Golden West Morgan Council

Bylaws for Golden West Morgan Council
BYLAWS of
GOLDEN WEST REGION VII COUNCIL, INC.
(Amended 1999)

ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be Golden West Region VII Council, Inc.

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES
  Section 2.1. The Objectives of the Golden West Region VII Council, Inc. (“Council”) are not to act as a club itself, but rather to act as a support group for each of the clubs in Region VII; to approve and coordinate Morgan horse shows within Region VII and State, County, and local Fair horse shows which include Morgan classes which take place within Region VII; to encourage and assist the clubs in promoting the Morgan Horse to the public, especially the youth, through education as to the history and uses of the Morgan Horse.

  Section 2.2. The Council shall hold an Annual Membership Meeting and conduct the Region VII Year End High Point Awards and Banquet, which is to be held in February or at a time and place agreed upon by the Board. This can be in conjunction with a Region VII Miniconvention, if the funds are available to hold such a convention. As deemed necessary, the Council may raise and make available funds to publish a Region VII Roster containing the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all members of each individual club in Region VII along with the Morgan horses they own.

  Section 2.3. The Council shall act as liaison between member clubs and the American Morgan Horse Association.

  Section 2.4. The Council shall be a non-profit organization and be non-sectarian and non-political in all its policies and activities.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
  Section 3.1. The membership of the Council shall consist of Morgan Horse Clubs within Region VII of the American Morgan Horse Association (“A.M.H.A.”) who accept the objectives of the Council, make written application for membership submitted with the first year’s dues, and pay each year’s dues thereafter by the due date. Dues shall be fixed by the Board of Directors each year.

ARTICLE IV. GOVERNING BODY
  Section 4.1. The governing body of the Council shall be the Board of Directors, herein-
after called the Board, composed of the President, Vice President-North, Vice President-South, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past Council President, the President of each member club in Region VII, or in such President’s absence, a designated representative from that club, the Region VII Youth Coordinator(s), the A.M.H.A. Regional Director(s) for Region VII, the AMHAY Region VII Vice President, any A.H.H.A. Regional Director Emeritus for Region VII, any Region VII Council Director Emeritus and eight (8) additional elected Region VII Council Board Members. 1.

  Section 4.2. The President, Vice President – North, Vice President – South, Secretary, Treasurer, and no less than eight (8)Directors at Large shall be elected by majority vote of the Board of Directors. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Board. The officers will be elected at the board meeting held in conjunction with the Annual Membership Meeting in February, or at a time and place agreed upon by the Board.

  Section 4.3. At the August board meeting, a nominating committee of five (5) members shall be elected by and from the Board. It shall be the duty of this nominating committee to nominate the nominees for the offices to be filled, including as many Directors at Large as the Board deems necessary to carry on the work of Region VII. These nominees may be members of the Board or from Region VII membership. The nominating committee shall report at the annual membership meeting. Any Region VVII Member nominated for an Officer position on the Council, must have served at least a year on the Council in the year prior to being nominated to an Officer position.

  Section 4.4. A slate containing the names of the nominees submitted by the nominating committee shall be mailed to the secretary of each member club within thirty (30 days after
the board meeting in August. Five (5)or more members of any member club may nominate, by signed petition(s), additional nominees for an office on the Board of Directors. Petitions must be mailed to the Council Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the election which will be held at the Annual Membership Meeting, at which time additional nominations from the floor shall be permitted. No member shall sign more than one (1) nominating petition for the same office.

  Section 4.5. Election shall be by voice vote except when there is a contest for any office, in which event the election shall be by Secret ballot.

  Section 4.6. A vacancy in any elective office, except that of the President, shall be filled at the next Council meeting for the unexpired term by majority vote of the Board then present. The office of the President shall be filled by the Vice President, and the Board shall then fill the vacancy thus created.

  Section 4.7. The Board shall have the power to act for the membership between meetings of the membership. It shall have the general supervision of the affairs of Region VII.

