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Rotary
is an international organization of business and professional leaders
who strive to provide strong humanitarian services, encourage high ethical
standards in all vocations, and to build goodwill and peace throughout
their community and the world. |
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Constitution of the Rotary Club of Adopted: April 24, 2003 Rotary Club Constitution PDF File Article
I Definitions Board:
The Board of Directors of this club.
Article
III Locality of the Club Article
IV Object Article
V Meetings (a)
Day and Time. This club shall hold a regular meeting once each
week on the day and at the time provided in the bylaws. Section 2 - Annual Meeting. An annual meeting for the election of officers shall be held not later than 31 December as provided in the bylaws. Article
VI Membership Section
2 - Kinds. This club shall have two kinds of membership,
namely active and honorary. Section 3 – Active Membership. A person possessing the qualifications set forth in article V, section 2 of the RI constitution may be elected to active membership in this club. Section 4 – Transferring or Former Rotarian. A member may propose to active membership a transferring member or former member of a club, if the proposed member is terminating or has terminated such membership in the former club due to no longer being engaged in the formerly assigned classification of business or profession within the locality of the former club or the surrounding area. The transferring or former member of a club being proposed to active membership under this section may also be proposed by the former club. Section 5 – Dual Membership. No person shall simultaneously hold active membership in this and another club. No person shall simultaneously be a member and an honorary member in this club. No person shall simultaneously hold active membership in this club and membership in a Rotaract club. Section
6 – Honorary Membership (b) Rights and Privileges. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of admission fees and dues, shall have no vote, and shall not be eligible to hold any office in this club. Such members shall not hold classifications, but shall be entitled to attend all meetings and enjoy all the other privileges of this club. No honorary member of this club is entitled to any rights and privileges in any other club, except for the right to visit other clubs without being the guest of a Rotarian. Section 7 - Holders of Public Office. Persons elected or appointed to public office for a specified time shall not be eligible to active membership in this club under the classification of such office. This restriction shall not apply to persons holding positions or offices in schools, colleges, or other institutions of learning or to persons who are elected or appointed to the judiciary. Members who are elected or, appointed to public office for a specified period may continue as such members in their existing classifications during the period in which they hold such office. Section 8 - Rotary International Employment. This club may retain in its membership any member employed by RI. Article VII Classifications Section
1 – General Provisions (b) Correction or Adjustment - If the circumstances warrant, the board may correct adjust the classification of any member. Notice of a proposed correction or adjustment shall be provided to the member and the member shall be allowed a hearing thereon.
** Interim Provision Relating to Section 2 – Notwithstanding the provisions of article VII, section 2, no one who was a member of a Rotary club as of 1 July shall lose membership by reason of enactment 01-148 adopted by the 2001 Council on Legislation. (See footnote for Interim Provision to article VI, section 2 of this constitution.) Article
VIII Attendance 30
Days Before or After the Meeting - If, within 30 days before or after
the regular time for that meeting, the member… When a member is outside the member's country or residence for more than fourteen (14) days, the time restriction shall not be imposed so that the member may attend meetings in another country at any time during the travel period, and each such attendance shall count as a valid make-up for any regular meeting missed during the member's time abroad. (b) At the Time of the Meeting - If, at the time of the meeting, the member is…. (1)
Traveling with reasonable directness to or from one of the meetings
specified in sub-subsection (a) (3) of this section; or Extended Absence on Out-posted Assignment. If the member while working within the member’s own country of residence for an extended period on an out-posted assignment and with the mutual agreement of the member’s club and a designated club, attends meetings of the designated club.
(b) the aggregate of the member's years of age and years of membership in or more clubs is 85 years or more and the member has notified the secretary in writing of the member's desire to be excused from attendance and the board has approved.
Section 4 - Attendance Records. Any member whose absences are excused provisions of subsection (b) of section 2 of this article shall not be include membership figure used to compute this club's attendance nor shall absences or attendance be used for that purpose. Article
IX Directors and Officers Section 2 - Authority. The board shall have general control over all officers and committees and, for good cause, may declare any office vacant.
