The text below preserves the wording and numbering of the club’s adopted document. View the original PDF.
Article 1Name
This organization shall be known as CHESTER ROD AND GUN CLUB, INC.
Article 2Object
This corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for education, conservation, social pleasure and other non-profit purposes. No part of the net earnings shall insure to the benefit of any member. Upon dissolution of the organization, the officers shall, after paying or making provision for payment of all the liabilities of the organization, transfer all assets of the organization to a foundation or organization which is similar in purpose to the original Chester Rod & Gun Club Inc. and organized and operated exclusively for the purpose specified in section 501c of the Internal Revenue Code.
Article 3Membership
Section 1
Any individual, eighteen years of age or over, who is desirous of aiding the objects of the work of this organization, may present his or her name with the proper membership application and fee to a member of the organization and in return shall receive a membership card and shall be designated as a member.
Section 2
Individual membership (single) holders shall be allowed a voice and a single vote on the business of the organization.
Section 3
New membership cards shall be turned in at the end of each month to the Membership Chairman, who will immediately transfer to the Secretary the Name address and email of the new member to be recorded in the permanent record of the organization.
Section 4
All members must make their membership card and ID available upon request from any member while using the facility.
Section 5
The State Fish and Game Commissioner and the Local State Game Wardens shall be honorary members of this organization.
Section 6
If any member of this organization were charged by another member with conduct contrary to the interests of the organization, those charges shall be made in private to the President. If the President considers the charges to be sufficiently serious and well founded to merit possible suspension from the organization, he shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee for the purpose of hearing the evidence concerning the charges. In the event that the President declines to call such a hearing, the member who prefers the charges of misconduct may secure a petition. If the petition bears the signatures of 5 members of the organization, the President must call the hearing. Both the person making the charges and the person being charged with misconduct must be warned to be present at the hearing with their witnesses. The warnings must be made in person by the President or by certified mail at least five days before the date of the hearing. If the person making the charges of misconduct or the person charged with misconduct are dissatisfied with the judgment of the hearing, either may elect to take the matter before the members at either a special or regular meeting where the majority vote of the members present shall dismiss the charges or suspend the offending member from the organization.
Article 4Officers
Section 1
The officers of this organization shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the Executive Committee. They shall be elected by a majority vote, individually, by majority vote of the members in good standing present at the Annual Meeting of the organization. All officers except the Directors shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected.
Section 2
The Directors of this organization shall consist of 5 members who shall be elected as follows: One director will be elected to serve for a term of three years; one director will be elected to serve for a term of two years; and three directors will be elected to serve for terms of one year each. Elections are to be held at the annual meeting.
Section 3
Vacancies within the Executive Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the membership at any regular or special meeting.
Section 4
The Executive Committee shall manage the business and property of this organization. Three members of the Executive Committee (one must be the President or Vice President) and a minimum of two voting members shall constitute a legal quorum for transacting the business of this organization. The presiding officer (President or Vice President) must be in attendance at the clubhouse to have a legal meeting. Members may choose to attend the live meeting at the clubhouse or via Zoom.
Article 5Duties Of The Officers
Section 1
The President shall preside at all meetings of the membership and shall be Chairman of the Executive Committee. He shall appoint such committees and agents as are deemed advisable, subject to the approval by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 2
The Vice-President shall assist the President in carrying out his duties and shall fulfill all the duties of the Presidency in the absence of the President.
Section 3
The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate seal and of the corporate records and shall keep such records within the State of Vermont. The Secretary shall procure and file with the proper authorities all reports, records and papers required by law, and shall keep copies of such reports, records and papers on file at all times. The Secretary shall have custody of all records and correspondence of the organization, except treasury records of the current fiscal period, and shall keep such records in the State of Vermont. Such records shall be kept in books and files of a permanent nature and shall be open for inspection by other members by prior arrangement with the Secretary. The Secretary shall record the proceedings of all meetings of the membership and all meetings of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall keep a current record of the names of all the members and their places of residence. The Secretary shall take attendance at each meeting and confirm all present are legal members and eligible to vote.
Section 4
The Treasurer shall have the custody of the monies and the negotiable assets of the organization and shall pay all debts of the organization by check within the limits of such assets with the approval of the membership and/or the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall prepare, annually, and submit to the Secretary for filing with the State of Vermont and the United States Government such reports as are required by law. The Treasurer shall prepare annually, at the close of the fiscal year, a complete financial statement. This financial statement shall be presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting and filed with the Secretary. The Treasurer must have an invoice or voucher approved by the President or in their absence the Vice-President, or previously approved by either for any amount over $500, stating the amount and purpose of each expenditure before paying out any funds of the organization. All financial records of the organization shall be kept in books and files of a permanent nature and shall be open to inspection by other members by prior arrangement with the Treasurer. All monetary income received by the organization shall be turned over to the Treasurer who shall record the same in the permanent financial records.
Section 5
The Executive committee shall audit or have audited by voted agent, the books and records of the Treasurer at least once annually and at any other such time as may be voted by the membership or the Executive Committee.
Section 6
The President, Treasurer and Secretary, acting jointly, shall have the authority to borrow money for the organization, subject to the prior approval of the membership at any regular or special meeting.
Section 7
Expenditures not to exceed 2000.00 for any one item or project may be made by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. All expenditures in excess of $2000.00 must have prior approval by majority vote of the membership at any regular or special meeting of the organization.Sale of any assets of the organization must have prior approval of the membership by majority vote at any regular or special meeting. If such sale involves assets exceeding $2000.00 in value, the membership must be given by written or electronic notice at least five days in advance stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting at which such sale is to be voted upon.Any money taken from the natural resources of the Club land shall be put into a separate fund in a savings account to be used for upkeep of buildings/property and to pay taxes and insurance after all other means have been exhausted.
Article 6Meetings
Section 1
The Annual Meeting of the members shall be held on Wednesday during the third week of January each year in Chester, Vermont, for the purpose of electing the officers and the directors of the organization and for the transaction of such other business as may lawfully come before such meeting. Notice of such meeting shall be given to each member of record on December 31st of the year preceding by sending to his address appearing on said books or electronic mail, at least five days prior to such meeting, a written, printed or electronic notice stating the time and place of holding such meeting. All members of record on December 31st of the preceding year shall be eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting. A regular meeting of this organization shall be held each month.
Section 2
Special meetings of the membership may be called by the Executive Committee and notice thereof shall be given in the same manner as is provided with respect to the Annual Meetings, and such notice shall state the time, place and purpose of the meeting.
Section 3
The fiscal year and the membership year of this organization shall be the twelve-month period beginning January 1st and ending December 31st of each year.
Section 4: Order Of Business
- Secretaries Report/Reading Minutes of the last meeting.
- Treasurer's Report.
- Communications.
- Report of Committees.
- Old Business.
- New Business.
- Adjournment.
Article 7Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in "ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER" shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the by-laws of this organization.
Article 8Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership present at any regular or special meeting, provided written notice of such proposed amendment has been given to the membership by first class mail at least five days prior to such meeting.
Article 9Pledge
All members upon joining this organization agree to obey the by-laws and to promote and carry out the objects of the organization.
Article 10Dues
Annual dues of this organization shall be determined by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership present at any regular or special meeting, providing written or electronic notice of such proposed changes has been given to the membership by first class mail at least five days prior to such meeting.