. After a YOUTH member turns 25, said member will be required to move to a PROFESSIONAL membership with their next renewal. YOUTH members have all the rights and responsibilities of PROFESSIONAL members.
Section 6. EXPANSION OF MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES. Additional or amended categories of membership may be added by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any such membership does not extend to National membership. National dues must still be paid.
ARTICLE IV
GENERAL MANAGEMENT:
Section 1. The general management, control, and direction of the affairs, funds, and property of Desert Sleuths shall be vested in its Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the “Board.”
Section 2. No part of the net earnings of Desert Sleuths shall inure to the benefit of any member, director, or officer of the organization, or to any private individual, provided, however, that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to, or for, Desert Sleuths (subject to the provisions of Article VI).
Section 3. If there shall be a cash surplus at the end of the fiscal year, it shall be retained in the treasury of Desert Sleuths to be used to further the purposes of the organization.
Section 4. No part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office (including the publishing or distribution of statements) except as authorized under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Section 1. The Board of Directors (“Board”) of Desert Sleuths shall consist of the Officers (Executive Committee, see Article VI, Sec. 1) and a minimum of two (2) Members-at-Large. The Board may determine further Member-at-Large positions in ratio to membership, e.g., one Member-at–Large for every twenty-five (25) Active members of the chapter.
The Members-at-Large shall serve on Standing Committees and/or others so designated by the Board.
The Immediate Past President shall serve on the Board as a voting member and in an ex officio capacity.
Section 2. Qualification and terms of office for Officers shall be as set down in Article VI, OFFICERS.
Section 3. Members-at-Large shall be Active members of Desert Sleuths. Their term of office shall be for two (2) years, with one person serving a one-year term in the first year of this structure to provide for alternating openings each subsequent year. If a Member-at-Large position is vacated before the end of the term, the President may appoint an Active member to fill the remainder of the term, thus maintaining a staggered rotation.
Section 4. Officers and Members-at-Large shall be elected by the Active membership of Desert Sleuths.
Section 5. The Board shall have the right to decide by majority vote to add a Member-at-Large to its number.
Section 6. An Advisor is defined as a former board member or other experienced individual who serves as a mentor/advisor for new Officers. The Advisor serves in an ex officio capacity and does not count toward a quorum. An Advisor has voting privileges for membership activities only if an Active member.
Section 7. The Board is authorized to make such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the effective management of the organization, including but not limited to its logo, records, and membership mailing list. It is noted that prior to implementation, any logo must be approved by SinC.
Section 8. The Board is authorized to use electronic methods to call for votes on issues between meetings. The President will count the votes and forward the motion and vote tally to the Secretary or designee for permanent record in the minutes.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS (Executive Committee):
Section 1. The Officers of Desert Sleuths shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. They shall be Professional members of Desert Sleuths. These Officers shall constitute the Executive Committee.
Desert Sleuths shall make every effort to limit the terms of the President and Vice President to no more than two continuous terms. However, if the Nominating process reveals no new candidates for these roles, a chapter may exceed the two-term rule. Any chapter with the same member serving in the President and/or Vice President role for more than four years shall seek approval from the National Board.
In the event that a decision needs to be made quickly without time to poll the full Board, the Executive Committee may make that decision. Votes, which may be collected electronically, shall be tabulated and recorded by the Secretary or designee.
Section 2. PRESIDENT. The President shall preside at (or delegate a representative to preside at) all membership meetings, and call and preside at all meetings of the Board. The President sets goals and responsibilities, serves as ad hoc member of committees, polls Board members on major decisions, keeps members informed, serves as group spokesperson, acts as liaison with other SinC chapters or related organizations, plans special events and performs such other duties as the Board may from time to time determine.
If Desert Sleuths has co-Presidents, one co-President would assume all presidential responsibilities if the other is incapacitated or otherwise unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities for the remainder on the term. If both co-Presidents are unable, the Vice President would assume all presidential responsibilities for the remainder of the term.
For a period of one term following his/her term as President, the Immediate Past President shall serve on the Board as a voting member and in an ex officio capacity. This applies to both Immediate Past Presidents if Desert Sleuths has co-Presidents.
