Constitution and By-laws of Working Molossers United
Article I. NAME, COLORS, PROFIT STATUS AND BUDGET
Section 1.01 NAME
(a) The name of this association shall be "Working Molossers United” The Acronym shall be “WMU”.
Section 1.02 COLORS and LOGO
(a) Colors shall be red, white, and black.
(b) The logo shall be a Molosser Dog.
Section 1.03 PROFIT STATUS AND BUDGET
(a) This club shall be conducted as a non-profit organization.
(b) No member may derive any income from the association. Persons who, in the course of official duties or in service to the association, incur expenses may apply to the Treasurer for reimbursement of these expenses.
(c) The fiscal year of Working Molossers United shall begin on January 1 of each year and end on December 31 of the following year.
(d) The Executive Board shall be responsible for a budget and its approval. This budget shall categorize and include all projected income and expenses for WMU for a minimum of one year from the date of submission. The Treasurer is directed to pay all budgeted expenses as approved by the Board of Directors. After determining that the monies are available, the President shall have the power to direct payment of expenses of up to two hundred dollars ($200.00) over existing budget limitations per category per year. No additional expenses shall be incurred unless full justification is submitted to and formally approved by the Executive Board of Directors.
Article II. OBJECTIVES
Section 2.01 The objectives of this association shall be to promote the Cane Corso in working and performance events.
Section 2.02 WMU Activities shall:
(a) Promote training for the Cane Corso.
(b) Promote humane training methods.
(c) Support responsible dog ownership and breeding practices.
(d) Develop, qualify, and license local clubs so that they may conduct working events such as FKA Schutzhund, Ring Sports, etc.
(e) Develop tests to insure the further development and maintenance of the working Cane Corso, and to encourage local clubs to implement these tests.
(f) Promote training of working dogs among the youth.
(g) Support the use of working dogs for search and rescue work, military, police work, customs and patrol work, guide dog work, scenting work, farm work, guarding, herding and in other ways for which working dogs are utilized.
(h) Produce a vehicle of communication to promote the objectives of the association.
(i) Annually conduct a national working event (FKA Schutzhund, Ring Sports etc.) to coincide with the annual meeting.
Article III. PERFORMANCE REGULATIONS
Section 3.01 The performance regulations for all WMU working evaluations shall be decided by the Board of Directors yet shall be based upon international standards if applicable. Any changes from the currently accepted trial regulations require approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.02 Only judges sanctioned by WMU, AWDF member clubs, or FCI member organizations that have been approved by the Board shall preside over events sanctioned by WMU.
Article IV. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4.01 TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP
This association shall be composed of three (3) types of individual memberships.
(a) Full Membership
Full members shall be provided with an official membership card and shall receive a subscription (if applicable) to the association's official publication. Full members shall be eligible for special awards and privileges as established by the Board of Directors. A full member need not be a resident of the United States.
(b) Family Membership
A family membership shall recognize two (2) persons in a family as individual full members with all rights and privileges as described in section "a" above. This membership shall issue each person a separate membership card. It shall include one (1) subscription to the association's magazine (if applicable). The dues for a family membership shall be one and one-half (1.5) times the dues for a full membership.
(c) Honorary Membership
From time to time, as the association deems appropriate, a person or persons may be offered honorary membership. This is intended to honor a person or persons for an achievement or for a service to the association. Honorary members shall be given a special membership card and shall receive a subscription to the official publication (if applicable). Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges of membership, but shall not vote or hold office.
Section 4.02 RULES FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS
(a) Annual dues
The Board of Directors shall establish the amount of dues for all types of membership. Honorary members shall be exempt from annual dues. Dues shall be honored for one (1) year from the date of origin, and payable on June 1. If dues are received from a prospective member at a time less than six (6) months before the annual due date, then the dues for that period are half (1/2) the amount established.
(b) Non-payment of dues
One (1) month before the expiration date of his/her membership, each member shall be so notified by WMU. Any member whose dues are not paid by the expiration date shall be subject to the assessment of late fees for renewal. Should an additional reasonable grace period elapse without payment of dues and any late fees, the member shall have his membership canceled. Such cancellation shall result in loss of all rights and privileges of membership. The Executive Board shall have the authority to set reasonable late fees and grace periods for the purpose of this part.
(c) Resignation
Any member of WMU may resign from the association at any time and shall be deleted from the membership list. Resignations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. All dues are non-refundable.
(d) Transfer of membership
Memberships are not transferable and shall terminate automatically on the death of the member.
Section 4.03 DISCIPLINE
(a) Charges
Any full member may prefer charges against any other member for conduct prejudicial to the interests of WMU. The allegations must be submitted in writing and must be sworn to before a Notary Public. The charge(s) shall be forwarded to the WMU Secretary with a deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each charge. The deposit shall be forfeited for each charge which is not sustained or determined not to be relevant.
(b) The Secretary shall send copies of said charges by certified mail to each member of the Board of Inquiry within thirty (30) days after receipt.
