Concho Kennel Club
Constitution & Bylaws
CONSTITUTION
SECTION 1. The name
of the club shall be CONCHO KENNEL CLUB.
SECTION 2. The
objects of the club shall be to promote the breeding of and to protect and
advance the interests of pure breed dogs and to encourage and hold dog
shows, exhibitions and matches, and field trials and any other American
Kennel Club events for which the club is eligible under the rules and
regulations of The American Kennel Club.
SECTION 3. The club
shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profits or
remainder or residue from dues or donations to the club shall inure to the
benefit of any member or individual.
SECTION 4. The
members of the club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such bylaws
as may be required to carry out these objects.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
Membership
SECTION 1.
ELIGIBILITY. All members must be in good standing with the American
Kennel Club (AKC) and subscribe to the purpose of this Club and to the
Concho Kennel Club Code of Ethics. While membership is to be unrestricted
as to residence, the club’s primary purpose is to be representative of the
breeders and exhibitors in its immediate area. There shall be five (5)
classes of membership for dues collected purposes, and they are as follows:
a.
Regular (Individual)
– Enjoy all club privileges including the right to vote and hold office.
b.
Household –
Two (2) adult members residing in the same household, each eligible to vote
and hold office.
c.
Junior – Open to children under 18 years of age; a
non-voting/non-office holding membership which may automatically convert to
regular membership at age 18.
d.
Honorary –
An individual who has made significant contributions to the sport, breed or
the club; honorary members pay no dues and are not eligible to vote, but can
maintain regular or household membership if they pay dues.
e.
Life – For those individuals who have been members for
a long period of time; Life members pay no dues but are eligible to vote and
hold office.
f.
Associate –
A non-voting membership. Associate members will be eligible for all other
club privileges.
SECTION 2. DUES.
Membership dues shall not exceed $100/per membership, per year, payable on
or before the 1st day of April each year. No member may vote
whose dues are not paid for the current year.
SECTION 3.
ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP. Each applicant for membership shall apply on a
form as approved by the board of directors and which shall provide that the
applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws, the club Code of
Ethics and the rules of the AKC. The application shall state the name,
address, and occupation of the applicant and it shall carry the endorsement
of two members in good standing. Accompanying the application, the
prospective member shall 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 (Applicant must be in
attendance, with the exception of Associate members). At the next club
meeting that the applicant attends, the application will be voted upon and
affirmative votes of the majority of the members present shall be required
to elect the applicant.
Applicants for
membership who have been rejected by the club may not reapply within six
months after such rejection.
SECTION 4.
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP. Memberships may be terminated as follows:
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.
Obligations other than dues are considered a debt to the club and must be
paid in full prior to resignation.
b.
By
lapsing. A
membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such
member’s dues remain unpaid on March 31st. The Board may grant
up to an additional ninety(90) days grace period in meritorious cases.
c.
By
expulsion.
A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article V of the
By-Laws.
ARTICLE II
Meetings and Voting
SECTION 1. Club
Meetings. Meetings of the club shall be held in the city of San Angelo,
Texas, or within a seventy-five mile radius of the city, at the time and
place designated by the board of directors. The quorum for such meetings
shall be 20 percent of the members in good standing.
SECTION 2.
Special Club Meetings. A Special Meeting may be called by (a) the
President; (b) a majority of the Board Members present at any regular or
special Board Meeting; (c) the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed
by at least five (5) members in good standing. Special meetings shall be
held at the hour and place designated by the person or persons calling the
meeting. Written notice must be mailed or emailed to each member by the
Secretary at least five (5) business days and not more than fifteen (15)
days prior to the date of the meeting. he notice will state the purpose of
the Special Meeting and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. A
quorum for such a meeting shall be 20 percent of the members in good
standing.
SECTION 3. Board
Meetings. Meetings of the board of directors shall be held each month in
San Angelo (or within the greater San Angelo area at a 50 mile radius) at
such hour and place as may be designated by the board. The quorum for such a
meeting shall be a majority of the board.
