BY-LAWS
OF
METRO BUSINESS ARCHIVES, INC.
(a New York corporation)
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ARTICLE 1
SHAREHOLDERS
1. CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING SHARES. Certificates representing shares
shall set forth thereon the statements prescribed by Section 508, and, where
applicable, by Sections 505, 616, 620, 709, and 1002, of the Business
Corporation Law and by any other applicable provision of law and shall be signed
by the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, or by the
President or a Vice-President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or
the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and may be sealed with the corporate seal
or a facsimile thereof. The signatures of the officers upon a certificate may be
facsimiles if the certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent or registered
by a registrar other than the corporation itself or it's employee. In case any
officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a
certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is
issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he were
such officer at the date of its issue.
A certificate representing shares shall not be issued until the full
amount of consideration therefor has been paid except as Section 504 of the
Business Corporation Law may otherwise permit.
The corporation may issue a new certificate for shares in place of any
certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost or destroyed,
and the Board of Directors may require the owner of any lost or destroyed
certificate, or his legal representative, to give the corporation a bond
sufficient to indemnify the corporation against any claim that may be made
against it on account of the alleged loss or destruction of any such certificate
or the issuance of any such new certificate.
2. FRACTIONAL SHARE INTERESTS. The corporation may issue certificates for
fractions of a share where necessary to effect transactions authorized by the
Business Corporation Law which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to his
fractional holdings, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends and
participate in liquidating distributions; or it may pay in cash the fair value
of fractions of a share as of the time when those entitled to receive such
fractions are determined; or it may issue scrip in registered or bearer form
over the manual or facsimile signature of an officer of the corporation or of
its agent, exchangeable as therein provided for full shares, but such scrip
shall not entitle the holder to any rights of a shareholder except as therein
provided.
3. SHARE TRANSFERS. Upon compliance with provisions restricting the
transferability of shares, if any, transfers of shares of the corporation shall
be made only on the share record of the corporation by the registered holder
thereof, or by his attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly
executed and filed with the Secretary of the corporation or with a transfer
agent or a registrar, if any, and on surrender of the certificate or
certificates for such shares properly endorsed and the payment of all taxes cue
thereon.
4. RECORD DATE FOR SHAREHOLDERS. For the purpose of determining the
shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or
any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal
without a meeting, or for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to
receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the
purpose of any other action, the directors may fix, in advance, a date as the
record date for any such determination of shareholders. Such date shall not be
more than fifty days nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor
more than fifty days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed, the
record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of the business on the
day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if no notice is given,
the day on which the meeting is held; the record date for determining
shareholders for any purpose other than that specified in the preceding clause
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the
directors relating thereto is adopted. When a determination of shareholders of
record entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been
made as provided in this paragraph, such determination shall apply to any
adjournment thereof, unless directors fix a new record date under this paragraph
f or the adjourned meeting.
5. MEANING OF CERTAIN TERMS. As used herein in respect of the right to
notice of a meeting of shareholders or a waiver thereof or to participate or
vote thereat or to consent or dissent in writing in lieu of a meeting, as the
case may be, the term "share" or "shares" or "shareholder" or "shareholders"
refers to an outstanding share or shares and to a holder or holders of record of
outstanding shares when the corporation is authorized to issue only one class of
shares, and said reference is also intended to include any outstanding share or
shares and any holder or holders of record of outstanding shares of any class
upon which or upon whom the Certificate of Incorporation confers such rights
where there are two or more classes or series of shares or upon which or upon
whom the Business Corporation Law confers such rights notwithstanding that the
Certificate of Incorporation may provide for more than one class or series of
shares, one or more of which are limited or denied such rights thereunder.
6. SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS.
- TIME. The annual meeting shall be held on the date fixed, from
time to time, by the directors, provided, that the first annual meeting shall be
held on a date within thirteen months after the formation of the corporation,
and each successive annual meeting shall be held on a date within thirteen
months after the date of the preceding annual meeting. A special meeting shall
be held on the date fixed by the directors except when the Business Corporation
Law confers the right to fix the date upon shareholders.
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- PLACE. Annual meetings and special meetings shall be held at such
place, within or without the State of New York, as the directors may, from time
to time, fix. Whenever the directors shall fail to fix such place, or, whenever
shareholders entitled to call a special meeting shall call the same, the meeting
shall be held at the office of the corporation in the State of New York.
