FLORIDA PINTO HORSE ASSOCIATION, INC.
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE l. NAME:
The organization shall be named the Florida Pinto Horse Association, Inc. The official abbreviation will be FPtHA.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE:
The purpose of this non-profit organization shall be to promote the Pinto Horse by approved hose shows, trail rides and other events. The promotion of good horsemanship, horse husbandry, sportsmanship and any other endeavors necessary to promote the Pinto Horse. To further the purpose of the Pinto Horse Association of America and promote the use of this registry as the official registry of Pinto Horses.
ARTICLE III. POLICIES:
This organization shall have no interest in personal grievances of one member towards another member and no discussion of this nature will be allowed at any meetings of the organization. Likewise, no discussion of a political nature will be allowed with exception to normal election or appointment of officers.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP:
Membership shall consist of breeders, owners, exhibitors and anyone of good moral character interested in promoting the Pinto Horse.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS:
Section 1. The Officers shall be members or become members of the Pinto Horse Association of America, Inc. to hold an office in a Charter Association. An Officer is automatically a representative of the Pinto Horse Association of America, Inc.
Section 2. All Officers shall be selected from the membership and they shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for the routine administration and management of the organization. The duration of office shall be two (2) years and continue form January 1 to December 31 of each year and until their successors have been elected and have qualified for service.
Section 3. The Officers will, after routine nomination, be elected at the annual membership meeting to be held in November of each year. Election to be held prior to a banquet program. Voting members will not be required to attend a banquet or other social function in order to vote in election of officers. Newly elected officers will assume the positions effective January 1 of the next successive year.
Officers may be re-elected for one (1) additional term, serving no more than two (2) successive terms in the same office. Elections are to be by closed written ballots. Members holding Individual or Family Membership shall be allowed one voter per membership. Voting members must be at least (18) years of age. The person receiving a majority of the votes cast for each office shall be deemed to have been elected.
ARTICLE VI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of BOTH the Executive Committee and Six (6) Directors elected at Large from the membership. Directors shall serve a term of TWO (2) years each. Three (3) Directors will be elected each year to replace the Three (3) outgoing Directors who will have completed their term of office. In addition to the above Directors, the outgoing President will serve a TWO (2) year term as the Director-At-Large, a seventh (7) Director, unless the outgoing President has been elected to another office in the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall meet at the call of the President and will be required to meet at least twice a year at a time and place set by the President. One such meeting shall be held at least each six (6) calendar months.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS:
A proposed amendment to this Constitution may be substituted at any membership meeting of this organization. A proposed amendment must be in writing and signed by Three (3) members in good standing. The proposed amendment shall then be read to the membership by the Secretary of the organization. After such notice, a copy of the proposed amendment shall be sent by the Secretary not less than Fifteen (15) days prior to the next meeting to each members with a notice of the next meeting. At said meeting, the proposed amendment shall be re-read and discussed if necessary, then voted upon. It shall be come a part of the Constitution only if passed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the eligible voting members present and voting at said meeting.
FLORIDA PINTO HORSE ASSOCIATION, INC
BY-LAWS
The Constitution establishes the principles of the Organization. The By-Laws concern the methods of procedure rather than principals. These By-Laws are more easily amended than the Constitution and their amendments need not change the main purpose of the Constitution.
ARTCILE I. DUES
Section 1. The annual dues of the Association shall be:
Youth (Under 18 years of age)..................................................................... $5.00 \
Senior Individual (18 years and older)........................................................ $10.00
Family Basic (husband & wife only)........................................................... $15.00
Family Comprehensive (husband, wife & children under 18)....................... $20.00
THE ANNUAL DUES SHALL BE JANUARY 1st THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.
Section 2. Annual dues will be due and payable on January 1st of the year of membership. Members who are not paid in full by March 1st will be declared delinquent and removed from good standing. Members declared delinquent shall not be permitted to vote or participate in any association business.
Section 3. Any member, who has been removed from the active rolls for any reason, shall make a regular application for membership in order to be reinstated.
Section 4. All members shall be notified by Charter Newsletter, or email, or by a special notification from the Secretary of the time and place of the association meetings at lease ONE (1) week prior to said meeting.
Section 5. The interest of any member in the property of money of the Organization ceases with termination of that members membership.