(c) The Secretary shall send one (1) copy of the charges to the accused member by certified mail not more than thirty (30) days after receipt.
(d) The accused may answer charges in writing to the Secretary within thirty (30) days of receipt. The accused may also provide testimony from witnesses. The Secretary shall forward copies of any answer and/or any testimony to all members of the Board of Inquiry by certified mail within thirty (30) days of receiving same. If no answer is received, the Secretary shall so inform the Board of Inquiry after thirty (30) days. The Board of Inquiry must act within sixty (60) days of receiving the answer to the charges or the notification that no answer was forthcoming.
(e) Within the thirty (30) days after the Board of Inquiry receives the charges, the Board of Inquiry shall make a determination about the relevancy of the charges and if they shall be considered by the Board of Inquiry. If not relevant, the accuser shall be notified by the Secretary within thirty (30) days of the Board's decision.
(f) To be heard, charges must be filed within one (1) year of the date of the alleged misconduct. The Board of Inquiry shall, by majority vote, sustain or not sustain the charge(s).
(g) Charges which solely concern business deals between WMU members shall not be heard.
(h) The Board of Inquiry shall recommend, if the charges are sustained, an appropriate disciplinary action which may or may not be imposed by the Executive Board of Directors.
(i) No member who has been suspended or expelled by WMU may participate in any activities sponsored by the association, or in activities sponsored by any of its clubs, for the duration of the suspension or permanently if expelled.
(j) Disciplinary action taken by a local club against a member or members is an internal affair of the club and does not affect a person's membership in WMU. Such local disciplinary actions need not be recognized or honored by other local clubs.
(k) If the charges fail to be heard by the Board of Inquiry within the time frame specified by Section 3, d and e as provided in these bylaws, all money deposited with WMU by the member filing charges will be refunded and a full report will be made to the Executive Board of Directors.
(l) The President and Secretary of the organization may file charges on behalf of WMU without the required filing fee to prefer charges against any individual member (s).
Section 4.04 THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(a) Definition
The Executive Board of Directors shall consist of: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, as well as the Membership Chairperson, and 2 Directors at Large.
(b) The President remains until he or she steps down or is removed by a 3/4ths vote of the Executive Board.
(c) The Executive Board shall elect from the list of full members of WMU: the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chairperson and 2 Directors at Large.
(d) With the exception of the president, each Executive Board Director shall serve a two year term.
(e) Meetings
(i) A meeting of the Executive Board may be called at any time by the President.
(ii) A meeting of the Executive Board shall be called by the WMU Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by 2/3rds of the members of the Executive Board.
(iii) A meeting of the Executive Board of Directors may be conducted via conference call.
(iv) The business of the Executive Board may also be conducted by electronic means, including e-mail, provided that all members of the Executive Board have adequate opportunity to engage in discussion on any issue, and that voting is carried out securely and secretly until all members of the Executive Board have voted or a clear majority exists.
(f) Duties
It shall be the duty of the Executive Board of Directors to conduct the affairs of WMU. The Executive Board shall not have the authority to amend or repeal these constitution and bylaws.
(g) All actions of the Executive Board shall be reported as minutes. A printed copy of the minutes will be sent to any individual member of WMU at that member's request. For the purposes of this section, "minutes" of actions conducted by e-mail shall consist of a roll call voting record of the action. Discussion by the Executive Board need not become part of the official minutes unless specifically agreed to by a majority of the Executive Board.
(h) Quorum
In order for the Executive Board of Directors to conduct any business, a quorum must be present. A simple majority of members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
(i) Voting
(i) Only members of the Executive Board may vote at its meetings or on mail ballots.
(ii) No person may cast more than 1 vote on any item of business.
Section 4.05 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
(a) The current edition of "Robert’s Rules of Order" shall govern this association in all parliamentary situations that are not covered in the law, or in these constitution and bylaws, or adopted rules. In case of a conflict between the provisions of these constitution and bylaws and the parliamentary provisions of "Robert’s Rules of Order" the provisions of these constitution and bylaws shall prevail.
Article V. OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 5.01 OFFICERS
The Officers of WMU are those people who handle the official affairs of the association. Officers shall have a vote on both Boards of Directors. The Officers of the association shall be:
(a) President
(b) Vice President
(c) Treasurer
(d) Secretary
Section 5.02 TERMS OF OFFICE
All elected Officers shall have a term of office not to exceed two (2) years.
Section 5.03 DUTIES OF OFFICERS
(a) President
The President is the Chief Executive Officer and legal head of the association. The president exercises supervision over the association and all its activities. The President represents WMU in public, presides at business meetings, and has the authority to appoint committees. The President may sign letters and documents necessary to carry out the will of the association. The President serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and shall be an advisory member of all committees except the Board of Inquiry and the Nominating Committee.
(b) Vice President
The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in case of his/her absence or incapacitation. The Vice President shall assume that office for the remainder of the term in the event the office is vacated for any reason.
