Club By-Laws
Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club Constitution
Amended
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization is the PACIFIC NW LIONHEAD RABBIT CLUB.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES
Section 1 - The purpose of this organization is to promote the breeding, showing, advancement and development of the Lionhead rabbit.
Section 2 - This organization shall operate as a non-profit.
Section 3 - This organization shall provide a timely publication designed to keep the membership and the public informed as to the activities of the club. The publication to be known as “THE LIONHEAD JOURNAL”.
Section 5 - This organization shall cooperate with the American Rabbit Breeders Association in all matters of national policy.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Any person engaged in raising Lionhead rabbits or any person interested in the
Lionhead rabbit breed may become members of this club.
Section 2 - All membership dues are annual and are payable at the time of joining. All
memberships are immediate upon payment of dues.
Section 3 - Voting is limited to adult members. Anyone who has reached eighteen (18)
years of age by the day the vote is taken.
Section 4 - Voting is limited to adult members in good standing. Any member that has let their membership lapse must renew prior to being allowed to vote. Any member that has
unpaid debts to the club shall not be permitted to vote.
Section 5 - The PNWLRC Board of Directors reserves the right to accept or reject, for just cause, any application for membership or renewal.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1 - The Officers of this club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Directors. These officers shall constitute the Board of Directors. All officers must
have been members of both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the
Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club for two (2) consecutive years prior to taking office.
Section 2 - The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Directors shall be
elected by the general membership.
Section 3 - All terms of office shall be 2 years and shall begin immediately following the anniversary of the clubs beginning.
Section 4 - The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are ex-officio members of the Board of Directors. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees, with the
exception of the Election Committee.
Section 5 - Candidates for office must notify the Secretary of their intentions to run for office, postmarked no later than July 1st of the election year. All members are eligible to file
an intent and run for office if they will have been members of the club for a full two years
before they take office immediately following the anniversary of the club.
Section 6 – The club will be divided between a few different states, which are listed below;
State 1) Washington State
State 2) Oregon State
State 3) California State
Canada to be included as well
The membership within each designated state shall elect (1) Director who lives in that
state to serve on the Board. If there is no one willing to serve as Director from any
specific state(s) then the President Elect shall appoint any directors needed to fill these
vacancies with the approval of the Board.
ARTICLE V - MEETINGS
Section 1 - The Board of Directors will meet at least twice a year. Two of these meetings shall be at the Oregon and Washington state conventions, other such meetings to be held online. The presence of five (5) voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2 - The President or Vice President with the consent of 2/3 of the members of the Board of Directors, may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors, Notice of such meeting, listing the time, place and the purpose of such special meeting at least (7) seven days prior to the meeting. Only the business for which the meeting was called can be
transacted.
Section 3 - The Secretary has the power to call an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors in the event the President and the Vice-President become disabled, disqualified or resign. The purpose of the meeting shall be to elect a President pro-term from the Board of
Directors until such time as a general election can take place.
Section 4 - The President may conduct business via the internet/email. All internet votes will
remain open for seven (7) days to allow all Board members a chance to discuss, amend,
and vote on the impending issues. Any member who fails to report their vote within the
seven (7) days shall, by their silence, forfeit their right to vote on the motion/motions
before them.
Section 5 - At any General Meeting or Board of Directors meeting, a majority of members present in good standing as reflected in the records of the Secretary and the Treasurer shall carry the vote, unless specifically stated otherwise in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS
Section 1 - Any amendment to the Constitution must be in the form of a written resolution(s). The resolution must be signed by a member in good standing and sent to the Secretary with a postmark before February 1st of the year it is to be considered.
Section 2 - The Secretary must forward the resolution to the Rules Committee for review of merit or conflicts.
Section 3 - If the resolution has no conflicts and is found to have merit by the Rules Committee, it will be forwarded, by the Committee Chairperson, to the newsletter editor To be included in the newsletter.
Section 4 - A ballot will be included in the Summer issue of the club newsletter. All ballots shall be returned to the Election Committee Chairperson. All returned ballots must be
postmarked no later than July 1st to be considered valid. The Election Committee shall
count all acceptable ballots by August 10th and send a certified statement of the results,
along with the ballots, to the Secretary. The statement and the returned ballots shall be
retained for one (1) year. The results will be posted on the official club website no later
than August 30th.
Section 5 - Amendments to the Constitution will be accepted with a 2/3rd s majority vote of the ballots returned. Amendments will take effect thirty (30) days after the vote is recorded.
Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club By-Laws Amended
Article I: Membership, Dues & Fees
Section 1 -
All dues are to be paid in full at the time of membership application/renewal.