- CALL. Annual meetings may be called by the directors or by any
officer instructed by the directors to call the meeting. Special meetings may be
called in like manner except when the directors are required by the Business
Corporation Law to call a meeting, or except when the shareholders are entitled
by said Law to demand the call of a meeting.
- NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER OF NOTICE. Written
notice of all meetings shall be given, stating the place, date, and hour of the
meeting, and, unless it is an annual meeting, indicating that it is being issued
by or at the direction of the person or persons calling the meeting. The notice
of an annual meeting shall state that the meeting is called for the election of
directors and for the transaction of other business which may properly come
before the meeting, and shall, (if any other action which could be taken at a
special meeting is to be taken at such annual meeting) state the purpose or
purposes. The notice of a special meeting shall in all instances state the
purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called; and, at any such meeting,
only such business may be transacted which is related to the purpose or purposes
set forth in the notice. If the directors shall adopt, amend, or repeal a bylaw
regulating an impending election of directors, the notice of the next meeting
for election of directors shall contain the statements prescribed by Section
601(b) of the Business Corporation Law. If any action is proposed to be taken
which would, if taken, entitle shareholders to receive payment for their shares,
the notice shall include a statement of that purpose and to that effect and
shall be accompanied by a copy of Section 623 of the Business Corporation Law or
an outline of its material terms. A copy of the notice of any meeting shall be
given, personally or by first class mail, not less than ten days nor more than
fifty days before the date of the meeting, unless the lapse of the prescribed
period of time shall have been waived, to each shareholder at his record address
or at such other address which he may have furnished by request in writing to
the Secretary of the corporation. Notice by mail shall be deemed to be given
when deposited, with postage thereon prepaid, in a post office or official
depository under the exclusive care and custody of the United States post office
department. If a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, and, if any
announcement of the adjourned time or place is made at the meeting, it shall not
be necessary to give notice of the adjourned meeting unless the directors, after
adjournment, fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting. Notice of a
meeting need not be given to any shareholder who submits a signed waiver of
notice before or after the meeting. The attendance of a shareholder at a meeting
without protesting prior to the conclusion of the meeting the lack of notice of
such meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice by him.
- SHAREHOLDER LIST AND CHALLENGE. A list of shareholders as of the
record date, certified by the Secretary or other officer responsible for its
preparation or by the transfer agent, if any, shall be produced at any meeting
of shareholders upon the request thereat or prior thereto of any shareholder. If
the right to vote at any meeting is challenged, the inspectors of election, if
any, or the person presiding thereat, shall require such list of shareholders to
be produced as evidence of the right of the persons challenged to vote at such
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meeting, and all persons who appear from such list to be shareholders entitled
to vote thereat may vote at such meeting.
- CONDUCT OF MEETING. Meetings of the shareholders shall be presided
over by one of the following officers in the order of seniority and if present
and acting - the Chairman of the Board, if any, the Vice-Chairman of the Board,
if any, the President, a Vice-President, or, if none of the foregoing is in
office and present and acting, by a Chairman to be chosen by the shareholders.
The Secretary of the corporation, or in his absence, an Assistant Secretary,
shall act as secretary of every meeting, but if neither the Secretary nor an
Assistant Secretary is present the Chairman of the meeting shall appoint a
secretary of the meeting.
- PROXY REPRESENTATION. Every shareholder may authorize another
person or persons to act for him by proxy in all matters in which a shareholder
is entitled to participate, whether by waiving notice of any meeting, voting or
participating at a meeting, or expressing consent or dissent without a meeting.
Every proxy must be signed by the shareholder or his attorney-in-fact. No proxy
shall be valid after the expiration of eleven months from the date thereof
unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable -at the
pleasure of the shareholder executing it, except as otherwise provided by the
Business Corporation Law.
