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Club Bylaws
MOHAVE SPORTSMAN CLUB
BYLAWS
As Amended, January 4, 2009
PREAMBLE
This is an amendment of the Bylaws of the Mohave Sportsman Club (MSC)
dated January 4, 2009, and as such, supersedes said Bylaws and any and
all subsequent amendments made to this date.
The MSC was founded 1936. The MSC is a nonprofit membership corporation
dedicated to the right of the individual citizen to own and use
firearms for recreation, hunting and self-defense. To achieve these
ends, the MSC maintains shooting ranges and facilities for use by the
members.
The MSC is supported by membership
dues and contributions, donations, range use fees from non-members,
profits from promotion of shooting events, retail sales of minor items
at the range, and matching funds from the Arizona Game & Fish
Commission for upgrading of major facilities or maintenances.
The MSC is affiliated with the National Rifle Association (NRA), but is
not affiliated with any arms or ammunition manufacturer, nor with any
business which deals in arms and/or ammunition, nor with any other
types of business except for accepting business card ads in the MSC
Newsletter as an entitlement of any membership upon payment of ad fees
as prescribed in Schedule B attached hereto.
Any
question as to the meaning of construction of the Bylaws shall be
decided by the Board of Directors, and their decision, once made, shall
control and be binding thereafter until rescinded by the Board of
Directors or by the general membership as provided for herein.
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization is MOHAVE SPORTSMAN CLUB, hereinafter referred to as the “MSC”.
ARTICLE II
Place of Business
The principal place of business of the MSC shall be at the city of
Kingman, Mohave County, Arizona. Specifically, the location of the
premised is SW of Kingman, AZ, approximately 2.8 miles west of Exit 44
of I-40, on Oatman Road and is commonly known as the 7-Mile Hill
Shooting Range. The MSC may have and maintain offices and places of
business within or outside the State of Arizona, as the Board of
Directors may determine.
The mailing address for MSC business is: MOHAVE SPORTSMAN CLUB, P.O. Box 687, Kingman, AZ 86402.
The mailing address for correspondence directed to the range facility
is: 7-Mile Hill Shooting Range, 3155 W. Oatman Road, Kingman AZ 86401.
ARTICLE III
Operation of the MSC
Section 1. Compliance with Lease Agreement
(a) The activities of the MSC at the shooting range shall be in compliance with the current lease agreement between
the MSC and the Arizona Game & Fish Commission. In the event of a
conflict between any provision herein and said lease agreement,
resolution of such conflict shall be decided in favor of said lease
agreement.
(b)
Said lease agreement states in part that, “All fees and charges derived
by the MSC from the operation of said shooting range complex and
related recreational facilities, except registered match fees, shall be
utilized for the maintenance and/or development of the shooting range
complex and related recreational facilities and for public use and
purposes…”
Section 2. Purposes and Objectives
The purposes and objectives of the MSC are:
(a) To promote shooting, marksmanship, fishing and good sportsmanship,
and to such end the MSC may: establish, operate and maintain shotgun,
rifle and pistol shooting grounds and ranges and all types of shooting
and fishing sports, including the right to hold all manner and kinds of
shooting and fishing contests as authorized by the MSC.
To promote hunter safety, and to promote and defend hunting as a
shooting sport and as a viable and necessary method of fostering the
propagation, growth, conservation, and wise use of our renewable
wildlife resources.
To promote and defend the right of American citizens to acquire,
posses, transport, carry, transfer ownership of, and enjoy the right to
use arms, in order that the people may always be in a position to
exercise their legitimate individual rights of self-preservation and
defense of family, person and property as guaranteed by the Second
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of
Rights.
To promote and defend the rights of American citizens guaranteed by the
Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
Section 3. MSC Operating Guidelines
The
private property of the members and officers of the MSC shall be exempt
from the liabilities and debts of the MSC and the members and officers
shall not presume to own an interest in the assets of the MSC.
The
MSC is affiliated with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and it is
the intent of the MSC to maintain such affiliation.
Nothing contained herein shall prevent the MSC from engaging in any
proper activities to raise funds for a special purpose.
The MSC shall not issue any stock. It shall be a nonprofit membership corporation only.
The fiscal year for the MSC operations shall be from the first day of
January through the thirty-first day of December of that calendar year.
Special significant gifts may be accepted by the MSC when approved by a
majority vote of the Board of Directors, but such gifts shall be free
of obligation by the MSC and no special favors or consideration shall
be expected of, or given to, the gifting person, business or
organization without the majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Neither the MSC, nor any officer, director, employee, contractor nor
agent acting on behalf of the MSC shall make any contributions to a
political campaign, or political committee in the name of the MSC.
