June 17, 2008
Beaufort County Republican
Party
BEAUFORT COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
PLAN OF ORGANIZATION
Approved by The Convention
March 11, 2008
PREAMBLE
We, the Members of the Republican Party of Beaufort County, North Carolina, dedicated to the sound principles fostered by that party, conscious of our civic responsibilities and rights, firm in our determination to give our strength to preserving the American principle that government ought and must be of all the people, by all of the people and for all of the people do, for the purpose of uniting and coordinating our efforts for maximum power and efficiency, herewith establish this instrument, The Plan of Organization of the Beaufort County Republican Party..
ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP
All citizens of Beaufort County, North Carolina who are registered Republicans are Members of the Republican Party of Beaufort County and shall have the right to participate in the official affairs of the Republican Party in accordance with these rules. All reference herein to Delegates, Alternates, Officers and Members shall, in all cases, mean persons identified and registered with the Republican Party in the Precinct of their residence. Any person running for a Republican Party office within the State, District, Legislative, County or Precinct must be a resident in the jurisdiction in which he seeks office.
ARTICLE II PRECINCT ORGANIZATION
A. ANNUAL PRECINCT MEETINGS
1. Call for Meeting
a. In every year, the County Chairman shall call Precinct Meetings during the month of February or the first 15 days of March, after giving 10 days written notice to each Precinct Chairman informing them of the date and the number of registered Republicans entitled to cast votes at the County Convention and by notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County.
b. Notice published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County for the purpose of this Plan of Organization shall include either a paid advertisement or a news item, provided it includes the time, date, location and purpose of the Precinct Meeting. Such notices shall appear in the newspaper at least 10 days prior to the Precinct Meeting. This in no way relieves the County Chairman of the responsibility of providing written notice to party officers as may be otherwise required by this Plan of Organization.
c. Failure of the County Chairman to act in compliance with the provision above shall be cause for any Member of the County Executive Committee to call said Precinct Meetings by notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County as provided for in Article II A.1 b
d. Every Republican registered by January 31 preceding the Meetings shall be entitled to cast 1 vote, except that the January 31 requirement shall not apply to residents who have moved into the Precinct within 30 days of the Precinct Meeting.
2. Election of Precinct Officers At odd-year Precinct Meetings, in which a quorum is one person, attendees shall elect a Precinct Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and as many Members-at-Large as deemed necessary to conduct the business of the Precinct. Members of the Precinct Committee shall hold their offices for 2 years or until their successors are chosen. There shall be no proxy voting.
3. Election of Delegates
a. The annual Precinct Meetings shall elect 1 Delegate and 1 Alternate to the County Convention. They shall also elect 1 additional Delegate and Alternate for each 100 or major fraction thereof of registered Republican voters in the precinct as of January 1 of that year.
b. The allotted Delegate slots and then the allocated Alternate slots allotted under this Plan of Organization to a Precinct or a County shall be filled first by the election of those duly qualified registered Republicans, eligible to vote, present at such Meeting or Convention and desiring to be elected to fill such slots.
c. All duly qualified Republicans registered to vote may be elected by qualified Republicans attending the meeting to fill slots that have not been filled by Republicans attending the meeting or convention.
4. Duties of Officers
a. The Chairman and Secretary of each precinct shall certify the election of officers, committee members, and delegates and alternates to the County Convention, on forms stipulated by the State Central Committee and furnished by the County Chairman.
b. Complete Credentials shall be in the hands of the County Secretary by the deadline set by the County Chairman, which shall be at least 2 days prior to the Credentials Committee Meeting, unless the Precinct Meetings and the County Convention are held on the same day.
c. No Delegate or Alternate shall be added to the Credentials List following the adjournment of the Precinct Meeting.
d. This delegate list shall be made immediately available to any Republican candidate, at that candidate’s reasonable expense, along with a confidentiality and use agreement that said list will be used only for Republican activities related to the candidate’s run for office.
