HAMPSHIRE COUNTY RIDING CLUB, INC.
FORMED in JANUARY 1946
BY-LAWS
The name of this organization shall be THE HAMPSHIRE COUNTY RIDING CLUB, INC. Hereinafter referred to as THE CLUB.
OBJECT
The object of this club shall be generally to foster interest in the use, care, breeding
and protection of horses and particularly to foster and support educational media for a general increase in the knowledge of horses and horsemanship.
MEMBERSHIP
All invited persons eighteen (18) years of age or over, shall be eligible for membership who are in sympathy with the ideals and purposes of this club, provided they own a horse or have access to a horse. The applicant is to attend two (2) meetings or participate in (2) workings (horse show, ECTRA ride, Morgan Show, etc.) before his/her applications are approved/disapproved. No applicant will be considered for approval until a membership fee equal to the currant club dues has been received by the membership committee.
Children of current members, from ages of twelve (12) years through seventeen (17) years of age, will be eligible for Junior Membership status. The cost of this membership will be seventy-five percent (75%) of the current club dues. The membership application process and requirements will be the same as with regular membership. As always, anyone under the age of eighteen (18) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Supporting membership is designed to enhance communications and to allow those unable to attend meetings to enroll in membership. A supporting member is an individual who pays regular membership dues but who does not have voting rights and must be accompanied by a full member of The Club to use the facilities or grounds. Supporting members will pay half of the non-member fees for all club functions but shall never pay less than a full member. Supporting members will receive all regular club mailings.
Application for membership shall first be submitted to The Membership Committee, or in their absence, to that person in charge of the working function. The application shall be presented to The Club at the first scheduled meeting. Election to membership shall be by The Club at the first regularly scheduled meeting following the applicant’s fulfillment of the membership obligation as stated in Article III. If the membership is approved, the membership fee will constitute the current dues, otherwise, the membership fee will be refunded.
Regular membership entitles the holder to all Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities of The Club including voting power.
1.
MEETINGS
Section 1 The annual meeting of The Club shall be, at such a time, during the month of October at such place as the Board of Directors may determine. Members shall be given a minimum of fourteen (14) days notice of this meeting.
Section II The regular scheduled monthly business meeting of The Club shall be held on the third Wednesday of each month at The Club house unless due notice is given by the Secretary of a change in procedure.
Section III Special meetings of The Club may be called by The President at any time and shall be called by The President upon written request of twenty-five percent (25%) of members in good standing at such time and upon such reasonable notice as The Board of Directors may determine. All members shall be notified of each special meeting.
Section IV Twenty-five percent (25%) of members in good standing shall constitute a Quorum at any meeting.
Section I Annual dues for membership shall be voted upon by The Membership.
Section II Dues for the year shall be payable at the first meeting in January. Any member who has not paid his/her dues by the February meeting shall be notified by the Treasurer and if their dues are not paid within thirty (30) days of notice, The Treasurer shall send notice of automatic suspension. Any member who has forfeited his/her membership may be reinstated by vote of The Board of Directors.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The officers of The Club shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and a Treasurer. All officers are elected at the annual meeting of The Club for a term of two years and until their successors are elected and qualified.
Section I The President may be elected for two (2) consecutive terms of office. A past president may be re-elected to the presidency following a lapse of one term of office.
Section II Any vacancy by the death or resignation of an officer, or for any other reason, may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of The Membership, at any regular business meeting of The Club at which a quorum is present.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section I The President shall be The General Executive Officer of The Club and shall preside at all meetings of The Club and of The Board of Directors and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, he/she shall appoint The Chairperson of all committees. He/she shall be required to make an annual report at the annual meeting.
Section II The Vice President shall assume the duties of The President in his/her absence or disability. The Vice President shall be chairperson of The Membership Committee which he/she shall appoint.
Section III The Secretary, who shall be a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, sworn to the faithful performance of his/her duties, shall keep the minutes of all meetings, shall be the keeper of the corporate seal, and shall be in charge of publicity. The Secretary shall send a copy of the minutes of each meeting to The President five (5) days after each meeting, or one (1) day before next meeting, whichever shall come first.
2.
Section IV The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds of The Club and shall collect all dues. He/she shall disburse the general funds of The Club upon the order of The Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall render an annual report and such other items when called upon.
