CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS
FOR
IOWA STATE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER CLUB
The
Iowa State American Pit Bull Terrier Club is officially associated with
the United Kennel Club and the National American Pit Bull Terrier Association.
CONSTITUTION
Article
I. Association
Name.
This association shall be known as the Iowa State American Pit Bull
Terrier Club, hereinafter also referred to as “the Association.”
Article
II. Objectives.
The
objectives of the Association shall be to promote and encourage the breeding and
betterment of the American Pit Bull Terrier and to uphold and abide by the
following code of ethics:
Section
1. No individual or group of individuals known to: promote, support, raise dogs
for fighting; condone or be associated with the facing off, game testing,
rolling or pitting of dogs; will be tolerated or allowed in this association.
Such
individuals will be banned from all U.K.C. events and clubs with no
reinstatement at any time.
The
Code of Ethics is intended as an expression of goals for breeders, exhibitors,
and fanciers. It is not to be construed as a rule or regulation to be enforced
by punishment. Breeders are expected to police themselves in a civil and
responsible manner.
Article
III.
Association Profits. The
Association shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any
profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the Association shall
benefit any member or individual.
Article
IV. Rules
For Licensed Events.
All licensed events sponsored by the Association will be run in accordance with
the rules, policies, and procedures of the United Kennel Club.
Article
V. Revisions.
The
members of the Association shall adopt and may from time to time revise such
bylaws as may be required to carry out these objectives.
BYLAWS
Article
I. Membership.
Section
2.1. Single
membership.
Open to members 18 years of age or older who own at least one U.K.C. registered
American Pit Bull Terrier. Single members are entitled to one vote and are
eligible to hold office in the Association.
Section
2.2. Charter
membership. Single
members who joined the Association on or before June 1, 2004 shall be entitled
to the designation “Charter Member.”
Section
2.3. Family/Household
membership.
Open to any two members of a household 18 years of age or older. At least one
U.K.C. registered American Pit Bull Terrier must be owned/co-owned in the
Section
2.4. Honorary
membership.
The Board of Directors may elect to honorary membership any member in good
standing or any non-member who meets the eligibility requirements for
membership. An affirmative vote of 2/3 of the Directors present at a meeting of
the Board, or 2/3 of the entire Board voting by mail shall be required to elect
an honorary member. Honorary members shall be exempt from dues. No honorary
members may vote unless he/she was a member in good standing of the Association
at the time he/she was elected to honorary membership and they own/co-own at
least one U.K.C. registered American Pit Bull Terrier.
Section
2.5. Associate membership. Associate membership is open to any individual who is
interested in the club and the American Pit Bull Terrier. Associate members are
not required to own/co-own a U.K.C. registered American Pit Bull Terrier.
Associate members shall not be entitiled to vote nor eligible to hold office,
but shall be eligible for annual trophies or awards offered by or through the
Association. Associate members may convert to Single Membership when they meet
the requirement of owning/co-owning a U.K.C. registered American Pit Bull
Terrier.
Section
2.6. Junior
membership. Junior
membership is open to any individual who is from two years old through seventeen
years of age. Juniors may convert to Regular membership upon reaching their 18th
birthday. Junior members shall not be entitled to vote nor eligible to hold
office, but shall be eligible for annual trophies or awards offered by or
through the Association.
Section
3. Dues
Section
3.1. Amount. Annual membership dues shall be determined by the Board of
Directors not to exceed $20.00 per person per year.
Section
3.2. Payment
of dues.
Dues are payable on or before the first day of January of each year.
Section
3.3. Dues
statement.
On November 15th of each year, the Treasurer shall send to each member a
statement of dues for the ensuing year.
Section
3.4. Nonpayment
of dues.
No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. The names of
members who have not paid their dues shall be published in the first Association
newsletter published after January 1st of each year. The membership of any
member who has not paid his/her dues by March 31st of any calendar year shall
lapse. The Board of Directors may grant a grace period of an additional 30 days
for payment to any member who applies for an extension.
Section
4. Application
for membership.
Each applicant for membership in the Association shall apply on a Board-approved
Application for Membership, which shall provide that the applicant agrees to
abide by the Constitution, Bylaws and Code of Ethics of the Association and the
rules and regulations of the United Kennel Club. The prospective member shall
submit the completed application and dues payment for the current year to the
Secretary.
Section
5. Election
To Membership. Applicants
may be elected by secret ballot at the next meeting of the Board of Directors or
by secret vote of the Directors by mail, except that no mail vote may be
initiated until each Board member has received a copy of all comments on the
application from the Membership Secretary. Affirmative votes of a majority of
the Directors present at a meeting of the Board or of the entire Board voting by
mail shall be required to elect an applicant.
Section
6. Rejected
Applications. The
sponsor of any applicant whose membership application is rejected by the Board
may personally present the application at the next meeting of the Association.
