CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF
YOUNGWOOD SPORTSMEN’S ASSOCIATION, INC.
Adopted April 11,2018
ARTICLE I-NAME
SECTION 1
This association shall be known as the Youngwood Sportsmen’s Association, Inc. It shall be located in or near Youngwood, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
ARTICLE II-PURPOSE
SECTION 1
The purpose for which the corporation was formed is to advance and promote, hunting, fishing, and the stocking, feeding, and protection of wildlife, game, and fish; to promote good fellowship and cooperative hunting and fishing between land-owners and sportsmen; and to promote and advance sportsmen’s activities. Furthermore, this is a corporation which does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidental or otherwise, to its members.
ARTICLE III-MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1
Membership shall be available to any citizen of the United States who is of good moral character upon submitting proper application endorsed by a Regular or Life member of the Association with at least one year in good standing.
SECTION 2
- JUNIOR-Persons up to and including 17 years of age. They will pay annual dues, but will not be required to pay new-member initiation fees. They will be entitled to all privileges of the Association except the rights to vote, hold office, and be issued a gate access. Exception, Junior members who are 16 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license are entitled to gate access
- REGULAR-Persons18 years of age and older. They will pay annual dues and new-member initiation fees. They will be entitled to all privileges of the Association.
- ACTIVE SENIOR- persons who have been regular members in good standing in the Association for ten (10) consecutive years and have reached the age of sixty five in the prior membership year. They will pay 50% of the regular member cost.
- LIFETIME- Persons who have been regular members in good standing in the Association for 10(ten) consecutive years immediately prior to attaining the age of seventy five (75) or older in the prior membership year shall be entitled to LIFETIME MEMBERSHIPS. An eligible member shall submit a letter to the Board of Directors verifying that he has met the requirements for a Lifetime Membership. This letter is to be submitted in October or November so you will be eligible the beginning of the next calendar year. They will be entitled to all the privileges of the Association. Any member who is a life member in 2017 or before will be grandfathered in to the life member category regardless of age.
SECTION 3
Upon submission of a membership application, all new applicants above the age of ten (10) years, must attend a regular meeting with their sponsors to be introduced and recognized by the members in attendance. At this meeting the applicants must pay any required initiation fees and annual dues. Every application for membership will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Board of Directors. This will allow sufficient time for the membership to submit any comments regarding the applicants, so doing in writing to the Board of Directors. If no objections to the applicants have been received, their names will be presented at the next regular meetings for members in attendance to vote on their acceptance into membership. Applicants will be required to attend a second meeting to receive their new member packet and key fob. The material will not be mailed and can only be picked up up by the new member. Packets will only be available at the conclusion of the regular monthly meeting.
A simple majority vote of the Board of Directors present and voting at the Board meeting is required to present applicants to the membership for a vote to accept applicants into the club.
The Board of Directors at its discretion may waive for extenuating circumstances the requirement for the prospective member to be introduced at the regular monthly meeting. Extenuating circumstances are defined as by not limited to work schedule, place of residence or health related issues. Application for membership in this situation to be accompanied by a letter from the perspective member’s sponsor to the Board of Directors stating the reasons the applicant is unable to be introduced at the regular monthly membership meeting. The board also reserves the right to let the sponsor pick up a new members packet and key fob in special circumstances as determined by the board.
The Board of Directors at its discretion may close membership.
SECTION 4
Dues for the next membership year must be paid between October 1 and December 31 of the current year. A membership year runs from January 1 through December 31. From October 1 through December 31 no new applications will be taken to allow ample time to update the records. A late fee will be assessed on dues paid between January 1 and January 31 of the new membership year. After January 31 any member who has not renewed their membership will be removed from the membership and their gate access revoked. To be reinstated the former member must follow the procedure for new membership application, including the initiation fee. The board, at its discretion, may alter the process and method of dues collection.
When moving up from one age class to the next age class, the initiation fee will be waived.
SECTION 5
Dues and initiation fees are subject to change only by recommendations of the Board of Directors. The proposed changes will be presented to the membership at the June and July regular meetings. A vote on the proposed fee changes will be conducted at the August regular meeting.
SECTION 6
It shall be the responsibility of the Chairman of the Membership Committee to keep at least two up-to-date membership records. One printed membership record shall be updated quarterly and kept at the clubhouse at all times.
SECTION 7
Paid-up members who become members of the Armed Forces of the United States will remain members of the Association at no cost until termination of active military service. Upon return, member must attend a regular monthly meeting and submit a Separation from Service Form DD-214 to the Membership Committee.
SECTION 8
The Board of Directors may suspend or expel any member of the Association for conduct deemed detrimental to the interest of the Association.
ARTICLE IV-MEETINGS
SECTION 1
Regular monthly meetings of the Association shall be held at 8:00 P M on the second Wednesday of each month.
Board of Directors meetings are conducted on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to reschedule or cancel this meeting.
SECTION 2
The order of business at a regular meeting shall consist of the following items:
- Call to Order by the President
- Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
- Conservation Pledge
- Moment of silence in memory of deceased members
- Roll call of officers and other directors
- Introduction of new applicants and sponsors
- Voting on applicants introduced at a prior meeting
- Reading of the minutes of the last meeting
- Communications
- Treasurer’s Report
- Report on Committees
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- General good and welfare of the Association
- 50-50
- Adjournment
ARTICLE V- QUORUM
SECTION 1
A quorum for the transaction of business at a regular meeting shall consist of twenty-five (25) voting members in good standing of which three (3) shall be officers of the Association.
The Board of Directors shall have the authority to cancel a regular monthly meeting for reasons of inclement weather or Club emergency.
