Australian Shepherd Club of Arizona, Inc. Club Bylaws

Bylaws of the Australian Shepherd Club of Arizona, Inc.

ARTICLE 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1.1 The name of this organization is AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD CLUB OF ARIZONA, INC., a non-profit corporation. The Club is an official affiliated club of the Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc, (ASCA), and shall not affiliate with any other dog club or registry.

Section 1.2 Non-Profit Status

The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit. No part of any profit or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the club shall inure to the benefit of any member.

1.2.1 The Club may not engage in any form of discrimination which adversely affects ASCA’s tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c) (7).

Section 1.3 ASCA trademarks and the like: The names, logos, trademarks and service marks of ASCA may not be used by the Club or its members unless authorized by ASCA.

Section 1.4 The Objectives of the Club are:

1.4.1 To encourage and promote the breeding of purebred Australian Shepherds in such a manner as to bring their natural qualities to the highest degree attainable. It shall strive to educate and assist all owners of the breed to improve their knowledge of the breed and its history.

1.4.2 To protect and advance the interest of the Australian Shepherd breed and to encourage ethical breeding practices and sportsmanlike competition at all dog shows and trials.

1.4.3 To conduct Conformation Shows, Obedience Trials, Tracking Tests, Stock Dog Trials and other events under the rules and regulations of ASCA.

1.4.4 To encourage all breeders to accept the breed standard adopted by ASCA as the only standard of excellence by which the breed as be judged.

ARTICLE II

ORDER OF BUSINESS AND PROCEDURES

Section 2.1 The latest version of “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall govern any matter of procedures not specifically addressed by these Bylaws, unless another order of procedure is established by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

Section 3.1 Eligibility

3.1.1 Membership shall be open to all persons who are in good standing with the Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc. and the Australian Shepherd Club of Arizona, Inc. and who shall subscribe and adhere to the principles and objectives of this Club. Persons who are currently suspended or expelled from ASCA may not join this Club until they are reinstated in ASCA.

3.1.2 Any person who renews membership is deemed to have consented to all current terms of the Constitution, Bylaws, Rules, Policies, Procedures, and dispute rules of both ASCA and the Club.

Section 3.2 Type of Membership

3.2.1 Single Membership: Single voting membership is open to all persons seventeen (17) years of age or older, whose views are consonant with the objectives of the Club. By becoming a voting member, all further participation in the junior benefits of the Club are renounced.

3.2.2 Dual Voting Membership: A dual voting membership shall be available to two adults seventeen (17) years of age or older and shall carry with it the same requirements and privileges as a single membership, except that dues shall be assessed as set forth below.

3.2.3 Junior Membership: Junior membership shall be open to all persons eight (8) years of age and up to and including seventeen (17) years of age and who have a parent or guardian who is a voting member. Junior membership carries all the privileges and responsibilities of the Club, except for the right to vote and hold office.

3.2.4 Newsletter Subscription: A newsletter subscription shall be available to anyone on an annual basis, provided the appropriate fees are paid.

Section 3.3 Election to Membership: Application for membership must be made on a form provided by the Club. Said application must be accompanied by the current year dues as provided above and the application must be present at the previous meeting, with the exception of junior memberships and newsletter subscriptions. Applications and fees shall be sent to the Treasurer who will provide the General Secretary with a list of members and subscribers.

Section 3.4 Payment of Dues: Dues are payable on or before the first day of January of each year. Each form of membership includes a newsletter subscription. Any type of membership can be upgraded to another type within the year by meeting the new requirements and paying the difference in fees.

Section 3.5 Termination of Membership: Membership may be terminated by:

3.5.1 Resignation in writing.

3.5.2 Lapsing of dues; nonpayment within thirty (30) days.

3.5.3 By Suspension: Any member who is disciplined by ASCA is deemed disciplined to the same extent by the Club. Expulsion as designated under Article VIII of these Bylaws.

Section 3.6 Voting: Each regular member in good standing shall be entitled to vote. Must be accomplished in person; no proxy votes will be permitted.

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS

Section 4.1 Club Meetings: Meetings shall be held monthly except for the June and July meetings, which may be combined at the discretion of the Club. Date for the June/July meeting to be printed in the May Aussie Tales. Written notice of the hour and place of such meetings shall be published by the Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum of membership for such meetings shall be ten (10) percent of the regular membership and in no event, less than seven (7) members.

