About Us: Our Organization

In December, 2008, ASGT revised its organizational structure by instituting a revised Bylaws document and creating a new supplemental document, Operating Policies. The text below reflects the significant changes.

View the final approved Bylaws (PDF)
View the Operating Policies (PDF)

ASGT’s status as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization remains unchanged.

Description

ASGT is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, charitable/educational organization. As a result, donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. In addition, expenses of volunteering, including transportation, are also deductible under many circumstances. Please consult IRS publications or your tax preparer to obtain accurate detailed information about your deductible potential.

Bylaws

ASGT remains governed by a set of Bylaws. The Bylaws include the following sections:

• Name and Purpose
• Scope and Manner of Operation
• Management and Administration (Board of Directors/Officers/Duties, Committees, Finances)
• Meetings
• Nominations and Elections
• Amendments to Bylaws
• Dissolution

The duties of the Officers are overviewed in the Bylaws and defined in the Operating Policies. The duties of the other Board Members are defined in the Operating Policies. In addition, Committees are defined in the Bylaws with detailed information in the Operating Policies.

Operating Policies

Operating Policies support and expand the Bylaws. They detail and define the Board of Directors and its operation. They provide similar information for the Committee structure. They define the procedures for the selection of each annual production season. They define the process for establishing an annual budget and maintaining a sound financial operation.

The Governance Committee continues to work to expand and refine the Operating Policies. All of our supporters are urged to make their ideas known. President Carolyn Kirby is the Chairperson of the Governance Committee, and you can submit your ideas to her at pres@summergarden.com.

Board of Directors

At the organization’s core is a Board of Directors, consisting of four constitutional officers — President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. In addition, the board of directors includes up to eleven additional board members, each of whom is responsible for a specific operational area. All members of the Board serve for two-year terms, and half are elected each year to preserve continuity.

Listed below are the current offices and officeholders, the expiration dates of each term, and the e-mail addresses at which they can be reached. The specific descriptions of the duties of each board member are included in the Operations Policies.

If you wish to send an e-mail on a subject for which there is no current director, please send it to the President. And please consider filling one of the vacant board positions. We would love to hear from you!

It has become traditional in recent years for the President to serve as the shepherd of the business side of the organization while the Vice President oversees the artistic side. Having said that, however, all members of the board play important roles in both disciplines. For example, every board member is involved in the selection of productions and directors for each season. Any board member has an opportunity to serve as “board liaison” for a specific show. In this role, he or she makes certain that the director and stage manager get what they need to understand and uphold the policies and procedures of the organization. In addition, one board member is present during each performance of each show, serving as “board member on duty” (BMOD) to assure a smooth-running evening.

Committee Structure

ASGT has a Committee structure to manage and advance specific areas in which special attention is required to improve the organization’s operation and productions. The current standing Committees are:

• Facility Operations: determining the future of our physical structure, including the implementation of Stage/2.
• Marketing/Publicity: determining the direction of our public image
• Financial: strengthening our financial structure and determining the direction of our fund-raising
• Artistic: determining the methodology by which we select shows, select directors, and manage productions
• Governance: determining the best way to revise our managerial structure for maximum efficiency and value

Each Committee has a chairman appointed by the President and is staffed by volunteers. All of the committees are seeking expansion through new volunteers, especially those who may have specific knowledge, interest and talent in each area. This is the best way for someone who is not a board member to contribute – and have their say – about the ongoing operation of the theatre. Full details on the duties and working structure of the ASGT Committees are available in the Operating Policies.

Board Meetings

ASGT Board Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month of the year. Our meetings are held at the Theatre from April through September and at the West Annapolis Elementary School from October through March. Board elections are held at the September Board Meeting. The process for electing Board members has changed, and these changes are reflected in the Bylaws.

On the Town (2008)