By Laws

FORT DETROIT GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER CLUB, INC, CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS


ARTICLE I NAME AND OBJECTS

SECTION 1. The name of the Club shall be Fort Detroit German Wirehaired Pointer Club, Inc.

SECTION 2. The objects of the Club shall be:

(a) to encourage and promote the breeding of purebred German Wirehaired Pointers and do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection;

(b) to urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by The American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which German Wirehaired Pointers shall be judged;

(c) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike participation in dog shows, field trials, hunting tests -and obedience trials;

(d) to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows, field trials, hunting tests for pointing breeds and obedience trials under the rules of The American Kennel Club.

SECTION 3. The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit, 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 by-laws as may be required to carry out these objects.


ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Eligibility

(a) There shall be two types of membership open to all persons eighteen (18) years of age and older who are in good standing with The American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club.

1. Single membership: one vote.

2. Family membership: includes two adults in the same family with equal voting privileges (i.e. husband and wife, mother and daughter, father

(b) There shall be a Senior membership open to all person! sixty-five (65) years of age and older who are in good standing with The American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Senior members shall have full voting and all other privileges of the Club.

(c) There shall be a Junior membership open to all persons seventeen (17) years of age and younger who are in good standing with The American Kennel Club and who subscribe to the purposes of this Club. Junior members shall not have the privilege of voting but will have all other privileges of the Club.
SECTION 2. Dues
(a) Annual dues for each type of membership shall be an amount deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors and voted upon favorably by a 2/3 vote of the members present and voting at a meeting where a change in the amount of annual dues is presented for membership vote.
During the month of November the Treasurer shall send to all members a statement of their dues for the ensuing year.
The Club's fiscal year shall begin on the 1st day of January, and dues are due and payable on January Ist.
No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year.
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 by-laws and the rules of The American Kennel Club. The application shall state the name, address and occupation of the applicant. Each application for Junior membership shall bear the signature of both parents or guardian indicating consent and full responsibility for the applicant to be a member of the Fort Detroit German Wirehaired Pointer Club, Inc. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the current year, which will be refunded if the application is rejected.
All applications are to be filed with the Secretary, and each application is to be read at the first meeting of the Club following its receipt. The application will be voted upon at the next regular club meeting, and affirmative votes of 3/4 of the members present and voting at that meeting shall be required to elect the applicant.
Applicants for membership who have been rejected by the Club may not re-apply within six months after such rejection.
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 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 will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member's dues remain unpaid 90 days after the first day of the fiscal year; however, the Board may grant an additional 90 days of grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may the person be entitled to vote at any Club meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting.

Any person who has permitted his/her membership to be terminated by lapsing and who wishes to reapply for membership will be permitted to do so by paying any back debts incurred by him/her and due the Club.

(c) by expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VII of these by-laws.
ARTICLE III
MEETINGS AND VOTING

SECTION 1. Club Meetings - Meetings of the Club shall be held within 100 miles of tte-City of Detroit on the third Friday of each month, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of each meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such meetings shall be 20% of the members in good standing.

Should the third Friday conflict with a holiday or event which will limit attendance, the meeting will be rescheduled at the preceding meeting or cancelled.

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 and voting at any regular or special meeting of the Board, and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by five members of the Club who are in good standing. Such special meetings shall be held within 100 miles of the City of Detroit at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 5 days and not more than 15 days prior to the date of the meeting; and said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting, and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 20% of the members in good standing.


SECTION 3. Board Meetings - Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held within 100 miles of the City of Detroit within 14 days prior to the regular monthly meeting in the months of March, June, September and December in each year, at such hour and place as may be designated by the Board. Written notices of each such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least 5 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.


SECTION 4. Special Board Meetings - Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President, and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by at least three (3) members of the Board. Such special meetings shall be held within 100 miles of the City of Detroit at such place, date, and hour as may be designated by the person authorized herein to call such meeting. Written notice of such meeting shall be mailed by the Secretary at least five (5) days and not more than ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. Any such notices shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business shall be transacted thereat. A quorum for such a meeting shall be a majority of the Board.
SECTION 5. Voting - Each member in good standing whose dues are paid for the current year shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the Club at which the member is present. Proxy voting will not be permitted at any Club meeting or election.
ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
SECTION 1. Board of Directors - The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three (3) other persons who shall serve as Directors. All members of the Board of Directors shall be members in good standing. They shall be elected at the Club Annual Meeting as provided in Article V, Section 3, and shall serve until their successors are elected. 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 and Treasurer, shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board and its meetings. The Officers' term of office shall be for one (1) year.

