CENTRAL FLORIDA YORKSHIRE
TERRIER CLUB INC.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP
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Section 1 - Types of Membership
There shall be two
(2) types of membership open to all persons who are in good
standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe
to the objectives of the Club.
(1)
Single Membership open to all persons eighteen
(18) years of age or older, residing in the Central Florida
area and representing the breeders and exhibitors of Central
Florida.
(2)
Associate Membership open to all persons eighteen (18)
years of age or older, unrestricted as to residence, and
having all the privileges of the Club except to vote, hold
office, or serve as a member of a nominating committee.
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Section 2 - Dues
(1)
Membership dues should be made payable by the first week
in December in an amount determined by the Board of Directors
, and the Treasurer shall send
to each member a statement of dues for the ensuing year. Dues should be made
payable to the Central Florida Yorkshire Terrier Club, Inc.
(2)
Associate Membership dues shall be payable on or before
the first day of January of each year in an amount determined
by the Board of Directors and made payable to the Central
Florida Yorkshire Terrier Club, Inc.
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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 By-Laws
and Constitution, and the Rules of the American Kennel Club
Inc. The application shall carry the endorsement of two members
in good standing as sponsors, who are well known to the applicant.
Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall
submit dues payable for the current year.
All applications are to be filed with the Secretary, and each applicant’s
request for membership will be read at two club meetings and published in the
Club newsletter, to allow sufficient time to elapse for membership to submit
a written objection to the secretary on the proposed membership should they wish
to. A secret written ballot will take place to vote on the proposed membership,
and the applicant notified in writing in accordance with the club’s policy
and procedure on membership.
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Section 4 - Termination of Membership
(1)
Membership may be terminated 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 should be paid up to date of resignation.
(2)
Membership may be terminated by lapsing. A membership
will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated
if such member’s dues remain unpaid ninety (90) days
after the first day of each fiscal year. The Board may grant
an additional ninety (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.
(3)
Membership may be terminated by Expulsion. A membership
may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI
of the By-Laws.
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS
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Section 1 - Club Meetings
Meetings of the Club shall be held every other
month, unless otherwise notified, at 1:00 pm in Kissimmee,
Florida. Notice of such meetings shall be sent out by the
Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the
meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be members in
good standing in attendance.
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Section 2 - Board Meetings
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be
held one (1) hour prior to the regular meeting. Notice of
such meeting shall be sent out at least ten (10) days prior
to the scheduled meeting. The quorum for a Board meeting
shall be a majority of the members of the board in attendance.
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Section 3 - Special Meetings
Special Club meetings may be called by the
President, or by a majority of the members of the Board who
are present at a meeting of the Board, and shall also be
called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed
by ten (10) members of the club who are in good standing.
Such meetings shall be held at a place, date and hour as
to be designated by the Board of Directors. Notice of the
meeting shall be sent out by the Secretary at least fourteen
(14) days prior to the meeting and no other Club business
may be transacted. Quorum for such meetings shall be members
in good standing in attendance.
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Section 4 - Immediate Decisions
Decisions will not have to be delayed until
meetings take place. Matters that require an immediate decision
by the Board of Directors, or General Membership, can be
conducted by email, in writing, or by telephone if followed
up in writing. The item shall be presented in complete detail
with an attached ballot to vote for or against the item being
decided upon. Items affecting the management of the Club,
or expending Club funds, should be voted upon during meetings
whenever possible.
ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
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Section 1 - The Board
The Board shall comprise of the President,
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and three other persons,
all of whom shall be members in good standing. They shall
be elected for one year terms at the Club’s annual
elections as provided in Article V, and shall serve until
their successors are elected. General management of the Club’s
affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.
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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.
(1)
The President shall preside at all meetings of the
Club and of the Board attended, and shall have the duties
and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President,
in addition to those duties particularly specified in the
By-Laws.
(2)
The Vice President shall have the duties and exercise
the powers of the President
in case of the President’s absence or incapacity.
(3)
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. In addition, he/she
will be in 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 duties as prescribed by these By-Laws.
(4)
The Treasurer shall collect and receive all
money due or belonging to the Club, and shall deposit it
in a bank approved by the Board, in the name of the
Club. The Club’s books and the Treasurer’s records shall at all times
be open for inspection by the Board and the Treasurer shall report to them at
every meeting the condition of the Club’s finances, as well as every item
of receipt or payment not before reported. At the annual meeting, the Treasurer
shall render an account of all monies received
and expended during the previous fiscal year. An annual audit will be conducted
by another club member appointed by the Board.
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Section 3 - Vacancies
Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among
the Officers during the year shall be filled for the un-expired
term of office by a majority vote of all the then members
of the Board.
ARTICLE IV - THE CLUB YEAR, VOTING,
NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS
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Section 1 - The Club Year
The Club year shall begin the first day of
January and end on the 31st day of December. The Club’s
official year shall coincide with the Club’s fiscal
year. The elected Officers and Directors shall take office
on January 1st. Each retiring Officer shall turn over to
his successor in office all properties and records relating
to that office by February 1.
