Proposed Changes

PROPOSED CHANGES:

American Buckeye Poultry Club (A.B.P.C) Constitution & Bylaws

ARTICLE I. - NAME, PLACE & OBJECTIVES

Section 1 - Name: The name of the organization shall be the American Buckeye Poultry Club (ABPC.)

Section 2 - Place of Business: The address of the Secretary

Section 3 - Objectives: The objectives of the Club/Association shall be to encourage and promote interest in the Buckeye

Breed, both large fowl and bantams; to raise awareness of the Buckeye Breed in poultry shows and poultry publications; to

improve the quality of the Buckeye Breed; to provide a better understanding of the Buckeye Breed; to increase the

knowledge of the history and qualities of the Buckeye Breed; to enhance the Buckeye Breed’s standing and reputation in the

poultry world; to bring together those interested in Buckeyes for increasing and sharing of wisdom and knowledge for the

mutual benefit of the members and to bring about a more perfect standard for the breed.

ARTICLE II. - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 - Any person who is interested in the object of this organization and who agrees to abide by its Constitution &

Bylaws, shall be entitled to membership by sending name(s), address and required annual dues to the Secretary-

Treasurer. Payment of dues shall constitute full acceptance of this Constitution & Bylaws.

Section 2 - Any person joining the organization on or before December 31, 2009 shall be deemed a Founding Member.

Junior Members are those persons under 18 years of age.

Section 3 - Annual dues shall be $15 per year per Adult member; $5 per year per Junior Member or $25 per year per

Household/Family: $13 for Youth Partnership with ABPC and Youth Exhibition Poultry Association , and $150 for Lifetime

membership.

Section 4 - Membership becomes effective upon the payment of annual dues. Members shall keep their membership

current by the payment of annual dues on or before January 31 of each year. Dues may be paid in advance for up to a three

(3) year period. Only members in good standing may vote for elected Club Officers.

Section 5 - Any member in good standing can resign from the organization by sending a letter of resignation to the Secretary

by U.S. Mail, first class postage. All interest of a resigned member in the organization’s property or funds shall then cease.

Section 6 - (a) Charges of Misconduct of any member shall be settled by a Grievance Committee consisting of three (3)

Club members. Charges must be submitted in writing to the Secretary only by a member(s) in good standing. The

Secretary shall send a copy of the charges by certified mail, return receipt, U.S. Mail, to the accused member. The accused

member shall have thirty

(30) days from the receipt of said charges to prepare a written answer to the charges and submit

it to the Secretary allowing for 3 additional days for mailing. This answer shall be immediately forwarded to the President by

the Secretary. A Grievance Committee of three (3) disinterested Adult members in good standing shall then be appointed

one (1) by the President and one (1) by the Vice President. These two (2) members shall then appoint a third Adult member

to chair the Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee shall report its decision within thirty (30) days to the Executive

Committee, the Secretary and the accused party. The chair of the Grievance Committee shall prepare the said report. The

decision may be permanent expulsion, suspension for a period of time or a private or public reprimand.

(b) An expelled, suspended or reprimanded member may appeal the decision of the Grievance Committee to the

President in writing within thirty (30) days. The President, after thoroughly reviewing the charges, the facts and the written

decision of the Grievance Committee, shall render a final decision in the case. An expelled member shall be ineligible for

further and continued membership in the Club.

member, by submission by the President of the person’s name and special contribution to the Objects of the Club and a

2/3 vote in favor for the Honorary Recognition by the current members in good standing.

(d) The club reserves the right to refuse membership to any person.

ARTICLE III. - OFFICERS & DISTRICTS

Section 1 - Officers. The elected officers (also known as The Executive) shall consist of a President, Vice President, a

Secretary

, and a

Treasurer. The Junior Division shall also consist of a President and Vice President. The Board shall

appoint the

following non-elective officers: an Election Commissioner; an Awards Commissioner; a Newsletter Editor or Co-

Editors

and a Website Manager or Co-Managers. A member may serve as more than one non-elective officer concurrently

needed. A member may not serve as more than one elective officer concurrently.

