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FINAL DRAFT - REVISED
MAY 2004 VERSION (05-15-04)
ARTICLE 1. NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of the organization shall
be the WEST COAST CONFERENCE of the Blue Knights’® International Law
Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the
“Conference.” The WEST COAST CONFERENCE is an affiliated Chartered Conference
of the Blue Knights® International Law Enforcement Motorcycle club, Inc.,
which is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Bangor, Maine
hereinafter referred to as the "International”. The Conference will have
its own By-Laws. In the event the Conference By-Laws conflict with the
Constitution or By-Laws of the parent Corporation, the "International”,
the International provisions are superior and will prevail.
Section 2. The purpose the Conference is to
facilitate representation of and the exchange of ideas among affiliated
Conference Chapters, and to promote harmonious relations between member
chapters and the International.
ARTICLE 2. MEMBERSHIP AND RIGHTS OF
CHAPTERS
Section 1. Dues of $1.00 US per member of a
chapter, per year, commencing the next January 1st after affiliation will be
assessed against chapters affiliated with the Conference, unless changed by a
two-thirds vote of the Conference Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled
Conference business meeting, with such proposal included on an agenda
distributed prior to the meeting.
Section 2. The geographic area of the
Conference is specified by the International Board of Directors pursuant to
Article V, Section 5.01 of the International By-Laws. All Members of
chartered chapters and International Members-at-Large, in good standing, that
reside within the designated geographic area of the Conference are considered
members of the Conference.
Section 3. Upon formal notification by
International, that a new chapter charter has been requested or formal
notification that there is interest in chartering a new chapter or
re-chartering a former chapter, within the conference boundaries, a member of
the Conference Executive Committee will notify any existing chapter(s)
in-good-standing, located within a 50 miles radius of the proposed chapter
and request their review and approval of the charter request. This
notification may be made in writing or by telephone. Any existing chapter
within 50 miles of the proposed chapter objecting to the proposed charter
will have 10 calendar days to respond, in writing to the Executive Committee,
with their formal protest and cite any reason for their objection. The
Conference Executive Committee will review any timely protest brought by
existing chapter(s) located within 50 miles of the proposed chapter and
publish their decision to International and any objecting chapters.
Section 4. The West Coast Conference shall
not abridge any of the rights reserved for individual members or individual
chapters as conferred by the International Constitution and By-Laws. The
Conference shall retain the right to investigate and discipline chapters and
members of the Conference in accordance with Article X of the International
By-Laws.
Section 5. In matters of discipline and
formal protest brought to the Conference by any member chapter or individual,
the first level of review and action, which may consist of assessment,
investigation, mediation, intervention, referral and/or sanctions, shall be
conducted by the Executive Committee.
Section 6. The final decision of the
Executive Committee may be appealed to the Conference Board of Directors. Any
appeal must be submitted to the Conference Executive Committee, in writing,
within 30 days. All appeals must clearly specify the grounds or purpose of
the appeal and include any documentation in support of the appeal and may
only be made by the affected party or chapter. Any qualifying appeal shall be
added to the advance agenda of the next (annual or special) Board of
Directors meeting. All appeals must be made in accordance with Article X,
Section 10.02 of the International By-Laws.
Section 7. If a qualifying and timely appeal
of an Executive Committee decision is submitted, implementation of that
particular decision (or the appropriate portion thereof) will be held in
abeyance until the appeal is addressed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 3. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Administration of the West Coast Conference
shall be vested in the Board of Directors consisting of each duly elected
chapter President, or the chapter President's authorized delegate. A delegate
must be a member in good standing of the chapter he or she represents and
possess a letter of authorization, dated within 30 days and on chapter
letterhead, signed by the President-of-Record. West Coast Conference
Officers, unless designated to represent their own chapter, will be
non-voting, except that the Chairman may vote in the event of a tie.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall have
the supervision of, and be responsible for, all affairs and property of the
West Coast Conference, and shall inspect, as often as may be desired, all
records, books and accounts of the West Coast Conference. The Board of
Directors shall transact business for and on behalf of the West Coast
Conference and its decisions shall, in all cases, be final unless an
appropriate and timely appeal is submitted to the International Board, by the
affected party or chapter.
Section 3. Actions by the Board of Directors
shall be made by a majority vote, except that monetary expenditures in excess
of $500.00 and any financial assessment on a member or member chapter must be
approved by two-thirds of the quorum of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. In event a Chapter President is
unable to attend a scheduled meeting of the Conference, and no other delegate
from that Chapter is appointed to represent the chapter by its President,
that Chapter President may submit his or her vote in writing on Chapter
Letterhead or on a prepared “proxy ballot.” This vote may be only for items
on the advance agenda, as published. The vote must be submitted to the
Conference Executive Committee, in writing. The vote must be dated and signed
by the President of the voting Chapter.
ARTICLE 4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The elected Officers of the
Conference shall be known as the Executive Committee of the Conference Board
of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the “Executive Committee.”
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall
consist of a Chairman/International Representative, Vice-Chairman (Canada),
Vice-Chairman (USA), a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Executive Committee
will be elected every two (2) years (even numbered years) at the annual
Conference business meeting (refer to Article 6) and shall serve in their
offices until the close of the business meeting at which their successors are
elected.
Section 3. The duties of the Vice-Chairman
positions shall be shared equally. If the Chairman/International
Representative is from a USA
chapter of the WCC, the Vice-Chairman (Canada) shall be the next in line
of authority. Conversely, if the Chairman/International Representative is
from a Canadian chapter of the WCC, the Vice-Chairman (USA) shall be then
next in line of authority.