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Section 2 - Voting
The annual election of Officers and Directors,
and amendments to the By-Laws, shall be by written ballot.
The Board of Directors may decide to submit other specific
questions for decision of the members by written ballot.
All ballots submitted to the membership must employ the double
envelope system as outlined in Article IV, Section 4. Voting
on any general subject at meetings of the Club shall be limited
to those members in good standing.
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Section 3 - Nominations
A nominating committee will be chosen by the
Board of Directors in September each year, and no person
may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated
in accordance with these By-Laws. The nominating committee
shall consist of three general members and two alternates,
all members in good standing, not more than one of who shall
be a member of the current Board of Directors. The Board
shall name a Chairman for the Committee.
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Section 4 - Elections to Office
(1)
The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among
the eligible general members of the Club, a candidate for
each office and for each position on the Board of Directors,
and shall procure acceptance of each member so chosen. The
slate
shall be reported to members by mail after which additional nominations can be
submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee Chairman by the date designated.
(2)
No person shall be a candidate for more than one position
and the additional nominations, which are provided for herein
maybe made only from those members who have not accepted
a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
(3)
If no valid additional nominations are received by
the designated date, the
Nominating Committee’s slate will be considered elected unanimously, and
no Balloting will be necessary.
(4)
If one or more additional valid nominations
are received, the Nominating Chairman shall mail to each
member in good standing a ballot listing the nominees
for each position, in alphabetical order, together with a blank envelope and
a return envelope addressed to the Nominating Committee Chairman, marked “BALLOT” and
bearing the name, address and a line for a signature of the member to whom it
was sent. Ballots will be mailed out by November 1, and must be returned to the
Nominating Chairman by December 1. So that ballots may remain secret, each voter,
after marking the ballot shall seal it in a blank envelope, which in turn shall
be placed in the second envelope addressed and mailed to the Nominating Chairman.
The Nominating Chairman shall check the unopened outer envelope against the list
of members whose dues are paid for the current year, and then remove the blank
envelope and place it in a receptacle. After voting closing date, the blank envelopes
are opened and votes counted. The membership and the elected Officers and Directors
shall be notified of election results by December 15.
ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES
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Section 1 -Appointment of Committees
The Board may each year appoint standing committees
to advance the work of the Club in such matters as dog shows,
trophies, annual prizes, memberships and other fields which
may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always
be subject to final authority of the Board. Special committees
may also be appointed
by the Board to aid in particular projects.
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Section 2 - Termination
Any committee chairmanship may be terminated
by a majority vote of the Board upon written notice to the
appointee; and the Board may appoint a successor to the person
whose services have been terminated.
ARTICLE VI - DISCIPLINE
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Section 1 - Preferring Charges
Any member may prefer charges against another
member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests
of the Club or the Yorkshire Terrier Breed. Written charges
with specifics, must be filed in duplicate with the Recording
Secretary together with a deposit of $25.00, that will be
forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board
or a committee following a hearing. The Recording Secretary
shall 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 of the Yorkshire Terrier Breed. If the Board
considers that the charges do not allege conduct that would
be prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or of the
Yorkshire Terrier Breed, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction.
If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges it shall
set a date of hearing by the Board or a Committee of not
less than three members of the Board, not less than three
weeks nor more than six 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 their own behalf and bring witnesses if so desired.
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Section 2 - The 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 (6) months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems
that punishment is 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 considered the Board’s recommendation. Immediately
after the Board has reached a decision, its findings shall
be put in written form and filed with the Recording Secretary.
The Recording Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the
parties of the Board’s decision and penalty, if any.
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Section 3 - 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 2 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
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. The meeting 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
VII - AMENDMENTS
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Section 1 - Proposed Amendments
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 percent of the
membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such
petition shall be submitted to the members with recommendations
of the Board by the petition as received by the Secretary
for a vote within three months of the date when the petition
was received by the Secretary.
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Section 2 - Amendments
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended
at any time provided a copy of the proposed amendments has
been mailed by the Secretary to each member accompanied by
a ballot on which he may indicate his choice for or against
the action to be taken. The notice shall specify a date not
less than thirty (30) days after the date of mailing by which
date the ballots must be returned to the Secretary to be
counted. The favorable vote of 2/3 of the members in good
standing whose ballots are returned within the time limit
shall be required to effect any such
amendment.
ARTICLE VIII - 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 the dissolution of the Club whether voluntary or
involuntary or by the operation of law, none of the property
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
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Section 1 - Club Meetings
At the meeting of the Club, the order of business,
so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit,
shall be as follows:
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Roll Call
•
Minutes of Last Meeting
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Report of the President
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Report of the Secretary
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Report of the Treasurer
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Reports of Committees
•
Election of Officers and Board (at the annual meeting)
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Election of new members
•
Unfinished Business
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New Business
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Adjournment
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Section 2 - Board Meetings
At meetings of the Board, the order of business,
unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present,
shall be as follows:
