Constitution & BylawsThe Constitution and By-Laws of the Rhode Island Red Club of America This Constitution shall go into effect on November 17, 2006. Adopted at the Annual Meeting held in Indianapolis, Indiana November 17, 2006 ARTICLE I—Name
Section 1. The Club Shall be called the Rhode Island Red Club of America
Section 2. The address of the Club shall be that of the Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE II – Object Section 1. The objectives of the Club shall be: to promote the breeding of Rhode Island Red fowls; to urge the adoption of their true type and color by breeders, exhibitors and judges; to advance the true interests of the breed; to encourage the breeding for higher egg production of Standard Bred Reds; and to bring their unequaled all-around good qualities to the attention of the world.
ARTICLE III – Code of Ethics The Rhode Island Red Club of America stands for the following principles and expects its members to be governed by them: 1.To believe implicitly in the future of Rhode Island Reds and consider them the best all-purpose breed in existence. 2.To spread the Rhode Island Red gospel and speak a good word for the breed wherever and whenever they have the opportunity. 3.To protect the public through truthful advertising, honest, upright business methods, honest production and sale of hatching eggs, chicks and stock. 4.To advertise only true and accurate trap nest records and winnings made in the showroom, to avoid exaggerated and misleading claims in connection with all advertising, and to refrain from any disparaging remarks in print to embarrass others. 5.To exhibit and sell Rhode Island Reds with their natural color and refrain from using any pernicious methods of conditioning or fitting that will alter their natural color. 6.To advertise any office or honorary position of the Club for the purpose of personal gain is not in keeping with the spirit of the Code of Ethics. 7.The Rhode Island Club looks upon its officers as honorary and allows it's candidates to advertise in any publication, personal letters or any correspondence they feel necessary to explain their candidacy. Information is to be kept on a dignified level .Candidate may also be sponsored by friends or backers who can with the approval of the candidate initiate and pay for advertisements, which shall at all time, be kept on a dignified level and free from any false statements or remarks that might prove embarrassing to other candidates or members. Partial quotes in print that fail to complete the originator’s thoughts shall be prohibited. In this connection every candidate shall make a written statement if elected, provided the National Executive Committee feels that explanations of statements divulging a candidate’s own activities are warranted. 8.To accept any office in the Club is acknowledgement on the part of the incumbent that he or she is willing and able to carry out the duties of such office. 9.To become a member of the Club is to accept the duties of voting for officers and to stimulate Club interest and goodwill. 10.To accept membership in the Club is an acknowledgement of cooperativeness in that all correspondence must be answered promptly with respect to Club matters, answers to inquiries concerning stock, eggs, etc. The same applies to cooperation and work on committees. Support of the Club’s officers, and District meets is expected. 11. It is the duty of all members who sell stock and eggs to see that it is disease – free and that all customers obtain full value received. A specimen sold for any amount shall be worth the same to the vendor as it is the buyer, and should the buyer be dissatisfied with the specimen, it therefore becomes the duty of the vendor to refund the buyer’s money. The buyer in all cases is to pay express charges. In case of refusal to make good on the part of the vendor, the buyer has the privilege of notifying the National Secretary, who shall contact said vendor regarding the matter. Should the case warrant further action, the buyer could prefer charges of misconduct against the offending vendor. 12. All members who breed, raise and sell stock and eggs are expected to rid the breed of all diseases, e.g., pullorum, by testing for this disease and eliminating from their pens any and all reactors.
