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CONSTITUTION
Article I
Name and Objects
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SECTION 1: |
The name of the Club shall be Fox Terrier Fanciers
of Puget Sound, hereinafter, referred to as the Club. |
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SECTION 2: |
The objects of the Club shall be:
a)
to encourage and promote quality in the breeding of purebred Smooth
and Wire Fox Terriers and to do all possible to bring their natural
qualities to perfection.
b)
to urge members and breeders to accept the standards of the breed as
approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standards of excellence by
which Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers will be judged.
c)
to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the
breeds by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows, obedience
trials and working trials.
d)
to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows, obedience trails
and working trials under the rules of the American Kennel Club. |
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SECTION 3: |
The Club shall not be conducted or operated for
profit and no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or
donations to the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or
individual. |
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SECTION 4: |
The members of the Club
shall adopt and may from time to time revise such By-Laws as may be required
to carry out these objects. |
Constitution and By-Laws revised August 2003.
By-Laws
Article I
Membership
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SECTION 1:
Eligibility |
There shall be one type of membership open to all persons eighteen years of
age and older who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who
subscribe to the purposes of this Club; except that juniors (seventeen years
of age and younger), members of the same family, shall enjoy all the rights
of the club except the right to vote and hold office.
While membership is to be unrestricted as to residence, the Club’s primary
purpose is to be representative o f the breeders and exhibitors in its
immediate area. |
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SECTION 2:
Dues |
Membership dues shall be $10.00 per person and/or $15.00 per couple (two
persons residing in the same household with 1 vote per person) per year,
payable on or before the 1st day of January of each year to the Club
Treasurer. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current
year. On or before November 1st, the Treasurer shall send to each member a
statement of his/her dues for the ensuing year. |
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SECTION 3:
Election to Membership |
Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form as approved by the Board
of Directors and which shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by
these Constitution and By-Laws and the rules of the American Kennel Club.
The application shall state the name, address, and occupation of the
applicant and it shall carry the endorsement of two members. Accompanying
the application the prospective member shall submit payment for the current
year.
All applications are to be filed with the Membership Chairperson and each
application is to be read at the first meeting of the Club following it
receipt. At the next Club meeting, the application will be voted upon and
affirmative votes of 2/3 of the members present and voting at that meeting
shall be required to elect the applicant.
Applicants voted on and accepted after October 1 are to be considered paid
in full for the following fiscal year.
Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the Club may no re-apply
within six months after such rejection. |
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SECTION 4:
Termination of Membership |
Memberships may be terminated:
a)
by resignation: Any member in good standing my resign from the Club
upon written notice to the Secretary: 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 fiscal year.
b)
by lapsing: A membership will be considered as lapsed if such
member’s dues remain unpaid 30 days after the first day of the fiscal year;
however, they may renew their membership by paying a $5.00 penalty for late
renewals. Membership will be terminated if dues remain unpaid 90 days after
the first day of the fiscal year. 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.
d)
by incurring debt: Members in debt to the Club shall be notified.
If the debt remains unpaid, with the exception of dues, the membership will
automatically be terminated at the end of the fiscal year. |
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Article II
Meetings and Voting
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SECTION 1:
Club Meetings |
Meetings of the Club shall be held in or within 50
miles of the city of Seattle, Washington in the months of January, March,
May, July September, (October and November at such hour and place as may be
designated by the Board of Directors. Notice of each such meeting shall be
posted via email and published in the club newsletter by the Secretary at
least two weeks prior to the date of the meting. The quorum for such
meetings shall be 6 members of 15% or the members in good standing,
whichever is greater. |
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SECTION 2:
Special Club Meetings |
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; or 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
or within 50 miles of the City of Seattle, Washington, at such place, date,
and our as may be designed by the person or persons authorized herein to
call such meetings. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by the
Secretary at least 5 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 there at. The quorum for such a
meeting shall be 6 members or 15% of the members in good standing, whichever
is greater. |
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SECTION 3:
Board Meetings |
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in
or within 50 miles of the city of Seattle, Washington in the months of
February, April, June, August, October, and December at such place, date and
hour as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Notice of each such
meeting shall be posted via email and published in the club newsletter by
the Secretary at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum
for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board. |
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SECTION 4:
Special Board Meetings |
Special meetings of the Board may be called by the
President, or shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition
signed by three members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held
in or within 50 miles of the City of Seattle, Washington, at such place,
date, and our as may be designed by the person or persons authorized herein
to call such meetings. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by
the Secretary at least 5 days and not more than 10 days prior to the date of
the meeting, and said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting, or
notice by telephone shall be given at least 3 days and not more than 5 days
prior to the date of the meeting. Any such notice shall state the purpose
of the meeting and no other Club business may be transacted there at. A
quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board. |
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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/she is present. Proxy voting will not be permitted at any
Club meeting or election. |
Article III
Directors and Officers
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SECTION 1:
BOard of Directors |
The Board shall be comprised of the President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and two other persons all of whom
shall be members in good standing and all of whom shall be elected for one
year terms at the Club annual meeting as provided in Article IV and shall
serve until their successors are elected. General management of the Club’s
affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.