To accomplish said purposes and objectives, the MSC may, with the
approval of the membership: buy, lease, contract, construct or
otherwise acquire, own, maintain, operate, mortgage, encumber, sell, or
otherwise dispose of lands and rights in lands (other than lands and
rights in lands leased by the MSC from the Arizona Game & Fish
Commission or leased by any other agent or agency); establish
franchises and privileges; purchase or construct building, structures
and equipment of whatever nature, adapted to, or convenient or useful
in connection with, the purposes and powers of the MSC, where not in
conflict with said agreement between the MSC and the Arizona Game &
Fish Commission and provided that the MSC shall not exceed the powers
granted nonprofit corporations by law.
To protect and help in the security and maintenance of the 7-Mile Hill
Shooting Range, the MSC will make every effort to have at least two
full-time resident range officers that have taken and passed a Range
Safety or Line Safety Officer safety course.
Section 4. MSC Corporate Seal
The MSC shall have a corporate seal bearing the words “Mohave Sportsman
Club”, the mailing address of the club and words “N.R.A. Affiliate”.
ARTICLE IV
Membership
Section 1. Eligibility
(a)
Any citizen of the United States or legal resident alien may become a
member of the MSC after signing an application blank in the form
prescribed by the Board of Directors of the MSC and upon paying of dues
provided for in the Bylaws set forth by the Board of Directors of the
MSC, and who shall further subscribe to and agree to abide by the
Bylaws of the MSC and the National Rifle Association (with which the
MSC is affiliated) and who shall further promise to obey the game and
fish laws of the State of Arizona and of the United States, and to
assist in their enforcement, and to give active aid in the perpetuation
and increase of the wildlife of the State and after subscribing to the
following pledge:
I certify that I am a citizen
of the United States of America or a legal resident alien and that I am
not a member of any organization or group which has as any part of its
agenda the attempt to overthrow the Constitutional Government of the
United States or any of its political subdivisions by force, or
violence, or any other means; that I have never been convicted of a
crime of violence or any felony, and it admitted to membership, I will
faithfully endeavor to fulfill the obligations of good sportsmanship
and good citizenship.
Any member may be
suspended or expelled at the discretion of the Board of Directors for
violation of the ethics or objectives of the MSC as described in
Article IV, Section 7, and such member shall not be entitled to any
refund of dues already paid.
No individual who is a member of, and
no organization composed in the whole or in part of individuals who are
members of, an organization or group having as its purpose or one of
its purposes the overthrow by force, violence, or any other means, the
Constitutional Government of the United States or any of its political
subdivisions shall be eligible for membership, and if currently a
member, shall be subject to suspension or expulsion from membership in
the MSC and shall not be entitled to any refund of dues already paid,
To comply with the current lease agreement, we must maintain our
nonprofit corporation standing in the State of Arizona. To support
this, Resident Range Officer’s (RRO’s) cannot be members and be paid a
wage, RRO’s are not eligible for membership while they are paid wages
by the club
Section 2. Dues and Contributions
The dues or minimum contributions of each classification of membership
shall be fixed by the Board of Directors as defined in Schedule A,
attached hereto. Imposition of such requirement and the amount of such
costs shall be determined administratively from time to time. Change in
membership dues shall be determined by the vote of the Board of
Directors and then by two-thirds vote of the General Membership at the
following month’s General Meeting and noted on an amended Schedule A,
which is to be attached hereto and provided to members requesting a
copy thereof. Business card ads shall be available to any paid up MSC
member for a twelve-month period as prescribed in Schedule B attached
hereto.
Section 3. Membership Classification
(a)
Individual Membership. Individual membership status is conferred on
those 18 years and older who meet said eligibility qualifications.
Tenure shall run from the date of payment of dues for a period if one
year, and shall continue to run on an annual basis thereafter.
(b)
Family Membership. A family membership shall consist of the qualified
Individual Member or Life Member, plus the spouse or domestic partner
and children under the age of 18 years of age of that family that
resides within the same household. All persons in the family thus
defined shall be entitled to use the facilities of the MSC. The adult
members of the Family Membership shall be entitled to one vote each in
any election or vote that may be directed by the Board of Directors.
Children reaching 18 years must obtain a separate membership to
continue the benefits of membership in the MSC. In the event that a
marriage or domestic partnership dissolves, both members shall have
membership until the end of that membership term.
