The purpose of the Nokomis Woodworking Association shall be to:

• Share woodworking techniques, knowledge and skills to its members and to the public.
• Provide a safe working environment for its members
• Provide access to equipment and space that its membership may not enjoy in their home shops
• Provide access to tools and equipment for members who do not have their own woodworking shop

The Association will periodically conduct educational activities that include, but are not limited to, seminars, classes and discussion groups. Educational activities may be conducted by members of the Association or by skilled individuals from outside of the Association.

The members of the Association may also participate in service activities that rely on woodworking skills such as toy-making for children’s hospitals or creating projects to be donated for fundraising purposes in Humboldt and the surrounding communities.

Examples of other Association activities could include:

• demonstrations and/or classes for elementary students
• work on projects with 4-H groups
• pinewood derby cars and other scout related projects

As a non-profit organization, income-generating activities that are conducted in the shop shall benefit the Association or support its goals or purpose. Profits generated from club woodworking projects shall be used to support scholarships, equipment purchases, facility improvements and/or the purchase of materials for community service-related activities

Membership in the Association shall be open to all persons. Dues must accompany application for membership. Membership will lapse after 14 days of non-payment of dues.

Members under the age of 18 shall not operate the equipment in the Association shop without an adult member of the Association present. That member will assume responsibility for the safety of the youth member.

Members will be required to demonstrate proficiency in the safe operation of tools. Members shall follow safety rules and guidelines for safe use of the equipment as set by the governing members of the Association. Failure to follow stated guidelines may result in removal of membership privileges. 

Membership may be revoked for conduct contrary to the stated purpose.

The Management Team and/or the membership committee shall be responsible for decisions involving membership termination.

The Association governing structure shall include the following:

• President 
• Vice president
• Secretary/Treasurer
• Management Team Members

The Management Team shall consist of five individuals that includes the three club officers and two additional members. To provide adequate representation, the size of the Management Team may expand in proportion to the size of the Association’s membership. 

The Management team will meet a minimum of two times each year. The dates and times of the team meetings will be publicized to the membership prior their occurrence.

The Management Team, with the assistance of the membership, shall create committees necessary for the group to function. Individual involvement on the committees will be determined by the interest and expertise of the members.

Committees: 

• purchasing committee
• membership committee
• education committee
• media/communications
• Maintenance
• Safety
• Other

Responsibilities and guidelines for committees will be determined by the Management Team with input from the committee members. Once determined, those responsibilities and guidelines will become part of the By-laws and operational document.

Regular meetings will be held on a date and frequency that is mutually agreed upon the membership. Meetings in addition to the regular meeting dates can also be held, but official club business will not be conducted at those meetings unless notification has been made and a majority of the membership has agreed in advance to allow for the transaction of club business. Special meetings shall require at least two weeks of notice to allow club members the opportunity to participate in those meetings. 

In lieu of regular meetings, the management team may decide to conduct ‘Project Nights’ where the membership is encouraged to participate in group projects. ‘Project Nights’ may include, but are not limited to, project construction for service projects, shop improvement activities or periodic cleaning of the shop. The management team will meet at least one week prior to the proposed ‘Project Night’ to determine the project and plan for its implementation. The management team will secure the necessary materials and provide appropriate plans, if needed, for the intended activities. ‘Project Nights’ will be conducted with the intent of providing opportunities for increased social interaction for club members.

The Nokomis Woodworkers Association is a 501 C 3 non-profit organization. The dues and fees collected from the membership will be used to cover on-going expenses of the club and to purchase equipment as funds become available. Dues may be adjusted to meet the financial obligations of the Association.

Dues will be determined by the management team.

• Dues shall be either $35 per month, $180 for 6 months or $300 per year. Dues shall be paid on a monthly, semi-annual, or annual basis unless other arrangements are mutually agreed upon.
• The Dues structure may be reviewed periodically. The reviews will allow for the club to adjust dues according to financial needs or to investigate suggestions such as allowing for discounting of dues for various circumstances.
• The Management Team shall propose and the membership shall approve any changes in dues or dues structure.
• Failure to pay dues within two weeks of the billing date shall result in the termination of membership. Should circumstances exist, the Management Team may decide to grant an extension of membership privileges to the individual, provided that the individual has made arrangements in advance to pay appropriate fees.
• Individuals who intend to terminate their membership should inform the membership committee and/or treasurer of their intent at least two weeks prior to the end of their current membership period.
• An Association membership is considered a ‘family’ membership. This is intended to encourage members to share their knowledge with their close family (spouses, children, and grandchildren).

Membership in the Nokomis Woodworkers Association requires that a waiver of responsibility be signed and on file with club officials. The waiver states that individual members are responsible for their personal safety. Additional responsibilities include security and safety in the following sections.

• Members in good standing shall receive a key FOB that will allow them to have access the shop 24/7. Each member shall ensure that the building is secure when they have completed a work session. Instructions will be available to each member to allow them to disarm the security system while they are working and to arm the systems when they leave.
• A key FOB necessary for 24/7 access to the shop will be issued only to those members who join for either six or twelve months.
• A deposit of $10 is required for receipt of a key FOB. The deposit will be refunded upon return of the key FOB should a membership not be renewed.
• Only members in good standing shall have access to the shop. Members who bring non-members (individuals other than family) into the shop to work risk losing their membership.

