Santa Clara Valley Canary and Exotic Bird Club

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Santa Clara Valley Canary and Exotic Bird Club.

ARTICLE II - OBJECT
The object of this organization shall be the scientific, educational, and humane study of all caged birds as to breeding and maintenance, sharing knowledge, and appreciation of them.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERS

  1. Any person who is interested in the object of this organization shall be eligible for membership.
  2. Membership dues will be $25.00 per year for each member (or family). Dues must be in the hands of the Treasurer no later than February 15th of each year. Yearly membership will begin on January 1 and end on December 31. Any person who joins in November, and having paid his dues, shall be considered a paid-up member for the following year. Membership dues for a new member who joins between July 1 and November 1 will be one-half that of the full year. A Junior Membership for those 8-15 years old is $12.50 per year.
  3. Each member shall be entitled to one vote except in a family membership where a maximum of two (2) votes shall be allowed.
  4. Bands will not be issued to any member until his dues have been paid.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

  1. The club officers will consist of President, Vice-President, Hospitality and Program Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer and Newsletter Editor. If the required number of members to fill these offices cannot be found, the Executive Board may, at its discretion, combine offices or leave some unfilled as will best serve the interests of the club at the time. Two different people must be on the bank account signature card.
  2. The Executive Board will consist of President, Vice-President, Hospitality and Program Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Librarian, the retiring President, the total of elected directors to be in the proportion of one board member for every ten club members. If this desired proportion of members cannot be persuaded to come forward to serve, the board may be smaller as necessary.
  3. The President-elect must have served on the board.
  4. There shall be no term limits and officers and board members may serve so long as the general membership is willing to re-elect them.
  5. The Show Director will be appointed by the President for a period of one year.
  6. Vacancies in office shall be elected by the Executive Board to fill an unexpired term.
  7. The board may approve the disbursement of club funds for the normal and standard expenditures which are part of the day-to-day budgeted operations of the club. No single expenditure shall exceed the ceiling of $200.00 without the approval of the membership at a general meeting except as listed below. This ceiling may be periodically changed via membership approval as outlined in Article VI, number 1, Changes to the By-Laws. "Normal and standard expenditures...." are considered to be things such as newsletter postage and administrative costs, meeting hall rental and janitorial expenses, monthly speaker honorariums, coffee and refreshment expenses, etc.; those items for which there is a long-standing precedent and for which there is expected to be an automatic general membership approval. Other expenditures which the board may approve and which normally exceed the ceiling are typically associated with the annual show, including judges' transportation and accommodations, awards and plaques, hall rental, cleanup, and security, etc. Expenditures which fall outside the intent of this article shall be approved by the general membership.

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

  1. Regular meetings shall be held most months; the time and place as designated and announced to the membership.
  2. The regular meeting in October shall be known as the annual meeting for the purpose of nominating and electing officers. Such elected officers shall assume their duties January 1st.
  3. Whenever a meeting has been duly announced in a timely fashion, including the general membership having been advised as to date and time, a quorum shall be presumed and club business may be conducted.
  4. All meetings will be open meetings and guests will be welcome.
  5. Club shows shall be limited to one show per year, open to the public.

ARTICLE VI - ORGANIZATION

  1. Any changes in these By-Laws must be read for three consecutive meetings, published in the Newsletter and approved by the membership.
  2. The decisions to disband this club must be decided by the entire membership discussion over a period of three consecutive meetings. So long as there remains a minimum of ten members who wish to continue the club, and said ten members are in good standing, the club cannot be disbanded.

Parliamentary Authority by "Robert's Rules of Order Revised"

REVISED
June 1978 
June 1983(Dues increased to $18)
April 1989(Article IV, number 7 added: If a board member misses three board meetings in a calendar year, he shall be terminated from the board.)
April 1991(Article IV, number 7 deleted)
May 1993(Article IV, new number 7 added: board may approve the normal disbursement of club funds)
April 1995(numerous Articles modified: III, 1 & 2; IV, 1 & 2; V, 2 & 6; and VI, 1. Dues increased to $20)
Jan. 2000(Junior Membership added to Article III, number 2)
Dec. 2004(added Hospitality and Program Coordinator to the list of officers)
June 2006(Dues increased to $25)
February 2008
  • ARTICLE II - OBJECT clearer wording
  • ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS 1. allow combined and vacant offices if necessary
  • ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS 2. board may be smaller as necessary
  • ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS 3. removed last 3 years requirement
  • ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS 4. removed 2 year term limits
  • ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS 7. clarified other expenditures
  • ARTICLE V - MEETINGS 1. removed reference to 2nd Sundays
  • ARTICLE V - MEETINGS 3. redefined quorum, removed 10 member requirement