17-8-110. Corporations; execution, acknowledgment and filing of articles of incorporation.
Any person being the archbishop, bishop, president, trustee in trust, president of stake, president of congregation, overseer, presiding elder, or clergyman, of any church or religious society, who shall have been duly chosen, elected or appointed, in conformity with the constitution, canons, rites, regulations, or discipline of said church or religious society, and in whom shall be vested the legal title to the property of such church or religious society, may make and subscribe written articles of incorporation in duplicate, acknowledge the same before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment, and file one (1) of such articles in the office of the secretary of state, and retain possession of the other.
17-8-111. Corporations; contents of articles of incorporation; amendment of articles.
(a) The articles of incorporation shall specify:
(i) The name of the corporation, by which it shall be known;
(ii) The object of said corporation;
(iii) The estimated value of the property at the time of making the articles of incorporation;
(iv) The title of the person making such articles. Any corporation so formed shall have power from time to time to alter or amend its articles of incorporation; such amendment shall be made by the corporation sole, and executed by the same person who executed the original articles of incorporation, or by his successor in office, and shall be filed and recorded in the same office and in the same manner as is provided for filing the original articles.
17-8-112. Corporations; creation and powers generally.
Upon making and filing for record articles of incorporation as herein provided, the person subscribing the same, and his successor in office by the name or title specified in the articles, shall thereafter be deemed, and is hereby created, a body politic and a corporation sole, with continual perpetual succession, and shall have power to acquire and possess, by donation, gift, bequest, devise, or purchase, and to hold and maintain property, real, personal, and mixed, and to grant, sell, convey, rent, or otherwise dispose of the same as may be necessary to carry on or promote the objects of the corporation; and shall have authority to borrow money and to give written obligations therefor, and to secure the payment thereof by mortgage or other lien, upon real or personal property, when necessary to promote said objects.
Such corporation shall have the power to contract and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, plead and be pleaded in all courts of justice, and to have and use a common seal by which all deeds and acts of such corporation may be authenticated.
17-8-114. Corporations; execution of deeds and other written instruments.
All deeds and other instruments of writing shall be made in the name of the corporation and signed by the person representing the corporation, in the official capacity designated in the articles of incorporation, and be sealed with the seal of the corporation, an impression of which seal shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.
17-8-115. Corporations; evidence of corporate existence.
The articles of incorporation, or a certified copy of those filed and recorded in the office of the secretary of state, shall be evidence of the existence of such corporation.
17-8-116. Corporations; vesting of title to property in
successor; filing of certified copy of commission by successor. In the event of the death or resignation of any such archbishop, bishop, president, trustee in trust, president of stake, president of congregation, overseer, presiding elder, or clergyman, or of his removal therefrom by the person or body having authority to remove him, when such person is at the time a corporation sole, his successor in office, as such corporation sole, shall be vested with the title to any and all property held by his predecessor, as such corporation sole, with like power and authority over the same, and subject to all the legal liabilities and obligations with reference thereto. Such successor shall file in the office of the county clerk of each county wherein any of said real property is situated, a certified copy of his commission, certificate or letter of election or appointment.
17-8-117. Vesting of title to property in successor when
held beneficially by church official and not by corporation. In case of the death, resignation or removal of any such archbishop, bishop, president, trustee in trust, president of stake, president of congregation, overseer, presiding elder, or clergyman, who at the time of his death, resignation, or removal, was holding the title to trust property for the use or benefit of any church or religious society, and not incorporated as a corporation sole, the title to any and all such property held by him, of every nature and kind, shall not revert to the donor, nor vest in the heirs of such deceased person, but shall be deemed to be in abeyance, after such death, resignation, or removal, until his successor is duly appointed to fill such vacancy, and upon the appointment of such successor, the title to all the property held by his predecessor shall at once, without any other act or deed, vest in the person appointed to fill such vacancy.
In order to promote, foster, and encourage the intelligent and orderly marketing of agricultural products through cooperation, and to eliminate speculation and waste; and to make the distribution of agricultural products as direct as can be efficiently done between producer and consumer; and to stabilize the marketing problems of agricultural products, this act is passed.
17-10-102. Definitions; associations deemed nonprofit; short title.
(a) The term "agricultural products" shall include horticultural, viticultural, forestry, dairy, livestock, poultry, bee, and any farm products.