Domestic fees are as follows:
Single Adult $10.00 (1) year $25.00 (3) Years
Single Youth $5.00 (1) year $10.00 (3) Years
Two or More Persons At One Address/Family membership $15.00 (1) year $40.00 (3) Years
Foreign memberships will be charged an additional surcharge of $15.00 per year.
Section 2 -
"Good Standing" Defined
a) A member in "good standing" is defined as a member who is current on payment of yearly dues and has no outstanding debt owed to the PNWLRC.
b) Members who pay dues more than 60 days after the due date will forfeit sweepstakes points and privileges previously earned. When dues are paid after this 60 day grace period, the applicant will be considered a new member and membership will be dated as of the date paid.
Section 3 -
Membership Defined
a) A Single Adult Membership is open to anyone who has reached their 18th birthday by the date of joining the club, or any youth member who has passed their 18th birthday and wishes to convert their youth membership to an adult membership. Each Single Adult membership is entitled to one vote in club affairs.
b) Single Youth Membership is open to anyone who has not reached his or her 19th birthday. Birth dates must be supplied with the membership application. This category of membership is NOT allowed to vote.
c) "Two or More Persons At One Address" is open to anyone regardless of age. All persons who have not reached their 18th birthday must supply their birthdate on the membership application for PNWLRC’s bookkeeping purposes. The "Two or More Persons At One Address" membership category is entitled to two votes in club affairs, if two (2) of the members are eligible under the age requirements for voting.
Section 4 -
Each membership is entitled to; a subscription to the club newsletter, and a membership card for each member named on the application.
Article II: Duties of Officers
Section 1 - PRESIDENT
The President shall:
A. Act as the Chairman of the Board, and preside at all meetings.
B. Call and designate the time and place of all meetings.
C. Appoint all Committees and fill all vacancies subject to approval of the Board.
D. Perform such other duties as usually pertain to this office, or as assigned by the Board. Be accountable to the Board of Directors.
E. Vote at general membership meetings and Board of Directors Meetings only in case of a tie.
F. Transact business by means of e-mail or postal mail correspondence with members of the Board of Directors when calling a meeting thereof is impractical.
G. Be bonded in favor of the club in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The bonding fee will be provided from club funds.
Section 2 - VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President shall:
A. Perform such duties as assigned by and be accountable to the Board of Directors.
B. Perform the duties of the President in the absence, disability or disqualification of the President.
C. Upon a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice President shall assume the responsibilities of the President and appoint a new Vice President for the remainder of the current term with the approval of the Board of Directors. EXCEPTION: If the President-Elect has been determined by established club protocol, the Vice President will remain in the office of the Vice President, and the President-Elect shall assume the responsibilities of the President for the remainder of the current term.
Section 3 -SECRETARY
The Secretary shall:
A. Act as Secretary of the Board of Directors.
B. Conduct all general correspondence of this Association. The Secretary shall act promptly on all correspondence received on the club's behalf. Keep on file a copy of all letters received, together with a copy of all letters sent out by him/her.
C. Keep all the records of the club; keep the minutes of all meetings of the club and Board of Directors meetings. Keep a permanent printed copy on file of the minutes of all meetings, signed by secretary. Read such minutes as required and provide minutes/messages to the newsletter editor for inclusion in “The Lionhead Journal” quarterly newsletter and to the webmaster of the club's approved website for publication thereof.
D. Perform all duties which pertain to the office. Perform additional duties as required by the Board of Directors.
E. Turn over all monies to the Treasurer in a timely manner. If the Board of Directors so require, the Secretary must furnish a bond in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The cost of any such bond shall be paid by this Association.
F. Keep on file a permanent printed copy of the current approved Constitution and By-Laws, as well as a record of all changes proposed to the Constitution & By-Laws, including a record of the results of the vote on each change.
G. Respond in a timely manner to all membership applications. Maintain a complete and up-to-date membership list, including current member addresses and report same to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.
H. Compile and submit a complete and detailed list of pending membership expirations or recently lapsed memberships to the editor of “The Lionhead Journal” for publication in each quarterly issue. This shall be done in a manner that gives at least 30 days notice to each member prior to the membership expiration date. After a 60 day grace period, the Secretary shall remove any member that has not renewed their membership from the master membership list.
Section 4 - TREASURER
The Treasurer shall:
A. Be a custodian of all funds. Collect all monies due the club, keep an accurate record of such funds, and make payment as directed by the Board of Directors.