5. Other Precinct Meetings
a. Other meetings of the Precinct general membership may be held at such time as shall be designated by the Chairman of the Precinct Committee after giving 5 days notice of such meeting in a newspaper of general circulation within the County or upon similar call of 1/3 of the Members of the Precinct Committee, or 10 Members of the general Precinct Membership whichever is less. There shall be no proxy voting.
b. In the event a Precinct fails to properly organize or the Precinct Chairman fails to act, the County Chairman shall appoint a Temporary Precinct Chairman to serve until a general Membership meeting can be called (not to exceed 30 days) and a new Chairman elected.
B. PRECINCT COMMITTEE
1. Duties of Precinct Committee
The Precinct Committee shall cooperate with the Beaufort County Executive Committee in all elections and Party activities, provide the County Chairman with a list of Party Members within the Precinct suitable for appointment as Election Officials, and promote the objectives of the Party within the Precinct.
2. Duties of Precinct Officers
The Chairman of the Precinct Committee, with the advice and consent of the Precinct Committee, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Party within the Precinct, shall preside at all Meetings of the Precinct and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Precinct Committee or the County Executive Committee. The Vice-Chairman shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. The Secretary shall keep all minutes and records and shall maintain a list of registered Republican voters and workers within the Precinct, unless otherwise provided by the Precinct Committee or the County Executive Committee.
3. Vacancies and Removals
a. Vacancy due to death, resignation, discontinuance of residency within the Precinct, removal of any officer, or Member of the Precinct Committee, or for any other reason, shall be filled by the remaining Members of the Precinct Committee.
b. Any Member of a Committee organized under this Plan may be removed by a 2/3’s vote of the respective Committee after being furnished with notice of the charges against him, signed by not less than 1/3 of the Members of the Committee. Any Republican against whom charges are brought shall be furnished with 2 weeks notice of said charges and be given an opportunity to present a defense. Removal shall be confined to gross inefficiency, Party disloyalty or failure to comply with the County, District, or State Party Plans of Organization
c. Such removal may be appealed to the County Executive Committee within 20 days and their decision shall be final.
d. For the purposes of this Plan of Organization, “Party Disloyalty” shall be defined as actively supporting a candidate of another Party or independent candidate running in opposition to a candidate of the Republican Party or a Republican endorsed by the appropriate Executive Committee in a non-partisan election.
e. Any current or former officer or member of a precinct committee, county executive committee, district committee, State Executive Committee or State Central Committee who, for any reason, is removed or resigned from said position shall forfeit all rights and privileges in any way connected with that position.
ARTICLE III COUNTY ORGANIZATION
A. ANNUAL CONVENTION
1. Call of Convention
a. A County Convention shall be called every year by the Chairman of the Beaufort County Executive Committee, at a suitable location within the county, within the month of March, at least 10 days prior to the scheduled District Conventions and by notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County.
b. Notice published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County for the purpose of this Plan of Organization shall include either a paid advertisement or a news item, provided it includes the time, date, location and purpose of the Convention. Such notices shall appear in the newspaper at least 10 days prior to the Convention. This in no way relieves the County Chairman of the responsibility of providing written notice to party officers as may be otherwise required by this Plan of Organization.
c. If the County Chairman fails, refuses or neglects to call a County Convention as required by this Article, it shall become the duty of the 1st or 2nd Vice-Chairman, in order stated, to act in this capacity. The Vice-Chairman in charge shall give 5 days notice thereof to all Precinct Chairmen and County Executive Committee Members and shall follow procedures given in Article III. A.1.b. If the County Chairman or Vice-Chairman in charge does not call such convention; it shall be cause for any Member of the County Executive Committee, with the approval of the Congressional District Chairman, or Chairmen, to call such County Convention.
d. The County Convention shall be called to order by the Chairman, or in the absence of the Chairman, by the 1st, or 2nd Vice-Chairman or Secretary, in order slated, who shall have the power to appoint the necessary Convention Committees and Temporary Officers at or before the convening of the convention.
