Golden State Bull Terrier Club

ESTABLISHED 1928.  Licensed by the American Kennel Club

Bylaws

 

ARTICLE I: NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS

 

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the GOLDEN STATE BULL TERRIER CLUB.

 

Section 2. The mailing address of the Club shall be that of the Secretary.

 

ARTICLE II: TYPE OF ORGANIZATION

 

Section 1. This Club shall be a non-profit organization and all officers of the club shall serve without compensation from Club funds.

 

ARTICLE III: LIABILITY

 

Section 1. No member of the Club shall become liable to the Club for any amount of money other than annual dues.

 

ARTICLE IV: PURPOSES

 

Section 1. The purposes of the club are to protect and promote purebred Bull Terriers. To achieve these purposes the Club shall:

 

1. Assist the public to understand and appreciate the friendly nature and excellent qualities of purebred Bull Terriers;
2. Encourage the breeding of Bull Terriers to the standard approved by the American Kennel Club;
3. Encourage the registration of eligible Bull Terriers that meet the breed standard;
4. Encourage the exhibition of Bull Terriers at dog shows;
5. Encourage obedience training of Bull Terriers and entry of trained Bull Terriers at obedience trials;
6. Encourage junior dog judging and junior showmanship;
7. Encourage and support dog shows, including sanctioned matches;
8. Assist the public in purchasing purebred Bull Terriers and Bull Terrier breeders in selling dogs, especially puppies, to suitable persons;
9. The Club and its membership shall do the utmost to discourage and prevent dog fighting, and shall assist all law enforcement agencies in their efforts to enforce laws against dog fighting.

 

ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1. Subject to the provisions of this article, membership in the Club shall be limited to men and women who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, who agree to abide by the by-Laws of the Club, and who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club.

 

Section 2. Persons eligible for membership and who wish to join the Club shall submit their applications in writing to the Club secretary. Applications for membership shall be accompanied by membership dues for one (1) calendar year.

 

Section 3. If an application for membership is approved by a 3/4 vote of those members of the Club, the applicant shall become a member and the Treasurer shall provide the new member with a copy of these By-Laws, a copy of the Standing rules of the Club, and a list of the members of the Club.

 

Section 4. The Club may reject, without explanation, any application for membership.

 

Section 5. A member of the Club may resign at any time by sending a written resignation to the Secretary.

 

Section 6. The Executive Committee shall revoke the membership of any member who has been suspended from all privileges by the American Kennel Club, or who has been convicted of inhumane treatment of animals by a court of law.

 

ARTICLE VI: PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1. A member in good standing is entitled to all privileges of the Club, including the right to vote, in person or by written proxy, at all elections held by the Club, and to be elected or appointed to any office of the Club.

 

Section 2. It is the duty of every member, as an individual, to further the purposes of the Club.

 

ARTICLE VII: DUES

 

Section 1. The membership dues are annual for the calendar year beginning on the first day of January.

 

Section 2. The annual dues of a member shall be eighteen dollars ($18) per person and twenty-three dollars ($23) per couple, due and payable on the first day of January of each year.

 

Section 3. Members shall be classified as “delinquent” if in arrears as to dues after ninety days.

 

Section 4. A delinquent member may be reinstated to good standing upon the payment of his current dues and by the majority vote of the members voting at any duly called membership of this Club.

 

ARTICLE VIII: OFFICERS AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

Section 1. The elective officers of the Club shall be: PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, TREASURER, DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, DIRECTOR OF BREEDING AND EXHIBITING, AND DIRECTOR OF OBEDIENCE TRAINING.

 

Section 2. The election of officers shall be held during the regular meeting in October of odd-numbered years.

 

Section 3. Election to each office shall be by secret ballot except to an office for which there is but one candidate.

 

Section 4. Club officers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years.

 

Section 5. Should a vacancy occur in an elective office, the President may appoint a successor to serve until the next regular meeting at which time the members shall nominate candidates for the vacant office and elect a replacement to serve the unexpired term. A member shall not nominate more than one candidate for any one vacant office. Nothing in this section shall bar the Vice-President from succeeding to the office of President should a vacancy occur in that office.

 

Section 6. Elected officers shall be installed and shall assume the duties of their respective offices upon completion of the elections, provided they declare that they will, to the limit of their abilities, discharge the duties of their offices.

 

Section 7. All officers shall perform their duties in accordance with these By-Laws, the standing rules of the Club, and with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, a copy of which shall be provided with club funds.

 

ARTICLE IX: COMMITTEES

 

Section 1. There shall be an EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE composed of the elective officers of the Club. The business management and normal related affairs of the Club shall be under the direction of the Executive Committee. It shall have the authority to undertake projects, and to incur liabilities therefore provided that the Club has approved such projects and appropriated the necessary funds.

