Club Charter

THE SUN CITY COUNTRY LINE DANCERS

CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS of

Revision Effective September 3, 2009

ARTICLE I - GENERAL

Section A. The name of this organization shall be Sun City Country Line Dancers (hereinafter referred to as the "Club").

Section B. The purpose of the Club is to:

1. Teach, learn, and dance country line dances

2. Encourage fellowship and friendship among members

3. Provide physical and mental exercise via dancing.

Section C. These Bylaws willfully comply with the Governing Documents ("Documents") and Chartered Club Rules and Procedures ("Rules") of the Sun City Texas Community Association, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the "Association"). In the event of a conflict between these Bylaws and the Documents or Rules, the Documents or Rules will prevail.

Section D. The Club shall be operated as a nonprofit organization in accordance with the applicable statutes and Documents.

Section E. The Club has no legal status independent of the Association. For this reason, all actions by its Membership and Executive Board may be appealed by Members of the Club or others with the standing to appeal, to the Board of Directors of the Association, which may uphold or overturn those actions. In the absence of such an appeal, actions by the Membership and Executive Board of the Club, in accordance with these Bylaws, shall stand.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

Section A. Membership shall be open to all Association members in good standing without discrimination as to race, religion, color, ethnic culture or national heritage.

Section B. There shall be no precondition for membership, nor will Members be required to join any national, state or regionally affiliated organization.

Section C. Membership shall be conditional upon the timely payment of dues as provided for elsewhere herein. Failure to pay such dues shall be deemed proper cause for termination of Membership.

Section D. Guests - defined as follows:

Resident Guest - all Association members are qualified to join the Club. Until they choose to do so, they are considered resident guests. Guests may participate in Club activities three (3) times before membership is required.
Non-Resident Guest - all other individuals who are accompanied by an Association member, or are otherwise sponsored by an Association member, are considered non-resident guests and do not qualify for Club Membership.

ARTICLE III - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section A. There shall be an Executive Board of the Club consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, two Members-at-large and the Immediate-Past-President. Each of these positions is an Office; the holders of these Offices shall be known collectively as the Officers. Each Officer will have one vote when resolving any matter on which the Executive Board votes. The addition of Members-at-large and the Immediate-Past-President to the Executive Board shall be effective with the start of the 2010 term of office.

Section B. All Officers must be full-time residents, not seasonal residents, of Sun City Texas.

Section C. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and two Members-at-large shall be elected by a vote of the general Membership at the November Annual Business Meeting. The office of the Immediate-Past- President shall be filled by the retiring President. All Officers shall serve without compensation.

Section D. All Officers, with the exception of the Immediate-Past-President, are elected for one (1) year terms. The term of office shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December.

Section E. The office of President is limited to two (2) consecutive terms. The member may serve in this position again after one year of non-service as President. Unlimited terms are allowed for all other elected Officers as approved by the Membership via elections. The Immediate-Past-President shall serve until a newly elected President takes office.

Section F. The responsibilities of the Executive Board shall be as follows:

President – shall:
- Preside over all Club meetings
- Be responsible for the administration of all Club business
- Act as the principal liaison between the Club and the Association
- Appoint committees as deemed necessary
- Ensure the financial and administrative integrity of the Club.
Vice President – shall:
- Perform the duties of the President in the latter's absence
- Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.
Secretary – shall:
- Keep all records and minutes of the meetings of the Membership and Executive Board
- Conduct all correspondence relating to the Club
- Maintain a roster of the Members
- Issue notices of all meetings
- Furnish the Association with such reports as may be necessary
- Perform the duties of the President and Vice President in their absence.
- Ensure that the Secretary's records are retained for three (3) years and, upon leaving office, will pass the records to his/her successor prior to the start of the new term of office.
Treasurer – shall:
- Receive all dues and other monies paid to the Club
- Disburse Club funds in timely payment of all bills owed by the Club
- Maintain appropriate books, ledgers and other accounting records reflecting the financial transactions of the Club and its current financial condition
- Furnish the Association with such reports as may be requested
- Report to the Membership on the financial condition of the Club at the November Annual Business Meeting and such other times as the President may direct
- Perform the duties of the President and Vice President when both, as well as the Secretary, are absent.
- Ensure that the Treasurer's records are retained for seven (7) years and upon leaving office, will pass the records to his/her successor prior to the start of the new term of office.
Members-at-large and the Immediate-Past-President shall undertake special assignments as determined by the Executive Board.
The Executive Board - shall:
- Establish Policies and Procedures for operation of the Club.
- Review and approve annual budgets and all changes thereto, including purchases of goods and services not anticipated in the annual budget
- Set fees for Club activities, services and supplies.
- Recommend annual Membership dues.
- Review and approve financial status reports from the Treasurer at least quarterly.
- Carry out such other duties and exercise such other powers as are normal for the Executive Board of a nonprofit organization which are not specifically restricted or preempted by other articles of these Bylaws or by the Rules of the Association.
- Maintain authority over the use of the Club databases, including (but not limited to) membership and music databases. Use or distribution for purposes other than official Club business by an Officer or other Club member is prohibited.
- Oversee the set-up, maintenance, and operation of audio equipment.