ARTICLE IV—Membership Section 1. All members shall be active members. Active members shall consist of paying members. Section 2. Any person of good character and reputation may become an Active Member of the Club. Application may be made through any Club member, to the District Director, or the National Secretary and must be accompanied by the membership fee for one year. Section 3. Membership shall be acknowledged by the Club membership card and shall date from the time of such acknowledgement terminating one year from that date. The card of the Club may prove membership for that year. Dues expiration dates are on every members Chronicle mailing label. Any member who has not paid his or her dues by the due date shall receive a warning notice and if his or her dues are not received within 30 days of said notice, the Secretary shall drop said name from the membership roll. Section 4. The Annual dues shall be $15.00 for adult membership, $20 foreign (Us Funds), which covers membership in the National Club. Section 5. Junior Members Boys and girls under eighteen years of age may take out a junior membership for $5.00. This shall entitle each junior member to all literature issued by the Club, to the privileges of competing for any of the Club prizes, but not to the privilege of voting. A junior member may become a member with all privileges by paying additional dues to become an adult member. Section 6. Charges of Misconduct of a member must be made in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer or to the President. They shall be considered, with the defense of the member, by a grievance committee consisting of the National Secretary, National President and the District Director. The said committee may, upon a majority vote, suspend for a stated time, or expel the member. Section 7. An expelled or suspended member may appeal the decision of the Committee, and the matter shall be submitted to the vote of the Club members at the Annual Meeting. Unless the majority of the members voting shall reverse the decision of the Committee, an expelled member shall be ineligible for future membership in the Club. Section 8. The club is not responsible for other peoples debts and will not take an active roll in their financial problems. Section 9. Any officer that removes money from the Rhode Island Red Club treasury for their own personal use without the approval of Executive Committee shall be barred from the Rhode Island Red Club permanently. Section 10. Members may resign by giving notice to the Secretary-Treasurer in writing. Section 11. Districts. The United States and Canada shall be divided into nine major districts; this division is made in order to have nine major meetings and exhibits each year in addition to the Annual Meeting of the Club, to secure better representation for members in all parts of the country and effect closer cooperation. The country shall be divided into districts as follows:
District 1. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. District 2. New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and District of Columbia. District 3. Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. District 4. Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. District 5. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. District 6. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. District 7. California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. District 8. Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. District 9. Canada
Section 12. District Directors who fail in the proper performance of their duties can be removed by the joint action of the National President and Secretary-Treasurer, and a new director to fill the unexpired term shall be appointed by the President within 30 days. Section 13. Any District Director who fails to respond to a communication from the National Office, which ask for and requires a response, within thirty days shall be sent a registered request for explanation (with a return card requested) and, by failure to reply in twenty days shall be automatically deposed and a successor appointed immediately.
ARTICLE V—Officers Section 1.THE OFFICERS OF THE CLUB SHALL CONSIST OF PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, ELECTION COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY-TREASURER. Section 2. All officers except the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by ballot and the one receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee, February 10 biannually in odd years, and shall be subject to dismissal by said Executive Committee at any time his conduct is such as to warrant his removal from office. Section 3. THE GENERAL SUPERVISION AND CONDUCT OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE CLUB SHALL BE VESTED IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHICH SHALL CONSIST OF THE PRESIDENT, VICE -PRESIDENT, ELECTION COMMISSIONER, SECRETARY TREASURER AND THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF EACH OF THE NINE DISTRICTS. Section 4. The Executive Committee shall carry out instructions of the Club, authorize expenditures (but no expenditures shall be authorized beyond the assets of the Club); it shall devise means to carry out the aims and objectives of the Club; make such rules as may be deemed necessary during the year for the conduct of the meeting, the awarding of prizes, etc.; and perform such other duties as are delegated to it by the Constitution and By-Laws. Section 5. The President shall preside at such meetings as he or she may attend; carry out the instructions of the Executive Committee; approve proper and authorized claims against the Club; and perform such other duties as are customary to that office that are not herein otherwise delegated. Section 6. The Secretary-Treasurer shall, as secretary conduct the general correspondence and keeps the records of the club. He/she shall, as treasurer, collect all monies due and shall pay from the funds of the Club such claims as are properly authorized and approved. If deemed necessary, he shall furnish a bond of not less than $1000, the amount of the bond to be decided by the Executive Committee: the premium of said bond shall be paid by the Club. Section 7. An officer shall remain in office until his successor is appointed. Section 8. Officers appointed by the President shall hold office until the next bi-annual election. Section 9. Vacancies. If vacancies in office of national or district occur, the National President through appointment of a new officer for the unexpired term shall fill such vacancies until the next election. (If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall succeed to this office for the unexpired term). An appointee of the National President shall succeed the Vice President.
