BYLAWS OF THE

COTTAGE GROVE-EUGENE SPORTSMEN’S CLUB  

ARTICLE 1: NAME

The name of this organization is the COTTAGE GROVE-EUGENE SPORTSMEN’S CLUB, chartered under the laws of the State of Oregon on September 1, 1967, and called the "Club."

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE

The Club declares that it is unified in its desire to support activities that educate youth and adults in shotgun sports, gun safety and good sportsmanship.  It is the objective of the Club to provide a local facility that primarily promotes shotgun sports and offers educational and training programs and events to further develop shotgun shooting sports.  The Club is committed to keeping the Club financially viable at all times and to be organized and operated as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Oregon for the exclusive purposes stated herein.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Any individual expressing interest in becoming a Club member and agreeing to comply with all provisions of the Bylaws, rules and policies of the Club may be eligible for membership.  All issues regarding membership eligibility and renewal shall be within the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.  All members shall conduct themselves while at the Club in a manner that does not disrupt the harmony, safety and administration of any shooting event or Club activity.

ARTICLE 4: DUES AND FEES

SECTION A: GENERAL MEMBERSHIP.  Each member of the Club shall pay to the Treasurer of the Club annual dues in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors.  Said dues will be payable by the last day of January of each calendar year.  All annual dues not paid before February 1^st of each calendar year shall result in the member not being in good standing and being dropped from the rolls of the Club.  Members joining after July 1^st of each calendar year shall pay two-thirds of the annual dues.

SECTION B: LIFE MEMBERSHIP.  The dues for a life membership shall consist of a one-time payment of an amount equal to ten times the annual dues for a General Membership.

SECTION C: FAMILY MEMBERSHIP.  The dues for Family Memberships shall be two times the amount of a General Membership regardless of the number of family members.  All family members must live in the same immediate household or be classified as a dependent of the family as defined by the Internal Revenue Code.  Family Memberships shall have two votes.  The voters under a Family Membership must be designated at the time of joining and must be a minimum age of 18 years.  Failure to make a designation under this section will leave the two oldest members under the Family Membership as the default "voters" for the purposes of this section.

SECTION D: JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP.   Junior membership is available to youths not otherwise enrolled under a Family Membership and who are under the age of 18 years.  A parent or legal guardian must sponsor them.  Juniors pay one half General Membership dues and participate in all club activities.  Junior Membership is a non-voting membership.

SECTION E: HONORARY MEMBERSHIP.  The Board may bestow a non-voting Honorary Membership for one year to persons who have devoted outstanding service to the Club, or to shooting sports, or for charitable purposes.

ARTICLE 5: DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

SECTION A: QUALIFICATIONS OF DIRECTORS.  All active adult Club members in good standing shall be eligible to be a Director, to hold office, or be appointed to a committee. 

SECTION B: ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS.   Club members shall elect the Board of Directors and Officers at the January General Membership Meeting.  The Board of Directors shall be a total of 10 directors, officers and the past president.

SECTION C: POWERS.  The Board of Directors shall direct, manage, supervise and control the business, real property and personal property of the Club, including, but not be limited to, the business related transactions of the Club, activities of the Club, keeping Board records and establishing annual and life Club membership dues.  The Board has the power to appoint, discipline and/or remove members of the Club as set forth hereinafter or as provided by law.  Directors and Officers shall have voting privileges at all Board, General and Special Membership Meetings.  The Board further has the power to require all persons attending or participating in an event upon Club property to conduct themselves so as to not disrupt the harmony, safety and administration of the Club, or activity being attended, and to remove an offender from Club property by any legal means.

SECTION D: OFFICIAL RECORDS.  The Board is empowered to do all things necessary to keep the Official Records of the Club.  The Official Records of the Club shall be the approved minutes of the Regular and Special Meetings of the Board as recorded by the Secretary and approved as amended at Regular Meetings of the Board from time to time, General Membership meeting minutes and Board approved treasurer reports.

SECTION E: REMUNERATION.  No activities shall be conducted for private gain of any individual Club member regardless of status within the club without approval of the Board of Directors.

SECTION F: OFFICERS.  The officers of this Club shall consist of the following: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

SECTION G: DUTIES OF OFFICERS. 

