Updated October, 2019
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SCJRTC Bylaws
ARTICLE I: Constitution
Section 1. The name of the Association shall be “The South Coast Jack Russell Terrier Club”, hereinafter referred to as the SCJRTC.
Section 2. The objectives and purposes of the SCJRTC shall be to:
(a) Remain an affiliate club of the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the JRTCA).
(b) Promote and maintain the Jack Russell Terrier as a working strain of terrier while adhering to the breed standard of the JRTCA.
(c) Oppose affiliation with or influence by any organization or persons whose beliefs, breeding practices, or actions might result in practices considered detrimental to the breed and article (b) above.
(d) Maintain a local rescue network and work with and support a national rescue associated with the national club.
(e) Maintain a current list of the names and addresses of all members of the SCJRTC.
(f) Actively support and encourage both the working ability and active earthwork of the Jack Russell Terrier.
(g) Gather and distribute information that can be used to educate members and improve the condition or methods employed in the breeding, raising, and working of the Jack Russell Terrier.
(h) Support and encourage JRTCA sanctioned trials and Jack Russell Terrier field days.
(i) Actively promote good sportsmanship and a spirit of cooperation between those exhibiting or competing in events at which members are present.
(j) Educate the general public of both the advantages and disadvantages of ownership of Jack Russell Terriers.
Section 3. The SCJRTC shall not be conducted or operated for profit of the club except as required for the efficient and effective running and organization of the club. No part of any profits from dues, trial fees, etc. shall inure to the benefit of any member.
Section 4. The board of the SCJRTC shall adopt and may from time to time revise such bylaws as may be required to carry out the objectives set forth in Article 1: Sections 1. and 2. A permanent record of such revisions shall be kept by the Corresponding Secretary, and be available to members of the Association.
Section 5. No part of these original bylaws from Article 1: Sections 1. and 2. may be changed or deleted unless the club is dissolved. If the club is dissolved for any reason, club assets shall be liquidated and the proceeds along with any monies in the club treasury shall be donated to a national rescue associated with the national club after all remaining SCJRTC debts are paid.
ARTICLE II: Membership
Section 1. Eligibility: There shall be two types of membership open to all persons eighteen years of age and older.
(1) Individual (single adult)
(2) Family/Household membership (two adults at the same address.)
The membership shall consist of Jack Russell Terrier owners, breeders, and others interested in the breed. Members of conflicting Jack Russell Terrier Clubs shall not be accepted for membership due to a conflict of interest.
Section 2. Dues: Every member shall pay annual dues.
(a) Family/Household memberships shall be eligible for a special dues rate and both members shall receive all the privileges accorded to the members of the association.
(b) Membership dues become payable upon the first day of each calendar year. Dues paid by anyone joining the club during the last two months (November, December) of the year shall be credited to the following year.
(c) The Board of Directors shall be empowered to set the cost of fees for membership, events, and trials.
(d) Membership in the Association shall not be transferable.
Section 3. Voting Rights:
Each member shall be entitled to vote. Individual members receive one vote. Family memberships, which include two adults living at the same address, shall receive two votes.
Section 4. Acceptance to Membership:
(a) Membership shall be for the calendar year (January 1-December 31).
(b) Members must complete and sign a membership application each year and submit dues to remain current. Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form approved by the Board of Directors and shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution (Article 1) and bylaws of the SCJRTC located on the Club’s website. The applicant shall state the name, address, email, and any other information as the Board of Directors may request. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues, which shall be refunded if the application is rejected for any reason. Applicants may be accepted by the Board of Directors at any time. Names shall be presented to the Board in writing. The member is deemed accepted into membership unless denied by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any application which has been rejected, may not be re-submitted for consideration for a period of at least 12 months from the date of rejection.
Section 5. Termination of Membership:
(a) By resignation: A member may resign from the association upon written notice to the President or Membership Secretary
(b) By Lapsing: All unpaid memberships are considered lapsed after January 1. In no case may a person be entitled to vote at any Association meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting.
(c) By Expulsion: A membership may be terminated by expulsion from the Association for any activity which, is considered by the Board of Directors, to be in violation of the constitution and bylaws of the Association, contrary to the objectives of the Association, interfere with the efficient operation of the Association, or compromise the breed standard in any way.