Senior Membership. Those members reaching 60 years of age may apply for
either a Senior Individual Membership, a Senior Membership or a Senior
Life Membership.
Life Membership. Life Membership shall have all the rights and
privileges of membership upon payment of dues or contributions
stipulated in Schedule A. The tenure of Life membership shall be the
lifetime of the member(s) and shall not be transferable or assumable in
event of death, marriage or remarriage by the surviving spouse
In addition to the regular memberships as set forth herein, the Board
of Directors shall be empowered to create such additional associate,
supporting and benefactor membership and in such amounts as they deem
advisable.
All references herein to “members” shall be interpreted as meaning
members in good standing. Membership “…in good standing…” refers both
to the current payment of dues and adherence to personal standards now
established or hereinafter established by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Upgrading Classification of Membership
An individual member may upgrade membership to a different
classification, if qualified therefore, by contributing the dues or
contribution specified by the Board of Directors for the classification
of membership desired as defined in Schedule A.
Section 5. Rights, Privileges and Duties of Members
In
that the MSC is maintained for the benefit of every member, each member
should share in the responsibility for its continued operation.
Therefore, it is vital to the MSC that each member volunteer a portion
of his/her time, knowledge and effort to achieve the goals and
objectives of the MSC so the burden of operating the MSC is not
consistently placed on just a few members.
All members shall have
the privilege of requesting and receiving from the MSC such advice and
assistance as may be currently available concerning use of the shooting
ranges, shooting activities and any other activities available.
All members shall be entitled to receive a copy of The Sportsman’s
Voice, the official newsletter of the MSC, which is published on a
monthly basis.
Regular meeting shall be held monthly at a time and place specified by
the Board of Directors. Special meetings may be held at the request of
a majority of the Board of Directors. Notice of general membership
meeting will be announced in the newsletter.
Each ember who is present in person at any regular or special general
membership meetings of MSC, shall be entitled to vote on any subject
which is properly brought before the Board of Directors and submitted
to the membership at an MSC meeting. There shall be no proxy or
absentee vote.
At any regular or special general membership meeting of the MSC, a
majority of those present shall constitute a quorum, except as pertains
to amendment of the Bylaws as specified herein.
Every new member shall be provided with a current copy of the MSC Bylaws.
Section 6. Voluntary Termination of Membership
Any
member may terminate his/her membership at any time b a resignation in
writing to the Board of Directors, but such persons will not be
entitled to any refund of dues or contribution already paid and such
person shall not be entitled to further membership use of the MSC
facilities.
Nonpayment of dues shall be construed to be voluntary termination of membership.
Section 7. Involuntary Termination and Disciplinary Proceedings
Disciplinary proceedings against any member for infraction of the
ethics and objectives of the MSC shall be Determined by the Board of
Directors after a fair hearing.
Section 8. Confidentiality of Membership List
It is the policy of the MSC to maintain confidentiality of the
membership list; however, a phone list will be maintained for club
business or projects. The list will be available only to committee
chairpersons and special project chairpersons through the President of
MSC.
ARTICLE V
Election of Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1. Elected Officers and Eligibility of Members Holding Office
(a)
The elected officers shall be as follows: President, Vice-President,
Secretary, Treasurer, Government Liaison, and two Directors-at-Large.
(b) The term of office shall run one year from January 1st through December 31st of that calendar year.
(c) To be nominated for any elected office a member must have been a
member in good standing for at least one year prior to the election
date and have attended a minimum of four general and/or board meetings
during the previous twelve month before the election date.
(d) The annual election of officers and Directors shall be at the
regular meeting in the month of December of each year. At least two
months prior to such election, the President shall appoint a Nominating
Committee Chairperson, who is not seeking office. The Chairperson shall
select four members of the general membership who are not seeking
office, who shall nominate at least one candidate for each office to be
filled. All candidates seeking office must be interviewed by the
Nominating Committee and informed of the duties and responsibilities of
the office they are seeking. The nominating committee must verify the
candidates nominated will meet the requirements of Paragraph (c) above,
and are willing and able to accept the offices for which they
nominated. The nominated committee shall present, with no endorsements,
its slate of candidates to the membership at the MSC general membership
meeting in November of each year.
(e) At the November general meeting, additional nominations may be made
from the floor. All candidates for office must submit a statement of
candidacy, not to exceed 150 typewritten words, to the Newsletter
Chairperson for insertion in the December issue of the Newsletter and
make a statement of candidacy to the general membership at the November
meeting.
