ASDI Club Constitution and By-Laws

		Club Constitution and By-Laws of Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc^Ž

		The Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc.^Ž is officially associated with the United Kennel Club, Inc. ARTICLE I NAME AND OBJECTIVES SEC 1. Name of Club SEC 2. Objectives SEC 3. Nonprofit status SEC 4. Amendments BY-LAWS ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP SEC 1. Eligibility SEC 2. Dues SEC 3. Election to Membership SEC 4. Termination of Membership ARTICLE II MEETINGS SEC 1. Annual Meeting SEC 2. Special Club Meetings SEC 3. Board Meetings ARTICLE III DIRECTORS and OFFICERS SEC 1. Board of Directors SEC 2. Officers SEC 3. Vacancies SEC 4. Discipline of Officers SEC 5. Regional Directors ARTICLE IV THE CLUB YEAR, VOTING, NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS SEC 1. The Club Year SEC 2. Voting SEC 3. Nominations for Officers and Regional Directors SEC 4. Annual Elections ARTICLE V COMMITTEES SEC 1. SEC 2. SEC 3. ARTICLE VI DISCIPLINE SEC 1. SEC 2. Charges SEC 3. Hearing ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS SEC 1. Proposal of Amendments SEC 2. Voting ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION ARTICLE IX ORDER OF BUSINESS SEC 1. Regular Annual Meeting SEC 2. Meetings of the Board ARTICLE X MAILING ADDRESS, RECORDS, CLUB INSIGNIA, CLUB PUBLICATIONS SEC 1. Mailing Address SEC 2. Records SEC 3. Club Insignia SEC 4. Club Publications ARTICLE XI CODE OF ETHICS ARTICLE XII PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY ARTICLE I NAME AND OBJECTIVES SECTION 1 The name of the Club shall be: "Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc^Ž" SECTION 2 The objectives of the Club shall be: to preserve the Anatolian Shepherd Dog (Çoban Köpegi) as a livestock guardian, and to maintain the temperament, soundness, and natural instincts which have evolved through centuries as a working partner of the Turkish Shepherd.. to encourage and promote the ownership, training, use as livestock guardians, and the exhibition of purebred Anatolian Shepherd Dogs. to do all in its' power to protect and advance the preservation of the Breed by encouraging sportsmanlike conduct at all times, and to maintain the best of human relations among owners of the breed. to further the advancement and the appreciation of the purebred Anatolian Shepherd Dog through education of its' members and the general public. to urge all Anatolian Shepherd Dog owners to acquaint themselves with congenital and hereditary diseases in dogs, and to oppose reproduction from defective stock. SECTION 3 The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit, and no part of any profits or remainder from dues or donations to the Club shall accrue to the benefit of any member or individual. SECTION 4 The members of the Club shall adopt and may from time to time, review and amend, such By-Laws as my be required to carry out these objectives. (Article VII, Section I) BY-LAWS ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP SECTION1 Eligibility. Any person eighteen years of age or older who subscribes to the purposes of this club and is the owner of an Anatolian Shepherd Dog, shall be eligible for membership. SECTION2 Dues. Membership dues shall be determined annually by the Board of Directors and will be payable on or before the first day of January of each year. During the month of October, the Secretary shall send to each member a statement of his/her dues for the ensuing year. Those members who have not paid by November 20th will be sent a second notice by the Secretary before December 1st. Those who have not paid by January 1st will forfeit their membership. [Article 1, Section 4(b)] Each statement or invoice for membership dues shall carry the following reminder: "With renewal of membership, each member reaffirms his adherence to the club Constitution and By-Laws, and Code of Ethics." SECTION3 Election to Membership. Each applicant for membership shall complete and sign an application form approved by the Board of Directors which shall clearly state that the applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws, Code of Ethics, and the rules of the United Kennel Club, Inc. The application shall contain the name, address, telephone number, and occupation of the applicant. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit payment of dues for the current year. Applications shall be sent to the Club Secretary. The name, city and state, of each person applying for membership shall be submitted within ninety (90) days by the Secretary to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will vote on the application quarterly from a prospective membership list submitted to the Board by the Secretary. Favorable vote by 2/3rds of the Board of Directors shall be required to elect an applicant. Membership shall be probationary until thirty (30) days after Board approval, during which time all members will have the opportunity to write their views to members of the Board of Directors. A challenge of the election of a member by a letter signed by a majority of membership shall cause the Board of Directors to reconsider the election of said member. If an application has received an unfavorable vote by the Board of Directors, a petition endorsed by a majority of the members in good standing, shall cause the application to be submitted to the membership by a secret ballot circulated by the Secretary. A majority vote of those voting shall elect such a candidate. If a candidate is turned down, he/she may not reapply before six (6) months have elapsed. SECTION 4 Termination of Membership. Membership may be terminated by: Resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Secretary, but no member may resign when in dept to the Club. by lapsing. A membership shall be considered lapsed and automatically terminated if such member's dues remain unpaid after January 1st; however, the Board of Directors may grant sixty (60) days of grace to delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may a person be entitled to vote in any of the Club Meetings or by mail for any election, amendment, or motion, or hold any office except as specified in Article V, Section 3, whose dues are unpaid after January 1st for the current year. by expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these