Section 3. VICE-PRESIDENT. The Vice-President shall substitute for all or part of the above if the President and/or co-President is unable to fulfill her obligations, attend Executive Committee meetings, and may act as chairperson for special events, oversee the work of the standing committees, obtain progress reports from committees, see that progress is reported to membership, and assist or substitute for the President as required.
Section 4. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall take minutes at all General Membership, Board and Executive Committee meetings, maintain a chronological file of all meeting minutes, including a copy of the Treasurer’s reports for the corresponding month, handle correspondence in coordination with the President, keep a file of publications and publicity, and perform such other duties as determined by the Board.
Section 5. TREASURER. The Treasurer, or the person or persons designated by the Board shall be responsible for all financial matters for Desert Sleuths, including the collection of dues and/or other income and the payment of expenses; keep accurate financial accounts; maintain a checking account and/or other financial accounts; prepare and submit financial statements at the regular Board meetings and whenever so requested by the Board or general membership; and perform such other duties as determined by the Board. The Treasurer, or any person or persons designated by the Board, may make disbursements from the treasury, as authorized by a majority vote of the Board.
If at any time, the Treasurer cannot continue in the position or the Desert Sleuths Board determines by a majority vote that some or all of the responsibilities outlined above should no longer be assigned to the Treasurer of that calendar year, the Board may designate another person or persons and assign and delegate said responsibilities to them by a separate majority vote. Such decisions will be recorded in the minutes; the Board will provide a written notice in that regard and will clearly delineate the assignment of each/all of the Treasurer’s responsibilities in writing to all parties involved. The written decision and delineation of responsibilities will be made part of the permanent chapter records.
Section 5-A. FISCAL AUDIT. The books and records shall be reviewed annually under the Treasurer’s direction by a private accountant hired by the Board.
Section 6. VACANCIES. Should there be a vacancy in the Presidency at any time, the Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency and shall serve until the next annual election.
In the event that the co-President, if there is one, or Vice-President is unable to succeed to the Presidency, the Board shall, by majority vote, determine the successor to the President, and that successor shall serve as President until the next annual election. Any other vacancy of an office shall be filled by the Board, and the successor shall hold office until the next annual election.
Section 7. COMPENSATION. None of the Officers of Desert Sleuths or any other members of the Board shall receive any salary or compensation for services rendered as Officers and/or Board members. Salaries may be paid to any employee of Desert Sleuths, including employees who have been given official titles, such as Executive Secretary or Assistant Secretary, or to such other persons as the Board may direct. This does not preclude the Board members from being reimbursed for reasonable expenses associated with their service on behalf of the organization.
Section 8. EXPULSION OR IMPEACHMENT OF OFFICERS. Officers and Members of the Board can be impeached from office for dereliction of duty or malfeasance by a majority vote of the Active membership in accordance with Article XI VOTING.
If it is alleged that the Officer is in violation of the SinC Code of Conduct, please use the SinC National procedures for reporting beginning with filling out the form at https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/CoCComplaints. In respect to an alleged violation of the SinC Code of Conduct, the process shall follow the National guidelines. The investigation and all communications related to the investigation, including all communications with witnesses related to same, shall remain in strict confidence and shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the National Disciplinary Committee members and/or legal representatives involved in the investigation, except where disclosure is required under appropriate legal process. The Disciplinary Committee members and all witnesses associated with the investigation shall execute a Confidentiality Agreement related to the investigation in a form similar to the one attached hereto as Exhibit A.
For local dereliction of duty or malfeasance, a general membership vote can be taken in accordance with Article X VOTING, provided that at least 10 days’ notice of the matter under consideration has been sent to the membership. The expulsion process includes the following steps:
- Notification: The Officer will be notified in writing of the local dereliction of duty or malfeasance charge(s) and by whom the charges were made. A copy of the charge(s) will also be filed with the Executive Committee.