Section 4.2 Special Club Meetings: Special club meetings may be called by the President or the Board of Directors or the Secretary, upon the receipt of a petition signed by five (5) members of the Club who are in good standing. Written notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five (5) days and not more than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting. Said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other Club business shall be transacted thereat. The quorum for such a meeting shall be ten (10) percent of the regular membership of the Club and in no event, less than seven (7) members.

Section 4.3 Board Meetings: Regular meetings of the Board shall be held prior or Subsequent to the regular monthly meeting by personal attendance only. The quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board members.

Section 4.4 Special Board Meetings: Special meetings of the Board or Directors may be called by the President or by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by a majority of the Board members. Such special meeting may be held by mail vote or by personal attendance at such place and hour as may be designated by the person authorized to call such a meeting. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed at least five (5) and not more than (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. This notice shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business shall be transacted thereat. A quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board members.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 5.1 Officers: The officers of the Club shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Affiliate Representative, Director of Show Coordination and Director of Education. All officers must be members in good standing of ASCA. Persons who are currently suspended or expelled from ASCA may not run for office in this Club until they are reinstated in ASCA.

5.1.1 President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and Board and shall have duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of president. The President may vote only in case of a tie. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

5.1.2 Vice President: The Vice President shall have the powers and exercise the duties of the President in case of the President’s death, absence or incapacity. The Vice President shall be in charge of all standing and special committees of the Club.

5.1.3 General Secretary: The General Secretary shall keep a record of all the meetings of the Club and Board and of all matters for which a record shall be ordered by the Club. The Secretary shall keep a roll and records of all members of the Club and their addresses, will have charge of correspondence and carry out such duties as are prescribed by the Club.

5.1.4 Director of Show Coordination: The Director of Show Coordination shall be responsible for the sanctioning and administering of the conformation, obedience, stock-dog and agility programs of the Club, including the completion of all paperwork and correspondence required by the Australian Shepherd Club of America. This position shall oversee the coordination of all activities involved with hosting the club’s monthly shows, including hiring of stewards, ring set-up/tear down, hiring of judges, awards and ribbons, entries and paperwork.

Any person who directly contacts or hires a conformation and/or obedience judge or judges, or who serves in the official capacity of Steward or Show Secretary at a show shall not exhibit as agent or handler at the show in question. In the event (conformation, obedience) for which they have contacted/hired the judge, or for which they are serving as Show Secretary. Stewards at a show may not exhibit in any event (conformation, obedience) that day, regardless of which event they are stewarding.

5.1.5 Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive all money due the Club and keep a proper record of same, shall pay all demands when duly authorized by the Club, and shall report the financial condition at each regular meeting. The records shall be audited by the President and one qualified person appointed by the Board from the regular membership, by June 30^th and December 31^st of each year. The Treasurer or President shall sign the authorized checks drawn on the Club funds.

5.1.6 Affiliated Representative: The ASCA Affiliate Representative shall be the official representative from ASC of Arizona to the ASCA and to other affiliates. He/she shall be responsible for official correspondence for the Club to ASCA. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining a complete file of all correspondence and other information sent from ASCA, having this available to the membership at all times. He/she shall be responsible for all required reports and information deemed necessary by ASCA.

5.1.7 Director of Education: The Director of Education shall be responsible for the scheduling and coordination of the Club’s event(s) throughout the year.

Section 5.2 Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the elected officers. The general management of the Club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.

Section 5.3 Vacancies: If any vacancy occurs on the Board during the year, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by a majority vote of all the remaining members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the vacancy.

Section 5.4 Removal from Office: All officers and directors are subject to removal from office under either of the following procedures:

5.4.1 The officers or director is removed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors due to failure to fulfill the functions of the office or for absence without due cause from three (3) consecutive Board meeting or regular meetings.

5.4.2 The officer is removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the regular membership present and voting at a Special Club meeting called under the provisions of Article IV Section 4.0 for that purpose.

