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Chapter Bylaws
Thousand
Island
Voyageurs
Article
I - Chapter Name
1.
The name of this not-for-profit organization shall be the Thousand
Island Voyageurs, a Chapter
of
the Family Motor Coach Association, Inc.,
hereinafter referred to as the Chapter and FMCA.
Article
ll - Object
1.
Scope: This Chapter exists to promote social,
recreational, and informational exchange
activities which will provide for the enjoyment and pleasurable use of
family member coaches.
2.
Area: This Chapter shall be authorized to function as a
regional group covering the geographic areas of
Northern
New York
State,
Eastern Ontario
and
Western Quebec
within the Northeast Area of FMCA.
Article
lll - Members
1.
Eligibility: To be eligible for and to maintain membership
in the Chapter, a person must own at least one third (1/3) of an FMCA
approved coach, be in good standing with FMCA, and meet the dues
requirements set forth in the bylaws of the Chapter.
Membership in this Chapter shall not be denied by any person
because of race, sex,
religion, colour, marital status, age, nationality, or disability.
2.
The term ‘Family Unit,’ is defined as a person; his or her
spouse, or partner; dependents of each,
regardless of age; non-dependent grandchildren and great grandchildren aged 18 and under.
3.
The term “Membership” is defined as either a family unit or
and individual or individuals owning a qualified Motor Coach who share a
membership number.
4.
The term “Member”, is defined as each adult who, jointly or
individually, constitutes a membership. The voting right of each member
are defined in the description of each category.
3.
Dues and Fees:
A:
Annual Dues: Annual payments of Chapter and National dues
enable persons to
become
active members and entitled to all the rights and privileges of the
Chapter and
FMCA.
The annual dues for membership in the Chapter shall be an amount as the
membership
shall establish and publish in Standing Rules.
B:
Renewal: Renewal dues from the Chapter members become due
and payable October
1st.
C:
Initial Application: Application for new membership shall
be accompanied by payment o
annual Chapter and National dues (unless already a FMCA member). If an
initial application
is accepted after July 1st, the dues shall be regarded as
covering the next year.
D:
Initiation Fee: New and reinstated members may be required
to pay an initiation fee in an
amount to be established by the Chapter membership.
E:
Arrears: Any member whose dues remain unpaid for more than
two (2) months after
becoming due shall be considered delinquent. Members will however remain
on the
membership list for two (2) years. After which they will be removed from
the membership of
the Chapter until all arrears are paid.
Article
IV – Officers
1.
Duties
of Officers: The duties of elected officers shall be as defined in the Chapter
Standing Rules.
2.
Terms of Office: The elected officers of this Chapter
shall serve a ONE (1) year term of
office, or until their successor is elected, the exception being that when a Junior Vice
President is elected he/she will be expected to progress annually
through the Office
Chairs.
3.
Rights and Limitations:
A. A member must own a Qualifying Motor Coach (motorhome) or at
least 1/3
interest
in a Qualified Motor Coach (motorhome) in order to
vote or hold office
in this chapter.
B:
An individual FMCA member may hold chapter office(s) in only one
(1) chapter.
C:
Individual FMCA members may hold no more than two (2) offices in
the same
Chapter.
D:
Any member in good standing may be nominated from the floor for
any elective
office.
E:
Only Full Members, Full Lifetime Members, Life Members, or
Honorary Members, who have advanced from one of these classes, have the
right to hold office in FMCA or this Chapter.
F:
No official or member shall become vested of any right, title to,
or interest in any Chapter property, except as required by law or those
previously stated in these Bylaws.
4:
Executive Board:
1.
The officers of the Chapter shall constitute the Executive Board.
2.
The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs
of the Chapter
between its business meetings. The Board shall be subject to the orders
of the
Chapter, and none of its acts shall be in conflict with the Chapter or
FMCA.
Article
V - Committees
1. Appointment: Committee
members and Chairperson (except Nominating Committee) shall
be
appointed by the President.
2.
Duties: All committees shall function within the policies of the Chapter and
(except the Nominating Committee) under the
direction of the President.
Financial
reports, vouchers, and monies due the Chapter shall be submitted on a
timely basis.
3. Quorum: a
committee quorum shall be 60 percent.
Article
VI - Chapter Administration
1.
Authority: This Chapter shall be democratically
self-governed, deriving its existence and authority
from the consent of its membership assembled in meeting or in certain
instances, by mail vote on
stated propositions.
2.
Organizational Year: The fiscal and membership year of the
Chapter shall commence on October
1st
and end on September 30th of the following year.
3.
Chapter Meetings:
A:
Type: the term “meeting” shall include coach rallies,
campouts, dinner meeting, and any
other gathering suitable to the function of the Chapter.
B:
Business Meetings: The Chapter must hold at least two (2)
business meetings each membership year at which a quorum is present.
Said meeting must be at least fourteen (14) days apart
and be duly announced in advance to the membership.
C.