Section 4 – Officers - The club officers shall be a president, a president-elect, a secretary, a treasurer, and a sergeant-at-arms, all who shall be members of the board.
(a) Terms of Officers other than President - Each officer shall be elected as provided in the bylaws. Except for the president, each officer shall take office on 1 July immediately following election and shall serve for the term of office or until a successor has been duly elected and qualified. (b) Term of President - The president shall be elected as provided in the bylaws not more than two (2) years but not less than eighteen (18) months prior to the day of taking office. The president shall serve as president-elect for the year immediately preceding the year as president. The president shall take office on 1 July and shall serve for a period of one (1) year or until a successor has been duly elected and qualified. (c) Qualifications - Each officer and director shall be a member in good standing of this club. The president-elect shall attend the district presidents-elect training seminar and the district assembly unless excused by the governor-elect. If so excused, the president-elect shall send a designated club representative who shall report back to the president-elect. Article
X Admission Fees and Dues Article
XI Duration of Membership Section
2 - Automatic Termination. The board may grant a member moving from the locality of this club or the surrounding area a special leave of absence not to exceed one (1) year to enable the member to visit and become known to a Rotary club in the new community if the member is still active in the same classification and continues to meet all other conditions of club membership; The board may allow a member moving from the locality of this club or the surrounding area to retain membership if the member remains active in the same classification and continues to meet all other conditions of club membership; and A member whose classification is lost without default of the member may retain such classification and be granted a special leave of absence not to exceed one (1) year to enable the member to obtain new employment in the current or a new classification. Such member must continue to meet all other conditions of club membership. Termination of membership would take effect only at the end of the period of leave granted to the member. ...... Termination of Honorary Membership - Honorary membership shall automatically terminate at the end of the term for such membership as determined by the board. However, the board may extend an honorary membership for an additional period. The board may revoke an honorary membership at any time.
Process. Any member failing to pay dues within thirty (30) days after the prescribed time shall be notified in writing by the secretary at the member's last known address. If the dues are not paid on or before ten (10) days of the date of notification, membership may terminate, subject to the discretion of the board. Reinstatement - The board may reinstate the former member to membership upon the former member's petition and payment of all indebtedness to this club. However, no former member may be reinstated to active membership if the former member's classification has been filled. Section 4 - Termination - Non-attendance. (a) Attendance Percentages - A member must (1) attend or make up at least 60 percent of club regular meetings in each half of the year; (2) attend at least 30 percent of this club's regular meetings in each half of the year. If a member fails to attend as required, the member's membership shall be subject to termination unless the board consents to such non-attendance for good cause. (b) Consecutive Absences - Unless otherwise excused by the board for good and sufficient reason or pursuant to article VIII, sections 2 or 3, each member who fails to attend or make up four consecutive regular meetings shall be informed by the board that the member's non-attendance may be considered a request to terminate membership in this club. Thereafter, the board, by a majority vote, may terminate the member's membership. Section 5 - Termination - Other Causes. (a) Good Cause - The board may terminate the membership of any member who ceases to have the qualifications for membership in this club or for any good cause by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the board members, at a meeting called for that purpose. (b) Notice - Prior to taking any action under subsection (a) of this section, the member shall be given at least ten (10) days' written notice of such pending action and an opportunity to submit a written answer to the board. The member shall have the right to appear before the board to state the member's case. Notice shall be by personal delivery or by registered letter to the member's last known address. (c) Filling Classification - When the board has terminated the membership of a member as provided for in this section, this club shall not elect a new member under the former member's classification until the time for hearing any appeal has expired and the decision of this club or of the arbitrators has been announced. Section 6 - Right to Appeal or Arbitrate Termination. (a) Notice - Within seven (7) days after the date of the board's decision to terminate membership, the secretary shall give written notice of the decision to the member. Within fourteen (14) days after the date of the notice, the member may give written notice to the secretary of the intention either to