OHIO MINI LOP RABBIT CLUB CONSTITUTION

Amended 9-19-04

· ARTICLE I - NAME

This organization shall be known as the Ohio Mini Lop Rabbit Club.

· ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVE

The objective of this club shall be to promote and improve the breeding of Mini Lop rabbits; to disseminate information to members, to encourage the exhibition of Mini Lop rabbits. The club shall be a nonprofit organization.

· ARTICLE III – AFFILIATION

Sec. 1 This club shall be chartered by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc.

· ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1 Any person of good character who agrees with the objectives of this club may become a member of this club. An application form is to be completed, along with payment of one year membership dues.

Sec. 2 Youth members need be under 19 years of age.

Sec. 3 Out-of-state members are considered booster members and will not have office-holding privileges. They may not propose nor vote on any constitutional amendments, but they may vote on all other Club business. They may participate in Sweepstakes.

· ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Sec. 1 The Officers of this club shall be; a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and six (6) Directors. One of the Director positions must be filled by a youth member and a second youth Director is optional. No more than one youth Director can be elected each year.

Sec. 2 To be eligible to hold office, a member must be in good standing for the duration of time from filing petition to the end of term in office and be an owner and breeder of Mini Lop rabbits.

Sec. 3 (Deleted Sept.19, 2004 by OMLRC at meeting in Norwalk, Ohio)

Sec. 4 President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for a term of one year. Directors shall be elected for a two-year term, (3) to be elected each year.

Sec. 5 Term of office shall be from July 1 of the year elected until June 30 of the following year.

Sec. 6 Vacancies in any office shall be filled by appointment of the President. All appointments for vacant offices must be approved by the Executive Committee. In case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-President shall succeed and appoint a new Vice -President, with three-fourths approval of the Executive Committee.

Sec. 7 All officers must attend at least one-half of scheduled membership meetings.

Sec. 8 All officers must be a member in good standing with the ARBA.

· ARTICLE VI – ELECTION PROCEDURE

Sec. 1 Any member in good standing wishing to become an officer shall contact the Secretary for a nominating petition. This petition shall be signed by three (3) members in good standing and returned to the Secretary not later than April 1st (postmark).

Sec. 2 Upon receipt of the nomination petition, the Secretary shall determine the eligibility of the candidate. All nominees who qualify must appear on the ballot.

Sec. 3 Should there be no nominees for a particular office, the executive board shall assist the President in securing nominees necessary to fill the ballot. Approval by the nominee is required before placing a name on the ballot.

Sec. 4 The ballots shall be distributed by the Secretary by first class mail to all members. A space shall be left in each office for a "write-in" candidate. Included with the ballot shall be an envelope addressed to the Election Chairman. Ballots shall be distributed (postmarked) by May 1st and returned (postmark) by May 30.

Sec. 5 After May30th, the Election Committee shall meet to count the ballots. The ballots shall be removed from their envelopes and the envelopes discarded before the Committee counts the ballots. The results shall be recorded on a sheet of paper and signed by each Election Committee member. The signed election result sheet and all of the ballots are to be returned to the Club Secretary to be validated and filed in the Club records no later than June 15th. The Club Secretary will then notify the Club President with the official results.

· ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Sec. 1 The President shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committees, fill all vacancies by appointment, and perform other duties as may pertain to his/her office.

Sec. 2 The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in his absence or disability. In case of vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-President shall succeed him.

Sec. 3 The Secretary shall maintain a complete record of the club's activities and conduct official correspondence for the club. Accurate minutes of each meeting shall be preserved. The Secretary is responsible for recording sweepstakes records for each club member. The Secretary shall distribute election ballots.

Sec. 4 The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds, maintain a bank account in the Club's name and provide adequate records. Adequate records are all bank statements, canceled checks or copies of and submitted bills. All receipts and disbursements of the Club are to be recorded in the Club's ledger.

Sec. 5 The Executive Committee shall have the power to transact all club business between meetings, and decide any questions of policy not specifically covered by this constitution and By-Laws, and shall aid the President in seeking any candidate necessary to fill a ballot.

