Bay Cities Racing Pigeon Combine

BAY CITIES RACING PIGEON COMBINE

A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION

CONSTITUTION BY-LAWS AND RACE RULES

UPDATED DECEMBER 2013

ARTICLE 1 – OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this organization are to improve the breed of racing pigeons, to better the welfare of the members, to advance the security and development and popularity of the Racing Pigeon Sport.

To maintain highly bred, healthy and tested Racing Pigeons, to give certificates and other awards to those entitled to same, and to extend a social and mutually supportive environment by the words and actions of all members.

ARTICLE 2 – OFFICERS

The principle office of the Corporation for the transaction business shall be located within the boundaries of the Bay Cities Combine. The Board of Directors may change the location of this office from time to time and may establish other offices elsewhere.

ARTICLE 3 – CORPORATE POWERS

The corporate powers of this organization shall be vested in a Board of Directors/ Delegates. This Board shall comprise representation as outlined in Article 4.

ARTICLE 4 – DIRECTORS/DELEGATES

The number of Director/Delegates will be one (1) Director/Delegate for each twenty (20) dues paying senior members or fraction thereof, of the member clubs.

The number of Director/Delegates will increase/decrease from time to time as the membership in the club’s change.

In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Directors, the vacancy shall be filled by the member club where the vacancy occurred.

The term of office for a Director/Delegate shall be for one year from the date of selection, or until the selection and qualification of a successor. Directors shall be installed at the annual meeting of the membership.

Director/Delegates shall have the power to manage the business of the Corporation and to incur indebtedness and obligate the Corporation for the repayment thereof, in any amount and upon any terms, which they deem advisable, and to employ persons for services and duties, and for compensation, as they deem advisable.

The Director/Delegates may establish by resolution, the time and place for regular and annual meetings.

ARTICLE 5 – OFFICERS

The Officers of the organization shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Race Secretary, Sergeant of Arms, Transportation Chairman and Publicity Director. All Officers to serve for at least one year. The President, Vice President, Sergeant of Arms and Publicity Director shall serve without compensation.

The salaries of all other Officers shall be reconfirmed at the first meeting each year. If no action is taken, the salary will remain at the previously set level.

Nominations for Officers for this Corporation shall be opened at the December meeting and remain open until the January 15th. Election will occur at the annual meeting in February. Officers will take their post at the introduction of a new business at the February meeting.

There are no term limits for any Officer.

There shall be an Officers Committee and a Race Committee.

The elected Officers of this Corporation, along with the elected delegates of the member clubs, shall constitute the Officers Committee/Board of Directors.

The Race Committee shall consist of the Combine Race Secretary and the Race Secretaries of each competing club.

ARTICLE 6 – OFFICER DUTIES

The President shall preside at all meetings and will exercise all functions associated with the office of President. The President will have a copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order” and copies of any State and Federal documents regarding the conduct of this Non-Profit Corporation. The President will conduct all meetings in compliance with these rules and documents.

The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, perform all the duties of the President.

The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all Combine meetings, in compliance with Federal and State rules. The Secretary will maintain the tape recordings of the meetings for a period of one (1) year and shall erase them only with the agreement of the delegates at the first meeting each year. The Secretary will mail to one Delegate the minutes of the previous meeting and agenda of the upcoming one. The mailing will be done forty (40) days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Each year, at the second meeting of the year, the President and Treasurer shall confirm that all State and Federal forms have been processed and that this Non-Profit Corporation is current and in compliance with all applicable laws.

Each year, at the annual meeting, the Secretary shall distribute a printed list of the changes, modifications or additions to this Corporation’s Constitution, By-Laws and Race Rules.

Every five (5) years, the Secretary will reprint and distribute to the member clubs the current updated version of the Constitution, By-Laws and Race Rules.

The Treasurer shall keep an accurate financial record and have custody of all funds and accounts of this organization. The Treasurer shall make a financial report at each regular meeting and have a complete financial report and annual audit ready for the second meeting of the year. Instead of a bond, two signatures are required on all checks. (Passed 2004.)

The Race Secretary shall have complete charge of each Combine Race.

The Race Secretary will conduct this office according to the rules set forth here and in the associated Race Rules of the Corporation.

The Transportation Chairman shall be responsible for transporting the trailer to and from the race stations, club pick-ups, allotment of race baskets and upkeep of all Corporation equipment with the exception of the race baskets.

The upkeep of the race baskets is the responsibility of the clubs using them.

The Sergeant of Arms will help the President maintain order in all meetings.

The Publicity Director will administer all publicity involving the Corporation. This will include setting up Articles and maintaining ads in the appropriate convention books.

ARTICLE 7 – MEMBERSHIP

Any person is eligible for membership in this Combine if he/she is a member in good standing of an affiliate club.