2. Credentials Committee
a. At the call of the Convention, the County Chairman, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee shall appoint a Credentials Committee, consisting of no less than three people, who will meet and issue its report on Delegates and Alternates certified to that Convention at least 3 days in advance of the convening of the Convention, unless the County Precinct Meetings and County Convention are on the same day.
b. All Delegates and Alternates challenged in the report of the Credentials Committee shall be notified prior to the day of the Convention and allowed to present their case to the Credentials Committee prior to the convening of the Convention. The Delegates and Alternates elected at the Precinct Meetings, unless successfully challenged, shall sit as Delegates and Alternates to the County Convention.
c. No member of a credentials committee created by this Plan shall be eligible to be elected to an office or executive committee position at the convention for which the credentials committee serves, nor shall a committee member publicly support anyone for an office to be elected by said convention.
d. Except when voting in convention, members of credentials committees shall strive to maintain the integrity of the convention and the committee by conducting the business of the committee with impartiality and strict neutrality on the business and elections of said convention.
3. Challenges
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan of Organization, challenges to Delegates and Alternates must be made in their capacity as individual Delegates and Alternates. The successful challenges to Delegates and Alternates must be made individually as to their capacity as Delegates and Alternates. The successful challenges of individuals in their capacity as Delegates and Alternates shall not affect the seating of other Delegates and Alternates in the same Precinct or County Delegates unless it can be demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that the previous election of such successfully challenged Delegates and Alternates resulted in the election of other Delegates and Alternates within such Delegation who would not otherwise have been elected, but for the votes of the unqualified Delegates or Alternates.
4. Convention Action The County Convention shall adopt or amend a written Beaufort County Plan of Organization not inconsistent with the State Plan of Organization, a current copy of which shall be on file at Beaufort County Headquarters and at State Headquarters. Failure to comply may result in the Beaufort County Delegation not being seated at the State Convention by the Credentials Committee. Failure of a County Republican Party to submit a County Plan to the NCGOP State Headquarters, within 30 days of its adoption, by certified United States mail, return receipt requested, shall constitute agreement by the County Party to adopt the State Plan of Organization for that county.
5. Elections
a. In every odd-numbered year the County Convention shall elect a Chairman and 1st and 2nd Vice-Chairman, a secretary, and a Treasurer who shall serve for a term of 2 years or until their successors are elected.
b. In every odd-numbered year the County Convention shall elect a County Executive Committee of 18 members in addition to the County Officers who shall hold their places for a term of 2 years or until their successors are elected.
c. The County Convention shall elect 1 Delegate and 1 Alternate to Congressional District and State Conventions, plus 1 additional Delegate and Alternate for every 250 Republicans votes, or major fraction thereof, registered in Beaufort County as of January 1 of that year. The County Convention shall further elect 1 Delegate and Alternate for each Republican elected to the state legislature and to public office on the state or national level from Beaufort County in the last election held for that office.
d. As Beaufort County has been divided between 2 Congressional Districts, it shall prorate its Delegate vote among the Congressional Districts in accordance with the Republican registration as of January 1 of that year in the political subdivisions within the County which have been divided among the different Congressional Districts. Delegates elected to a Congressional District Convention, in addition to the other qualifications which they must meet, must reside in the Congressional District to whose Convention they are elected. The Delegates to the County Convention from the political subdivisions in different Congressional Districts shall elect the Delegates to their own Congressional District Convention.
6. Certification of Credentials
The Chairman and Secretary of the County Executive Committee shall certify the election of Officers, Committee Members, Delegates, Alternates and Precinct Chairs to the District and State Conventions, on forms furnished by the State Central Committee. Completed Credentials shall be in the hands of the Congressional District Secretary and the State Headquarters by the deadline set by the State Chairman, whichever date comes first. All County Credentials for the State Convention should be mailed to State Headquarters no later than 10 days following the date of the County Convention or the deadline set by the State Chairman, whichever date comes first. The postmark date will be used to determine compliance for mailed credentials. Copies of all newspaper notices shall be submitted to the NC Republican Party along with County Credentials. No Delegates or Alternates shall be added to the Credentials list following the adjournment of the County Convention. Copies of all newspaper notices shall be submitted to the NC Republican Party and all applicable Congressional District Committees along with County Credentials.
7. Voting Procedure
a. No Delegate, Alternate or any member of a Convention shall cast any vote by proxy
b. No Precinct shall cast more votes than it has duly elected Delegates on the floor of the County Convention.
c. No person shall be seated as a Delegate at the Convention unless such person shall have been duly elected a Delegate or Alternate by the appropriate Precinct meeting unless that person is from an unorganized precinct.
d. The Registered Republican or Republicans present at the County Convention from an unorganized Precinct which has not had its credentials accepted, shall have the right to vote 1 vote per Precinct, prorated among those present from that Precinct.