- Investigation: A committee of Active members, none of whom are on the Executive Committee, chaired, if possible, by a former president or other officer of Desert Sleuths will investigate the charges. This committee will be selected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
- Hearing: If the investigation committee finds merit in the charge by a majority vote, a hearing will be held. The hearing will be conducted in a manner that allows the accused officer(s) ample opportunity to present a defense.
- Recommendation: If the investigating committee recommends expulsion by a two-thirds vote, notification of the call for expulsion will be sent to all members, along with a statement summarizing the investigating committee’s recommendations.
- Final Vote: The membership will vote on the impeachment of the officer(s) at the next membership meeting or a special membership meeting, after a full and open hearing of both sides.
ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES AND PROJECT TEAMS:
Section 1. Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees shall be established by the Board, as needed. Chairpersons of committees shall be appointed by the Board and may be selected from among the Board and the Active membership. They shall serve at the pleasure of the Board as a whole.
Individuals and Project Teams may perform committee work, even if there is no active committee, under the direction of a Board member or an Active member designated as Chair of a Standing or Ad Hoc committee.
Standing Committees and their Chairs may include:
- MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Maintains an electronic record of all members, including current contact information and the payment of annual chapter dues; confirms membership with National; annually reconciles Desert Sleuths membership against National’s membership records; updates Chapter membership on National’s website; and may perform other duties as the Board determines from time to time.
- PROGRAM COMMITTEE: Works in conjunction with the Chapter President and/or Executive Committee to plan monthly programs; and may perform other duties as the Board determines from time to time.
- MARKETING AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE: Publicizes and promotes Desert Sleuths and its events, achievements, and image for the overall benefit of the membership; and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
- CONFERENCES COMMITTEE: In concert with the Board, other chapter committees, and Active members, plans, coordinates, promotes, implements, manages, and hosts Desert Sleuths’ annual Chapter Conference and/or any other annual chapter conference(s); and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
- BYLAWS COMMITTEE: Reviews the Chapter Bylaws on a biennial basis and brings to the attention of the Board any perceived need for amendments or corrections; ensures that the newly elected Desert Sleuths Board of Directors receives the most recent SinC Bylaws and Desert Sleuths Bylaws no later than the January Board meeting each year; and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
- ANTHOLOGY COMMITTEE. Coordinates, manages, and publishes Desert Sleuths anthologies, or any other such Chapter publications, created and/or published by and for the benefit of the Chapter and its Active members; and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
- WEBSITE/ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE. Monitors, updates, and maintains the Chapter website; advises the Board on technology issues that may affect or benefit the Chapter; and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
- NOMINATING COMMITTEE. Coordinates, manages, and implements the proper procedures to solicit Active members to fill Desert Sleuths Board positions that will be vacated at the end of the year; and may perform other duties as the Board may determine from time to time.
Section 2. Fuller descriptions of responsibilities and activities are outlined in the Chapter Policies and Procedures Manual and should be reviewed and/or updated every three years under the direction of the Vice President.
Section 3. Additional committees shall be appointed by the President and/or Board as needed.
ARTICLE VIII
MEETINGS:
Section 1: Chapter Meetings. Desert Sleuths shall have at least eight (8) monthly membership meetings per year. Meetings will be held virtually or in a location designated by the Board and announced to the membership in advance.
One of these meetings will be designated the Annual Membership Meeting for the purposes of reporting to the membership and/or conducting any in-person voting.
Section 2: Board Meetings. Board meetings shall be held monthly, with at least ten (10) meetings, when and where the Board shall determine, providing that, if there is a membership meeting that month, the Board meeting occurs prior to the membership meeting.
Participation in Board meetings shall be in person, by proxy, or by electronic access. Other meetings as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee may take place in person or electronically.
Section 2-A. Quorum: A majority of the Board (50% plus 1) shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of voting. Ex-officio Board members do not count in calculating a quorum.
Section 2-B. Voting Rights. Ex-officio Board members who are Active members have voting rights on the Board, but ex-officio Board members who are not Active members do not.
Section 3: Executive Committee Meetings. The Executive Committee may meet outside of regular Board meetings, as needed, to discuss and execute Chapter business.