Members of the Board of Directors must reside in or
within 50 miles of the city of Seattle, Washington. |
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SECTION 2:
Officers |
The Club’s officers, consisting of the President,
Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve in their respective
capacities both with regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board and
its meetings.
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 by these
By-Laws.
b)
The Vice-President shall have the duties and exercise posers of the
President in case of the President’s death, absence or incapacity; and shall
be the custodian of Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.
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,
keep a roll of attendance at Club and Board meetings, keep a record of the
members of the Club with their addresses, notify officers and directors of
their election to office, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed
by these By-Laws.
d)
The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging
to the Club. He/She shall deposit the same in a bank designated by the
Board, in the name of the Cub. His/her books shall at all times by open to
inspection of the Board and he/she 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 meting he/she shall render an audited
account of all moneys received and expended during the previous official
year. |
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SECTION 3:
Vacancies |
Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among the
officers 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 the
resulting vacancy of Vice-President shall then be filled by the Board of
Directors. |
Article IV
The Club Year, Annual
Meeting, Elections
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SECTION 1:
Club Year |
The Club’s fiscal and official year shall begin the
first day of January and end on the 31st day of December. |
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SECTION 2:
Annual Meeting |
The annual meeting shall be held in the month of
August in conjunction with the FTFPS Summer Specialty Dinner. |
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SECTION 3:
Elections |
Elections shall be held at the Club Meeting in the
month of November at which time officers 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. The nominated candidate
receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared
elected. They shall take office in January of the ensuing year and each
retiring officer shall turn over his/her successor in office all; properties
and records relating to that office within 30 days after the election. |
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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, no
more than one of whom can be a member a member of the Board. The Secretary
shall immediately notify the Committee-persons and alternates of their
selection. The Board shall name a Chairperson for the Committee and it
shall be his/her duty to call a Committee meeting which shall be held on or
before September 1.
a)
The Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office, and one
candidate for each of the two other positions on the Board and, after
securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall report their
nominations to the Secretary in writing of the candidates so nominated.
b)
Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee’s report the Secretary shall
before September 25 notify each member in writing of the candidates so
nominated.
c)
Additional nominations may be made at the October meeting 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.
d)
No person may be a candidate for more than one position.
e)
Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner
than as provided for in this section. |
Article V
Committees
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SECTION 1: |
The Board may each year appoint standing committees
to advance the work of the Club in such matters as specialty shows,
obedience trails, working trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership and
other fields which may be well 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 in on particular projects. |
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SECTION 2: |
Any committee appointment may be terminated by a
majority vote of the Board, with written notice to the appointee. the Board
may then appoint successors to those persons whose services have been
terminated. |
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SECTION 3: |
The Board may appoint a liaison for any major
geographical area outside of a 50 mile radius of Seattle, Washington. These
liaisons will have a standing invitation to attend Board meetings. |
Article VI
Discipline
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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. |
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SECTION 2:
Charges |
Any member may prefer charges against a member for
alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the
Breeds. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with
the Secretary together with a deposit of $10.00 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 Club or the Breeds. If the
Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be
prejudicial to the best interests of the club or the Breeds, it may refuse
to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the
charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board not les than 3 weeks
nor more than 6 weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send on copy
of the charges to the accused member by registered mail that the defendant
may personally appear in his/her own defense and bring witnesses if he/she
wishes. |
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SECTION 3:
Board Meeting |
The Board shall have a complete authority to decide
whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant
shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Shall the charges be sustained,
after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and
defendant, the Board my by a majority vote of those present suspend the
defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six 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. I n
such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear
before his/her fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers
the Board’s recommendation. Immediately after the Board has reached a
decision, its findings 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. |
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SECTION 4:
expulsion |
Expulsion of a member from the Cub 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 special meeting of the Club to be
held within 60 days but not earlier than 30 days after the date of the
Board’s recommendation of expulsion.
The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing
in shi/her own behalf, though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting.
The President shall read the charges and the Board’s findings and
recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak in
his/her own behalf if he/she wishes. 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 Board’s suspension shall stand. |
Article VII
Amendments
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SECTION 1: |
Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be
proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition address to the
Secretary signed by 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 months
o the date when the petition was received by the Secretary. |
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SECTION 2: |
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by 2/3
vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting
called for the purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been included
in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at least two weeks
prior to the date of the meeting.. |
Article VIII
Order of Business
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SECTION 1:
Order of Business |
The order of business at regular meetings of the
Club shall be as follows:
a)
Call to order by the President
b)
Reading , correction and approval of minutes of previous meeting
c)
Treasurer’s Report
d)
Secretary’s Report
e)
Old or unfinished business
f)
Report of standing committees
g)
Report of special Committees
h)
New business
i)
Election of new members
j)
Adjournment |
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SECTION 2:
Robert’s Rules of Order |
Questions on parliamentary procedure not provided
for in this Constitution and By-Laws shall be decided by Robert’s Rules
of Order, Revised. |
Article IX
Dissolution
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SECTION 1:
Dissolution |
The Club may be dissolved at any time by the
written consent of not less than 2/3 of the members. In the event of the
dissolution of the Club, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of
law, none of the property of the Club nor any proceeds thereof nor any
assets of the Club shall be distributed to any members of the Club, but
after payment of the debts of the Club, its property and assets shall be
given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the
Board of Directors. |
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