NARRAGANSETT GUN CLUB
OF KENT
COUNTY
CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS
As Amended
April 19, 2009
ARTICLES
I. NAME OF CLUB
II. OBJECTIVES
III. MEMBERSHIP
IV. DUES
V. MEETINGS
VI. ELECTIONS
VII. OFFICERS
VIII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
IX. COMMITTEES
X. SUSPENSION/EXPULSION
XI. AFFILITAIONS
XII.
AMENDMENTS
XIII. RULES OF THE CLUB
XIV. ASSESSMENT
XV. DISSOLUTION
CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
The name of this
organization shall be the Narragansett Gun Club.
ARTICLE
II
-OBJECTIVES-
The object of
this organization shall be the promotion of firearms safety, the
shooting sports and the conservation of fish, game and
environment. Objectives shall also be to further the development
of those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline,
team play and self-reliance, which are the essentials of good
sportsmanship. This organization shall be non-political, non-sectarian
and non-profit making.
ARTICLE
III
-MEMBERSHIP-
The membership of
this organization shall consist of such true sportspersons as may
care to associate themselves together in support of the stated
objectives. Membership will be open in categories as herein
described and will be limited to 250 300
members, excluding Life and Junior Members. No person shall be
denied membership because of his or her race or color, religion,
sex, handicap, age (except as herein provided for Junior Members
age 12 years through 17 years), or country of ancestral origin.
Junior membership
shall be open to those individuals between the ages of twelve
through seventeen.
Each applicant
for Regular Membership shall be sponsored, in writing, by a
regular member in good standing. Said applications shall be
submitted with a current BCI report to the Executive Committee
for screening and a two-thirds majority approval vote prior to
presentation to the membership. The Applicant shall not be
present during the membership vote. A two-thirds majority vote by
the membership in attendance will be required for final approval.
Regular
Memberships shall be classified as follows;
1. Regular Member (Individual)
2. Family -
Husband, wife and/or child 18 years or older enrolled as a full
time student at a high school, college or university.
3.
Student - Any person 18 years or older enrolled as a full-time
student at a high school, college or university.
Any regular active member accepted for
membership prior to October 1, 1998 in good standing for five (5)
years immediately prior to reaching age sixty-five (65); or
regular active member accepted for membership October 1, 1998
thru March 31, 2007, in good standing for fifteen (15) years
immediately prior to reaching age sixty-five (65); or any regular
active member, accepted for membership after April 1, 2007 in
good standing for twenty-five (25) years immediately prior to
reaching age seventy (70), shall be eligible for Life Membership
upon application to the Executive Committee. Life Members
shall retain their active and voting status, but are exempt from
annual dues and/or assessments.
Junior Members
will be welcome at all activities of the club and at all
meetings; however, they will NOT be extended the privilege of
voting or holding office.
ARTICLE
IV
-DUES-
An initiation fee
as set by the Executive Committee, for Regular Membership and
current annual dues shall accompany the membership application.
Special permission may be obtained from the Executive Committee
to allow the initiation fee to be paid in two (2) equal
installments during the member's first year of full membership.
Annual dues shall
be due and payable prior to April 1st of each year.
Any member in arrears on April 1st will forfeit their
membership, unless temporarily waived by the Executive Committee.
Upon reapplication and payment of dues by such person and at the
discretion of the Executive Committee, they shall be reinstated
as a member in good standing. unless waived, a ten dollar
($10.00) fee must accompany the reapplication.
Annual dues will
be based on a budget of operating expenses, as approved by the
Executive Committee, for the coming year and an additional
twenty-five (25%) percent of approved operating expenses for
maintenance, repairs, and capital imporovement; said
percentage so collected to be segregated by the Treasurer in a
separate account designated as “Capital Improvement Account”
and disbursed only by direction of the Executive Committee and
only for capital improvements or the repair and maintenance
thereof. An estimate of operating expenses for the coming year
shall be prepared by the Treasurer in December of each year and
approved by the Executive Committee prior to the Regular Monthly
Meeting in January.
Annual dues for
Junior members will be five dollars ($5.00).
ARTICLE
V
-MEETINGS-
Regular
Monthly Meetings: The membership of the Club shall meet each
month on the last Thursday of that month at 7:30 P.M. The place
of meeting shall be
the official
clubhouse on Austin Farm Road or such other place as may be
promulgated to all members in good standing.