B. Report his/her actions to the Board of Directors and membership by publishing a quarterly Treasurer's report on the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club's approved website, or in “The Lionhead Journal” quarterly newsletter,
C. Report on the financial condition of the club at the General Membership Meeting at Washington and Oregon conventions.
D. The books must be audited annually by at the end of the calendar year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in favor of the club in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The bonding fee will be provided from club funds. The bond must be delivered to the President within 30 days after taking office.
E. Maintain a bank account in the name of the club with a current signature card showing Treasurer and President as signors on the account. Any signors on the club account must be bonded.
F. Consult and advise the President on any unusual matters with regard to club finances.
Section 5 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The general supervision and conduct of the affairs of this Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall:
A. Have charge of the business affairs and transactions of the club. Have the power to transact all club business between meetings, act upon charges brought before them, and formulate rules & policy which are not specifically covered in the Constitution and By-Laws.
B. Make contracts in the name of the club.
C. Interpret any rules, regulations and By-Laws of the club.
D. Carry out instructions of this Association. Each Director shall be responsible for answering all correspondence addressed to him/her in a timely manner. Each Director shall provide quarterly reports to the newsletter editor of events that are taking place in their district. This can include show wins of the members within their state. Members shall be responsible to submit such wins to their state director.
E. Authorize expenditures, not exceeding the assets of the Association.
F. Devise ways and means to carry out the objectives of the Association.
G. Make decisions as may pertain to the improvement of this Association.
H. All transactions by the Board of Directors must have a simple majority approval. Five (5)members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Article III: Compensation
Section 1 -
The Newsletter editor will be given compensation for any hard copy newsletters sent by mail, however, the PNWLRC newsletter will mainly be an online E-Newsletter, but those who do not have the ability to access the web will be given the option of a hard copy newsletter, and will pay $10 extra upon entering the club to cover the costs of paper, ink and postage.
Article IV: Standing Committees
Section 1 -
The President will appoint all Standing Committees subject to the approval by simple majority of the Board of Directors. The term of all Committee Chairs and members shall be one year beginning/ending immediately following the conclusion of the anniversary of the club. All members reviewed and appointed for any Committee must be a member in good standing. The Chairperson for each Committee shall have been a member in good standing of the PNWLRC for a period of one (1) year.
Section 2 -
The President or the Board of Directors may request the formation of a Special Committee if the objective for the committee is not met by any of the Standing Committees. A Special Committee may be appointed to fill that objective by the President, with Board approval by a simple majority. Special Committees shall be discharged after their function is fulfilled.
Section 3 -
Standing Committees shall consist of:
a) Rules Committee:
Shall be responsible for reviewing, receiving, and/or proposing amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the PNWLRC.
Shall receive and review any proposals for conflicts with the current documents or the ARBA. They shall make suggestions for revisions as deemed necessary.
b) Auditing Committee:
Shall be responsible for yearly audit of the Treasurer's books.
Shall furnish a copy of their report to the Board of Directors.
c) Election Committee:
Shall receive and count all ballots and maintain a record of the ballots as described in Article 5.
The Election Committee Chairperson shall send the Secretary a certified statement of the results along with the counted ballots. These documents shall be retained by the Secretary for one year after the election.
d) Newsletter Committee:
Shall consist of a maximum of three (3) members. The Newsletter Editor may serve on this committee. This committee shall be responsible for overseeing the club newsletter.
Shall make sure that the newsletter is published in a timely manner.
Shall review costs and make recommendations to the Board of Directors in financial matters dealing with the publishing and mailing of the newsletter.
Shall review and set advertising costs.
Shall be responsible for content decisions that arise, subject to the final determination of the board.
Shall give direction to the Newsletter Editor.
The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for solicitation of articles, layout, proofing, publishing and mailing of the club's quarterly newsletter. The newsletter editor shall collect all monies for advertising and forward said monies, with appropriate accounting records, to the Treasurer in a timely manner.
An Advertising Coordinator may be appointed, if desired by the Editor. If so appointed, they shall collect all monies for advertising and forward said monies, with appropriate accounting records, to the Treasurer in a timely manner.
e) Fundraising Committee:
Shall consist of a minimum of (5) five members.
Shall oversee all fundraising for the club throughout the year, including correlating any fundraising opportunities subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
f) Sweepstakes Committee:
Shall consist of a maximum of three (3) members. It shall make sure that current and accurate sweepstakes point records are kept.
Shall supervise and oversee the performance of the Sweepstakes counter.
Shall make sure that the website is updated with current sweepstakes points no less than once a month.
Shall make sure that current sweepstakes standings are published in the club newsletter.
Shall review and recommend updates to the sweepstakes rule.
