Constitution of the Southern Arizona Dairy Goat Association
Revised Sept 6, 2004

Preamble

With the object of providing regulations for the democratic operation of the Southern Arizona Dairy Goat Association, we the members do hereby adopt this Constitution as the fundamental law of the Southern Arizona Dairy Goat Association.

Article 1-Name

Sec.1 The name of this organization shall be the Southern Arizona Dairy Goat Association.

Article 2-Purpose

Sec. 1 The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the husbandry of dairy goats and the use of their products through education and co-operation.

Article 3-Location

Sec.1 The home office of the Association shall be the home of the president, or such other address, as the President shall designate.

Article 4-Membership

Sec. 1 Membership in this organization shall be of three classes: Individual, Family & Honorary.

Sec.2 Individual and Family memberships are those who pay annual dues and participate in activities of the organization.

Sec. 2a An individual membership is entitled to one vote.

Sec. 2b A Family membership is entitled to two (2) votes only.

Sec. 2c Two adult persons (age 18 or over on January 1st of the current year) of a Family membership may serve simultaneously as members of the board of Directors for a period of no more that one year.

Sec. 3 An Honorary member pays no dues and is not privileged to vote or hold office. Honorary members may be recommended by the membership. Honorary memberships shall have a term of one year or longer as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 4 Membership dues are payable on January 1st of each year and shall be considered delinquent as of March 1st. A complete list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers (if available) shall be distributed in the April Newsletter.

Article 5-Officers

Sec. 1 The officers of this Association shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, four (4) Directors, and the Past- President. These nine (9) people shall be the board of Directors.

Sec. 2 The President shall preside over all general meetings of the Association and all meetings of the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all committees subject to veto by the Board of Directors. The President shall be an ex-officio member of each committee.

Sec. 3 The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall make himself available to perform other assignments for the Association.

Sec. 4 The Secretary shall take minutes and keep legible records of all meetings, handle all official correspondence for the Association and read all important correspondence at the General Meetings, and keep an accurate record of members including their addresses and phone numbers. The Secretary shall provide a copy of the minutes of all meetings to each member of the Board of Directors. All minutes and official correspondence must be available at all meetings. Disposal of minutes after seven year may be done only with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Sec. 5 The Treasurer shall receive all applications for membership and shall forward those applications to the secretary within 10 days of receipt. The Treasurer shall receive and bank all money due the Association, keep an itemized account of receipts and disbursements, present a written report at each meeting of the Board of Directors and at each General Meeting. The Treasurer shall also pay all bills against the Association by check, only when authorized by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall reconcile the check balance with the monthly statement, and keep the statements and cancelled checks on file for reference. All checks issued shall be complete and shall be issued only in exchange for appropriate detailed receipts or signed estimate to be followed by a detailed receipt. Any deviation from this procedure must be approved by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 6 Only the Treasurer or the President shall sign checks. For checks in the amount of $500.00 (Five-hundred dollars) or greater both signatures shall be required.

Sec. 7 All officers upon retiring from office shall deliver to their successor all records, books, papers, or other property belonging to the Association.

Sec. 8 Officers shall assume their duties on January 1.

Sec. 9 In the event the President is re-elected for a second term, the Past-President position on the Board of Directors shall remain vacant.

Sec. 10 The Newsletter Editor and Youth Representative, the latter being appointed by the President, shall serve as ex-officio members of the board and shall not vote.

Sec. 11 Any officer or director who misses more than two consecutive meeting dates shall be subject to removal at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Sec. 12 Duties of a Board Member:

Board members have a duty of loyalty to the organization, its staff and other board members. While differences of opinion are sure to arise, board members should seek to keep disagreements impersonal. Practicing discretion and accepting decisions made on a majority basis promotes board unity and confidence.

A board member must actively participate in the overall planning processes, assist in implementing and monitoring the club's goals, and provide proper financial oversight. A board member must strive to ensure ethical integrity and maintain accountability. (9-6-04)

Article 5 - Duties of the Newsletter Editor

Sec. 13 The newsletter editor must provide a membership list to all members in accordance with Article 4, section 4. The editor shall be required to provide a monthly newsletter. The Board of Directors must approve deviations from this. The editor must be given all the information by the 15th so that the newsletter will reach the members before the next month's meeting. If the editor does not have the information from the secretary, treasurer, and president by the 15th of the preceding month, the newsletter will go to print without the input. (9-6-04)

Article 6 - Elections

Sec. 1 The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot with at least one (1) candidate for each office. The report of the Nominating Committee and acceptance of nominations from the floor shall be accomplished at the October General Meeting unless otherwise announced to the entire membership. The Nominating Committee shall consist of 3 or more members appointed to represent different breeds and geographical areas.

Sec. 2 No less than fifteen (15) days prior to the November General meeting a ballot shall be mailed separate from other Association mailings, to each eligible voting member at his last address with an envelope marked "Ballot Enclosed," and a return envelope addressed to the Chairman of the Nomination Committee. Each ballot shall be printed on paper of a unique color and shall consist of the list of items to be voted on, instructions for completed the ballot, and a signature block. After marking the ballot, the member shall sign the signature block and detach it from the remainder of the ballot. The member shall place the ballot in the envelope marked"Ballot enclosed"and seal it. The ballot envelope and the signed signature stub shall then be placed in the return envelope provided, sealed and mailed. Ballots so returned shall be by the November General Meeting. All ballots shall be surrendered to the Tellers appointed for the purpose of an immediate canvas of the vote. The tellers shall be chosen from the General Membership and shall not include any incumbent officer or nominee. The tellers shall open each envelope returned and verify that the voter is a paid member, before placing the sealed ballot envelopes in a separate receptacle. After the eligibility of all voters has been determined, the Tellers shall open the ballot envelopes and tally the ballots, thus maintaining secrecy of balloting. In the event of ties, votes to break the tie will be taken at that meeting providing a quorum is present.