ARTICLE VI—Nominations and Elections Section 1. ANY MEMBER, INCLUDING THE CANDIDATE, IN GOOD STANDING MAY NOMINATE CANDIDATES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS. THE NOMINATIONS SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT DIRECTORS WHO WILL IN TURN FORWARD THE NOMINATION TO THE SECRETARY-TREASURE NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 25, IN EVEN YEARS. The purpose is to single out the most active members in each district and induce them to become candidates for office. Section 2. Any member or officer may aid the Executive Committee by listing the desirable characteristics of any prospective candidate. No member or officer shall, however, employ methods of any kind to dissuade Executive Committee members from nominating candidates of their own choice. Neither shall any member or officer attempt to persuade any candidate to withdraw his name as candidate in favor of another, either prior to or subsequent to the time of nominations. Section 3. The official ballot for National election shall appear in the Red Club Chronicle, with the names and addresses of each candidate appearing. The ballot shall be removed and with the postage paid by the voter, instructions are to be printed on the ballot, which each member shall remove, fill out and send immediately to the Secretary-Treasurer. Section 4. The official ballot mailed to each member in this manner shall have printed on it the names of all candidates to be voted for, and opposite each name a square shall be printed. Write-in votes are prohibited and shall invalidate the voter’s ballot. The ballots shall contain full instructions for the guidance of voters as to the manner of marking. Section 5. The counting of the ballots shall take place at a specified place and hour after 3:00PM on December 2. (In Case December 2 falls on Sunday, the vote shall be counted on the following day)> Announcement of the same shall be printed on the election ballot. If it is impossible for the Election Commissioner to count the votes on December 2, they may be counted any time within five days thereafter, provided the candidates are so notified of the specific time and place. Each candidate shall have the right to be present in person or, by an accredited representative, to witness the counting of the ballots. No votes shall be counted that are postmarked later than November 25. No vote shall be counted except those on official ballot. No vote shall be counted that has not been properly marked and legally signed by a club member. No ballot shall be counted that has been in any way changed or tampered with. No change can be made in a ballot once cast, even by a Club Member. The Election Commissioner shall grant a grace of seven days for the receiving of the ballots.
ARTICLE VII—Voting Section 1. The Election Commissioner shall conduct all elections. The duties of the Election Commissioner as to conducting elections are given under Section 3 of Article VI. This section also provides the methods of procedures to be followed in the Club’ Bi-annual Elections in even years. Section 2. Officers of the club shall hold their respective offices until their successors are elected and accept their positions. The terms of the newly elected officers shall commence on the first day of February following each election. Section 3. District Directors hold office as per Section 2 of this article. Section 4. No proxies can be voted at any meeting of the Club.
Article IX—Meetings Section 1. Annual Meetings of the Club shall be held in conjunction with the National Meet to discuss and decide any measures for the good of the Club and to act on any business not properly covered by the Executive Committee. Section 2. The National Meets shall be placed by the National Executive Committee and the District Directors. It shall generally be the Club’s policy to rotate the National Meet to all sections of the United States and Canada, except on special occasions when certain locations may be more suitable for this meet. The National Secretary-Treasurer each year in the July issue of the Chronicle asks for bids to host the following year’s National Meet. These bids must be in the hands of the National Secretary-Treasurer by September 15th. No bids postmarked after September 10thwill be considered. Bids may be submitted any time in the calendar year prior to this time. The National Secretary-Treasurer will compile the bids and mail to the National Executive Committee members and the District Directors for their consideration. They will make their choice and notify the National-Secretary by October 1st. The National Secretary-Treasurer will count the votes and publish in the November Chronicle the location of the meet. Section 3. Special Meetings, as may be deemed advisable, shall be arranged for by the National President and announcement of the time and place shall be made sixty days before such meeting. Section 4. The National Meeting of the Club shall not be placed in the same district two years in succession except when certain locations may be more suitable for this meeting. Section 5. The District Meets of the Club shall not be placed at the same location two years in succession but must rotate between all states and /or provinces where poultry exhibitions are held. Section 6. In absence of the proper presiding officers at a General or District Meeting, a chairman shall be chosen and a clerk appointed who shall send a copy of the minutes to the proper director. Section 7. TEN MEMBERS SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE NATIONAL MEETING OR SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CLUB. A MEETING HOWEVER CAN BE CONDUCTED WITH LESS THAN TEN MEMBERS PRESENT. RESOLUTIONS WILL BE MADE BY CLUB MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE AND MEMBERS VOTING ON AN OFFICIAL BALLOT, PRINTED IN THE CHRONICLE AT LEAST 60 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE NATIONAL OR SPECIAL MEETING. BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED PRIOR TO THE 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL OR SPECIAL MEETING AND SENT TO THE CLUB SECRETARY. BALLOTS AND VOTES FROM MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE WILL CONSTITUTE THE FINAL VOTE AND WILL BE COUNTED DURING THE MEETING. Section 8. Five members shall constitute a quorum for a District meeting.