Shall clarify questions on the sweepstakes as they may arise.
Shall oversee the selection and awarding of yearly sweepstakes awards.
g) Youth Committee:
Shall have a minimum of three (3) adult members. This committee can also have a number of youth members equal to the number of adult members. The Youth Committee shall correlate youth programs subject to the Board of Directors.
Article V: Elections & Voting Procedures
Section 1 -
Any voting member in good standing over 18 years of age wishing to become a candidate for any office shall submit an Intent to Run for that office to the Secretary of the club. The Intent to Run shall be postmarked to the Secretary at the beginning of the election year.
Section 2 -
Upon receipt of the Intent to Run, the Secretary shall determine if the member is eligible to run for office. The names of all qualifying candidates running for office must appear on the ballot. The unopposed candidate shall automatically win that office. Write-ins shall not be allowed.
Section 3 -
The Secretary shall prepare ballots yearly and will mail all ballots to all eligible members in good standing by June 1st. All ballots shall be returned to the Election Chairperson. All returned ballots must be postmarked no later than July 1st to be considered valid. The Election Committee shall count all acceptable ballots by August 10th and send a certified statement of the results along with the ballots to the Secretary. Facsimiles or copies of the official ballot shall not be considered an acceptable ballot and shall be declared void. Voided ballots shall be held by the Secretary, along with the valid ballots, for a period of one (1) year. The statement and the returned ballots shall be retained for one (1) year.
Section 4 -
Members must be over 18 years of age to vote on club issues. Youth memberships are not allowed to vote. Other memberships are entitled to votes as explained under membership, Article 1, Section 3.
Section 5 -
No person who appears on the ballot, or any of their immediate family members, may be on the Election Committee.
Section 6 -
The candidate with the highest number of votes on the acceptable ballots shall be declared the winner. In the event of a tie between two (2) or more persons for the same office: the Board of Directors, prior to the annual meeting shall vote on the winner. The Secretary shall notify the candidates of the election outcome by August 30th.
Section 7 -
Newly elected Officers and Directors shall assume their duties immediately following the close of the aniversary of the club.
Article VI: Parliamentary Authority
The rules of parliamentary procedure comprised in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of this organization unless otherwise stated in the Constitution and/or By-Laws of the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club.
Article VII: Order of Business
Section 1 - Order of Business at all Annual Meetings and Board of Directors meetings shall be:
A. Call the Meeting to Order
B. Roll call of the officers by the Secretary
C. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
D. Treasurer's Report
E. Reading of Communications and Bills
F. Reports of Committees, Officers, and Delegates
G. Unfinished Business
H. New Business
I. Installation of Officers
J. Adjournment
Article VIII: Discipline
Section 1 -
Charges of misconduct may be filed by any member against another member. Charges must be in writing and filed with the Secretary along with a $50.00 fee. If the Secretary is filed against, the filer shall send the written charges to the President along with the required fee.
Section 2 -
Any member against whom charges have been filed shall be furnished a complete statement of the charges by the Secretary (President if warranted) and shall be allowed 30 days to file a reply.
Section 3 -
The charges, together with the reply from the charged member if any has been received, shall be furnished to each member of the Board of Directors for his/her consideration. The Board of Directors may, by a two-thirds majority vote, reprimand, suspend, or expel the member. Less than two-thirds majority shall constitute acquittal of the charges.
Section 4 -
Any member suspended shall not be eligible for reinstatement within one year of the date of suspension. Any member expelled shall not be eligible for membership in this organization at any time.
Section 5 -
If acquittal of the charges has been reached, the filer shall not be reimbursed his/her fee. If a member is reprimanded, suspended or expelled, the fee is to be returned to the complainant.
Section 6 -
If an Officer, Director, Committee Chair, or Committee Member does not fulfill their duties, shows lack of interest in Club matters, or undermines the morale of the Club's membership, they shall be asked to resign by the Board of Directors. If he/she fails to resign voluntarily, the Board of Directors may, by a 2/3rd s majority vote, declare the office vacant.
Article IX: Dissolution of the Club
In the event of dissolution of the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club, all debts and liabilities are to be paid in full. Any remaining funds and assets shall be evenly distributed between the ARBA Hall of Fame Library and the ARBA Research and Development.
Article X: Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended or changed by an absolute majority vote of the Board of Directors in attendance at any Board of Directors meeting, or a special meeting or Conference meeting called by the President by E-mail or phone (according to Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution). All Board Members must be notified of the proposed changes, by the Chairperson of the Rules Committee two (2) weeks prior to the vote. This notification may be by mail, E-mail, phone or newsletter.