Section G. Election of Officers

The Officers shall be elected at the annual business meeting of the Club held in November.

Not less than forty five (45) days prior to the November election, the Executive Board shall appoint an Election Committee of not less than three (3) members no more than one of whom is presently serving on the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall also appoint a member of the Election Committee to be the Chairperson of that committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to compile a list of candidates who desire to run for a position on the Executive Board for the coming year. This list shall consist of at least one (1) candidate for each elected office. Any member wishing to stand for office shall present, in writing, his/her name to the Election Committee no later than twenty (20) days prior to the November Annual Business Meeting. The Election Committee shall notify the Secretary fourteen (14) days prior to the election of the official list of candidates.
Within fourteen (14) days of the November Annual Business Meeting, the Election Committee shall prepare an official ballot indicating the Election Committee’s list of candidates. At the request of the Executive Board, the Election Committee will also place on the ballot other issues that require a vote by the Membership (e.g. setting the annual Membership dues.) The ballot shall be made available to Club members for the purpose of absentee voting at least fourteen (14) days prior to the November Annual Business Meeting.
Any member may cast an absentee ballot up to seven (7) days prior to the November Annual Business Meeting. The Election Committee will designate either a mailing address to which ballots may be sent or a place(s) for deposit of the absentee ballots. Election Committee members shall collect these ballots, secure them, and have them available for counting at the general election held at the November Annual Business Meeting. The same ballot used for absentee voting shall be used for voting at the November Annual Business Meeting.
Ballots will be tabulated by the Election Committee. Elections shall be decided by a majority vote of the total of those members voting in person and by absentee ballot.

Section H. Should the office of the President become vacant, the Vice President shall succeed to that position. Should any other office, with the exception of the Immediate-Past-President, become vacant, the President shall fill the vacancy by appointment from the Membership, subject to approval by a majority of the Executive Board. If the office of the Immediate-Past-President becomes vacant, that office shall remain vacant until the newly elected President takes office.

Section I. Any Officer or Chairperson who fails to fulfill the responsibilities of the office as defined in these Bylaws may be replaced by a majority vote of the Executive Board whenever, in the judgment of the Executive Board, the best interest of the Club will be served. Prior to any such dismissive action, the noted delinquencies shall be formally documented in a written format, and the Officer/ Chairperson in question shall be allowed the opportunity to rebut all claims.

ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS

Section A. Business meetings of the Membership

Business meetings of the Membership shall be held at least annually, as determined by the Executive Board, at times and places also determined by the Executive Board.
An annual business meeting of the Club shall be held the first week of November for the purpose of electing officers, receiving the report of the Treasurer, setting membership dues, and conducting such other business as may properly come before it.
The President may call other business meetings of the Membership and must call such meetings when directed to do so by the majority vote of the Executive Board.
The Secretary shall provide written notice of the November Annual Business Meeting at least forty-five (45) days in advance and of all other business meetings of the Membership at least fourteen (14) days in advance.
The proceedings of all business meetings of the Membership shall be recorded in minutes by or under the supervision of the Secretary. These minutes shall be made available to the Membership and to staff members and Directors of the Association.
Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of all business meetings of the Membership.
A quorum for actions at business meetings of the Membership shall consist of one-fourth (1/4) of the Members in good standing. The total number of Members present at the meeting and the number of absentee ballots shall be used to determine that a quorum has been established
A majority vote of the total of those voting, either in person or by absentee ballot is required to resolve any question on the publicized agenda.

Section B. Meetings of the Executive Board

The Executive Board of the Club shall meet at least quarterly at times and places designated by the President. The designated places must be public and large enough to accommodate Club members who wish to address the Executive Board.
The President may call other meetings of the Executive Board, and must call such meetings when directed to do so by a majority of the Executive Board.
The Secretary shall provide written notice of all business meetings of the Executive Board ten (10) days in advance.
The proceedings of all Executive Board meetings shall be recorded in minutes by or under the supervision of the Secretary. These minutes shall be made available to the Membership and to staff members and Directors of the Association.
Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings at all Executive Board meetings.
A quorum for actions at Executive Board meetings shall consist of a majority of the Executive Board. A majority vote of the total of those voting, either in personor by electronic communication (e.g. e-mail), is required to resolve any matter on which the Executive Board votes.
When deemed appropriate by the President, issues requiring immediate resolution may be voted on via electronic communication (e.g. e-mail) so long as a majority of the members of the Executive Board, constituting a quorum, can be reached.

ARTICLE V - FINANCIAL

Section A. Financial procedures for collection, deposit and expenditure of funds will comply with the procedures outlined in the Administrative Policy for Chartered Clubs.

Section B. Annual dues for Membership in the Club shall be recommended by the Executive Board. Annual dues shall be set by a majority vote of the members voting in person or by absentee ballot at the November Annual Business Meeting.

· Dues are payable on the first day of January. Dues not paid within thirty (30) days following this date shall be deemed delinquent and the Member may be dropped from the roster.

· Renewing members will pay the annual dues in full. The dues for a new member making application for membership on or after July 1, shall be one-half (1/2) the annual dues for that year.

· The Executive Board may establish fees for participation in special activities to defray costs.

Section C. The Executive Board must authorize all expenditures of Club funds.

Section D. All expenditures over $2,000 must be voted on by the Membership. Any expenditure not for Club use (e.g. donations) shall be approved by a vote of the Membership.

Section E. The accounting year shall be from January 1 through December 31 of each year.

Section F. A committee of at least three (3) members appointed by the Executive Board shall review financial records of the Club on an annual basis. Members of this committee shall not include any member of the Executive Board. Members of this committee will select the Chairperson for this committee from among themselves. This annual review shall be conducted as near as possible to the date these records are to be transferred to the incoming Treasurer. Please note: With the 2011 transfer of financial responsibilities from the individual clubs to the CA, the annual audit by the individual clubs is no longer a requirement by the CA.

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

Section A. Permanent (standing) committees should include (but are not be limited to) the Dance Committee and the Social Committee.

Section B. The Chairperson of each permanent committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board from Club members in good standing.

Section C. In January of each year, the Executive Board in conjunction with the Chairperson of each committee shall develop a mission statement to define the responsibilities and scope of each permanent committee.

Section D. The Dance Committee shall be comprised of the primary dance instructors. Membership of all other committees, with the exception of the Election as stated under Article III, Section E, shall be recruited by the Chairperson of each Committee from Club members in good standing.

Section E. The Dance Committee will develop the dance program for the year including dance and music selection for both classes and socials. The Social Committee will plan and provide details for Social events including (but not limited to) themes, decorations, and food.

Section F. Committee Chairpersons will represent their Committees at Executive Board meetings, provide updates of the Committee’s activities, and account for any monies collected and expended by their Committee.

Section G. Ad hoc (particular purpose) Committees may be assembled by the Executive Board as the need arises. Each Committee shall consist of at least two (2) members in good standing from within the Membership. The Executive Board shall appoint the Chairperson of the Ad hoc Committees.

ARTICLE VII - SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Section A. Any member or resident in good standing, with the written endorsements of a least five (5) members in good standing, may submit an application for the formation of a Special Interest Group (SIG) to the Club’s Secretary.

Section B. The activities of a SIG should be in keeping with the purpose of the Club as stated in the Club’s Bylaws. This purpose should be clearly defined in the application and narrow enough in scope to prevent overlap with other chartered clubs.

Section C. The Executive Board shall review the application. If such application meets with the Club’s Bylaws and the criteria stated in Sections A and B above, the application will be presented to the General Membership.

Section D. The Secretary shall provide a copy of the application and an accompanying statement of the rationale at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting designated for the proposed vote.

Section E. To accept the formation of a SIG to the Club requires a majority vote of the Membership present either in person or by absentee ballot at a meeting duly called for such purpose, quorum being present, and required notice having been given.

Section F. All SIG participants must be members of the Club.

Section G. A representative, selected by participants from each SIG, shall attend the Executive Board meetings to provide updates of their SIG’s activities and account for any monies collected and expended by their SIG.

ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

Section A. Any Member may propose an amendment to these Bylaws. Proposals to amend must be submitted to the Secretary in writing, must be signed by the submitter, and must be accompanied by a statement of the rationale for the amendment.

Section B. The Secretary shall provide a copy of the proposed amendment(s) and an accompanying statement of the rationale at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting designated for the proposed vote.

Section C. A period of absentee voting on the proposed change(s) must be available at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting.

Section D. To amend the Bylaws of this Club requires a majority vote of the Membership present either in person or by absentee ballot at a meeting duly called for such purpose, quorum being present, and required notice having been given.

Section E. Amendments shall become effective upon approval by the Association.

ARTICLE IX- DISSOLUTION

A two-thirds (⅔) vote at a meeting duly called for such purpose, a quorum being present and required notice being given is required to dissolve the Club.

Prior to Club dissolution, and after all debts are satisfied, all property and assets shall be turned over to the Association.

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