SECTION 4. Special
Board Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called
by the President or any board officer upon receipt of a written request
signed by at least three (3) members of the board. Any such notice must
state the purpose of the meeting and no other business may be transacted.
The 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 he 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 officers and one (1)
other person, 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.
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 normally appurtenant to the office of President in
addition to those particularly specified in these bylaws.
b. The Vice President
shall have the duties and exercise the power of the President in case of
absence or incapacity.
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; 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 roll of the members of the club with their addresses, and
carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these bylaws.
d. The Treasurer
shall collect and receive all moneys due and belonging to the club. Moneys
shall be deposited in a bank designated by the board, in the name of the
club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection by the board and a
report shall be given at every meeting on the condition of the club's
finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported; and at
the annual meeting an accounting shall be rendered of all moneys received
and expended during the previous fiscal year, and a copy of the accounting
shall go to the Secretary for the records.
e. The offices of
Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person, in which the board
shall be comprised of two (2) persons.
SECTION 3.
Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the board or among the offices
during the years 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 of Vice President shall be filled by the
board.
ARTICLE IV
The
Club Year, Annual Meeting, Elections
SECTION 1. Club
Year. The club's fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and
end on the last day of December. The club's 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
ballot from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this
Article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the
election and each retiring officer shall turn over to the successor in
office all properties and records relating to that office within 30 after
the election.
SECTION 3.
Elections. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of
votes for each office or director position 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 October, the board shall select a
Nominating Committee consisting of up to 3 members. The board shall name a
chairman for the committee and it shall be such person's duty to call a
committee meeting, which has to be held on or before November 30.
a. The committee
shall nominate one candidate for each office and 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. Additional
nominations may be made at the November meeting by any member in attendance,
provide that the person so nominated does not decline when their name is
proposed. No person may be a candidate for more than one position. Motions
and voting will commence at the November meeting, with the newly elected
slate taking office at the Annual Meeting in January.
c. Nominations cannot
be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as provide in this
Section.
ARTICLE V
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.
A member may prefer charges against another member for alleged misconduct
prejudicial to the best interests of the club. Written charges with
specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a
deposit $100, 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, 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 interests of the club, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction
and the $100 deposit would be refunded. If the board entertains
jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date for 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 and the specifications to the accused
member by registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and an
assurance that the defendant may personally appear his/her own defense and
bring witnesses if he wishes.
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 the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and
defendant, the board may by a majority vote of those present reprimand or
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, hi 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 recommendation. Immediately after the board has
reached a decision, its finding 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 provide in Section 3 of this Article. 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 finding and recommendation, and shall invite the defendant, if
present, to speak in his own behalf if he wishes. The members shall then
vote by secret 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 VI
Amendments
SECTION 1. Amendments
to the constitution and bylaws may be proposed by the board of directors or
by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by 20 percent 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 bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 secret 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 VII
Dissolution
SECTION 1. The club
may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2/3 of
the members in good standing. In the event of the dissolution of the club
other than for purposes of reorganization, 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 it's
property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the
benefit of purebred dogs selected by the board of directors
ARTICLE VIII
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 LAST
MEETING
REPORT OF PRESIDENT
REPORT OF SECRETARY
REPORT OF TREASURER
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
AND BOARD (AT ANNUAL MEETING)
ELECTION OF NEW
MEMBERS
UNFINISHED (OLD)
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:
READING OF MINUTES OF
LAST MEETING
REPORT OF SECRETARY
REPORT OF TREASURER
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
UNFINISHED (OLD)
BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
SECTION 1. The rules
contained in the current edition of "Robert's 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 these bylaws and any other
special rules of order the club may adopt.
The undersigned
certify that the foregoing bylaws were adopted by the Board of Directors on
May 22, 2008.
Approved:
Tom
Maurer Valerie Tillery
_____________________________ __________________________________
President Secretary
May 15, 1974
Revised: December 17, 2001
Revised: 2003
Revised: May 22, 2008
Constitution
& Bylaws