By-Laws. ARTICLE II MEETINGS SECTION1 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Club shall be held in conjunction with the Club's National Specialty Show at such time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors by majority vote. The Annual Meeting will ordinarily be held the day before the National Specialty Show. Written notice of the Annual Meeting shall be mailed to each member in good standing by a Board approved Show Chairperson at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. A quorum for the Annual Meeting shall be 20% of the non-probationary members in good standing. SECTION2 Special Club Meetings. Special Club Meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors. A special Club Meeting shall also be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by a majority of the non-probationary members of the Club in good standing. Written notice of such meetings, stating the business to be conducted, shall be mailed to each member in good standing by the Secretary, at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting, and no other business shall be conducted at that meeting. The quorum of such a meeting shall be a majority of the non-probationary members in good standing. SECTION3 Board Meetings. The Board of Directors shall hold an annual meeting in conjunction with the Club's National Specialty Show, at such time and place as may be designated by the President, or, in his/her absence, by the Secretary. Written notice of such annual meeting shall be mailed to each member of the Board at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting. The Board of Directors may conduct its' regular business by telephone, by mail, and/or by meetings. Any business transacted by telephone must attempt to poll the entire Board membership or may consist of a telephone conference call of which all Board members are apprised at least fourteen (14) days in advance. The meeting must be reduced to writing and mailed to each board member within fourteen (14) days of the telephoned matter, in order that each member may sign a ballot signifying his/her telephone vote, so that written record may be kept of all telephone business. This may be done by the Secretary in conjunction with the circulation of the Minutes of the Board meeting. Such Minutes shall also be circulated to the Board members for their approval, or revised, within fourteen (14) days of receipt by the Board members, and, at the discretion of the Board, may be recapped for publication in the next Choban Chatter by either the President or the Secretary. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such times and places as designated by the President, or by a majority vote of the entire Board. The quorum for any type of Board meeting shall be a majority of current Officers and Directors in good standing. ARTICLE III DIRECTORS and OFFICERS SECTION1 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors (or Board) shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Regional Directors, all of whom shall be non-probationary members in good standing who have been members for at least two years and who, in the opinion of the Board, show exceptional knowledge of the Anatolian Shepherd. They shall be elected for two year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected. The Board of Directors shall be a policy-planning body. It shall concern itself with all matters which may affect the interests or welfare of the club and of the breed. General management of the Club's affairs shall be entrusted to the Board. Actions of the President, and/or the Board, may be overruled by a majority vote of the entire membership, specifically polled by secret ballot, sent out by the Secretary on the matter concerned. Such a polling may be called for by petition of the members signed by a majority of the non-probationary members in good standing. SECTION2 Officers. The Club's Officers, consisting of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and the Secretary shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to he Club and its' meetings, and the Board and its' meetings. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club, and of the Board, and shall be the chief executive officer of the Club and the Board. He/She shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of the President in addition to those specified in these By-Laws. He/She shall have the sole authority to nominate members of all regular and special committees, except the Nominating Committee, and, with the approval of the Board, to appoint them and discharge them. he/she shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him/her, from time to time, by the Board. If the nominations of a President are declined by the Board, he/she may solicit a petition of a majority of the members of the Club for a vote to override the Board's ruling. If such petition is granted, the non-probationary membership in good standing shall be polled by a secret ballot and a majority vote of said members [Article IV, Section 2(c)] in good standing shall uphold the President's nominations. The Vice-President shall have the powers, and exercise the duties of the President, in the case of the President's death, absence for more than three months, or incapacitation. The President's absence or incapacitation must be certified by 2/3rds of the Board. - The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club, of the Board, of all votes taken by mail, and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. He/she shall notify members of meetings, notify new members of their election to membership, notify Officers and Directors of their election to office, keep an up-to-date roll of the members of the club with their addresses and phone numbers, have charge of all general correspondence and inquiries concerning the Club and the Breed, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these By-Laws. The Board may appoint and discharge members to assist the Secretary in such areas as Correspondence and Membership, or any other area of Secretarial responsibility deemed necessary by the Board. The Board shall designate a registry co-ordinator who will handle all single dog United Kennel Club Inc. registration requests and litter registration requests that require special consideration. These considerations may require Board approval. The Secretary shall have duplicate copies of all registry co-ordinator materials. The registry co-ordinator shall not be a member of the Board unless he/she also holds some other Board position. The President (or any other Officer or Director) may however, communicate directly by mail with the members of the Board or with the general membership if he/she wishes, but a copy of any communications with the general membership must first be filed with the Secretary. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due, or belonging to, the Club. He/she shall deposit same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of the Club. He/she shall pay by check, from the funds of the club, all bills approved by the Board. He/she shall keep a record of the sources and amount of all monies received and all disbursements made, and shall render complete financial reports to the members of the Club annually as of December 31st. His/her books shall be open to inspection by the Board at all times. The books can be opened at any time to the general membership as follows: a) at the discretion for the Treasurer, b) by a majority vote of the Board, c) as a result of petition signed by a majority of the membership. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined if deemed feasible by the Board, or by a vote of the majority of the non-probationary members in good standing. SECTION3 Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring on the Board, or among the Officers during the year, shall be filled until the next Annual Election 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 Board Meeting called for that purpose, or by mail; except that a vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled automatically by the Vice-President and the resulting vacancy in the office of the Vice-President shall be filled by the Board. Such appointment shall be valid only until the next Annual Election. An Officer's or Director's absence from two (2) consecutive Board meetings over a period of one (1) year may constitute a vacancy of that position and can be subject to Board action, including suspension. The Board of Directors will make every effort to fill Regional Directorship vacancies which may occur during the year, however, circumstances my prevail which make this impossible until annual elections are held. SECTION 4 Discipline of Officers. Any Officer whose conduct or malfunction in office is deemed injurious to the best interests of the Club may, by a vote of the majority of the Board, be suspended from the rights and privileges of that office, at a Board meeting held for that purpose. At the time suspension is sought, the entire membership must be informed by the Secretary, or by some other Officer if the action is against the Secretary, of the action being taken and the charges on which it is based. No Officer may be suspended unless the charges preferred against him/her have been sent to him/her by mail at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting where the charges are to be heard and he/she given an opportunity to appear in his/her own defense and bring witnesses and counsel if he/she deems it necessary. Failure to appear to answer charges, except for good cause as determined by the Board, shall constitute an automatic removal from office, and all records pertinent to the office must be returned to the Secretary, or to the President, if the Secretary is involved, within ten (10) days. Such suspension or removal by the Board may be over turned by the general membership if a majority of the non-probationary members in good standing petition a polling [Article IV, Section 2(c)] of the membership on this matter, and if a majority of the members voting vote to support that petition. Any officer who is expelled will automatically cease to be a Director and will not by privy to any further Board activity. SECTION 5 Regional Directors. The Directors shall represent separate geographical Regions of which they shall be residents at the time of their nomination and election to office. The geographical distribution and number of Regions shall be decided by a 2/3rds vote of the members of the Board, but in no case shall the number of Regions be fewer than three (3) or more than twelve (12). Any change in geographical distribution or number of Regions shall take effect at the beginning of the next Club year in which Regional Directors are elected, unless the changes in Regions are made after the Nominating Committee has submitted its' slate of Nominees, in which case the changes shall be delayed one Club year to the beginning of the second succeeding Club year. The Regions shall be drawn in order to make the representation of members of each Region as nearly equal as possible. Every fifth year the President shall nominate, and with the approval of the Board, shall appoint a Special Committee to reconsider the alignment of Regions in order to maintain the representation of members in each Region to be as nearly equal as possible. Election of Regional Directors of Regions so drawn shall be by the general non-probationary membership. The responsibility of the Regional Directors shall include but not be limited to, providing assistance to the members and the general public in their Regions. Each Regional Director shall be specifically charged with regular communication with the members of his/her Region, especially with regard to all actions taken in the name of the Club by the President and the Board. Each Regional Director shall also be responsible for organizing and/or co-ordinating specifically required activities as designated by the United Kennel Club, Inc. in order to gain and maintain recognition as the parent Anatolian Shepherd breed club for the United Kennel Club, Inc. Upon request, all Regional Directors shall be given a current copy for the membership list for their region. ARTICLE IV THE CLUB YEAR, VOTING, NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS SECTION1 Club Year. The Club's Fiscal and Official Year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31st day of December. SECTION2 Voting. At the Annual Meeting, or at Special Meetings of the Club, voting shall be limited to non-probationary members in good standing who are present at the meeting. Election of Officers and Directors, and Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws, shall be decided by written secret ballot cast by mail. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted under any circumstances. From time to time, the Board may decide to submit other specific questions for the decision of the non-probationary members by written ballot cast by mail. The membership, by a written petition signed by a majority of the non-probationary members in good standing, shall require the Secretary to submit question (or questions) separately and promptly (i.e., within fifteen (15) days of its' receipt), to the membership for their consideration. Such ballots, unless otherwise specified as in the case of Amendments to the By-Laws and Constitution, shall be decided by a majority of the membership voting. Any polling of the membership, whether on special issues or regular elections, must be by secret and separate ballots. No ballot may be part of any other publication, save as specified in Article VII, Section 2. SECTION3 Nominations for Officers and Regional Directors. No persons may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated in accordance with these By-Laws. A Nominating Committee shall be chosen by the Board of Directors annually on or before September 1st. Any member of the Board may nominate individuals for the Nominating Committee. Selection shall require a majority of all members of the Board. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members in good standing, not more than one of whom shall be a member of the current Board. The Board, again by majority vote of the entire Board, shall name a Chair for the Committee, who may be nominated by any member of the Board. The Nominating Committee may conduct its' business by mail, telephone or actual meeting. A record must be kept of the Committee's deliberations and actions. That record is to be turned over to the Secretary. The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among the non-probationary members of the Club in good standing, one candidate for each office, and for each other position on the Board and shall procure the acceptance of each nominee so chosen. The Committee shall then submit it's slate of candidates to the Secretary on or before September 15th. The Secretary shall then mail the list, including the full name of each candidate, to each member of the Club by October 1st, so that additional nominations may be made by the non-probationary members in good standing if they so desire. Nominees for Regional Director will be chosen by the Nomination Committee so there will be one candidate from each geographical Region as defined in the Appendix to these By-Laws. Additional nominations of eligible members for any position may be made by written petition addressed to the Secretary and received at his/her regular address on or before November 1st, signed by five (5) non-probationary members and accompanied by the written acceptance of each additional nominee signifying his/her willingness to be a candidate. No person shall be a candidate for more than one position, save a specified in Article III, Section 2(e) above, and the additional nominations that are provided for herein may be made only from those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee. If no valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before November 1st, no balloting shall be required; the Board shall declare that the nominating Committee's slate has been elected by acclamation and will assume office on the following January 1st. If any position is contested, a regular ballot [See Article IV, Section 4] will be issued for all positions so that members may indicate their positive support by a vote, or may abstain from voting for any individual. When the results are published, all votes for each position will be reported to the membership in the next issue of the Choban Chatter. SECTION 4 Annual Elections. If one or more valid, additional nominations are received by the Secretary, on or before November 1st, he/she shall mail, on or before December 1st, to each non-probationary member in good standing as of November 15th, a ballot listing all nominees for each office or Regional Directorship. Nominees shall be listed alphabetically for each Office of Regional Directorship. The ballot shall be sent together with a blank envelope and return envelope addressed to the Counting Organization marked "Ballot", and bearing the name and return address of the member to whom it was sent. So that ballots may remain secret, each voter, after marking his/her ballot, shall seal it in the blank envelope, which shall then be placed in the second envelope addressed to the Counting Organization. The voter must sign the outer envelope above his/her name and return address. Ballots must be received by the Counting Organization no later than January 1st, and shall be counted on the first business day following. The outer envelope shall be checked against the Secretary's list of members in good standing as certified by the Treasurer to verify the eligibility of the voter. When all of the outer envelopes have been checked, the inner blank envelopes will be removed, opened, and the ballots counted. The persons receiving the highest number of votes for each position will be declared elected. The Counting Organization shall be selected by a Counting Committee consisting of three (3) members in good standing, no more than one of whom may be a member of the Board who is not up for re-election. The Committee shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Board, annually, on or before September 1st. On or before November 1st, the Committee shall submit to the Board its' selection of a Counting Organization with a schedule of attendant costs. The costs are to be financed by an annual allocation of $100 from each member's dues to a fun specifically for this purpose. The Board may at its' discretion, add to this fund. Any amount in the fund over $500.00 shall be deemed an excess and shall be distributed to other funds as the Board deems necessary. If the Counting Organization can be paid out of the money available in the fund, the Board shall be bound by the recommendation of the Committee. Results of the voting shall be published in the next issue of the Club publication. If