ARTICLE IX
NOTICES:
Section 1. All Chapter notices to members shall be sent to the latest email address or physical address furnished by Active members to the Secretary.
Section 2. Elections/Voting: Notices shall be sent to all Active members. Proxies for voting shall be sent out only by request of an Active member in accordance with Article XI VOTING.
Notices regarding Voting and Voting Procedures shall include appropriate instructions and deadlines for requests for absentee or proxy ballots for in-person voting or mail ballots in lieu of electronic voting, as addressed in Article XI VOTING.
ARTICLE X
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS:
Section 1. NOMINATIONS
Section 1-A. Nominating Chair and Committee: Not later than July 1st, the board shall appoint a Nominating Chair who will convene a Nominating Committee and set the schedule for Nominations and Elections. Such scheduling shall incorporate the requirements below for advance notice to Active members and all other voting dates and requirements.
The Nominating Committee will prepare a list of positions as shall fall vacant at the end of the calendar year, solicit nominees from the Active membership, including current Board members, and interview nominees.
Nominations, including self-nominations, may be made by Board members and Active members. Nominations each year must be made in accordance with the deadline determined and advertised by the Nominating Committee.
Section 1-B. Candidates List: Not later than September 1st, the Nominating Committee shall finalize the list of candidates for such elected positions.
Within one week, the Nominating Chair shall give the Secretary the slate of candidates, which shall then be announced to the membership via a special electronic announcement, and/or special mailing, and publicized in the next chapter newsletter.
Section 2. ELECTIONS
ELECTIONS. Elections shall take place by October 31st of each year. Voting shall take place in accordance with the procedures outlined in Article XI VOTING.
ARTICLE XI
VOTING
Section 1. ELIGIBILITY. Only Active members of Desert Sleuths, as defined in Article III MEMBERSHIP of these bylaws, shall be eligible to vote.
Section 2. VOTING. Voting, including the annual election of the Desert Sleuths Board, may take place in one of two ways, as individually outlined in Section 2-A and Section 2-B of this Article.
While voting generally occurs for the purpose of electing the coming year’s Board of Directors or changes to the Bylaws, these rules apply to any matter put to the Active membership for a formal vote.
Section 2-A. In-person voting may take place in person, by written proxy, or by absentee ballot.
2-A.1. In-person Voting may be conducted at the meeting by secret ballot or by a show of hands.
2-A.2. An absentee ballot or a proxy may be requested by any Active members who are unable to attend the Membership Meeting in order to allow them to vote. When requested, absentee ballots or proxies must be sent to the Active member no later than two weeks prior to the meeting at which voting will take place. The absentee ballots and/or proxies must be received by the Board at least five (5) days in advance of the day of the meeting at which voting will take place.
2-A.3. Ballots will be collected and counted, and the count verified by at least two members of the Committee responsible for the vote, i.e., Nominating Committee, Bylaws Committee, etc., and at least one of those counting votes must be a current Board member. For Chapter Elections, an outgoing current Board member should be the Board representative counting ballots.
Results will be announced before the conclusion of the meeting. In the event of a tie, a run-off election will be held.
Section 2-B. Electronic Voting: Alternatively, if approved by a majority vote of the Board, voting may be done via electronic ballot.
That decision will be announced at the next chapter meeting, in the next chapter newsletter, and by an electronic announcement immediately following the Board’s decision and, for annual elections, in time to meet nominating and balloting deadlines.
2-B. 1. Ballots or an electronic link will be emailed to Active members only.
If any member requests that a ballot be mailed, rather than sent electronically, the Board will ensure that is mailed before or at the same time the email ballots or link are sent. Completed ballots must be mailed to the official Desert Sleuths mailing address and received in time for the official count, which is no later than ten (10) days after the ballots or link are emailed.
For the Chapter’s annual election, such email must be sent no later than October 1st.
2-B. 2 The deadline for returning email ballots or submitting an electronic vote is no later than ten (10) days after the ballots or link are emailed. Email ballots must be returned to the chapter’s official Desert Sleuths email address.
For the Chapter’s annual election, this should be no later than October 10th.