Section 2 - Districts & Representatives. There shall be FIVE Districts as follows:

SOUTHWESTERN - The States of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Arizona, Nevada,

and the Country of Mexico.

CENTRAL – The States of Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the

Province of Ontario.

WESTERN - The States of Washington, Oregon, California, Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Hawaii,

Nebraska, Colorado, The Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

SOUTHEASTERN - The States of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,

Kentucky, Virginia, Bermuda, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

NORTHEASTERN - The States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,

New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia and the Provinces of Quebec, New

Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador.

(b) The

four

elected officers shall appoint a Representative of each District. In the event that no Representative is

appointed,

then the Vice President shall serve as de facto Representative for each such District.

Section 2 - Eligibility. Any member in good standing may run for an elective office. Any member may nominate a member in

good standing for any office. Any member in good standing may be appointed to a non-elective office.

Section 3 - Term of Office. All elective officers’ terms of office shall be until an officer resigns or FIVE members call for an

election in writing. These provisions shall take effect retroactively.

Section 4 - The elected officers shall begin serving January 1st following their election and until such time as their

successors have been elected. The Club year shall run from January 1st through December 31st and the Club books shall

close with the Club year.

Section 5 - Removal from Office: Any officer, elective or non-elective, may be removed by a majority vote o

f the Executive

Officers/ Committee. The Executive Officers/ Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President,

Secretary

, and

Treasurer,

the Election Commissioner and the Five District Representatives. Each Executive Committee

member shall have only one

(1) vote in any decision to remove an officer. Removal of an officer by this procedure shall

automatically trigger an election.

ARTICLE IV. ELECTIONS

Section 1 – When an election is required under these by-laws, the Secretary, on or before November 1st preceding the

election of officers, shall call for nominations or submissions to run through the Club Newsletter and/or the Club’s website.

Any members who wish to run may submit their names to the Secretary and any members wishing to nominate a member

may do so with the Secretary by ballot. The Secretary shall verify with each nominee a willingness to serve if elected.

Section 2 - The election shall take place in person by members present at the annual meeting once an election is called.

Votes shall be by a show of hands at the annual meeting of four (4) elective officers: President, Vice President, Secretary

and Treasurer.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS/MEETS

Section 1- The National Meet. Each District Representative may submit a choice as to the location of the National Meet to

the Secretary if the Executive Officers decide that the National Meet is going to be at a location other than the Ohio National.

The Secretary then submits these choices to the President and Vice President. The President shall then select the location

of the National Meet each calendar year. If after May 1st, the President has not selected the site for the National Meet, then

the Vice President may decide its location. Unless otherwise changed, the National Meet shall be at the Ohio National each

year.

Section 2 - Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual meeting to transact such business as may pertain to the interests

and welfare of the Club. In the absence of the President, the annual meeting shall be chaired by the 1) Vice President; 2)

Secretary 3) Treasurer; 4) any District Representative; 5) any non-elective officer; or 6) a member elected by the members

present.

Section 3 - The time and place of the annual meeting shall be determined by the President and announced in the Club

Newsletter or in the Poultry Press in the club’s monthly column or a combination of both if some place other than Ohio

National, at least 60 days before the meet. Four (4) members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4 - The order of business shall be: 1) signing the Roll Call sheet and introductions; 2) reading of the last minutes if

available; 3) Secretary Report and Treasurer’s Report; 4) old business; 5) new business; 6) judge’s comments if possible;

7) discussion of anything relevant to the Buckeye breed; and 8) adjournment.

ARTICLE VI. MANAGEMENT

Section 1 - The management of the affairs of the Club shall be vested with the Executive Committee /Officers, to-wit:

President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The five (5) District Representatives shall serve as an advisory board to

the Executive Officers.

