PUGET SOUND VIZSLA CLUB
ARTICLE I
Name and Objectives
SECTION 1. The name of the Club shall be the Puget Sound Vizsla Club.
SECTION 2. The objectives of the Club shall be:
a) to encourage and promote quality breeding of pure-bred Vizslas 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 Vizslas shall be judged;
c) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interest of the Vizsla breed and to encourage sportsman like competition at dog shows, obedience trials, hunting tests, field trials and any other AKC event for which the Club is eligible.
d) to conduct sanctioned matches, dog shows, obedience trials, field trials, hunt tests, and all other activities 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 By- laws as may be required to carry out these objectives.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
Membership
SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be four types of membership: Individual, Family, Associate and Junior. Individual, Family and Associate memberships are open to persons 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. Individual and Family memberships are entitled to all Club privileges, to vote and hold office. Family memberships entitle all household members eighteen years of age and older to vote, with a maximum of two votes per household. Associate members are entitled to all Club privileges, but may not hold office or vote. The Club encourages any member who is not able to attend a minimum of three (3) out of six (6) Club meetings per year to hold an Associate type membership. Junior memberships are available to individuals under eighteen years of age, and they are entitled to all Club privileges but may not hold office or vote.
While membership is to be unrestricted as to residence; the Club’s primary purpose is to be representative of the breeders’ and exhibitors’ in our immediate area.
SECTION 2. Dues. Membership dues shall not exceed $50 per year for any type of membership without a change in By-laws voted upon by the eligible membership. Each year the members attending the October meeting will determine the specific dues amount for each type of membership based upon the Club’s resources and needs for the next calendar year. This determination must be made no later than November 1st preceding the dues year. Dues are payable on or before the 1st day of February of each year. No member may vote or hold office whose dues are outstanding. During the month of November or December the Treasurer shall send each current 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 that will 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, address, occupation of the applicant, consent or rejection of email as a form of communication and 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 following receipt and published in the next Newsletter. The names of the prospective members shall be listed on the notice for the second club meeting, at which the application will be voted upon and affirmative votes of 2/3 of the members present and voting by secret ballot 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 that rejection.
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. 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 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.
c) By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these By-laws.
SECTION 5. Communication. A newsletter is produced periodically throughout the year to keep members informed of Club business. This newsletter is sent out electronically to all members. Those members who do not have e-mail must inform the Newsletter Chair so that it can be mailed to the member. Members are encouraged to read this document to stay informed with Club operations. The Club also uses a Yahoo group membership to send out more immediate news. All members are encouraged to sign up for this service with the membership chair. All Club written notices as referred to in the By-laws will be sent either via the U.S. Postal Service or by e-mail in accordance with current AKC policy.
ARTICLE II
Meetings and Voting
SECTION 1. Club Meetings. Meetings of the Club shall be held six (6) times per year, within the greater Puget Sound area a Saturday in January, March, June, August, October, and December at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed (emailed) by the Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be twenty (20) percent of the Individual and Family type members in good standing. All members are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions on any issues voted upon.
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 or special meeting of the Board, and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by five (5) members of the Club who are in good standing. Such special meetings shall be held in or within the greater Puget Sound 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 (emailed) by the Secretary at least five (5) days and not more than fifteen (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 Individual and Family type members in good standing.
SECTION 3. Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held within the Greater Puget Sound area on a Saturday in January, March, June, August, October, and December, prior to the general meeting or in combination with the general meeting, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed (emailed) by the Secretary at least five (5) days prior the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board. (Regularly scheduled Board Meetings are extremely important inasmuch as the Board has the major responsibility for the Club’s operation.)
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 within the Greater Puget Sound area at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person authorized herein to call such a meeting. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed (emailed) by the Secretary at least five (5) days and not more than ten (10) 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 (1) vote at any meeting for the Club at which he/she is present. Proxy voting is not permitted at Club meetings or elections.
ARTICLE III
Directors and Officers
SECTION 1. Board of Directors. The Board will be comprised of the President, Vice- President, Secretary, Treasurer and five (5) other persons 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 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 or she 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 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. He or she shall deposit the same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of the Club. His or her books shall be at all time open to inspection of the Board and he or she shall report to them at every meeting the condition of the Club’s finances and every item of receipt or payment not previously reported. At the annual meeting he or she shall render an accounting of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.
e) The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person in which case the Board shall be comprised of the officers and six (6) 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 after 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 years shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31st 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 through either in-person written process or secure, online voting system 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 his or her successor in office all properties and records relating 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. The five 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. During the month of October, the Board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting of three (3) members and two (2) alternates, not more than two of whom shall be members of the Board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committeemen and alternates of their selection. The Board shall name a Chairman for the committee, and it shall be his or her duty to call a committee meeting which shall be held before November 1st.
a) The Committee shall nominate one or more candidates for each office and five or more candidates for the five 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 by November 15th, notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
c) Additional nominations may be made at the December meeting by any member in attendance provided that the person so nominated accepts when his name is proposed, and provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meeting, his or her proposer shall present to the Secretary a written statement from the proposed candidate signifying his or her willingness to be a candidate.
No person may be a candidate for more than one position, and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE V
Committees
SECTION 1. The Board may hereby appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as shows, obedience trials, hunt tests, field trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the 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 a 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 for the 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, the sport or the breed. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $10 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 or the breed. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board not less than three (3) weeks nor 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 appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he or she 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 (6) 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 or her 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 this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or special meeting of the Club to be held within sixty (60) days but not earlier than thirty (30) days after the date of the Board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his or 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 in his or her own behalf if he or she wishes. The members shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 secret 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 twenty (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 (3) 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 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 (2) 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 good standing, other than for the purpose of reorganization. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, 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 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 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
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current Edition of Robert’s Rule of Order, newly revised, shall guide the Club in all cases which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any other special rules the Club may adopt.