Special
Meetings: A special meeting may be called by the
President, the Executive Committee OR upon demand, in
writing and signed by not less than 20% of the members entitled
to vote. Notice of the meeting will be promulgated to all members
in good standing.
Meetings shall be
conducted under Roberts Rule of Order as interpreted by Luther S.
Cushing and set forth in Modern Rules of Order (Fawsett M571).
The order of
business shall NORMALLY be as follows:
Call to order
by presiding officer.
Roll call by show
of hands of regular members and introduction of new members.
Reading of the
Minutes.
Treasurer’s
Report.
Secretary’s
Report.
Reading of any
communications.
Committee
Reports.
Unfinished
business.
New business.
Discussion for
the good of the Club.
Adjournment.
Parliamentary
procedure shall be the rule for recognition by the chair and for
motions and nominations from the floor. A two-thirds majority of
attendant members entitled to vote shall be necessary for passing
of motions from the floor.
ARTICLE VI
-ELECTIONS-
Election of Club
officers will be held at the Annual Meeting to be
scheduled during the month of April. At the regular January
meeting the President will appoint a three person (other than
club officers) committee, who will submit nominations for
elective officer at the Annual Meeting. Additional nominations
may be made from the floor. Nominations shall be from members in
the manner provided for under parliamentary procedures. Regular
members in good standing, nominated with their consent and
elected, shall be installed at the next regular meeting.
Elections shall be either by open or secret ballot at the
discretion of the attendant members. The presiding officer (his
own nomination not withstanding) shall vote ONLY in the event of
a tie.
ARTICLE
VII
-OFFICERS-
The officers of
this Club shall consist of a President, two (2) Vice-Presidents,
two (2) Secretaries, a Treasurer, a Steward and a three (3)
person Board of Directors. Elected officers shall hold office for
one year or until such time as a successor shall be elected. No
member shall be eligible for nomination, election, appointment or
to serve as an officer until a member in good standing for a
period of five (5) consecutive years prior to nomination,
election or appointment; and no member shall hold the office of
President for more than two (2) consecutive years. Any officer,
elected or appointed, may resign at any time upon written notice
to the President, or in the case of the President, to the Board
of Directors.
ARTICLE
VIII
-DUTIES
OF OFFICERS-
President:
The President shall preside at the meetings of the Club and of
the Executive Committee. He shall be a member exofficio of all
standing and special committees and shall perform such other
duties as usually pertains to his office.
First Vice-President:
The First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the
President in his absence and such other duties as the President
may request.
Second Vice-President:
Same as (Par. 2)in the absence of the First Vice-President.
Secretaries:
The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct all official
correspondence pertaining to the Club. The Recording secretary
shall keep a true record of all meetings of the Executive
Committee and of the Club, and shall have custody of the books of
the Club, excepting the financial records. All applications for
membership shall be directed to the Recording Secretary for
presentation to the Executive Committee.
Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall conduct all financial business of the Club
and shall have custody of the financial records. He shall have
custody of all funds of the Club and shall be responsible for
collection of all revenue and dues. When the Club treasury
reaches practical magnitude, he shall deposit these funds in such
banks as may be approved by the Executive committee. In the event
a bank account is established, monies shall be withdrawn only by
check signed by the Treasurer or the President, for payment of
such bills as may be approved by
the Executive
Committee. He shall render a financial report at the membership
meeting at each
quarter's end. He shall deliver unto the Audit committee all
financial records when so directed by the Executive Committee.
Steward:
The Steward will have charge of the club grounds,buildings and
related equipment used in the maintenance, repair and service of
the properties. He will have the Chairmanship of the Standing
House Committee.
Board of
Directors: The Three (3) shall have full power to
examine the books of the Secretary and the Treasurer at any time
they deem appropriate and shall be vested with the authority to
govern the finances of the Club if deemed appropriate by
unanimous decision of the Board.
ARTICLE
IX
-COMMITTEES-
All Club members,
including Junior Members, by virtue of affiliation, shall be
eligible for appointment by the Executive Committee to serve on
various committees.
Executive
Committee: The elected officers of this Club, recent
past President and Board of Directors, shall acting together,
constitute the Executive Committee. The Board of Directors,
acting together shall constitute a separate controlling body as
regards the financial records of the Treasurer if they deem
appropriate by unanimous decision to protect the financial
interest of the membership.
The Executive Committee shall have
overall supervision and control of all activities of the club and
shall screen for acceptance all membership applications.