Section 6. All dues and membership applications forms are to be submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 7. Dues paid after November 1 will apply to membership for the following year with voting privileges in the forthcoming year only.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP:
Section 1. Application for membership shall be submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer complete with required dues.
Section 2. All new members will be acknowledged at the next meeting following receipt of completed application and required dues.
Section 3. Any member in good standing may file charges against another member for conduct or behavior that endangers the welfare or character of the Organization. Any charge must be submitted in writing and the accused must be given Thirty (30) days in which to prepare and present a written defense to such charges. After all matters are considered, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present will survive to expel the person charged from membership in the Organization.
Section 4. Voting privileges are restricted to members at least 18 year of age and holding Individual, Family or Family Comprehensive Membership. Family or Family Comprehensive memberships will only be allowed ONE (1) for the husband and ONE (1) vote for the wife in all association business. There will be no PROXY voting allowed in any association business.
ARTICLE III. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:
Section 1. President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and the Membership. The President shall exercise general supervision and management over all affairs of the Organization and shall serve as Ex-Officio member of all standing committees. The President may vote only to break a tie in committee except in Nominating Committee. The President will vote by secret written ballot in election of Officers as part of the general vote count.
Section 2. Vice President: The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall Chair the Finance Committee and insure submission of the annual Budget to the Board of Directors and shall present the approved budget for ratification at the January meeting.
Section 3. Secretary: The Secretary shall:
(1) cause to be kept and maintained minutes of all meetings of:
The Executive Committee
The Board of Directors
The Standing Committees
The Membership
These minutes are to be accurate and the official record of all association business transacted.
(2) The Secretary will be custodian of all association records including monthly transaction reports of the Treasurer.
(3) The Secretary will cause to be kept accurate roster showing names, addresses, position held of each active member of the organization and shall publish such roster to the membership annually. This membership roster to be furnished to the National Association after November 1st and before January 1st of each year.
(4) The Secretary shall notify the members of all regular or special meetings, social activities and other organization events. In addition, the Secretary will assure meeting notification to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors or Officer's meetings.
Section 4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive all organization funds and keep them in a bank or depository approved by the Executive Committee. Also keep faithful records of all receipts and expenditures and disperse organization funds ONLY by checks sighed by TWO (2) officers, the Treasurer and the President or Vice President. Must exhibit and file vouchers for all disbursements and will furnish a Treasurer's report outlining the financial status of the organization at least annually. The Treasurer shall, prior to the annual election of Officers, read to those members present a list of those members in good standing with voting privileges in that election. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Finance Committee.
Section 5. Combination of Duties
If circumstances warrant, in the opinion of the active Officers and Board of the Club, the position of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined for purposes of conducting and facilitating club business. The minimum is the completion of both terms, i.e., whichever term is to run the longest for the rotation period. At the time of the election, if there is no nomination for individual positions, the position may remain combined until the next election.
Section 6. Resignations
In the event of resignation of an Officer, a majority vote by the Officers and Board of the Club may be used to complete the remaining term of the position upon which time the position will be processed through the normal election process.
Section 7. Conflicts
Only one member of any household, household being defined as a single-family unit, may hold a position, either Officer OR Director within the Club at any given time. This does not preclude other family members from volunteering to perform club functions at shows unless it may be construed as a conflict or is in violation with any rule outlined in the Pinto Horse Association Rule Book.
ARTICLE IV. DIRECTORS:
Section 1. Election of Directors and Term of Office: The Six (6) Directors shall hold office for Two (2) years and Three (3) Directors being elected in even number years and Three (3) Directors being elected in odd number years. In addition to the Six (6) elected Directors, the outgoing President shall serve the following Two (2) years as the Director-at-Large unless nominated and elected to and office on the Executive Committee or has been elected to one of the Six (6) elected Director positions. Any Director being elected to a position on the Executive Committee shall be replaced by regular ballot and the newly elected Director will fill the unexpired term of the Director being replaced. (7) All ballots must clearly indicate which Board position is for the years indicated. In the event that there are not six Board members to fill elected slots, the Officers and Board may appoint persons, upon majority vote and recorded in the minutes, for a pre-defined term, not necessarily denoted above, until the next election cycle. (8) In the event the ideal rotation of Directors cannot be accommodated due to attrition, resignation, removal or other factors beyond the Club’s control, the Officer’s and Board will make every effort to hold elections for Board positions every two years in conjunction with the general election for Club Officers.