Members of the Nokomis Woodworkers Association who come to work in the shop shall expect to come to a clean shop with functioning tools and equipment. The following are expectations of members when using the shop:

• Return all tools, jigs, and fixtures to their designated storage places at the end of each work session
• Return projects and materials to the storage area; an exception to this guideline would be projects that are placed in clamps while glue is drying; when possible those projects should be set aside or moved to the back storage room to allow others to use the gluing table. Clamps shall be returned to their racks as soon as possible.
• Clean the tools and the shop after each use
• Report any equipment failures to a member of the repair/maintenance committee
• Participate in periodic complete shop improvement or cleaning sessions

Members will be responsible for any damage to equipment that is not deemed to be the result of normal use. The cost of necessary repairs will be assessed to the member responsible. Replacement costs will be assessed for comparable repairs. (E.g. damage to a carbide blade due to nails in the material; replaced with a similar carbide blade). The Association will be responsible for providing consumable items such as band saw blades, scroll saw blades, sanding belts, and other similar items. The Association will be responsible for the cost of sharpening saw blades and jointer knives.

Members of the Nokomis Woodworkers Association are responsible for their own safety while working in the shop. Members will demonstrate proficiency in the proper and safe use of the shop tools. Once proficiency has been demonstrated, members shall sign a waiver of responsibility for themselves and their family members which will be kept on file at the shop. Failure to comply with safety guidelines will result initially in a warning or reminder. Continued failure to comply with safety and shop guidelines may result in the termination of membership. The following are examples of some specific safety guidelines to be followed:

• Wear hearing and eye protection
• Keep all guards in place while working
• If guards are removed for special set-ups; they will be replaced when operations are complete
• Return tools to normal operational state after making changes for special operations
• Use push-sticks
• Keep work surfaces clear of project parts and debris 
• No alcohol allowed in the shop
• No smoking inside the shop
• Avoid working alone

The Nokomis Woodworkers Association was formed to offer area woodworking enthusiasts opportunities for education, service and social interaction with other woodworkers.

• Programs and seminars may be conducted as part of the Association meetings. Presenters may be NWA members or individuals from outside the group.
• Group members are encouraged to conduct classes to share knowledge and skills with interested individuals. Members who do not wish to lead classes may choose to work one-on-one with other members or work as assistants to other members who are leading classes.
• Members who conduct classes may collect fees or a stipend to compensate them for the time and preparation necessary to conduct the learning opportunities.

• Members who lead classes shall be responsible for collecting any fees or materials costs associated with the classes. 
• Members who lead classes will be responsible for all costs for publicity and promotion of their classes. The Association will assist promotion whenever possible through the use of any club media that is available.
• Instructors shall reserve blocks of time for classes at least two weeks in advance of the start of the classes. Dates of classes will be announced in member meetings and posted on the shop notification board.
• The shop may be closed to individual member work unless member access is granted by the instructor of the class.
• The shop shall be returned to a normal operational state at the completion of each session.
• The member-instructor will determine if fees for classes are appropriate. Some classes/presentations may not warrant a fee. 
• If fees are charged for classes, they will be set by the instructor. For consistency, it is suggested that member-instructors charge class enrollees at a rate of $2.50 to $3.00 per hour of instructor time.
• It is suggested that a “use of shop” fee be included in class registration costs for non-members. The fee will be determined by the instructor. If a “use of shop” fee is charged, a rate of $1.00 to $1.50 per hour of class time is suggested.
• A discount for members who enroll in classes is encouraged but not required. Examples of discounts for members might be a reduction of $5.00 for every 5 hours of instructor time or perhaps a fee that is between ½ and ¾ the rate for non-members. Reducing the registration fee by an amount equal to any “use of shop fee” that may be charged is another option. 
• Material costs may be included in registration fees if the instructor so chooses.

The club encourages participation in service work projects. Service projects will provide opportunities for members to use their skills to provide assistance to the community in general or to other specific, smaller groups. Projects may be completed as an entire club activity or may be completed by smaller groups within the club. 

• Service projects can be initiated by any club member.
• Projects and project ideas shall be brought before the club to determine member interest.
• Larger projects or projects that require a significant financial and time commitment from the club shall be brought before the board.
• Club members may wish to complete tasks or repairs for individuals from the community. Compensation for such work may be added to the scholarship fund should the member choose to decline personal compensation for such activities.

Nokomis Woodworkers Association will provide at least one scholarship each year for a graduating senior who plans to enroll in a community college program. Guidelines for selecting and awarding the scholarship will be developed by the scholarship committee and approved by the Management Team and the club membership.

The shop shall be open to the public on Wednesday nights from 6:00 until 8:00 pm and on Saturdays from 8:00 until 10:00 am except on Holidays or otherwise advertised. Members will be available during this time for questions, suggestions or tours as requested by community members. The shop shall be accessible at any time to all members, via their key FOB, who have paid their annual dues. Members who have joined on a monthly basis shall have access to the shop during the public hours or at any time that another member is working in the shop.

Individuals are not allowed to operate their businesses out of the Nokomis Woodworker’s shop.