ARTICLE I: Name and Objects.

SECTION 1.  The name of the club will be Fairbanks Retriever Club.

SECTION 2.  The object of the club will be:

1. to encourage and promote the training and breeding of pure-bred hunting andretrieving dogs  (Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Curlycoat Retriever, Flatcoat Retriever, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Standard Poodle, and the Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection;
2. to urge members and breeders to accept each standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only Standard of excellence by which dogs will be judged;
3. to do all in its power to protect and advance the interest of the breeds by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at field trials, hunt tests, working certificate tests, obedience trials and other activities under the rules of the American Kennel Club;
4. to conduct sanctioned and licensed field trials and hunt tests under the rules of the American Kennel Club, and to conduct working certificate tests, picnic tests and trials; and
5. to conduct classes for the training of dogs and educating of handlers; to encourage the training of judges; to cooperate with other groups with similar purposes.

SECTION 3.  The club will not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the club will inure to the benefit of any member or individual.

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

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BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

SECTION 1.  Eligibility. There will be three classes of membership. Single membership will be 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. Family membership will be open to families of whom each member is in good standing with the American Kennel Club. A family unit will be limited to those individuals living in the same household. Family membership will be entitled to two votes. Honorary membership will consist of those persons so designated by the Board of Directors. Honorary members, not being required to pay dues, will not be entitled to vote, but each such member may maintain active/voting status by payment of dues.

SECTION 2.  Dues. Membership dues will be set by the members at the annual meeting payable on or before the first day of October each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. Any new member joining the club during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year will be considered to have paid dues through the end of the succeeding fiscal year. Prior to the first of September, notice of dues for the ensuing year will be sent to each member.

SECTION 3.  Election to Membership. Each applicant for membership will apply on a form as approved by the Board of Directors and which will provide that the applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution and bylaws, and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The application will state the name, address and interest of the applicant. Accompanying the application, the prospective member will submit dues payment for the current year.

Applicants may be elected at any meeting of the Club or the Board of Directors; and each application will be acted upon at the first such meeting to occur after the filing of said application with the secretary.

SECTION 4.  Termination of Membership. Membership may be terminated:

1. by resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the club upon written notice to the secretary. Dues obligations are considered a debt to the club and they become incurred on the first day of each fiscal year.
2. by lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid 90 days after the first day of the fiscal year; however the Board may grant an additional 90 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 the date of that meeting.
3. by expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI Section 4 of these articles and bylaws.

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ARTICLE II

Meetings

SECTION 1.  Club Meetings. Meetings of the club will be held within a 30-mile radius of the City of Fairbanks, Alaska, in the months of October and April of each year, at such hour and place as may be designated by the president. Written notice of each such meeting will be mailed or sent to a valid email address by the secretary at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. Means of notification may be the club newsletter. The quorum for such meetings will be ten.

SECTION 2.  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 meeting of the board, or by the secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by five members of the club who are in good standing. Such meetings will be held within a 30-mile radius of the City of Fairbanks, Alaska, 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 will be mailed or sent to a valid email address by the secretary at least 5 days and not more than 15 days prior to the date of the meeting; and said notice will state the purpose of the meeting and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. The quorum for such a meeting will be ten.

SECTION 3.  Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors will be held within a 30-mile radius of the City of Fairbanks, Alaska, in the months of October and April of each year and prior to the club meetings, at such hour and place as may be designated by the president. Written notice of such meeting will be mailed or sent to a valid email address by the secretary at least 5 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting will be majority of the Board.

SECTION 4.  Special Board Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the president or by the secretary upon the request of at least three members of the board. Such special meetings will be held within a 30-mile radius of the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, and at such hour and place as may be designated by the person authorized herein to call such meeting. Written notice of such meeting will be mailed or sent to a valid email address by the secretary at least 5 days and not more than 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. Any such notice will state the purpose of the meeting. No other business may be transacted. A quorum for such a meeting will be a majority of the Board.

SECTION 5.  Rules. The rules contained in Roberts’ Rules of Order, revised by Henry M. Roberts, will govern the club in all cases to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with the Constitution and bylaws or special rules of the club.

SECTION 6.  Voting. Members in good standing whose dues are paid for the current year are  entitled to vote at any meeting of the club at which they are present. Proxy or absentee voting will not be permitted at any club meeting.

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ARTICLE III

Directors and Officers

SECTION 1.  Board of Directors. The Board will be comprised of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and three other persons (four other persons if the secretary and treasurer are one person), all of whom will be elected for one year terms at the club’s annual meeting as provided in Article V. General management of the club’s affairs will be entrusted to the Board of Directors. The term of office will be defined as the club year per these articles and bylaws.

SECTION 2.  Officers. The club’s officers, consisting of the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, will serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the club and its meetings, and the Board and its meetings.