(b) The term "member" shall include actual members of associations without capital stock and holders of common stock in associations organized with capital stock.
(c) The term "association" or "cooperative" means any corporation organized under this act.
(d) The term "person" shall include individuals, firms, partnerships, corporations and associations.
(e) Associations organized hereunder shall be deemed nonprofit, inasmuch as they are not organized to make profits for themselves, as such, or for their members as such, but only for their members as producers.
(f) This act shall be referred to as the "Cooperative Marketing Act".
Five (5) or more persons, qualified electors of the state of Wyoming, engaged in the production of agricultural products may form a nonprofit, cooperative association, with or without capital stock, under the provisions of this act.
An association may be organized to engage in any activity in connection with the marketing or selling of the agricultural products of its members, or with the harvesting, preserving, drying, processing, canning, packing, storing, handling, shipping, or utilization thereof, of the manufacturing or marketing of the by-products thereof; or in connection with the manufacturing, selling, or supplying to its members of machinery, equipment, or supplies; or in the financing of the above enumerated activities; or in any one (1) or more of the activities specified herein.
17-10-105. Certificate of incorporation; execution and contents.
(a) The incorporators shall sign and acknowledge, in the manner required for the signing and acknowledgment of deeds, a certificate of incorporation showing the following facts:
(i) The name of the cooperative;
(ii) The purpose of the cooperative; (iii)(A) If organized without capital stock, whether the property rights of each member shall be equal or unequal; and if unequal, the articles shall set forth the general rule or rules applicable to all members by which the property rights and interests, respectively, of each member shall be determined and fixed; and the association shall have the power to admit new members who shall be entitled to share in the property of the association with the old members, in accordance with such general rule or rules. This provision of the articles of incorporation shall not be altered, amended, or repealed except by the written consent or the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members;
(B) If organized with capital stock, the amount of such stock, the number of shares into which the capital stock is divided, and the par value of each share shall be given.
(iv) The period of duration for the cooperative, if the duration is not to be perpetual;
(v) The number of directors, not less than five (5) and the names of those who shall manage the concerns of the corporation for the first corporate year;
(vi) The name of the town or post office and the county where the principal office or place of business of the corporation shall be located;
(vii) Any further provisions, not inconsistent with law, which the incorporators may deem expedient to be embodied in such certificate.
17-10-106. Certificate of incorporation; filing; fees; commencement of corporate existence.
The certificate of incorporation shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state. The fees for filing or recording such certificate shall be the same as in the case of corporations formed under the general corporation laws. The corporation shall come into existence upon the filing of its certificate in the office of the secretary of state.
17-10-107. Certificate of incorporation; amendment.
The certificate of incorporation of any association organized under this act or which may elect to come under the provisions of this act may be amended in the following manner: the board of directors, by majority vote of its members, may pass a resolution setting forth the full text of the proposed amendment and also the full text of such section or sections as may be altered or repealed by such amendments. Upon such action by the board of directors, notice shall be mailed to each and every member containing a copy of the resolution so adopted, the full text of the proposed amendment and also the full text of such section or sections as will be altered or repealed by such amendment. Such notice shall also designate the time, not less than twenty (20) days from the mailing of such notice, and place of the meeting at which such proposed amendment shall be considered and voted upon. If a quorum of the members is registered as being present or represented by mail votes at such meeting, a majority of the members so present or represented by mail votes may adopt or reject such proposed amendment; provided that no amendment may be adopted inconsistent with W.S. 17-10-104. Such amendments shall be put into effect by the directors, who shall sign and acknowledge and file, as above provided by the general corporation law of this state, new or revised certificates containing such amendments and superseding the original certificate.
17-10-108. Applicability of general corporation law relative to notice for service of process.
Public notice of the filing of the original certificate and of all amended certificates shall be given in like manner as that required in the case of corporations formed under the general corporation law. The corporation shall also designate an agent and office for the service of papers and processes as required by the general corporation law.
