Charleston Kennel Club Constitution

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Charleston Kennel Club By-Laws

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1
Eligibility There shall be four types of membership open to persons who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this club. There is an associate membership. a) Single membership is open to persons eighteen years of age and older. Single members enjoy all the privileges of the club including the right to vote and hold office. b) Household membership is open to two persons eighteen years of age and older residing in the same residence. Each person enjoys all the privileges of the club including the right to vote and hold office. c) Junior members will be accepted from 10 to 18 years of age. They will be accepted as adult members on reaching their eighteenth birthday. They must comply with the Club's Constitution and By Laws, subscribed to the purposes of the Club and be in good standing with the American Kennel Club. They must have the sponsorship of two Club members in good standing, on which will be a parent guardian in attendance at the meeting attended by the junior member. They will not be able to hold office or vote. Dues for the year will be one-half (1/2) of individual adult dues, renewal will be as a household member. d) Life membership for those individuals who have been members for a long period of time. Lifetime members pay no dues but are eligible to vote and hold office. While membership is to be unrestricted as to residence, the club's primary purpose is to be representative of the breeders and exhibitors in its immediate area.

SECTION 2
Dues. Membership dues shall be determined by the club at the annual meeting. Persons joining the Club on or after the first day of November shall pay dues for the ensuing year. Written notice shall be given in November to each member stating dues are payable on or before January 1. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year.

SECTION 3
Election to Membership. Applicants for membership must attend at least four meetings within six (6) months as a guest before submitting an application for membership. All applications for membership shall be referred to and acted upon by the Board of Directors. To elect any candidate, five votes must be cast. The sponsor of an unsuccessful applicant may request that the club members vote on the application at the next club meeting. It will be necessary for _ vote of the membership present to elect the applicant. Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the club may not reapply within six months after such rejection. The application shall state the name, address, and occupation of the application and it shall carry the endorsement of two members in good standing. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the current year. All applications are to be filed with the Secretary.

SECTION 4
Termination of Membership. Memberships may be terminated: (a) by resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Secretary; but no member may resign when in debt to the Club. Dues obligations are considered a debt to the Club, and they become incurred on the first day of each year. (b) By lapsing. A membership will be considered as a lapsed and automatically terminated if such members dues remain unpaid 60 days at the first day of the fiscal year; however, the Board may grant an additional 60 days of grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may a person be entitled to vote at any Club meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting. (c) By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these by-laws.

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS AND VOTING

SECTION 1
Club Meeting. Meetings of the Club shall be held in the greater Charleston area on the fourth Tuesday of each month, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of such meetings shall be mailed at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be 20% of the members in good standing.

SECTION 2
Special Club Meeting. Special Club meetings may be called by the President, or by a majority vote of the members of the Board who are present and voting at any regular or special meeting of the Board; and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by five members of the Club who are in good standing. Such special meetings shall be held in the greater Charleston, South Carolina areas at such authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five days and not more than 15 days prior to the date of the meeting, and said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting, and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 20% of the member in good standing.

SECTION 3
Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held during the months of January, March, May, July September, and November at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.

SECTION 4
Special Board Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President; and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by at least three members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held in the greater Charleston area at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person authorized herein to call such meeting. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five days and not more than ten days prior to the date of the meeting, or telegraphic notice shall be filed at least three days and not more than five 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. A quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.

SECTION 5
Voting. Each member in good standing whose dues are paid for the current year shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the Club at which he is present. Proxy voting will not be permitted at any Club meeting or election.

ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

SECTION 1
Board of Directors. The Board shall be composed of the President, first Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four other persons all of whom shall be members in good standing. The officers and four members shall be erected annually at the Club’s annual meeting as provided in Article IV and shall serve until their successors are elected. General management of the Clubs affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. No officer or board member can hold the same office more than two consecutive ears, except the Secretary and Treasurer, who may be reelected for additional terms annually.

SECTION 2
Officers. The Club’s officers, consisting of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board and its meetings. (a) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these by-laws. (b) The Vice Presidents shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President’s death, absence, or incapacity. (c) The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club, have charge of the correspondence, notify members of meetings, notify new members of their election to membership, notify officers and directors of their election to office, keep a roll of the members of the Club with their addresses, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these by-laws. (d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club, shall deposits the same in a bank designated by the Board in the name of the Club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and the Treasurer shall report to them at every meeting the condition of the Club’s finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported; and at the annual meeting shall render an account of all moneys received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine. (e) The AKC Delegate, who shall be elected by the membership, may serve an unlimited amount of one year consecutive terms. The Delegate shall attend quarterly Delegate meetings of the AKC as directed by the Club, reporting to the membership of the proceedings, and vote according to the membership’s direction.