The Association membership may elect such applicant by secret ballot and a
favorable vote of 75 percent of the members present, in good standing, and
voting.
Section
5. Termination
Of Membership.
Memberships may be terminated for any of the following reasons:
Section
5.1. Resignation.
Any member in good standing may resign from the Association upon written notice
to the Secretary. Resignation shall not discharge or eliminate any debt owed to
the Association. Dues are considered an obligation to the Association and are
incurred the first day of each fiscal year.
Section
5.2. Lapsing.
A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such
member's dues remain unpaid after March 31st. The Board of Directors may grant a
grace period of an additional 30 days for payment to any member who applies for
an extension. In no case may a person be entitled to vote at any Association
meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of the meeting. Dues paid at such a
meeting allow that member reinstatement of voting rights.
Section
5.3. Suspension.
Any member who is suspended or barred from the privileges of the United Kennel
Club is automatically suspended or barred from the privileges of membership in
the Association for the same period of time.
Section
5.4. Expulsion.
A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VIII, Section
4 of these bylaws.
Article
II. Association
Year.
Section
1. Fiscal
Year.
The Association’s fiscal year shall begin on the 1st day of January and end on
the last day of December.
Section
2. Official
Year. The
Association’s official year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the
election at the annual meeting and shall continue through the election at the
next annual meeting.
Article
III. Meetings.
Section
1. Regular
meetings. The
Association and Board will meet in March, September and December each year.
Section
2. Electronic
meetings. Association
and Board members may use e-mail, chat rooms, message boards and other means of
electronic communication to facilitate Association business but no official
voting may be done other than by mail or in person.
Section
2. Annual
meeting.
The annual meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as
may be designated by the Board of Directors in June of each year. Written notice
of the time, place and location of this meeting shall be printed in the
Spring/March newsletter of the Association and shall be mailed not later than 15
days prior to the meeting. The quorum for this and all other Association
membership meetings shall be 20 percent of the members in good standing.
Section
3. Special
Association meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the President or by a majority vote of the
members of the Board of Directors who are present and voting at any meeting of
the Board or who vote by mail, and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt
of a petition signed by 10 percent of the members of the Association who are in
good standing. Such special meetings shall be held at a place, date and hour as
may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such a
meeting. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at
least fifteen (15) days and not more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of
the meeting, and said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other
Association business may be transacted thereat. The quorum for such a meeting
shall be 20 percent of the members in good standing.
Section
4. Board
meetings.
The first meeting of the Board shall be held immediately following the annual
Association meeting and election. Meetings of the Association Board of Directors
shall be held at such times and places as the Board of Directors shall from time
to time determine by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Written
notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 15 days
prior to the date of the
Section
5. Special
Board meetings.
Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Association President, Vice
President, or by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by at
least three members of the Board. Such special meeting shall be held at such
time and place as may be designated by the person authorized to call such
meeting. The Secretary shall mail written notice of such meeting at least 30
days prior to the date of the meeting. Any such notice shall state the purpose
of the meeting and no other business shall be transacted thereat. The quorum for
such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.
Section
6. Voting.
Each Association member in good standing whose dues are paid for the current
year shall be entitled to vote at any meeting at which the member is present or
by ballot provided their membership is a voting membership. Proxy voting shall
not be permitted.
Article
IV. Directors
and Officers.
Section
1. Board
of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall be composed of the Officers and two (2) directors,
all of whom shall be members in good standing and all of whom shall be elected
as provided in Article V and shall serve until their successors are elected. In
addition, the immediate past President shall serve as a member of the new board
for a period of one year only. General management of the Association’s affairs
shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.
Section
2. Term
of Office.
The Officers of the Association shall serve for two years or until their
successors are elected. All Officers shall be limited to two consecutive terms
of office and no person may hold more than one office per term. The other
members of the Board of Directors shall be elected for two year terms so
staggered that one-half are elected at each annual meeting. Any director who
misses two board meetings within an Association year shall be removed from the
Board of Directors, unless a majority of the board members present and voting at
the meeting from which the director is absent for the second time votes to
excuse one or both of the absences.
Section
3. Officers.
The Association’s Officers, consisting of the President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve in their respective capacities both with
regard to the Association and its meetings and the board and its meetings. All
Officers must be in good standing with the United Kennel Club.
Section
3.1. President.
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board
of Directors, and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the
office of the President in addition to those particularly specified in these
bylaws.
Section
3.2. Vice
President.
The Vice President shall assist the President when and where possible. The Vice
President shall serve as Parliamentarian. The Vice President shall have the
duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President’s
death, absence or incapacity.
Section
3.3. Secretary.
The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Association and of the
Board and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Association;
shall have charge of the correspondence, including but not limited to:
a.
Notifying members of meetings and events.
b.
Notifying new members of their election to membership.
c.