Amended
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization is the PACIFIC NW LIONHEAD RABBIT CLUB.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES
Section 1 - The purpose of this organization is to promote the breeding, showing, advancement and development of the Lionhead rabbit.
Section 2 - This organization shall operate as a non-profit.
Section 3 - This organization shall provide a timely publication designed to keep the membership and the public informed as to the activities of the club. The publication to be known as “THE LIONHEAD JOURNAL”.
Section 5 - This organization shall cooperate with the American Rabbit Breeders Association in all matters of national policy.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Any person engaged in raising Lionhead rabbits or any person interested in the
Lionhead rabbit breed may become members of this club.
Section 2 - All membership dues are annual and are payable at the time of joining. All
memberships are immediate upon payment of dues.
Section 3 - Voting is limited to adult members. Anyone who has reached eighteen (18)
years of age by the day the vote is taken.
Section 4 - Voting is limited to adult members in good standing. Any member that has let their membership lapse must renew prior to being allowed to vote. Any member that has
unpaid debts to the club shall not be permitted to vote.
Section 5 - The PNWLRC Board of Directors reserves the right to accept or reject, for just cause, any application for membership or renewal.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1 - The Officers of this club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Directors. These officers shall constitute the Board of Directors. All officers must
have been members of both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the
Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club for two (2) consecutive years prior to taking office.
Section 2 - The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Directors shall be
elected by the general membership.
Section 3 - All terms of office shall be 2 years and shall begin immediately following the anniversary of the clubs beginning.
Section 4 - The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are ex-officio members of the Board of Directors. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees, with the
exception of the Election Committee.
Section 5 - Candidates for office must notify the Secretary of their intentions to run for office, postmarked no later than July 1st of the election year. All members are eligible to file
an intent and run for office if they will have been members of the club for a full two years
before they take office immediately following the anniversary of the club.
Section 6 – The club will be divided between a few different states, which are listed below;
State 1) Washington State
State 2) Oregon State
State 3) California State
Canada to be included as well
The membership within each designated state shall elect (1) Director who lives in that
state to serve on the Board. If there is no one willing to serve as Director from any
specific state(s) then the President Elect shall appoint any directors needed to fill these
vacancies with the approval of the Board.
ARTICLE V - MEETINGS
Section 1 - The Board of Directors will meet at least twice a year. Two of these meetings shall be at the Oregon and Washington state conventions, other such meetings to be held online. The presence of five (5) voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2 - The President or Vice President with the consent of 2/3 of the members of the Board of Directors, may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors, Notice of such meeting, listing the time, place and the purpose of such special meeting at least (7) seven days prior to the meeting. Only the business for which the meeting was called can be
transacted.
Section 3 - The Secretary has the power to call an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors in the event the President and the Vice-President become disabled, disqualified or resign. The purpose of the meeting shall be to elect a President pro-term from the Board of
Directors until such time as a general election can take place.
Section 4 - The President may conduct business via the internet/email. All internet votes will
remain open for seven (7) days to allow all Board members a chance to discuss, amend,
and vote on the impending issues. Any member who fails to report their vote within the
seven (7) days shall, by their silence, forfeit their right to vote on the motion/motions
before them.
Section 5 - At any General Meeting or Board of Directors meeting, a majority of members present in good standing as reflected in the records of the Secretary and the Treasurer shall carry the vote, unless specifically stated otherwise in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS
Section 1 - Any amendment to the Constitution must be in the form of a written resolution(s). The resolution must be signed by a member in good standing and sent to the Secretary with a postmark before February 1st of the year it is to be considered.
Section 2 - The Secretary must forward the resolution to the Rules Committee for review of merit or conflicts.
Section 3 - If the resolution has no conflicts and is found to have merit by the Rules Committee, it will be forwarded, by the Committee Chairperson, to the newsletter editor To be included in the newsletter.
Section 4 - A ballot will be included in the Summer issue of the club newsletter. All ballots shall be returned to the Election Committee Chairperson. All returned ballots must be
postmarked no later than July 1st to be considered valid. The Election Committee shall
count all acceptable ballots by August 10th and send a certified statement of the results,
along with the ballots, to the Secretary. The statement and the returned ballots shall be
retained for one (1) year. The results will be posted on the official club website no later
than August 30th.
Section 5 - Amendments to the Constitution will be accepted with a 2/3rd s majority vote of the ballots returned. Amendments will take effect thirty (30) days after the vote is recorded.
Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club By-Laws Amended
Article I: Membership, Dues & Fees
Section 1 -
All dues are to be paid in full at the time of membership application/renewal.