Section 2 - The President is the chief executive officer and shall preside at meetings and appoint all non-elective officers

and committee members as needed. The President shall carry out the instruction of the Club as made at said meetings

and at all times, the President acts in the best interest and welfare of the Club. The Junior Division President (if one) shall

be under the direction and guidance of the President and the Junior Division Vice President (if one) shall be under the

direction and guidance of the Vice President. Junior Division officers shall have the duty to work with the Secretary and

Treasurer and the District Representatives as to meets.

Section 3 - In the absence or inability of the President to discharge any aspects of the office of President, the Vice President

shall act as president until the next election, or until the President regains the ability to resume the office of President,

whichever occurs first.

Section 4 - It shall be the duty of the Vice President to serve as Acting President when required. It shall be the duty of each

District’s [appointed] Representative to place any District, State or

Special Meets within their respective Districts and to keep the Secretary and Treasurer informed of where the meets have

been placed. In the absence of a District’s [appointed] Representative in placing a Meet, any Executive Officer may place any

of the Meets. Any Executive Officer may place a Special Meet anywhere. The Secretary and officers, Newsletter Editor(s),

Communications Director and Website Manager(s) are to assist through newsletters, poultry publications and websites in

advertising meets as necessary.

Section 5 - Any District may hold TWO (2) District Meets in separate areas of that district, to accommodate its members,

subject to approval of the President. Any District may designate Special Meets, State Meets at the discretion of the District

Representative and subject to approval of the President.

Section 6 - The Executive Officers shall be responsible for compiling the awards won by our members and shall work

closely with the Secretary and Treasurer.

Section 7 - The Officers or Newsletter Editor or Co-Editors or Communications Director (whatever name designated) shall

be responsible for soliciting information from members and officers, compiling and drafting a newsletter which may be

circulated by any means of communication deemed sufficient. The Website Manager or Co-Managers shall be responsible

for communicating with all entities and parties having to do with the Club’s website and managing its contents. Both the

Editor(s) and Manager(s) and officers shall work closely with the Elected Officers in these matters. Both the Website

Manager and the Newsletter Editor SHALL “email copy” the Secretary-Treasurer all correspondence whatsoever.

Section 8 - The Secretary shall conduct the necessary correspondence of the Club, keep correct minutes of all meetings,

etc. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of the books and papers pertaining to the club and this office, including,

but not limited to, membership rolls, bank account and financial records, etc. In the absence of the Secretary at the annual

meeting, any officer or person appointed may keep the minutes. The Treasurer shall collect dues, donations and other

funds for the Club. The Treasurer shall pay all legitimate Club expenses, including printing, postage, publicity ads, awards,

website & newsletter fees and office supplies. All Club accounts shall be kept in proper order for inspection by the Executive

Officers, including cancelled checks, money orders, income receipts, expense receipts and bills of lading upon request for

the same.

Section 9 - The Secretary and/ or Treasurer shall carefully and faithfully preserve all past records pertaining to that office,

including, but not limited to, a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws, yearbooks, minute books, reports of committees,

petitions, grievances, membership rolls and any and all worthy communications whatsoever to the best of his/her ability.

Section 10 - It shall be the duties and responsibilities of all the Officers, both the elected and non- elected, to further the

interests of the Club in every way considered proper and possible.

Each officer shall cooperate in every manner appropriate and promptly upon matters submitted to them by mail, fax or email

for their opinion, vote or decision.

Section 11 - Vacancies may be filled by the President or as needed, in the President’s absence, by the Vice President after

consulting the other Executive Officers.

Section 12 - This Constitution & Bylaws may be altered or amended in whole or in part by a majority vote of the members

present at the annual meeting.

Section 13 – Any Executive Officer or member in good standing may propose changes to the Constitution & Bylaws for

updating revisions at the annual meeting. Any such proposal shall be discussed and the President or highest officer in

attendance shall decide whether the proposed change shall be voted upon at the annual meeting.

Section 14 - This is the entire Constitution & Bylaws of The American Buckeye Breed Club of America. Any matter not

covered herein may be passed upon by a majority of Club members in good standing at the annual meeting.

Proposed Changes to the Constitution