Keeping a roll of the members of the Association with their physical
addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
d.
Accept membership applications and issue membership cards.
e.
Preparing, printing, and mailing official Association ballots.
f.
Notifying Officers and Directors of their election to office.
g.
Carrying out the duties and exercising the powers of the President, In
the death, absence or incapacity of the President and Vice President.
h.
Presenting the Secretary's Report, which shall consist of
the Minutes of the last meeting, New Member Applications, and any new
correspondence received that must be addressed by the membership.
I.
Preparing, printing, and mailing of the Official Club Newsletter; no
fewer than (4) times yearly.
Section
3.4. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the
Association. Moneys shall be deposited in a bank designated by the board, in the
name of the Association. The books shall at all times be accurate, up to date,
and open to inspection by the board. A report shall be given at every meeting of
the condition of the Association’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. In
the event of the resignation, death or expulsion of the Treasurer, all moneys
and account books of the Association shall be handed over to the Board of
Directors until the office of Treasurer is filled. The President shall sign all
checks during this interim period.
Section
4. 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 resulting vacancy in the office of Vice President shall be filled
by the board.
Section
5. Compensation.
The members of the board shall serve without compensation for time or labor but
may be compensated for reasonable and necessary expenses.
Article
V. Elections.
Section
1. Annual
Election.
The election of Officers and directors shall be conducted by secret written
ballot, except that if no nominations are received by the Secretary as provided
in Article V, Section 2.4, no ballot will be necessary. In this case, the
persons selected by the Nominating Committee will be declared elected by the
Secretary at the annual meeting of the Association. If additional nominations
have been made as provided in Article V, Section 2.4, the Chairperson of the
Tally Committee shall report the results of the election at the annual meeting.
The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office
or position on the board shall be declared elected.
Section
2. Nominations.
No person may be a candidate for an office or position on the Board who has not
been nominated. Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any
manner other than as provided in this section.
Section
2.1 Nominating
Committee.
Before November 15th, the Board shall select a Nominating Committee, consisting
of three members and one alternate, all members in good standing, none of which
shall be a member of the current Board of Directors. The board shall name one
member of the committee to serve as Chairperson, who shall be responsible for
setting times and dates for Committee meetings and for reporting results to the
Association Secretary. The Nominating Committee may conduct its business in
person or by use of mail, fax, telephone or other electronic communication,
provided that all decisions must be confirmed in writing to all members of the
Committee within 10 days.
Section
2.2.
Tally Committee.
At the same time it selects a Nominating Committee, or after immediately before
submitting a proposed amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws to the Secretary,
the Board of Directors shall select three Association members, living within
reasonable driving distance of one another, to serve as the Tally Committee, in
the event that it becomes necessary to hold an election or vote on a proposed
amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws, and count ballots. The board shall
name one member of this committee as Chairperson, who shall receive all mail-in
ballots and who shall report the results of the election to the Association
Secretary.
Section
2.3. Candidates.
The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among the eligible members of the
Association, one candidate for each office and for each other position on the
Board of Directors and shall procure acceptance of each nominee. The Committee
should consider geographical representation of the membership when selecting
nominees to the extent that it is practicable to do so. No person shall be
nominated for more than one position. The Committee shall submit its slate of
candidates to the Secretary not later than January 15th. The Secretary shall
mail the list, including the full name of each candidate and the state in which
the candidate resides, before February 1st, so that members may make additional
nominations, if they so desire.
Section
2.4. Additional
Nominations.
Additional nominations of eligible members may be made by written petition
signed by ten percent of the Association members in good standing, addressed to
the Secretary and received at the Secretary’s regular address on or before
March 15th, accompanied by a written acceptance of the nomination from each
additional nominee. No person shall be nominated for more than one position.
a.
If no valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or
before March 15th, the Nominating Committee’s slate of candidates shall be
declared elected at the time of the annual meeting and no balloting will be
required.
b.
If one or more valid nominations are received by the Secretary on or
before March 15th, the Secretary shall mail to each member in good standing a
ballot listing in alphabetical order all of the nominees for each position,
together with an envelope addressed to the Chairperson of the Tally Committee.
Ballots may be mailed with the March/April newsletter.
Section
2.5. Counting
The Ballots.
Ballots must be returned by U.S. mail to the Chairperson of the Tally Committee
not later than May 1st. Ballots postmarked after that date shall be invalid. The
Chairperson shall set a meeting time for the Tally Committee as soon as
practicable after May 1st and a place convenient to all committee members, at
which meeting the committee shall count the ballots. The Chairperson shall
report the election results to the Association Secretary not later than June
1st. All ballots and the envelopes in which they were received shall be given to
the Secretary who shall keep them as part of the Association’s official
records.
Section
2.6. Election
Results.
Election results will be announced by the Secretary at the annual meeting of the
Association.
