| Adopted January
1986
Amended January 1987
Amended January 1988
Amended January 1998
Amended January 2001
BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Eligibility - Membership shall be open to all persons
who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe
to the purposes of this Club. Ownership of a Bearded Collie is not a
requirement for membership. The Club’s primary purpose is to be
representative of the breeders, exhibitors and pet owners of Bearded
Collies in its immediate area. Members or applicants for membership shall
self-elect from the following types of membership: 1.) Social – designed
for those individuals principally interested in receiving the club’s
newsletter. Individuals are invited to participate in all club activities
but will not be accorded a vote on business matters. These individuals
will not count in the membership base for creation of a quorum. 2.) Active
– designed for those individuals interested in participating regularly
in the club’s function and participating in the conduct of the business
needs of the club. These individuals will be accorded a vote in matters of
the club’s business. Active members will be expected to attend at least
three meetings per year.
Section 2: Election to Membership - Each applicant for
membership shall apply on a form as approved by the board of Directors and
shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by these constitution and
by-laws and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The application shall
carry the endorsement of two members in good standing.
All applications are to be filed with the Board, which will review and
make a recommendation to the membership. Each application will be read at
the first meeting of the Club following its receipt. Applicants will be
required to attend two meetings/functions within the Club year, prior to
being voted on. Applicants names and brief information will be published
in the Club Newsletter. Upon attending two meetings/functions of the Club,
a vote will be taken on membership. Dues will be due at the time of
membership approval.
Applicants for membership who have been rejected shall be notified in
writing by the President and may not reapply within six months after such
a rejection.
Section 3: Dues – Membership dues shall not exceed $50.00 per
year for single Active membership and shall not exceed $75.00
per year for husband and wife Active membership, payable on or
before the 1st day of January of each year. No member may vote
whose dues are not paid for the current year. During the month of
December, the treasurer shall send to each member, a statement of his dues
for the ensuing year. Every member in good standing is entitled to a
separate vote. Social membership dues not exceed $50.00 per year, single
or family and are due and payable in the same manner as Active membership.
Section 4: Termination of Membership – Memberships may be
terminated:
a) by resignation –
Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice
to the Secretary; but no member may resign when in debt to the club. Dues
obligations are considered a debt to the club and they become incurred on
the first day of each fiscal year.
b) by lapsing – A
membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if
such member’s dues remain unpaid sixty (60) days after the first day of
the fiscal year. However, the Board may grant an additional 90 days of
grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may a
person be entitled to vote in any club meetings whose dues are not paid as
of the date of that meeting.
c) by expulsion or
suspension – A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided
in Article VII of these by-laws.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS AND VOTING
Section 1: Club
Meetings – Meetings of the
club shall be held in the Greater Washington DC area at such hour and
place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of
each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 10 days prior
to the day of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be 20% of
the members in good standing.
Section 2: Special Club Meetings – Special Club meetings may
be called by the President, or by a majority of the members of the Board,
who are present and voting at any regular or special meeting of the Board;
and shall be called the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by
five members of the Club who are in good standing. Such special meetings
shall be held in the Greater Washington, CD area at such place, date and
hour as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to
call such meetings. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed by
the Secretary at least 5 days and not more than 15 days prior to the date
of the meeting, and said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting,
and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. The quorum for such
a meeting shall be 20% of the members in good standing.
Section 3: Board Meetings – Meetings of the Board of Directors
shall be held in the Greater Washington, DC area at least six times in
each year, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board.
Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at
least 5 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a
meeting shall be a majority of the Board.
Section 4: Special Board Meetings – Special meetings of the
Board may be called by the President; and shall be called by the Secretary
upon receipt of a written request signed by at least three members of the
Board. Such special meetings shall be held in the Greater Washington, DC
area at such place, date and hour as may be designated by the person
authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such a meeting
shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 5 days and not more than 15 days
prior to the date of the meeting. Any such notice shall state the purpose
of the meeting and no other business shall be transacted thereat. A quorum
for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.
Section 5: Voting – Each member in good standing whose dues
are paid for the current year shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting
of the Club at which the member is present. Proxy voting will not be
permitted at any club meeting or election.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 1: Board of Directors – The Board shall be comprised
of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, the immediate
Past-President and four other persons, all of whom shall be members in
good standing and all of whom shall be elected for one-year terms at the
Club’s annual meeting as provided in Article IV and shall serve until
their successors are elected. General management of the Club’s affairs
shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. The immediate Past-President
shall have the same voting status as the rest of the Board.
Section 2: Officers – The Club’s officers, consisting of the
President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve in their
respective capacities both with regard to the club and its meetings and
the board and its meetings.
a) The President shall
preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board and shall have the
duties and powers normal appurtenant to the office of President in
addition to those particularly specified in these by-laws.
b) The Vice-President shall
have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the
President’s death, absence or incapacity. The Vice President shall be
responsible for club programs and will review all of the finances of the
club every other month.
c) The Secretary shall keep
a record of all meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all matters
of which a record shall be ordered by the Club including all standing
rules passed by the Club. The Secretary shall have charge of the
correspondence, notify members of meetings, notify new members of their
election to membership, notify officers and directors of their election to
office, keep a role of members of the Club with their addresses, and carry
out such other duties as are prescribed in these by-laws.
d) The Treasurer shall
collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club. The Treasurer
shall deposit the same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of
the club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board
and the treasurer shall report to them at every meeting, the condition of
the Club’s finances and every item of receipt or payment not before
reported; and at the annual meeting shall render an account of all moneys
received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall
be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.