ARTICLE VI

THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTIONS

Section 6.1 Club Year: The Club’s calendar year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31^st day of December. The Club’s fiscal year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the annual meeting and shall continue through the election at the next annual meeting.

Section 6.2 Annual Meeting: The annual meeting shall be held in the month of December, at which time the Officers and Directors for the ensuing year shall be elected by secret, written ballot from among those nominated in accordance with Section 6.4 of this Article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the properties and records relating to that office by January 1. Nominations and elections are to be scheduled so the new slate of officers are installed before the Affiliate renewals are due back to ASCA Business office on January 1.

Section 6.3 Elections: The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected. All officers retain their current position until new ones are elected.

Section 6.4 Nominations: During the month of October, the membership shall select a nominating committee consisting of three (3) voting members, one of whom shall be a member of the Board, plus two (2) alternates. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committee and alternatives of their selection. The committee shall select a Chairman and it shall be the duty of the Chairman to call a committee meeting within two (2) weeks after the committee is notified of its selection.

6.4.1 The committee shall nominate one or more candidates for each office. Candidates must meet the qualifications set forth in Section 6.4.6 herein and immediately report their nominations to the Secretary, in writing.

6.4.2 Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee’s report, the Secretary shall immediately notify each member in writing or publish the names of the candidates so nominated.

6.4.3 Any person so nominated who refuses to be a candidate for the position to which he/she has been nominated shall notify the Secretary prior to or at the November general meeting.

6.4.4 Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the November regular meeting of the Club, with each such additional nominee signifying his/her willingness to be a candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one office. A final list of nominees will be published or mailed to each voting member at least ten (10) days prior to the annual meeting.

6.4.5 Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting. No write-in candidate will be eligible for office.

6.4.6 To be eligible for nomination to an office, a voting member must attend at least six (6) regular meetings during the first ten (10) months of the current Club year.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

Section 7.1 Standing Committees: The following committees shall be standing committees, with an appointed chairman:

7.1.1 Program: The Program Committee shall be responsible for the programs presented at the regular meetings of the Club.

7.1.2 Historian: The Historian Committee shall be responsible for maintaining the Club scrapbook and title holder photo album.

7.1.3 Publications: The Publications Committee shall be responsible for the monthly newsletter and the Club website.

7.1.4 Show: The Show Committee shall be responsible for administering the show, enforcing ASCA show rules and responsible for the following committees:

A. Conformation Chairman

B. Obedience Chairman

C. Stock Dog Chairman

D. Awards Chairman- shall provide a list of trophies/ribbons in stock in June and December when the books are audited. (05/94)

E. Equipment Chairman

F. Groundskeeper

G. Publicity Chairman

H. Hospitality Chairman

I. Chief Steward

7.1.5 Rescue and Referral: The responsibility of the Rescue and Referral Committee is as follows:

A. To develop and administer an Australian Shepherd Rescue program, policies to be determined by Committee and voted upon by membership.

B. To administer an Australian Shepherd Referral program, accordance with the pre-established referral guidelines and others to be determined by committee. (Oct. 94)

C. Shall provide to the Club in June and December when the books are audited an accounting of all financial transactions regarding the Rescue Committee.

7.1.6 Agility: The Agility Committee shall promote the sport of Agility.

Section 7.2 Special Committees: Special Committees may be appointed by the President from time to time to advance and facilitate the work of the Club. Both standing and special committees shall be subject to the final authority of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII

EXPENDITURES

Section 8.1 Procedures: The Treasurer or President may draw the Club’s funds to cover Club expenditures based on the following procedures:

8.1.1 Administrative expenses related to the routine business of the Club may be drawn at any time, upon presentation of either a bill or receipts for amounts not to exceed twenty-five ($25) dollars, such expenditures are payable upon demand.

8.1.2 Recurring Club expenses (such as the newsletter, postage and printing) may be authorized subject to a monthly limit set by the general membership present and voting at that meeting.

8.1.3 Expenditures greater than twenty-five ($25) and less than one hundred ($100) dollars are reimbursable at the Treasurer’s discretion. Expenses declined by the Treasurer may be appealed to the Membership; in this event the Membership’s decision is final.