8. Convention Fee
a. For each person who is elected at a County Convention to be either a Delegate or an Alternate to the State Convention, the County must forward to the State Party a fee set by the State Central Committee to defray the costs of mailing Convention materials to such elected Delegates and Alternates.
b. Donations will be accepted from the Delegates and Alternates who attend the Beaufort County Convention to defray County Convention expenses and the State and District charges required by the State Central Committee.
B. COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. Membership
a. The Beaufort County Executive Committee shall consist of the County Officers, 18 at-large members elected by the Beaufort County Convention, the Beaufort County Finance Chairman and the President of the Beaufort County Republican Women.
b. The Beaufort County Precinct Chairmen shall be ex officio members of the Beaufort County Executive committee, with rights to be recognized to speak or debate, and hold standing committee positions, but not vote.”
2. Powers and Duties
a. The County Executive Committee shall cooperate with the District and State Committees in all elections and Party activities; shall encourage qualified candidates for office within the County; shall adopt a budget; and shall recommend nominees to the State Chairman for appointments for the County Board of Election; and shall have active management of Party affairs within the County. It shall approve a Finance Committee and an Auditing Committee of not less than three (3) Members each and may approve such other Committees as may be deemed necessary. The County Chairman and Vice-Chairmen shall be Ex-officio Members of all Committees indicated in this paragraph.
b. In the event that it is determined that the County Plan of Organization is not consistent with the State Party Plan of Organization, the County Executive Committee must at the next called meeting bring the County Plan of Organization into compliance with the State Party Plan of Organization. Under any circumstances, the County Plan of Organization must be brought into compliance within 90 days. The County Executive Committee may amend the County Plan of Organization upon a 2/3 vote after providing notice of the meeting advising members regarding the substance of the proposed amendment and provided a quorum is present. County Republican Parties shall submit, by certified United States mail, return receipt requested, their county plans of organizations and amendments thereto, to the NCGOP State Headquarters within 30 days after their adoption, in order for the Plan and/or amendment to be considered valid.
3. Meetings The Beaufort County Executive Committee shall meet at least six (6) times a year upon call of the County Chairman after giving 10 days prior notice to all Members; or upon similar call of 1/2 of the Members of the Committee. A quorum shall be 1/2 of the membership. There shall be no proxy voting.
4. Duties of Officers
a. The Chairman of the Beaufort County Executive Committee, with the advice and consent of the County Executive Committee, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Party within the County. The Chairman shall issue the call for Precinct Meetings and the County Convention, and Executive Committee Meetings, and shall preside at all the Meetings of the County Executive Committee. The Chairman shall appoint a Finance Chairman, Auditing Committee (subject to the advice and consent of the County Executive Committee) and any other committee deemed necessary to conduct the business of the County Executive Committee. The Chairman shall further appoint a Temporary Chairman of the County Convention, who may be himself. The Chairman shall make periodic reports on the status of the Party within his County to the District Chairman. The Chairman shall be responsible for the creation and maintenance of a Republican organization in every Precinct within his County. The Chairman shall obtain and preserve a list of all registered Republicans within the County and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the County, District, or State Committees; the County Chairman shall be an "Ex-officio" Member of all Committees. The Chairman shall be a member of each District Executive Committee in which a portion of Beaufort County lies. The Chairman shall serve on the State Executive Committee.
b. The 1st Vice-Chairman shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman and shall have such other duties as may be prescribed by the County Executive Committee. The 1st Vice-Chairman shall be an "Ex-officio" Member of all Committees. The 1st Vice Chairman shall be a member of each District Executive Committee in which a portion of Beaufort County lies. The 1st Vice-Chairman shall serve on the State Executive Committee.
c. The 2nd Vice-Chairman shall assist the Chairman and 1st Vice-Chairman in carrying out their responsibilities to the Party and Executive Committee. The 1st and 2nd Vice-Chairman shall have voting authority on their respective District Executive Committee, in which a portion of Beaufort County lies, and with the State Executive Committee.
