CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I NAMES AND OBJECTS
SECTION 1. The name of the Club shall be the American Belgian Tervuren Club, Inc.
SECTION 2. The objects of the Club shall be
(a) to do all possible to bring the natural qualities of the Belgian Tervuren to perfection;
(b) to encourage the organization of independent local Belgian Tervuren Specialty Clubs in those localities where there are sufficient fanciers of the breed to meet the requirements of the American Kennel Club;
(c) to urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breeds approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Belgian Tervuren shall be judged;
(d) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at all events held under AKC rules and regulations;
(e) to conduct sanctioned matches and specialty shows under the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club.
SECTION 3. The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profits, and no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual.
SECTION 4. The members of the Club shall adopt and may from time to time revise such bylaws as may be required to carry out these objects.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Eligibility. There shall be six classes of membership: Regular, Lifetime, Junior, Associate, Household Couple, and Honorary, open to all persons who are in good standing with the American Kennel Club, who subscribe to the purposes of the American Belgian Tervuren Club, Inc., and who meet the specific qualifications of the class of membership requested.
(a) Regular Members shall consist of persons 18 years of age and older who apply and have attained one year of membership in good standing as an Associate Member. The requirement of Associate Membership shall not apply to persons who are Regular Members as of the date these Bylaws, as amended, become effective. Regular Members are entitled to every privilege and to participate in all benefits of the Club.
(b) Lifetime Members shall consist of persons who have continuously maintained a Regular membership for over forty (40) years and shall be elected to this status by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors at any board meeting or by a majority vote of the Regular Members in good standing who respond to a mail vote or a vote at the annual meeting. They shall enjoy all privileges of Regular membership, including the right to vote, chair a committee, sponsor a member, and hold office. They shall pay no dues. Any Regular Member in good standing may submit the name of another eligible member for a vote to Lifetime status. The prospective lifetime member may request that their name not be put to a vote by the Board or the membership.
(c) Junior Members shall consist of persons under 18 years of age. They shall be entitled to all privileges of a Regular P a g e | 2 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625 Member, except that they may not hold office, chair a committee, vote, nor be entitled to endorse an applicant for membership of the Club.
(d) Associate Members shall consist of any persons 18 years of age and older who apply. They shall be entitled to all privileges of a Regular Member, except that they may not hold office, chair a committee, vote, nor be entitled to endorse an applicant for membership of Club. Upon completing one year of membership as an Associate Member, such persons may apply for Regular Membership as prescribed in Section 3 of this Article.
(e) Household Couple Members shall consist of two adult persons 18 years of age and older residing in the same household. A Household Couple membership can consist of any combination of Associate and Regular Members. Regular Members have attained one year of membership and are in good standing as Associate Members. The requirement of Associate Membership shall not apply to persons who are Regular Members as of the date these bylaws, as amended, become effective. Regular Members shall be entitled to every privilege and to participate in all benefits of the Club. Associate Members shall be entitled to all privileges of a Regular Member, except that they may not hold office, chair a committee, vote, nor be entitled to endorse an applicant for membership of the Club. Upon completing one year of membership as an Associate Member, such persons may apply for Regular membership as prescribed in Section 3 of this Article.
(f) Honorary Members shall consist of any persons who have rendered meritorious service to the ABTC or the Belgian Tervuren breed. Honorary members shall be exempt from all fees and shall enjoy all the privileges of associate membership. Candidates for Honorary membership shall be nominated by any Regular Member in good standing and elected to this status by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors. Any Honorary applicant having been denied Honorary membership to the Club by a vote of the Board of Directors may be presented by the applicant’s nominator at the next meeting of the Club. The Club may elect such an applicant by a secret ballot, where the applicant receives favorable votes of three-fourths (3/4) of the Regular Members in good standing present and voting. Any applicant for Honorary status having been denied this status to the Club by either a vote of the Board of Directors or by a meeting of the general membership is prohibited from reapplying for three years from the notice of denial to the applicant. Honorary Members pay no dues and are not eligible to vote.