any nominee at the time of voting shall be unable to serve for any reason, such nominee shall not be elected, and the vacancy so created shall be filled by the Board in accordance with Article II, Section3. Newly elected Officers and Directors shall take office immediately following the election results, each year. Previous Officers and Regional Directors must turn over their Club records to their successors within thirty (30) days of publication of the election results. An Editor of the official Club publication shall be appointed by the Board from the members in good standing by May 1st and shall serve for the Club Year. There may be a Club Historian who shall have access to all Club records for all years prior to the current operating year. He/she may be appointed every two years, by the Board, from the members in good standing, within sixty (60) days after the Board has taken office. He/she may be nominated by the President, as are committee members [See Article III, Section 2(a)]. He/she will have the responsibility of preparing a historical record of the Club's past and keeping the Club's history up to date save for the current year. The Club Historian will not be a member of the Board unless elected to one of the regular Board positions. ARTICLE V COMMITTEES SECTION1 The President may nominate each year and, with the approval of the Board, appoint Standing Committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as shows, obedience trials, trophies, breed information, membership, stock guard use, and other matters which may well be served by such committees. Standing Committees are defined, in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, as "constituted to perform a continuing function, and remain in existence permanently or for the life of the assembly that establishes them. In an ordinary society, the members of such a committee serve for a term corresponding to that of the officers, and continue their duties until their successors have been chosen. Thus new body of committee member is normally appointed at the beginning of each administration." Special or Select Committees may also be appointed to aid the President on particular projects. A Special or Select Committee is defined, following Robert's Rules of Order, as "appointed, as the need arises, to carry out a specified task, at the completion of which -- i.e., on presentation of its' final report to the assembly -- it automatically ceases to exist." Membership on such committees will be nominated and approved as specified in Article III, Section 2(a) The Board, after consultation with the President, may also nominate and appoint a Special Committee to aid it with a special purpose. The committee's function and membership will ordinarily remain intact until that purpose is fulfilled. An example of such a Special Committee would be one formed to organize a future Specialty Show. Its' function could potential continue after the year in which it was formed. SECTION2 All Committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee. The President may nominate, and with the Board approval, appoint [See Article III, Section 2(a)] successors to those persons whose services have been terminated. SECTION3 Ordinarily all committee members must be full members in good standing, but exceptions can be made to the requirement if the Board deems a non-member participant maybe of special benefit to the Club. Committee appointees shall receive written notice and accept the position in writing to the Secretary. ARTICLE VI DISCIPLINE SECTION1 Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the United Kennel Club, Inc, shall automatically be suspended from the privileges of this club for a like period. SECTION2 Charges. Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the Breed. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary, together with a deposit of $30.00, which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board or a Trial Board following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly send a copy of the charges to each member of the Board or present them at a Board Meeting. 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 or the Breed. it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, the Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. The Board shall promptly set up a Trial Board consisting of one member appointed by the Board, one member of the club in good standing to be chosen by the defendant, and a third member to be chosen by the first two. The Trial Board shall send notice (by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested) to the defendant of its' appointment, requesting that the defendant decide whether the hearing is to be conducted in person or by mail. The defendant must exercise his/her option within fourteen (14) days of receipt of said notice, or the Trial Board shall make the decision. The Trial Board shall set a date for a hearing no less than three (3) weeks nor more than six (6) weeks after the accused has chosen whether he/she prefers that the hearing be conducted in person or by mail. [See Article VI, Section 3.] The Trial Board shall act in all respects for the Board, including setting the date, time and place of any hearings of the charges. The Board of Directors may prefer charges against persons who shall bring to its attention any matter which, upon investigation, shall be found to have been reported to the Board from malicious or untruthful motives, or to have been based upon suspicion, without foundation of fact or knowledge. SECTION3 Hearing If the hearing is conducted by mail, both parties shall be requested to submit to the Trial Board within the time limits specified in Section 2 above, all evidence available. Such evidence shall be in written form, and must be sworn to. Within thirty (30) days of the date the evidence is submitted, the Trial Board shall render a decision based on a majority vote. The Board of Directors shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend a hearing, but both the complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in this matter. If the defendant elects to have a hearing in person, the Trial Board shall, by telephone Conference Call, determine the date and place of the hearing, and the Secretary shall promptly advise the defendant of the date and place of the hearing, with the assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his/her own defense and bring witnesses if he/she so desires. Said hearing in person shall be held not less than three (3) weeks nor more than six (6) weeks from the date of election. Whether the hearing is conducted by mail or in person, careful records of what is written or stated verbally shall be kept. When the hearing is completed and a verdict rendered, any member in good standing of the club may request a copy of the full transcript of the hearings. Any member requesting access to the transcript must be given direct access to it by the Secretary or be permitted to have a copy made of the transcript at his/her expense. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by the complainant and the defendant, the Trial Board may, by a majority vote, suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for no less than one (1) year. If the Trial Board deems that punishment insufficient, it may also expel the defendant. Immediately after the Trial Board has reached a decision, it's findings shall be put into written form and filed with the secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the Trial Board's decision and penalty, if any. ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS SECTION1 Proposal of Amendments. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed by the Board or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by a majority of the non-probationary membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board and must be submitted to the members with the recommendation of the Board by the Secretary for a vote not later than thirty (30) days after the date the petition was received by the Secretary. SECTION2 Voting. The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any time provided that a copy for the proposed amendment has been mailed by the Secretary to each full member of the club (i.e., non-probationary member in good standing at the date of the mailing), along with the Board's recommendation, accompanied by a ballot on which he/she may indicated his/her choice for or against the action to be taken. The ballot shall be secret and will be conducted as is the ballot for elections of Club Officers and Regional Directors, as specified in Article IV, Section 4. A notice shall specify a date not less than thirty (30) days after the date of mailing by which date the ballots must be returned to the Counting Organization to be counted. The favorable vote of 2/3rds of the non-probationary members in good standing who return valid ballots within the time lit shall be required to effect any such amendment. ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION SECTION1 The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2/3rds of the non-probationary members. The membership will be polled by secret ballot on this question if such action is requested by a petition signed by a majority of the non-probationary membership in good standing. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, whether voluntary or involuntary, 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. After payment of the debts of the Club, its' property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs as selected by the Board. ARTICLE IX ORDER OF BUSINESS SECTION1 The order of business to be followed at the Regular Annual Meeting, and at any other meetings of the Club,. so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit, shall be as follows Roll Call Minutes of last meeting Report of President Report of Secretary Report of Treasurer Report of Committees Election of new members Unfinished business New business Adjournment SECTION2 At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by a Majority vote of those present, shall be as follows: Roll Call Reading of minutes of last meeting Report of President Report of Secretary Report of Treasurer Report of Committees Unfinished business New business Adjournment ARTICLE X MAILING ADDRESS, RECORDS, CLUB INSIGNIA, CLUB PUBLICATIONS SECTION1 Mailing Address. The mailing address of the Club shall be that of the incumbent Secretary. SECTION2 Records. All Club records and ballots, shall be made available by the Sec for examination by any member in good standing upon request, at the place of custody of said records. All election ballots shall be kept by the Secretary for twelve (12) months. The Secretary shall be the custodian of all records of the Club save as specified in Article III, Section 2, 2,d). Officers and Regional Directors shall deposit a copy of all their records within a month of the date of the records, with the Secretary, who must turn all records over to his/her successor within one (1) month of termination of his/her term of office. SECTION3 Club Insignia. The official Club insignia shall be a representation of an Anatolian Shepherd dog, as approved by the membership, and may be used for any purpose in representing the Breed for this Club. SECTION 4 Club Publications. The official publication of this Club shall be called Choban Chatter™ and shall be published at such intervals as may be determined by the Board. In addition to Choban Chatter™, the Board may cause to be published, from time to time, copies of the Official Breed Standard and such other materials which in their opinion would promote the objectives of this Club. ARTICLE XI CODE OF ETHICS SECTION1 Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics of the Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc.^Ž as adopted by the club, shall be a part of this Constitution and By-Laws. ARTICLE XII PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY SECTION1 The rules of parliamentary procedure comprised in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the proceedings of this Club, and the Board, subject to such By-Laws as have been or may be, adopted. We hereby certify that the foregoing Constitution and By-Laws, consisting of ten (10) pages, including this page, constitute the By-Laws of the Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc of Maryland, adopted by its Board of Directors as of July 23rd, 1997. signed by President, Secretary and Treasurer revised 07/01/96 [ Back to The Club ] This page copyright by Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc. Ž .