If the 1st Vice Chairman is from the 1st District, the 2nd Vice-Chairman shall be from the 3rd District, and vice Versa.
d. The Secretary shall keep all minutes and records and shall maintain a roster of all Precinct Officers and Executive Committee Members. Such records shall be available, including all Credentials Lists upon request, to any registered Republican within the County. The Secretary shall furnish to the Congressional District Chairman and to State Headquarters up-to-date lists of all Precinct Chairmen. The Secretary will be authorized to sign Party Checks.
e. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds for Party expenditures pursuant to authority duly given by the County Executive Committee, shall make a financial report at all County Executive Committee Meetings and shall fulfill all financial reports and obligations required under State and Federal election laws. The Treasurer may not write checks to self.
5. Vacancies and Removals
a. In case of death, resignation, or discontinuance of residency within the county, removal of any Officer or Member of the County Executive Committee the resulting vacancy shall be filled by the remaining members of the Beaufort County Executive Committee.
b. Any Member of a Committee organized under this Plan may be removed by a 2/3’s vote of the respective Committee after being furnished with notice of the charges against him, signed by not less than 1/3 of the Members of the Committee. Any Republican against whom charges are brought shall be furnished with 2 weeks notice of said charges and be given an opportunity to present a defense. Removal shall be confined to gross inefficiency, Party disloyalty or failure to comply with the County, District, or State Party Plans of Organization. Such removal may be appealed to the State Central Committee within 20 days and their decision shall be final.
c. For the purposes of this Plan of Organization, "Party disloyalty" shall be defined as actively supporting a candidate of another Party or independent candidate running in opposition to a nominee of the Republican Party.
d. Any member of the Beaufort County Republican Party Executive Committee, including officers, who shall miss three meetings of the Executive Committee, in one calendar year, from convention to convention. without an excuse approved by the Chairman shall be presumed to have resigned and the Secretary shall, without any further action being necessary, remove that person’s name from the roll of members and advise the Executive Committee that a vacancy exists on the Executive Committee. Excused absences will be documented.
f. Any registered Republican using a current or former title as a Party or elected official on the Republican ticket to influence the outcome of any election against a Republican Nominee may be declared ineligible to hold office under the State Plan of Organization at the State, District, and Precinct level for Party disloyalty by 2/3 vote of the State Executive Committee. Charges of Party disloyalty may be brought by petition of 50 members of the State Executive Committee, or by resolution of a County or District Republican Executive Committee. The State Executive Committee may declare a Republican found to have engaged in Party disloyalty as ineligible to serve in any office under this Plan of Organization for a period of time between 6 months and 5 years.
g. Any current or former Officer or Member of a Precinct Committee, County Executive Committee, District Committee, State Executive Committee or State Central Committee who, for any reason, is removed or resigned from said position shall forfeit all rights and privileges in any way connected with that position.
6. Finance Committee
The County Finance Committee shall be composed of the County Finance Chairman, the County Chairman, the County 1st & 2nd Vice-Chairman, the County Treasurer, and not less than three (3) persons approved by the County Executive Committee. They shall cooperate with the Congressional District and State Finance Committees and shall have active management of fund-raising efforts within the County. The Finance Chairman will serve on each District Finance Committee within the County.
7. Auditing Committee The members of the Auditing Committee shall be nominated by the County Chairman and the names shall be presented for the advice and consent of the County Executive Committee. The Auditing Committee, once approved, shall conduct a yearly review of the financial records of the County, within 60 days of the appointment of the committee, and report such review to the County Executive Committee for approval. The review to be conducted shall be of the type and nature which the Auditing Committee, in its discretion, deems appropriate.
ARTICLE IV GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
A. Non-Partisan Candidates and Office Holders No County, Congressional District or State Committee of the North Carolina Republican Party shall offer an opportunity for a candidate for, or current office holder of, a "non-partisan office" who is not a Registered Republican to address a Republican Convention or other function sponsored by the North Carolina Republican Party or any of its subdivisions.
B. Official Records and Accounts
1. Minutes Minutes shall be kept by all Committees and Conventions of official actions taken, and a copy shall be filed with the Chairman of the appropriate Committee or Convention and with Republican State Headquarters.