Section 6. Reinstatement: A membership terminated by reason of expulsion may reapply for membership according to Article II, section 4. An expelled member shall not be considered for membership for at least two years after the date of expulsion. The applicant will only be readmitted by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE III: Meetings Section
Section 1. Association Meetings
(a) The annual meeting shall be held once each calendar year as designated by the Board of Directors.
(b) All members shall be advised of the date, time, and place at least 10 days but not more than 60 days in advance thereof, either by mail, or by email at the discretion of the Chairperson. If mailed, such notices shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States Mail. If emailed, such notices shall be deemed delivered when sent to the email on file provided yearly by each club member.
(c) Any business may be presented at an annual meeting regardless of whether such business is referred to in the notice of said meeting.
(d) A quorum for such meeting shall be at least 10% of the association’s members in good standing present and in person. When a quorum is present at any annual or special meeting, the vote of the majority of the members present in person shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which, by express provisions of law or the bylaws, a larger or different vote is required, in which case such express provisions shall govern and control the decision of such question.
(e) The Board of Directors may designate any place as the place of the meeting.
(f) Each member shall have a vote as described in Article II, Section 3. Unless herein or by statue otherwise provided, voting shall be via voice or ballot as determined by the Board of Directors.
(g) Voting for the Board of Directors shall be by ballot and verified by at least two board members. Ballots will be mailed, delivered by email, or other electronic means. If ballots were sent by email, voting will be open for seven consecutive days from the day they were sent; if by US mail, 10 days from the day they were sent.
Section 2. Special Association Meetings
Special Association meetings may be called by the President or by a majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors, or by the Secretary upon such receipt of a petition signed by a majority of Association members who are in good standing as of March in the current year. Such special meetings shall be held within a period not to exceed 120 days from the date upon which the petition was received. A duly authorized request for a special meeting, and its purpose shall be made known to the members of the Association in the same manner as set forth in Article III, Section 1. A special meeting must be limited to the purpose for which it is called.
Section 3. Board of Directors Meetings
The Board of Directors must meet at least three times in each calendar year. If possible, a meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Association. Other meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President. Notice of the place, date, and time of any meeting must be given to the Board, either in writing, email, or personally at the discretion of the President, at least 10 days prior to the date of said meeting. Agreement to forgo such notification by a sufficient number of the members of the Board of Directors to constitute a quorum for such meeting shall be two-thirds of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Association Meeting Procedure
Except as otherwise herein provided, Association meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, Latest Edition. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or Committee, may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or Committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, email, or other electronic means and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes or proceedings of the Board or Committee. Members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee by means of conference telephones or similar communications equipment, by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE IV: Board of Directors and Officers
Section 1. Board of Directors
(a) Duties and Powers
1) The business and affairs of the Association shall be managed by its Officers and Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as Board of Directors)
2) The Board of Directors shall, at each annual meeting, present a report to the Association members of the property, financial operations, and affairs of the Association for the preceding year.
3) The Board of Directors shall appoint the Committee Chairpersons of the Association to serve the ensuing year, and announce these Chairpersons at the annual meeting and/or on the club website.
(b) Number, Tenure, and Qualifications
1) The number of Directors shall be not less than five nor more than thirteen members of the Association.
2) The Chairman shall always be the elected President of the organization.
3) Mary Abbott, Michelle Davies, and Donna Sinderud, as founding members, shall be honorary, non-voting members of the Board. A founding member will be returned to voting status at any time upon that member’s written request to the board of directors. The remaining Board members shall be the previous President and Vice President, and the current officers.
4) The incoming President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretaries shall be Board members.
5) The outgoing President and Vice President shall be Board members. If the President or Vice President are reelected for a consecutive term, the Director that previously held that office shall retain his/her position on the Board of Directors.
6) If any Board member shall die, resign, or for any reason be unable to serve, a successor shall be appointed from within the Association membership by the remaining members of the Board of Directors to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term or by special election at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
7) Members of the Board of Directors must be members in good standing of the JRTCA.
8) Members of the Board of Directors may not be members of any conflicting Jack Russell Terrier Clubs or Organizations.