- INSPECTORS - APPOINTMENT. The directors, in advance of any
meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting
or any adjournment thereof. If an inspector or inspectors are not appointed, the
person presiding at the meeting may, but need not, appoint one or more
inspectors. In case any person who may be appointed as an inspector fails to
appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment made by the directors in
advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the person presiding thereat. Each
inspector, if any, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take
and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector at such meeting
with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. The
inspectors, if any, shall determine the number of shares outstanding and the
voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a
quorum, the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots or
consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection
with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents,
determine the result, and do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or
vote with fairness to all shareholders. On request of the person presiding at
the meeting or any shareholder, the inspector or inspectors, if any, shall make
a report in writing of any challenge, question or matter determined by his or
them and execute a certificate of any fact found by him or them.
- QUORUM. Except for a special election of directors pursuant to
Section 603(b) of the Business Corporation Law, and except as herein otherwise
provided, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares shall constitute a
quorum at a meeting of shareholders for the transaction of any business. When a
quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent
withdrawal of any shareholders. The shareholders present may adjourn the meeting
despite the absence of a quorum.
- VOTING. Each share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote.
In the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall elect. Any
other action shall be authorized
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by a majority of the votes cast except where the Business Corporation Law
prescribes a different proportion of votes.
7. SHAREHOLDER ACTION WITHOUT MEETINGS. Whenever shareholders
are required or permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken
without a meeting on written consent, setting forth the action so taken, signed
by the holders of all shares.
ARTICLE 2
GOVERNING BOARD
1. FUNCTIONS AMD DEFINITIONS. The business of the corporation shall be
managed under the direction of a governing board, which is herein referred to as
the "Board of Directors" or "directors" notwithstanding that the members thereof
may otherwise bear the titles of trustees, managers, or governors or any other
designated title, and notwithstanding that only one director legally constitutes
the Board. The word "director" or "directors" likewise herein refers to a member
or to members of the governing board notwithstanding the designation of a
different official title or titles. The use of the phrase "entire board" herein
refers to the total number of directors which the corporation would have if
there were no vacancies.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND NUMBER. Each director shall be at least eighteen
years of age. A director need not be a shareholder, a citizen of the United
States, or a resident of the State of New York. The initial Board of Directors
shall consist of one person. Thereafter the number of directors constituting the
entire board shall be at least three, except that, where all the shares are
owned beneficially and of record by less than three shareholders, the number of
directors may be less than three but not less than the number of such
shareholders. Subject to the foregoing limitation and except for the first Board
of Directors, such number may be fixed from time to time by action of the
shareholders or of the directors, or, if the number is not so fixed, the number
shall be . The number of directors may be increased or decreased by action of
shareholders or of the directors, provided that any action of the directors to
effect such increase or decrease shall require the vote of a majority of the
entire Board. No decrease shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
3. ELECTION AND TERM. The first Board of Directors shall be elected by the
incorporator or incorporators and shall hold office until the first annual
meeting of shareholders and until their successors have been elected and
qualified. Thereafter, directors who are elected at an annual meeting of
shareholders, and directors who are elected in the interim by the shareholders
to fill vacancies and newly created directorships, shall hold office until the
next annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors have been elected
and qualified; and directors who are elected in the interim by the directors to
fill vacancies and newly created directorships shall hold office until the next
meeting of shareholders at which the election of directors is in the regular
order of business and until their successors have been elected and qualified. In
the interim between annual meetings of shareholders or of special meetings of
shareholders called for the election of directors, newly created directorships
and any vacancies in the Board of Directors, including vacancies resulting from
the removal of directors for cause or without cause, may be filled by the vote
of the remaining directors then in office, although less than a quorum exists.
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4. MEETINGS.
- TIME. Meetings shall be held at such time as the Board shall fix,
except that the first meeting of a newly elected Board shall be held as soon
after its election as the directors may conveniently assemble.
- PLACE. Meetings shall be held at such place within or without the
State of New York as shall be fixed by the Board.
- CALL. No call shall be required for regular meetings for which the
time and place have been fixed. Special meetings may be called by or at the
direction of the Chairman of the Board, if any, of the President, or of a
majority of the directors in office.
- NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER. No notice shall be
required for regular meetings for which the time and place have been fixed.
Written, oral, or any other mode of notice of the time and place shall be given
for special meetings in sufficient time for the convenient assembly of the
directors thereat. The notice of any meeting need not specify the purpose of the
meeting. Any requirement of furnishing a notice shall be waived by any director
who signs a waiver of notice before or after the meeting, or who attends the
meeting without protesting, prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of
notice to him.