2. Finance Records The Chairman, Treasurer, and Finance Chairman of the County, District and State Committees shall keep faithful and accurate records or any and all monies received for the use of the said Committees and shall make faithful and accurate reports there of when so requested.
ARTICLE V APPOINTMENTS AND ENDORSEMENTS
A. APPOINTMENTS
1. Notification It shall be the duty of the State Chairman to transmit notice of known vacancies on a County, District or State level to those persons having jurisdiction over such appointments.
2. Filling Vacancies
a. When a vacancy occurs in a governmental office for which a Party recommendation is called for, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina and the terms of this Plan. The above mentioned recommendation shall be provided by the committee having jurisdiction over the district which is subject of the vacancy
.
b. In multi-county offices or state legislative offices, the responsibility for calling the meeting rests with the State Chairman. The State Chairman may delegate this authority to the appropriate district or County chairman or the Congressional District Chairman if the county or congressional district, as the case may be, encompasses all the district or county, in which the vacancy occurs.
c. Unless otherwise provided by law, notice to committee members of the time, date, location and purpose of the meeting at which a recommendation for filling the vacancy will be considered, must be made by certified United States Mail to the last known address of the committee member. Notice must be mailed at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting, unless good cause exists for shortening the time period. In no case may the meeting be scheduled for a date and time less than five (5) days after the mailing of the notice to committee members. d. In those cases where the State Chairman or, by appointment, the county, district, or Congressional District Chairman calls the meeting; the vote shall be conducted in a method reasonably calculated to assure accuracy and fairness to all potential candidates for the position. e. Should any cause or provision found in this section be deemed inconsistent with the laws of the State of North Carolina, those laws shall govern as to the particular clause or provision and the remainder of this section shall apply.
B. ENDORSEMENTS IN NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS
1. In non-partisan, elections, district and county executive committees shall have exclusive authority to endorse registered Republicans running in that district or county. Political subdivision executive committees (i.e., County Executive Committee) shall not issue endorsements in non-partisan races unless the District resides entirely within the County. All members of the County Executive Committee may vote on the non-partisan endorsements for districts wholly encompassed within that county, regardless of whether Committee members live within the District in question.
2. In non-partisan, statewide judicial elections, the NCGOP State Executive Committee shall have the exclusive authority to endorse registered Republicans. Political subdivisions executive committees (i.e., County Executive Committees) shall not issue endorsements of non-partisan, state wide judicial candidates inconsistent with the State Executive Committee endorsements. 3. With respect to any endorsement provided for in this section and unless otherwise provided by law, notice to committee members of the time, date, location, and purpose of the meeting at which any such endorsement will be considered must be made by US Mail to the last known address of the committee member. Notice must be mailed at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting, unless good cause exists for shortening the time period. In no case may the meeting be scheduled for a time and date less than five (5) days after the notice to committee members. Such notice shall also be provided to all registered Republicans, who are candidates, seeking the office for which the endorsement is made.
ARTICLE VI AMENDMENTS AND APPLICABILITY
A. AUTHORITY
1. Parliamentary Authority
The current Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings, except when inconsistent with this State Plan of Organization or Convention Rules properly adopted.
2. Controversies
Controversies in any County or District with respect to the organization set up therein under this Plan shall be referred to the State Chairman, State Vice-Chairman, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman and General Counsel for arbitration. Ruling shall be made within 60 days and their decision will be final.
3. Gender and Number The masculine pronoun or title herein includes the feminine, and the singular herein includes the plural, wherever appropriate.
4. Media All meetings of the Beaufort County Executive Committee are closed to the media unless otherwise determined by the Executive Committee.
B. AMENDMENTS
The Plan of Organization Committee shall have the authority to correct any spelling or typographical errors in the Plan of Organization, as a housekeeping matter, that do not change the substance of the Plan.
ARTICLE VII
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Plan of Organization shall become effective and repeal and supersede all other rules, except as specifically noted, immediately following the approval of the amended Plan of Organization during the Beaufort County Convention in Washington North Carolina, on March 11, 2008. This, however, shall not invalidate any action taken under the previous rules prior to the date above. The adoption of this Plan shall not effect the term of those office holders at the time of the adoption of this Plan.