SECTION 2. Dues. The Board of Directors shall determine the amounts of an application fee for new members and annual dues for all members, but such amounts may not exceed $25 application fee, $55 for Regular Membership dues, $70 for Household Couple Membership dues, $55 for Associate Membership dues, and $10 for Junior Membership dues. These dues amount also may be adjusted by a vote of the Board of Directors for the approximate difference in cost of mailing rates to foreign countries, first class postage, single mailings to couples, and similar circumstances. Dues are payable on or before the 1st day of July each year. No member may vote whose dues are unpaid for the current year. A penalty not to exceed $25 for payment of dues after July 30th each year may be imposed by the Board of Directors. If the amounts of dues and/or penalty have not been acted upon by the Board by May 15th each year, the then-current amounts shall remain unchanged for the ensuing year. The Treasurer shall send to each member a statement of their dues for the ensuing year by June 1st .
SECTION 3. Election to Membership. Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form as approved by the Board of Directors and which shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by these Constitution and Bylaws, this Club’s Code of Ethics, and the rules of the American Kennel Club. (a) The application shall state the name, address, and occupation of the applicant. Applications for Junior, Associate, and Regular Membership shall carry the endorsement of two Regular Members, who do not reside in the same household nor in the household of the applicant, who have been Regular Members in good standing for twelve months. When applying for Regular Membership, the endorsing Regular Members in good standing shall be different from those who endorsed the Associate Member application. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit an application fee plus dues payment for the current year.
(b) Applicants may be elected at any meeting of the Board of Directors or by written vote of the Directors by mail. Affirmative secret vote of 2/3 of the Directors present at a meeting or of 2/3 of the Board voting by mail shall be required to elect an applicant. An applicant’s joined date shall be considered the date the application received Board approval. P a g e | 3 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625
(c) An applicant who has received a negative vote by the Board may be presented by one of the applicant’s endorsers at the next meeting of the Club and the Club may elect such an applicant by a secret ballot where the applicant receives favorable votes of three-fourths (3/4) of the Regular Members in good standing present and voting. Any applicant having been denied membership to the Club by either a vote of the Board of Directors or by a meeting of the general membership is prohibited from reapplying for a three-year period from the notice of denial to the applicant, except that two Regular Members in good standing may, on behalf of the applicant, petition the Board of Directors in writing to grant an exception due to cause. The Board of Directors shall review the petition and may grant permission to the applicant to reapply immediately if the petition for cause receives affirmative votes of 2/3 of the Directors present at a meeting or 2/3 of the Board voting by mail. Should the petition for cause fail to receive the required affirmative votes, the three-year restriction stands.
SECTION 4. Termination of Membership. Memberships may be terminated:
(a) by resignation: Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Membership Secretary; but no member may resign when in debt to the Club. Dues obligations are considered a debt to the Club, and they become incurred on the first day of each fiscal year.
(b) by lapsing: A membership shall be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid sixty (60) days after the first day of the fiscal year. In no case may a member be entitled to vote whose dues are unpaid.
(c) by expulsion: Membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these Bylaws.
SECTION 5. Code of Ethics. All Members must observe, as a condition of continuing Membership, the Code of Ethics hereby incorporated by reference into these Bylaws. The Code of Ethics shall be established and may be amended by the same procedures as prescribed in ARTICLE VII of these Bylaws. Violations of the Code of Ethics shall be deemed misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the breed and shall be disciplined as prescribed in ARTICLE VI of these Bylaws.
SECTION 6. Member in Good Standing. A member in any category is in good standing if:
(a) they are neither suspended by The American Kennel Club nor the ABTC,
(b) and their dues are paid for the current year,
(c) and they have agreed to abide by this Club’s Code of Ethics. A Regular Member, Lifetime Member, or Honorary member who pays dues and meets the above criteria shall be known collectively as a ‘Regular Member in Good Standing’, and they shall be entitled to vote, hold office, chair a committee, and sponsor new members.
