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COTTON PALACE SAMS WACO, TEXAS CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS I. NAME The name of this Chapter shall be: COTTON PALACE SAMS. A. The chapter will only use the Good Sam name and logo in good taste and to promote the Good Sam pledge and chapter activities in a manner consistent with the Club Constitution and By-Laws and general policies of the club. The chapter agrees to cease and desist from all use of the Good Sam name and logo upon loss of it's Charter from the Club for any reason. B. Membership in Cotton Palace Sams chapter shall be dependent on membership in good standing in the National Good Sam RV Club. C. The Cotton Palace Sams chapter will always use either terminology "Chapter" when referring to it's organization. The term "Club" always means the international Good Sam Recreational Vehicle Club. D. In the event of chapter disbandment--give any monies to charity. To be decided by the chapter membership at the time of disbandment. II. MEETINGS: A. Business meetings will be held once a month at the campout otherwise announced by the presiding officer. A quorum shall be at least 25% of the membership enrolled. B. No special or called meeting shall become official unless all the membership shall have been notified by the telephone committee or in writing of the date, place and time of such a meeting. C. The Board of Officers shall have the same power to call a special meeting as the President when a majority of the members of the Board shall agree that a special meeting is necessary. D. Board of Officers will meet monthly prior to the business meeting or at the discretion of the President. The quorum will be 50% of the officers. III. FISCAL YEAR AND DUES A. Cotton Palace Sams Chapter shall be a non-profit organization and no elected official shall receive any money or other valuables for his services to the chapter and its members as a result of his office. B. The fiscal year of the chapter shall be from January 1 to December 31 of each year. C. Annual dues of each member shall be designated by the chapter which shall be for a period from January 1 to December 31 of each year. Persons accepted for membership during the months of November and December of each year shall not be required to pay the annual dues at the time of acceptance and these dues shall expire on December 31 of the fiscal year. The annual dues for all members shall be $15 per year. D. Annual dues shall be payable on or before January 1. (No extensions) Members dropped by January campout may re-apply as new members. IV. MEMBERSHIP: A. Membership in the Cotton Palace Sams shall include one or two adults and any unmarried children living at home. B. The total membership of this chapter shall be limited to 35 rigs. All applications in excess of the total established membership shall be placed on a waiting list in the order in which they are received but shall not be acted upon until such time as a vacancy shall exist. C. When a member contacts or is contacted by a prospective member(s) the prospective individual(s) will be invited to visit with their rig at a campout. After visiting twice with their rig within a four month period, the prospective member(s) may submit an application for membership to the Board of Officers. The application will be presented to the membership for approval at the business meeting that month or the following month. Acceptance will be by approval of not less than two-thirds of attending members voting. Voting will be by secret ballot. Prospective members will be notified of the results by the President. D. As a condition of membership, each member shall agree to attend a minimum of four (4) scheduled chapter campouts, with rig, each fiscal year to be eligible for renewal each year. E. Membership shall be limited to within a 75 air mile radius of Waco. V. OFFICERS: A. The officers of this chapter shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Wagonmaster, and the Honorary position of Chaplain. B. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the chapter and to see that the Constitution and the Chapter rules and regulations are strictly followed, to preside over the officers meeting and to supervise generally all the activities of the chapter. He shall appoint all committees and shall be an ex-officio member of each. C. The Vice-President shall perform all of the duties of the President when the President is absent or is unable to serve. If the President and Vice-President shall both be absent, the meeting shall be called to order by the Secretary and a temporary chairman shall be chosen by the members. D. It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep a record of all chapter meetings and to handle all correspondence. E. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to collect and receive all monies due the chapter, to deposit such monies in the chapter bank account, and to pay bills as authorized by the members. To keep complete and accurate records of all receipts and disbursements and to make a report of such at all business meetings. F. The Wagonmaster, during his term of office, shall make reservations for campsites. Reservations should be made a year in advance and may be changed if the simple majority of membership so desires. At each monthly business meeting, he will inform the members of the date and location of the campsite for the following month. He may appoint any member to assist him in any of the duties of the wagonmaster. G. The Chaplain shall look after the spiritual needs of the members at the campout. The Chaplain is an officer in the Chapter and shall meet with the Board of Directors, but may decline to do so if he wishes. This office shall be on a volunteer basis only. VI. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: A. The President shall appoint a nominating committee at the regular campout in August of each year. The committee shall consist of a chairman and two other members. The committee shall select one person for each elected position being vacated and report its nominations at the September campout. At this time, the committee will be discharged. B. At the September campout, the President shall call for nominations from the membership at large. These nominations together with the nominating committee nominees shall be voted upon at the regular campout during the month of October. If, for any reason, there will not be a regular campout during the month of October, then such election shall be held at the regular meeting in November. C. The nominee receiving a majority vote of the membership present shall be deemed elected. Newly elected officers shall take charge of the affairs of the chapter on January 1 of the following year. D. If an office becomes vacant it will be filled by the vote of the attending membership at the next month's business meeting. E. Officers may be elected for an additional term, not to exceed two (2) consecutive terms. A term being one (1) fiscal year. F. Only one family member per rig shall serve as an elected chapter officer per term. G. Voting eligibility shall be one person, one vote, maximum of two adult votes per rig. VII. OBLIGATIONS AND DISCIPLINE: A. The intent of this chapter is for the enjoyment of camping, therefore, rules and policies of campgrounds (such as quiet times and leash rules) shall also be those of this chapter. B. Members are restricted from indulging in alcoholic beverages, gambling, and use of foul language except in the confines of a camping unit or recreational vehicle, it being the desire that small children and teenagers shall not be unduly influenced. C. Pets: Out of respect for those who have discomforts from contact or exposure to animals, it is imperative that pets not be brought into group gatherings. At no time shall pets be brought or allowed into areas where the group gathers. D. Smoking will not be allowed except in the outdoors or in the confines of that person's rig. E. No member shall be expelled without formal charges, in writing, having been made and an opportunity having been given to him to be heard in his own defense. VIII: AMENDMENTS: A. Amendments to this constitution shall be made by motion at any regular campout. The motion must receive a second or shall die for lack of such second. The motion to amend shall not be voted upon until the next regular meeting. B. All motions for amendments must be given to all members in writing at least one week prior to the meeting when the motion is to be voted upon. C. The approval of two-thirds of the membership present at the meeting shall be required to change the constitution. IX. PROCEDURES: A. Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail in the questions of an parliamentary procedures. (PRECEDING REPRESENTS ALL ITEMS OF REVISION APPROVED BY MEMBERSHIP THROUGH MAY 24, 2003). AMENDED 2-28-04 |