(a) Each cooperative formed under the provisions of this article shall have power:
(i) To have succession by its corporate name for the period limited in its certificate;
(ii) To sue and be sued, complain and defend in any court;
(iii) To establish and use a common seal and alter the same;
(iv) To hold, purchase and convey such real and personal property as the purpose of the corporation may require, including stock or membership in subsidiary, allied or similar cooperative corporations within or without this state;
(v) To appoint such officers and agents as the business may require, including in every case, a president and a secretary, and to fix their compensation;
(vi) To make bylaws not inconsistent with law for the management of its property, the regulation of its business and the transfer of its stock or membership;
(vii) To engage in any activity in connection with producing, marketing, selling, preserving, drying, processing, canning, packing, handling, storing or utilization of any agricultural products of its members; or the manufacturing or marketing of the by-products thereof; or in connection with the purchase, hiring or use by its members of supplies, machinery or equipment, or in the financing of such activities, or in any one (1) or more of the activities specified in this paragraph;
(viii) To borrow money and to make advances to members upon products of members in the hands of the association;
(ix) To act as agent or representative of any member or members in any of the activities mentioned in paragraphs
(vii) and (viii) of this subsection;
(x) To purchase or otherwise acquire, and to hold, own and exercise all rights of ownership in, and to sell, transfer or pledge shares of the capital stock or bonds, or memberships of any corporation or association organized under this act;
(xi) To establish reserves and invest the funds thereof in bonds or such other property as may be provided in the bylaws;
(xii) To do each and everything necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any one (1) of the purposes or the attainment of any one (1) or more of the objects herein enumerated; and to contract accordingly; and in addition to exercise and possess all powers, rights and privileges necessary or incidental to the purposes for which the association is organized or to the activities in which it is engaged; and in addition any other rights, powers and privileges granted by the laws of this state to ordinary corporations, except such as are inconsistent with the express provisions of this act; and to do any such things anywhere.
(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 of 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) No stockholder of a cooperative association shall hold more than twenty percent (20%) of the common stock of the association; and the association, in its bylaws, may limit the amount of common stock which one (1) member may own to any amount less than twenty percent (20%) of the common stock.
(e) No member or stockholder shall be entitled to more than one (1) vote.
(f) The bylaws shall prohibit the transfer of the common stock or membership of the association to persons not engaged in the production of the agricultural products handled by the association, and such restrictions must be printed upon every certificate of stock or membership certificate subject thereto.
(g) Any association organized with stock under this act may issue preferred stock, without the right to vote, and bearing a rate of interest not to exceed eight percent (8%). Such stock may be redeemable or retireable by the association on such terms and conditions as may be provided for by the certificate of incorporation and printed on the face of the certificate.
17-10-111. Management by board of directors; composition and election of board; terms of office.
The stock, property and concerns of such corporation shall be managed by the board of directors who shall be respectively members, stockholders or subscribers for stock and who shall, after the first corporate year, be annually elected by the members or stockholders at such time and place as shall be provided by the bylaws. The bylaws may provide that the directors be elected for staggered terms not to exceed three (3) years. Directors shall hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified. The bylaws may provide that the territory in which the association has members shall be divided into districts, and 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 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 district, and the result of all such primary elections must be ratified by the next regular meeting of the association.
17-10-112. Regular meetings; calling of special meetings; notice of meetings.
In its bylaws each association shall provide for one (1) or more regular meetings annually. The board of directors shall have the right to call a special meeting at any time, and ten percent (10%) of the members or stockholders may file a petition stating the specific business to be brought before the association, and demand a special meeting at any time. Such meeting must thereupon be called by the board of directors. Notice of all meetings, together with a statement of the purposes thereof, shall be mailed to each member at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting. Provided, however, that the bylaws may require instead that such notice may be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation, published at the principal place of business of the association. Date of publication of such meeting is to be at least twenty (20) days before the date of such meeting.
(a) 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 of the association, 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.
(b) In case the bylaws provide for the election of directors by districts, with primary elections in each district, then the petition for the 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 the members of that district, the director in question shall be removed from office.
17-10-114. Liability of directors for excess of indebtedness over assets or capital.
If the indebtedness of such corporation shall at any time exceed the amount of the assets of a nonstock corporation or the amount of subscribed capital stock of a stock company, the directors assenting thereto shall be personally and individually liable for such excess to the creditors.
17-10-115. Apportionment of net profits by directors of corporation with capital stock.