ARTICLE II MEETINGS
SECTION 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Club shall be held during the months of April, May, or June each year at a place, date, and hour designated by the Board of Directors. It shall be held in conjunction with the Club’s National Specialty. If there is no National Specialty in that time frame, then a virtual or physical annual meeting shall be held in the specified time frame. The Secretary shall send notice of the annual meeting to each Regular Member at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for the annual meeting shall be ten (10) percent of the Regular Members in good standing.
SECTION 2. Special Club Meetings. Special Club meetings may be called by the President or by a majority vote of the members of the Board who are present at a meeting of the Board or who vote by mail and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by ten (10) percent of the Regular Members of the Club who are in good standing. Such meeting shall be held physically or virtually (teleconference, videoconference) or other methods approved by Robert’s Rules of Order and New Mexico state laws or statutes, at such place, date and hour as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall send written notice of the special club meeting at least fourteen (14) days and not more than P a g e | 4 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625 thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other Club business may be transacted. The quorum for such a meeting shall be ten (10) percent of the Regular Members in good standing.
SECTION 3. Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as are designated by a majority vote of the entire Board. The Secretary shall send notice of each such meeting to each member of the Board at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting date. The presiding officer may call a Board meeting with forty-eight (48) hours notice if electronic notice is used. The quorum for a Board Meeting shall be a majority of the Board voting in person or by virtual means. The annual Board meeting will be held in conjunction (time and location) with the National Specialty and will be in-person only.
SECTION 4. Board Business. The Board of Directors may conduct its business by mail (including the US Postal Service or an express carrier) or fax through the Secretary, or by telephone or video conference. The Board members are able to exchange information via email, but it is not possible to take a vote of the Board by email.
ARTICLE III DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND DELEGATE
SECTION 1. Board of Directors. The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and four other persons, all of whom shall be Regular Members in good standing and residents of the United States. The Officers shall be elected for two-year terms so that the President, Vice-President and Membership Secretary are elected in one year followed by the election of the Secretary and Treasurer in the year thereafter. The four Directors on the Board shall be elected for two-year terms, with such terms expiring for two members each year. The outgoing President shall serve for a one-year term as an advisory member, without vote, of the Board immediately following their final term as President. General management of the Club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2. Officers. The Club’s officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve in their respective capacities regarding the Club and its meetings and the Board and its meetings.
(a) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these Bylaws.
(b) The Vice-President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President’s death, absence, or incapacity. The Vice-President shall be the liaison between the Board and the National Specialty Committees and between the Board and the local regional clubs.
(c) The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all votes taken and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. The Secretary shall hold the corporate office of Secretary. The Secretary shall notify members of meetings, notify Officers and Directors of their election to office, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these Bylaws.
(d) The Membership Secretary shall have charge of general correspondence, notify new members of their election to membership, and keep a roll of the members of the Club with their address and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these Bylaws.
(e) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club. The Treasurer shall deposit the same in a bank or a financial instrument approved by the Board, in the name of the Club. The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Club using the cash basis accounting method. Under this method, income shall be recorded when received, and expenses shall be recorded when paid. The Treasurer is hereby authorized to sign all tax returns and related documents on behalf of the Club. The Treasurer shall report the filing of tax returns to the Board of Directors at the next scheduled Board meeting following the filing. The Treasurer’s books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and the Treasurer shall report to the Board at every meeting the condition of the Club’s finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported; and at the annual meeting the Treasurer shall render an account of all moneys received and expended during the previous fiscal year. P a g e | 5 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625
i. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine. At the end of each term of the Treasurer, or if the Treasurer is replaced (see ARTICLE III, SECTION 4. Vacancies), an independent audit shall be performed, auditor(s) to be selected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
ii. The Board may direct the Treasurer to establish Designated funds to accept donations, grants and appropriations for specified purposes, such as animal rescue, veterinary research, or other purposes; that shall be expended only for said purposes and shall be accounted for separately from general Club activities.