(c) Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting, accounting for and handling all funds of the association. The Treasurer shall insure that all funds are deposited in such financial institution as the Board of Directors may designate. He/she shall see that disbursements therefrom are made as is necessary and proper to meet the just and due obligations of WMU. The Treasurer shall present a financial report every quarter and at any other time as requested by the President or the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall make all of his/her records available at the annual meeting for review by any full member of WMU.
(d) Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for taking and preparing accurate minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall maintain a complete file of the ordinances, bylaw revisions, resolutions and other official WMU action. The secretary shall maintain a file of committees and the members thereof. The Secretary shall record all terms of office and inform the Membership when elections are due. During the meeting of the annual meeting, it shall be his/her duty to insure that only those persons with proper credentials be seated. The Secretary shall insure that only persons authorized to vote are allowed to vote and shall perform other duties as prescribed by the Board.
(e) Membership Chairperson
The Membership Chairperson shall be the chairman of the Membership Committee. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the general membership of the WMU, and insure that the annual dues are submitted to the Treasurer. Further, the Membership Chairperson shall be responsible for informing the general membership of upcoming membership renewals.
(f) Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these constitution and bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by WMU.
Section 5.04 NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
(a) Nominations
Candidates for officer and director positions may be nominated:
(i) By the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall make known its selections for Officers, Membership Chairperson, Directors at Large and standing committee members at the annual meeting.
(ii) From the floor. After the Executive Board has delivered its nominations and report, nominations will be accepted from the floor. Only members in good standing may make nominations. All nominations must be seconded. Nominees for Officers, Directors at Large and standing committees must be present at the annual meeting or must have furnished the Secretary with a written statement of agreement to be a candidate.
(iii) Candidates not nominated. One need not be nominated to receive votes for office. "Write in" balloting is permitted.
(b) Eligibility
To be eligible for election, a nominee or write in candidate must be a full member of WMU. He/she must be over twenty-one (21) years of age. He/she may not be under current disciplinary action.
(c) Election of Officers
(i) The Executive Board shall elect Officers and Directors at Large at every meeting which takes place in an even numbered year.
(ii) The voting shall be by secret ballot only.
(iii) A Ballot Counting Committee shall be appointed by the President. It shall determine the legality of the ballots cast, tabulate the results and give them to the President who shall announce the results of the election.
(iv) A majority of votes of the members present is required to elect. Repeat balloting is required if no candidate receives the necessary majority. On reballoting, the candidate receiving the least votes would be dropped.
(v) Newly elected Officers, members of the Executive Board, and standing committees shall be seated at the conclusion of old business.
(vi) There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms a person may hold office.
Section 5.05 VACANCIES
(a) If the office of Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Chairperson or Director at Large should be vacated for any reason, or if the incumbent becomes incapacitated and cannot or is unwilling to perform the duties of office, the Executive Board shall elect a replacement. For the purposes of these bylaws incapacitation shall mean illness or death.
(b) Nominations for the vacant office must be submitted to the Secretary. The Secretary shall conduct the balloting of the Executive Board. The Vice President shall conduct the balloting if the Secretary's office is vacant.
(c) The newly elected Officer shall hold office until the next annual meeting. At that time he/she can either be ratified or replaced.
Article VI. APPOINTED POSITIONS
Section 6.01 EDITOR
The editor shall be appointed by the President of WMU and confirmed by the Board of Directors. The editor shall publish, at regular intervals, a publication which carries information about, as well as the official views of, WMU. The President of WMU shall direct its editorial policy so as to promote the programs and policies of the association.
Section 6.02 APPOINTED COMMITTEES
(a) The President shall have the right to appoint committees as he/she deems necessary, but may not appoint a committee to perform a function which is given to an officer or standing committee by these constitution and bylaws. The right to appoint a committee brings with it the right to appoint the chairman of the committee.
Article VII. COMMITTEES
Section 7.01 STANDING COMMITTEES
The committees indicated below are permanent. All members of these committees shall be elected by a plurality vote of the membership. The members of the committee shall elect a committee chairman unless otherwise stipulated in these provisions. All members of standing committees shall serve a two (2) year term and must be full members of WMU. In the case of vacancies that may arise between elections, the Executive Board may appoint members of the committee to serve until the next regularly scheduled election for that position.
(a) Auditing Committee
The Auditing Committee shall audit the financial accounts of WMU. The committee shall consist of three (3) persons. The Treasurer shall not be a member of the Auditing Committee.
(i) If the Treasurer has not secured the services of a Certified Public Accountant upon request of the Board and/or has not presented the CPA's report to the Board, the Auditing Committee shall perform, or secure the services of a Certified Public Accountant to perform a complete audit of WMU financial records.
(ii) The committee shall have the power to summon the Treasurer to answer any questions. A report of the audit and/or a report of the legitimacy of WMU 's expenses shall then be made to the Members at the annual meeting.
(iii) Members of the Auditing Committee shall be elected in even numbered years.
