|
CONSTITUTION
and
BY-LAWS
of the
TRI-ARABIAN HORSE CLUB, INC.
ARTICLE 1 NAME
- (1) The name of the organization is the ATri-Arabian Horse Club, Inc. (hereinafter the Club), and it shall be a non-profit organization. Incorporation occurred on February 15, 1984.
ARTICLE 2 OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE
- 2. (A) The objectives and purposes of the Club are:
- (1) To promote the breeding, exhibiting, all-around use and perpetuation of the Arabian and Half-Arabian horse
- (2) To conduct informational exhibits, seminars, clinics and horse shows for Arabians and Half-Arabians
- (3) To encourage the competition of the Arabian horse in Open classes and in all-breed horse shows
- (4) Open shows shall be held by the Club as fundraisers only and not as the focus of the Club
- (5) To promote and develop good fellowship and good sportsmanship among Arabian horse owners and admirers
- (6) To cooperate with other Arabian horse organizations and with the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) as an Associate member, in preserving the integrity of the Arabian horse and the Registry
- (7) To support and aid youth programs working toward the advancement of the highest qualities of the Arabian horse and the youth rider
- (8) To promote and hold such social gatherings as are decided upon by the Club membership
- 2. (B) The Club shall be operated for the purposes stated in 2. (A) of this Article
ARTICLE 3 MEMBERSHIP
- 3. (A) Members shall be owners of purebred registered and partbred registered Arabian horses, and those persons interested in the promotion of the Arabian horse. Charter members are those whose signatures appear at the end of the initial by-laws of 1967.
- 3. (B) Membership is automatically terminated by the written resignation of the individual concerned or non-renewal of membership.
ARTICLE 4 MEMBERSHIP FEES
- 4. (A) The dues of regular members for each calendar year or any portion thereof shall be:
- (1) Individual Adult Membership (one AHA vote): 1 year, $10.00; 3 year, $25 plus AHA dues
- (2) Individual Youth Membership: $10 plus AHA dues
- (3) Youth or Adult Associate Membership (non-voting AHA) $15.00
- 4. (B) Dues are due on the 31st day of October of each year and are delinquent if not paid by December 31st of each current year. Penalty for being delinquent for dues shall be loss of voting privileges until such time as said member has been reinstated by payment in full of delinquent dues.
ARTICLE 5 MEETINGS
- 5. (A) A regular meeting of the club shall be held at such time and place as the membership shall designate.
- (1) The President shall schedule Board and Membership meetings, and the Secretary shall provide timely notice of scheduled meetings to all members.
- (2) Area Directors shall schedule any local area meetings and provide timely notice to Officers and all area members.
- 5. (B) Annual Meeting
- (1) An annual meeting shall be held in November, in conjunction with the regular monthly meeting, for the purpose of election of officers, directors and an Audit Committee. Nomination of officers shall be held in conjunction with the Annual meeting.
- (2) Newly elected officers and directors will take office the following January 1st.
- 5. (C) Special meetings may be called by the President or the Board upon forty-eight (48) hours notice.
- 5. (D) Online meetings via computer email or other agreed-upon format may be utilized in lieu of physical gatherings to conduct membership or local area member business. The Secretary will retain full documentation of Online meeting proceedings.
- 5. (E) The Board of Directors shall meet monthly in a mutually acceptable media format (physical, telephone or online-meeting).
- 5. (F) Paid members of the Club present shall constitute a quorum at all meetings.
- 5. (G) Roberts' Rules Of Order shall govern this organization in all its proceedings and actions of its officers and directors.
ARTICLE 6 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- 6. (A) The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and three (3) Directors. Should a vacancy occur, Directors and other officers may be appointed by the President, with the approval of the majority of the Board of Directors, to fill the unexpired term.
- 6. (B) The Director or Officer candidate must be a member in good standing.
- 6. (C) No one shall be eligible to the Board of Directors, including duly elected executive officers, who is an official of any other geographic Arabian society.
- 6. (D) Geographic Area Directors will represent local members and direct and coordinate local area activities sanctioned by the Club. Local members in borderline locations may attach to the area of their choosing. Area Directors will be elected as follows for a one-year term:
- (1) At Large/Central Area Director represents Helena metro/Central Montana area and other members residing outside the North and West Areas as designated
- (2) North Area Director represents members to the North and Northwest of the area designated Central Montana.
- (3) West Area Director represents members who reside West of the Continental Divide and South of the North Area designation.
- 6. (E) The Board of Directors shall constitute the ruling and governing body of the club and all of its operating plans; shall exercise a general supervision over its affairs; shall have authority to expend up to Two Hundred Fifty dollars ($250.00) of the club's funds for a necessary purpose, in compliance with the desires of the majority of the membership present, consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws.
ARTICLE 7 OFFICERS
- 7. (A) Club elections will be held annually in November of each year, to elect officers and directors whose terms are expiring. Club officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Officers are to be elected for one (1) year terms.
- 7. (B) Board of Directors may elect or appoint other officers as it may deem necessary, who shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board.
- 7. (C) Powers and Duties of the President:
- (1) Subject to the control of the Board, the President shall have general charge of and responsibility for the affairs of the club. By virtue of his/her office, he/she shall be a member of all committees appointed.
- (2) It will be the duty of the President to carry on the following:
- 1 To see that the objectives and purposes of the club are maintained and carried out, and that the Constitution and By-Laws are followed.
- 2 To call such meetings as are for herein provided, and to preside over all at-large meetings of the club and of the Board.
- 3 To develop an agenda for the at-large meetings.