(f) Any Officer or Director who fails to participate in three (3) consecutive Board meetings or meetings by mail, or who fails to participate in any six (6) meetings or meetings by mail in any twelve (12) month period, shall automatically be removed from that office. A replacement to serve the remaining term of the removed Officer or Director shall be conducted in accordance with ARTICLE III, SECTION 4. Vacancies.
SECTION 3. Delegate. The Delegate to the American Kennel Club shall be elected for a term of four years. The Delegate’s duty is to represent the Club at the Quarterly Meetings of the American Kennel Club and shall report to the Club all actions and matters discussed at the AKC’s Meetings. The Delegate is neither an officer nor a director and will have no vote on the Board of Directors. The Delegate is a non-voting member of the Board.
SECTION 4. Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the Board among the offices or the Delegate during the year shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board, except that a vacancy in the office of 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. Vacancies occurring in the position of director shall remain vacant until the next general election.
ARTICLE IV THE CLUB YEAR, VOTING, NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS
SECTION 1. Club Year. The Club’s fiscal year and term of office for elected nominees shall begin on the first (1 st) day of July and end on the thirtieth (30th) day of June. Each retiring officer shall turn over to their successor all properties and records relating to that office by June thirtieth (30th.).
SECTION 2. Voting. At the annual meeting or at a special meeting of the Club, voting shall be limited to those Regular Members in good standing who are present at the meeting. Voting by secret ballot cast by mail will be used for the annual election to fill expiring terms of Officers, Delegate, and Directors, amend the Constitution and Bylaws, and change the standard of the breed, with ballots sent to all Regular Members in good standing. Neither voting by proxy nor cumulative voting shall be permitted. The Board of Directors may decide to submit other specific questions for the decision of the Regular Members by secret ballot.
SECTION 3. Annual Election. For the election of the Board of Directors and the Delegate to the American Kennel Club, who may but need not be a Board member, the vote shall be conducted by secret ballot. To be valid, ballots must be in the hands of the Secretary or a professional balloting company contracted by the Board of Directors, by March 30th. Ballots shall be certified and counted by three inspectors of election or a professional balloting company contracted by the Board of Directors prior to the annual meeting. The inspectors of election, if appointed, shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and must be Club Regular Members in good standing who are not members of the Board of Directors, nominees for election, or relatives of the nominees. A professional balloting company, if retained, must have no conflict of interest arising from the election. The person receiving the largest number of votes for each position shall be declared elected. If any elected nominee on June 30th is unable to serve for any reason, such nominee shall not be elected and the vacancy so created shall be filled by the new Board of Directors in the manner provided by Article III, Section 4. All of the ballots cast for the election of Officers, Directors, and Delegate shall be available during the annual meeting and will be destroyed by the Secretary thirty (30) days thereafter.
SECTION 4. Nominations and Ballots. No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated in P a g e | 6 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625 accordance with these Bylaws. A Nominating Committee shall be chosen by the Board of Directors before the first day of September. The Committee shall consist of three members and two alternates, all Regular Members in good standing, no more than one of whom may be a member of the current Board of Directors. The Board shall name a chairman for the Committee. The Nominating Committee may conduct its business by mail, email, or virtual meeting.
(a) The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among the eligible members of the Club, one candidate for each expiring office and for each other available position on the Board of Directors and a candidate for the Delegate to the American Kennel Club (when current Delegate’s term is due to expire) and shall procure the acceptance of each nominee so chosen. The committee shall then submit its slate of candidates to the Secretary who shall communicate the list to each member of the Club on or before the first day of January via publication in the Club’s official newsletter, or additionally by such other medium as the Board selects, so that additional nominations may be made by the members if they so desire.
