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Our Mission
Statement
The
objectives of the Club shall be:
(a) To preserve and protect the Doberman Pinscher and to do all possible
to bring the breed's natural qualities to perfection.
(b) To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as
approved by the
American
Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence
by which the Doberman Pinscher shall be judged.
(c) To do all in it's power to protect and advance the interest of the
breed, and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog shows and
obedience trials.
(d) To conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows, obedience trials,
tracking test, and working aptitude evaluations under the rules of the
American Kennel Club and the
Doberman
Pinscher Club of America.
Pilgrim
Doberman Pinscher
Club, Inc.
Constitution
and Bylaws
CONSTITUTION
Article I
Name and Objectives
Section 1.
The name of the Club shall be Pilgrim
Doberman Pinscher Club, Inc.
Section 2.
The objectives of the Club shall be:
a)
To preserve and protect the Doberman Pinscher
and to do all possible to bring its natural qualities to perfection.
b)
To urge members and breeders to accept the
standard of the breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only
standard of excellence by which the Doberman Pinscher shall be judged.
c)
To do all in its power to protect and advance
the interest of the breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog
shows and obedience trials.
d)
To conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows,
obedience trials, tracking tests, and working aptitude evaluations under the
rules of the American Kennel Club and the Doberman Pinscher Club of America.
Section 3.
The Club shall not be conducted nor
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. Such revisions will not become effective until approved by
the D.P.C.A. Constitution Review Committee and/or the Officers and Directors
of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America.
BYLAWS
Article I
Membership
Section 1.
Eligibility.
There shall be one type of membership, open to all persons eighteen years
and older, who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club, the
Doberman Pinscher Club of America, and every branch chapter of the Doberman
Pinscher Club of America and who subscribes to the purposes of this Club.
Section 2.
Dues.
Membership dues shall be set from time to time by the Board of Directors
with the consent of the membership and entered into the minutes of the Club.
Dues are 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. In the month
of November, the Treasurer shall send to each member a statement of dues for
the ensuing year.
Section 3.
Election of 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 this
Constitution and Bylaws and the rules of the American Kennel Club. The
application 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 in payment for the
current year. All applications are to be filed with the Corresponding
Secretary and each applicant will be published in the meeting notice. Anyone
wishing to comment on the application may do so by writing to the
Corresponding Secretary within thirty (30) days from the meeting notice.
Those applications will then be submitted to the Board of Directors and will
be voted on.
An application for membership which has
received a negative vote by the Board may be presented by one of the
applicant’s endorsers at the next meeting of the Club and the Club may elect
such applicant by favorable vote of 75% of the members present. Applicants
will be notified in writing immediately after their election for membership.
Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the Club may not reapply
within six (6) months after such rejection.
Section 4.
Termination of Membership.
Membership 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 calendar year.
b)
By Lapsing. A membership will be considered
as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid
thirty (30) days after the first day of January.
c)
By Expulsion. A membership may be terminated
by expulsion as provided in Article VI of this Constitution and Bylaws.
Article II
Meetings
Section 1.
Club Meetings.
Meetings of the Club shall be held in the vicinity of Framingham, MA, on the
first Wednesday in the months of January, March, May, July, September and
November 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
Corresponding Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the
meeting. The quorum of such meetings shall be 20% of the members in good
standing.
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 Corresponding Secretary upon receipt
of a petition signed by five (5) members of the Club who are in good
standing. Such Special Meetings shall be held in the vicinity of Framingham,
MA, and at such hour and place as may be designated by the person or persons
authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such meetings
shall be mailed by the Corresponding Secretary at least five (5) days and
not more than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting. 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% of the
members in good standing.
Section 3.
Board Meetings.
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at a location convenient
for the Board members in the months of February, April, June, August,
October, 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 Corresponding Secretary at least five (5) days prior to the
date of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be the majority of
the Board.
Section 4.