(f) Elections shall be by mail ballot of the eligible membership
voting, and ballots are to be cast and returned via – UPS to an address
specified on the ballot, or brought to the December meeting to be
opened and counted by a committee appointed by the Nominating Committee
Chairperson. In the event there are more than two candidates for an
elected office and none receives a majority vote, the two candidates
receiving the most votes shall have a run-off election as directed by
the Board of Directors. In the event there is only one candidate for
each office ballots will not be mailed to the entire club membership,
but will handed out to those members in attendance at the December
meeting.
(g) Ballots are to printed on bonded and watermarked paper to prevent
tampering with. No photocopies of a ballot shall be accepted.
Section 2. Composition of the Board of Directors
(a) The affairs of the MSC are to be conducted by the Board of Directors consisting of the elected officers.
(b) One person shall not hold more than one elected position on the Board of Directors at the same time.
All members of the Board of Directors of MSC shall not be related by marriage, bloodline or cohabitation.
The immediate past president may serve as a non-voting advisor to the Board of Directors for the upcoming year.
Section 3. Duties of the Board of Directors
(a)
President: The president shall be Chief Executive Officer of the MSC
and as chairperson of the Board of Directors shall preside at all
meeting of the Board and at all general and special membership meetings
of the MSC. The President shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the
Board, other members to fill any vacancies in such committees that
occur during his/her term of office. He/she shall be an ex officio
member of all committees and shall be notified of all committee
meetings.
The President shall advise, recommend and propose those
things that me be necessary or beneficial to the membership and
interest of the MSC.
The President shall delegate certain responsibilities from time to time
to other officers of the MSC, to include the auditing of the sign
sheets in comparison to the membership list.
The President shall appoint, with approval of the Board of Directors, the following committee chairpersons:
Membership Chairperson Newsletter Chairperson
Activity Chairperson Bylaws Chairperson
Other committees and chairpersons of such committees may be appointed
as deemed necessary to promote and carry out the affairs of the MSC,
(b)
Vice President. The Vice President shall, in the absence of the
President, perform the duties and exercise the power of the President
or shall, in the temporary absence of another elected office, perform
the duties of that officer. The Vice President shall chair the annual
update to the master development plan for the range, and brief the
Board of Directors for approval of changes. The Vice President will
brief the approval plan to the range policy council as described in the
lease agreement. The Vice President shall, bi-annually, oversee the
environmental assessment which includes GPS coordinates of sound
abatement testing and environmental soil samples and insure the records
are properly maintained.
Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all
meeting of the Board and all general membership meetings and keep
accurate minutes of the proceedings of each such meeting and record the
same. Minutes of previous meetings shall be presented to the membership
at each meeting for approval or corrections. The Secretary shall
collect and maintain the sign-in-sheets from all Board of Directors and
general membership meetings for a period of two calendar years (January
1-December 31). The Secretary shall make available the minutes of any
Board of Directors’ meetings at each regular or special meeting of the
MSC.
(d) Treasurer. The duties of the Treasurer shall be to deposit all
monies collected on memberships and special activities to the account
of the MSC in such depositories as may be directed by the Board. The
Treasurer shall pay all outstanding bills as presented by the various
officers or committees, mailed or otherwise delivered to him/her by
individuals, organizations or business firms providing goods and/or
services to the MSC.
The Treasurer shall keep the financial records of the MSC in proper
order at all times. The Treasurer shall report to the Board and to the
general membership the financial condition of the MSC, which includes,
the current bank statement, reconciliation calculations and a
Treasurer’s Report at the monthly meeting or at such time as requested
by the Board to do so. The Treasurer shall submit the MSC’s financial
records for an annual audit at the end of each fiscal year, or at such
time as the Board may direct, to be performed by an independent
accounting or CPA firm not associated with the Treasurer or any member
of the Board of Directors.
(e) The Treasurer/officers shall execute a bond to ensure faithful
performance of their duties. The Board shall set the amount of such
bond. The cost of securing said bond shall be paid by the MSC.
(f) The Treasurer, President and Vice-President shall have the
authority to issue and sign all checks in the name of the MSC. All
three of these officers’ names shall be on the bank signature card. Two
(2) signatures required on all checks. No blank checks shall be signed.