 

Section 2. The President shall be Chairman of the Executive Committee without vote, except in the case of a tie. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees with the exception of the Nominating Committee.

 

Section 3. The President may call meetings of the Executive Committee whenever required to meet the responsibilities assigned by Section 1.

 

Section 4. Four (4) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum capable of transacting any business that may properly be brought before them.

 

Section 5. The President may appoint such special committees as he may deem necessary, to hold office at the pleasure of the President.

 

Section 6. A Nominating Committee shall be formed consisting of three (3) members nominated from the floor at the regular meeting in June of odd-numbered years. A member shall not propose more than one name as a candidate for the Nominating Committee. A secret ballot shall be taken when there are more than three candidates for the Nominating Committee, an the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall constitute the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall submit a slate of candidates for all elective offices at the regular August meeting in odd-numbered years, at which time nominations may be made from the floor for such elective offices. A member shall not propose nor nominate more than one candidate for any one office. Nominations shall then be closed. The Club Secretary shall include the names of all nominated candidates in the prior notice of the regular October meeting in odd-numbered years.

 

ARTICLE X: MEETINGS

 

Section 1. The Club shall hold a regular meeting in each of the calendar months of February, April, June, August and October.

 

Section 2. The Club shall hold a social gathering each year in the month of December.

 

Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee, or at the request of any five or more members.

 

Section 4. The place, date and hour of all meetings shall be selected by the President.

 

Section 5. Notice of all meetings of the Club, giving place, date and hour of the meeting, and the purpose of any special meeting, shall be mailed to the members by the Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date set for the meeting.

 

Section 6. The President, or Vice-President in his absence, and any other two (2) members of the Executive Committee and any five (5) other members, all of whom are present in person, shall constitute a quorum, capable of transacting any business properly brought before it.

 

Section 7. A member may attend any meeting by proxy, provided however, that attendance by proxy shall not affect the requirements of Section 6, concerning the establishment of a quorum. Proxies for meetings of the Club shall be in the hands of the Secretary for verification and recording at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the hour of the meeting, and the President shall determine the validity of such proxies, subject to the right of appeal by any member of the Executive Committee.

 

Section 8. A member who fails to attend a meeting of the club, either in person or by written proxy, shall be considered to have waived the right to be present and thereby to have consented to and to have ratified such action as the majority of those present, whether in person or by written proxy, may have taken.

 

Section 9. A majority vote of the members present, either in person or by written proxy, at any meeting of the Club, shall govern in all matters properly brought before the meeting, except that should any obligation on the part of the Club be authorized or created, the provision against personal liability provided in Section 1, Article III of these By-Laws shall be directed to be included therein.

 

Section 10. Any member who desires consideration of any matter at a meeting which that member is unable to attend, shall submit that matter in writing to the President in time to be received at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting date.

 

ARTICLE XI: ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

Section 1. In accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, the order of business at meetings shall be carried out as follows:

1. Reading of Minutes of the previous meeting;
2. Reports of officers;
3. Reports of Committees;
4. Unfinished business;
5. New Business;
6. Adjournment.

 

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

 

Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered, amended, or changed, or new By-Laws may be adopted by the members at any meeting of members at which a quorum is present, provided that notice of the specific alteration, amendment or change, or, if new By-Laws be contemplated, a complete set thereof, be sent to each member in the call for the meeting at which the proposed action is to be submitted, with request for the members’ vote for or against such proposed amendments.

 

ARTICLE XIII: DISSOLUTION

 

Section 1. The Club may be dissolved at any time with the written consent of not less than two-third (2/3) of the members in good standing at the time such action is taken.

 

Section 2. If no meeting has been held during any six-month period because a quorum could not be mustered, the President shall call a special meeting of all members for the purpose of determining whether or not the Club will continue to exist. This special meeting shall be called by written notice to all members in good standing, and the notice shall be sent by registered mail, return receipt requested. If a quorum of members does not appear at this special meeting, the President shall declare that the Club is dissolved upon the satisfactory termination of its financial affairs.

 

Section 3. Upon receipt of the written notice from the President that the Club stands dissolved, the Treasurer of the Club shall pay all debts of the Club, provide a final statement of his accounts to the President, and shall then turn over all cub funds to the Bull Terrier Club of America. He shall report all other assets of the Club to the Bull Terrier Club of America, requesting instructions for the disposition of such assets.

 

Section 4. Following notice of acceptance of the Club’s funds and other assets by the Bull Terrier Club of America, and disposition of such assets and Club records as directed by the Bull Terrier Club of America, the President, Secretary and Treasurer shall, by signed written notice, inform all members in good standing that disposition of the Club's funds and other assets has been accomplished as directed by this Article, and shall then consider themselves relieved of all further duties and responsibilities as officers of the Club.