Sec .6 The Directors shall be responsible for representing the membership at large in Executive Committee meetings and between meetings and in aiding the President in filling vacancies in offices.

· ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended as set forth in the By-Laws.

· BY-LAWS

· ARTICLE I - MEETINGS

Sec. 1 Meetings shall be held once quarterly and as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee. Executive Committee meetings and general membership meetings shall be called by the President.

Sec. 2 The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year to audit the treasurer's records and inventory all Club supplies and properties.

· ARTICLE II – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Unless otherwise provided in these Articles, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.

· ARTICLE III - DISCIPLINE

Sec.1 The Executive Committee may, by majority vote, expel any member or reject application of a new member who may be charged with actions detrimental to the club.

Sec.2 Any member liable for expulsion shall be fully informed by the Secretary in writing and given thirty (30) days to make a reply.

Sec.3 Any Officer or Director who becomes more than sixty (60) days delinquent in his dues shall have his office declared vacant.

Sec.4 Any Officer showing neglect of duties or disinterest in club activities shall be asked to resign by Executive Committee. Should he fail to do so, the Executive Committee, by majority vote, shall declare the office vacant.

Sec.5 If an Officer or Director should give up raising Mini Lop rabbits during his term, he shall resign his office.

· ARTICLE IV – STANDING COMMITTEES

Sec.1 The Election Committee shall consist of a Chairman and two (2) members. The Club President, Secretary or any candidate for office shall not serve on the Election Committee."

Sec.2 The President, with the approval of the executive board, shall appoint the Mini Mag Editor, Supplies Chairman, and any other standing committees as club business dictates.

· ARTICLE V

Dues

Membership dues shall be $7.00 per annum for the first member of a family at a particular address. All other memberships to the same address shall be $4.00.

· ARTICLE VI

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes points will be accumulated for the period from January 1 through December 31. An updated standing of the top ten is to be included in each publication which shows the member's current standing.

Youth must show in Youth division unless no Youth show is available. Youth showing in Open with Youth show available, points to be counted in Open.

Points are as follows:

Best Of Breed: 1 point times the number exhibited in the breed

Best OPP. of Breed: 1/2 point times the number in the breed

1st Place: 6 points times the number in the class

2nd Place: 4 points times the number in the class

3rd Place: 3 points times the number in the class

4th Place: 2 points times the number in the class

5th Place: 1 points times the number in the class

Double the points will be awarded at all Ohio Mini Lop Specialty shows.

· ARTICLE VII

Newsletter

The newsletter editor, who is appointed by the President, will publish and distribute a newsletter quarterly. The dates to be distributed will be set by the Executive Board and the newsletter editor.

· ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any duly announced meeting with the following procedure.

1. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing.

2. The proposed amendments shall be read and discussed.

3. Voting will take place after discussion at NEXT meeting.

· ARTICLE IX

Quorum

A quorum for a meeting shall consist of at least five members of the Executive Committee and at least five members at large.

ARTICLE X

Order of Business

1. Roll Call of Officers

2. Reading of Secretary's Minutes

3. Treasurer's Report

4. Committee Reports

5. Old Business

6. New Business

7. Setting of Next Meeting

8. Good of the Club

9. Adjournment

"Official Shown Rules for Ohio Mini Lop Specialty Shows"

1. The Club shall furnish scales for all specialty shows. These scales are to be checked for accuracy and be used by all specialty show judges.

2. No animal can be placed unless it has been weighed to ensure that it is within the proper weight. To speed the judging process, the show superintendent may weigh the animal or appoint helpers to weigh them.

3. To ensure that ownership of exhibited animals is not known, the judge shall turn away from the table while exhibitors are putting the animals on the table. The judge shall not read the ear number of the first place animal in any class. The writer or show superintendent shall verify the ear number.

4. Exhibitors are not to point to or discuss with the judge anything about their animals or show ownership in any other way until the Best of Breed has been selected.

5. Adults shall not put animals on the youth show table.

6. A majority of the executive board present at a specialty show may exempt that show from any show rule if that rule is unable to be met.

7. No exhibitor will be allowed behind the judging tables, unless acting in an official capacity, which must be approved by the show superintendent or show secretary.