1. The president will preside at all meetings of the club and of the board, and will have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of president in addition to those particularly specified in these articles and bylaws. The president will have the general supervision and direction of the club, will appoint all standing committee chairs, and be an ex-officio member of all club committees.
2. The vice-president will have the powers and exercise the powers of the president in case of the president’s death, absence, or incapacity and such other duties so directed by the board.
3. The secretary will keep a record of all meetings of the club and of the board and of all matters of which a record will be ordered by the club. He or she will have charge of the correspondence, notify members of meetings, notify new members of meetings, notify new members of their election of membership, notify officers and directors of their election to office, keep a role of the members of the club with their addresses and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these bylaws.
4. The treasurer will collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the club. He or she will deposit the same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of the club. His or her books will at all times be open to inspection of the board, and he or she will 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 or she will render an account of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year. An annual audit will be made of the treasurer’s books by such person(s) appointed by the president and approved by the Board.

SECTION 3.  Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the board during the year will 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 vacancy. A vacancy in the office of president will be filled automatically by the vice president, and the resulting vacancy of vice president will be filled by the board.

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ARTICLE IV

The Club Year, Annual Meeting, Elections

SECTION 1.  Club Year. The club’s fiscal year will begin on the 1st day of October and end on the 30th day of September. The club’s official year will begin immediately at the conclusion of the election at the annual meeting, and will continue through the election at the next annual meeting.

SECTION 2.  Annual Meetings. The annual meeting will be held in the month of October at which directors and officers for the ensuring year will be elected by a secret, written ballot from among those nominated in accordance with section 4 of this article. They will take office immediately upon conclusion of the election and each retiring officer will 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 will be declared elected. The nominated candidates for other positions on the board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions will be declared elected.

SECTION 4.  Nominations. A nominating committee will be appointed at the board of directors prior to the first of September of each year. The nominating committee will nominate one candidate for each elective office and one for each board position. Report of the nominating committee will be incorporated in the notice of the annual meeting and fall newsletter. At the annual meeting nominations will also be open from the floor.      

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ARTICLE V

Committees

SECTION 1.  The board may each year, appoint and terminate committees to advance the work of the club in such matters as field trials, hunt test, working certificate test, trophies, annual prizes, membership, and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees are subject to the authority of the board. Special committees may also be appointed by the board to aid it on particular projects.

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ARTICLE VI

Discipline

SECTION 1.  American Kennel Club Suspension. Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the American Kennel Club automatically will 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 specification must be filed in duplicate with the secretary together with a deposit of $10 which will be forfeited if such charges are not sustained. The secretary will promptly notify the board which will meet and fix a date of a board hearing not less than three weeks or more than six weeks thereafter. The secretary will promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused member by registered mail together with a notice of hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his or her own defense and bring witnesses if he or she wishes.

SECTION 3.  Board Hearing. The board will have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant will be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the board may by a majority vote of those present suspend the defendant from all the privileges of the club for not more than six months from the date of the hearing.  If it deems the punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension will not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing club meeting that considers the boards’ recommendation. Immediately after the board has reached a decision, its findings will be put in written form and filed with the secretary. The secretary, in turn, will notify each of the parties of the board’s decision and penalty, if any.

SECTION 4.  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 60 days but not earlier than 30 days after the date of the board’s recommendation of expulsion. The defendant will have the privilege of appearing in his own behalf, though no evidence will be taken at this meeting. The president will read the charges and the board’s findings and invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his own behalf if he wishes. The meeting will then vote by secret, written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 vote of those present at the meeting will be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not voted, the board’s suspension will stand.  

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ARTICLE VII

Amendments      

SECTION 1.  Amendments. Amendments to the constitution and bylaws may be proposed by the board of directors or by written petition addressed to the secretary signed by 20% of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such a petition will promptly be considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted by the secretary to the members with recommendations of the board for a vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the secretary.

SECTION 2.  The constitution and bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members present and voting 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, per ARTICLE II, SECTIONS 1 and 2.        

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ARTICLE VIII

Dissolution

SECTION 1.   Dissolution. The club may be dissolved at any time by written consent of not less than 2/3 of the members. In event of the dissolution of the club other than for the purposes of reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the club will be distributed to any members of the club, but after payment of any debts of the club, it’s property will be liquidated through sale or auction, and all monetary assets will be distributed for the benefit of dogs to one or more charitable organizations recognized by the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3) as tax exempt, selected by the Board of Directors.

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ARTICLE IX

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, will be as follows:     

1. Roll Call
2. Minutes of last meeting
3. Report of President
4. Report of Secretary
5. Report of Treasurer
6. Reports of Committees
7. Election of officers and board (at annual meeting)
8. Election of new members
9. Unfinished business
10. New business
11. Adjournment

SECTION 2.  At meetings of the board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of those present, will be as follows:

1. Roll Call
2. Minutes of last meeting
3. Report of Secretary
4. Report of Treasurer
5. Reports of Committees
6. Unfinished business
7. Election of new members
8. New business
9. Adjournment