(b) Board of Inquiry
(i) The Board of Inquiry shall consist of three (3) persons. WMU Officers, Judges, and Directors at Large shall not be eligible to serve on the Board of Inquiry.
(ii) It shall be the duty of this board to hear cases of alleged misconduct and alleged violations of WMU regulations. This board shall not entertain any charges which are not filed within one (1) year of the date of the alleged misconduct or rule violation. This board shall, by majority vote, determine the relevancy of any charges, and sustain or not sustain the charges. It shall report its findings to the Executive Board of Directors and, if its finding is to sustain the charges, the Board of Inquiry shall recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
(iii) The Board of Inquiry may conduct its business in person, by telephone or by mail or e-mail. Balloting by telephone is permissible but must be confirmed in writing.
(iv) Should any member of the Board of Inquiry be the subject of charges the chairman shall, by drawing lots, choose one (1) of the alternate members to replace the Board of Inquiry member who is subject to charges. The appointed alternate shall also hear any other case which arises while he/she is seated as a member of the Board of Inquiry.
(v) No member of the Board of Inquiry shall hear charges against any person who is a member of the same local club. The chairman shall, by drawing lots, select an alternate member to hear the case. Any full member so replaced shall hear any other case(s) which arises while his club member's case is pending.
(vi) Any member of the Board of Inquiry may request to be excused from hearing a specific case. No reason need be given. The member shall make his/her request to the chairman, in writing, who shall, by drawing lots, choose one of the alternate members to hear the case.
(vii) If charges are sustained against any member of the Board of Inquiry, the recommendation for discipline shall include this member's removal from the Board of Inquiry for the duration of his/her term.
(viii) Three full members of the Board of Inquiry shall be elected in even numbered years. Alternates for appointment to the Board of Inquiry shall be elected by the Board from among full members in WMU, and the names forwarded to the Chair of the Board of Inquiry, in those cases where an alternate is required.
(ix) In the event the chairman of the committee can not act in that capacity for any reason, the chairman shall be that person who received the next highest number of votes from the membership.
(x) The Board of Inquiry shall make a report to the Executive Board of Directors at the annual meeting which reports the number of accusations filed with the Board of Inquiry and the outcome of those filings, while protecting the identity of the accused and accuser.
(c) Events Committee
(i) The Events Committee shall consist of the WMU President and two (2) members at large.
(ii) The committee shall oversee national events as determined by the Board. It shall establish rules and procedures for use by the host clubs which conduct such events.
(iii) The committee shall be responsible for the judges at all WMU events. It shall be the keeper of the event rules and regulations. It shall be responsible for the conduct of WMU judges. It shall recommend that a judge’s license be granted to persons who have successfully completed the apprentice judge program. It may recommend that a judges license be revoked for conduct prejudicial to the interest of WMU. A decision to accept or reject the recommendation shall be made by the Board of Directors. Any judge whose license has been recommended for revocation shall be permitted to speak at the board meeting at which the recommendation is heard.
(iv) The committee shall design and implement a program to select and train apprentice judges, to see to the ongoing education of licensed judges and oversee the conduct of all apprentice judges and judges.
(d) Nominees for standing committees must be present at the annual meeting or must have furnished the Secretary with a written statement of agreement to be a candidate. In the case of vacancies on standing committees that may arise between elections, the Executive Board may appoint members of the committee to serve until the next regularly scheduled election for that position.
Section 7.02 SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Either Board of Directors shall have the authority to create special committees as deemed necessary. Such a committee shall be dissolved when the task assigned to it is completed. Election to a special committee shall be as determined by the creating authority.
Article VIII. AMENDMENTS
Section 8.01 These constitution and bylaws may be amended only by the membership at the annual meeting. Any change, addition, or deletion to this Constitution or these By Laws requires a 2/3rds vote but no fewer than that equal to a minimal quorum for conducting business.
Section 8.02 Amendments to these constitution and bylaws may only be considered when written notice of the intent to introduce changes to an article has been mailed to each full member, and WMU Officers and Directors not less than thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting of. The proposed changes must be specified. If such notice is published in the association's official publication not less than ninety (90) days prior to the meeting date, then the requirement for mailing written notice shall be waived. If amendments to specific articles of this Constitution and By Laws are proposed in compliance with this provision, further amendments may be made from the floor of the annual meeting for that respective article.
Section 8.03 A special process for amendments of these bylaws can be conducted by email between annual meetings.
Article IX. DISSOLUTION
Section 9.01 Working Molossers United may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of 3/4ths of the membership.
Section 9.02 Dissolution may only be considered at the annual meeting. A special meeting for this purpose shall be called if the Secretary receives a written request for such a meeting from a majority of WMU members.
Section 9.03 Dissolution may only be considered if written notice of the intent to dissolve is sent to all full member clubs, WMU Officers and Directors, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the special meeting called for this purpose.
Section 9.04 If the association is dissolved, all just debts and liabilities of the association shall be paid. After payment of all debts and liabilities of the association, its assets and properties shall be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for dog training purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under Section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
© 2018 Working Molossers United All Rights Reserved.