G(1): PRESIDENT.  The President acting at the direction of the Board is the Chief Executive Officer of the Club and shall:

a.    Preside at all Club Meetings.

b.    Conduct meetings according to a procedure agreed upon by the majority of the Board of Directors.  In the event of disagreements regarding procedure, all disputes shall be settled according to the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

c.    Cause the Club’s books to be examined annually.

d.    Call all meetings on time.

e.    Be prompt in answering correspondence and the discharge of other Club obligations.

f.     Faithfully discharge the duties of the office of President with integrity and honesty.

G(2): VICE PRESIDENT.  The Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency in case of an absence or vacancy and shall thereafter perform the duties of President until the President returns from absence or until the following General Election of Directors and Officers.

G(3): SECRETARY.  The Secretary shall:

a.    Maintain the official record of the Club and Board of Directors.  At a minimum this includes the minutes of meetings, correspondence, accurate membership lists, reports and other paperwork regardless of the form in which it may be kept as required by governmental units.

b.    The Secretary shall develop and maintain a Standard Procedures manual for the Office of the Secretary, which shall be and is the property of the Club.

G(4): TREASURER.  The Treasure shall:

a.    Receive and deposit all monies in a financial institution approved by the Board of Directors.  He or she may instruct the bookkeeper to make deposits into the selected  financial institution as long as the Treasurer has a record of the amount of deposit before it is delivered to the bookkeeper.

b.    Pay all Club obligations timely.  Said payments shall be made by check or electronically and shall be properly recorded and accounted for.

c.    Prepare and submit monthly financial reports and quarterly reports to the Board of Directors. 

d.    Give bond for the faithful discharge of duties as may be required by the Board of Directors at the Club’s expense.

e.    The Treasurer shall develop and maintain a Standard Procedures manual for the Office of the Treasurer which shall be and is the property of the Club.

 G(5): IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT.  The immediate Past President shall act as an advisor to the Board and shall be subject to the powers and responsibilities of Directors per Article 5C as a non-voting Board Member and shall serve for one year on the Board.

ARTICLE 6: MEETINGS

SECTION A: MEETING PROCEDURE.  General Meetings of the Club shall be determined by and under the control of the Board of Directors.  All Club meetings shall be conducted per a procedure adopted and approved by the Board at the first regular Board meeting following elections.  All procedural issues not agreed upon should be decided by the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

SECTION B: OPEN BOARD MEETINGS.  All board meetings shall be open and announced to all members eligible to vote in a general membership meeting.  Subject to relevancy and available time, the President may allow members to comment on issues brought before the Board.

SECTION C: EXECUTIVE BOARD SESSIONS.  Executive Board Sessions may be declared by the President or a majority of the Board of Directors.  Discussions in executive sessions shall be limited to those topics for which the session was declared and shall not be open to the General Membership.

SECTION D: SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS.  Special Membership Meetings may be called by the President, a majority of the Board of Directors or 10 percent of the general membership.  Special Meetings shall be limited to the subject announced for the purpose of the Special Meeting.  To validate the scheduling of a Special Meeting all of those authorized to vote in such a meeting must receive notice as per Article 10, paragraph 7.  Minutes of the meetings shall be maintained by the Secretary.

SECTION E: QUORUMS.  Attendance of ten percent of the general membership in good standing shall constitute a quorum of the general membership for the purpose of actions that can be taken by the general membership.  A simple majority of the Officers and Directors shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 7: BYLAW AMENDMENTS

Club Bylaws may be amended at a Special Membership meeting by a majority vote of the members present, provided that fourteen days notice to amend shall be given to the membership, that the notice provides sufficient information for the members to make an informed decision and that a quorum is present to conduct by vote a decision on the proposed amendment.

ARTICLE 8: ELECTIONS

SECTION A: NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS.  A Nominating Committee of three Club members in good standing shall be appointed by the Board at the Regular Board Meeting in October.  Nominations will take place on the first Tuesday of November at a meeting of the general membership.  All members in good standing will be notified at least fourteen days prior to said meeting.  Nominations received after this meeting shall be directed in writing to any member of the Nomination Committee.  Nominations will close the second Tuesday of December prior to the election of Directors on the  second Tuesday of January.  Candidates must accept their nomination by a written acceptance delivered to the Nominating Committee before the close of nominations.  Nominees who fail to provide said written acceptance shall not be eligible for election.

SECTION B: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. 