(c) Resignation
Any Director may resign at any time. Such resignation shall be made in writing and shall take effect at the time specified therein, if no time is specified, at the time of its receipt by the Chairperson or Secretary. The acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
(d) Removal
Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the members at a meeting of the Board of Directors shall be mailed written notice, signed by one of the Secretaries, of the charge against him or her at least 30 days prior to such meeting.
(e) Compensation
Directors shall not receive any compensation for their services as Directors, but by approval of the Board of Directors, they or any member of the Association may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them on behalf of the Association.
Section 2. Officers
The Officers of the Association shall be a President, one or more Vice Presidents (the number of which to be determined as needed by the Board of Directors), Secretaries as defined below, and a Treasurer. Any two (2) or more offices may be held by the same person with the exception of President and Vice President. The Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership in good standing by ballot with the exception of the Treasurer who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. Officers serve for a term of two years, may be reelected by the Association membership to serve additional consecutive terms, not to exceed four (4) consecutive terms. Officers must be members in good standing of the Association or an affiliate for two or more years.
a) President: The President shall be the principle executive officer of the Association, shall supervise all its business and affairs, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall have the duties and power normally attributed to the office of President. The President may sign, with any Officer of the Association, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments which the Board of Directors have authorized to be executed.
b) Vice President: The Vice President shall have the duties of the President in the event of the President’s death, absence, or inactivity. In the event there be more than one Vice President, then the Vice Presidents shall rank in order of their time in office. From time to time the President or Board of Directors may request that the Vice President perform additional duties.
c) Treasurer: If required by the President, the Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties, in such sum and with surety as the President shall determine. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Association; receive funds, give receipts for moneys in the name of the Association in such banks, trust companies or depositories as shall be approved by the President; he or she shall, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer. From time to time the President or Board of Directors may request that the treasurer to perform additional duties. His or her books shall at all times be open to inspection or audit of the Board of Directors and he or she shall report to them at every meeting the condition of the Association’s finances; and at the Annual Meeting he or she shall render an account of all funds received and spent during the previous calendar year.
d) Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors. He or she shall, in general, perform all the duties incident to the Office of Recording Secretary. From time to time the President or Board of Directors may request that the Recording Secretary perform additional duties.
e) Membership Secretary: The Membership Secretary shall keep an up-to-date roster of the Association’s members and their contact information, and shall in general, perform all the duties incident to the office of Membership. From time to time the President or Board of Directors may request that the Membership Secretary to perform additional duties.
f) Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall act as custodian of all Association records and have charge of the general Association correspondence, notify Officers of their election to office, and shall, in general, perform all the duties incident to the office of Corresponding. From time to time the President or Board of Directors may request that the Corresponding Secretary to perform additional duties
g) Club Year: Newly elected officers shall take office at the beginning of the new administrative year on January 1 following the general election. Out-going officers will complete their term of office on December 31 of their second year unless reelected for another term. The outgoing President and Vice President shall remain on the Board of Directors as advisors and shall be voting members for two more years following their term of office.
h) Succession: Each retiring Officer shall turn over to his or her successor in office, as soon as is practical, but no later than one month after his or her retirement, all properties and records relating to office.
ARTICLE V: Amendments
Section 1. By the Members
These bylaws may be added to, altered, or amended at any Annual Meeting of the Association provided a petition for addition, alteration, or amendment is signed by not less than twenty (20) percent of the Association members in good standing and submitted to the Recording Secretary in writing no later than 60 days prior to the date of the Association Annual Meeting next scheduled. Additions, alterations, and amendments contained in said petition shall be considered by the Board of Directors and submitted to the Association membership together with the Board’s recommendation no less than 20 days prior to the next Association Annual Meeting. Any vote to add to, alter or amend the Association’s Constitution and Bylaws by petition at any Association Meeting must be by a majority vote of the membership in person or by proxy. As per Article I, Section 5, no part of the original bylaws from Article I, Sections 1. and 2. may be changed or deleted unless the club is dissolved.
Section 2. By the Board of Directors
These bylaws may be added to, altered, or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the Directors present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided however that a two (2) week notice in writing of the proposed amendment, addition, or alteration be given to all Directors.
ARTICLE VI: Association Year
The Association’s fiscal and administrative year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December.