(a) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these by-laws.

(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.

(c) The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club.


The secretary shall have charge of the correspondence, notify new members of their election to the membership, notify members of the meetings, notify officers and directors of their election to office, keep a roll of the members of the Club with their addresses, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these by-laws.
(d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to. the Club. The Treasurer shall deposit the same in a bank designated by the Board, in the name of the Club. The Treasurer's books shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Board, and the Treasurer shall report to them 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.
The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.
(e) The Office of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person.
SECTION 3. Directors - Initially, One Director shall be elected for a one year term of office, a second Director for a two year term of office, and a third Director for a three year term of office. Thereafter, the term of office for all Directors shall be three years.
SECTION 4. Tenure - No person shall serve more than two elected consecutive terms in a given office or as a Director, nor more than three elected consecutive terms as a member of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 5. Vacancies - Any vacancies occurring in any of the offices of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer during the year shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board at its first regular meeting following the creation of such vacancy, or at a Special Board Meeting called for that purpose.
If a vacancy of a Directorship occurs, the office will be filled by the Board until the next regular election, at which time the membership will elect a Director for the unexpired term.

ARTICLE V

THE CLUB YEAR, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTIONS






SECTION 1. Club Year - The Club's fiscal year shall begin on the 1st day of January and end on the 31st day of December.
The Club's official year shall begin immediately at the conclusion of the election at the Annual Meeting and shall continue through the election at the next Annual Meeting.
SECTION 2. Annual Meeting - The Annual Meeting shall be held in the month of March at which Officers and Directors for the ensuing year shall be elected by secret, written ballot from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. They shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the election, and each retiring officer shall turn over to his/her successor in office all properties and records relating to that office within 30 days after the election.
SECTION 3. Elections - The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The nominated candidates for other positions on the Board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions shall be declared elected.
SECTION 4. Nominations - No Club member may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated. During the month of December the Board shall select a Nominating Committee consisting of three members and two alternates, not more than one of whom shall be a member of the Board. The Secretary 'shall immediately notify the committeemen and alternates of their selection. The Board shall name a Chairman for the Committee, and it shall be his/her duty to call a committee meeting which shall be held on or before January 15th.
(a) The Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office and one candidate for the one other position of Director on the Board and, after securing the consent of each person so nominated, shall immediately report their nominations to the Secretary in writing.
(b) Upon receipt of the Nominating Committee's report, the Secretary shall before February 1st notify each member in writing of the candidates so nominated.
(c) Additional nominations may be made by petition to the Secretary at or prior to the February meeting. This petition must be signed by the proposed candidate and endorsed by five (5) members in good standing. No person may be a candidate for more than one position, and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
(d) Nominations cannot be made at the Annual Meeting or in and manner other than as provided in this Section.
ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. The Board may each year appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as specialty shows, obedience trials, field trials, hunting tests, trophies, annual prizes, membership and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects.
SECTION 2. 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 services have been terminated.
ARTICLE VII DISCIPLINE
SECTION 1. American Kennel Club Suspension - Any member who is suspended from the privileges of The American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of this Club for a like period.
SECTION 2. 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 $10.00 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board 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 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 not less than three (3) weeks nor 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 his/her own defense and bring witnesses if he/she wishes.

SECTION 3. Board Hearing - The Board shall have complete authority-to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board may, by a majority vote of those present, suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant's right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the Board's recommendation. Immediately after the Board 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 Board's decision and penalty, if any.
SECTION 4. Expulsion - Expulsion of a member from the Club may be accomplished only at a meeting of the Club following a Board hearing and upon the Board's recommendation as provided in Section 3 of this Article. Such proceedings may occur at a regular or special meeting of the Club to be held within 60 days but not earlier than 30 days after the date of the Board's recommendation of expulsion. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his/her own behalf, although no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his/her own behalf if he/she wishes. The meeting shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 vote of those present and voting at the meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the Board's suspension shall stand.
ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. Amendments to the constitution and -by-laws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by twenty percent (20%) of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three (3) months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.
SECTION 2. The constitution and by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting called for the purpose, provided the proposed amendments have been included in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.