(A) The Chairperson of the monthly meetings shall collect all donations
and pay all expenses before turning over the balance, together with
an accounting, to The Treasurer prior to the next meeting.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1 The Board of Directors shall consist ex-officio of the duly elected officers of The Club and four (4) members elected at the annual meeting to serve as directors on a three year rotation basis. There will be a fifth director for a two (2) year position.
(A) The retiring President shall automatically be eligible for the Board of
Directors for a two year term.
(B) Should the retiring President refuse the term as a two (2) year
Director, the position may be filled by any eligible member elected at
the annual meeting.
Section II The Board of Directors shall meet, upon call of The President and/or any five members. The quorum shall consist of any five (5) members of the Board of Directors.
Section III Any vacancy caused by the death or resignation of any director, or for any other
reason, may be filled by the affirmative vote of The Membership at any regular business meeting of The Club at which a quorum is present.
Section IV The Directors shall walk the boundaries of The Club property once every two (2)
Years, (following the election of new officers).
COMMITTEES
Section I Except as herein before provided, The President shall appoint The Chairperson of such committees as in his/her judgement may be necessary to carry on the work of The Club. The Chairperson of every committee shall plan and carry on his/her work subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section II The Nominating Committee, consisting of five (5) members in good standing, shall be elected by the general membership at the August meeting. This committee shall nominate a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and the necessary directors. This committee’s recommendations are to be submitted to The Secretary by the September meeting and mailed with notices of the October meeting to the membership.
Section III The program committee shall be appointed by The President in October to schedule the next year’s events.
Section IV The President shall annually appoint chairpersons for:
(A) trail ride committee
(B) a horse show committee
(C) a house committee
1. The house committee may maintain a fund of up to fifty (50)
dollars for incidental expenses. Any funds over this amount shall
be turned over to The Treasurer and a report shall be submitted to
The Treasurer at the October meeting.
2. Rentals of club facilities shall be paid to The House Committee
Chairperson, which he/she will turn over to The Treasurer to be
placed in the treasury.
3. All checks will be made out to the Hampshire County Riding
Club, Inc.
(D) a ways and means committee
CALENDAR
The fiscal year of The Club shall consist of (12) months starting January 1st and ending on December 31.
PROCEDURE
“Roberts Rules of Order” shall be the Parliamentary Authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the By-Laws or by special rules of procedure adopted be The Club.
CONTRACTS and BONDS
Section I Any contracts duly authorized may be executed on behalf of The Club by The President and The Treasurer or by such officers as The Membership may expressly empower in a particular case.
Section II In addition to or in lieu of The Treasurer, bank checks may be signed by The President.
DISTRIBUTION
In the event that club members vote to dissolve The Corporation, The Directors shall then sell all of The Real and Personal Property of The Corporation. After selling The Said Property, The Directors shall pay any and all outstanding debts. After the debts of The Corporation have been paid and the necessary papers filed with local and state officials, for dissolving The Corporation, The Directors shall distribute the balance of the
Monies held by The Corporation. This distribution shall, in no event, be more than two (2) years from the date when members of The Corporation voted to dissolve The
Corporation.
The balance shall be distributed to one or more Non-Profit organizations, Corporations, or Associations which, in the opinion of a majority of The Board of Directors, will best promote and achieve the objective of The Club as stated in Article II. Such distribution shall be made upon such terms and conditions as a majority of The Board of Directors determine to be necessary to insure the proper application of the distribution.
The Club shall have a seal, consisting of a circular, flat-faced die, with the name of The Corporation and the year of its organization engraved on its face that can be embossed on paper by pressure.
The By-Laws may be amended by The Club at any regular meeting or special meeting, previous notice of which shall have contained the substance of the proposed amendment, by two thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting.
COMPENSATION
Section I Club members will not receive compensation for services performed at a club function or work performed as a result of any committee activity.
Section II Club members are prohibited from capitalizing on club sponsored functions for personal profit unless approved by The Board of Directors.
March 18, 1970
April 28, 1971
September 19, 1973
April 21, 1976
July 20, 1977
February 15, 1984
July 15, 1987 Article XVII Compensation
April 15, 1992 Article III Sponsorship
October 18, 1995 Article III Junior Membership
August 3, 2005 Article V, Section 1, Article IX Section 1, Section 1A and 1B,
Article X, Section II, III and IV
5.
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