MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURES

 

1.  Club Membership

1.1.  Membership in the Club confers all of the rights and obligations of General Membership including the right to vote on issues before the General Membership, the right to hold elective office in the Club and the obligation to support the Club’s activities and events.

1.2.  Any person, who is at least eighteen year of age and who agrees to be bound by Code of Ethics and the bylaws of the Club and who submits a Completed Application as defined below, may apply for Club membership hereafter referred to as the Applicant.

1.3.  All memberships are individual and each person seeking membership must individually meet the qualification requirements and procedures herein defined.

1.4.  The Club does not condone nor shall it deny membership to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or ethnic background.

1.5.  The Applicant shall submit a Completed Application to the Club’s Membership Chairperson or other Club officer for consideration.  A Completed Application is defined as an application for membership in the Club that meets each and all of the conditions below:

1.5.1.A standard and officially sanctioned Club membership application shall be completely and accurately filled out with all of the information requested.

1.5.2.The Club membership application must be signed by two current Club members, not from the same household, in good standing who thereby vouch for the good character of the Applicant and the Applicant’s sincerity in becoming a Club member.

1.5.3.The Club Code of Ethics (COE) agreement shall be agreed to and signed by the Applicant.  The signed COE agreement must accompany the Membership Application.

1.5.4.A signed and valid check or money order for the full amount of one year’s annual Club membership dues must accompany the membership application.

 1.6. The Date Of Application shall be the first date on which the  application is first read.

 1.7. The Club, it’s Board of Directors and its General Membership reserves the right to deny, not recommend approval or remove a Membership Application from consideration for any reason, either with or without cause, except as defined in Section (1.2) above.

1.7.1.Should the Applicant’s Membership Application be denied the Applicant may request a hearing of the Club’s Board of Directors to appeal the denial and request the reinstatement of the Membership Application.  The Board of Directors at their sole discretion and by a simple majority vote of the directors present may reinstate the Membership Application or sustain its denial.

1.7.2.All Applicants must be in good standing with the American Kennel Club to qualify for membership in the Club.

2.  Membership Application Process

2.1. The process for the submission and consideration of a membership application requires the completion of each and all of the sub paragraphs to this Section (2).

2.2. The Applicant shall submit a Completed Application as define above to the Membership Chairperson or other Club officer in order to be considered for membership in the Club.

2.3. The Applicant shall attend and be present for the role call at two (2) Club General Membership meetings.  At these meetings, with the Applicant in attendance, the Applicant’s Membership Application will be read to the Club members present for their consideration and be so noted in the meeting minutes.

2.3.1.Club functions that do not include a regularly scheduled General Membership meeting shall not be counted for the purpose of satisfying this two meeting requirement for acceptance to membership.

2.3.2.The two meetings need not be consecutive.  However, failure to complete the required two meetings within twelve months of the original Date Of Application shall be cause for the Applicant’s Membership Application to be denied.

2.3.3.Should the Applicant present a Completed Application as defined above to the Membership Chairperson or the presiding officer at a Club General Membership meeting and the Applicant is present at that meeting, that meeting shall be counted as the first meeting towards the fulfillment of the two meeting requirement for acceptance to membership.

2.3.4.It shall be the President’s responsibility to publish the Applicant’s name in the meeting notice for the next regularly scheduled General meeting following first reading of the Application For Membership.  The Applicant’s name shall be included in each meeting notice for subsequent General meetings until the attendance requirement for a second meeting is satisfied or twelve (12) months have expired, whichever comes first.

2.4.  Following the reading of the perspective member’s Membership Application at the second Club General Membership meeting, with the Applicant in attendance, the Presiding Officer shall call for a - secret ballot vote of the General Membership present to approve or reject, by simple majority, the Membership Application.

2.4.1.If the Membership Application is so approved it shall be so recorded in the meeting minutes and Club membership shall be bestowed upon the Applicant including the rights to vote on issues before the General membership and hold elective office in the Club.

2.4.2.If the Membership Application is denied by a majority vote of the General Membership, membership shall not be bestowed on the Applicant and all monies submitted with the Membership Application shall be returned to the Applicant.

2.5. Applicants whose Membership Application is denied may not reapply for membership in the Club for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months.

2.6. The requirement to attend two meetings, as defined in Section (2.2) above, may be waived by a simple majority vote of the Club’s Board of Directors in the following special cases:

2.6.1.Previous Club member whose membership elapsed and who is now reapplying for Club membership. 

2.6.2.Members in good standing of other A.K.C. recognized West Highland White Terrier breed clubs who apply for Club membership.

3.  Reinstatement of Membership

3.1. Should a member request reinstatement due to paying dues no longer than one month late, a letter requesting reinstatement must accompany dues along with all required signed materials.  This (these) individual(s) must be current with all club financial obligations at the time of reinstatement.  A simple majority vote of approval by the Board of Directors will reinstate this (these) member(s).

 

Revised July 24, 2004