Special board Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President or by the
Corresponding Secretary upon receipt of a written requires signed by at
least two (2) members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held at a
location convenient for the Board members and at such hour and place as may
be designated by the person herein authorized to call such meetings. Written
notice of such a meeting shall be mailed by the Corresponding Secretary at
least five (5) days and not more than ten (10) days prior to the date of the
meeting or telegraphic notice shall be filed at least three (3) days and not
more than five (5) days prior to the date of such meeting. Any such notice
shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business shall be
transacted thereat. A quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the
Board.
Section 5.
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.
Section 6.
Procedure of Meetings.
All meetings and parliamentary procedures shall be conducted in accordance
with the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order”, unless this is in
conflict with the requirements of this Constitution and Bylaws, in which
case the Constitution and Bylaws shall take precedence.
Article III
Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1.
Board of Directors.
The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice president, Recording
Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, DPCA Delegate, and three (3)
other persons, all of whom shall be elected for one year terms at the Club’s
annual meeting as provided in Article IV 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 with
the Board and its meetings.
a)
The President shall preside at all meetings of
the Club and of the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally
appurtenant of the office of President in addition to those particularly
specified in this Constitution and Bylaws.
b)
The Vice President shall have the powers and
exercise the duties ot the President in case of the President’s death,
absence, or incapacity.
c)
The Recording Secretary prepares and maintains
the records of the Club, and directs all inquiries to the appropriate
Officer or committee chairperson, although the various Officers and
committee chairpersons may be contacted directly. S/he keeps a roll of the
members of the Club with their addresses.
d)
The Corresponding Secretary is in charge of the
general correspondence of the Club. S/he answers letters requesting
information, notifying Officers and Directors of their election to office,
receives and processes all applications for membership and, following
approval of an applicant by the Board, provides new members with the
membership package.
e)
The Treasurer shall collect and receive all
monies due or belonging to the club and receipt therefore. S/he shall
deposit the same in a bank, satisfactory to the Board, in the name of the
Club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection by the Board and
s/he shall report to them at every meeting of the condition of the Club’s
finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported. At the
annual meeting s/he shall render an account of all monies received and
expended during the previous fiscal year.
f)
The DPCA Delegate shall be an active member of
the DPCA and serve on the Executive Committee of the DPCA for the ensuing
year. The DPCA Delegate shall serve on the Board of Directors and have on
vote thereon. The Delegate shall attend the annual meeting of the DPCA
Delegates, and shall represent the Club in such votes as may come before
that group. The Delegate shall be elected for a one year term and there
shall be no limitation on the number of consecutive terms s/he may serve if
elected by the membership. The Delegate shall hold no other position as an
Officer or Board member of the Club.
Section 3.
Vacancies.
Any vacancies occurring on the Board or among the Officers during the year
shall be filled for the unexpired term of the office, by a majority vote of
all the then members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the
creation of such vacancy, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Article IV
The Club Year – Annual Meeting – Elections
Section 1.
Club Year.
The Club’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on
the thirty-first 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 September during which the
Directors and Officers 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 the successor in
office all properties and records relating to that office within thirty (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 nominated DPCA Delegate and Alternate
receiving the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected. The three
(3) nominated candidates for the other positions on the Board who receive
the greatest number of votes for such position shall be declared elected.
a)
An Alternate Delegate’s duties shall be to act
for said duly elected Delegate as a fully privileged and duly accredited
member of the Executive Committee of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America.
Such Alternate Delegate shall have the fight to vote in place of the
regularly elected Delegate in said Delegate’s absence.
Section 4.
Nominations.
No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated.
