N.Y. RCO Law § 344 — New York Code / Act RCO / Article 18 / Section 344
Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications of voters
Status: in_force

§ 344. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications\nof voters. 1. At a corporate meeting of an incorporated church to which\nthis article is applicable, the following persons, and no others, shall\nbe qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are then members in good\nand regular standing of such church by admission into full communion or\nmembership therewith in accordance with the rules and regulations\nthereof, and of the governing ecclesiastical body of the Byelorussian\nAutocephalic Orthodox Church, and who have been stated attendants on\ndivine worship in such church and have regularly contributed to the\nfinancial support thereof during the year next preceding such meeting.\n  2. The annual corporate meeting shall be governed with respect to its\norganization and election of laymen trustees and the clerk of the\ncorporation by the same provisions as set forth in this article for the\nincorporation of said church, except if there be no rector or he be\nnecessarily absent or if he refuses to call such meeting to order, the\nchairman of the board of trustees shall do so.\n  3. The same provisions shall apply to a special corporate meeting.\n  4. At the annual corporate meeting the trustees shall cause to be\nprepared and read thereat a budget giving the approximate amount of\nmoney needed for the maintenance of worship, the administration of the\ntemporal affairs of the church and for the care of the property, and\nsuch other regular and special items as shall be brought to the\nattention of the meeting, which budget shall be discussed and decided\nupon, ratified or amended by the said meeting by majority vote, with\nample provision made to raise such funds by whatever usages the church\nshall elect.\n  5. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at any annual\ncorporate meeting and no election of the trustees and officers shall be\naccordingly had thereat, the board of trustees shall call a special\nmeeting (which may be referred to as an adjourned annual corporate\nmeeting) at a time and place to be fixed by it. Notice of such meeting\nshall be given in the same manner as provided for any special meeting.\nIf such special meeting be not called by the board of trustees within\ntwo weeks following the date for such annual meeting, the rector is\nauthorized to and shall call such special meeting and notice thereof\nshall be given in like manner. The election of officers and any other\nbusiness required or scheduled to have been had or conducted at the\nannual corporate meeting may be had and conducted at such special\nmeeting. In the event that a quorum shall not be present at such special\nmeeting and no election of officers shall be accordingly had thereat,\nthe rector, vicar or minister in charge of the church or congregation,\nwith the approval of the bishop, not more than sixty days thereafter, is\nauthorized to and shall appoint the laymen trustees, and other lay\nofficers to the offices not filled by election at such annual corporate\nmeeting or such special meeting, and they shall hold office as such\nuntil the next succeeding annual meeting. If such rector, vicar or\nminister shall fail to make such appointments, the bishop is authorized\nto and shall make such appointments, with like force and effect.\n