appeal to the club or to arbitrate as provided in article XV. (b) Date for Hearing Appeal - In the event of an appeal the board shall set a date for the hearing of the appeal at a regular club meeting to be held within twenty-one (21) days after receipt of the notice of appeal. At least five (5) day’s written notice of the meeting and its special business shall be given to every member. Only members shall be present when the appeal is heard. (c) Arbitration - In the event of a request for arbitration, each party shall appoint an arbitrator and the arbitrators shall appoint an umpire. Only a member of a Rotary Club may be appointed as umpire or as arbitrator. (d) Appeal - If an appeal is taken, the action of the club shall be final and binding on all parties and shall not be subject to arbitration. (e) Decision of Arbitrators or Umpire - If arbitration is requested, the decision reached by the arbitrators or, if they disagree, by the umpire shall be final and binding on all parties and shall not be subject to appeal. Section 7 - Board Action Final - Board action shall be final if no appeal to this club is taken and no arbitration is requested. Section 8 – Resignation - The resignation of any member from this club shall be in writing, addressed to the president or secretary. The resignation shall be accepted by the board if the member has no indebtedness to this club. Section 9 - Forfeiture of Property Interest - Any person whose club membership has been terminated in any manner shall forfeit all interest in any funds or other property belonging to this club. Article XII Community, National, and International Affairs Section 1- Proper Subjects - The merits of any public question involving the general welfare of the community, the nation, and the world are of concern to the members of this club and shall be proper subjects of fair and informed study and discussion at a club meeting for the enlightenment of its members in forming their individual opinions. However, this club shall not express an opinion on any pending controversial public measure. Section 2 - No Endorsements - This club shall not endorse or recommend any candidate for public office and shall not discuss at any club meeting the merits or demerits of any such candidate. Section 3 - Non-Political (a) Resolutions and Opinions. This club shall neither adopt nor circulate resolutions or opinions, and shall not take action dealing with world affairs or international policies of a political nature. (b) Appeals - This club shall not direct appeals to clubs, peoples, or governments, or circulate letters, speeches, or proposed plans for the solution of specific international problems of a political nature. Section 4 - Recognizing Rotary's Beginning - The week of the anniversary of Rotary's founding (23 February) shall be known as World Understanding and Peace Week. During this week, this club will celebrate Rotary service, reflect upon past achievements, and focus on programs of peace, understanding, and goodwill in the community and throughout the world. Article XIII Rotary Magazine Section 1- Mandatory Subscription - Unless, in accordance with the bylaws of RI, this club is excused by the board of directors of RI from complying with the provisions of this article, each member shall, for the duration of membership, subscribe to the official magazine or to the magazine approved and prescribed for this clubby board of directors of RI. The subscription shall be paid in six (6) months periods for the duration of membership in this club and to the end of any six (6) month period during which membership may terminate.
Article XIV Acceptance of Object and Compliance with Constitution and By-laws By payment of an admission fee and dues, a member accepts the principles of Rotary as expressed in its object and submits to and agrees to comply with and be bound by the constitution and bylaws of this club, and on these conditions alone is entitled to the privileges of this club. Each member shall be subject to the terms of the constitution and bylaws regardless of whether such member has received copies of them. Article XV Arbitration Should any dispute, other than as to a decision of the board, arise between any current or former member(s) and this club, any club officer or the board, on any account whatsoever which cannot be settled under the procedure already provided for such purpose, the dispute shall be settled, upon a request to the secretary by any of the disputants, by arbitration. The procedure utilized for such arbitration shall be as provided in article XI, section 6, subsections (c) and (e). Article XVI Bylaws This club shall adopt bylaws not inconsistent with the constitution and bylaws of RI, with the rules of procedure for an administrative territorial unit where established by RI, and with this constitution, embodying additional provisions for the government of this club. Such bylaws may be amended from time to time as therein provided. Article XVII Interpretation Throughout this constitution, the terminology "mail," "mailing," and "ballot-by-mail" will include utilization of electronic mail (e-mail) and Internet technology to reduce costs and increase responsiveness. Article XVIII Amendments Section 1- Manner of Amending - Except as provided in section 2 of this article, this constitution may be amended only by the council on legislation in the same manner as is established in the bylaws of RI for the amendment of its bylaws.
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