A new club may apply for membership at any regular Combine meeting by applying and getting the application on the agenda forty-five (45) days prior to the meeting. The new club will be accepted upon receiving a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the member clubs though their Delegate vote. A new club must have five (5) senior members to apply for membership.

All junior members (under eighteen) are non-voting honorary members. They pay no dues and pay one-half (1/2) the shipping fees.

ARTICLE 8 – VOTING

Voting on all matters shall be the sole responsibility of the club delegates. The delegates will cast votes equal to their paid membership as of thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting and the President will cast a vote only in the event of a tie.

Each Delegate shall be entitled to cast his club’s total membership vote in the event the club’s other delegates are unable to be present at the time of voting.

A simple majority vote is required on any motion, except as otherwise indicated in this Constitution.

Only senior majority vote is required on any motion, except as otherwise indicated in this Constitution.

Only senior members (eighteen or older) in good standing are considered voting members.

Voting by proxy is not allowed and such votes will not be counted.

ARTICLE 9 – RACE RULES

All races sponsored by this Combine shall be governed by the Race Rules of this organization.

If a protest or dispute arises over the results of a sponsored race that cannot be settled by the Constitution or Race Rules, then a general meeting or special meeting shall be called and the protest placed before the delegates of this organization. A ballot vote will be taken from the delegates present and their decision will be final.

The race courses for both old and young birds will be selected at the December meeting.

The Race Courses adopted by the BCC are:

NORTH ROAD / EAST ROAD / NORTHEAST / SOUTHEAST / COMPROMISE
Williams / Myers / Colfax / June Lake / Carson City
Gerber / Carson City / Truckee / Benton / Truckee
Redding / Fallon / Sparks / Laws / Fernley
Weed / Middlegate / Fernley / Coaldale / Middlegate
Klamath Falls / aUSTIN / Lovelock / Dyer / Lovelock
Lapine / Carlin / Imlay (Puckerbrush) / Lida / Austin
Kent / Wells / Winnemucca / Tonopah / Winnemucca
The Dalles / Roberson / McDermitt / Warm Springs / McDermitt
Yakima / Lucin / Roberson / Sonora / Carlin
Minden / Parma / Bridgeport / Wells
Yerington / Council / Hawthorn / Parma
Arinosa / Carlin / Goldfield / Roberson
Deeth / Battle Mtn. / Luning / Council
Elko / Battle Mtn.
Wendover / Elko
Minden / Wendover
Yerington / Yerington
Arinosa / Arinosa
Imlay (Puckerbrush)
Snowville
Silver Springs
Ely
Fallon
Eureka

A new release station can be added to the above race courses as long as the proposed station lies within the general direction or roadways of the applicable course. The motion must reach the Secretary as per Article 12.

Any of the race stations can be reconstructed within the selected race course, to any sequence by a majority vote of the delegates in order to introduce a new race schedule.

ARTICLE 10 – DUES AND MEMBERSHIP

The annual membership dues of the Combine are $20.00 per year per senior member

The annual shipping fees for old and young birds shall be recommended by the Truck Chairman and subject to the majority votes of the Delegates.

ARTICLE 11 – MEETINGS

The regular Quarterly Meetings of this Corporation shall be held on the last Saturday morning of February, June, the first Saturday following the old bird series, August, Sunday prior to basket allocation and December, the second Saturday of the month.

The Annual Meeting shall be held during the month of February.

A majority representation of the membership, through their Delegates, will constitute a quorum. There must be at least one Officer of the Combine present.

The President may call a Special Meeting or any member club may petition the President to call a Special Meeting when necessary.

The meeting minutes will include all motions and votes, discussion items and all Corporation meeting notes and agenda items and must be mailed to the respective club Delegates at least forty (40) days prior to the meeting date.

ARTICLE 12 – AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION/BY-LAWS OR RACE RULES

Proposed alterations or amendments to the Corporation’s Constitution/By-Laws or Race Rules must be submitted in writing and reach the Secretary at least forty-five (45) days prior to the next scheduled meeting date in order to meet Combine agenda mailing requirements.

The proposed changes or amendments must be listed on the agenda governing the meeting, so that all members will have due notice and be able to make decisions accordingly. The proposed changes should be accompanied with a statement from the submitting group explaining the reason and logic behind the proposed change.

A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership, through their Delegates, shall be necessary to pass any Alterations or Changes to the Corporate Constitution or Race Rules.

ARTICLE 13 – AUDIT

All accounts of this Corporation must be audited each year by the Officers Committee appointed by the President. The Committee should be familiar with bookkeeping and auditing procedures. The audit report will be presented at the June Meeting.

ARTICLE 14 – DISBANDING

In the event it becomes desirable to disband this Corporation, the Secretary must mail an individual ballot to every member in good standing for the vote on this matter.

A vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members voting is necessary to carry out the disbanding.

All assets belonging to the Corporation shall be disposed of and all proceeds turned over to a legitimate charity.

