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Mini Lop Rabbit Club of Constitution ARTICLE 1: Name This organization shall be known as the
Mini Lop Rabbit Club of America, herein referred to as MLRCA or the club. ARTICLE 2: Objectives The objectives
of this not for profit club shall be to promote and improve the breeding of
Mini Lop rabbits, disseminate
information to the members, provide educational opportunities, encourage the
exhibition in all varieties, and maintain
and improve the Mini Lop standard. ARTICLE 3: Affiliation Section 1: The MLRCA shall affiliate with the American
Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. (ARBA) Section 2: Any local, district or state Mini Lop Specialty Club chartered
with the ARBA and whose organization is in accord with that of this club is
strongly urged to affiliate with the MLRCA. Officers of all clubs affiliated
with the MLRCA must be members in good standing with the ARBA as well as the
MLRCA. ARTICLE 4:
Membership Any
person of good character, who agrees with the objectives of the MLRCA, may
become a member of this club. A signed
membership application prescribed by the executive board along with payment
of at least one (1) year membership
dues shall be submitted to the secretary/treasurer. The term will begin from the date of
receipt of application
and dues. ARTICLE 5:
Officers Section 1:
The officers of the MLRCA shall consist of a president, vice president,
immediate past president, secretary/treasurer and nine (9) directors. The four (4) officers and nine (9) directors
shall constitute the executive board. Each director shall be elected by the
membership from his/her geographical area which is referred to as a
district. The districts are as follows: District 1: Alaska, Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming District 2: Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and
California District 3: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa,
Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin District 4: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
Colorado, and New Mexico District 5: Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri District 6: Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Puerto Rico District 7: Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Quebec District 8: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio,
Manitoba, and Ontario District 9: Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, D.C. and
foreign countries. Section 2: The president, vice president,
and directors shall be elected by the membership by mail ballot or by a ballot printed in The Mini Lop Advocate. The executive
board will approve and appoint a person to the position of secretary/treasurer. To be eligible for any office all candidates must be a current member in good standing
of the MLRCA and ARBA, have been an owner
and breeder of Mini Lops for at least two years (2) just prior to seeking office, and must continue with the
breed while holding office. No two (2)
members from the same household may serve on the executive board at the
same time. Section
3: All officers except the
secretary/treasurer shall have their resume printed in The Mini Lop Advocate
for the benefit of the membership. The president and four (4) directors, one
from each district 2, 4, 6 and 8 shall be elected in even years. The vice
president and five (5) directors, one from each district 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9
shall be elected in odd years. Section 4: The term for all officers,
except the office of secretary/treasurer shall be for two (2) years. There is no specific term limit for
the office of secretary/treasurer since it is an appointed office. The term of those elected shall begin under order of new
business at the annual meeting. Each
officer may hold office for an unlimited number of terms. Section 5: Vacancies in any office shall be filled by
appointment of the president, subject to a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of
the executive board. Section 6: An executive board member failing to report
his/her vote concerning MLRCA matters to the president with fifteen (15) days
of request, shall by his/her silence, forfeit his/her vote to the president,
who will cast that vote as he/she wishes. Section 7: The board of directors shall conduct business
as usual in the event a quorum of the officers is not present. Any board member
unable to attend official MLRCA board meetings will be contacted by the president
within two (2) weeks following the board meeting to vote only on those issues
presented at the board meeting. The president will not discuss old business
nor ask for new business of those board members not present at the board
meeting. The president will report the result(s) of the board member’s vote
to the rest of the board members in a timely manner. Section 8: Directors may appoint assistants (such as youth
directors) to staff their district subject to approval of the president. Their term of appointment will run
concurrently with the director’s term of office and is subject to
reconfirmation at the beginning of each term of office. ARTICLE 6: Voting
Procedures Section 1: Any
member who desires to become a candidate for office must be in good standing
and must fill out a nomination petition. This petition is published in the
winter issue of The Mini Lop Advocate and/or may be obtained from the
secretary/treasurer. The petition must
be signed by a minimum of three (3) members in good standing who are current residents
of the candidate’s district. Completed
petitions must be returned to the secretary/treasurer and must be postmarked
no later than May 1st.
EXCEPTION: Petitions for secretary/treasurer must be returned to the president
and must be postmarked by any date determined by the board of directors in
order to keep this office filled. Section 2: When the nomination petition is received by the
secretary/ treasurer, he/she shall determine if the member is eligible to run
for office. Section 3: The secretary/treasurer will mail the ballots,
or they may appear in the official publication not later than July 1st,
to all members whose dues do not expire prior to July 1st. The names of all candidates who have
properly qualified under Article 5, Section 2 and Article 6, Section 1, shall
appear on the ballot. A self-addressed
envelope shall accompany each ballot with the election chairperson’s name and
address thereon. Ballots must be
postmarked not later than August 1st. The committee will count all acceptable
ballots and send a certified statement of the results to the president and
secretary/treasurer. The president
and/or the secretary/treasurer will retain the ballots and the certified
statement for one (1) year in the event there is any question concerning the
ballots. Section 4: No person whose name appears on the election
ballot may be on the election committee. Section 5: In the event of a tie between two (2) or more
persons for the same office, selection shall be made by a runoff
election. In the event only one (1)
person is running for the office, that person shall be deemed elected to that
office. Section 6: Any member who has previously resigned an
office must have executive board approval to run for any future office. Section 7: Members who submit their membership as a family
membership shall have three (3) votes per family. A husband and wife membership shall have
two (2) votes. A single ADULT
membership shall have one (1) vote. Youth purchasing adult membership may
vote. ARTICLE 7: Duties
of Officers Section 1: The president shall preside at all meetings and
perform other duties that pertain to his/her office. The president will fill all positions on
standing committees. Section 2: The vice president shall perform all duties of
the president in his/her absence or disability. If the office of president becomes vacant,
the vice president will succeed him/her in office. Section 3: The
immediate past president shall provide support and direction to the president
and vice president. The “most recent”
immediate past president in good standing will hold this position. This
person will only preside over meetings or direct the organization if both the
president and vice president are unable to serve or attend a meeting. If the immediate past president is not
running for office the president may appoint this person to chair the
election committee. Section 4: The secretary/treasurer shall perform the
following duties: be custodian of all funds; maintain a bank account in the
name of the MLRCA; maintain a complete set of books and records; act on all
membership applications received; act on all sanction requests; consult and
advise the president regarding unexpected
situations; furnish an annual report to the executive board showing the MLRCA’s
general condition. In addition, the secretary/treasurer
shall keep an accurate record of all the meetings and perform other duties,
which may be assigned by the president.
The secretary/treasurer shall be bonded to cover the assets of the
MLRCA. The executive board will review
the amount of bond coverage at each annual meeting. The secretary/treasurer, president, vice president,
and immediate past president shall collaboratively prepare a budget for the
upcoming year and present it to the board for approval at the board meeting
at the ARBA Convention. Section 5: The executive board shall: have the power to
transact all MLRCA business between meetings; approve all appointments made
by the president; act upon charges brought before them; formulate rules; award
the locations of the National Mini Lop Show; and decide on any questions of
policy or anything not specifically covered in this constitution and by laws. The
secretary/treasurer shall make a full report at the annual meeting of all matters
handled during the year by the board. Section 6: District directors shall write an article for
publication in each issue of The Mini Lop Advocate. These articles must contain information on
what is happening in their specific district in relation to Mini Lops. Directors should be able to attend at least
50% of the annual meetings held by the national club during their term in
office. ARTICLE 8: Amendments This constitution may be amended as set forth in the bylaws. Mini Lop Club of America Bylaws ARTICLE 1: Meetings Section
1: The annual meeting shall be held during the annual convention show of the
American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. Section
2: The president may call a meeting of the executive board at any time during
the annual convention of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, or the
National Mini Lop Show. ARTICLE 2: Parliamentary Authority Section 1: Unless otherwise provided in these Articles, Robert’s
Rules of Order governs the transaction of business of all meetings. Section 2: In order to transact business at any general
membership meeting of the MLRCA, there shall be a quorum of at least fifteen
(15) voting members, in addition to the officers present. ARTICLE 3: Discipline Section 1: The executive board may, by a majority vote,
expel any member, or reject an application for membership or renewal,
providing charges have been filed by another member. The lack of good sportsmanship or other
action detrimental to the objectives of the MLRCA will likewise be grounds
for expulsion if substantiated by the board. Section 2: A member against whom charges have been filed,
shall be fully informed by the secretary/treasurer and given thirty (30) days
to reply before action is taken by the executive board. Section 3: Any member expelled or rejected may be eligible
for reinstatement after a period of one (1) year, upon a 2/3 majority of the executive
board. Section 4: If an officer or director does not fulfill
his/her duties or shows a lack of interest in matters of the MLRCA, he/she shall
be asked to resign by the president. If he/she fails to do so, the executive
board, by a majority vote, shall declare the office vacant. Section 5: If an officer or director gives up the breeding
of Mini Lop rabbits during his/her term, he/she shall resign his/her office
effective immediately. Section 6: Any member who files charges against another
member must submit two hundred dollars ($200.00) with the complaint. If the charges are substantiated by a vote
of the executive board, the two hundred dollars ($200.00) will be
refunded. If not, the two hundred
dollars ($200.00) will not be refunded and will be used for the next
convention’s Mini Lop specials. ARTICLE 4:
Standing Committees Section 1: Election
committee If the immediate past president is running for office, the
president may appoint an election committee consisting of a chairperson and
two (2) members. Their duties shall be
to receive and certify the results to the president and secretary/treasurer
within ten (10) days after the closing of the polls. Section 2: Auditing
committee The president shall appoint an auditing committee
consisting of a chairman and two (2) additional members from the membership
of the MLRCA. The secretary/treasurer will provide the books and a prepared
report to the committee no later than 6:00 PM on Monday evening during the
ARBA’s convention. The committee will audit the books and establish that
proper procedures are performed by the secretary/treasurer to: insure that
all monies received and expended are properly controlled and reported; to review
all procedures and assist the secretary/treasurer to insure the most
convenient and/or more economical methods are used; and to remain aware of how
income is derived and monies are expended. The chairperson will go over the
report the secretary/treasurer has prepared with the secretary/treasurer and
the secretary/treasurer will present the report for a membership vote at the
annual general membership meeting during the ARBA convention. Section 3: Standard committee The standard committee shall consist of a chairperson and
at least four (4) additional members, appointed from different districts. The standard committee shall perform the
following duties: screen all suggested changes to the standard; make
recommendations concerning those changes in the breed standard to the
membership; insure the membership is polled; and to fulfill the obligation of
a specialty club standard committee mandated by the ARBA. Further, they are in charge of protecting
and interpreting the breed standard. Section 4: Show committee
The show committee in charge of Mini Lops at the ARBA
Convention Show shall consist of one open and one youth person for the
positions of breed chairperson, breed superintendent, breed secretary and recorder. Additional support personnel may also be
required to enable this committee to carry out its duties. This committee is also responsible for the
proper showing and care of entries, recording of show results, procurement of
trophies, operation of the MLRCA’s booths and arrangement of the annual club
dinner meeting. Section 5: Official
publication editor The editing of the official publication, The Mini Lop
Advocate, shall be done by a committee of one (1). The editor shall be responsible
for all content of the publication and arrange for publication quarterly. All monies will be sent to the secretary/treasurer. The secretary/treasurer and the editor will
communicate in a manner so that both are clear regarding members who have
paid/unpaid memberships or ads. The editor
shall receive from the secretary/treasurer a set of labels of all paid-up
members. Section 6: Constitution committee The constitution committee shall consist of a chairperson
and appointed members, one of which shall be the secretary/treasurer. Their duty shall be to review the MLRCA
Constitution and Bylaws on an annual basis to be sure that it reflects the
state of affairs. They shall make
recommendations for changes to the executive board and shall investigate
changes suggested by the executive board and membership. They, along with the secretary/treasurer,
shall monitor the club’s actions to ensure compliance with the constitution
and bylaws. Section 7: Sweepstakes
committee The sweepstakes chairperson(s) shall be a committee of one
(1) or two (2). They are responsible
for open and youth sweepstakes. When a
sweepstakes person resigns or quits, the president and the board is to be
notified in writing. This opening
shall be published in The Mini Lop Advocate. Any member wishing to apply for the position
must submit a resume. Although this
committee is appointed and governed by the president, resumes shall be
reviewed by the board and the candidate selected by a majority vote of the
board. Section 8: Judges
Committee This committee will consist of a chairperson and two (2)
or three (3) other members from different states. They will be in charge of developing a list
of nominated judges, develop a ballot and poll the members, and hire the best
Mini Lop judges for the national ARBA Convention. ARTICLE 5:
Compensation Section 1: The secretary/treasurer shall receive a portion
of the membership as appropriate compensation. This amount will never be less than $1.00
for a single youth/adult, $2.00 for husband and wife, and $3.00 for a family
membership. The secretary/treasurer
will also not receive less than .50 for each sanction received. The executive board may increase these
portions. These amounts, plus the ARBA
convention and MLRCA national show expense check, shall be the secretary/treasurer’s
total compensation. Section 2: The president and the secretary/treasurer shall
each receive an amount up to, but not exceeding $300 toward their expenses to
the annual ARBA Convention and the National Mini Lop Specialty Show. If the president
is unable to attend, the vice-president may receive an amount up to, but not
exceeding $300 toward the same expenses. Section 3: The sweepstakes chairperson(s) shall receive
not less than $1.50 per show report. This shall be the total compensation for
the sweepstakes chairperson(s). Section 4: The supply chairperson or assistant shall
receive fifteen percent (15%) of the gross sales that he/she encumbers. This
shall be the total compensation for the supply chairperson or assistant. Section 5: The board reserves the right to seek and award bids
for an editor for The Mini Lop Advocate. This shall be the editor’s total
compensation. ARTICLE 6:
Convention judges Section 1: All members in attendance at the annual general
membership meeting may submit the names of two (2) prospective judges. Open will nominate for open judging and
youth will nominate for youth judging.
A ballot will be generated from those names submitted and printed in
the winter issue of the Mini Lop Advocate.
The three (3) judges receiving the most votes will be asked to judge
in the division in which they were chosen.
They will be procured for the first year they are available. Open positions, no further than three (3)
years out, are filled with judges with the next highest votes received. Section 2: It is recommended that a host national club
hire an outside judge. ARTICLE 7: Dues Section 1:
Membership dues shall be recommended by the executive board for approval
by the members at the annual meeting.
Dues categories include single membership, husband and wife
membership, youth membership, family membership and life membership. Age of youth membership shall coincide with
the ARBA youth age. Section 2: All members shall be notified thirty (30) days
prior to the expiration of their membership. Points
will not be awarded during any period of lapsed membership. If membership is renewed, points will be
awarded from the date of the membership renewal and points earned prior to
the membership lapse will be added to the current sweepstakes year. ARTICLE 8:
Amendments Section 1: This constitution and bylaws may be amended by
a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast by ballot of the entire
membership. All members are to be
notified in writing of the proposed amendment and furnished a ballot. Section 2: This constitution and bylaws may be amended by
a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present at the annual
meeting. Members must have been notified at least thirty (30) days prior to
the annual meeting of proposed changes to the constitution and bylaws. There must
be at least twenty-five (25) members in addition to the officers in
attendance. Section 3: Any member may submit a resolution to the
executive board for an amendment to the constitution and bylaws providing it
is signed by three (3) or more members in good standing and submitted at
least ninety (90) days prior to the annual meeting. Members must be notified prior
to the required thirty (30) days. The
resolution must also appear on the agenda of the annual meeting. Section 4: All resolutions for an amendment to the
constitution and bylaws shall be submitted to the chairperson of the
constitution and bylaws committee no later than June 1st. This allows time for communication and
clarification between the executive board and the constitution and bylaws
committee and ensures that it can appear in the fall issue of The Mini Lop Advocate.
ARTICLE 9: Order
of business
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