Latest News
BYLAWS
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CAPITOL AREA TELUGU SOCIETY
Capitol Area Telugu Society (CATS) trustees appointed a Constitution and By-Laws Committee,
Which Began authoring the CATS Constitution on Aug 28 th , 2005. By-Laws are revised subsequently
in December 2005 and January 2006. Please note that the entire CATS constitution is a gender-
neutral document. Whenever the word he or she is used, it has no gender specific context and means
either.
Guidelines for maintaining CATS members privacy:
1. Use CATS members e-mail addresses for sending CATS information and other non-profit
information only.
2. Do not give the whole CATS members database to anyone to avoid potential misuse.
3. Give only name, address ad phone# information to other CATS lifetime members if requested.
4. Only CATS Trustees will maintain the ownership of CATS members full database. CATS
members full database will be used for newsletter and communications as needed but shall not
be provided to anyone.
Article 1
Name:
This registered organization, in the state of Virginia, USA, shall be known as the Capitol Area Telugu
Society (CATS).
Article 2
Objectives:
a) To encourage and promote the religious and Cultural functions of the Telugu Community
b) To invite and honor literary, Scientific and religious dignitaries of interest to the CATS
members
c) To seek funds to buy, construct, manage and operate a permanent building facility for Telugu
Community residing in Washington DC metropolitan Area aka Capitol Area.
d) To promote better communication among the CATS members.
e) To act as an agency to collect donations for educational and socio-economical development of
the needy and transfer funds to charities.
f) To organize other functions as required which will involve the participation of the CATS
members.
g) To promote Telugu language, cultural and religious activities.
h) To promote mentoring and business development opportunities.
i) To promote interaction and contribution in the volunteer, charity and political (non-
endorsement of any particular party or person) activities in the communities where CATS
members reside.
Article 3
Membership and General Body:
Membership is open to all those interested in the activities and functions of CATS. The CATS
members are defined as those who paid the lifetime membership dues as specified in the By Laws.
Membership includes husband, wife and dependent youth (People over the age of 23 are not
considered as dependents). All members who paid lifetime membership dues constitute the General
Body of CATS.
Article 4
Governing Body:
A. Executive Committee: The management powers of CATS shall be vested in an Executive
Committee, Selected positions consisting of a Chairman (aka President), Vice-Chairman (aka
Vice-President), Executive Director Cultural Affairs (aka Cultural Secretary), Executive Director
Compliance (aka Secretary or General Secretary) Executive Director Charities and Community
Affairs, Executive Director of Finance (aka Treasurer) and appointed positions 1 , Executive
Director Sports, Executive Director Political affairs, Student coordinator, Executive Director
Web services and Executive Director Business and Professional Development. Each
Executive Director is supported by two to three members at large and few youth members
(These supporting members at large and the youth members support their respective
executive committee member).
B. Trustees: The governing powers of CATS shall be vested in Board of Trustees consisting of 7
prominent members.
a) 5 founding members shall serve as permanent trustees (Lakshmi Babu), Subash Boda,
Murali Bukkapatnam, Ram Mohan Konda and Chittaranjan Nallu).
b) One Trustee is nominated each year from Patron members. Any general body member
whose cumulative donations total a minimum of $10,000 in a period of five years is
considered a patron member and is eligible to nominate Patron Trustees. To maintain
the patron membership they should donate $2000 per year, in case of a lapse, they
have to donate the arrears to make their patron membership current. When a
nomination is not available from patron members, persons who have worked in the exec
committee for 5 or more years or significant contribution to the growth of the
organization can be nominated for Patron Trustee. Trustees will review and appoint the
Patron Trustee.
c) CATS chairman (aka President) of CATS executive committee will be the 7th Trustee.
C. All Trustee members (from general body and patrom members are alike) will have equal rights
in the organization matters. Required total number of donations must be donated by June 30th
by patron members to be eligible for nominating Patron Trustee candidates. All Trustee
members will work in coordination with CATS executive committee and general body.
D. The members at large and youth members are appointed to the various committees by the
respective committee members in consultation with the Chairperson (President) and Vice-
Chairperson (Vice President).