- 4 To call for reports from committees and area Directors and keep abreast of all committee projects as a member of all committees.
- 5 The President shall be an impartial facilitator of the Club's business. As specified in Roberts' Rules, the President votes only as a tiebreaker.
- 7. (D) Powers and Duties of the Vice-President:
- (1) To assist the President in the discharge of his/her duties, and possess the power and responsibility for the duties of the President in his/her absence.
- (2) To be the custodian of the club properties and maintain a written inventory reflecting their description, quantity and location. This written inventory listing shall be available for the members' perusal at general meetings.
- (3) To promote growth of the membership and chair the membership committee
- (4) To notify AHA of new Club members, changes in officers, and other club business as necessary.
- 7. (E) Powers and duties of the Secretary:
- (1) To call all meetings to order and preside until a temporary chairman is selected, in the event that the President and Vice-President are unable to attend any meeting.
- (2) To receive, file and safely keep all correspondence addressed to or belonging to the Club, and to present such correspondence that requires action at each meeting.
- (3) To conduct the correspondence of the Club and to submit copies thereof to the President and to any other interested party.
- (4) To keep all notices of meetings as herein required.
- (5) To keep accurate minutes of all Club meetings.
- (6) To promote Club news and preside as Chair of the Newsletter Committee, and timely provide any publications with club news and meeting information for contracted publication.
- 7. (F) Powers and duties of the Treasurer
- (1) To receive all money belonging to the Club and to keep a correct accounting thereof in proper books. Upon receipt of said money, the Treasurer shall deposit same to the credit of the Tri-Arabian Horse Club, Inc. depository as may be designated. The money shall be withdrawn by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Secretary or Vice-President.
- (2) To prepare a financial report for presentation at the regular meetings and an annual report at the annual November meeting of the Club.
- 7. (G) Powers and duties of the Historian:
- (1) As a non-officer position, the Historian is elected to serve a one-year term to maintain a Club scrapbook that includes newspaper articles and photographs of all club events as well as anything of interest to the Club.
- (2) The Historian shall present the scrapbook to the membership for its review at the annual November meeting.
- (3) The Historian may be a Junior member in good standing.
- 7. (H) Powers and Duties of the Audit Committee
- (1) As non-officer positions, Auditors are elected to serve a one-year term commencing December 1 of the year in which they are elected.
- (2) The Audit Committee shall perform the annual audit of the Treasurer's books. The audit shall be conducted in the month of December of the current year.
- (3) The Committee shall present its audit report to the Board of Directors at its January meeting. Any outstanding issues shall be resolved by the Audit Committee by the end of January in the current year.
- 7. (I) All officers of the club are required to attend all meetings herein designated. In the event an officer is unable to attend a designated Club meeting, said officer must obtain prior authorization from the Board of Directors. Upon an officer's unexcused absence from two (2) meetings, said officer shall be dismissed from office, and the Board of Directors shall appoint a replacement to finish out the designated office term, and at the end of the term the Club will elect a new officer.
- 7. (J) Powers and duties of the Region 6 Delegate:
- (1) As a non-officer position, the Region 6 Delegate is elected to serve a one-year term to represent this Club in an official capacity at Region 6 meetings held at the AHA convention and Region 6 championship horse show, or as scheduled by the Region.
- (2) The Club shall elect one delegate for 1-50 members, one delegate for 51-100 members and so on.
- (3) The Delegate(s) shall represent our organization with grace and style.
- (4) The qualifications for Delegate(s) are:
- 1 2 years active membership and participation in the Club
- 2 Exhibit strong leadership and organization skills
- 3 Possess values and goals that are in alignment with those belonging to this organization.
- (5) The Delegate(s) will be elected at the regular club meeting after the Club has received AHA's official membership list for that year. Nominations may be held 30 days prior to the election
- (6) The Delegate(s) may receive financial assistance to participate in their official capacity at Region 6 meetings form this Club. This financial assistance shall be dependent on the financial condition of the Club and decided by a vote of the membership.
ARTICLE 8 ADDITIONS AND AMENDMENTS
- 8. The President shall assign a Constitution and By-Laws review committee to review and propose changes to the Constitution and By-Laws so that they meet with the Club's changing needs and AHA guidelines. Proposed changes shall be published and provided to all members. All proposed additions, amendments or changes to the By-Laws shall then be accepted or rejected by a vote of the membership during the regular annual November meeting.
ARTICLE 9 VOTING POWER
- 9. (A) A regular adult AHA member of the Club is entitled to one (1) vote.
- 9. (B) No voting by proxy will be permitted at any of the meetings of the club, Board of Directors, or any of the committee meetings.
- 9. (C) Associate members of the club who are not simultaneously Affiliate members of AHA will have no vote on Club activities and issues.
ARTICLE 10 DISSOLUTION PROCEDURES
- 10. In the event that the Tri-Arabian Horse club, Inc., being a non-profit corporation in the State of Montana, should dissolve for any reason, it shall disburse the remaining membership funds and inventory items to another non-profit horse organization deemed appropriate by the Club's Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 11 ORGANIZATION
- 11. The original Constitution and By-Laws were drafted and declared effective by the Charter Members on April 14, 1967. The Constitution and By-Laws were amended and approved on June 23, 1984, again on September 9, 1989, November 14, 2000, and November 13, 2004.
Attested: June 23, 1984 by Jan Roberson, Secretary
Attested: September 9, 1989 by Lori Williams, President
Attested: November 14, 2000 by Elizabeth Tobel, President
Attested: November 13, 2004, Barbara Thomas, President
|
