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CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Title and Name
Sec. 1. The organization existing under this Constitution and Bylaws, in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, dated June 23, 1960 shall be known as the BERKS COUNTY DOG TRAINING CLUB, INC. The use of, or reference to, the word Club in the following articles shall be construed to identify the above-mentioned Club.
ARTICLE II
Object and Purpose
Sec. 1. The object and purpose of the club shall be to interest the dog-loving public in the art of training dogs, whether for the show ring or for the satisfaction which a dog-lover feels in having a well trained dog and companion, and to conduct one or more training classes for all breeds of dogs, where the information in proper training and handling may be obtained.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Sec. 1. This Club shall be composed of an unlimited number of members.
Sec. 2. There will be three classes of membership – full membership, associate membership and senior membership. Senior membership shall be granted to any person who is age 62 or older in January of the membership year and has been a member for five years. The senior membership will cost the same as an associate membership.
Full membership benefits include: Attendance at general meetings & all club social events Once weekly training sessions with access to training facility & use of equipment Ability to attend any special classes for which a fee is charged Newsletter
Associate membership benefits include: Attendance at general meetings & any club social event for which a fee is charged Newsletter
Both full memberships & associate memberships are on a yearly basis – January thru December. Membership fees & special class fees will be determined by the Board of Directors as necessary.
Any individual not having previously trained with the Berks Co Dog Training Club will be required to attend the Basic Skills Class which is a “paid fee” class.
Any individual who had previously trained with a Board of Directors approved club or private instructor or has achieved an AKC or UKC obedience title or is a prior member of the Berks County Dog Training Club who has let their membership lapse for more than a year is not required to attend the Basic Skills Class. The Basic Skills Class and Full Membership fees must be paid. Their dog will be evaluated & they must be voted into membership by the board of directors before attending any training sessions.
Members who wish to upgrade from an associate to a full membership will be required to pay the additional fee commensurate to a full membership fee.
Sec. 3. A member who indicates by his or her actions that the interest and general welfare of the club and dogs is not foremost in their actions may be expelled from the club. This includes AKC suspension or disciplinary actions and any animal cruelty charges. A written statement of said detrimental actions must be presented to the Board of Directors for their study. After a hearing, the Board of Directors’ recommendations shall be presented to the general membership at a regular meeting. A 2/3-majority vote of the members present shall cause the expulsion of the offending member.
ARTICLE IV
Dues
Sec. 1. Dues are payable in advance and are due January 1st of each year. The calendar year shall be the club’s fiscal year.
Sec. 2. Annual dues for each member shall be established upon recommendation by the club officers and Board of Directors; said recommendation to be approved at a regular monthly meeting after having been published in the monthly newsletter. Sec. 3. Non-payment of Dues. Members failing to pay dues on or before the regular February meeting are declared delinquent, and not in good standing, and are denied all privileges and will be dropped from the roll. Any member may be reinstated by paying the unpaid dues with the approval of the Board of Directors, for the calendar year. Exceptions to be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Sec. 4. There shall be an initiation fee for new members. This fee shall be an amount equal to the current Beginners Class training fee. Paid Beginners Class training fees shall be credited against this initiation fee.
ARTICLE V
Training Fees
Sec. 1. Training fees shall be designated by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
Administration
Sec. 1. Management.
A. The general management of the affairs of the club shall be vested in the Board of Directors, consisting of at least eight (8) members in good standing. Five (5) Board members and three (3) officers present at any regularly called meeting shall constitute a quorum. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings. B. The Vice-President shall be chairman of the Board of Directors. The President and all other officers of the club shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors and shall be entitled to vote at all the meetings of the body. C. The Board of Directors shall be vested with such power and authority as are usually vested in a Board of Directors of a business for, and on behalf of the club.
Sec. 2. Vacancies. Vacancies that occur in offices or Board of Directors shall be filled by a vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors and officers of the club acting as a body; such appointments shall terminate at the next annual election.
Sec. 3. Removal from office. Officers or any of the Board of Directors may at any time, for violation or neglect of duty, be removed from office by the remaining members of the Board of Directors and officers of the club acting as a body. Any officer or Board member who is absent from three (3) consecutive monthly meetings without notification and proper cause shall be considered as having resigned and shall be promptly replaced.
Sec. 4. How elected. The members of the Board of Directors shall be elected as provided in Article IX.
Sec. 5. Committees. Standing Committees shall be Training Committee, Trial Committee, Auditing Committee and Nominating Committee. The president shall have power to appoint all committees and committee chairs except as otherwise specified in the bylaws. New committees may be formed as necessary to accomplish the Club’s objectives.
A. Training Committee: A Beginners Training Director, Club Training Director and Agility Training Director will be appointed by Board of Directors for a term of 2 years. In addition to the directors, 6 club members in good standing shall be appointed in the same manner for a term of 2 years to comprise the training committee.
B. Trial Committee: Shall consist of a chairman and secretary appointed by the Board of Directors for a term of 2 yrs. Duties of said committee shall be to organize and direct any American Kennel Club licensed Trial and any American Kennel Club Sanctioned Match according to the rules and regulations for events set forth by the American Kennel Club.
C. Auditing Committee: Shall consist of three members in good standing appointed by the President at the November meeting, to audit the books at the end of the fiscal year. The auditors’ report shall be presented at regular January meeting.
D. Nominating Committee: This Committee shall consist of five (5) members in good standing elected by the membership at the regular Club meeting in September. Duties set forth under Article IX, Section 2.
ARTICLE VII
Officers and their Duties
Sec. 1. The officers of the club shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Treasurer.