Section 4. Nominations for the Conference
Executive Committee positions may be made by any Conference Chapter President
in good standing, to the Conference Secretary, in writing, no later than 90
days prior to the annual conference business meeting that coincides with the
end of the term of office for the existing Executive Committee Member(s).
Nominations from the floor at the annual Business Meeting will only be
accepted in the event that there is no candidate previously nominated for a
position or in the event all previously nominated candidates are unable,
unwilling or ineligible to hold office.
Section 5. Any vacancy in an elected office
prior to the end of the specified term may be filled by the Board of Directors
for the remainder of the term of the position vacated.
Section 6. Unless otherwise designated by a
majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairman shall be the Executive
Officer of the Conference. He shall preside at all meetings of the Conference,
the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and shall be an ex-officio
member of all other committees (except the nomination committee). He shall be
the cosigner with the Treasurer on all accounts maintained on behalf of the
Conference. He shall have the power to call special meetings of the Board of
Directors and shall make a full and complete report of the work of the
Conference, the actions of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee
at each General Meeting of the Conference.
Section 7. The Vice-Chairman shall in the
event of the death, prolonged absence, or incapacity of the Chairman, perform
all the duties of that office until such time as the Board of Directors
declare a vacancy therein or otherwise arrange for a continuance of the
duties thereof.
Section 8. The Secretary shall attend all
meetings of the Conference and the Board of Directors and shall maintain
accurate records of all business conducted at such meetings. He or she shall
give adequate notice to all Board of Directors members and member chapters in
advance of the General Meeting and any other meeting of the Conference. In
the event of absence, injury, illness or inability to perform his or her
duties as prescribed, the duties of the Secretary shall be assumed by the Treasurer
until the Secretary position is filled by appointment by the Executive
Committee.
Section 9. The Treasurer shall be the
custodian of all Conference funds, receiving and depositing said funds in
such financial institutions as might be designated by the Conference
Executive Committee. He or she shall maintain an accurate record of all
receipts and disbursements, and shall make a full report on the financial
status of the West Coast Conference at the General Meeting and upon request
at any meeting of the Board of Directors. He or she shall not make any
disbursement of Conference funds, other than for normal operating expenses
and reimbursement approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, not
to exceed $500.00, without the approval of the Board of Directors, in
accordance with Article 3. In the event of absence, injury, illness or
inability to perform his or her duties as prescribed, the duties of the
Treasurer shall be assumed by the Secretary until the Treasurer position is
filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 5. COMMITTEES
Section 1. In addition to the Executive
Committee, the Conference Board of Directors may, from time to time, appoint
such other committees, as it may deem necessary or advisable for carrying out
the purposes and work of the Conference, and delegate to such committees such
authority. The Board of Directors shall fix the tenure of each committee not
to exceed three (3) years. However, the Board of Directors may vote to extend
the tenure at the end of the initial three (3) year period.
ARTICLE 6. MEETINGS & NOTIFICATIONS
Section 1. A quorum, required for action by
the Board of Directors, shall be a representation of at least two-thirds of
the affiliated and chartered chapters in good standing, present or
represented at any properly noticed Conference meeting.
Section 2. One regularly scheduled Conference
business meeting will be held each year, at the location decided by the Board
of Directors. A quorum, as defined in Section 1, will be required to conduct
business.
Section 3. The annual conference business
meeting will be held in conjunction with the annual West Coast Conference
Convention, sometime during the month of July, August or September of each
year. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct business and to facilitate
joint activities among members of the various member chapters. The Conference
Convention shall be a minimum of three days.
Section 4. A special meeting of the
Conference Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman for cause or by
written petition of representatives from at least twenty-five percent (25%)
of the members of the Board of Directors, which shall be mailed to all other
member chapters and the Conference Secretary. The Secretary shall give
adequate written notice of any such meeting to all members of the Board of
Directors and Officers of the Executive Committee. A quorum, as defined in
Section 1, will be required to conduct business.
Section 5. Any action that may be taken at a
regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a
meeting if all of the members of the Board of Directors unanimously agree to
and sign or submit written consents setting forth agreement with an action
previously taken or to be taken, at any time before or after the intended
effective date of such action. Such consent shall be tallied and reported by
the Conference Secretary and then filed and recorded in the minutes of the
next regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.
Section 6. “Representation” and “represented”
as used herein shall refer to personal attendance by a Chapter President or
their duly designated delegate (pursuant to Article 3, Section 1) for all
matters, in addition to a written vote or “proxy ballot” concerning any
unmodified agenda item(s) published in the advance meeting agenda for which a
qualified written vote or proxy ballot has been received by the Executive
Committee, in accordance with Article 3, Section 4.
Section 7. "Adequate notice" as
used herein shall mean written notice arriving at the member chapter or
delivered to a representative of the member chapter not less than 30 days
prior to the General Meeting, and not less than 14 days prior to a special
meeting.
Section 8. “Written Notice” as used herein shall mean written communication,
which may be delivered in-person, by postal mail, e-mail, fax or other
electronic communication method that is addressed or delivered to a specific
individual or "address of record" for a chapter or chapter
representative and capable of providing a printed copy to the recipient.
Section 9. “Notification” as used herein
shall mean verbal or written notice and may include voice-mail message(s) or
posting on the Conference Website, unless specified otherwise.
05-15-04 Revision
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