Article I. NAME, COLORS, PROFIT STATUS AND BUDGET
Section 1.01 NAME
(a) The name of this association shall be "Working Molossers United” The Acronym shall be “WMU”.
Section 1.02 COLORS and LOGO
(a) Colors shall be red, white, and black.
(b) The logo shall be a Molosser Dog.
Section 1.03 PROFIT STATUS AND BUDGET
(a) This club shall be conducted as a non-profit organization.
(b) No member may derive any income from the association. Persons who, in the course of official duties or in service to the association, incur expenses may apply to the Treasurer for reimbursement of these expenses.
(c) The fiscal year of Working Molossers United shall begin on January 1 of each year and end on December 31 of the following year.
(d) The Executive Board shall be responsible for a budget and its approval. This budget shall categorize and include all projected income and expenses for WMU for a minimum of one year from the date of submission. The Treasurer is directed to pay all budgeted expenses as approved by the Board of Directors. After determining that the monies are available, the President shall have the power to direct payment of expenses of up to two hundred dollars ($200.00) over existing budget limitations per category per year. No additional expenses shall be incurred unless full justification is submitted to and formally approved by the Executive Board of Directors.
Article II. OBJECTIVES
Section 2.01 The objectives of this association shall be to promote the Cane Corso in working and performance events.
Section 2.02 WMU Activities shall:
(a) Promote training for the Cane Corso.
(b) Promote humane training methods.
(c) Support responsible dog ownership and breeding practices.
(d) Develop, qualify, and license local clubs so that they may conduct working events such as FKA Schutzhund, Ring Sports, etc.
(e) Develop tests to insure the further development and maintenance of the working Cane Corso, and to encourage local clubs to implement these tests.
(f) Promote training of working dogs among the youth.
(g) Support the use of working dogs for search and rescue work, military, police work, customs and patrol work, guide dog work, scenting work, farm work, guarding, herding and in other ways for which working dogs are utilized.
(h) Produce a vehicle of communication to promote the objectives of the association.
(i) Annually conduct a national working event (FKA Schutzhund, Ring Sports etc.) to coincide with the annual meeting.
Article III. PERFORMANCE REGULATIONS
Section 3.01 The performance regulations for all WMU working evaluations shall be decided by the Board of Directors yet shall be based upon international standards if applicable. Any changes from the currently accepted trial regulations require approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.02 Only judges sanctioned by WMU, AWDF member clubs, or FCI member organizations that have been approved by the Board shall preside over events sanctioned by WMU.
Article IV. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4.01 TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP
This association shall be composed of three (3) types of individual memberships.
(a) Full Membership
Full members shall be provided with an official membership card and shall receive a subscription (if applicable) to the association's official publication. Full members shall be eligible for special awards and privileges as established by the Board of Directors. A full member need not be a resident of the United States.
(b) Family Membership
A family membership shall recognize two (2) persons in a family as individual full members with all rights and privileges as described in section "a" above. This membership shall issue each person a separate membership card. It shall include one (1) subscription to the association's magazine (if applicable). The dues for a family membership shall be one and one-half (1.5) times the dues for a full membership.
(c) Honorary Membership
From time to time, as the association deems appropriate, a person or persons may be offered honorary membership. This is intended to honor a person or persons for an achievement or for a service to the association. Honorary members shall be given a special membership card and shall receive a subscription to the official publication (if applicable). Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges of membership, but shall not vote or hold office.
Section 4.02 RULES FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS
(a) Annual dues
The Board of Directors shall establish the amount of dues for all types of membership. Honorary members shall be exempt from annual dues. Dues shall be honored for one (1) year from the date of origin, and payable on June 1. If dues are received from a prospective member at a time less than six (6) months before the annual due date, then the dues for that period are half (1/2) the amount established.
(b) Non-payment of dues
One (1) month before the expiration date of his/her membership, each member shall be so notified by WMU. Any member whose dues are not paid by the expiration date shall be subject to the assessment of late fees for renewal. Should an additional reasonable grace period elapse without payment of dues and any late fees, the member shall have his membership canceled. Such cancellation shall result in loss of all rights and privileges of membership. The Executive Board shall have the authority to set reasonable late fees and grace periods for the purpose of this part.
(c) Resignation
Any member of WMU may resign from the association at any time and shall be deleted from the membership list. Resignations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. All dues are non-refundable.
(d) Transfer of membership
Memberships are not transferable and shall terminate automatically on the death of the member.
Section 4.03 DISCIPLINE
(a) Charges
Any full member may prefer charges against any other member for conduct prejudicial to the interests of WMU. The allegations must be submitted in writing and must be sworn to before a Notary Public. The charge(s) shall be forwarded to the WMU Secretary with a deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each charge. The deposit shall be forfeited for each charge which is not sustained or determined not to be relevant.
(b) The Secretary shall send copies of said charges by certified mail to each member of the Board of Inquiry within thirty (30) days after receipt.