ARTICLE IV
THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL
MEETING, ELECTION
Section 1: Club Year – The Club’s fiscal year shall begin on
the 1st day of January and end on the 31st of
December.
Section 2: Annual Meeting – The annual Meeting shall be held
in the month of November at which officers, and Directors for the ensuring
year shall be elected by secret, written ballot from among those nominated
in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. They shall take office at
the January meeting and each retiring officer shall turn over to his
successor in office all properties and records relating to that office
within 30 days of that meeting.
Section 3: Elections – The nominated candidate receiving the
greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The
four nominated candidates for other positions on the Board who receive the
greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected.
Section 4: Nominations – No person may be a candidate in a
club election who has not been nominated. No later than the 31st
of August, the board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting
of three members and two alternates, not more than one of whom may be a
member of the Board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the
committeemen and alternates of their selection. The Board shall name a
Chair for the Committee and it shall be the chairs duty to call a meeting
that shall be held before the regular September meeting.
a) The Committee shall
nominate one candidate for each office and four candidates for the four
other positions on the Board, and, after securing the consent of each
person so nominated, shall immediately report their nominations to the
Secretary in writing.
b) Upon receipt of the
Nominating Committee’s report, the Secretary shall, at least two weeks
before the regular October meeting, notify each member in writing of the
candidates so nominated.
c) Additional nominations
may be made at the October meeting by any member in attendance provided
that person so nominated does not decline when his name is proposed, and
provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at
this meeting, his proposer shall present to the Secretary a written
statement from the proposed candidate signifying his willingness to be a
candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one position.
d) The Secretary shall, at least two weeks
before the annual meeting, notify each member in writing of any additional
nominations made from the floor at the October meeting.
Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other
than as provided in this Section.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
Section 1: The Board may each year appoint standing committees to
advance the work of the club in such matters as Specialty Shows, Trophies,
Annual Prizes, Membership and other fields which may well be served by
committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority
of the Board. Any
committee shall serve until their successors are appointed.
Section 2: Any committeeman appointed may be terminated by a majority
vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice of the
appointee; and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose
services have been terminated.
ARTICLE VI
DISCIPLINE
Section 1: American Kennel Club Suspensions – Any member who
is suspended from the privileges of the American Kennel club automatically
shall be suspended from the privileges of the Club for a like period.
Section 2: Charges – any member may prefer charges against any
other member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interest of
the Club or dogs. Written charges with specifications must be filed in
duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $100.00, which
shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board
following a hearing.
a) The Secretary shall
promptly send a copy of the charges to each member of the Board or present
them at a Board meeting, and the board shall first consider whether the
actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct
prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or breed.
b) If the Board considers
that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the
best interests of the Club, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction.
- If the Board entertains
jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the
Board, not less than three weeks nor more than six weeks thereafter.
The Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the
accused member by certified mail together with a notice of hearing
and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own
defense and bring witnesses if he or she so desires.
Section 3: Board Hearing – The Board shall have complete
authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both
complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard.
Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all evidence and testimony
presented by complainant and defendant, the Board may, by a majority vote
of those present, issue a written reprimand and/or suspend the defendant
from all privileges of the Club for not more than six months from the date
of the hearing. And, if the Board deems that the suspension punishment is
insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be
expulsion. In any case, suspensions shall not restrict the defendant’s
right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting
which considers the Board’s recommendation. Immediately after the Board
has reached a decision, its findings shall be put in written form and
filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn shall notify each of the
parties of the Board’s decision and penalty, if any.
Section 4: Expulsion – Expulsion of a member from the club may
be accomplished only at a meeting of the Club following a Board hearing
and upon the Board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of the
Article. Such proceeding may occur at a regular or special meeting of the
Club to be held within 60 days but no earlier than 30 days after the date
of the Board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the
privilege of appearing in his own behalf, though no evidence shall be
taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the
Board’s findings and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if
present, to speak on his own behalf if he wishes. The meeting shall then
vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds vote
of those present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for
expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board’s suspension shall
stand.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS
Section 1: Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws may be proposed
by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the
Secretary signed by 20% of the membership in good standing. Amendments
proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of
Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the
Board by the Secretary for a vote within three months of the date when the
petition was received by the Secretary.
Section 2: The Constitution and By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds
vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting
called for the purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been
included in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at least
two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
DISSOLUTION
Section 1: The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent
of not less than two-thirds or the members. In the event of the
dissolution of the club other than for purposes of reorganization whether
voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of
the club nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the club shall be
distributed to any members of the club but after payment of the debts of
the Club, its property and assets shall be given to a charitable
organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1: At the meetings of the Club, the order of business, so far
as the character and nature of the meeting may permit, shall be as
follows:
Roll Call
Minutes of last meeting
Report of President
Report of Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Report of committees
Election of Officers and Board (at annual meeting)
Election of New Members
Unfinished business
New business
Adjournment
Section 2: At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless
otherwise directed by majority vote of those present, shall be as follows:
Minutes of last meeting
Report of Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Reports of committees
Unfinished business
New business
Adjournment |