- QUORUM AND ACTION. A majority of the entire Board shall constitute
a quorum except when a vacancy or vacancies prevents such majority, whereupon a
majority of the directors in office shall constitute a quorum, provided such
majority shall constitute at least one-third of the entire Board. A majority of
the directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn a meeting
to another time and place. Except as herein otherwise provided, the act of the
Board shall be the act, at a meeting duly assembled, by vote of a majority of
the directors present at the time of the vote, a quorum being present at such
time.
Any one or more members of the Board of Directors or of any committee
thereof may participate in a meeting of said Board or of any such committee by
means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all
persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time, and
participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
- CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING. The Chairman of the Board, if any and if
present and acting, shall preside at all meetings. Otherwise, the President, if
present and acting, or any other director chosen by the Board, shall preside.
5. REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. Any or all of the directors may be removed
for cause or without cause by the shareholders. One or more of the directors
may be removed for cause by the Board of Directors.
6. COMMITTEES. Whenever the Board of Directors shall consist of more
than three members, the Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority
of the entire Board of Directors, may designate from their number three or more
directors to constitute an Executive
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Committee and other committees, each of which, to the extent provided in the
resolution designating it, shall have the authority of the Board of Directors
with the exception of any authority the delegation of which is prohibited by
Section 712 of the Business Corporation Law.
7. WRITTEN ACTION. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the
Board of Directors or by any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if
all of the members of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof consent
in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The
resolution and the written consents thereto by the members of the Board of
Directors or of any such committee shall be filed with the minutes of the
proceeding of the Board of Directors or of any such committee.
ARTICLE 3
OFFICERS
The directors may elect or appoint a Chairman of the Board of Directors, a
President, one or more Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, one or more Assistant
Secretaries, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Treasurers, and such other
officers as they may determine. The President may but need not be a director.
Any two or more offices may be held by the same person except the offices of
President and Secretary, or, when all of the issued and outstanding shares of
the corporation are owned by one person, such person may hold all or any
combination of offices.
Unless otherwise provided in the resolution of election or appointment,
each officer shall hold office until the meeting of the Board of Directors
following the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his successor has
been elected and qualified.
Officers shall have the powers and duties defined in the resolutions
appointing them.
The Board of Directors may remove any officer for cause or without cause.
ARTICLE 4
STATUTORY NOTICES TO SHAREHOLDERS
The directors may appoint the Treasurer or other fiscal officer and/or the
Secretary or any other officer to cause to be prepared and furnished to
shareholders entitled thereto any special financial notice and/or any financial
statement, as the case may be, which may be required by any provision of law,
and which, more specifically, may be required by Sections 510, 511, 515, 516,
517, 519, and 520 of the Business Corporation Law.
ARTICLE 5
BOOKS AND RECORDS
The corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of
account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, of the
Board of Directors, and/or any committee which the directors may appoint, and
shall keep at the office of the corporation in the
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State of New York or at the office of the transfer agent or registrar, if any,
in said state, a record containing the names and addresses of all shareholders,
the number and class of shares held by each, and the dates when they
respectively became the owners of record thereof. Any of the foregoing books,
minutes, or records may be in written form or in any other form capable of being
converted into written form within a reasonable time.
ARTICLE 6
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal, if any, shall be in such form as the Board of
Directors shall prescribe.
ARTICLE 7
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed, and shall be subject to
change from time to time, by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 8
CONTROL OVER BY-LAWS
The shareholders entitled to vote in the election of directors or the
directors upon compliance with any statutory requisite may amend or repeal the
By-Laws and may adopt new By-Laws, except that the directors may not amend or
repeal any By-Law or adopt any new By-Law, the statutory control over which is
vested exclusively in the said shareholders or in the incorporators. By-Laws
adopted by the incorporators or directors may be amended or repealed by the said
shareholders.
* * * * * *
The undersigned incorporator certifies that he has examined the foregoing
By-Laws and has adopted the same as the first By-Laws of the corporation; that
said By-Laws contain specific and general provisions, which, in order to be
operative, must be adopted by the incorporator or incorporators or the
shareholders entitled to vote in the election of directors; and that he has
adopted each of said specific and general provisions in accordance with the
requirements of the Business Corporation Law.
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