Domestic fees are as follows:
Single Adult $10.00 (1) year $25.00 (3) Years
Single Youth $5.00 (1) year $10.00 (3) Years
Two or More Persons At One Address/Family membership $15.00 (1) year $40.00 (3) Years
Foreign memberships will be charged an additional surcharge of $15.00 per year.
Section 2 -
"Good Standing" Defined
a) A member in "good standing" is defined as a member who is current on payment of yearly dues and has no outstanding debt owed to the PNWLRC.
b) Members who pay dues more than 60 days after the due date will forfeit sweepstakes points and privileges previously earned. When dues are paid after this 60 day grace period, the applicant will be considered a new member and membership will be dated as of the date paid.
Section 3 -
Membership Defined
a) A Single Adult Membership is open to anyone who has reached their 18th birthday by the date of joining the club, or any youth member who has passed their 18th birthday and wishes to convert their youth membership to an adult membership. Each Single Adult membership is entitled to one vote in club affairs.
b) Single Youth Membership is open to anyone who has not reached his or her 19th birthday. Birth dates must be supplied with the membership application. This category of membership is NOT allowed to vote.
c) "Two or More Persons At One Address" is open to anyone regardless of age. All persons who have not reached their 18th birthday must supply their birthdate on the membership application for PNWLRC’s bookkeeping purposes. The "Two or More Persons At One Address" membership category is entitled to two votes in club affairs, if two (2) of the members are eligible under the age requirements for voting.
Section 4 -
Each membership is entitled to; a subscription to the club newsletter, and a membership card for each member named on the application.
Article II: Duties of Officers
Section 1 - PRESIDENT
The President shall:
A. Act as the Chairman of the Board, and preside at all meetings.
B. Call and designate the time and place of all meetings.
C. Appoint all Committees and fill all vacancies subject to approval of the Board.
D. Perform such other duties as usually pertain to this office, or as assigned by the Board. Be accountable to the Board of Directors.
E. Vote at general membership meetings and Board of Directors Meetings only in case of a tie.
F. Transact business by means of e-mail or postal mail correspondence with members of the Board of Directors when calling a meeting thereof is impractical.
G. Be bonded in favor of the club in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The bonding fee will be provided from club funds.
Section 2 - VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President shall:
A. Perform such duties as assigned by and be accountable to the Board of Directors.
B. Perform the duties of the President in the absence, disability or disqualification of the President.
C. Upon a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice President shall assume the responsibilities of the President and appoint a new Vice President for the remainder of the current term with the approval of the Board of Directors. EXCEPTION: If the President-Elect has been determined by established club protocol, the Vice President will remain in the office of the Vice President, and the President-Elect shall assume the responsibilities of the President for the remainder of the current term.
Section 3 -SECRETARY
The Secretary shall:
A. Act as Secretary of the Board of Directors.
B. Conduct all general correspondence of this Association. The Secretary shall act promptly on all correspondence received on the club's behalf. Keep on file a copy of all letters received, together with a copy of all letters sent out by him/her.
C. Keep all the records of the club; keep the minutes of all meetings of the club and Board of Directors meetings. Keep a permanent printed copy on file of the minutes of all meetings, signed by secretary. Read such minutes as required and provide minutes/messages to the newsletter editor for inclusion in “The Lionhead Journal” quarterly newsletter and to the webmaster of the club's approved website for publication thereof.
D. Perform all duties which pertain to the office. Perform additional duties as required by the Board of Directors.
E. Turn over all monies to the Treasurer in a timely manner. If the Board of Directors so require, the Secretary must furnish a bond in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The cost of any such bond shall be paid by this Association.
F. Keep on file a permanent printed copy of the current approved Constitution and By-Laws, as well as a record of all changes proposed to the Constitution & By-Laws, including a record of the results of the vote on each change.
G. Respond in a timely manner to all membership applications. Maintain a complete and up-to-date membership list, including current member addresses and report same to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.
H. Compile and submit a complete and detailed list of pending membership expirations or recently lapsed memberships to the editor of “The Lionhead Journal” for publication in each quarterly issue. This shall be done in a manner that gives at least 30 days notice to each member prior to the membership expiration date. After a 60 day grace period, the Secretary shall remove any member that has not renewed their membership from the master membership list.
Section 4 - TREASURER
The Treasurer shall:
A. Be a custodian of all funds. Collect all monies due the club, keep an accurate record of such funds, and make payment as directed by the Board of Directors.