Sec. 2. No officer, no member of the Board of Directors or Club member shall have the authority to obligate the club for expenditures without the advance approval of the Board of Directors.
Sec. 3. How elected. The officers of the club shall be elected and hold office as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 4. Duties of the President: A. The president shall preside at all the meetings of the members of the club. He shall act as executive head of the club in enforcing the provisions of the constitution and by-laws. B. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and shall perform all duties incident and customary to the position and office, or which are required by law.
Sec. 5. Duties of the Vice-president: The Vice-President, in the absence or disability of the president, shall perform all the duties of the president. He shall preside at all Board of Directors meetings.
Sec. 6. Duties of the Recording Secretary: The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be to keep the minutes of all regular and special meetings of the club as well as all minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors and shall have charge of all other duties customary and usual for a secretary of such an organization. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of membership attendance at all Board of Directors and general membership meetings.
Sec. 7. Duties of the Financial Secretary: Duties of the Financial Secretary are keeping records of all members in good standing, receiving dues & training fees, setting up basic class assignments, issuing membership cards & bylaws & handling correspondence with membership pertaining to classes or dues.
Sec. 8. Duties of the Treasurer:
The Treasurer is to present a report at the board meetings and at the general club meetings. The report is to include income and expenses for the previous period. The Treasurer is to pay expenses that have been approved by the board. A receipt will be required for reimbursement of expenses. The treasurer is to provide profit/loss statements for club activities as soon as possible after completion of event & year-end financial statements. The treasurer is also to keep in close contact with our bookkeeper & forward statements when necessary.
Sec. 9. Duties of the Training Director: The Training Directors in conjunction with the training committee shall make up and arrange a training program, enforce same and assign classes: instructors must conform with the rules and regulations as set up by the training committee.
ARTICLE VIII
Meetings, Elections, Notices
Sec. 1. Regular meetings. The meetings of the club shall be held regularly. The time and place is to be designated by the Board of Directors. The membership is to be notified of the decision at least one week in advance of said meeting.
Sec. 2. Quorum at Regular Meetings. Fifteen (15) members in good standing present shall constitute a quorum for a general meeting.
Sec. 3. Special Meetings of the Club. Special meetings of the club may be called at any time by the president or by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall call a special meeting, also, upon receipt of a written request setting forth the purpose of the requested meeting, provided such request is signed by twenty or more members in good standing as provided in Article IX.
Sec. 4. Voting. At all meetings of the club, all questions shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote. The president shall not vote at a meeting except in the case of a tie when he may cast the deciding vote.
Sec. 5. Meetings of the Board of Directors. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held as often and at such time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors or by the President or Vice President, and shall be held with such frequency as will enable appropriate administration of the affairs of the club. Any club member may request to be heard at a Board meeting, but must present a request to the Vice President of the Club at least one day prior to said meeting.
Sec. 6. Notice of Meetings. Notice of meetings of the Board of Directors stating the time and place of the meetings must be given to each member of the Board at least three (3) days prior to the date of said meeting, in writing except in emergencies.
ARTICLE IX
Election of Officers and Board of Directors
Sec. 1. When elected. The officers of the Club and members of the Board of Directors shall be elected in November of the Calendar year and shall take office January 1 of the new year.
Sec. 2. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall select from the membership, a member in good standing for one year, with member’s consent, to fill each office and the proper number of members to the Board of Directors. This report is to be presented at the regular October meeting. Nominations other than those selected by the Nominating Committee can, with the nominee’s consent, be made from the floor at the regular meeting in November. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee presides during the election. Members nominated for office should have attended a minimum of 2 regular meetings in the current calendar year, one of which may be the Christmas party or picnic.
Sec. 3. Balloting. The officers and members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the closed ballot. If nominees are unopposed, the Secretary shall, with the consent of the membership, cast one ballot for election, and no ballot need be taken.
Sec. 4. Voting Eligibility. Any member voting at the annual election of officers held in November of each year must have attended two (2) prior meetings in that calendar year. The Recording secretary shall certify as to members’ voting eligibility.
Sec. 5. Term of Office.
A. The officers of the Club shall hold office for one (1) year. B. Members of the Board of Directors shall hold office for a term of two (2) years. C. Officers and board members will have no time limit for serving in office as long as the membership re-elects each officer or board member at the end of his/her term.
ARTICLE X
Order of Business
Sec. 1. Meetings of the Board of Directors & General meetings At all the meetings of the Board of Directors & General meetings, the order of business shall be:
1. Roll Call 2. Report of Recording Secretary 3. Report of Treasurer 4. Report of Financial Secretary 5. Reports of Committees 6. Unfinished business 7. New business 8. Good of the Club
Sec. 2. Special meetings will cover only the subject the special meeting was called to address.
ARTICLE XI
Parliamentary Procedure
All meetings shall follow the rules contained in “Roberts Rules of Order Revised.” These rules shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable, and which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XII
Amendment of the bylaws
The bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed by a two-third vote of the members present at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, providing however, that all the proposed amendments shall have been submitted at three (3) meetings and voted upon at the third meeting. The secretary shall advise the membership of the proposed changes at least seven days before the first meeting.
ARTICLE XIII
Disolution of Club If the club is dissolved or terminated, all assets will be divided equally between The Humane Society of Berks County and Animal Rescue League of Berks County, or their successors. No individual member or group of members shall be entitled to any portion of the funds.
Constitution and bylaw Committee: Doris Lambert, Lynn Millar, Pat Mock, Susan Smith, Karen Stetler
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