SECTION 2
A quorum for the transaction of business at a Board of Directors meeting shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board.
SECTION 3
A quorum for the transaction of business at a committee meeting shall consist of a majority of the members duly named to such committee.
ARTICLE VI- OFFICERS
SECTION 1
The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Field Captain.
- It shall be the duty of the President to call, preside, and maintain order of business at all Monthly Membership and Board meetings of the Association. He shall have preserved in the records of the Association a perpetual file of minutes of all meetings. He shall appoint committees and perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office.
- It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to perform the duties of the President in his absence or temporary disability. Should the office of the President become vacant during the year, the Vice-President shall automatically succeed to that office.
- It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep all books, to receive and answer all official mail and conduct the correspondence of the Association. He shall record the minutes of all meetings.
- The Treasurer shall receive all monies belonging to the Association, and to account for the same. He shall see that all bills of the Association are paid. He shall deliver to his successor in office all monies, vouchers, books, and papers of the Association. His accounts shall be audited quarterly and after the close of each calendar year, but prior to the first scheduled Board of Directors meeting in February. The audits and filings of the appropriate tax returns of the Organization will be performed by an accountant selected by the Board of Directors.
- The Field Captain shall have charge of game, fish, and land management, and shall have charge of the care and maintenance of the grounds of the Association. In addition to the foregoing, the Field Captain shall act as Warden for the Association and shall enforce the rules and regulations of the Association. Field Captain shall also be responsible for the Game and Fish stocking committees.
- All records of any description kept by officers in connection with their official duties in the Association shall be considered property of the Association and shall be delivered to the next office-holders intact.
ARTICLE VII-NOMINATION, ELECTION, AND TERMS
SECTION 1
The annual election will be held prior to the start of the regular meeting of the Association in December.
SECTION 2
An Election Committee of three (3) members shall be appointed by the President at the September meeting. The Committee shall provide a slate of nominees to the President before the November regular meeting Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor at the November meeting; the nominees must be present, and accept the nomination. All nominees for elected offices must have been members of the Association for at least one (1) year and be at least 18 years of age.
SECTION 3
At the regular meeting in December, the membership shall elect a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Field Captain to serve terms of one (1) year and two (2) Trustees to serve terms of two (2) years.
SECTION 4
Election will be by written ballot and the majority vote of Regular, Active Senior and Life members in good standing in the Association.
Voting will be conducted between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Members must present a current membership card to the Election Committee. No absentee balloting is permitted
SECTION 5
Election results shall be posted prior to the end of the December meeting and remain posted until the February meeting. The ballots shall be kept in a locked box available for recount until the February meeting, at which time they shall be destroyed by the Election Committee. The locked ballot box shall remain in the clubhouse.
SECTION 6
The newly elected officers and trustees shall assume office the first day of January immediately following their election.
ARTICLE VIII-BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1
The Board of Directors shall be ten (10) in number and shall consist of the officers of the Association, the four (4) trustees, and the immediate past president. The management of the Association is vested in its Board of Directors. The immediate past president will serve a one year term once a new president is elected. At the end of that one year term the tenth board position becomes an at-large position and carries a one year term. The at-large position will be an elected position.
SECTION 2
The President of the Association is the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3
In case of a vacancy on the Board of Directors, except for the position of President, a successor shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve the unexpired term. This appointment shall not exceed one year in length.
SECTION 4
A Board of Directors meeting can be called by the President or any member of the Board.
SECTION 5
An officer or Trustee may be removed from office by a two thirds vote of the Board for failure to attend any combination totaling 50% of regular monthly and/or Board of Directors Meetings.
A replacement will be appointed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors to serve the unexpired term
ARTICLE IX- COMMITTEES
SECTION 1
The President shall appoint such special committees as he considers necessary. All committee chairmen must be at least 18 years of age.
SECTION 2
Committees shall meet upon call or notice of the chairman of such committees.
ARICLE X- FUNDS
SECTION 1
The funds of this Association shall be deposited in a bank insured by a Federal Agency, designated by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2
All bills must be paid by check. The check must be countersigned by any two (2) of the following five(5) officers:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Field Captain
SECTION 3
All Association MONIES must be deposited in the care of the Treasurer.
SECTION 4
Emergency funds for club operations, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), may be spent by a majority decision of the Board of Directors, provided such emergency arises between regular monthly meetings and provided immediate action is required.
Normal maintenance expenditures totaling up to $500 for each occurrence may be spent by a majority decision of the Board of Directors. A report will be presented to the membership at next regular Monthly Membership Meeting.
All other expenditures will be reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors before presentation to the membership for a vote.
SECTION 5
The following members of the Association shall be bonded:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Field Captain shall be bonded. At the discretion of the Board of Directors any Committee Chairman or Co-chairman handling Club funds may also be bonded
ARTICLE XI-AMENDMENTS, REPEALS AND AUTHORITY
SECTION 1
These By-Laws may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of members present at a regular monthly meeting and provided that notice of consideration of such amendments or repeal has been read at the two preceding regular monthly meetings.
SECTION 2
For any parliamentary question that may arise which is not covered by this Constitution and By-Laws, the Association will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Latest Edition.
ARTICLE XIII-PROPERTY
SECTION 1
All Properties belonging to the Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors. No property may be removed from the premises or loaned to anyone without the permission of the President. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the property may be used by other organizations to promote and advance sportsmen’s activities, but not for the purpose of making a profit.
No discrimination as to gender is implied in these articles. Words such as he, him, chairman, and chairmen are used for convenience and are meant to include both sexes equally.