  Section 4.8 No officer shall be eligible to serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms
in the same office, with the exception of the Secretary and the Treasurer.

  Section 4.9. Executive Committee. The executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Northern and Southern Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, AMHA Region VII Directors, AMHA Youth Coordinator and one Director at Large to conduct business of the Council. This committee shall have the power of the Board 
between meetings of the Board. Six (6) members shall constitute a quorum. Minutes will be published and all other rules of the Council shall apply.
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  Section 4.10. There shall be no voting by proxy at any meeting of any body or committee of this Council. However, in the event of an emergency or matter requiring immediate attention by the Council, a voice vote by telephone conference is acceptable. The purpose of the telephone conference will be been sent out five (5) days prior to the voice vote by telephone. The Secretary shall be responsible for tabulating the voice vote during the telephone conference and will distribute the results of the voice vote in the form of minutes to the Council members.

  Section 4.11. Officers and Directors of the Council Members are eligible for Director Emeritus Status if they have served a minimum of 12 years on the Council. Time served does not need to be consecutive. Director Emeritus may not vote.

ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
  Section 5.1. : The President:

a. Shall preside at all meetings of the Board and the annual membership
meetings.

b. May Call special meetings of the Board, the purpose of which shall
be stated in the call.

c. At the direction of, and with the approval of the Board, shall appoint
all committees needed to carry on the work of Region VII.

d. Shall be a member ex-officio of all committees, except the nominating
committee.

e. Shall be Signatory to Council bank accounts, along with the Treasurer, 
and shall co-sign all contracts with the committee chairman concerned.

f. After the first Board meeting shall appoint, with the approval of the
Board, a Region VII Youth Director whose duties are enumerated
in these Bylaws, unless one has already been appointed by the
AMHA Youth Coordinator.

g. The President shall appoint a member of the Board of Directors to act
in lieu of the Secretary at any Board meeting at which the Secretary 
is absent.

  Section 5.2.1: The Northern Vice President:

a. Shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence,
and shall succeed the President should that office become vacant. Conduct of meetings and the filling of the President’s office
vacancy shall be on a rotating basis with the Southern Vice
President. The first meeting absence of the President will be
performed by the Northern Vice President, with the duties for the
next absence filled by the Southern Vice President. The filling
of a President’s office vacancy shall follow the same rotation.
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b. Shall be regional High Point Co-Chairman and shall coordinate
all awards for a High Point Awards Banquet.

c. Shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may
be prescribed from time to time by the Board

d. Shall act as liaison with member clubs and members North of
Fresno, CA, to foster communications with and throughout
the Region and to help in promoting member clubs and their
activities to new members.

  Section 5.2.2: The Southern Vice President:

a. Shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence,
and shall succeed the President should that office become
vacant. Conduct of meetings and the filling of the President’s
office vacancy shall be on a rotating basis with the Northern
Vice President as described above in Section 5.2.1.

b. Shall be regional High Point Co-Chairman and shall plan 
Mini-convention or Field Day activities in conjunction with
High Point Awards Banquet.

c. Shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may
be prescribed from time to time by the Board.

d. Shall act as liaison with member clubs and members South of
Fresno, CA, to foster communications with and throughout
the Region and to help in promoting member clubs and their
activities to new members.

