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Mountbellew Vintage Club Constitution.
1. Name.
1.1 The name of the Club shall be Mountbellew Vintage Club, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Club’, and shall use the internet domain address www.mvc.ie.
2. Objectives + Aims
2.1 The Club shall inform its members about all items of interest to the vintage enthusiast, through meetings and any other medium deemed appropriate.
2.2 The Club will endeavor to organize a road run and vintage rally once annually and to assist and take part in other beneficial events each year.
2.3 The Club aims to advance the knowledge and appreciation of vintage and heritage issues both provincially and nationally.
3. Affiliation.
3.1 At the inception of this constitution, the Club accepts to be affiliated to the Irish Vintage Engine and Tractor Association (IVETA). Changes to this rule can only be effected under rule 5.6
4. Membership.
4.1 The Governing Body of the club shall consist of The Chairman and Assistant Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Information Technology Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Insurance Officer, PRO, Assistant PRO, Chief Safety Officer and the Deputy Chief Safety Officer, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’. Sub committees of the membership may be appointed to assist the governing body. The sub committees shall exist until the date of the next AGM whereby they either stand down or be re assigned by vote.
4.2 Membership of the Club shall be open to all interested persons who wish to adhere to the rules and constitution of the Club and on payment of the membership fee and also all honorary members members, accepted by the Committee and included in the membership list. New applicants for membership must be proposed and seconded by a member of the Club and complete the relevant application Form. The application will be submitted to the Committee and if approved the applicant will become a member on payment of the annual fee.
4.3 It is deemed that all members shall have agreed to abide by the Club’s rules and constitution on payment of their membership fee. A member who is deemed by the Committee to have brought the Club into disrepute may be excluded from membership by a simple majority vote of the Committee.
4.4 Each member shall be entitled to receive a copy of the Clubs Constitution, on enactment of the Constitution and thereafter on joining the club. AGM reports and the Treasurers report will be available at each AGM, otherwise on written application to the Secretary.
4.5 Any member who has a complaint about the operation of the Club, shall put this in writing to the Secretary and shall be answered in writing after discussion by the Committee.
4.6 In the constitution where “notification of members” or similar is written, it is implied that the posting of information shall be sent by post, email, or text.
4.7 A membership fee shall be payable annually by the membership, other than honorary members and Juvenile members under sixteen years. The amount of the fee to be agreed annually at the AGM, rule 5.6 will apply. This fee falls due from the date of the AGM each year. Any member who fails to pay the fee before the last day of February of the following year, shall no longer be deemed to be a member of the club and will not receive correspondence from the club.
5. General Meeting.
5.1 General Meetings are either Annual or Extraordinary and shall be held during the year.
5.2 Where an alteration to the Constitution or Rules is approved, the effect is immediate and a copy of the new Constitution shall be made available to any member within twenty one days after written application to the Secretary.
5.3 Motions without due notice shall not be discussed or voted on.
5.4 Each member present and entitled to vote shall have one vote on every question.
5.5 Where there is an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote other than votes where rule 5.6 applies.
5.6 Motions to alter the Constitution of the Club require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.
5.7 All motions, except those for which express provision is made, shall be passed by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote.
5.8 Votes on motions or amendments shall be taken by a show of hands, but any person entitled to vote may demand a ballot when tellers shall be appointed.
5.9 Committee Members shall be elected on a simple majority vote.
5.10 All motions passed in accordance with these rules shall take immediate effect unless otherwise stated.
5.11 The Club shall not be dissolved unless by a specific General Meeting where two thirds of the members present and eligible to vote so wish.
5.12 At dissolution of the Club, all the property of the Club shall be sold, in a manner decided by the outgoing committee, and the sale proceeds and all deposit funds shall be donated to a charity or charities as decided by the outgoing committee.
6. Attendance and Voting Rights at General Meetings.
6.1 The quorum for all general meetings is one third of the membership and all Committee members.
6.2 Members who shall be eligible to attend, nominate, propose, second and vote by right shall be any and all paid up members of the Club and also all honorary members and Juvenile members over the age of sixteen years.
6.3 The Secretary shall keep an attendance list for voting purposes of all members at a General Meeting.
7. Annual General Meeting.
7.1 The Club’s Annual General Meeting shall be held during the year and the members shall be notified within due course.
7.2 The quorum for the All General Meetings and Emergency General Meetings shall be the Committee and one third of the Membership.
7.3 Members shall receive a minimum of fourteen days notice together with a copy of the Agenda and any other business to be discussed.
7.4 At this meeting, the Annual Report shall be presented which shall consist of a Secretary’s report and Treasurer’s report.
7.5 Notice of motion must be received by the Secretary seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting with the names of the proposer and seconded, for inclusion on the agenda.
7.6 The order of business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting Shall be:
1. Apologies and Minutes of last AGM.
2. Chairmans Address
3. Secretaries Report
4. Treasurers Report.
5. Election of Committee.
6. Notices of Motion.
- Any other Business.
8. Extraordinary General Meeting.
8.1 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Committee.
8.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Committee upon the written request of ten voting members of the Club or by the Committee.
8.3 The membership shall be given seven days clear notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting.
8.4 The membership shall be notified of the Agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting with the named proposers and seconders of the specific motions.
8.5 An Extraordinary General Meeting shall discuss only the business for which it is convened and no other business shall be transacted.
8.6 All motions shall be passed by a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote, rule 5.6.
9. Committee.
9.1 All committee members may remain in office for a period not exceeding three years after the inception of this Constitution, thereafter for a period not exceeding three years from their first election to office. In exceptional circumstances a Committee member may remain in office when no replacement is proposed and seconded and then only with a vote under rule 5.6. The Committee Members must stand down at next A. G. M. It will not be permitted for all three posts of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer to be replaced at the same AGM. In such circumstances one of the three officeholders shall be re-elected under the foregoing.