Section
2.7. Change
of Officers and Board Members.
The newly-elected Officers and board members shall take office at the conclusion
of the annual meeting at which they were elected. Each retiring Officer and
board member shall turn over to his/her successor in office all properties and
records relating to that office within 30 days after the election.
Article
VI. Contracts,
Loans, Checks.
Section
1. Contracts.
The Board may authorize any Officer, agent or employee to enter into any
contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of
the Association.
Section
2. Loans.
No loan shall be contracted on behalf of the Association, and no evidence of
indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of
the Board of Directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific
instances.
Section
3. Checks,
Drafts, Etc. All
checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidence
of indebtedness issued in the name of the Association shall be signed by the
Association Treasurer, or such agent or employee of the Association and in such
a manner as shall from time to time be determined by the board.
Article
VII. Committees.
Section
1. Appointing
Committees. The
Board shall each year appoint such standing committees as needed to advance the
operation of the Association or to aid the board on particular projects. Such
committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board.
Section
2. Terminating
Committee Appointments. Any
committee appointment may be terminated by majority vote of the full membership
of the board upon full written notice to the appointee, and the board may
appoint successors to those persons whose service has been terminated.
Article
VIII. Discipline.
Section
1. United
Kennel Club Suspension.
Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the United Kennel Club shall
be automatically suspended from the privileges of this Association 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 Association 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 Association or the breed. If the Board considers that the
charges do not allege prejudicial conduct, the Board may refuse to entertain
jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix
a date for a hearing by 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 respondent may personally appear in his/her own defense
and bring witnesses if he/she wishes.
Section
3. Board
Hearing.
The Board shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the
hearing, but both complainant and respondent shall be treated uniformly in that
regard. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and
testimony presented by complainant and respondent, the Board may by a majority
vote of those present suspend the respondent from all privileges of the
Association for not more than six months from the date of the hearing. If the
Board 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 respondent’s right to appear before his fellow members at the
ensuing Association 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 Association may be accomplished only at the
annual meeting of the Association following a Board hearing and upon the
Board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. The
respondent shall have the privilege of appearing in his or her own behalf though
no evidence shall be taken to this meeting. The President shall read the
charges, and the findings and recommendations, and shall invite the respondent,
if present, to speak on his/her own behalf. The meeting shall then vote by
secret written 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 suspension shall stand.
Article
IX. Amendments.
Section
1. Proposing
Amendments.
Amendments to the constitution and bylaws may be proposed by the Board of
Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by 20 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 the recommendations of the board by the Secretary for a vote at the
time of the annual election subsequent to the date when the petition was
received by the Secretary.
Section
2. Publishing
Proposed Amendments.
Proposed amendments must be published in the March/April newsletter with the
recommendations of the board. The Secretary shall mail to each member in good
standing a ballot listing all proposed amendments, together with an envelope
addressed to the Chairperson of the Tally Committee. Ballots may be mailed with
the March/April newsletter. The same ballot form may be used for proposed
amendments as for the annual election of Officers and board members.
Section
3. Voting
Procedures.
Proposed amendments to the constitution and bylaws may be included on the same
ballot used for the annual election of board members. Ballots shall be returned,
counted, and results announced in accordance with the procedures outlined in
Article V, Sections 2.5 and 2.6. The favorable vote of 2/3 of the members in
good standing who return valid ballots within the specified time limit shall be
required to effect such a proposed amendment.
Section
4.
U.K.C. Approval.
No amendment to the constitution and bylaws that is adopted by the Association
shall become effective until it has been approved by U.K.C.
Article
X. Dissolution.
The Association 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
Association, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, other than
for purposes of reorganization, none of the property of the Association nor any
proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Association shall be distributed to any
members of the Association, but after payment of the debts of the Association,
its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the
benefit of dogs selected by the Board.
Article
XI. Order
of Business.
Section
1. Association
Meetings. At
meetings of the Association, 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 Membership Secretary
Report
of Treasurer
Reports
of committees
Election
of officers and board (at annual meeting in odd-numbered years)
Unfinished
business
New
business
Adjournment
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:
Reading
of minutes of last meeting
Report
of Secretary
Report
of Treasurer
Reports
of committees
Unfinished
business
Election
of new members
New
business
Adjournment
Article
XII. Parliamentary
Authority. The
rules contained in the current edition of "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly
Revised," shall govern the Association 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 Association may adopt.
Article
XIII. Certification.
We
hereby certify that the foregoing Constitution and Bylaws, consisting of nine
(9) pages, including this page, constitute the Bylaws of the Association, of the
City of Traer, of the State of Iowa, duly adopted by its Board of
Directors at a meeting properly noticed and held, and at which a quorum was
present on the 25th of April, 2004.
President - Anthony Armitage
Vice-President - Charma Jones
Secretary/ Treasurer - R.A. Armitage