E. The services to the CATS executive committee and Trustees are voluntary and there shall be
no remuneration to any officers. Serving as a CATS official is a service to the community.
F. Eligibility for nominations to CATS Executive Committee: Life members are eligible. Additional
criteria for nominating executive committee members is detailed in the By Laws.
G. The Duties of each official will be as provided in the CATS By Laws.
Article 5
Term of Office:
Each member of the Executive Committee and non permanent Trustees shall serve for two years.
Article 6
Appointment of CATS Officials:
Every two years a new CATS Executive Committee will be appointed. Procedures shall be as
provided in the CATS By Laws.
Article 7
Vacancies:
The order of succession to the Chairperson (aka President) within the stipulated period until the next
appointment shall be the Vice-Chairperson (aka Vice-President), Executive Director Compliance (aka
General Secretary), Executive Director Cultural Affairs, and Executive Director of Finance (aka
Treasurer). In the event of vacancy either in the Executive Committee or in the Trustees, each body
shall nominate an eligible member of CATS as specified by the CATS By Laws for the vacated office
at their next scheduled meeting. Such person shall serve until the next selection process is
completed.
Article 8
Finances:
A. The CATS Executive Committee shall maintain three separate accounts: One for the CATS
operating funds, second for depositing the savings and a third for building fund.
B. The CATS Building Fund, which can be used exclusively for the development of a building
facility or to acquire land to build such a facility to the community activities of CATS and for no
other purpose all funds shall be deposited in a recognized financial institution. There shall be
signatures of the Chairperson (aka President) and the Treasurer designated by the trustees to
operate the building fund.
C. Signatures of the above mentioned CATS officers and members will be filed with the financial
institution.
Article 9
By Laws:
CATS operations shall be carried as per the CATS By Laws. In case operations by Executive
Committee are not carried out in compliance with this Constitution and the By Laws, Trustees have
the responsibility and broad authority to ensure the operations are carried out including appointment
of executive committee members and operational teams.
Article 10
Agent and Office:
A post office box or any agreed to residence shall become the address for CATS agent (for
convenience).
Article 11
Revisions and Amendments to the By Laws and the Constitution:
Revisions and Amendments to the By Laws and the Constitution may be initiated by any eligible
member of general body and/or by the Executive Committee and referred to an ‘Ad hoc’ Constitution
and By Laws Committee of five members appointed by the Trustees. Such a committee will study,
evaluate alternatives and make their recommendations to the Trustees. The Trustees and Executive
Committee will present the revisions to the General Body for approval. Revisions to By Laws shall be
approved by 2/3 of the General Body members present at the meeting. Amendments to the
constitution shall be approved by 3/4 of all enlisted General Body Members.
Article 12
Project Sponsorship:
Every member of General Body has equal opportunity to propose a project of his/her choice by
proposing. he/she also is committing to execute the project taking help of CATS and its executive
committee. Please see the By Laws for operational Procedures.
Article 13
Dissolution:
In the case of dissolution, all assets shall be distributed to such organization which subscribes to the
ideals as those of CATS and are qualified as tax exempt under 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code or the corresponding provisions of a future United Sates internal Revenue Law. Trustees will
decide on such organization.
Article 14
(Modified per IRS requirements) Non Profit activities:
A. The Purposes for which this organization is organized are exclusively religious, charitable,
scientific, literary and/or educational within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal
Revenue Law.
B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, this organization shall not carry any
activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from federal income tax
under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision
of any future United States Internal Revenue Law.
C. Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt
purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the
corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code or shall be distributed to the Federal,
State or local government for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be
disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which principal office of the
organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes.
1. Positions of Executive Director Sports, Executive Director Political Affairs, Executive Director
Web Services and Executive Director Business and Professional Development will be
appointed by Chairperson in consultation with his/her executive team.
President Message
.jpeg)
Partha Byreddy
President-CATS
Dear Valued-Members and Well-Wishers,
Capital Area Telugu Society (CATS) is a non-profit organization that serves the Telugu community in the Washington DC metro area, which includes Northern Virginia and Maryland
Washington, D.C. United States
info@theuscats.org