(b) Additional nominations of eligible members may be made by written petition addressed to the Secretary and received at the Secretary’s regular address on or before February 15th, signed by five Regular Members in good standing who do not reside in the same household nor with the nominee and accompanied by the written acceptance of each such additional nominee signifying the nominee’s willingness to be a candidate. Each nominator’s signature must be on the same page as the nomination. Except for the position of Delegate, no person shall be a candidate for more than one position, and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among those members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
(c) If no valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before February 15th, the Nominating Committee’s slate shall be declared elected at the time of the annual meeting, and no balloting shall be required.
(d) If one or more valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before February 15th , then on or before March 1 st , a ballot shall be prepared, listing all nominees for each position in alphabetical order, together with a blank envelope, a return envelope, and sent to each Regular Member in good standing. If the Secretary runs with opposition, the Secretary will not receive the returned ballots. The President or an independent firm designated by the Board of Directors shall receive the ballots. The return envelope shall be addressed to the designated party, marked “Ballot” and bear the name of the member to whom it was sent. So that the ballots may remain secret, each voter, after marking their ballot, shall seal it in the blank envelope which in turn shall be placed in the second (return) envelope. The inspectors of election shall check the returns against the list of members whose dues are paid for the current year prior to opening the outer envelopes and removing the blank envelopes and shall certify the eligibility of the voters as well as the results of the voting which shall be announced at the annual meeting.
(e) Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as provided above.
ARTICLE V COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. Standing and Special Committees. The Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as health, education, rescue, records and statistics, history, publications, annual prizes, finance, and other fields which may well be served by committees. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on annual specialty shows, occasional publications, and other particular projects. Such committees may be composed of all classes of members, but must be chaired by a Regular Member and shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board.
SECTION 2. Termination of Committee Appointment. Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee; and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose service has been terminated. P a g e | 7 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625
ARTICLE VI DISCIPLINE
SECTION 1. American Kennel Club Suspension. Any member suspended from any privileges of The American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of this Club for alike period.
SECTION 2. Other Causes for Discipline.
(a) Any member who abandons a dog, puppy, or litter at any dog pound or animal shelter shall be subject to lifetime expulsion from this Club.
(b) Misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the breed shall be cause for discipline. Such misconduct shall include, but not be limited to, violations of this Club’s Code of Ethics.
SECTION 3. 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 $10 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board or a Committee 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, and 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. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or of the breed it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board or a Committee of not less than three (3) members of the Board, not less than three (3) weeks, or more than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused member by registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in their own defense and bring witnesses if they wish.
SECTION 4. Board Hearing. The Board or Committee shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. The hearing may be conducted in any contemporaneous medium (live, teleconference, videoconference, etc.) permitted by the American Kennel Club in its conduct of a disciplinary hearing. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board or Committee may, by a majority vote of those present, issue a written reprimand directed exclusively to the member which may be somewhat detailed but an official (published) reprimand should only indicate that subsequent to a Board hearing “… member (X) was officially reprimanded as a result of charges filed by member (Y).” or suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing, or until the next annual meeting if that will occur after six (6) months. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such a case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before the voting members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the recommendation of the Board or Committee. Immediately after the Board or Committee has reached a decision, its findings shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the decision and penalty, if any. If the member is suspended, this suspension shall stand regardless of whether expulsion is approved or not.
SECTION 5. Expulsion. Expulsion of a member from the Club may be accomplished only at the annual meeting of the Club following a hearing and upon the recommendation of the Board or Committee as provided in Section 4 of this Article. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing on their own behalf though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the findings and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak on their own behalf. The meeting shall then vote by secret ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 vote of those present and voting at the annual meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. The suspension shall stand regardless if the expulsion is approved or not approved.
ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws, the Code of Ethics, and to the standard for the breed may be P a g e | 8 Approved by Membership 11/16/2024 v032625 proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by twenty (20) percent of the Regular Membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the Regular Members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.