9.2 Between General Meetings the Club is managed by the Committee consisting of the members as at rule 4.1. The members are elected by the membership to work together for the good of the Club. At no time shall members of the Club exclude members of the Committee from correspondence, information or discussions concerning the Club.
9.3 Any member of the Club (at the time of annual general meetings) may serve on the committee where a position becomes available.
9.4 There is no restriction to the number of times a Club member can be elected to any Committee position, be it the same or a different position.
9.5 Any Club member, nominated for a committee position, must commit themselves to working actively for the Club both in their specific capacity as a member of the Committee of the Club and in attending Club events, functions, and other vintage events during his/her time in election.
9.6 Club members nominated and seconded for election to the Committee must be presented at the A.G.M. and be nominated and seconded by the other members who are themselves present.
9.7 The Committee takes office immediately after an annual or extraordinary general meeting.
9.8 The new Committee shall receive within seven days all books and records of whatever type from the outgoing Committee so as to facilitate the smooth transfer of office.
9.9 The Committee must notify the membership immediately of any vacancy arising in any subcommittee, for whatever reason, and thereafter a period of fourteen days shall have the power of a majority Committee vote to approach a minimum of two members to fill the vacancy with the exception of the offices of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
9.10 The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to perform specific functions provided that at least one Committee member shall serve on the sub-committee.
9.11 All positions on the Committee are honorary in that no salary, fee, stipend, or emoluments are paid for the performance of the duties of office.
9.12 A Committee member shall be reimbursed for any expense wholly, exclusively, and necessarily incurred on behalf of the Club and incurred with the knowledge of and approved by the Committee.
9.13 Any Committee member absenting himself/herself from three consecutive meetings without reasonable explanation shall be deemed to have resigned and the committee shall co-opt a successor immediately.
9.14 The Committee shall meet regularly, and shall conduct its affairs where possible by consensus fixing the date of the following meeting as the last item of business.
9.15 All meetings of the Committee and the Club shall be chaired by the Chairperson.
9.16 The quorum of a Committee meeting shall be five.
9.17 The Committee, in managing the Club’s affairs, is answerable only to the membership in general meeting, however the Committee shall keep the membership informed by timely communications, texts, newsletters or email, about developments in the running of the Club.
9.18 All decisions and recommendations taken by sub-committees shall be subject to the approval of the Committee.
9.19 Each Committee member has one vote on any question.
9.20 Where there is an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.
9.21 The Chairperson, with the Secretary and Treasurer, signing in the presence of each other, has the power to sign contracts on behalf of the Club subject to ratification at the next general meeting or EGM.
10. Functions of the Committee Members.
10.1 Chairperson:
10.1.1 The Chairperson must be an active member of the Club and also have
A keen interest in promoting the events and ethos of the Club.
10.1.2 The Chairperson shall be the honorary head of the Club.
10.1.3 The Chairperson shall use his/her office to promote the interests of the
Club and at all times, to provide leadership in fostering unity and harmony
within the Club.
10.1.4 The Chairperson may advise the rest of the Committee on any matter and
shall be available for approach by the rest of the Committee if his/her views are
required. Any advice given shall not be binding on the Committee.
10.2 Vice Chairperson:
10.2.1 The Vice Chairperson shall act as Chairperson when he/she is unavailable
and perform all the functions of the Chairperson.
10.3 Secretary:
10.3.1 The Secretary shall be responsible for the completion of the annual report
and preparing any necessary documentation for any E.G.M. or the A.G.M.
10.3.2 The Secretary shall notify all Committee members of all forthcoming
10.3.3 The Secretary shall carry on all correspondence on behalf of the Club
or pass relevant items of correspondence on to the relevant member of the
Committee who in turn shall deal with them.
10.3.4 The Secretary shall take the minutes of all Committee and general meetings
and read same at the following meeting.
10.3.5 The Secretary shall maintain an accurate register of all Club
10.3.6 The Secretary shall place on the agenda of the regular Committee meetings
any item so requested by a member and shall report back to the member the
decision of the Committee.
10.4 Treasurer:
10.4.1 The Treasurer shall keep proper books of account for the Club.
10.4.2 The Treasurer shall ensure the prompt payment to the Club of
membership fees and any other monies..
10.4.3 The Treasurer shall receive, account for and deposit all cheques and
monies in suitable current or deposit accounts managing to best effect the
finances of the Club.
10.4.4 The Treasurer shall act as an alternate signatory of the Clubs’ bank
accounts together with either the Chairperson or Secretary.
10.4.5 The Treasurer shall report the current financial position of the Club to the
A.G.M. and Committee meetings.
10.4.6 The Treasurer shall account to the Committee for the purchase, sale and
Control of the assets of the Club.
11. Patronage.
11.1 The Club may elect a Patron or Patrons of the Club. A Patron need not be a member of the Club but will be a person of good standing in the community and will be a person who can advise and assist the Club in its day to day running and on planning for future development. A Patron will be elected at a general meeting and rule 5.6 will apply to the vote. There will be no limit on the number of Patrons which the Club may elect.
12. Interpretation.
12.1 If, at any time, circumstances arise for which there is no provision in the constitution, the C0ommittee shall take such action as seems reasonable and necessary.
12.2 Such action shall be deemed valid until reviewed at the extraordinary general meeting or annual general meeting.
I hereby certify that this document is a true copy of the Constitution of Mountbellew Vintage Club as of AGM 2013.
Signature:
Chairperson:______________________
( Michael Whelan )
Date : ______________________