By-Laws

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I. Section 1. Section 2.

NAME AND OBJECTS

The name of the Club shall be Bloomington, Indiana Kennel Club, Inc. The objects of the Club shall be:

(a) to further the advancement of all breeds of purebred dogs;

(b) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of all breeds of purebred dogs and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog shows and obedience trials; and

(c) to conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows, and obedience trials under the rules of the American Kennel Club.

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.

The members of the Club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such by-laws as may be required and to carry out these objects.

MEMBERSHIP ELIGILIBITY

There shall be two types of membership:

(a) Regular membership is 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.

(b) Junior membership shall be open to all persons between the ages of ten and eighteen years who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Junior members may engage in the discussion of Club affairs; however, they shall not be eligible for all awards and honors offered by the Club and shall not be permitted to vote or hold office.

Section 3.

Section 4.

BY-LAWS ARTICLE I. Section 1.

AMENDED CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF BLOOMINGTON INDIANA KENNEL CLUB, INC.

Amended May 1992

Section 2.

Section 3.

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.

DUES

Membership dues are payable with application for membership to the Club, on or before the first day of July of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. During the month of May, the Secretary shall send to each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing year. The amount of annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors.

ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP

Any eligible person may apply for membership after attending two general membership meetings within the preceding six-month period. 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 this 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.

Applications are to be filed with the Secretary, accompanied by an application fee. This fee will be refunded if the applicant is not elected to membership. Otherwise, this fee will serve as payment of the current year’s dues.

Each application is to be read at the first meeting of the Club following its receipt. The applicant will be asked by letter from the Secretary not to attend the next meeting. At that second meeting following receipt, the application will be read again, and then voted upon. Affirmative votes of three-fourths of the members present and voting at that meeting shall be required to elect the applicant.

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership 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 fiscal year.

(b) BY LAPSING. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid sixty days after the first day of the fiscal year; however, the Board may grant an additional sixty 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 that meeting.

Section 4.

ARTICLE II. Section 1.

Section 2.

(c) BY EXPULSION. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these By-laws.

MEETINGS AND VOTING

CLUB MEETINGS

Meetings of the Club shall be held in the city of Bloomington, Indiana or its immediate environs on the first Wednesday of each month – January through December – at 7:30 p.m. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be twenty percent of the members in good standing.

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 meetings of the Board, or by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by ten percent of the Club members who are in good standing. Such special meetings shall be held in the city of Bloomington, Indiana or its immediate environs at such hour and place as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five days and not more than fifteen 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 twenty percent of the members in good standing.

BOARD MEETINGS

Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held a minimum of three times a year 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.

SPECIAL BOARD MEETINGS

Special meetings of the Board shall be held (a) by the President or (b) by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by at least three (3) members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held in the City of Bloomington, Indiana and at such hour and place as may be designated by the person authorized herein to call such meetings. 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 3.

Section 4.

Section 5.

ARTICLE III. Section 1.

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.

DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board shall be comprised 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 five officers shall be elected for one-year terms. The four at-large Board members shall be elected for two-year terms, with two positions being filled by election each year, alternating. Elections shall be held at the Club’s 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.

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 is meetings and the Board and its meetings. However, the office of the President and of the Secretary shall not be held simultaneously by the same person.

(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 this Constitution and By-laws.

(b) The Vice Presidents, in order, shall have the powers of and shall exercise the duties of the President in case of the President’s death, absence, or incapacity. The First Vice President shall also be the Membership Chairman. The Second Vice President shall also be the Program Chairman.

(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. He shall 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 this Constitution and By-laws.

(d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Club and receipt therefore. He shall deposit the same in a

Section 2.

Section 3.

ARTICLE IV. 

Section 1.

Section 2.

Section 3.

Section 4.

bank, satisfactory to the Board, in the name of the Club. His books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and he shall report 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, he shall render an account of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year.

VACANCIES

Any vacancies occurring on the Board during the year shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the creation of such a vacancy, or at a Special Board meeting called for that purpose.

THE CLUB YEAR, 

ANNUAL MEETING, 

ELECTIONS CLUB YEAR

The Club’s fiscal year shall be from July 1 to and including June 30.

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.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting shall be held in the month of July at which directors and officers 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 officer shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records relating to that office within thirty days after the election.

ELECTIONS

The nominated candidate for each office receiving the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected. The two nominated candidates for other position on the Board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected.

NOMINATIONS

No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated. During the month of March, the Board shall select a nominating committee consisting of three members and two alternates, not more than one of whom shall be a member of the Board. The Secretary shall immediately notify the committeemen and alternates of their selection. The Board shall name a Chairman for the Committee and it shall be his duty to call a committee meeting which shall be held on or before May 1.

ARTICLE V. Section 1.

(a) The Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office and two candidates for the two vacant positions on the Board, and after securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nominations to the Secretary in writing.

(b) Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee’s report, the Secretary shall, before May 15, notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.

(c) Additional nominations may be made at the June 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. No person may be a candidate for more than one position, and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.

(d) Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as provided in this Section.

COMMITTEES

The Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as dogs shows, obedience trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership, and other fields which may well be served by committees, including an Audit Committee which shall examine the records of the Treasurer during the last month of each fiscal year and report its findings to the Club at the annual meeting. 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.

Any committee appointment 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.

DISCIPLINE

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.

ARTICLE VI. Section 1.

Section 2.

CHARGES

Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club. 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. 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 a date of a Board hearing not less than three weeks and no 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 defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes.

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 complainant and defendant, the Board may, 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 is insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such cases, 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 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.

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 special meeting of the Club to be held within sixty days but not earlier than thirty days after the date of the Board’s recommendation of the expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing on his 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 on his own behalf if he wishes. The meeting shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for

Section 3.

Section 4.

ARTICLE VII. Section 1.

Section 2.

ARTICLE VIII. Section 1.

ARTICLE IX. Section 1.

expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board’s suspension shall stand.

AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary, and signed by twenty 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 recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three months of the date the petition was received by the Secretary.

The Constitution and By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting called for that 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.

DISSOLUTION

The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds of the members. In the event of the dissolution of the Club other than for purposes of reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of the 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.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ORDER OF BUSINESS AT CLUB MEETINGS

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:

Roll Call

Minutes of last meeting

Report of President

Report of Secretary

Report of Treasurer

Reports of Committees

Election of Officers and Board (at annual meeting) Election of new members

Unfinished business

New business

Adjournment

Section 2.

ORDER OF BUSINESS AT 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

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