SECTION 3
Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among the offices during the year shall be filled until the next annual election by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the creation of such vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the First Vice President; the Second Vice President automatically becomes the First Vice President; the resulting vacancy of the Second Vice President shall be filled by the board.

ARTICLE IV - THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTIONS

SECTION 1
Club Year. The Club’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31st day of December. The Club’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.

SECTION 2
Annual Meeting. The annual meeting shall be held in the month of November at which Officers, Delegate to The American Kennel Club, and Directors for the ensuing year shall be elected by secret, written ballot from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the election and each retiring office shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records relating to that office within 30 days after the election.

SECTION 3
Elections. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The four nominated candidates for other positions on the Board whom receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected. All officers and directors are elected for a one year term.

SECTION 4
Nominations. No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated. During the month of August, the Board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting of three members and two alternates, not more than one of who may be a member of the Board. The Board shall name a chairman for the committee and it shall be their duty to call a committee meeting on or before September 1. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committee members of their selection. (a) The Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office (and for the Delegate who may, but need not, be an officer or director of the Club) and four candidates for the four other positions on the Board. After securing the consent of each person nominated, they shall immediately report their nominations to the Secretary in writing. (b) Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee’s report, the Secretary shall notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated. (c) Additional nominations may be made at the October meetings by any member in attendance, provided that the person so nominated does not decline when his name is proposed, and provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meeting, his proposer shall present to the Secretary a written statement from the proposed candidate signifying his willingness to be a candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one position. (d) Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as provided in this Section.

ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES

SECTION 1
The Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as dog shows, obedience trials, trophies, annual prizes, memberships and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects.

SECTION 2
Any committee appointed may be terminated by a majority vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee; and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose services have been terminated.

SECTION 3
The functions of committees are outlines in policies and procedures manual.

ARTICLE VI - DISCIPLINE

SECTION 1
American Kennel Club Suspension. Any member who is suspended from the privileges of The American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of this Club for a like period.

SECTION 2
Charges. Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club. Write charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $20 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly send a copy of the charges to each member of the Board or present them at a Board meeting, and the Board shall first consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct, which would be prejudicial to the best interests of the Club, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges it shall fix date of a hearing by the Board no less than three (3) 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 an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes.

SECTION 3
Board Hearing. The Board shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complaint and defendant, the Board may, by a majority vote of those present, suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the Board’s recommendation. Immediately after the Board has reached a decision, its finding shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the Board’s decision and penalty, if any.

SECTION 4
Expulsion. Expulsion of a member from the Club may be accomplished only at a meeting of the Club following a Board hearing and upon the Board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or social meeting of the Club to be held within sixty (60) days but not earlier than thirty (30) days after Board’s recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or special meeting of the Club to be held within sixty (60) days but not earlier than thirty (30) days after the date of the Board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his own behalf, though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the Board’s findings and invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his own behalf if he wishes. The meeting shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those members present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board’s suspension shall stand.

ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1
Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed y twenty percent (20%) of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three (3) months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.

SECTION 2
The constitution and bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) 2 vote of the members present and voting at a regular or special meeting called for the purpose, provided the proposed have been included in the notice of meeting and mailed to each member at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of said meeting.

SECTION 3
No amendment to the constitution and bylaws adopted by the Club shall become effective until it has been approved by the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club.

ARTICLE VIII - DISSOLUTION

SECTION 1
Dissolution. The Club, may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of its members . In the event of the dissolution of the Club other than for purpose of reorganization whether voluntary or involuntary, or by operation of law, none of the property of the Club nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Club shall distributed to any members of the Club. After payment of the debts of the Club, its property and assets shall be given to charitable organizations for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX - ORDER OF BUSINESS

SECTION 1
At meetings of the Club, the order of business, so far as the character and nature of the meeting will admit, shall be as follows: a. Minutes of the last meeting b. Report of President/ Board of Directors c. Report of Secretary d. Report of Treasurer e. Report of Committees, as appropriate f. Election of Officers and Board (at November meeting) g. Election of New Members h. Unfinished business i. New business j. Adjournment

SECTION 2
At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present, shall be as follows: a. Minutes of the last Board meeting b. Report of Secretary c. Report of Treasurer d. Report of Committees, as appropriate e. Unfinished business f. New business g. Adjournment

ARTICLE X - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

SECTION 1
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any other special rules of order the Club may adopt.

SECTION 2
A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Board to act in an advisory capacity only.

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