Section 2. Duties of the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall be the policy making body of the organization and shall act upon all important issues brought before the Board of Directors by the Executive Committee. Their decision is final unless vetoed by a Two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present and voting at a regular or special membership meeting. The Board of Directors shall approve the Annual Budget as submitted by the Finance Committee. The Board of Directors shall require an audit of the financial records and assets of the organization no more than two months prior to the January meeting. The audit results to be read at the January meeting for ratification.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES:
All committees, other than standing committees, shall be appointed and charged with responsibilities by the President.
ARTICLE VI. STANDING COMMITTEES:
There shall be four (4) Standing Committees, the Chairman of which will be appointed by the President at the January meeting. The Committees and responsibilities are:
Section 1. Nominating Committee: Shall consist of a Chairman and at least two (2) members appointed by the Chairman. The Committee shall submit a slate of nomination of two qualified candidates for each office at the November membership meeting but does not preclude or restrict nominations from the floor.
Section 2. Events Committee: Shall consist of a Chairman and at least three (3) members appointed by the Chairman. Committee shall meet and prepare a recommended program of events to the Executive Committee for approval of events to be sponsored and managed by the organization. Events should include but not be limited to fairs, horse shows and other related activities promoting the Florida Pinto Horse Association, Inc.
Section 3. Membership Committee: Shall consist of a Chairman and at least two (2) members appointed by the President. Shall meet and determine eligibility requirements for membership consistent with the purpose of the organization. Shall plan and execute a program for actively promoting the membership among those persons considered eligible for membership.
Section 4. Finance Committee: Shall consist of a Chairman who is the Vice President of the organization, one committee member who is the Treasurer of the organization and two (2) additional members to be appointed by the Chairman. The committee shall prepare an annual budget for presentation to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the following fiscal year operation prior to the January meeting. This budget will be the plan for managing all assets of the organization and must be approved by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors prior to implementation. The Finance Committee shall cause an audit of the organization's assets prior to the January meeting showing assets and liabilities. This audit shall be presented for ratification at the January meeting.
ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS:
The organization shall meet a minimum of two (2) times a year.
Section 1. The regular November meeting shall be the annual meeting, and may be held in conjunction with the annual awards banquet. Revised: Election of Officers shall take place at this meeting and will precede any other activities on the scheduled agenda. Voting members are not required to attend the Banquet. During this meeting the membership shall hear reports from all current Officers and Standing Committees. The newly elected President is to hold a meeting of the outgoing and incoming Officers early in December at which time outgoing Officers will turn over all records to and assets to the incoming Officers.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee and/or the Board of Directors. Such a meeting shall not supersede a regular meeting except when specially provided for.
Section 3. The club will host an annual awards banquet within 30 days of the end of the calendar year in order to recognize accomplishments of its members and re-introduce all newly elected officers and committee members.
ARTICLE VIII. QUORUM:
The members present at any membership meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of organization of business. A majority, or passing vote, is 50% + 1 of the quorum.
Black Italics – May 2005 Revisions
Red – November 2006 Membership Approved Revisions
ARTICLE IX. ORDER OF BUSINESS:
The order of business at all meetings of the organization shall be as follows:
1. Meeting called to order
2. Roll Call
3. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting
4. Treasurer's Report
5. Committee Chair Reports
6. Reading of Communications
7. Unfinished Business
8. New Business
9. Program
10. Adjornment
Any deviation from the program will be conducted in accordance with the lastest version/revisions in "Robert's Rules of Order".
ARTICLE X. RULES OF ORDER:
The Rules and Regulations of the Pinto Horse Association of America, Inc. shall take precedence in all cases where conflict arises with the rules of this Constitution and the By-Laws thereto. This organization shall conduct business in a casual and friendly fashion where practical. In the event of conflict or question of procedure or in situations not covered by the Pinto Horse Association of America, Inc., the procedures contained in "ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER, REVISED" shall prevail, a copy of which shall be available at all times.
ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS:
Amendment to these By-Laws may be proposed at any regular meeting of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors or membership. An amendment shall be presented to the membership and approved by a simple majority of those present and voting. Amendments shall become effective immediately upon approval.