(c) The Secretary shall send one (1) copy of the charges to the accused member by certified mail not more than thirty (30) days after receipt.
(d) The accused may answer charges in writing to the Secretary within thirty (30) days of receipt. The accused may also provide testimony from witnesses. The Secretary shall forward copies of any answer and/or any testimony to all members of the Board of Inquiry by certified mail within thirty (30) days of receiving same. If no answer is received, the Secretary shall so inform the Board of Inquiry after thirty (30) days. The Board of Inquiry must act within sixty (60) days of receiving the answer to the charges or the notification that no answer was forthcoming.
(e) Within the thirty (30) days after the Board of Inquiry receives the charges, the Board of Inquiry shall make a determination about the relevancy of the charges and if they shall be considered by the Board of Inquiry. If not relevant, the accuser shall be notified by the Secretary within thirty (30) days of the Board's decision.
(f) To be heard, charges must be filed within one (1) year of the date of the alleged misconduct. The Board of Inquiry shall, by majority vote, sustain or not sustain the charge(s).
(g) Charges which solely concern business deals between WMU members shall not be heard.
(h) The Board of Inquiry shall recommend, if the charges are sustained, an appropriate disciplinary action which may or may not be imposed by the Executive Board of Directors.
(i) No member who has been suspended or expelled by WMU may participate in any activities sponsored by the association, or in activities sponsored by any of its clubs, for the duration of the suspension or permanently if expelled.
(j) Disciplinary action taken by a local club against a member or members is an internal affair of the club and does not affect a person's membership in WMU. Such local disciplinary actions need not be recognized or honored by other local clubs.
(k) If the charges fail to be heard by the Board of Inquiry within the time frame specified by Section 3, d and e as provided in these bylaws, all money deposited with WMU by the member filing charges will be refunded and a full report will be made to the Executive Board of Directors.
(l) The President and Secretary of the organization may file charges on behalf of WMU without the required filing fee to prefer charges against any individual member (s).
Section 4.04 THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(a) Definition
The Executive Board of Directors shall consist of: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, as well as the Membership Chairperson, and 2 Directors at Large.
(b) The President remains until he or she steps down or is removed by a 3/4ths vote of the Executive Board.
(c) The Executive Board shall elect from the list of full members of WMU: the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chairperson and 2 Directors at Large.
(d) With the exception of the president, each Executive Board Director shall serve a two year term.
(e) Meetings
(i) A meeting of the Executive Board may be called at any time by the President.
(ii) A meeting of the Executive Board shall be called by the WMU Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by 2/3rds of the members of the Executive Board.
(iii) A meeting of the Executive Board of Directors may be conducted via conference call.
(iv) The business of the Executive Board may also be conducted by electronic means, including e-mail, provided that all members of the Executive Board have adequate opportunity to engage in discussion on any issue, and that voting is carried out securely and secretly until all members of the Executive Board have voted or a clear majority exists.
(f) Duties
It shall be the duty of the Executive Board of Directors to conduct the affairs of WMU. The Executive Board shall not have the authority to amend or repeal these constitution and bylaws.
(g) All actions of the Executive Board shall be reported as minutes. A printed copy of the minutes will be sent to any individual member of WMU at that member's request. For the purposes of this section, "minutes" of actions conducted by e-mail shall consist of a roll call voting record of the action. Discussion by the Executive Board need not become part of the official minutes unless specifically agreed to by a majority of the Executive Board.
(h) Quorum
In order for the Executive Board of Directors to conduct any business, a quorum must be present. A simple majority of members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
(i) Voting
(i) Only members of the Executive Board may vote at its meetings or on mail ballots.
(ii) No person may cast more than 1 vote on any item of business.
Section 4.05 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
(a) The current edition of "Robert’s Rules of Order" shall govern this association in all parliamentary situations that are not covered in the law, or in these constitution and bylaws, or adopted rules. In case of a conflict between the provisions of these constitution and bylaws and the parliamentary provisions of "Robert’s Rules of Order" the provisions of these constitution and bylaws shall prevail.
Article V. OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 5.01 OFFICERS
The Officers of WMU are those people who handle the official affairs of the association. Officers shall have a vote on both Boards of Directors. The Officers of the association shall be:
(a) President
(b) Vice President
(c) Treasurer
(d) Secretary
Section 5.02 TERMS OF OFFICE
All elected Officers shall have a term of office not to exceed two (2) years.
Section 5.03 DUTIES OF OFFICERS
(a) President
The President is the Chief Executive Officer and legal head of the association. The president exercises supervision over the association and all its activities. The President represents WMU in public, presides at business meetings, and has the authority to appoint committees. The President may sign letters and documents necessary to carry out the will of the association. The President serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and shall be an advisory member of all committees except the Board of Inquiry and the Nominating Committee.
(b) Vice President
The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in case of his/her absence or incapacitation. The Vice President shall assume that office for the remainder of the term in the event the office is vacated for any reason.