B. Report his/her actions to the Board of Directors and membership by publishing a quarterly Treasurer's report on the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club's approved website, or in “The Lionhead Journal” quarterly newsletter,
C. Report on the financial condition of the club at the General Membership Meeting at Washington and Oregon conventions.
D. The books must be audited annually by at the end of the calendar year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in favor of the club in an amount set by the Board of Directors. The bonding fee will be provided from club funds. The bond must be delivered to the President within 30 days after taking office.
E. Maintain a bank account in the name of the club with a current signature card showing Treasurer and President as signors on the account. Any signors on the club account must be bonded.
F. Consult and advise the President on any unusual matters with regard to club finances.
Section 5 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The general supervision and conduct of the affairs of this Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall:
A. Have charge of the business affairs and transactions of the club. Have the power to transact all club business between meetings, act upon charges brought before them, and formulate rules & policy which are not specifically covered in the Constitution and By-Laws.
B. Make contracts in the name of the club.
C. Interpret any rules, regulations and By-Laws of the club.
D. Carry out instructions of this Association. Each Director shall be responsible for answering all correspondence addressed to him/her in a timely manner. Each Director shall provide quarterly reports to the newsletter editor of events that are taking place in their district. This can include show wins of the members within their state. Members shall be responsible to submit such wins to their state director.
E. Authorize expenditures, not exceeding the assets of the Association.
F. Devise ways and means to carry out the objectives of the Association.
G. Make decisions as may pertain to the improvement of this Association.
H. All transactions by the Board of Directors must have a simple majority approval. Five (5)members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Article III: Compensation
Section 1 -
The Newsletter editor will be given compensation for any hard copy newsletters sent by mail, however, the PNWLRC newsletter will mainly be an online E-Newsletter, but those who do not have the ability to access the web will be given the option of a hard copy newsletter, and will pay $10 extra upon entering the club to cover the costs of paper, ink and postage.
Article IV: Standing Committees
Section 1 -
The President will appoint all Standing Committees subject to the approval by simple majority of the Board of Directors. The term of all Committee Chairs and members shall be one year beginning/ending immediately following the conclusion of the anniversary of the club. All members reviewed and appointed for any Committee must be a member in good standing. The Chairperson for each Committee shall have been a member in good standing of the PNWLRC for a period of one (1) year.
Section 2 -
The President or the Board of Directors may request the formation of a Special Committee if the objective for the committee is not met by any of the Standing Committees. A Special Committee may be appointed to fill that objective by the President, with Board approval by a simple majority. Special Committees shall be discharged after their function is fulfilled.
Section 3 -
Standing Committees shall consist of:
a) Rules Committee:
Shall be responsible for reviewing, receiving, and/or proposing amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the PNWLRC.
Shall receive and review any proposals for conflicts with the current documents or the ARBA. They shall make suggestions for revisions as deemed necessary.
b) Auditing Committee:
Shall be responsible for yearly audit of the Treasurer's books.
Shall furnish a copy of their report to the Board of Directors.
c) Election Committee:
Shall receive and count all ballots and maintain a record of the ballots as described in Article 5.
The Election Committee Chairperson shall send the Secretary a certified statement of the results along with the counted ballots. These documents shall be retained by the Secretary for one year after the election.
d) Newsletter Committee:
Shall consist of a maximum of three (3) members. The Newsletter Editor may serve on this committee. This committee shall be responsible for overseeing the club newsletter.
Shall make sure that the newsletter is published in a timely manner.
Shall review costs and make recommendations to the Board of Directors in financial matters dealing with the publishing and mailing of the newsletter.
Shall review and set advertising costs.
Shall be responsible for content decisions that arise, subject to the final determination of the board.
Shall give direction to the Newsletter Editor.
The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for solicitation of articles, layout, proofing, publishing and mailing of the club's quarterly newsletter. The newsletter editor shall collect all monies for advertising and forward said monies, with appropriate accounting records, to the Treasurer in a timely manner.
An Advertising Coordinator may be appointed, if desired by the Editor. If so appointed, they shall collect all monies for advertising and forward said monies, with appropriate accounting records, to the Treasurer in a timely manner.
e) Fundraising Committee:
Shall consist of a minimum of (5) five members.
Shall oversee all fundraising for the club throughout the year, including correlating any fundraising opportunities subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
f) Sweepstakes Committee:
Shall consist of a maximum of three (3) members. It shall make sure that current and accurate sweepstakes point records are kept.
Shall supervise and oversee the performance of the Sweepstakes counter.
Shall make sure that the website is updated with current sweepstakes points no less than once a month.
Shall make sure that current sweepstakes standings are published in the club newsletter.
Shall review and recommend updates to the sweepstakes rule.
Shall clarify questions on the sweepstakes as they may arise.