(g) Government Liaison. The duties of the Government Liaison are to
represent the MSC at designated functions and meetings, and report back
to the Board of Directors and the MSC membership/
(h) Director-at-Large. The duties of the Directors-at-Large shall
include serving in an advisory capacity to the President and the other
officers. The Director-at-Large shall each have a vote as a member of
the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Powers of the Board of Directors
(a)
The Board of Directors shall have the power to determine the membership
fees, dues, contributions and any other changes to be paid to the
treasury; to administer the expulsion or suspension of members for
misconduct as described in Article IV, Section 7; to authorize
restoration of membership, when appropriate; to administer the
contracting, securing, paying and limiting the amount of MSC’s
indebtedness; and fill vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors
from any cause.
(b) The Board of Directors (except as noted herein)
shall be elected in December of each year and shall take office on
January 1st of the year following their election.
(c) All members of the Board of Directors must be a member in good
standing in the MSC at the time of their nomination and continue such
status throughout their term of office.
Section 5. Parliamentary Procedures
All meetings shall be conducted as prescribed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, Latest Edition.
Section 6. Succession of Office
(a)
In the event of the death, resignation or removal of the President, the
Vice President shall assume the office vacated for the remainder of the
unexpired term.
(b) In the event a vacancy occurs, due to any
cause, in the office of Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer,
Government Liaison, or Director-at-Large, such vacancy for the
remainder of the unexpired term shall be filled by a person qualified
under ARTICLE V, Section 1 (c), receiving the majority vote of the
Board of Directors of MSC.
Section 7. Compensation of Officers
No member of the Board of Directors shall receive any salary for
services rendered on behalf of the MSC. However, such persons shall be
entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the MSC to
such extent as may be authorized or approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 8. Approval of the Board of Directors
Language herein referring to “….approval of the Board of Directors…” or
any such similar language shall be interpreted to mean a majority vote
of the Board as then constituted.
That a
quorum of five (5) will be required for the Board of Directors to
conduct business, and that no proxy or absentee votes be allowed, but
that only those Board of Director members present, given that there is
a quorum present, be allowed to vote on Board of Director issues.
ARTICLE VI
MSC Meetings
(a)
MSC meetings which are open to the general membership will be held
monthly at a time and place established by the Board of Directors and
announced in said Newsletter, or otherwise, if a special situation
dictates.
(b) Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held
monthly or at the call of the President and may be held coincidentally
with a general membership meeting.
(c) Special Board meetings may be held upon request of a majority of the Board.
ARTICLE VII
Range Use by Outside Agencies
(a)
A request for use of the MSC range facilities by an outside agency
shall be submitted to the MSC giving the following information:
proposed schedule, approximate number of participants and type of
activity.
(b) The agent or agency, other than governmental
agencies, must submit a statement from said agency’s insurance carrier
stating that said agency’s liability policy is equal to , or exceeds
the liability of the MSC and that the MSC is named as an additional
insured under the agency’s policy.
(c) Said agency shall present a release signed by an official of the
agency releasing the MSC of responsibility for injury or damage.
(d) Scheduling of an outside agency’s use of the range facilities should not interfere with normal MSC operation.
ARTICLE VIII
Amending MSC Bylaws
(a)
The Bylaws may be amended at the annual December general membership
meeting or as required to maintain the existence of the MSC by a
two-thirds vote of those present, provided tat the proposed
amendment(s) has/have been presented to the Bylaws Committee in writing
by October 1st, has/have been presented to the Board of Directors at
the November meeting, and has/have been published in the December MSC
Newsletter.
(b) Any changes to the bylaws shall be voted on individually by the membership after review by the Board of Directors.
(c) A copy of all Bylaws in force must be kept in the possession of the
Secretary and shall be available for reference at all general
membership meetings and all Board of Directors meetings.
THESE AMENDED BYLAWS OF THE MOHAVE SPORTSMAN CLUB ARE HEREBY ADOPTED
AND APPROVED THIS 4TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2009. SUCH ACTION IS HEREBY
ATTESTED TO BY THE MSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHOSE SIGNATURES APPEAR BELOW.
Dave Nystrom, President
Bill Lamb, Director-at-Large
Andy Adornetto, Vice President
Ron Hooper, Director-at-Large
Linda Bell, Secretary
Dale Lent, Government Liaison Bill Miller, Treasurer
Attachment to Bylaws of the Mohave Sportsman Club as amended January 4, 2009
SCHEDULE A
Mohave Sportsman Club
Membership Dues and Contributions
Individual Memberships $70.00 per year
Family Membership $90.00 per year
Senior* Membership $40.00 per year
Senior* Family Membership $50.00 per year
* Senior members are defined as age 60 or older.
SCHEDULE B
Newsletter and Webpage Business Card Ads
12 months newsletter and webpage $50.00 per year
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