8.1.4 All other expenditures of more than one hundred ($100) dollars must be approved by the Board of Director.

8.1.5 Any expenditures of two hundred ($200) dollars or more must be presented to the membership for approval with at least three (3) written bids and must be approved by the majority of the members present and voting at that meeting with exception of the cost of printing the Specialty catalogue which may be approved by the Board of Directors from the bids submitted.

8.1.6 Any expenditure not authorized under 8.1.1 and 8.1.3 above must be approved by a majority vote of the voting membership present and voting.

ARTICLE IX

DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINE

Section 9.1 Disputes between Club members, between a member and the Club or involving non-members and pertaining to Club affairs or a Club sanctioned event, shall be decided in accordance with the Dispute Rules as adopted by ASCA. Any discipline or sanctions issued or administered by the Club shall be in conformity with such rules.

Section 9.2 Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc. automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of the Club for a like period.

Section 9.3 Members of the Club and non-members participants in Club activities must agree to abide by all rules and procedures adopted by ASCA and those adopted by the Club. Forms for application for membership and for participation in Club activities shall so state. Such rules and procedures include, but are not limited to these Bylaws, ASCA’s Bylaws, the ASCA Show, Obedience and Stock Dog Rules and Regulations and ASCA’s Dispute Rules.

Section 9.4 Charges: Any member may prefer charge against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the breed. Written, notarized charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate within a period of 30 days from the date of the alleged act, with the Secretary, together with a deposit of ten ($10) dollars, which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained. The Secretary shall promptly notify the Board which shall meet and fix a date of a Board hearing not less than three (3) weeks nor more than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one (1) copy of the charges to the accused member by registered mail, together with a notice of the hearing and in assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his/her own defense with or without counsel and bring witnesses if he/she wishes.

Section 9.5 Board Hearing: The Board shall have complete authority to decide whether council 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 majority vote of those present, suspend the defendant from all privileges and functions of the Club for not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing. If it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also be recommended to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his/her fellow members at the ensuring Club meeting which considers the Board’s recommendations. If found guilty, a complete transcript must be put in writing and filed with the Australian Shepherd Club of America. The complainant or defendant shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Board to a regular or special meeting of the Club within sixty (60) but not less than thirty (30) days after the Board’s decision. The membership can supersede the Board’s decision by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those present and voting.

Section 9.6 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 9.5 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 the thirty (30) days after the date of the Board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his/her own behalf. The President shall read the charges and the Board’s finding and permit the defendant, if present, to speak on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present at the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board’s suspension shall stand.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Section 10.1 Proposed Amendments to these Bylaws must be approved by ASCA before a final club vote on these amendments is initialed. Proposed changes to these Bylaws must be submitted to the ASCA Board with the old wording followed by the new wording.

Section 10.2 Amendments: These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, but the proposed amendments must be embodied in the call for any such meeting, and published or mailed to each voting member at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of such meeting.

ARTICLE XI

DISSOLUTION

Section 11.1 Dissolution: The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members. After payment of all the debts of the Club, it’s property and assets shall be donated to a charity selected by vote of the members. Written notification of the dissolution must be given to ASCA before the effective date.

ARTICLE XII

ORDER of BUSINESS

Section 12.1 Order of Business: 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:

Call to Order

Roll Call

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Minutes of the Board Meeting

Report of the President

Report of the General Secretary

Report of the Treasurer

Report of the Affiliate Representative

Report of the Director of Education

Report of the Director of Show Coordination

Report of the Vice President and Committees

Election of Officers (if the annual meeting)

Unfinished Business

New Business

Adjournment

Section 12.2 Order of Business for the Board of Directors: At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote present, shall be as follows:

Reading of the minutes of the last Meeting

Report of the President

Report of the General Secretary

Report of the Treasurer

Report of the Affiliate Representative

Report of the Director of Education

Report of the Director of Show Coordination

Report of the Vice President and Committees

Unfinished Business

New Business

Adjournment

Section 12.3 Robert’s Rules of Order: Any rule not covered by these Bylaws will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, as revised.

Revised September 1982

Revised February 1983

Revised April 1985- Debbie Gower

Revised February 1989

Revised June 1994 – Lorrie Santellano

Revised January 1996

Revised September 1996 – Lorrie Santellano

Revised May 1998 – Lorrie Santellano