Constitution and bylaws of the Spokane Kennel Club

ARTICLE 1: Name and Objectives

SECTION 1. The name of the club shall be Spokane Kennel Club, Inc.

SECTION 2. The objectives of the club shall be:
a. To promote the breeding of and to protect and advance the interests 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;
c. To conduct sanctioned matches, dog shows, and obedience trials under the rules of the American Kennel Club.

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.

SECTION 4. The members of the club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such bylaws as may be required to carry out these objectives.

ARTICLE II: Membership

SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be one type of membership open to all persons 18 years of age or older who is in good standing with the American Kennel Club and who subscribes to the purposes of this club. 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 $5.00 per year, payable on or before the first day of January of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. During the month of November, the Recording Secretary shall send to each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing year.

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 bylaws and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The applications 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 dues payment for the current year, plus $5.00 initiation fee.
All applications are to be filed with the Record Secretary and each application is to be read at the first meeting of the club following its receipt. At the next club meeting the application will be voted upon by secret ballot, and affirmative votes of 3/4 of the members present and voting shall be required to elect the applicant.

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 Recording 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 60 days after the first day of the fiscal year.
c. By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VII Section 4 of these constitution and bylaws.

ARTICLE III: Meetings and Voting

SECTION 1. Regular club meetings. Meetings of the club shall be held within 25 miles of the city of Spokane on the first Wednesday in the months of January February March April May June September October November and December in each year at such hour and place as may be designated by the president. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Recording Secretary at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 20 percent of the members in good standing.

SECTION 2. Special club meetings. A special meeting of the club shall be held within 25 miles of the city of Spokane and shall be called by the President upon a written request of five members of the club at such an hour and place as may be designated by the President. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Recording Secretary at least seven 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 percent of the members in good standing.

SECTION 3. Board meetings. The Board of Directors shall hold meetings within 25 miles of the city of Spokane at the discretion of the President or the written request of three of the members of the Board. Four
(4) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Written notice of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five days prior to the date of the meeting.

SECTION 4. 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 IV: Directors and Officers

SECTION 1. Board of directors. The Board shall be comprised of the President Vice President Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Treasurer and three 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’s annual meeting as provided in Article V and shall serve until their successors are elected. General management of the club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2. Officers. The club’s officers consisting of the President Vice President Recording Secretary Corresponding 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 the Board and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these bylaws.
b. The Vice President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the Presidents death absence or incapacity.
c. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all meeting of the club and of the Board and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the club. He shall 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 bylaws.
d. The Corresponding Secretary shall have charge of the correspondence of the club.
e. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the club. He shall deposit the same in a bank designated by 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 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 he shall render an account of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.

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 meeting following the creation of vacancy except that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the Vice President and the resulting vacancy in the office of Vice President shall be filled by the Board.

SECTION 4. Such officers any of them and committees or members thereof may at any time for violations of duty be removed from office in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article VII Section 4.

ARTICLE V: The Club Year, Annual Meeting, Elections

SECTION 1. Club year. The clubs fiscal year shall begin on the 1st 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 June at which 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, 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 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 three nominated candidates for other positions on the Board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected.

SECTION 4. Nominations No person may be a candidate in a club election who has not been nominated. During the month of February, 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 before Apr.1.
a. The Committee shall nominate 1 candidate for each office and 3 candidates for the 3 other 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 April 15 notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
c. Additional nominations may be made at the May 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 1 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.

ARTICLE VI: Committees

SECTION 1. At the club’s first or second meeting of each official year, the Board shall appoint the following committees:
a. Bench Show Committee, consisting of not less than five (5) members, which shall hold office until their successors are appointed and which, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, shall nave charge of all matters pertaining to the conduct of shows held under the auspices of the club In accordance with the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club.
b. Auditing Committee, which shall consist of three (3) members, which committee 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?
c. Such other committees as are considered desirable.

SECTION 2. 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 service has been terminated.

ARTICLE VII: 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. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $10 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained. The Secretary shall promptly notify the Board which shall meet and fix a date of a Board hearing not less than three weeks or 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.
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 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 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 that 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.

SECTION 4. Expulsions. 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 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 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 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 shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board’s suspension shall stand.

ARTICLE VIII: Amendments

SECTION 1. Amendments to the constitution and bylaws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Corresponding Secretary signed by 20 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 Corresponding Secretary for a vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Corresponding Secretary.

SECTION 2. The constitution and bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present 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.

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 IX: Complaints

SECTION 1. All complaints or suggestions as to the management must be made in writing to the Board of Directors and must be signed by person or persons making the complaint, such complaint to be taken up for consideration and proper’ disposition at the first meeting of the club after receipt of complaint by a member of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE X: Delegate to the AKC

SECTION 1. Nomination and election. If the club desires to have a delegate to tile American Kennel Club, he will be selected and voted on at any regular meeting of the club and submitted to the American Kennel Club for approval.

ARTICLE XI: Dissolution

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 by operation of law, none of the property of the club nor any of the 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.
ARTICLE XII: Order of Business

SECTION 1. 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
Reading of Minutes, last meeting
Treasurer’s report
Corresponding Secretary’s report
Election of new members
Reports of special committees
Elections
Unfinished business
New business
• Adjournment

SECTION 2. At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of those present, shall be as follows:
Roll Call
Reading of Minutes, last meeting
Report of Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Reports of Committees
Unfinished business
New business
Adjournment

ARTICLE XIII: Rules of Order
In the absence of any duly adopted standing rule, all parliamentary questions shall be settled by Robert’s Rules of Order.
Approved as amended, July 6, 1972