During the month of April the Board shall select a nominating committee
consisting of five (5) members and two (2) alternates, not more than one (1)
of whom may be a member of the Board. The Corresponding Secretary shall
immediately notify the committee and alternates of their selection. The
Board shall name a chairperson for the committee whose duty shall be to call
a committee meeting to be held on or before June first.
a)
The committee shall nominate one (1) candidate
for each office, three (3) candidates for the three (3) positions on the
Board, DPCA Delegate and DPCA Alternate, and, after securing the consent of
each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nomination to the
Corresponding Secretary in writing.
b)
Upon receipt of the nominating committee’s
report, the Corresponding Secretary shall before June fifteenth notify each
member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
c)
Additional nominations may be made at the July
meeting by any member in attendance provided that the person so nominated
does not decline when the nomination is proposed, and provided further that
if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meeting, the proposer
shall present to the Recording Secretary a written statement from the
proposed candidate signifying the willingness to be a candidate. No person
may be a candidate for more than one position and 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 nor in any manner other than as provided in this Section.
Article V
Committees
Section 1.
The Board may each year appoint standing
committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as dog shows and
obedience trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership and other fields which
may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to
the final authority of the Board. Special committees may also be appointed
by the Board to aid it in particular projects.
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. The Board may appoint successors to those
persons whose services have been terminated.
Section 3.
The President shall appoint an auditing
committee and an audit shall be made prior to the election of new officers.
An auditing committee may be called by the President at any time.
Article VI
Discipline
Section 1.
American Kennel Club Suspension.
Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the American Kennel Club
shall automatically 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 interest of the Club. Written changes with
specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Corresponding Secretary
together with a deposit of ten ($10) dollars which shall be forfeited if
such charges are not sustained by the Board following a hearing. The
Corresponding Secretary shall promptly send a copy of the charges to each
member of the Board or present them at a Board meeting, and the Board shall
first consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might
constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club. If the
Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be
prejudicial to the best interests of the Club, it may refuse to entertain
jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall
fix a date of a hearing by the Board not les than three (3) weeks nor more
than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Corresponding Secretary shall promptly
send one copy of the changes 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/her own defense and bring witnesses if one
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 (6) months from the date of the
hearing. And, if it deems that the punishment is sufficient, 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 one’s
fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which 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 Corresponding
Secretary. The Corresponding Secretary in turn shall 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 sixty (60) days but
not earlier than thirty (3) days after the date of the Board’s
recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of
appearing in one’s own behalf though no evidence shall be taken at this
meeting. The President shall read the charges and the Board’s findings and
recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak in
his/her own behalf if desired. The meeting shall then vote by secret written
ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 vote of those present and voting at
the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted,
the Board suspension shall stand.
Article VII
Amendments
Section 1.
Amendments to the Constitution and
Bylaws may be proposed to the Board of Directors or by written petition
addressed to the Recording Secretary signed by 20% 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 (3) months of the date when the petition was received by the
Recording 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 that purpose, provided the proposed amendments
have been included in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at
least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Such amendments shall
not become effective until approved by the D.P.C.A. Constitution Review
Committee and/or the Officers and Board of the Doberman Pinscher Club of
America.
Article VIII
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
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 the Parent Club (Doberman Pinscher
Club of America) or to any other charitable organization for the benefit of
dogs, selected by the Board of Directors.
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 meetings may permit,
shall be as follows:
ROLL
CALL
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
REPORT OF BOARD
REPORT OF PRESIDENT
REPORT OF RECORDING
SECRETARY
REPORT OF CORRESPONDING
SECRETARY
REPORT OF TREASURER
REPORT OF COMMITTEES
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND
BOARD (ANNUAL MEETING)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
Section 2.
At the meetings of the Board, the order
of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present,
shall be as follows:
READING
OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
REPORT OF SECRETARIES
REPORT OF TREASURER
REPORT OF COMMITTEES
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
ELECTION OF NEW
MEMBERS
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
Article X
Section 1.
The members of this Club are also
subject to and regulated by the provisions of the Constitutions and Bylaws
of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, anything to the contrary in this
Constitution and Bylaws notwithstanding.
Amended:
January 22, 1972
September 1,
1976
May 5, 1982
March 7, 1984
January 2, 1985
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