(a) The directors in any cooperative association organized under this article may set aside a portion of net income to create or maintain a capital reserve as they see fit or may set aside none, in their discretion. In addition to a capital reserve, the board may:
(i) Set aside an amount not to exceed five percent (5%) of the annual net income of the cooperative association for:
(A) Promoting and encouraging cooperative organization;
(B) Promotion, education or research activities which are beneficial to the cooperative, its members and products; and
(C) Any other endeavor or effort which the board deems is in the best interests of the cooperative or its members.
(ii) Establish and accumulate reserves for new buildings, machinery and equipment depreciation, losses and other purposes.
(b) Repealed By Laws 2001, Ch. 144, § 4.
Any association organized under this act, as agent to sell the products of members or purchase supplies for members may operate upon a nonprofit basis by contracting to pay the members, for products sold by said members to or through the association, the resale price minus a uniform charge to cover the expenses involved in the handling of said products; there shall also be set aside for a reserve fund a small percentage of the sale price, said percentage to be fixed by the bylaws; resale price to be the actual resale price to be based upon the average price during any period for products of the same type and quality; the uniform charges for expenses to be specified in the contract or made otherwise ascertainable or left for determination by the directors.
dividends or appointment when corporation insolvent; exception. If the directors of any corporation organized under this act shall declare and pay any dividend or apportionment of earnings or profits to members or nonmembers when the corporation is insolvent or when it would be rendered insolvent by such payment, such directors shall be jointly and severally liable for all debts of the corporation then existing and for all such debts thereafter incurred while they shall respectively continue in office. Any director may relieve himself from such liability at any time before the time fixed for the payment of such dividend or apportionment by filing a certificate in writing of his objection with the secretary of the corporation, and with the county clerk of the county in which the principal office is located.
17-10-119. Preparation and disposition of financial statement.
At the time of each dividend or apportionment of profits, and at least once in every year, the directors shall cause to be prepared a statement showing the financial condition of the corporation. This statement shall be in such form as shall fully exhibit the assets and liabilities of the corporation; its earnings and profits, purchases and sales, expenses and outlays, for the period covered by such dividend, apportionment of earnings, or yearly statement, and this statement, shall be in such form that good understanding of the financial condition of said company may be obtained from such statement. The directors shall cause one (1) copy of this statement to be mailed to each member or stockholder of the corporation and one (1) copy to be kept on file with the secretary where the same may be examined by any member of the corporation at all reasonable times.
(a) The association and its members may make and execute marketing contracts, requiring the members to sell, for a period of time, not over ten (10) years, all or any specified part of their agricultural products or specified commodities exclusively to or through the association or any facilities to be created by the association. The contract may provide that the association may sell or resell the products of its members, with or without taking title thereto, and pay over to its members the resale price, after deducting all necessary selling, overhead, and other costs and expenses, if any; and other proper reserves; and in interest not exceeding six percent (6%) per annum upon common stock.
(b) The bylaws of the marketing contract may fix, as liquidated damages, specified sums to be paid by the member or stockholder to the association upon the breach by him of any provision of the marketing contract regarding the sale or delivery or withholding of products; and may further provide that the member will pay all costs, premiums for bonds, expenses or fees in case any action is brought upon the contract by the association; and any such provision shall be valid and enforceable in the courts of this state.
(c) In the event of any such breach or threatened breach of such marketing contract by a member, the association shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent the further breach of the contract, and to a decree of specific performance thereof. Pending the adjudication of such an action, and upon filing a certified complaint, showing the breach or threatened breach, and upon filing a sufficient bond, the association shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the member.
17-10-122. Inducing breach of marketing contract or spreading false reports of finances or management; penalty.
Any person who, or any corporation whose officers or employees knowingly induces or attempts to induce any member or stockholder of an association organized hereunder to breach his marketing contract with the association, or who maliciously and knowingly spreads false reports about the finances or management thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00), and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), for each such offense and shall be liable to the association aggrieved in a civil suit in the penal sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each such offense; provided, that this section shall not apply to a bona fide creditor of such association, or the agent or attorney of any such bona fide creditor, endeavoring to make collections of the indebtedness.
No association organized hereunder shall be deemed to be a combination in restraint of trade or an illegal monopoly; or an attempt to lessen competition or fix prices arbitrarily, nor shall the marketing contracts or agreements between the association and its members, or any agreements authorized in this act be considered illegal or in restraint of trade.