Shall oversee the selection and awarding of yearly sweepstakes awards.
g) Youth Committee:
Shall have a minimum of three (3) adult members. This committee can also have a number of youth members equal to the number of adult members. The Youth Committee shall correlate youth programs subject to the Board of Directors.
Article V: Elections & Voting Procedures
Section 1 -
Any voting member in good standing over 18 years of age wishing to become a candidate for any office shall submit an Intent to Run for that office to the Secretary of the club. The Intent to Run shall be postmarked to the Secretary at the beginning of the election year.
Section 2 -
Upon receipt of the Intent to Run, the Secretary shall determine if the member is eligible to run for office. The names of all qualifying candidates running for office must appear on the ballot. The unopposed candidate shall automatically win that office. Write-ins shall not be allowed.
Section 3 -
The Secretary shall prepare ballots yearly and will mail all ballots to all eligible members in good standing by June 1st. All ballots shall be returned to the Election Chairperson. All returned ballots must be postmarked no later than July 1st to be considered valid. The Election Committee shall count all acceptable ballots by August 10th and send a certified statement of the results along with the ballots to the Secretary. Facsimiles or copies of the official ballot shall not be considered an acceptable ballot and shall be declared void. Voided ballots shall be held by the Secretary, along with the valid ballots, for a period of one (1) year. The statement and the returned ballots shall be retained for one (1) year.
Section 4 -
Members must be over 18 years of age to vote on club issues. Youth memberships are not allowed to vote. Other memberships are entitled to votes as explained under membership, Article 1, Section 3.
Section 5 -
No person who appears on the ballot, or any of their immediate family members, may be on the Election Committee.
Section 6 -
The candidate with the highest number of votes on the acceptable ballots shall be declared the winner. In the event of a tie between two (2) or more persons for the same office: the Board of Directors, prior to the annual meeting shall vote on the winner. The Secretary shall notify the candidates of the election outcome by August 30th.
Section 7 -
Newly elected Officers and Directors shall assume their duties immediately following the close of the aniversary of the club.
Article VI: Parliamentary Authority
The rules of parliamentary procedure comprised in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of this organization unless otherwise stated in the Constitution and/or By-Laws of the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club.
Article VII: Order of Business
Section 1 - Order of Business at all Annual Meetings and Board of Directors meetings shall be:
A. Call the Meeting to Order
B. Roll call of the officers by the Secretary
C. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
D. Treasurer's Report
E. Reading of Communications and Bills
F. Reports of Committees, Officers, and Delegates
G. Unfinished Business
H. New Business
I. Installation of Officers
J. Adjournment
Article VIII: Discipline
Section 1 -
Charges of misconduct may be filed by any member against another member. Charges must be in writing and filed with the Secretary along with a $50.00 fee. If the Secretary is filed against, the filer shall send the written charges to the President along with the required fee.
Section 2 -
Any member against whom charges have been filed shall be furnished a complete statement of the charges by the Secretary (President if warranted) and shall be allowed 30 days to file a reply.
Section 3 -
The charges, together with the reply from the charged member if any has been received, shall be furnished to each member of the Board of Directors for his/her consideration. The Board of Directors may, by a two-thirds majority vote, reprimand, suspend, or expel the member. Less than two-thirds majority shall constitute acquittal of the charges.
Section 4 -
Any member suspended shall not be eligible for reinstatement within one year of the date of suspension. Any member expelled shall not be eligible for membership in this organization at any time.
Section 5 -
If acquittal of the charges has been reached, the filer shall not be reimbursed his/her fee. If a member is reprimanded, suspended or expelled, the fee is to be returned to the complainant.
Section 6 -
If an Officer, Director, Committee Chair, or Committee Member does not fulfill their duties, shows lack of interest in Club matters, or undermines the morale of the Club's membership, they shall be asked to resign by the Board of Directors. If he/she fails to resign voluntarily, the Board of Directors may, by a 2/3rd s majority vote, declare the office vacant.
Article IX: Dissolution of the Club
In the event of dissolution of the Pacific NW Lionhead Rabbit Club, all debts and liabilities are to be paid in full. Any remaining funds and assets shall be evenly distributed between the ARBA Hall of Fame Library and the ARBA Research and Development.
Article X: Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended or changed by an absolute majority vote of the Board of Directors in attendance at any Board of Directors meeting, or a special meeting or Conference meeting called by the President by E-mail or phone (according to Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution). All Board Members must be notified of the proposed changes, by the Chairperson of the Rules Committee two (2) weeks prior to the vote. This notification may be by mail, E-mail, phone or newsletter.
