BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY
There shall be two types of membership. Single and Family, open to all persons 18 years of age and older who are in good standing with the American Kennel club and who subscribe to the purposes of the Keystone Retriever Club, Inc. While membership is to be unrestricted as to residence, the Club’s primary purpose is to be representatives of the hunters, breeders, and field testers in its immediate area.
Single – All people 18 years of age or older
Family – Two people living in the same household over the age of 18 years.
SECTION 2. DUES
Membership dues shall be $35.00 per family or $30.00 per single membership per year payable on or before the 30th day of January of each year. No members may vote whose dues are no paid for the current year. During the month of December, the Secretary shall send to each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing year. One half dues 07/01 of each year, shall be required from new members. Each person of a family membership counts as one vote.
SECTION 3. 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 this constitution and by-laws, and the rules breed of dog and training interest and it shall carry the endorsement of two members in good standing. Accompanying the application, the prospective member will submit dues payment for the current year.
All applications are to be filed with the Secretary and each application is to be read at the first meeting of the Club following its receipt. At the next Club Board meeting, the applications will be voted upon and affirmative votes of 2/3 of the Board members present and voting by secret ballot at the meeting shall be required to elect the applicant. New members will be allowed to attend up to two training days before being required to join the club. We will not allow individuals to attend training days ongoing without requiring them to become members. Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the Club may not reapply within 6 months after such rejection.
SECTION 4. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Members may be terminated:
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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 are incurred on 1st day of the Calendar year. A calendar year runs from January 1 through December 31.
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By lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such dues remain unpaid 90 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 at any Club meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting.
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By expulsion. A member may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article V of these by-laws.
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ARTICLE II
MEETINGS, TRAINING AND VOTING
SECTION 1. CLUB MEETINGS
Club meetings/trainings shall be held in the greater Harrisburg area each month at such hours and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of such meeting shall be e-mailed by the Secretary at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such meeting shall be 20% of the members in good standing.
SECTION 2. SPECIAL CLUB MEETING
Special club meetings may be called by the President or a majority vote of the members of the Board who are present and voting at any regular or special meeting of the Board, and shall be called by 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 at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such meetings in the greater Harrisburg area. Written notice of such meetings shall be e-mailed by the Secretary at least 5 days and no 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 meet at least 2 times a year in the greater Harrisburg area, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board. Written notice of such meeting shall be e-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 at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person authorized therein to call such meetings in the Greater Harrisburg area. Written notice of such meetings shall be e-mailed by the Secretary at least 5 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 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 he is present. Proxy by voting will not be permitted at any Club meeting or election.
SECTION 6. CLUB TRAINING
Training dates will be established 10 times per calendar year at such places as determined by the Board of Directors. These will typically be on the 3rd Sunday of the month. On rare occasions when training is cancelled, members will be notified by e-mail. Decisions on whether to cancel a training will be made by the President and the Training Coordinator.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
SECTION I. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Clerk, and Treasurer, and five other persons, all of whom shall be members in good standing and all of whom shall be elected for two calendar year terms at the Club’s annual meetings 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.
SECTION 2. OFFICERS
The Club Officers, consisting of the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Clerk, 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 the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally 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 Presidents death, absences, or incapacity.
c. The Secretary/Clerk 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. They shall have charge of the correspondence, notify members for meetings, publish new members in the newsletter or other electronic means, notify Officers and Directors of the election to Office and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these by-laws.
d. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Club. They shall deposit the same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of the Club. The books shall be at all times open to inspection of the Board and they 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, they shall render an accounting of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall have his books audited by a committee of three Club members appointed by the President.
e. The Offices of the Secretary/Clerk and Treasurer may be held by the same person, in which case the Board shall be comprised of three Officers and five other persons.
SECTION 3. VACANCIES
Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among the Offices during the year shall be filled until the next annual election by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the creation of such vacancy, or at a special Board meeting called for that purpose, except that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the Vice President and the resulting vacancy in the office for Vice President shall be filled by the Board.
ARTICLE IV
THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTIONS
SECTION 1. CLUB YEAR
The clubs fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31st day of December. The Clubs official year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the election at the annual meeting and shall continue through the election at the next annual meeting.
SECTION 2. ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting shall be held in the month of January at which Officers and Directors for the ensuing year shall be elected by secret, written ballot from among those nominated in accordance with Section 3 of this Article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the election and each retiring Officer shall turn over to his successor in Office, all properties and records relating to that Office within 30 days after the election.
SECTION 3. ELECTION
The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each Office shall be declared elected. The five nominated candidates for other positions of 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. During the month of July, the Board shall select a nominating committee consisting of three members , not more than one of whom may be a member of the Board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committeemen and the alternates of their selection. The Board shall name a Chairman for the committee and it shall be his/her duty to call a committee meeting on or before September 1. The President presents the nominating committee to the Board.
a. The committee shall nominate one candidate for each Office and at least five candidates for the five other positions on the Board, and, after securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nomination to the Secretary in writing.
b. Upon receipt of the nominating committee’s report, the Secretary shall on or before November, notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
c. Additional nominations may be made at the November meeting by any member in attendance, provided that the person so nominated does not decline when his/her 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. Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than is 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, hunt tests, 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. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects.
SECTION 2.
Any committee appointment may be terminated by the majority vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee, and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose services have been terminated.
ARTICLE VI
DISCIPLINE
SECTION 1. AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB SUSPENSION
Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the American Kennel Club, automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of this club for a like period.
SECTION 2. CHARGES
Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplication with the Secretary, together with a deposit of $10.00i which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board following a hearing. 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. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the best interest 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 3 weeks , nor more than 6 weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused member by certified/registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes.
SECTION 3. BOARD HEARING
The Board shall have complete authority to decide whether Council may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by the complainant and defendant, the Board may by a majority vote of those present, suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the Board’s recommendations. 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 Boards 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 2 of this Article. Such proceeding may occur at a regular or special meeting of the Club to be held within 60 days but not earlier than 30 days after the date of the Board recommendations of expulsions. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his/her 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 members shall then vote by secret, written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 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 signed by 20% of the membership in good standing and addressed to the Secretary. 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 of Directors by the Secretary/Clerk 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 2/3 vote of the members present and votingat any regular or special meeting called for the purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been included in the notice of the meeting and mailed/emailed to each member at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
DISSOLUTION
SECTION 1. DISSOLUTION
The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2/3 of 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 member of the Club, but after payments of the debts of the Club, it’s property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Dissolution Statement filed with the Articles of Incorporation.
ARTICLE IX
ORDER OF BUSINESS
SECTION 1.
At 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 the last meeting, Report of the President, Report of the Secretary, Report of the Treasurer, Reports of Committees, Election of Officers and Board at the annual meeting, Unfinished Business, New Business, Adjournment.
SECTION 2.
At meetings of the Club, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority of vote of those present, shall be as follows:
Reading of the Minutes, Report of the President, Report of the Secretary, Report of the Treasurer, Reports of Committees, Unfinished Business, New Business, Adjournment.
ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
SECTION 1.
The rules contained in the current edition of “Roberts Rules of Order, Newly revised”, shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with By-laws and any other special rules of order the Club may adopt.