ftc regulations



		Article I – Organization Article II – Purposes Article III – Membership Article IV – Admissions Article V – Membership, Dues and Fees Article VI – Officers and Duties Article VII – Committees Article VIII – Nomination Committee Article IX – Censure, Suspension and Expulsion of Members Article X – Resignation Article XI – Meetings Article XII – Interpretation, Amendments and Rules ARTICLE I: Organization Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the FREEPORT TUNA CLUB, INC. ARTICLE II: Purposes Section 1. The following are the purposes for which the organization has been formed: To interest and encourage members of this organization in all kinds of sports fishing, to use all legitimate methods to protect the interests of rod and reel fisherman, to support all movements and legislation intended to assist in the propagation of salt water fish, to support all legislation intended to protect the interests of rod and reel fishermen and particularly to stimulate an interest in sports fishing and to protect the interests of those engaged in sports fishing. ARTICLE III: Membership Section 1. Membership in this corporation shall consist of six (6) classes: Charter members, life members, regular members, family members, junior members and associated members. In addition, there shall be honorary members as provided for below. Section 2. As approved June 8, 1961, Club membership is limited to a total of three hundred (300) regular members, other classes of membership not being counted in the aforementioned number. Section 3. The incorporators of this corporation and those who were elected to membership during the calendar year of 1937 shall be considered Charter Members. Those who were elected to membership after the calendar year 1937 shall be Regular Members. Section 4. Those Charter Members who have maintained continuous active membership in the club from 1937 to 1976 shall be designated Life Members. They shall enjoy all privileges and voting rights but shall be excused from paying dues. Section 5. A Regular Members may elect to hold Family Membership by paying the additional dues required. Family Membership will afford the privileges of the Club to the spouse of the Regular Member and his or her children who are between the ages of twelve and eighteen years of age. Those Family Members other than the Regular Members shall have neither voice nor vote in the corporation. On the first day of the calendar years following the eighteenth birthday of the child Family Member, he or she shall be entitled to Regular Membership. He or she shall be obligated to pay regular dues to the Corporation but no additional initiation fee shall be charged. The three hundred (300) membership limit shall be waived to permit such members to attain Regular Membership status. Section 6. A person between the ages of twelve and eighteen years of age shall be eligible for Junior Membership. Such Junior Member shall have neither voice nor vote in the Corporation. On the first day of the calendar year following the eighteenth birthday of such Junior Member, he or she shall be entitled to Regular Membership. Such Junior Members shall be obligated to pay regular dues to the Corporation but no additional initiation fee shall be charged. The three hundred (300) membership limit shall be waived to permit such members to attain Regular Membership status. Section 7. A person who has been recognized as a good member of the Club, but who, because of relocation, finds it impractical to continue as a Regular Member, may apply for Associate Membership. Such application must be made to the Membership Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The applicant must relocate a distance of approximately one hundred (100) miles or more from Freeport, New York, to be considered for Associate Membership. In the event that such a member returns to the local area, he or she may apply for reinstatement as a regular member, and on payment of the appropriate dues, be considered for such status. An Associate Member shall have neither voice nor vote in the Corporation but will receive all bulletins, journals and other mailings as received by the regular membership. Section 8. Any person who has rendered service of a character which this Corporation shall deem worthy of recognition, or any person who has accomplished some feat worthy of recognition, particularly to the fishing community, may be considered for Honorary Membership. The name of a person suggested for Honorary Membership shall be submitted by a member of the Board of Directors. Should the Board of Directors vote favorably on the name submitted, a vote shall be taken at the next regular meeting for the purpose of determining whether said person shall receive Honorary Membership. Such person must receive a favorable vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the members present. Honorary Members shall have neither voice nor vote and are not obligated to pay dues or other fees. ARTICLE IV: Admissions Section 1. A candidate for admission into the Club must be proposed by a member and seconded by another member over their signatures on a form provided for this purpose. Such application shall be signed by the candidate. The name, occupation and residence of the candidate shall appear on the application. It shall be the duty of the proposer and second to furnish the Membership Chairman with full information regarding the standing and character of the candidate. Section 2. The President shall appoint a Membership Committee consisting of at least five (5) members, one of which shall be the Chairman. They shall investigate the qualifications of the candidate and report to the the meeting at which the candidate shall be voted on. Section 3. For the election of candidates, the ayes and nays shall be taken. A candidate shall be elected to membership who receives the favorable vote of the Board of Directors who are present at the meeting. Section 4. In case any candidate shall fail to receive the two-thirds (2/3) vote required for admission, he or she shall not be proposed again until six (6) months have expired from the time of such failure. ARTICLE V: Membership dues and fees Section 1. The initiation fee for Regular and Family Members shall be one hundred dollars ($100.) The initiation fee for Junior Members shall be twenty five dollars ($25.). Dues for Regular, Family, Junior and Associate Members shall be set by the Board of Directors at the end of each year for the following year. Dues shall be due the first month of the year. Regular, Life, and Junior Members shall be furnished with membership cards. Section 2. If any member shall fail to pay dues for a period of one (1) month after the first day of the year, the Treasurer shall inform said member by mail of such delinquency and demand immediate payment. If such dues remain unpaid thirty (30) days after demand, the Treasurer shall report such delinquency to the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, for good cause shown, the name of the delinquent shall be dropped from the rolls of the Corporation. ARTICLE VI: Officers and Duties Section 1. There shall be a board of Directors consisting of eighteen (18) elected members which shall be equally divided into three classes so that six (6) of their number shall be elected each year and the term of office shall be a two (2) term, six (6) year period. These Directors serving the aforementioned two (2) term, six (6) year period shall be reconfirmed by election every three (3) years. During the aforementioned two term, six year period, those Board Members must assume by nomination, and officer’s position of either President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary. If said Board Member is not nominated, or elects not to run for office, that Board Member must resign from the Board (at the Board’s discretion). This is to take effect January 1992. If a Board Member does serve as an officer, he would be allowed two (2) additional terms totaling six (6) years, after which he would automatically resign from the Board, but would still be eligible for election. During the aforementioned two (2) term, six (6) year period, that Board Member must assume by nomination, an officer’s position of either President, Vice President, Treasurer of Secretary. If said Board Member is not nominated, or elects not to run for office, that Board Member must resign from the Board (at the Board’s discretion). This is to take effect January 1992. In addition, the past Presidents of the Corporation shall automatically be full and voting members of the Board of Directors for three (3) years following their term of office. Section 2. The Board of Directors shall elect a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer from among their number. All officers and directors shall continue to hold office until their successors are installed. In the event the retiring President has an unexpired term as a Director, he must resign as a Director and become a Special Director. Section 3. The President shall preside at all membership meetings and at all meetings of the Board of Directors. He shall present at each annual meeting of the Corporation a report of the activities and functions of the Corporation during the past year. He shall appoint or dissolve all committees, temporary or permanent. He shall see that all books, reports and certificates, as required by law, are properly maintained and filed. He shall be one of the officers who signs checks or drafts of the Corporation. He shall have such powers as may be necessary and proper to carry out the functions and activities of this Corporation as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of this organization. The President shall be considered a member of all committees. Section 4. The Vice President, in the order of their office, shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President. They shall assist the President in carrying out the business of the Corporation. Section 5. The Secretary shall notify members of the Corporation by mail of the monthly and annual meetings, issue all other authorized notices to the members of the Corporation, have custody of the by-laws, membership propositions and corporate seal, and conduct the correspondence and execute all writings as he may be officially instructed and authorized to do. He shall maintain complete and accurate minutes of all meetings of the Corporation and of the Board of Directors. Section 6. The Treasurer shall be the chief fiscal officer of the Corporation. He shall be charged with the collection of dues and have custody of the membership list. He further shall have custody of the funds of the Corporation and their disbursement. He shall give regular reports to the Board of Directors and the membership. At the Annual Meeting of the Corporation, or at any other time when required by the Board of Directors, he shall make a full written report covering the income and disbursements of the Corporation and also show the assets and liabilities of the Corporation. He shall be co-signer of all checks and drafts with the President. Section 7. The Board of Directors shall be the chief executive body of the Corporation and shall be vested with power to control and manage the affairs, funds and finances of the Corporation. They are authorized to borrow on behalf and for the purposes of the Corporation and to authorize the President and Secretary to execute under their hands and under the seal of the Corporation such notes, bonds or other evidence of indebtedness and to sign, execute and deliver such mortgages or other pledges covering any and all Corporation property, real or personal, as security for the repayment of a loan. They shall fill all vacancies on the Board of Directors and among the officers for any expired term. They may hear charges against any member and censure members for cause. They may do lawful things which they may deem expedient to promote the objects and interests of the Corporation. They may exercise the right at their discretion to invite distinguished visitors who may visit the County of Nassau to enjoy the privileges of the Corporation. Ten (10) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at least every sixty (60) days and there shall be a minimum of five (5) meetings a year. Each Director shall have one (1) voice and voting may not be done by proxy. The Board of Directors shall suggest such rules and make such regulations as in its discretion deems necessary for the best interest of the Corporation and shall present same at the next General Membership meeting. Upon approval by majority vote of those attending the meeting , such rules and regulations shall be binding upon the Members of the Corporation, provided that they do not conflict with these By-Laws. Section 8. The Board of Directors may entertain charges against any Director. A Director may be removed from office for good cause. A Director who misses three (3) consecutive meetings will be asked to show good cause to the Board. Failure to show good cause will automatically remove said Director from office. The decision to remove a Director from office for other reasons must be made by vote. A Director may be represented by counsel for any removal proceeding or hearing. ARTICLE VII: Committees Section 1. There shall be a Finance Committee which shall act as an Auditing Committee to be appointed by the President. Such committee shall consist of at least three (3) members of the Board of Directors of this Corporation. The Treasurer shall attend the meeting of the Finance Committee when requested to do so. It shall be the duty of said Committee to audit the Treasurer’s report when it has been submitted to the Board of Directors. It shall also be the duty of the COmmittee to report from time to time and as often as they deem necessary to the Board of Directors and whenever they shall be directed by the President to do so, and the Treasurer shall at all times furnish them with such statements and information as they shall desire. Section 2. The President shall appoint such other Committees as the Board of Directors or the membership shall determine. ARTICLE VIII: Nominating Committee Section 1. The annual election of Directors shall be held at the November meeting of the Corporation. Officers shall be elected by the newly elected Board of Directors prior to the Annual Meeting which shall be held in January of each year and shall be installed at such January meeting. Section 2. There shall be a Nomination Committee which shall be appointed by the President at the October meeting of the Board of Directors. Such Committee shall consist of six (6) members of whom three (3) shall be members of the Board of Directors and three (3) shall be Regular Members of the Corporation. The Nominating Committee will select the required candidates for the Board of Directors from among the members who have been active in Corporation affairs and who have shown their interest by attending meetings and participating in the various activities of the Corporation. Directors and Officers may be re-elected for any office. The report of the Nominating Committee must be mailed to the members of the Corporation prior to the November meeting. Section 3. Nominations fro Directors will be entertained from the floor at the November meeting. The name of the candidate must be proposed by a voting member and seconded by ten voting members and presented to the Secretary in writing at least seven (7) days prior to the November meeting. ARTICLE IX: Censure Section 1. If the conduct of a Member shall appear to the Board of Directors to be disorderly, prejudicial to the character and welfare of the Corporation, contrary to or in violation of and not authorized by the By-Laws or rules, the Directors shall inform the Member therefore in writing, which written notice shall be delivered to the Member by registered mail, informing such Member of the appointed time when he may be heard in his defense before the Board of Directors. At least ten (10) days shall elapse between the service of the notice and the said meeting. If after such hearing, two thirds (2/3) or more of the Board of Directors vote in favor of said Member being censured, suspended or expelled, said Board shall forthwith submit the said result to the Corporation at the next meeting. A vote shall be taken by the Corporation as to whether or not such Member shall be censured, suspended or expelled. Such offending Member shall be given at least ten (10) days notice of such meeting at which time his defense shall be heard. A vote shall there upon be taken. Before a Member shall be censured, suspended or expelled, at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Members voting as aforesaid shall vote favorably on the question of such action .ARTICLE X: Resignation Section 1. All resignations shall be made in writing to the Secretary, but no resignation shall be accepted by the Corporation while the Member offering it is indebted to the Corporation in any amount either in dues or otherwise. ARTICLE XI: Meetings Section 1. The Annual Meeting of the membership of the Corporation shall be held on the second Thursday in January of each year. The Secretary shall notify every Member in good standing by mail of the time and place of such Annual Meeting. Section 2. Regular meetings of this Corporation shall be held on the second Thursday of each month at 8:30 P.M. Section 3. Two officers and twenty-five (25) Members shall constitute a quorum. Section 4. Directors shall be elected at the meeting held on the second Thursday of November and installed at that meeting. Section 5. Special meetings of the membership of the Corporation shall be called upon the written request of twenty-five (25) Members. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called upon the written request of eight (8) Members of the Board. Section 6. This Corporation shall not be dissolved nor shall the assets be distributed without unanimous consent unless there are less than twenty-five (25) Regular Members remaining in the Corporation. In the event that there are less than twenty-five (25) Regular Members remaining and the Corporation is dissolved, such action shall require the prior vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes of the Members then remaining at a special meeting called for that purpose upon written notice. In such event, the assets of the Corporation then remaining shall be held by the Board of Directors in office at the time of such dissolution of trust, however, to be extended for the purpose of interesting and encouraging sportsmen generally in all kinds of sports fishing and to protect the interest of rod and reel fishermen, and to effect such purpose, the Board of Directors is authorized and empowered to donate the assets of the Corporation after such dissolution to any other organization organized for a similar purpose, or to subsidize such publications, scholarships and other public purposes as shall best carry out these purposes. Section 7. The regular order of business at meetings of the Corporation shall be as follows: 1. Reading of the minutes of the preceding meeting 2. Treasurer’s report 3. Reports of Committees 4. Reports of Officers 5. New business 6. Good and Welfare 7. Adjournment ARTICLE XII: Interpretation, Amendment and Rules Section 1. All questions of construction or interpretation of these By-Laws shall be decided by the Board of Directors and such decisions control and be binding upon the membership of the Corporation unless reversed or altered at a regular meeting of such membership. Section 2. These By-Laws may be amended only after notice of proposed amendment is given at a regular meeting of the Corporation and the proposed amendment duly signed by no less than twenty-five (25) Members in good standing of the Corporation shall be inserted in the monthly meeting notice, and then such amendment shall be adopted by the next regular meeting by the affirmative votes of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the members present. Section 3. All meetings of the Corporation, the Board of Directors and Committees shall be governed by Roberts rules of order so far as applicable unless inconsistent with any provision of these By-Laws.