(c) Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting, accounting for and handling all funds of the association. The Treasurer shall insure that all funds are deposited in such financial institution as the Board of Directors may designate. He/she shall see that disbursements therefrom are made as is necessary and proper to meet the just and due obligations of WMU. The Treasurer shall present a financial report every quarter and at any other time as requested by the President or the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall make all of his/her records available at the annual meeting for review by any full member of WMU.
(d) Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for taking and preparing accurate minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall maintain a complete file of the ordinances, bylaw revisions, resolutions and other official WMU action. The secretary shall maintain a file of committees and the members thereof. The Secretary shall record all terms of office and inform the Membership when elections are due. During the meeting of the annual meeting, it shall be his/her duty to insure that only those persons with proper credentials be seated. The Secretary shall insure that only persons authorized to vote are allowed to vote and shall perform other duties as prescribed by the Board.
(e) Membership Chairperson
The Membership Chairperson shall be the chairman of the Membership Committee. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the general membership of the WMU, and insure that the annual dues are submitted to the Treasurer. Further, the Membership Chairperson shall be responsible for informing the general membership of upcoming membership renewals.
(f) Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these constitution and bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by WMU.
Section 5.04 NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
(a) Nominations
Candidates for officer and director positions may be nominated:
(i) By the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall make known its selections for Officers, Membership Chairperson, Directors at Large and standing committee members at the annual meeting.
(ii) From the floor. After the Executive Board has delivered its nominations and report, nominations will be accepted from the floor. Only members in good standing may make nominations. All nominations must be seconded. Nominees for Officers, Directors at Large and standing committees must be present at the annual meeting or must have furnished the Secretary with a written statement of agreement to be a candidate.
(iii) Candidates not nominated. One need not be nominated to receive votes for office. "Write in" balloting is permitted.
(b) Eligibility
To be eligible for election, a nominee or write in candidate must be a full member of WMU. He/she must be over twenty-one (21) years of age. He/she may not be under current disciplinary action.
(c) Election of Officers
(i) The Executive Board shall elect Officers and Directors at Large at every meeting which takes place in an even numbered year.
(ii) The voting shall be by secret ballot only.
(iii) A Ballot Counting Committee shall be appointed by the President. It shall determine the legality of the ballots cast, tabulate the results and give them to the President who shall announce the results of the election.
(iv) A majority of votes of the members present is required to elect. Repeat balloting is required if no candidate receives the necessary majority. On reballoting, the candidate receiving the least votes would be dropped.
(v) Newly elected Officers, members of the Executive Board, and standing committees shall be seated at the conclusion of old business.
(vi) There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms a person may hold office.
Section 5.05 VACANCIES
(a) If the office of Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Chairperson or Director at Large should be vacated for any reason, or if the incumbent becomes incapacitated and cannot or is unwilling to perform the duties of office, the Executive Board shall elect a replacement. For the purposes of these bylaws incapacitation shall mean illness or death.
(b) Nominations for the vacant office must be submitted to the Secretary. The Secretary shall conduct the balloting of the Executive Board. The Vice President shall conduct the balloting if the Secretary's office is vacant.
(c) The newly elected Officer shall hold office until the next annual meeting. At that time he/she can either be ratified or replaced.
Article VI. APPOINTED POSITIONS
Section 6.01 EDITOR
The editor shall be appointed by the President of WMU and confirmed by the Board of Directors. The editor shall publish, at regular intervals, a publication which carries information about, as well as the official views of, WMU. The President of WMU shall direct its editorial policy so as to promote the programs and policies of the association.
Section 6.02 APPOINTED COMMITTEES
(a) The President shall have the right to appoint committees as he/she deems necessary, but may not appoint a committee to perform a function which is given to an officer or standing committee by these constitution and bylaws. The right to appoint a committee brings with it the right to appoint the chairman of the committee.
Article VII. COMMITTEES
Section 7.01 STANDING COMMITTEES
The committees indicated below are permanent. All members of these committees shall be elected by a plurality vote of the membership. The members of the committee shall elect a committee chairman unless otherwise stipulated in these provisions. All members of standing committees shall serve a two (2) year term and must be full members of WMU. In the case of vacancies that may arise between elections, the Executive Board may appoint members of the committee to serve until the next regularly scheduled election for that position.
(a) Auditing Committee
The Auditing Committee shall audit the financial accounts of WMU. The committee shall consist of three (3) persons. The Treasurer shall not be a member of the Auditing Committee.
(i) If the Treasurer has not secured the services of a Certified Public Accountant upon request of the Board and/or has not presented the CPA's report to the Board, the Auditing Committee shall perform, or secure the services of a Certified Public Accountant to perform a complete audit of WMU financial records.
(ii) The committee shall have the power to summon the Treasurer to answer any questions. A report of the audit and/or a report of the legitimacy of WMU 's expenses shall then be made to the Members at the annual meeting.
(iii) Members of the Auditing Committee shall be elected in even numbered years.