Sec. 3 Nominees for office must have been members in good standing for six months preceding the October Meeting.

3a. Dues paid (current). (9-6-04)

3b. Nominees must have attended at least 4 (four) club meetings during the preceding six (6) months. (9-6-04)

Sec.4 The term of office for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be one (1) year. Directors shall hold office for two years with two (2) directors being elected each year.

Sec. 5 Officers are permitted to serve additional/multiple terms. (6-02)

Sec. 6 Vacancies in office shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 7 The Newsletter Editor shall be elected for a one year term.

Article 7-Committees

Sec. 1 Committees shall include, but not limited to: Program, Show, Classification, Nominations, Production, Youth, Publication, Equipment, Publicity, Historian, Auditing, and Newcomers unless deemed unnecessary by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 2 Each show committee shall submit to the Treasurer a complete and detailed account of all income and expenses, with signed receipts or statements, of the show within 10 days after the show.

Article 8-Meetings

Sec. 1 The General Meeting shall be held on the date and at the time and place to be decided by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 2 Each General Meeting shall include a Business Meeting, unless designated as purely social or education by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 3 Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the President. Upon refusal of the President to call a meeting, said meeting may be called by any three voting Board members. At least three (3) days prior to the meeting, all Board members shall be notified concerning the business to be transacted.

Sec. 4 Special meetings of the General Membership shall be called by the President. Upon refusal of the President to call a meeting, said meeting may be called by any three eligible voting members of the Association. At least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, all members will be notified concerning the business to be transacted.

Article 9-Fiscal Year

Sec. 1 The Fiscal Year shall be the Calendar Year.

Article 10-Quorum

Sec. 1 Ten voting members shall constitute a quorum at any General or Special Meeting.

Sec. 2 Five (5) voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at a Directors' meeting.

Article 11-Ammendments

Sec. 1 This Constitution shall be amended by a 2/3 vote of the voting membership casting a ballot, providing the amendment was submitted in writing to all members at least four (4) weeks before the return date for the ballots which shall coincide with the date for a specified General Meeting. Amendment ballots may be consolidated with election ballots or other referenda. Balloting shall be done in accordance with the procedure outline in Article 6, Section 2, with the following exception.

Sec. 1 1. The referenced General Meeting may be any specified General Meeting.

Sec 1.2. Ballots shall be returned to the Chairman of the Constitution Committee.

Sec 1.3. The Tellers shall be chosen from the General Membership.

In the event of ties, votes to break the tie will be taken at that meeting providing a quorum is present.

Article 12-Parliamentary Procedure

Sec. 1 On all questions of Parliamentary Procedure, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern except as otherwise amended by this Constitution.

Sec. 2 The President will not participate in debate unless first vacating the chair. The President may vote in the event of a tie.

Article 13- Dissolution

Sec. 1 In the event of dissolution of the Associate, any time after payment of all indebtedness and sale of all property, all remaining funds shall be donated to a Dairy Goat Research Foundation and/or to the State 4-H/FFA office as determined by the Board of Directors.

Article 14-Referenda

Sec. 1 A referendum on any subject may be called at any time by a minimum of ten (10) members to be submitted to the entire membership by mail ballot and may be incorporated into the election ballot.

Article 15-Expulsion

Sec. 1 Any member who either misappropriates or fails to maintain proper accountability of Association money may be expelled from membership in the Association in accordance with the following procedure. Any voting member may initiate action to expel another member from the Association by submission of a written complaint to any voting member of the Board of Directors. The compliant shall be read at the next General Meeting. Upon approval by a majority of the voting members present, formal charges shall be prepared and approved by a majority of the voting members present for distribution to the entire membership of the Association. The charged member shall be provided with a copy of the charges together with a notice of the time and place of a hearing of said charges by registered or certified United States Mail, return receipt requested, or personally by a person qualified to service legal writs who shall make due return of said service. The hearing shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after service of said notice. A copy of the charges and notice of a hearing to be held at a General Meeting shall be mailed to the entire membership of the Association within 15 days of the hearing. Upon completion of the hearing, a two-thirds vote of the voting membership present shall be required to expel a member from the Association, with the term of the expulsion to be specified.

Article 16-Publications

Sec.1 The Annual Breeders Directory Editor shall be appointed by the President and may be any member.

Sec. 2 The Annual Breeders Directory Editor shall submit a complete and detailed account of receipts and expenses of the Directory within 10 days of completion of the Directory (initiation of distribution).

Sec. 3 The President may appoint two (2) members representative of the general membership to an Editorial Board.

Sec. 4 The Editorial Board shall review the Annual Breeders Directory and each issue of the Newsletter prior to publication to be certain that the policies of the Board of Directors are carried out and to share responsibility for content.

Sec. 5 The Newsletter Editor shall provide the Treasurer within 10 days of the publication of each issue with a detailed report of all advertisements and other income and the money received for them, plus a full account of the number of copies printed and distributed to members and others and all costs including printing and postage. No advertisements shall be published in either the Newsletter or Annual Breeders Directory which are not prepaid, except those granted without cost as a condition of Association membership.