Meetings of the
Executive Committee shall be held at such time and place as the
President may determine. Special meetings of the Committee may be
called at any time on demand, in writing to the Secretary by the
Chairman of any committee.
Five (5) members
of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
A vacancy in the
Executive Committee shall be temporarily filled by appointment in
writing by a majority vote of the remaining members of the
Executive Committee. The appointee shall retain office until the
next monthly meeting when elections may be held to replace the
departed officer. Officers elected after this fashion shall serve
until the next annual meeting, when a general election will offer
all offices for replacement.
Audit
committee: The Executive Committee shall appoint an Audit
Committee of three (3) members (not elected officers) to conduct
an audit of the Club finances. The Executive Committee or Board
of Directors shall direct an audit annually or at any such time
as deemed appropriate.
ARTICLE
X
-SUSPENSION
OR EXPULSION-
Any officer may
be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the regular
members in good standing at any special meeting called for that
purpose. No vote on suspension or expulsion may be taken unless
at least fifteen (15) days notice in writing shall have been
given to the officer of the reason for this expulsion and the
time and place at which special meeting, the officer will be
given a full hearing.
Any member may be
suspended or expelled from the Club for any cause deemed
sufficient by the Executive Committee by a quorum affirmative
vote of that committee, present at any regular or special
meeting. No vote or suspension or expulsion may be taken unless
at least fifteen (15) days notice in writing shall have been
given to the member of the charges preferred and the time and
place of the meeting of the Executive Committee at which such
charges will be considered. At such meeting, the member under
charge will be afforded a full hearing.
Charges
against any officer or member may be preferred by any regular
member in good standing. They shall be notified in writing
clearly stating the facts pertinent to the charges and by all
affidavits or exhibits which are to be used in support of the
charges. Such charges shall be filed with the Secretary, who will
immediately notify the President. The President will call a
meeting of the Executive Committee to hear the charges. The
Secretary will give at least fifteen (15) days notice to the
accuser and the accused, which notices shall be in writing and
will include a true copy of the charges and of the supporting
affidavits and exhibits.
Any member
suspended or expelled by the Executive Committee may appeal to
the full membership of the Club. Such appeal shall be made in
writing to the Secretary who will notify the President. The
President will call a special meeting of the full membership of
the Club for the purpose of acting on the appeal. The Secretary
shall give at least fifteen (15) days notice in writing to all
members of the Club in good standing stating the date, time and
place for the special meeting. At the meeting of the full
membership the Secretary shall read and/or display the
accompanying exhibits and will read the minutes of the special
meeting of the Executive Committee at which the charges were
heard and action taken. A full hearing will be given the accuser
and the accused. A vote will be taken by ballot of the voting
members in good standing present and a two-thirds majority will
be required to reverse the action of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE
XI
-AFFILIATIONS-
The Club shall
affiliate annually with such state and national organizations as
deemed appropriate and/or necessary by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE
XII
-AMENDMENTS-
Proposed
amendments to these by-laws may be introduced by any voting
member of the Club in good standing at any meeting. They must be
acted upon by the Club membership at a meeting called for that
purpose. A two-thirds majority of the voting members present will
be necessary for passage and acceptance.
ARTICLE
XIII
-RULES
OF THE CLUB-
Each Committee
may establish its own rules, but no rule may conflict in any way
with the by-laws of the Club.
All members shall
be required to abide by the by-laws and rules that have been
adopted by the Club.
ARTICLE
XIV
-ASSESSMENT-
The Executive
Committee may cause assessment of the membership with the consent
of the Board of Directors and a two-thirds majority of the voting
members present at a meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE XV
-DISSOLUTION-
By affirmative
vote of two-thirds of voting members present at a special meeting
called for the sole purpose of dissolution, the Board of
Directors and the Executive Committee shall proceed to dissolve
the Club.
No special meeting to consider
dissolution shall be convened unless the Secretary shall mail, by
certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid,
written notice of the date, time, place and purpose of such
meeting to each regular and life member, at least thirty (30)
days prior to the date of such meeting. The Secretary shall
certify under oath, in writing, in the Club records, compliance
with this notice requirement. Upon dissolution, all assets of the
Club, including but not limited to cash on hand or deposit,
investments, property real and personal, shall be conveyed to the
State of Rhode Island, Department of Environmental Management for
open space and land conservation in accordance with such
applicable laws and administrative rules and regulations as may
the be in force and effect.
All by-laws of the Narragansett Gun Club
presently in effect will become void upon adoption of these by-laws
by the membership.