(b) Board of Inquiry
(i) The Board of Inquiry shall consist of three (3) persons. WMU Officers, Judges, and Directors at Large shall not be eligible to serve on the Board of Inquiry.
(ii) It shall be the duty of this board to hear cases of alleged misconduct and alleged violations of WMU regulations. This board shall not entertain any charges which are not filed within one (1) year of the date of the alleged misconduct or rule violation. This board shall, by majority vote, determine the relevancy of any charges, and sustain or not sustain the charges. It shall report its findings to the Executive Board of Directors and, if its finding is to sustain the charges, the Board of Inquiry shall recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
(iii) The Board of Inquiry may conduct its business in person, by telephone or by mail or e-mail. Balloting by telephone is permissible but must be confirmed in writing.
(iv) Should any member of the Board of Inquiry be the subject of charges the chairman shall, by drawing lots, choose one (1) of the alternate members to replace the Board of Inquiry member who is subject to charges. The appointed alternate shall also hear any other case which arises while he/she is seated as a member of the Board of Inquiry.
(v) No member of the Board of Inquiry shall hear charges against any person who is a member of the same local club. The chairman shall, by drawing lots, select an alternate member to hear the case. Any full member so replaced shall hear any other case(s) which arises while his club member's case is pending.
(vi) Any member of the Board of Inquiry may request to be excused from hearing a specific case. No reason need be given. The member shall make his/her request to the chairman, in writing, who shall, by drawing lots, choose one of the alternate members to hear the case.
(vii) If charges are sustained against any member of the Board of Inquiry, the recommendation for discipline shall include this member's removal from the Board of Inquiry for the duration of his/her term.
(viii) Three full members of the Board of Inquiry shall be elected in even numbered years. Alternates for appointment to the Board of Inquiry shall be elected by the Board from among full members in WMU, and the names forwarded to the Chair of the Board of Inquiry, in those cases where an alternate is required.
(ix) In the event the chairman of the committee can not act in that capacity for any reason, the chairman shall be that person who received the next highest number of votes from the membership.
(x) The Board of Inquiry shall make a report to the Executive Board of Directors at the annual meeting which reports the number of accusations filed with the Board of Inquiry and the outcome of those filings, while protecting the identity of the accused and accuser.
(c) Events Committee
(i) The Events Committee shall consist of the WMU President and two (2) members at large.
(ii) The committee shall oversee national events as determined by the Board. It shall establish rules and procedures for use by the host clubs which conduct such events.
(iii) The committee shall be responsible for the judges at all WMU events. It shall be the keeper of the event rules and regulations. It shall be responsible for the conduct of WMU judges. It shall recommend that a judge’s license be granted to persons who have successfully completed the apprentice judge program. It may recommend that a judges license be revoked for conduct prejudicial to the interest of WMU. A decision to accept or reject the recommendation shall be made by the Board of Directors. Any judge whose license has been recommended for revocation shall be permitted to speak at the board meeting at which the recommendation is heard.
(iv) The committee shall design and implement a program to select and train apprentice judges, to see to the ongoing education of licensed judges and oversee the conduct of all apprentice judges and judges.
(d) Nominees for standing committees must be present at the annual meeting or must have furnished the Secretary with a written statement of agreement to be a candidate. In the case of vacancies on standing committees that may arise between elections, the Executive Board may appoint members of the committee to serve until the next regularly scheduled election for that position.
Section 7.02 SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Either Board of Directors shall have the authority to create special committees as deemed necessary. Such a committee shall be dissolved when the task assigned to it is completed. Election to a special committee shall be as determined by the creating authority.
Article VIII. AMENDMENTS
Section 8.01 These constitution and bylaws may be amended only by the membership at the annual meeting. Any change, addition, or deletion to this Constitution or these By Laws requires a 2/3rds vote but no fewer than that equal to a minimal quorum for conducting business.
Section 8.02 Amendments to these constitution and bylaws may only be considered when written notice of the intent to introduce changes to an article has been mailed to each full member, and WMU Officers and Directors not less than thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting of. The proposed changes must be specified. If such notice is published in the association's official publication not less than ninety (90) days prior to the meeting date, then the requirement for mailing written notice shall be waived. If amendments to specific articles of this Constitution and By Laws are proposed in compliance with this provision, further amendments may be made from the floor of the annual meeting for that respective article.
Section 8.03 A special process for amendments of these bylaws can be conducted by email between annual meetings.
Article IX. DISSOLUTION
Section 9.01 Working Molossers United may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of 3/4ths of the membership.
Section 9.02 Dissolution may only be considered at the annual meeting. A special meeting for this purpose shall be called if the Secretary receives a written request for such a meeting from a majority of WMU members.
Section 9.03 Dissolution may only be considered if written notice of the intent to dissolve is sent to all full member clubs, WMU Officers and Directors, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the special meeting called for this purpose.
Section 9.04 If the association is dissolved, all just debts and liabilities of the association shall be paid. After payment of all debts and liabilities of the association, its assets and properties shall be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for dog training purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under Section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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