2-B. 3 Ballots will be collected and counted, and the count verified by at least two members of the Committee responsible for the vote, i.e., Nominating Committee, Bylaws Committee, etc., and at least one of those counting votes must be a current Board member. For Chapter Elections, an outgoing current Board member should be the Board representative counting ballots.
Results will be announced at the next chapter meeting and in the next chapter newsletter. In the event of a tie, a run-off election will be held.
Section 3. The Officers and Board members pro tem serving prior to incorporation and formal adoption of bylaws shall continue in those positions for full terms of office if their election is so confirmed by a simple majority of professional members voting in person or by proxy at the first Annual Meeting following incorporation and formal adoption of bylaws.
ARTICLE XII
DUES:
Section 1. PAYMENT. Each Active member of Desert Sleuths shall pay Chapter dues annually, the amount of which shall depend on the category of membership and be determined by the Board. Renewal notices shall be sent to Active members by October 1st. If a new member joins the Chapter for the first time in the 10th calendar month or later, dues paid will cover the following year as well.
Section 2. SISTERS IN CRIME MEMBERSHIP. Active members of Desert Sleuths are also required to be members of SinC, which collects its own dues separately. Collection of these dues is not the responsibility of the Chapter, but the Chapter is responsible for confirming that SinC dues have been paid before an individual can be deemed an Active Member of Desert Sleuths.
ARTICLE XIII
DISCIPLINE:
Section 1. NON-PAYMENT OF DUES. Chapter membership may be terminated if dues have not been paid by January 31st. The application of this provision shall be under rules and regulations made by the Board of Directors and in compliance with Sisters in Crime, Inc.
Section 2. MISCONDUCT
“Misconduct” is defined as conduct inimical or harmful to the purposes and/or good repute of SinC and/or Desert Sleuths. If a person is believed to be in violation of the SinC Code of Conduct, please use the SinC National procedures for reporting, beginning with filling out the form at https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/CoCComplaints. In respect to an alleged violation of the SinC Code of Conduct, the process shall follow the National guidelines. The investigation and all communications related to the investigation, including all communications with witnesses related to same, shall remain in strict confidence and shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the National Disciplinary Committee members and/or legal representatives involved in the investigation, except where disclosure is required under appropriate legal process. The National Disciplinary Committee members and all witnesses associated with the investigation shall execute a Confidentiality Agreement related to the investigation in a form similar to the one attached hereto (Exhibit A).
If it is believed that the misconduct does not rise to the level of a Code of Conduct violation, the chapter should reach out to the Community Support Group through the National Chapter Liaisons and/or the National Executive Director for support and guidance in line with SinC’s National procedures.
ARTICLE XIV
BYLAWS AND AMENDMENTS
Section 1. BYLAWS. These bylaws, as prepared by the Bylaws Committee, shall constitute the bylaws pro tempore of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter upon approval by the Board of Directors and shall continue as bylaws pro tempore until amended and/or approved by a majority of the Active membership.
Section 2. Upon such approval by the Board of Directors, the bylaws pro tem shall be distributed to the membership of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter thirty (30) days before voting, accompanied by an announcement that a vote on the bylaws will take place in accordance with the procedures in Article XI VOTING.
Approval of the bylaws will require an affirmative vote by a majority of the Active members who participate in the vote.
Section 3. AMENDMENTS. No proposal for amendment of the permanent bylaws shall be acted upon unless it shall have been authorized by the Board or shall have been presented to the Secretary over the signature of twenty percent (20%) of the Active membership.
Approval of bylaw amendments requires an affirmative vote of a majority of the Active members participating in the vote. To become effective, amendments to the bylaws may be voted upon in-person or electronically and shall adhere to the voting procedures outlined in Article XI VOTING.
3.A. Corrections: Minor Word Changes/Substitutions: Wording changes that do not alter the meaning of the text but correct grammar, spelling, or punctuation; create more inclusive language to reflect sensitivity to cultural changes; and/or corrections to terms that were used incorrectly in the previous version may be made by majority vote of the Board.
