Constitution
SECTION 1. The name of the Club shall be the Columbia Cascade Great Pyrenees Club.
SECTION 2. The objectives of the Club shall be:
(a) To encourage and promote quality in the breeding of purebred Great Pyrenees and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection.
(b) To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Great Pyrenees shall be judged.
(c) To be pro-active with regard to Great Pyrenees rescue and public education on the breed.
(d) To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows and obedience trials.
(e) To conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows and obedience trials under the rules 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 By-laws as may be required to carry out these objectives.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE 1
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be one type of membership open to all person’s eighteen years of age and older who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club.
While membership is unrestricted as to residence, the Club’s primary purpose is to be representative of the owners, breeders and exhibitors in its immediate area.
SECTION 2. Dues. Membership dues shall be determined on an annual basis by a majority vote of members and shall not exceed $25.00 per family and are payable on or before the 1st day of July June each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. By the 15th of May April the Treasurer shall send to each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing 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 this Constitution and By-laws, and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The application shall state the name and address of the applicant and 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. At the next meeting the application will be voted upon and votes of ¾ of the members present and voting at that meeting shall be required to elect the applicant. Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the Club may not re-apply within six months after such rejection.
SECTION 4. Termination of Membership. Membership 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 30 days after the first day of the fiscal year; however, the Board may grant an additional 90 days 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.
(C) By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these By-laws.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS AND VOTING
SECTION 1. Club Meetings. Meetings of the Club shall be held in the Greater Portland-Vancouver area on the date and at the place designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of all such meetings shall be mailed by the Secretary to all members in ample time prior to the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be 10% of the members in good standing. There shall be at least six meetings per year.
SECTION 2. Special Club Meetings. Special club meetings may be called by the President, or by a majority vote of the members of the Board who are present and voting at any regular 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 in the Greater Portland-Vancouver area at such place, date and hour as may be designated by the person or persons authorized here in to call such meetings. Written notice of such meetings shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member in ample time 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 10% of the members in good standing.
SECTION 3. Board meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the Greater Portland-Vancouver area at such date, hour and place as may be designed by the Board. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member in ample time prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting shall be the majority of the Board. All meetings shall be open to members who are urged to attend. An agenda shall be prepared and whenever possible, published in the Club Newsletter in advance. There shall be at least six meetings per year.
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 (3) members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held in the Greater Portland-Vancouver area at such place, date and hour as may be designated by the person authorized here in to call such meetings. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member in ample time 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 he is present. Each adult member who is a Club member by paying family membership dues shall be entitled to one vote. 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, Immediate Past President and one other person, all of whom shall be members in good standing and all of whom shall be elected for one year terms (except the Immediate Past President who shall automatically become a member of the Board). General management of the Club 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 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.
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. He shall have charge of the correspondence, notify members of the meetings, notify new members of their election to membership, notify officers and directors of their elections 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 by-laws.
d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Club and shall expend funds only at the direction of a majority of the Board. Two Board members appointed by the President shall be available to countersign all checks, but at all times the Treasurer must sign the checks in payment of Club debts. He shall deposit the same in a bank designed by the Board, in the name of the Club. His books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and he 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 he shall render an account of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer should be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.
ARTICLE IV
THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTIONS
SECTION 1: Club Year. The Club’s fiscal year shall begin on the 1st day of June and end on the 31st day of May.
SECTION 2: Annual Meeting. The annual meeting shall be held in the month of June May at which officers and directors for the ensuing year shall be announced; the election being from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. They shall take office at the beginning of the fiscal year. Each retiring officer shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records to that office within 30 days after the election.
SECTION 3: Elections. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. In the event that only one candidate is nominated for each office, it shall not be necessary to send out mail ballots.
SECTION 4. Nominations. No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated. By February 15th, the Board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting of three members and two alternates, not more than one of who may be a member of the Board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committee chairman and it shall be his duty to call a committee meeting that shall be held on or before March 1st.
a) The Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office, and a candidate for other position 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 before March 15th notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
c) Additional nominations may be made at the April meeting by any member in attendance provided that the person so nominated does not decline when his name is proposed, and provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at the 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, and the additional nominations that are provided for herein may be made only from among those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
d) 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 President with the approval of the Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as specialty shows, obedience trials, 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 President with approval of 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 interest of the Club or the breed. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $10.00 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 interest of the Club or the Breed. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct that would be prejudicial to the best interest of the Club or the breed, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date f a hearing by the Board not less than three (3) weeks or not more than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused member by 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 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, 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 ensuring 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 provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or special meeting of the Club to be held within 60 days but not earlier than 3 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 in his own behalf if he wishes. Members shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed 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 10% of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted in writing 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 2/3 vote of the members 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. 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 dissolution of the Club other than for purposes of reorganization, whether voluntary of 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, 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 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 meetings)
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:
Reading of minutes of last meeting
Report of Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Reports of committees
Unfinished business
New business
Adjournment
ARTICLE X
PARLIMENTARY 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 By-laws and any rules of order the Club may adopt.