ARTICLE X—Finance Section 1. In November of each year, the National Secretary shall furnish a financial statement covering receipts and disbursements, assets and liabilities, together with a report of the year’s activities. Section 2. Funds may be appropriated for any special purpose by the Executive Committee or by members at that annual meeting, but in no case shall funds in excess of ten percent of the amount in the treasury be appropriated without approval of the Executive Commitee
ARTICLE XI—Prizes Section 1. The Executive Committee shall have the power to offer prizes out of the funds of the Club. Section 2. Rules of the show where meets are held shall govern in awarding best display. Where the shows have no rules covering best display, this shall be awarded on the following basis: A display must consist of at least one cock, one hen, one cockerel, one pullet and one trio and as many more as the exhibitor see fit to enter. Scale of points to govern as follows: Six points for first prize; 4 points for second; 3 points for third; 2 points for fourth; one point for fifth. Trios to count double as follows: 12 points for first; 8 points for second; 6 points for third; 4 points for fourth; 2 points for fifth. The number of points a birds wins is then multiplied by the total number of birds or total number of trios in each individual class(c, h, k, p, young trio, old trio) to achieve the final display totals.
ARTICLE XII—Publications Section 1. THE CLUB SHALL PUBLISH EACH YEAR A FULL MEMBERSHIP LIST IN THE APRIL RED CLUB CHRONICLE, THE OFFICIAL ORGAN. THE CHRONICLE SHALL BE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY IF THE NECESSARY FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AND MEMBERSHIP IS 150 OR ABOVE. ARTICLE XIII—Stipulations Section 1. The stipulations of Article IX and XI shall be governed by the number in membership which is to be determined by the National Executive Committee in accordance with finances and the number of active members.
ARTICLE XIV—Rhode Island Red Bantams Section 1. The Rhode Island Red Bantams shall receive equitable consideration and the same privileges as the large birds and shall at all times be given the amount of space in the official organ as the bantam breeders deem necessary.
ARTICLE XV—Rhode Island Red Hall of Fame Section 1. The Rhode Island Red Hall of Fame shall be established as a means to honor distinguished members of the Club to stimulate activity of all members. Section 2. Any member is eligible for consideration to the Hall of Fame provided he has served the Club and Breed in a sustained manner over a period of not less than ten years. Contributions in the fields of breeding, exhibiting, writing and Club work shall constitute the principal criteria for consideration to this honor, the highest honor the Club has to offer. Section 3. The Hall of Fame Committee shall consist of seven members to be appointed annually by the National President. Section 4. The Hall of Fame Committee shall each year between January and July select and vote for candidates. Each member shall forward his selections to the National Secretary-Treasurer who in turn shall count the votes of each candidate. The member receiving the most votes shall win this honor. Section 5. The names of each member elected to this honor shall be recorded by the National Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE XVI—Amendments Section 1. THE CONSTITUTION OR BY-LAWS MAY BE ALTERED OR AMENDED BY A THREE FOURTHS VOTE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OR SPECIAL MEETING BY THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AND FROM THE WRITTEN BALLOTS POSTMARKED 15 BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING. BALLOTS ARE TO BE PRINTED IN THE OFFICIAL RHODE ISLAND RED CHRONICLE A MINIMUM OF 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL OR SPECIAL MEETING. Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution or By-laws must be submitted to the Secretary by the members ninety days before the Annual Meeting, or any special meeting called for that purpose. Section 3. Proposed amendments shall become part of the Constitution upon receiving a tree fourths vote at the Annual Meeting or such special meeting.
This Constitution shall go into effect on November 17, 2006. Adopted at the Annual Meeting held in Indianapolis, Indiana November 17, 2006 |