ARTICLE XV
INDEMNIFICATION:
Section 1. To the extent permitted by law, the Board may indemnify and advance expenses (including court costs and attorney’s fees) to any present or former Board member, agent, or employee who was or is threatened to be a named defendant or respondent in an action or proceeding because such person was or is a Board member, agent, or employee of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, Inc.
Section 2. The Board may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any such person, whether or not the Board would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability.
ARTICLE XVI
DISSOLUTION:
Section 1. Dissolution of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter shall take place only after proposal for same has been accepted by two-thirds (2/3) of the Board and thereafter distributed in writing to the Active membership and to the parent Sisters in Crime organization. Voting on the proposal shall take place at the next chapter meeting or in person or by proxy, following the procedures outlined in Article XI VOTING.
One change to the Voting Procedure in Article XI is: Approval to dissolve the chapter shall require a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote by the Active members who participate in the voting.
Section 2. Upon any dissolution of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, its property and assets shall be distributed as follows:
- all liabilities and obligations of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter shall be paid, satisfied, and discharged, or adequate provision made hereafter.
- assets held by Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter requiring return, transfer, or conveyance, which condition occurs by reason of the dissolution, shall be returned, transferred, or conveyed in accordance with such requirements.
- any remaining assets shall be sent to SinC National.
Section 3. Information about the dissolution of the chapter will be posted to the chapter’s website and include the redirection of interested parties to the contact information available on the parent SinC website or to other nearby chapters. The website’s domain name will be maintained until its next annual cycle or for at least six months after dissolution at which time the website will be removed from the Internet and the domain name returned to the public domain.
Section 4. If a chapter is not in compliance with SinC National regulations (e.g., having not filled out the annual chapter survey, maintained communication with SinC National through email or other direct communications, nor met the minimum standards of being a chapter in good standing as per the SinC Chapter Handbook), SinC National may revoke their chapter charter. If that happens, the chapter, through its Active members and/or Executive Committee, has thirty days to appeal the decision.
ARTICLE XVII
RULES OF PROCEDURE AND PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY:
Section 1. Any policies or procedures not contrary to law or to these bylaws may be approved or amended by a majority vote of the Board. A record of such policies and procedures shall be compiled and kept by the Secretary or other person appointed by the Board. Notification of the policy or procedural changes will be published in the next Desert Sleuths newsletter, and/or sent to Active members in the next regular mailing or via email notice, and announced at the next regular meeting after said changes have been approved. Additional copies will be available at cost to any member who requests them, in writing from the Secretary.
Section 2. All meetings of Desert Sleuths and/or its Board shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary procedure prescribed in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order, or by any other generally accepted procedure agreed upon by the Board and announced to the Active members, excepting that the President of Desert Sleuths shall in all events be a full voting member of the organization and of the Board.
ARTICLE XVIII
Repeal of Prior Bylaws
These Bylaws constitute the entire Bylaws of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, Inc. All previous Bylaws or constitutional provisions adopted by the chapter are hereby repealed.
Amended, Approved and Adopted in 2025
Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, Inc.
Raising professionalism, serving as the voice for excellence,
and achieving diversity in crime writing.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Claire A. Murray, President
Margaret S. Burnison, Treasurer
Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter, Inc.
1821 S. Carriage Lane, Chandler, AZ 85286
https://desertsleuths.com • desertsleuths@gmail.com
Exhibit A
CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT ATTESTATION
I, ________________________, hereby attest to my understanding that all information, communication and/or documentation obtained in the course of the investigation of __________________________ shall be considered STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. I further agree I shall not disclose, distribute or discuss to/with anyone other than the _________________ Committee members and/or legal representatives specifically involved in the investigation, or as required by a Court or other appropriate legal process, any information, communication and/or documentation provided, received and/or otherwise associated with the investigation.
I further agree and attest to my understanding that in the event that I fail to abide by the terms of this Confidentiality Agreement, that such disclosure would be, in and of itself, a material and serious violation of the Code of Conduct and that I may be subject to disciplinary action by Sisters in Crime for such improper disclosure.
SIGNED this _____ day of ___________________, 20___.
(#) (month) (yr)
Signature:
Printed Name:
Address: