Section 1: RatsPacNW shall operate as a non-profit organization.
(a) The Association is required to maintain in good standing, a secure, federally insured account in a Financial Institution that provides such services.
(b) Revenues from shows and other events shall be designated for operating expenses of the club. In time, membership dues will be used for operating expenses of the club.
Section 2: The Fiscal year for the Association shall be January 1st through December 31st of each year.
Section 3: Reimbursement. Any Member or Officer, under the direction of the Board of Directors, is to be reimbursed for all pre-approved legitimate expenses incurred in the name of RatsPacNW.
(a) All expenses up to one hundred ($100) dollars require written approval from the Treasurer prior to incurring the expense.
(b) All expenses in excess of one hundred ($100) dollars require written approval by the Board of Directors prior to incurring the expense.
(c) Receipts for expenses incurred in the name of RatsPacNW must be presented to the Treasurer for reimbursement.
Section 4: In the case of checks written by members that are returned to the club’s account:
(a) The Treasurer will notify immediately any Member submitting a check that is returned or denied payment for any reason.
(b) The Treasurer is empowered to collect, on behalf of the Association, any financial institution charge, for each check returned to RatsPacNW due to insufficient funds.
Section 5: Authorized signors on the club’s account shall be:
(a) The club’s Treasurer and one other Board of Directors member.
(b) The additional signor shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.
(c) Only one signature will be required.
ARTICLE IX
PUBLICATION
Section 1: For the purposes of promotion and marketing of RatsPacNW events, listings and articles in appropriate publications shall be pursued.
Section 2: Said promotions can be placed in paper publications, on web sites and club directories.
Section 3: A RatsPacNW website will be maintained to inform club members of current club activities. It will also maintain up to date standards for shows and policies.
ARTICLE X
DISCIPLINE
Section 1: Discipline of a member
The Board of Directors may reprimand, suspend, and/or expel from the membership, any person who, after a fair and impartial hearing, shall be found guilty of violating any policy of this club or of conduct that is determined to be detrimental to the rat fancy.
Section 2: Removal of an Officer.
(a) Removal is initiated by the submission to one or more officers of a statement of cause signed by any 5 current members in good standing. The statement must include specifics as to why the officer should be removed.
(b) The statement will be reviewed by the Board of Directors at the following regularly scheduled meeting or at a special meeting called by the Board of Directors.
(c) Petitioning members may attend and present their case at this time.
(d) If the cause is just and reasonable, the officer will be given the opportunity to resign or be placed on probation for 30 days to correct the cause.
(e) If the cause has been corrected after 30 days, as determined by the Board of Directors, the matter will be dropped.
(f) If the cause has not been corrected, the officer will be suspended.
Article XI
CORPORATE RECORDS AND REPORTS
Section 1: Maintenance of corporate records
The corporation shall keep at its principal office:
(a) Minutes of all meetings of directors, committees of the board and, if this corporation has members, of all meetings of members, indicating the time and place of holding such meetings, whether regular or special, how called, the notice given, and the names of those present and the proceedings thereof;
(b) Adequate and correct books and records of account, including accounts of its properties and business transactions and accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains and losses;
(c) A record of its members, if any, indicating their names and addresses and, if applicable, the class of membership held by each member and the termination date of any membership;
(d) A copy of the corporation's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws as amended to date, which shall be open to inspection by the members, if any, of the corporation at all reasonable times.
Section 2: Every director shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect and copy all books, records and documents of every kind and to inspect the physical properties of the corporation and shall have such other rights to inspect the books, records and properties of this corporation as may be required under the Articles of Incorporation, other provisions of these Bylaws, and provisions of law.
Section 3:If this corporation has any members, then each and every member shall have the following inspection rights, for a purpose reasonably related to such person's interest as a member:
(a) To inspect and copy the record of all members' names, addresses and voting rights, at reasonable times, upon written demand on the Secretary of the corporation, which demand shall state the purpose for which the inspection rights are requested.
(b) To obtain from the Secretary of the corporation, upon written demand on, and payment of a reasonable charge to, the Secretary of the corporation, a list of the names, addresses and voting rights of those members entitled to vote for the election of directors as of the most recent record date for which the list has been compiled or as of the date specified by the member subsequent to the date of demand. The demand shall state the purpose for which the list is requested. The membership list shall be made within a reasonable time after the demand is received by the Secretary of the corporation or after the date specified therein as of which the list is to be compiled.
(c) To inspect at any reasonable time the books, records, or minutes of proceedings of the members or of the board or committees of the board, upon written demand on the Secretary of the corporation by the member, for a purpose reasonably related to such person's interests as a member.
(d) Members shall have such other rights to inspect the books, records and properties of this corporation as may be required under the Articles of Incorporation, other provisions of these Bylaws, and provisions of law.
Section 5: Any inspection under the provisions of this Article may be made in person or by agent or attorney and the right to inspection shall include the right to copy and make extracts.
Section 6:The board shall cause any annual or periodic report required under law to be prepared and delivered to an office of this state or to the members, if any, of this corporation, to be so prepared and delivered within the time limits set by law.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
Section 1: These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the members casting ballots.
Section 2: Any member in good standing may submit a proposed amendment.
Section 3: The proposed amendment must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
Section 4: All proposed amendments shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to presentation to the general members.
ARTICLE XIII
CONSTRUCTION AND TERMS
Section 1: If there is any conflict between the provisions of these Bylaws and the Articles of Incorporation of this corporation, the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation shall govern.
Section 2: Should any of the provisions or portions of these Bylaws be held unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions and portions of these Bylaws shall be unaffected by such holding.
Section 3: All references in these Bylaws to the Articles of Incorporation shall be to the Articles of Incorporation of this corporation filed with an office of Washington State and used to establish the legal existence of this corporation.
PASSAGE OF THIS DOCUMENT
We, the undersigned, are all of the initial directors or incorporators of this corporation, and we consent to, and hereby do, adopt the foregoing Bylaws, consisting of 12 preceding pages, as the Bylaws of this corporation.
Dated: May 14, 2003
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LeAnn Boardman, Director
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Lynn Rosskamp, Director
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Debbi Needham, Director
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Ayri Niemi, Director
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Becky M. Ashton, Director
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Kim Lampson Reiff, Director
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Michelle Carroll, Director