By-Laws
of the
Holland Lop Rabbit Specialty Club, Inc
Revised October 2005
ARTICLE I -Dues
Section 1. Memberships
New Adult members shall pay a fee of fifteen dollars ($15) per annum, or thirty-two dollars ($32) for three (3 ) years. Renewal Adult members shall pay a fee of ten dollars ($10) per annum or twenty-seven dollars ($27) for three (3) years. Such fee is to accompany applications for membership. The deadline for membership renewal is sixty (60) days past date of valid membership.
New Youth members through the age of eighteen (18) shall pay a fee of twelve dollars ($12) per annum or twenty-three ($23) for three (3) years. Renewal Youth members shall pay a fee of seven dollars ($7) per annum or eighteen dollars ($18) for three (3) years. Such fee is to accompany application for membership. Youth members shall be entitled to the same privileges of a full membership except the right to vote or pursue or hold a position on the executive board.
New Combination membership for two (2) people living in the same household (may be one adult and one youth, husband and wife, or two (2) companions) shall be available for nineteen dollars ($19) per annum or forty-five dollars ($45) for three (3) years, provided application for both memberships are made at the same time. A Renewal Combination membership for two (2) parties living in the same household shall be fourteen dollars ($14) per annum, or forty dollars ($40) for three (3) years.
New Family membership shall be made available for twenty-two dollars ($22) per annum or fifty-four dollars ($54) for three (3) years. A Renewal Family membership shall be seventeen dollars ($17) per annum or forty-nine dollars ($49) for three (3) years. All family members must reside at the same address and application for all family members must be made at the same time.
Section 2. All members shall be notified thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of membership. Members who pay dues more than thirty (3) days after due will forfeit Sweepstakes show points and privileges previously earned. When dues are paid after this thirty (30) day period, applicant will be considered a new member; and membership shall be dated as of date period.
ARTICLE II - Standing Committees
Section 1. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint the Chairperson of the standing committees. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint members of committees as authorized herein. The President shall have authority to make such replacements as are considered to be in the best interest of the club.
Section 2. THE ELECTION COMMITTEE shall consist of a Chairperson and two (2) members, with one or more alternates, all residing within commuting distance of one another. The Chairperson shall receive the election ballots and, as soon as s/he deems practical, after the ballot closed, shall call the committee together, with any absentee replaced by an alternate. Election ballot envelops must not be opened until the entire committee is assembled. The committee shall then open the envelopes, count the votes, and tabulate the results. The count shall be completed and the results certified by the President and Secretary within five (5) days after the count is completed. No other reports shall be required.
Section 3. THE AUDITING COMMITTEE shall consist of a Chairperson and two (2) members, not more than (1) to be of the same zone as the Secretary or the Treasurer. The duty of the Auditing Committee shall be to make an audit of the books of the Secretary and the Treasurer and to report their findings at the Annual Meeting.
Section 4. THE STANDARD COMMITTEE shall consist of a Chairperson and four (4) members, at least one (1) of whom shall be a licensed ARBA Judge. The committee shall have the duty to maintain a study of the Standard, receive requests for working Standard on new varieties, and transmit to the membership with Board approval any proposed revisions or additions for or against each change, revision, or addition. If proposed changes are approved by a majority of votes cast by the club membership, the committee shall submit via the HLRSC President the proposed changes to the ARBA Standard's Committee with recommendation for adoption.
Section 5. THE NATIONAL SHOW and ARBA CONVENTION COMMITTEES shall consist of a Breed Chairperson, Banquet Chairperson, Awards Chairperson, and any supporting personnel as may be required to enable it to carry out its duties. The Committee shall be responsible for the proper showing and care of entries, the recording of show results, procurement of trophies, operation of the HLRSC booth, and arrangement of the Club's Annual Banquet and Awards meeting.
Section 6. THE SWEEPSTAKES COMMITTEE shall consist of a Chairperson, whose duty it shall be to issue show sanction, maintain sweepstakes point records, and issue quarterly reports by due date to the Hollander Editor for publication. The Sweepstakes Chairperson should report ending Sweepstakes results to the Awards Chairperson forty-five (45) days after the Sweepstakes year end. The Sweepstakes Chairperson shall give an up-to-date report at the Annual Meeting of all sweepstakes reports received to date.
Section 7. THE SUPPLY COMMITTEE shall consist of a Chairperson, whose duty it shall be to fill all needs for supplies. The Chairperson shall account for all monies, which shall be turned over to the Treasurer and shall furnish a full financial report including an inventory list at the Annual Meeting.
Section 8. THE EDITING COMMITTEE shall consist of the Hollander Editor as Chairperson, who shall be responsible for all contents of the official publication. The Editor shall arrange content for publication and mailing at intervals determined by the Board of Directors. The Editor shall collect all monies for advertising and account for same to the Treasurer.
Section 9. ANY SPECIAL COMMITTEE that is considered desirable by the President, or by the Executive Board may be appointed by that President for a specific purpose. At the Completion of the assignment, the Special Committee shall be discharged.
Section 10. The President shall have the authority to discharge and reconstitute any Committee at any time s/he deems it advisable for the best interest of the club.
ARTICLE III - Compensastion
Section 1. The Secretary shall receive fourteen percent (14%) of the total amount of all membership dues (including postage). This shall be the Secretary's total compensation.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall receive two percent (2%) of all monies received by the Club. This shall be the total compensation for the Treasurer.
Section 3. The Sweepstakes Chairman shall receive eighteen percent (18%) of all monies received by the Club in payment of sanction fees. This shall be the total compensation for the Sweepstakes Chairperson.
Section 4. The Supply Chairperson shall receive ten percent (13%) of the gross sales of supplies after the cost to the Club are deducted. This shall be the total compensation for the Supply Chairperson.
Section 5. The Editor of the official publication shall be paid on the basis of six dollars ($6) per page. This shall be the total compensation for the Editor.
Section 6. The Webmaster's performance shall be reviewed by the HLRSC board at the annual convention board meeting. If the board deems a payment for services performed is appropriate, payment may be made at the annual convention. If approved, this will be the total compensation for the Webmaster.
Section 7. Travel expense. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall receive two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) travel allowance for the Annual Convention and Show of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. If the President is unable to attend, the Vice President shall receive the two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) travel allowance.
ARTICLE IV - Voting Procedure
Section 1. Any voting member in good standing wishing to become a candidate for office shall write to the Secretary for nomination petition. The nomination petition shall be signed by at least five (5) paid-up members and must be postmarked not later than May 15.
Section 2. Upon receipt of the nominating petition the Secretary, shall determine if the member-making petition is eligible to run for office. The names of all qualifying candidates running for a single vacancy must appear on the Ballot. The name of an unopposed candidate shall not appear on the ballot. The unopposed candidate shall automatically win the vacant office being sought. Write-in nominations shall not be considered candidates and shall not be allowed.
Section 3. The Secretary shall use United States first-class postage to distribute the ballots to all members by June 30. Ballots shall be returned to the Election Chairperson. Returned ballots must be postmarked no later than August 15. The Election Committee shall count all acceptable ballots and send a certified statement of the results to the President and Secretary, such statement to be retained for one (1) year in the event there should be any questions concerning the voting procedures.
Section 4. Facsimiles or copies of the ballot shall not be an acceptable ballot and shall be declared void. Voided ballots shall be held by the Secretary, along with acceptable ballots, for one (1) year. To determine their validity, voided ballots, shall be reviewed by the Executive Board at the first meeting following the election. If the counting of the voided ballots would reverse the results of any or all matters or individual voted upon, the Election Committee's report to the Secretary shall be designated as unofficial. The official report shall be determined by the Executive Board after reviewing the voided ballots.
Section 5. All adult members shall have the privilege to vote. Combination and Family Memberships shall have one (1) vote for every adult member on their membership. Single adult memberships shall have one (1) vote.
Section 6. No person whose name appears on the Election Ballot may be on the Election Committee.
Section 7. In the event of a tie between two (2) or more persons for the same office, selection shall be made by the Executive Board prior to the Annual Meeting from the persons so tied. If one of the person tied is a Board Incumbent, they shall abstain their vote.
Section 8,. Should any candidate for an elected office be unopposed, there shall be no election ballot issued for that particular office, and the unopposed candidate shall be declared elected to said office by acclimation.
ARTICLE V - Discipline
Section 1. Charges of misconduct may be filed by any member against any other member. The charges must be made in writing and filed with the Secretary.
Section 2. Any member against whom charges have been made shall be furnished a complete statement of the charges by the Secretary and shall be allowed thirty (30) days to file a reply.
Section 3. The charges, together with the reply if any is received, shall be furnished each member of the Executive Board for consideration. The Executive Board may, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, suspend or expel the member. Less than two-thirds (2/3) majority vote shall constitute a finding of "not sustained" of the charges.
Section 4. Any person suspended may be eligible for reinstatement after a period of one (1) year. Upon two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Board, any person expelled shall not be eligible for membership for three (3) years from date of finding.
Section 5. An Officer or Director who fails to fulfill the obligations of duties of the office or shows lack of interest in Club matters shall be asked to resign voluntarily by the President. If the Officer or Director fails to do so, the Executive Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, shall declare the office vacant.
ARTICLE VI - Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. In order to transact business at any General or Special Meeting of the Club, there must be a quorum of at least twenty-five (25) voting members present. The quorum number twenty-five (25) shall not include the Club Officers and Directors.
Section 2. Unless otherwise provided in these Articles, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the transaction of all business of all meetings. Robert's Rules of Order shall not be suspended for any reason at any meeting of the Club.
ARTICLE VII - Amendments
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast by mail ballot of the entire membership. All members shall be notified in wiring by mail by United States First-Class mail of the proposed amendments and shall be furnished a ballot thirty (30) days before closing of the polls.
Section 2. These By-Laws may also be amended at any Annual Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present, providing there are at least fifty (50) members present and provided the proposed amendment appeard in the issue of official publication immediately prior to such meeting.