ARTICLE 15 – EXPULSION RULES

At the request of a Delegate representing the wishes of a member club, the membership of any member of this organization shall terminate upon the occurrence of the following events:

1.Resignation of the Member.

2.Determination of the Delegates that a member has:

A.Committed or attempted to commit fraud in connection with a pigeon race of show.

B.Unlawfully detained a bird of a fellow member (by poisoning, clipping or otherwise).

C.Raced a pigeon which the member is unable to establish clear title of ownership.

D.Failed to observe and obey Race Rules and/or other Rules of Conduct of this Corporation.

E.Engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct or otherwise habitually demonstrated an inability to get along with fellow members.

F.Engaged in any other conduct seriously detrimental to the best interests of this organization.

Such determination of expulsion shall be made in accordance with the following procedures:

1.The Board of Directors, which includes all Delegates, shall make the initial determination that there is good and reasonable cause to believe that there are grounds for the termination of the membership involved. At the time of this initial determination, the Board may suspend the member, pending a hearing on the proposed expulsion, but such a suspension may not exceed thirty (30) days prior to the hearing.

2.The Board shall send a notice by prepaid First Class or Registered Mail to the member at the most recent recorded address on the Corporation records. Such notice shall set forth the grounds of the proposed expulsion and the date, time and place of the hearing before the Board. Such notice shall be sent at least fifteen (15) days before the proposed effective date of the expulsion.

3.The member proposed to be expelled shall be given the opportunity to be heard, either orally or in writing, at the Board Hearing, which shall be held not fewer than five (5) days before the effective date of the proposed expulsion.

4.Following the hearing, the Board of Directors shall decide, according to the standards set forth in the causes of expulsion, whether or not the member should be expelled, suspended or sanctioned in some other way.

5.If following the Board decision, the member still feels that the action is unfair, the member may submit the matter to Arbitration as outlined in Article 16. The decision of the Arbitration Committee is considered final and will be accepted as the final decision.

ARTICLE 16 – ARBITRATION

By the acceptance and/or renewal of their membership in the Bay Cities Racing Pigeon Combine, Inc., either directly or derivatively as members of individual clubs which are part of said Combine, that is to say by being members of the Combine in accordance with the existing rules, regulations, Constitution and By-Laws of the Combine, each such individual member agrees to, and shall be bound by, the commitment to requirement to resolve any and all disputes, whether originated by the Combine itself, a member or members of the Combine, or a club which is part of the Combine, relating to or in any way arising out of the rules, regulations, Constitution and By-Laws of the Combine, from time to time in effect, through Binding Arbitration.

Said Arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the Arbitration laws of the State of California, as contained in Code of Civil Procedure 1280 et seq., as now existing, or as may be hereinafter modified by the State of California. In the conduct of said Arbitration, the provisions of Code of Civil Procedure 1282(a) shall not apply, because there shall be three (3) arbitrators, chosen as follows: Each party to the dispute shall select one arbitrator. These arbitrators shall select a neutral arbitrator. All arbitrators shall be drawn from a list of current members in good standing of the Bay Cities Combine. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in said Arbitration laws of the State of California, the Arbitration shall be commenced by one party giving written notice thereof to the other party by certified return receipt, U.S. Mail, or by personal service. Upon receipt of personal service, or upon receipt of said service by mail, the other party shall have ten (10) days within which to name an arbitrator. Said notification shall be made by service of the same in writing upon the first party, in the same manner as provided above. Within ten (10) days of the naming of the second arbitrator, the arbitrators so chosen shall select a neutral arbitrator, and further proceedings shall thereafter be pursuant to said Arbitration law.

ARTICLE 17 – COMBINE BOUNDARIES [INSERT NEW WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE BOUNDARIES]

The boundaries of the Bay Cities Combine are:

West – The Pacific Ocean

South/East/North

San Bonito County Line to the Santa Clara County Line (West San Jose) to the Alameda County Line (TRV) to the Contra Costa County line to the center of the Sacramento River at Honker Bay (THC) to Highway 12 and Rio Vista Road to Branscomb Road (NIP) to Creed Road to Maridan to Union Pacific right-of-way to Daly Road to Fry Road to Clark Road to Hawkins Road to Batavia Road to Selvers Road to Hally Road to Wolfskill Road to Winters Road to Putah Creek Road to Pleasant Valley Road to Highway 128 to Napa County Line (NSH) to Fire Creek (NIP) to Highway 16 to Bear Valley Road to Brim Road to Twin Valley Road to Rock Creek Road to Bear Creek Road to the Mendocino County line (CSR), the Thomas Creek to Hearst P.O. Road to Hearst Willits Road to Reynolds Highway To Highway 101 to Sherwood Road to Middle Fork Ten Mile River to Ten Mile River to the Pacific Ocean.