Members and Officers.
§ 54-145. Members.
(a) Under the terms and conditions prescribed in its bylaws, an association may admit as members, or issue common stock, only to persons engaged in the production of agricultural products, including the lessees and tenants of land used for the production of such products and any lessors and landlords who receive as rent part of the crop raised on the leased premises.
(b) If a member of a nonstock association be other than a natural person, such member may be represented by any individual, associate, officer, or member thereof, duly authorized in writing.
(c) One association organized hereunder may become a member or stockholder of any other association or associations, organized hereunder. (1921, c. 87, s. 7; C.S., s. 5259(r); 1963, c. 1168, s. 10.)
§ 54-146. Directors; election.
(a) The affairs of the association shall be managed by a board of not less than three directors, elected by the members or stockholders from their own number. The bylaws may provide that the territory in which the association has members shall be divided into districts, and that the directors shall be elected according to such districts. In such case the bylaws shall specify the number of directors to be elected by each district, the manner and method of reapportioning the directors and of redistricting the territory covered by the association. The bylaws may provide that primary elections should be held in each district to elect the directors apportioned to such districts, and the result of all such primary elections must be ratified by the next regular meeting of the association.
(b) The bylaws may provide that one or more directors may be appointed either by the Director of the Agricultural Extension Service or by such public official or public board or commission as may be designated by the bylaws. The directors so appointed need not be members or stockholders of the association, but shall have the same powers and rights as other directors.
(c) An association may provide a fair remuneration for the time actually spent by its officers and directors in its service. No director, during the term of his office, shall be a party to a contract for profit with the association differing in any way from the business relations accorded regular members or holders of common stock of the association, or to any other kind of contract differing from terms generally current in that district.
(d) When a vacancy on the board of directors occurs, other than by expiration of term, the remaining members of the board, by a majority vote, shall fill the vacancy, unless the bylaws provide for an election of directors by districts. In such case the board of directors shall immediately call a special meeting of the members or stockholders in that district to fill the vacancy: Provided, that this subsection shall not apply to the director or directors appointed under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section: Provided further, that any vacancy occurring in the office of a director appointed under subsection (b) of this section shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. (1921, c. 87, s. 12; C.S., s. 5259(s); 1963, c. 1168, s. 11; 1979, c. 908, s. 3.)
§ 54-147. Election of officers.
The directors shall elect a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary and treasurer who need not be directors, and they may combine the offices of secretary and treasurer designating the combined office as secretary-treasurer. They shall elect from their number a chairman and vice-chairman unless the president and vice-presidents are members of the board. The board may elect or appoint such additional officers as are necessary and appropriate. The treasurer may be a bank or any depository, and as such shall not be considered an officer, but as a function of the board of directors. In such a case the secretary shall perform the usual accounting duties of the treasurer, excepting that the funds shall be deposited only as authorized by the board of directors. (1921, c. 87, s. 13; C.S., s. 5259(t); 1971, c. 925.)
§ 54-148. Stock; membership certificates; when issued; voting; liability; limitation on transfer of ownership.
(a) When a member of an association established without capital stock has paid his membership fee in full, he shall receive a certificate of membership.
(b) No association shall issue stock to a member until it has been fully paid for. The promissory notes of the members may be accepted by the association as full or partial payment. The association shall hold the stock as security for the payment of the note, but such retention as security shall not affect the members' right to vote.
(c) Except for debts lawfully contracted between him and the association, no member shall be liable for the debts of the association to an amount exceeding the sum remaining unpaid on his membership fee or his subscription to the capital stock, including any unpaid balance on any promissory notes given in payment thereof.
(d) A cooperative association, incorporated under this Subchapter, may fix or limit in its bylaws the amount of stock which one member might own in said association.
(e) No member or stockholder shall be entitled to more than one vote; provided, however, that any association organized hereunder, all of whose members are other associations organized hereunder shall have power to determine by its bylaws the number of votes to which each member association shall be entitled and to provide for the appointment or election of delegates to cast such votes and to represent the member associations at all members' meetings.
(f) Any association organized with stock under this Subchapter may issue preferred stock, with or without the right to vote. Such stock may be redeemable or retirable by the association on such terms and conditions as may be provided for by the articles of incorporation and printed on the face of the certificate.
(g) The bylaws shall prohibit the transfer of the common stock of the association to persons not engaged in the production of agricultural products, and such restrictions must be printed upon every certificate of stock subject thereto.
(h) The association may at any time, except when the debts of the association exceed fifty percent (50%) of the assets thereof, buy in or purchase its common stock at book value thereof as conclusively determined by the board of directors, and pay for it in cash within one year thereafter. (1921, c. 87, s. 14; C.S., s. 5259(u); 1935, c. 436, s. 2; 1955, c. 596; 1963, c. 1168, s. 12.)
§ 54-149. Removal of officer or director.
Any member may bring charges against an officer or director by filing them in writing with the secretary of the association, together with a petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the members, requesting the removal of the officer or director in question. The removal shall be voted upon at the next regular or special meeting of the association, and by a vote of a majority of the members, the association may remove the officer or director and fill the vacancy. The director or officer against whom such charges have been brought shall be informed in writing of the charges previous to the meeting, and shall have an opportunity at the meeting to be heard in person or by counsel, and to present witnesses; and the person or persons bringing the charges against him shall have the same opportunity.
In case the bylaws provide for election of directors by districts, with primary elections in each district, then the petition for removal of a director must be signed by twenty percent (20%) of the members residing in the district from which he was elected. The board of directors must call a special meeting of the members residing in that district to consider the removal of the director. By a vote of the majority of that district, the director in question shall be removed from office: Provided, that this section shall not apply to directors appointed under subsection (b) of G.S. 54-146. (1921, c. 87, s. 15; C.S., s. 5259(v).)
Upon demand of one third of the entire board of directors, any matter that has been approved or passed by the board must be referred to the entire membership of the stockholders for decision at the next special or regular meeting: Provided, however, that a special meeting may be called for the purpose. (1921, c. 87, s. 16; C.S., s. 5259(w).)