SECTION 2. The Constitution and Bylaws, the Code of Ethics, and the standard for the breed may be amended at any time, provided the Secretary has mailed a copy of the proposed amendment to each Regular Member accompanied by a secret ballot on which the Member may indicate their choice for or against the action to be taken. The 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 Secretary to be counted. The favorable vote of 2/3 of the Regular Members in good standing whose ballots are returned within the time limit shall be required to affect any such amendment.
SECTION 3. No amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws or to the standard for the breed that is adopted by the Club shall become effective until it has been approved by the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club.
ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION
SECTION 1. The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2/3 of the Regular Members in good standing. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, other than for the purposes of reorganization, 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, but after payment of the debts of the Club its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX ORDER OF BUSINESS
SECTION 1. At meetings of the Club, the order of business 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 Vice-President
Report of Secretary
Report of Membership Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Report of Delegate
Reports of Committees Election of Officers and Board (at annual meeting)
Election of new members
Unfinished Business
New Business
Adjournment
SECTION 2. At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present, shall be as follows:
Reading of minutes of last meeting
Report of President
Report of Vice-President
Report of Secretary
Report of Membership Secretary
Report of Treasurer
Report of Delegate
Reports of Committees
Unfinished Business
Election of new members
New Business
Adjournment
ARTICLE X PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any other special rules of order the Club may adopt.
ARTICLE XI DEFINITION OF TERMS AND COMMUNICATION RULES (36)
SECTION 1. Electronic resources: Any Notification that substitutes some electronic medium in lieu of face-to-face or US Postal Service (USPS) contact must be limited to persons who have agreed in advance to accept such substitution and confirm that they have the necessary hardware, software, and communication service required to participate.
SECTION 2. Notice: The term ‘Notice’ is used in these Bylaws to indicate a required Club communication to Members. The default mode of delivery shall be the USPS. Only if the member has chosen to receive Notices by email, then email is allowed to be used, and shall be used rather than other services. Such choice to receive Notice by email is revocable by each member, but revocation must be done at least thirty (30) days before taking effect. Any other form of Notice allowed by New Mexico statute and approved by the AKC is allowed. If Notice is for a meeting, and the member attends the meeting, except to specifically reject the validity of the Notice, the Notice is deemed to be valid and accepted. Other Notices not required under these Bylaws shall be delivered via publication in the Club’s newsletter, the Tervuren News Tails, and the official ABTC Email Announce list. The names and details of membership applications that have been received shall be published in the Tervuren News Tails, and also published to the official ABTC Email Announce list.
SECTION 3. Meetings: The term “Meeting” is used in these Bylaws for a physical or virtual assembly of persons comprising a Committee, The Board of Directors, Members assembled at an Annual Meeting, or Members at a Special Meeting. All meetings must be announced by a Notice to all eligible participants including date, time and location. The number of days in advance that the Notice must be sent is specified elsewhere in these Bylaws or by special rule of order. A Meeting may be held in person, virtually via electronic conference (either audio only, or with audio and video), or by a combination of these alternatives. All virtual Meetings must provide for real-time participation of all eligible persons in accordance with the Club’s Rules of Order. Meetings may not be held via methods not providing interactive participation, including USPS mail, email, Internet messaging, SMS text messaging, or other similar electronic applications.
SECTION 4. Voting Procedures: These Bylaws call for voting by secret ballot on various matters. These ballots shall be distributed to vote for Club office holders, amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws, changes to the Standard for The Breed, changes to the Code of Ethics, Election or Expulsion of Members, or for such other matters as the Board may decide. Secret Ballots must be sent and returned via the USPS, with full anonymity, or by an independent organization. Voting during a Meeting on a motion that does not require a secret ballot may employ any of the procedures prescribed by The Rules of Order. Proxy voting and Straw Polls are prohibited. Cumulative voting is prohibited. Absentee ballots are prohibited
Approved by membership 11/16/2024
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