Palmetto Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
Name and Objectives
Section 1. The
name of the club shall be the Palmetto Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club
Section 2. The
purposes and objectives of the club shall be:
a.
to encourage and promote quality
in the breeding of purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and to do all
possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection;
b.
to urge members and breeders to
accept the standard to the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the
only standard of excellence by which the Cavalier breed shall be judged;
c.
to do all in its power to protect
and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike competition
at dog shows and obedience trials;
d.
to conduct sanctioned and licensed
specialty shows and obedience trials under the Rules and Regulations of the
American Kennel Club.
Section 3. The
club shall be not 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 when appropriate revise such bylaws
required to meet these objectives.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Membership
SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be four (4) types of
membership open to all persons who are in good standing with The American
Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club.
Regular – enjoys all club privileges
including the right to vote and hold office
Household – allows for two (2) votes
per household, person 18 years and older.
Associate – individuals are entitles
to all privileges except voting an holding office. Applications will be filed
with the Secretary and do not require sponsors or approval process applicable
to prospective voting applicants; after a period of one (1) year persons may
apply for Regular or Household membership as outlined in the bylaws.
Junior – open to all persons 10-17
years old; cannot vote or hold office and may automatically convert to regular
membership upon reaching their 18th birthday.
As
SECTION 2. Dues.
Dues
for regular membership shall not exceed $40 per year; dues for household membership shall not
exceed $30 per year. Dues are payable on or before the 1st day of January
of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year.
During the month of November the Treasurer shall send to each member a
statement of 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 these constitution
and bylaws and the rules of The American Kennel Club. The application shall
state the name, address, and occupation of the applicant and it shall carry the
endorsement of two members in good standing.
a.
Regular and household
memberships:
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 receipt of
the application. At the next Club meeting the applications will be voted upon
and affirmative votes of 2/3 of the members present and voting by secret ballot
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. Dues payment will be refunded to the
applicant.
b.
Associate and junior
memberships:
Accompanying
the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the
current year (not applicable to juniors).
All applications are to be filed with the Secretary and each application
is to be read at the first meeting of the Club following receipt of the application. At the next club meeting, 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.
SECTION 4. Termination of Membership. Memberships may
be terminated by:
(a) 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) lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically
terminated if such member's dues remain unpaid 60 days after the first day of
the fiscal year; however, the Board may grant an additional 30 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) expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in
Article VI of these bylaws.
ARTICLE II
Meetings and Voting
SECTION 1. Club Meetings. Meetings of the Club shall be
held at least every other month from January through December at such hour and
place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Meetings will be held in the Greater
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 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. Meetings
will be held in the Greater
SECTION 3. Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of
Directors shall be held every other month from January through December at such
hour and place as may be designated by the Board. Written notice of each such
meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 5 days prior to the date of
the meeting. Meetings will be held in the Greater
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 at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by
the person authorized herein to call such meeting. Meetings will be held in the Greater
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 four other persons 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 powers of the
President in case of the President's absence, incapacity or death.
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; 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 bylaws.
d. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or 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 of the Board
and a report shall be given at every meeting of 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. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such
amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.
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 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 1st day of January and end on the last day of December.
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 days after the election.
SECTION 3. Elections. The nominated candidate
receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared
elected. The four (4) 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 and is not a member in good
standing. During the month of October, the Board shall select a Nominating
Committee consisting of three (3) members and two (2) alternates, not more than
one of whom may be a member 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 such person's duty to call a
committee meeting, which shall be held on or before November 1.
a. The Committee shall nominate one
(1) candidate for each office and position on the Board, and, after securing
the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report nominations
to the Secretary in writing.
b. Upon receipt of the Nominating
Committee's report, the Secretary shall at least two weeks before the December meeting,
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 is in good standing and does not decline when their name is proposed,
and provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at
this meeting, the proposed candidate shall have sent a written statement to the
Secretary of 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 as 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, obedience
trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership and other fields which may well be
served by committees.
.
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 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 or the breed. Written charges with specifications must be filed in
duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $25.00 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 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. 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 personally
appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if be 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 heating. 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 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
Meeting and upon the Board's recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this
Article. Such proceeding 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 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 two-thirds 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 bylaws may be proposed
by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary
signed by twenty 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 (2)
weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
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 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
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.