B(1) TELLER COMMITTEE. The President shall appoint a Teller Committee of three Club members in good standing (non-nominees) who shall be responsible for the distribution and tabulation of the ballots.  Tellers shall report the results of each election to the President and Secretary.  Thereafter ballots shall be sealed in an envelope and retained by the Board on file for a period of one year.

B(2): NUMBER AND TERMS.  The 10 Directors shall be elected for two year terms.  5 Directors shall be elected in even numbered years and 5 Directors shall be elected in odd numbered years.  All Officers of the Club shall be elected for a term of one year.

B(3): INSTALLATION.  Installation of Directors and Officers shall take place at the conclusion of the General Membership Meeting in January of each calendar year.

B(4): BALLOTING. 

B(4)(b): All ballots will be pre-printed to maintain uniformity.  Ballots will be printed by the Nominating Committee.

B(4)(c): A ballot box with a lock will be used for all elections.  The Teller Committee will have the only key.  The box shall remain in plain view at all times during the election and counting process.

B(4)(d): The method of balloting shall be: A roster of all members in good standing shall be prepared prior to Election Day by the Secretary.  When each member requests a ballot, he/she shall sign the roster by their name.  When he/she votes, their name will be marked out when the ballot enters the box.  Upon completion of voting the number of ballots must equal the number of names marked off the roster.

SECTION C: VACANCY OF DIRECTOR OR OFFICER.  In the event a Director’s or Officer’s position is vacated at any time between elections, the Board of Directors may name a successor until a regularly scheduled general election of the vacancy has taken place or the next general election.

ARTICLE 9: COMMITTEES

Committees may be appointed by the President as deemed necessary.  Standing committees shall regularly report to the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 10: STANDING RULES

1. All Directors must be at least 18 years of age.
2. No person with state or federal restrictions on his or her ability to possess a weapon may be a member of the Club.
4. All documentation for and on behalf of the Club is the intellectual property of the Club.
5. Nothing in these Bylaws is intended to keep the Officers or Board Members from acting for and on behalf of the Club in an emergency.
6. No action taken in good faith and with prudence by the Officers or Board Members during an emergency, and outside of Regular or Special Meetings, shall be binding on the Club beyond the emergency except by later ratification by the Board or at a Regular or Special Meeting.
7. Illegal discrimination will not be tolerated.  Any member illegally discriminating against another person on Club property or at an event sponsored by the Club shall be subject to the Club’s disciplinary process up to and including loss of their membership privileges and rights.
8. Notices and announcements to Club members as required by the bylaws shall be deemed accomplished by posting said notices and announcements on the Club bulletin board at a place designated therefore, and upon the Club’s official website at least 30 days prior to any meeting of the membership or special meeting.  Actual mailing of announcements and notices by first class mail may be accomplished  by the Board for a particular purpose.  All notices shall be provided in a fair and reasonable manner.

ARTICLE 11: DISCIPLINARY RULES AND PROCESS

SECTION A: GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINE.  The Board shall have all powers necessary to discipline any member for that member’s violation of the Bylaws or any other adopted policy, rule and or regulation regarding the conduct of Club members.

Conduct which constitutes grounds for member discipline shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Unsafe or dangerous firearm or shooting practices.
2. Shooting while under the influence of intoxicants.
3. Unlawful behavior on or to Club property.
4. Failure to abide by the Bylaws, rules and regulations of the Club.
5. Conduct that the Board determines is sufficient to justify discipline, including membership termination.

SECTION B: DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.  All allegations of member misconduct must be reported to the President or Vice-President in writing. The Board shall appoint three Club members as an investigation panel.  They are empowered by this Article to conduct an investigation into the alleged misconduct and to engage the services of an attorney as per a fee structure to be adopted by the Board on a case-by-case basis if that is deemed necessary by the Board.

At all times the Panel shall protect the integrity of this process, the privacy rights of any accused and the Club.  The Panel shall make a report of their investigation and a recommendation to the Board within 30 days of their appointment.

If the investigation committee determines that there is colorable substance to the allegation of misconduct, the accused member shall be given written notification of the committee’s findings and shall be given the opportunity to attend the next regular Board meeting for a hearing to answer the charges.  The accused may in the alternate meet with the President to resolve the involved issues prior to an open hearing with the Board.  All dispositions of allegations of member misconduct must be ratified by the Board.  Following said meeting or hearing the President shall notify the accused in writing of the Board’s final decision which may include membership suspension, termination of membership, conditional continued membership or no action.