  Section 5.3: The Treasurer:

a. Shall be the chief financial officer of the Board.

b. Shall collect and disburse funds of the Region VII Council, or shall
cause funds to be collected and disbursed by a bonded agent, as
directed by the Board.

c. Shall Prepare and present itemized financial reports at each meeting
of the Board, the annual membership meeting, and such other
times as directed by the Board, and shall disburse a copy to each
Board member.

d. Shall be signatory to all bank accounts excluding AMHAY accounts
along with the President.

e. Shall serve as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

f. Shall Coordinate show dates and show fees with member clubs.
4.
  Section 5.4: The Secretary:

a. Shall call the roll of all voting members of the Board of Directors at
the beginning of each meeting.

b. Shall record the minutes of the Board meetings and the annual
membership meeting.

c. Shall send a copy of the Board minutes to all Board members
within fourteen (14) days after each meeting.

d. Shall keep in the file all committee reports, current Bylaws, and all
records of the Board and Region VII Council business.

e. Shall send to the membership a notice of the annual meeting and a
notice to all Board members of all Board meetings.

f. Shall conduct the general correspondence of the Council at the
direction of the Board.

g. Shall prepare, prior to each meeting, an order of business for the
use of the presiding officer, showing their order, under each 
heading of all matters known in advance that are due to come
before the Board.

h. Shall, at the beginning of the year, send to the Secretary of each
member club, the new slate of Officers for the Region VII
Council, listing their addresses and telephone numbers, a new
slate of officers for all member clubs, listing their addresses and 
telephone numbers, along with that year’s Calendar of events 
for Region VII.

  Section 5.5: The Region VII Youth Director:

a. Shall coordinate the youth activities in Region VII in conjunction
with the AMHA Youth Program.

b. Shall, for the purposes of handling Region VII AMHAY funds,
perform the same duties as set forth for the Treasurer in 
Section 3, paragraphs (b) through (d).

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

  Section 6.1. The Annual Membership Meeting shall be held prior to the High Point Awards Banquet, to be held in February or at a time and place agreed upon by the Board.

  Section 6.2. The Board of Directors shall meet at least four (4) times per year. The first meeting will be in May, the second in August, the third in November, and the fourth in February, or at such dates and times as agreed upon by the Board. The February Board meeting shall be known as the election meeting.  
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  Section 6.3. Additional meetings of the Board of Directors may be called from time to time by the President and shall be called at the request of five (5) members of the Board. A written notice shall be given to all members of the Board at least five (5) days prior to such a meeting.

  Section 6.4 Any Council officer or director who, during the course of any year, is absent at two (2) regular Council meetings, may be dismissed from his or her position on the Council.

ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES
  Section 7.1. A Finance Committee composed of the Treasurer and two (2) other Board members shall be appointed by the President promptly after each annual membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to prepare a budget, not for the upcoming year but for the next calendar year thereafter, and submit it to the Board for approval at the August Board meeting. The Finance Committee can from time to time, submit for Board approval supplements to the budget for the current year.

  Section 7.2. An Auditing Committee of three (3) members shall be appointed by the President at the first Board meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to audit the Treasurer’s account for the previous calendar year and report their findings to the Board at the second Board meeting.

  Section 7.3. Such other committees may, from time to time, be appointed by the President as the Board deem necessary to carry on the work of Region VII. The President shall be ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

ARTICLE VIII. QUORUM

  Section 8.1. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

  Section 8.2. In the event a meeting has been properly called and a quorum is not available, the President can declare an Executive Session composed of the majority of the following: President, immediate Past President, Northern and Southern Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, AMHA Region VII Directors, AMHA Youth Coordinator, and one Director at Large to conduct business of the Council. Six (6) members shall constitute a quorum. Minutes will be published, and all other rules of the Council shall apply.

ARTICLE IX. ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Books of the Council shall be kept on a calendar year basis.

ARTICLE X. AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS

  These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose by the Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those Board members present and vosing, provided that the proposed amendment(s) has been submitted in writing to all member clubs and to all members of the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to such meeting.
6.


ARTICLE XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

  Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on all questions of Parliamentary Law, unless in conflict with these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XII. HIGH POINT AWARDS

  Golden West Region VII Council High Point Awards shall be governed by the rules promulgated by the Board from time to time. Participants and their horses are eligible for Golden West Region VII Council High Point Awards if they are legal residents in the Region VII States of Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada as defined by the American Morgan Horse Association and are members of a Region VII Club in good standing.