Annual Elections: The business meeting held at the fourth
(4th) or (last) rally of the season prior to September 30th,
at which time the outgoing President will assume the Immediate
Past-President’s position, the Senior Vice President will normally
assume the President’s position and the Junior Vice President will
normally assume the Senior Vice President’s position. The voting
membership is to elect from a slate the following Chapter officers;
including a Junior Vice President, a Vice President Membership, a Vice
President Newsletter Editor, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a National
Director, and an Alternate National Director.
1.
Vacancy President: Should the President’s position
become vacant, the Junior
Vice President shall assume the position for the duration of the term.
2.
Vacancy: Should a vacancy occur during the year term for a
member of the
Executive Board, a new Acting Executive Board Officer may be appointed
by the
Executive Board for the remaining portion of the year term.
3.
Nominations: At the business meeting which the Chapter
nominating committee
makes their report, other nominations for any or all offices may be made
from the
floor.
D:
Rotate Officers: The
President, Senior and Junior Vice Presidents will rotate between the
USA
and
CANADA
annually.
Example:
Year 1, President from USA, Senior Vice President from
Canada
and
Junior
Vice President from
USA.
Year 2, President from
Canada, Senior Vice President from
USA
and
Junior Vice President from
Canada
.
E:
Quorum: A quorum for the transaction of business at any
duly called Chapter meeting is twenty five percent (25%) of the Chapter
family unit membership or fifteen (15) family unit members, whichever is
less.
F:
Voting: Except as specified elsewhere in these bylaws, a
single majority vote of members in good standing, present at meeting,
and voting shall be required to approve or disapprove any matter.
1.
The Chapter has established that voting will be one (1) vote for
each adult member.
2.
Balloting by mail may be undertaken when a proposed matter is
deemed to be of
such importance or urgency that the total membership vote is advisable.
This may
be deemed by the Executive Board or by a vote from the floor at a
business
meeting.
G:
Parliamentary Process: The rules contained in ROBERTS
RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern this Chapter and in all cases
to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with
the constitution and bylaws of FMCA, and of this Chapter.
4. Maintaining
Affiliation: This chapter must maintain a minimum of fifteen (15)
family unit
members.
The
Chapter Secretary shall furnish to the National Office of FMCA, no later
than the last week in December, a list of it’s membership, a list of
its incumbent Chapter officers, and assurance that two (2) business
meetings were held.
5. Annual Audit: An
annual audit of the Chapter’s financial books and records shall be
undertaken
and
reported to the membership.
A:
Auditors: Shall be nominated from the floor and will consist of
two (2) members in good
standing.
6: Application of
National Constitution and Bylaws: This Chapter accepts and agrees
that the
Chapter Bylaws shall conform to any mandatory
requirements stipulated in the National
Constitution and Bylaws of FMCA.
Article
VII - Elections
1. Nominating
Committee Composition
A:
The Nominating Committee shall consist of not less than three (3)
Chapter members in
good standing, which will be nominated and elected by the Chapter
membership. The
Chairperson of this committee will be elected from within the committee.
B:
Election of an individual to the Nominating Committee shall not
prohibit that person or any other member in good standing from being
nominated from the floor for any elected office; the exception being the
President and Senior Vice President which is normally done by an upward
movement in the chairs of office.
2:
Nominating Committee Duties:
A:
To select one of its members as Nominating Committee Chairman.
B:
To nominate candidates for the Chapter Officers, including a
Junior Vice President, a Vice President Membership, a Vice President
Newsletter Editor, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a National Director and an
Alternate National Director.
C:
To obtain clear acceptance of nominees to serve the Chapter
should they be elected.
D:
To make certain that nominated candidates are members in good
standing and qualified
under applicable National and Chapter bylaws.
E:
To nominate candidates to fill vacancies that occur in elected
Chapter officers.
Article
Vlll - Amendment of Bylaws
1.
Mandatory Amendments: Amendments applicable to Chapter
operation shall
be automatically adopted as may be required by mandatory amendments to
the National FMCA Constitution and Bylaws. Such mandatory amendments are
not subject to voting by Chapter membership.
2. Amending
Procedure: These Bylaws may be amended by a 66% affirmative vote of
the
members
present at a duly called meeting, providing that
prior notice of at least thirty (30)
days has been
given of
the propositions to amend.
3. Any member of the
Chapter may propose changes in the Bylaws. Approved amendments to these
Bylaws become effective immediately upon their adoption, or at such time
as specified in the
amendment.
4:
Distribution: Copies of changes, additions, amendments, or
revisions to these Bylaws shall be forwarded to the National Office and
to the Area Vice President.
Article
lX - Liquidation and Dissolution
In the event
of dissolution of the Thousand Island Voyageurs, a Chapter of FMCA, by
majority vote of the Chapter, all remaining assets of the Chapter shall
be contributed to the purposes for which the Chapter is organized, or
to a qualified non-profit charity or charities.
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