By Laws of The American Goat Society, Inc.
ARTICLE I
NAMENAME. The name of this organization shall be the American Goat Society, Inc. and shall also be known by the initials AGS.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE & SCOPESection 1. PURPOSE. The purposes of this organization shall be to promote the breeding and improvement of the Purebred Dairy Goat; to disseminate information on goat milk and its by-products; and to establish, maintain and publish pedigrees and other records.
Section 2. LOCATION. The home office of this organization shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. TERRITORY. The territorial scope of the American Goat Society, Inc. shall be worldwide.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIPSection 1. MEMBERSHIP. This corporation shall be a membership corporation. Members may be individual, family, or junior. An individual who submits an application for membership to the corporation and pays dues may become a member. All members shall be entitled to pay member prices for transactions regarding their goats. Honorary members may be appointed by the Board, with approval of the membership, for outstanding service rendered to the corporation.
- a. Individual members may be regular, life or honorary. Each individual member shall have one vote. Regular and life members may serve on the Board. Individual member dues shall be discounted for seniors, according to policy set by the Board.
- b. Family members shall register all goats under one herd name. Any member of the family may register animals and represent the family when showing goats. They shall be entitled to only one vote and only one family representative may serve on the Board.
- c. Junior members (under 18 years) shall have no vote and may not serve on the Board.
- d. A qualified voting member shall be an adult who has paid dues no later than the last day of the month prior to the date of the vote.
Section 3. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the members shall be held each calendar year a time and place designated by the Board of Directors. In the event the Board of Directors does not designate a time or place on or before January 1 of each year, the President shall do so.
Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the members may be called by the President, the Board of Directors, or 10% or more of members entitled to cast a vote.
Section 5. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Written notice of meetings shall be sent to each member, at their last known address, at least thirty days in advance. The notice shall contain any proposed change in the Bylaws. In the case of special meetings, the purpose(s) for which the meeting is called shall be contained in the notice.
Section 6. MANNER OF VOTING. At all meetings, members may take part in person only. The manner of voting shall be by ballot unless otherwise determined by the members present. There shall be no proxy voting. Voting on issues referred by the Board to the membership may be by U.S. mail. Passage of such issues shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of all eligible members voting, except as prescribed in Article VII, Amendments to Bylaws. Voting by mail shall be according to the procedure developed by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. QUORUM. Fifteen members present shall constitute a quorum at any annual meeting of members.
Section 8. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP. The Board shall promptly investigate any allegations, by a member in good standing, of (1) written, willful misrepresentation in regard to a goat related issue, or (2) an act derogatory to the standing of the Organization. The Board of Directors may terminate the membership, by an affirmative two-thirds vote of the Directors then in office, by postal ballot or at a meeting of the corporation, after giving the member at least 30 days written notice, by registered mail, of the termination and reasons for the termination. The notice shall give the member an opportunity to be heard by the Board, orally or in writing, no less than five days before the effective date of the termination. The decision of the Board shall be final and shall not be reviewable by any court.
ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORSSection 1. POWERS. The affairs of the corporation shall be managed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. NUMBER. The Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen (13) directors.
Section 3. ELECTION AND TERM. Directors shall be elected annually by postal ballot by the membership. The terms of service shall be as follows: District Directors from each of five (5) electoral districts shall serve for two (2) years, with half elected each year. Three (3) Directors-at-Large shall serve for three (3) years, with one (1) elected each year.
Section 4. QUALIFICATIONS. Candidates for office of Director shall be selected from the general membership. All nominees must be current with membership dues as of January 1 of the election year to be eligible for nomination. They must also have been a member in good standing for at least three (3) consecutive years prior to the nomination. No paid employee of the Society shall be eligible to hold office as a Director.
Section 5. VACANCIES. Vacancies occurring on the Board shall be filled by an affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the board of directors. A Director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his/her predecessor.
Section 6. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held annually immediately prior to the general membership meeting.
Section 7. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the President, or if the President fails to call a meeting, upon the request of five Directors. Special meetings shall be require at least fourteen (14) days written notice.
Section 8. MEETING AND BALLOTING BY TELECOMMUNICATION. Any action of the Board of Directors may be takenby telephone or telecommunications. : Any special meeting of the Board of Directors may be held by telephone or other telecommunications, as long as all Directors can communicate with each other.
Section 9. POSTAL BALLOTING. Board action by postal ballots is permitted. Postal ballots may be by USPS, facsimile or electronic mail. A postal ballot may be presented by the President. In the event the President declines to bring a proposition to the Board, the President, upon receiving a request from five (5) Directors to submit to the Board a proposition, must detail the subject matter, providing a copy to everymember of the Board of Directors, who will cast their vote for or against the subject being considered. Each Director will return his vote to the President within fourteen days. The President within fourteen days following will inform each Director of the results, giving total votes cast for, as well as against, the proposition, identifying individual votes. After informingthe Directors ofthe results of the voting, the President shall forward all papers to the Secretary, who shall make proper note in the records. Unless otherwise stated in the ballot, all actions shalltake effect 14 days after close of voting.
Section 10. QUORUM. Seven (7) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of a meeting of the Board. An action of a majority of the quorum shall be official. In the event a quorum cannot be reached at an annual Board meeting, any action taken, by a majority of those present, must be individually ratified by a majority of the full Board, via postal ballot, before it becomes official.
Section 11. REFERUNDUM. Any action of the Board of Directors may be submitted to a referendum vote of the membership at large and rescinded by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. A petition for referendum must be signed by twenty members from each district. The Secretary shall submit ballots to the membership on the question, and the President shall appoint a committee to count the vote and announce results.
Section 12. REMOVAL OF A DIRECTOR. A director may be removed from the Board, with cause, by the members. If the director was elected to office, removal requires an affirmative vote equal to the vote necessary to elect the director.
Section 13. ASSUMPTION OF DUTIES. All members of the Board of Directors as were elected shall assume their duties just prior to the beginning of the Board meeting following their election.
Section 14. STANDARD OF CONDUCT FOR DIRECTORS. A director shall discharge the director's duties, including the director's duties as a member of a committee, in good faith, with ordinary care, and in a manner the director reasonably believes to be in the best interest of the corporation.
Section 15. NOTES OF INDEBTEDNESS. No officer or member, acting as an individual, shall sign any notes or other evidence of indebtedness in the name of the Organization.
Section 16. NOMINATIONS AND METHODS OF ELECTION. The President shall appoint an Election/Nomination Committee of three (3) members who are not up for re-election to the Board. This committee will be responsible for ensuring that a nomination form is available to all qualified voting members to indicate their choices for candidates. This committee shall also make necessary investigations to ensure the nominated candidates will accept the office if elected. The final ballot will include the two nominees with the highest number of nominations for each open position, if at least two are available, and a space for write-in candidates. If any nominated person declines the nomination, the Committee shall contact the next person nominated, in order of nominations from highest to lowest.
The Election/Nomination Committee shall ensure that the ballot is prepared in accordance with the procedure determined by the Board of Directors. All qualified voting members may vote for Directors-at-Large. Only qualified voting members of a district may vote for District Directors.
Section 17. HONORARY TITLES. The Board of Directors, by majority vote, may give a retiring Board member the honorary title Director Emeritus. The Board, by majority vote, may also give a judge who has served for 25 or more years for AGS the honorary title Judge Emeritus.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEESSection 1. TYPES OF COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may establish standing or special committees as it deems necessary and desirable. Such committees may exercise functions of the Board of Directors or may be advisory committees, as determined by the Board.
Section 2. COMMITTEES EXERCISING BOARD FUNCTIONS. A committee that exercises a function of the Board of Directors, if any, shall be composed of two or more individuals, the majority of whom are Directors, determined by resolution adopted by a majority of Directors then in office. The designation of such committees and the delegation of authority to them shall not relieve the director(s) of any responsibility imposed by law. A non-director who becomes a member of any such committee shall have the same responsibility with respect to such committee as a director who is a member.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERSSection 1. TITLES. The officers of this corporation shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2. ELECTION. The Board of Directors shall elect the officers to serve one year terms. An officer may be re-elected without limitation on the number of terms the officer may serve.
Section 3. VACANCY. A vacancy of any office shall be filled not later than forty five (45) days following the vacancy.
Section 4. PRESIDENT. The President shall be the chief officer of the corporation and shall act as Chair of the Board. The President shall have other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 5. VICE-PRESIDENT. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in his or her absence, or inability, or refusal to act in official capacity, or upon request of the President.
Section 6. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall have overall responsibility for all recordkeeping. The Secretary shall perform, or cause to be performed, the following duties:
official recording of the minutes of all proceedings of the Board of Directors and member meetings and actions; provision for notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors and members; authentication of records of the corporation maintaining current and accurate membership lists; and other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. Serve as presiding officer in the absence of both the President and vice president
Section 7. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall have overall responsibility for all corporate funds. The Treasurer shall perform, or cause to be performed, the following duties:
keeping of full and accurate accounts of all financial records of the corporation; deposit of all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors; disbursement of all funds when proper to do so; making financial reports as to the financial condition of the corporation to the Board of Directors; and other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWSThe Board of Directors shall bring amendments or new bylaws to the members for approval. Prior to adoption of amendment(s), the Board of Directors shall present the amendment(s) at the annual meeting of members for open discussion. After the meeting, the amendment(s) shall be mailed to all members, together with a summary of the discussions by the members present and a ballot. Passage of amendment(s) shall require an affirmative vote of a two thirds (2/3) of all eligible members voting. Voting by mail shall be according to the procedure developed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATIONThis corporation will indemnify its Directors and Officers to the fullest extent allowed by Texas law.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONSSection 1. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE. On questions of Parliamentary Procedure on which the American Goat Society Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws are silent, the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern.
Section 2. REDISTRICTING. Redistricting shall be done not more often than every three years and only if there is more than a 20% difference in the number of any two or more Districts. Proposal for redistricting shall be presented to the Board, by the three Directors-at-Large serving as a committee for the purpose. Any redistricting plan shall be approved at the annual Board meeting and will become effective immediately. Each state in its entirety shall be placed in a given district. The membership of each district shall be approximately equal to that of the others. No gerrymandering of lines shall be permitted. No Director’s term shall be shortened by virtue of his residence’s being moved to another district in the process of redistricting, and no additional Directors shall be elected or chosen by virtue of redistricting.
Section 3. AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS. The accounts of the Organization shall be audited annually by a Certified Public Accountant selected by the Board of Directors, or by a committee appointed by the Board. Such audit shall include an inventory of all the property belonging to the Organization, and a report of the financial condition of the Society including, but not limited to, balance sheet and profit and loss statement. Such audit and inventory shall be submitted to the Secretary, the Treasurer and to the Board of Directors at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting.