Constitution and By Laws of the Russian Toy Dog Club of America, Inc.

Article I

Name and Objectives

Section 1. The Name of the Club shall be Russian Toy Dog Club of America, Inc.(RTDCA,Inc.)

Section 2. The objects of the Russian Toy Dog Club of America, Inc. shall be:

To encourage and promote quality in the breeding of the pure-bred Russkiy Toy, and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection, and to promote ethical breeding practices to preserve both type and temperament.

To urge members and breeders to accept the Standard of the Russkiy Toy as approved by the Fédéracion Cynologique Internationale (FCI)  as the only Standard of excellence by which the Russkiy Toy shall be judged and to educate members and both current judges and prospective judges to that Standard.

To maintain a registry for the purebred Russkiy Toy and preserve its integrity.

To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed, promote responsible ownership, and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog shows where the Russkiy Toys compete; to sponsor specialty shows, as well as educational seminars for both members and the general public.

To advance the health and well-being of the Russkiy Toy with particular commitment to guarding against the propagation of inheritable genetic diseases.

To prevent the exploitation and abuse of the breed and educate the public regarding the risks associated with purchasing from puppy mills , commercial breeders, auctions and pet shops, and to encourage and assist rescue operations that involve the Russkiy Toys.

To acknowledge and advance the role of a Parent Club in providing education, health research, and support of rescue and reduction of overpopulation for the benefit of the breed and the general public.

Section 3. The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual or any group of Members of individuals.

Section 4. The Members of the Club shall adopt and may, from time to time, revise such Bylaws as may be required to carry out these objectives in a manner prescribed in the Bylaws.

Bylaws

Article I

Membership

Section 1. Eligibility.  We welcome ALL persons dedicated to building a solid healthy foundation for the Russkiy Toy, whether a breeder, show enthusiast or just a companion owner.  To become a member you must be 18 years of age or older, own, breed, or have an interest in the Russkiy Toys. Anyone meeting these requirements may apply for membership.

Regular Membership   Open to persons over 18 years of age, who are residents of the United States. Regular members enjoy all the privileges of the Club, as defined by the by-laws, including the right to vote, to hold office, and to receive a yearly directory.

Family/Household Membership  Open to any two members of a family/household 18 years and older. Includes two votes, eligibility for a family/household member to hold office, and to receive a yearly directory.

Associate/Foreign Membership   Open to persons 18 years of age or older, who live outside the United States. Russkiy Toys owned by Associate/Foreign members are eligible for the Club registration, providing that they are registering their Russkiy Toys with the FCI pedigrees only, Associate/Foreign members enjoy all additional privileges of the Club, as defined by the by-laws, including obtaining Championship titles, except the right to vote and to hold office. Associate/Foreign members do not count in determining a quorum.

Junior Membership  Open to persons under 18 years of age, who reside in the United States. Junior members enjoy all additional privileges of the Club, as defined by the by-laws, except the right to vote and to hold office. Junior members  do not count in determining a quorum. Junior members may convert to regular membership, as per their eligibility as defined by the by-laws, upon reaching their 18th birthday.  

Charter membership   Single members who joined the Russkiy Toy Club of America, Inc., by March 21, 2009 shall be entitled to the designation “Charter Member.” Charter members are entitled to one vote and are eligible to hold office in RTCA, Inc.  By their willingness to contribute their time and resources and for having the vision, patience, and trust to be early supporters of this venture, the following individuals are recognized as the permanent Founding Members of the Russkiy Toy Club of America, Inc. The list includes those who early on subscribed to the ideals and goals of the organization as set forth in the Bylaws and joined as members, in order to help ensure a solid start for the organization. The Charter Members are: Matthew Dallachie, Jill Day, Merrilee Edison, Gayle Ford, Erica Herzog, Karen Leggett, Linda Lippert , Anki Larsson and (Scarlett King, currently a non-member).

Honorary Life Membership – Any person who has rendered significant service to the Club and to the Breed and has been a member for twenty years is eligible to become an Honorary Lifetime Member. Examples of this service include, but are not limited to, serving as an officer or member of the Board, working as the principal organizer of a major Club event, making a significant contribution to the health and welfare of the breed. Honorary Lifetime Members are entitled to vote and hold elective office, shall be exempt of payment of dues, and shall be members of ‘good standing’. Candidates for Honorary Lifetime membership may be nominated by any member in good standing. Nominations shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary. Upon the receipt of a nomination, the Board of Directors shall investigate the qualifications of the nominee. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the full Board of Directors is required. No member may be made a Honorary Lifetime member without his written consent.

Section 2. Dues. The amount of annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors, with a 2/3 vote needed to raise or lower the amount. Membership dues may be less than, but shall not exceed, sixty dollars per year, payable before the 1st day of March of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. During the month of January, the Secretary shall be responsible for sending to each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing year. A dues renewal notice shall be placed in the member’s only section of the website and sent out on the official Club email list. The Secretary shall be responsible for sending those members who have not renewed by March 1, a dues reminder by email, telephone or mail prior to March 15.

Section 3. Election to Membership.

a) Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form approved by the Board of Directors and which shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by the RTCA, Inc. constitution and bylaws and agrees to and signs the Code of Ethics. The application shall state the name, address and occupation of the applicant. Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit dues payment for the current year. Applicants may be elected by ballot at any meeting of the board of directors or by vote of the directors by mail or email. Affirmative votes of 2/3 of the directors present at a meeting of the board, or of 2/3 of the entire board voting by email, shall be required to elect an applicant. An application which has received a negative vote by the Board be presented by one of the applicant's endorsers at the next meeting of the Club and the Club may elect such applicant by favorable vote of 75% of the Members present.
b) Each new applicant’s name and address shall be published in the members’ only section of the website for one month following the receipt of the application, thus allowing members to comment in writing to the Secretary or Board of Directors if any so desire. Should an applicant be turned down for membership, no reason for denial will be given. If an applicant is not elected into the Club, the Secretary shall forthwith return the dues that accompanied the application.
c) New members notified after January 1st of their election to membership shall not be required to pay dues for the upcoming fiscal year; the dues submitted with their application shall cover for the remainder of that fiscal year plus the following fiscal year.
d) Incomplete membership applications will be returned to the applicant, along with their check for dues. They may resubmit after completing the application.
e) Applicants for membership who have not been accepted by the club may re-apply one year after the Board's vote.

Section 4. Termination of Membership. Membership may be terminated:
a. By resignation. Any Member may resign from the Club upon written notice to the secretary, but no Member may resign when in debt to the Club. Obligations other than dues are a debt to the club and must be paid in full prior to resignation.
b. By lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such Member's dues remain unpaid thirty (30) days after the first day of March, being the fiscal year, however, the Board may grant an additional sixty (60) days of grace to such delinquent Member in meritorious cases; in no case may a person be entitled to vote at any club meeting whose dues are unpaid as of the day of that meeting.
c. By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI, Section 4 and 5 of these Bylaws.

Section 5. Reinstatement: Former members who have allowed their membership to lapse for a duration of less than one year may be reinstated upon payment of the annual membership dues plus a reinstatement fee equal to 100% of the annual membership dues. A member who is reinstated in this manner shall not be credited with any wins or points towards Club awards during the period that such member was not in good standing. If a former member allows his/her membership to lapse for one year or more, he/she may rejoin in
the same manner as a new member except he/she will not need any sponsors.

 

Article II

Meetings

Section 1. Annual & General Meetings. The annual meeting of the club shall be held in conjunction with the club's National Specialty show when possible, if not possible, it will be at a place and date designated by the Board of Directors. A general meeting can be held in conjunction with the second specialty show of the year, if one is held. Written notice of the place and date of the general and annual meetings shall be placed in the Club Newsletter, in an email of the Club email list and on the website by the Secretary at least (30) thirty days prior to the date of the meeting. Club Newsletter will be online for members’ access. The quorum for the annual meeting and the general meeting shall be 10% of the voting members in good standing. Specialty bids, shows and selection of judges shall be conducted according to guidelines approved by the board. The Board of Directors shall submit proposals that meet the guidelines for a specialty bid to the membership by written ballot for the majority vote rule.

Section 2. Special Club Meetings. Special Club Meetings may be called by the President or by a majority vote of the board who are present at a Meeting of the Board or who vote by mail, and shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the Members of the Club who are in good standing. Such Meeting shall be held at such a place, date and hour as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Meetings may be held online if voted to be by 2/3’s of the Board of Directors. Written notice of such meeting shall be placed in the Club Newsletter, in an email of the Club email list and on the website by the Secretary at least (21) twenty-one days prior to the date of the meeting. The notice of the Meeting shall state the purpose of the Meeting and no other Club business may be transacted at that meeting. The quorum for such a Meeting shall be ten percent (10%) of the voting members in good standing.

Section 3. Meetings of the Board shall be held at such times and places as are designated by the President or by a majority vote of the entire Board. Written notice of each such other meeting shall be emailed by the Secretary to each member of the Board at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for a Board meeting shall be the majority of the Board. Meetings may be by teleconference or held online.

Section 4. Meetings: are defined as gathering where attendees see and/or hear each other or read thoughts, opinions and votes in a private chat room. This includes meeting (in person) "physically" in the same room, conducting a meeting by videoconference or teleconference, or conducting a meeting in a private online chat room. The Board of Directors may also conduct business by telephone conference call, private online chat room, mail, fax or electronic mail through the Secretary. Business (voting): can be conducted at meetings or through mail, fax, private online chat room, or email. In order for business to be conducted by email or private online chat room, the following precautions must be in place:

1. Every board member must have the ability to participate;
2. A procedure must be in place to verify the identity of the individuals participating to ensure that they are the eligible board member;
3. A mechanism must be in place to verify that the eligible board members are "listening;"
4. All board members must agree to participate in this manner.


These four precautions will be met by the following conditions: The first email vote by a board member will signify that the member agrees to participate via email for the duration of their term of office, as well as their agreement to signify that they are "listening" by responding via email at least once a month. If a board member is going to be voting from a different email address than the one used for the first email vote, the secretary must be notified by telephone, or in a notification which includes the board member's signature. In
a private online chat room, use of a preordained password will be given to verify the user upon entering private online chat room. Board members will identify themselves with the preordained password which signifies their agreement to participate via the private online chat room. Board members who don't have a personal computer may use a computer at public locations such as the library; the RTCA, Inc will not provide the means to participate in email voting or private online chat room voting.

Section 5: All items for discussion at the Annual Meeting must be submitted to the Corresponding Secretary, in writing, at least one week before the Annual Meeting so that they may be put on the Agenda. Items not on the Meeting Agenda will not be discussed. Members wishing to make a motion at the Annual Meeting must submit the motion, in writing, to the Corresponding Secretary at least one week prior to the Annual Meeting. Motions not submitted in writing will not be entertained.

Article III

Directors and Officers

Section 1. Board of Directors: The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian and five other persons to be called Regional Representatives, all of whom shall be Members in good standing. They shall be elected for two-year terms in the Club's election as provided in Article IV, and shall serve until their successors are elected. General management of the Club's affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. No member of the Board can serve for more than two terms in a row.

Section 2. Officers. The Club's Officers, consisting of the President, Vice-President, Recording/Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Historian  and five Regional Representatives shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the Club and its Meetings and the Board and its Meetings.

a. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of president in addition to those particularly specified in these Bylaws.

b. The Vice-President shall have the duties and exercise the Powers of the President in case of the President's death, absence, or incapacity.

c. The Secretary shall keep a record of all Meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all votes taken by mail, and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the club. He/She shall have charge of the correspondence, notify officers and directors of their election, and carry out other such duties as are prescribed in these bylaws.

d. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club, and keep a roll of the members of the club with their addresses. He/She shall deposit all moneys in a bank account, approved by the Board, in the name of the Club. His/Her books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and he/she shall report to them at every Meeting the condition of the Club's finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported, and at the Annual Meeting he/she shall tender an account of all moneys received and expended during the previous Fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine. By December 15 of each year, the Treasurer shall turn all books over to an auditor or audit committee appointed by the board.

e. The Historian shall prepare a narrative and pictorial account of the Club's activities during his/her term of office, which, when approved by the Board, will become a permanent part of the Club's History. 

f. Regional Representatives serve as liaisons for and to their respective regions, Eastern, Central, Western, Southern and Northern. They shall help facilitate the goals and objectives of the Club in those regions and help ensure that the concerns and perspectives of the five regions of North America are represented. Regional Representatives may be called upon from time to time to help coordinate and assist with the various Club events that occur in their respective regions. Regional Representatives shall also serve on the Show and Membership Standing Committees. 

Section 3. Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors or among the Officers during the two year of their term shall be filled until the next regularly occurring annual election by a majority vote of all the then-members of the Board, except that a vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled automatically by the Vice-President and the resulting vacancy in the office of Vice-President shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board.

Section 4. The Secretary or Treasurer may nominate any member as an assistant, subject to approval by the Board of Directors. When approved, the officer may delegate such duties to the assistant as he/she deems necessary, but the officer shall always be responsible to the Board of Directors for the performance of the Duty of his/her office. Any assistant shall report directly to the assisted officer.


Article IV

The Club Year, Voting, Nominations, Elections

Section 1. Club Year. The club's fiscal year shall begin on the 1st day of March and end on the last day of the following February. The Club's Official year shall begin March 1st and end on the last day of the following February. The elected officers and Directors shall take office on the first day of March. Each retiring Officer shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records, relating to that office by March 1. At this time, the treasurer will also turn over the results of the latest audit.

Section 2. Term of Office. The Officers of the RTCA, Inc. shall serve for two (2) years or until their successors are elected. All Officers shall be limited to two consecutive terms of office, and no person may hold more than on office per term, with the exception of the first years of the Club's formation. During this time a person may hold multiple offices, but is allowed one vote only. The Officers of the Club shall be elected for two year terms so staggered that one half are elected at each annual meeting. The first year will have the Secretary and Treasurer on the ballot along with the Eastern, Southern and Central Representatives. President and Vice-President will be elected the following year along with the Western and Northern Representative and the Historian. The remaining members of the Board shall be elected for two year terms so staggered that one half are elected at each annual meeting.  Any officer who misses two board meetings within a Club year shall be removed from the Board of Directors, unless a majority of the board members present and voting at the meeting, from which the officer is absent for the second time, votes to excuse one or both of the absences. 

Section 3. Voting.
A) At the Annual Meeting, General Meeting, or at a special meeting of the club, voting shall be limited to those Regular Members in good standing who are present at the Meeting except for the annual election of Officers and Directors and amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and the Standard for the Breed which shall be decided by written ballot cast by mail or email. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
B) The Board of Directors may decide to submit other specific questions for decision of the Members by written ballot cast by mail or email. Verification of being a regular member in good standing must be made by a person or persons decided on by the Board prior to an email vote being counted and the verification be kept in the records by the Secretary.

Section 4. Elections: The election of Officers and Directors shall be conducted by mail ballot. Each member may submit only one ballot. The Board shall designate an independent entity to receive and count the ballots. To be valid, ballots must be received by the independent entity on or before December 29th. Ballots shall be counted by the independent entity on December 30th, or the first business day following that date. The Secretary shall provide to the selected agency a list of all voting members in good standing, along with his/her certification that the list is true, correct and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. The selected agency will check all returns against the list of members in good standing prior to opening the outer envelope and removing the blank envelopes containing the ballots. The selected agency will certify the eligibility of the voters according to the list supplied by the Secretary. The independent entity will notify both the President and the secretary of the results of the election, as well as the identity of any ballots that were uncounted. The secretary is responsible for notifying the board and the candidates of the results. Any request for a recount must be received by the secretary within ten days after the election results are announced to the board and the candidates.

The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The three persons receiving the greatest number of votes for the position of Director shall be declared elected.

In the case of a tie vote, the vote of the Board of Directors shall determine the winner. If the outgoing Board of Directors have not voted within one month of the election, the incoming Board shall determine the winner.

Section 5. Nominations and Ballots. No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated in accordance with these Bylaws. A Nominating Committee shall be chosen by the Board of Directors before September 15. The Committee shall consist of three (3) Members from different areas of the United States and an alternate, all Members in good standing, no more than one of whom shall be a Member of the current Board of Directors. The Board shall name a Chairman for the committee. The Nominating Committee may conduct its business by mail, telephone, fax or email.

a. The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among the eligible Members of the Club in good standing with the Club, one candidate for each office and for each other position on the Board of Directors and shall procure the acceptance of each nominee so chosen. The committee should consider geographical representation of the membership on the Board to the extent that it is practical to do so. The Committee shall then submit its slate of candidates to the Secretary who shall email the list to the official Club email list and put them on the member’s only section of the website, including the full name of each candidate and the state in which he resides, on or before October 1, so that additional nominations may be made by the Members if they so desire.
b. Additional nominations of eligible Members may be made by written petition addressed to the Secretary and received at his/her regular address on or before November 1, signed by five members and accompanied by the written acceptance of each such additional nominee signifying his willingness to be a candidate. No person shall be a candidate for more than one position and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among those Members who have not accepted a nomination of the Nominating Committee.
c. If no valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before November 1, the Nominating Committee's slate shall be declared elected and no balloting will be required.
d. If one or more valid additional nominations are received by the Secretary on or before November 1, he shall, on or before November 15, mail to each Member in good standing a ballot listing all of the nominees for each position in alphabetical order, with the names of the States in which they reside, together with a blank envelope and a return envelope addressed to the independent entity designated by the Board to count the ballots marked "RTCA, Inc. Ballot" and bearing the name of the member to whom it was sent. So that the ballots may remain secret, each voter, after marking his ballot, shall seal it in the blank envelope which in turn shall be placed in the second envelope addressed to the independent entity. The designated independent entity shall check the returns against the list of Members whose dues are paid for the year in which the ballots were sent, prior to opening the outer envelopes and removing the blank envelopes, and shall certify the eligibility of the voters as well as the results of the voting. The results of the election shall be transmitted to the Secretary for notification of the candidates.

Nominations cannot be made at the Annual Meeting or in any manner other than as provided above. Two members from the same household may not be nominated for office.


Article V

Committees and Registrar

Championship and Ranking Point Coordinator. The Championship and Ranking point coordinator shall be responsible for:

1. the calculation of championship points for each member dog as taken from the win sheets submitted by each exhibitor. 

2. the calculation of ranking points for each member dog on a quarterly basis upon results of totals taken from the win sheets submitted from each exhibitor.

3. the notification to members when their dog attains championship status.

4. the notification to members upon how to obtain championship certificates for each dog.

5. the distribution of championship certificates based upon requirements as set forth by the board with reference to fees, etc

 Webmaster. The Webmaster is responsible for the design and maintenance of a website for the club. Content, revisions, additions, deletions, and design are to be at the direction of the Board.

Newsletter Editor shall assemble, edit, and send both an electronic and printed copy of this preliminary edition of the newsletter to the President, or a Board Member designated by the President, for preapproval of all contents of the quarterly newsletter.

The newsletter editor shall send each preliminary issue to the President or a Board Member designated by the President, no later than 3 weeks prior to the publication date of the newsletter.

The President, or a Board Member designated by the President, shall oversee the revision (if any) of each edition of the newsletter.

The President, or a Board Member designated by the President, shall then oversee the copying and distibution of the quarterly newsletter.

General newsletter policy such as, but not limited to, acceptance of ads, all contents, advertising rates, format, publication dates, cutoff dates for submission of material for inclusion in each newsletter, shall be set by the Board of Directors.

The newsletter editor shall work at the direction of the Board to assist in any special projects for the club and in all other matters pertaining to the club. 

Article VI

Discipline 

Section 1. Charges: Any Member may refer charges against another Member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club and the Breed. Written charges with specification must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $75.00 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly, within 30 days, send a copy of the charges to each Member of the Board or present them at a Board Meeting in an executive session. The Board shall first consider whether the Board has jurisdiction over the charges. The Board will not hear contractual disputes. The Board shall then consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or Breed. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the Breed it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board or a Committee of not less than three (3) Members of the Board, not less than three (3) weeks nor more than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly, at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the hearing, send one copy of the charges to the accused Member by registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes. Should the charges be against a Board member, one Board member and two others, either regular members or a person/persons outside the Club may be approved by the Board to be on the hearing committee.

Section 2. Code of Ethics Charges: Any Member may prefer charges against another Member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the Code of Ethics. Written charges with specification must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary together with a deposit of $75.00 which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly, within 30 days, send a copy of the charges to each Member of the Board or present them at a Board Meeting in an executive session. The Board shall first consider whether the Board has jurisdiction over the charges. The Board shall then consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the Code of Ethics. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the Code of Ethics, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board or a Committee of not less than three (3) Members of the Board, not less than three (3) weeks nor more than six (6) weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly, at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the hearing, send one copy of the charges to the accused Member by registered mail together with a notice of the hearing and assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense and bring witnesses if he wishes. Should the charges be against a Board member, one Board member and two others, either regular members or a person/persons outside the Club may be approved by the Board to be on the hearing committee.

Section 3. Board Hearing: The Board or Committee shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board or Committee may, by a majority vote of those present, reprimand (A written reprimand directed exclusively to the member may be somewhat detailed but an official published reprimand should only indicate that subsequent to a board hearing ... "member (X) was officially reprimanded as a result of charges filed by member (Y).") or suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club for not more than six (6) months from the date of the hearing or until the next Annual Meeting if that will occur after six (6) months. And, if it deems that punishment insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the suspension shall not restrict the defendant's right to appear before his fellow members at the ensuing Club meeting which considers the recommendations of the Board or Committee. Immediately after the Board or Committee has reached a decision, its findings shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the decision and penalty, if any.

Section 4. Three convictions of misconduct in accordance to the Code of Ethics will result in a no more than five year expulsion from the RTCA, Inc.. Upon a third conviction of a Code of Ethics violation the Board may make the decision by a 2/3rds vote in an executive session to expel the offending member for a period of no more than five years. Immediately after the Board or Committee has reached a decision, its findings shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the decision and penalty.

Section 5. Expulsion: Expulsion of a Member from the Club may be accomplished only at the Annual Meeting of the Club following a hearing and upon the recommendation of the Board or Committee as provided in Section 4 of this Article unless it is the third conviction of a Code of Ethics violation, see section 5 of this article. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in his own behalf though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the findings and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak in his own behalf. The Meeting shall then vote by secret written ballot on the proposed expulsion. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at the Annual Meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the suspension shall stand.

Article VII

Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws (and to the Standard of the Breed) may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary and signed by twenty percent (20%) of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the Members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three (3) months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.

Section 2. The Constitution and Bylaws (and the Standard for the Breed) may be amended at any time provided a copy of the proposed amendment has been mailed by the Secretary to each Member in good standing on the date of the mailing, accompanied by a ballot on which he may indicate, his choice for or against the action to be taken. The notice shall specify a date not less than thirty (30) days after the date mailing by which date the ballots must be returned to the Secretary to be counted. The favorable vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Members in good standing who return valid ballots within the time limit shall be required to effect any such amendment.

Section 3. No amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws (or to the Standard of the Breed) that is adopted by the Club shall become effective until it has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Russkiy Toy Club of America, Inc.

Article VIII

Dissolution

Section 1. The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Members in good standing. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the Club nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Club shall be distributed to any Members of the Club but after payment of the debts of the Club its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors.
 

Article IX

Order of Business

Section 1. At Meetings of the Club, the order of business so far as the character and nature of the Meeting may permit, shall be as follows:

• Roll Call
• Minutes of the last meeting
• Report of President
• Report of Secretary
• Report of Treasurer
• Reports of Committees
• Election of Officers and Directors (Annual Meeting)
• Election of new members
• Unfinished business
• New business
• Adjournment

Section 2. At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote of those present, shall be as follows:

• Reading of minutes of last meeting
• Report of Secretary
• Report of Treasurer
• Reports of Committees
• Unfinished business
• Election of new members
• New business
• Adjournment


Article X

Parliamentary Authority

Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Club may adopt.

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