MEMBERSHIP
BY-LAWS
Revised 1997
Categories
and Privileges Demographics
Applications
Dues and Fees Termination
Note:
Application for membership requires you to be sponsored by an active
member of RF&G. The member sponsoring you can obtain a
copy of the membership application for you.
If you
are new to the area, this rule still applies. Lacking a member
to sponsor your application, you can next contact any member of the
board for RF&G. Feel free to attend our monthly meeting, or
attend a public shoot and make your desire known. Any of our
members will point out one of our club officers for you.
-
Membership
Categories and Privileges
All
members of the Club shall abide by the guidelines and rules set forth
here and as established by the Executive Board and/or Committee
Chairmen.
-
Probationary
Member: The initial two (2) years of membership is a
probationary period. Probationary period begins when the applicant
is voted in as a Member (Family, Regular or Pending) at a regular
membership meeting. They are subject to a mandatory work commitment
of twelve (12) hours per year during their probationary period. They
shall have full access rights to the facilities, and voting rights
as outlined for each specific membership type. The dollar substitute
shall not be available for work during the probationary period.
-
Regular
Member: If an opening exists in the Club per By-Laws
limitations, an individual having successfully completed the two
year probationary period with dues current shall be considered a
Regular Member. They shall have full voting privileges and access
rights to the facilities of Rockville Fish and Game Club. Regular
(Family and Pending after the first two years) members shall work
four (4) hours, or pay a dollar substitute, during each membership
period in order to support the Corporations activities.
-
Pending
Member: Shall have all rights and responsibilities of a Member
(Probationary or Regular depending on circumstances), except the
right to vote. They also cannot take an Executive Board or Committee
Chairman position. This class is subject to the 750 limit, but not
the 60/40 ratio limitation. Pending members will be moved into
Probationary/Regular membership class as positions open as laid out
in the By-Laws. Different color Club ID cards will be issued
indicating their non-voting status. As this is not a Regular
membership, Club privileges may be revoked without benefit of a
hearing at any time for disciplinary reasons.
-
Life
Member Is a voting, non-dues paying member of the Corporation
with full privileges. It shall be bestowed on any Member upon
reaching age sixty-five (65) with twenty (20) years of continuous
dues paying membership. Other deserving Members may be made Life
Members by vote of the members at a Regular meeting with the
Executive Board's recommendation. Life members are exempt from work
assessments.
-
Honorary
Member: A non-voting, non-dues paying member of the Corporation
with full access rights to the Club facilities within the guidelines
and rules set forth by the Executive Board and/or Committee
Chairmen. Honorary status is bestowed by the Executive Board on
selected individuals for the good of the club. Honorary membership
shall also extend to adjacent property owners contiguous to the
Corporation's property. Honorary members are exempt from work
assessments.
-
Military
Member: A non-voting and non-dues paying membership reserved for
active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States while
stationed outside of Connecticut. May be granted upon request for a
maximum of four (4) years, which may be extended by the Executive
Board when appropriate, e.g. time of war. Military members are
exempt from work assessments.
-
Family
Membership: Shall consist of a married couple and their
children. Both spouses have full access to the Corporation's
facilities but share one (1) vote at meetings. As a couple they
shall meet all the membership requirements outlined here but with
only one (1) count against the membership limit and ratio
guidelines. Children under the age of eighteen (18) shall be
supervised by an adult when using club facilities. As a couple they
shall fulfill the four (4) hours work requirement, or pay a dollar
substitute, during each fiscal year in order to support the
Corporation's activities. Children shall submit an application
within six (6) months of their eighteenth (18th) birthday in order
to continue using the facilities. Holders of Family Membership may
extend the application period for full-time college students until
the age of twenty-two (22). The request for extension must be
received in writing within six months of the student's eighteenth
(18th) birthday.
-
-
Membership
Limit: Members (including Probationary and Pending, excluding
Life, Honorary and Military) shall comprise of no more than seven
hundred and fifty (750).
-
Residency/Membership
Ratio: Local: Members (including Probationary, excluding Life,
Honorary, Pending and Military) residing in the three town areas
of Vemon, Tolland and Ellington shall comprise at least sixty
percent (60%) of the membership. Non-local: Persons residing in
towns other than Vernon, Tolland, and Ellington shall make up no
more than forty percent (40%) of the Members.
-
Membership
Applications:
-
Applicants
shall:
-
Be
sponsored by a Member of the Corporation in good standing.
-
Be
eighteen (18) years of age or older, in good repute.
-
Agree
to honor and abide by all the rules of the Corporation,
including those set forth by the Executive Board and/or
Committee Chairmen.
-
Respond
to the Membership Secretary's notification of membership
vacancies within thirty (30) days or forfeit their eligibility
and be dropped from the waiting list.
-
The
Membership Secretary shall:
-
Consider
applications from the immediate family (child or sibling) of a
Member, if received within six (6) months of the applicant's
eighteenth (18th) birthday, first regardless of residency
requirement, membership limit or membership ratio. This period
may be extended for Family Members.
-
Review
applications when received, verify sponsor status and notify
the Executive Board of anomalies.
-
Separate
applications by Local or Non-local status and maintain a
waiting list in chronological order according to when the
applications were received.
-
Notify
applicants when membership vacancies exist, within the
membership limit and ratio guidelines, and their application
is eligible for processing.
-
Membership
in the Corporation shall be granted when all of the following
conditions, in order, are met:
-
Appropriate
membership vacancies exist within membership limit and ratio
guidelines.
-
The
applicant has been presented to the membership by their
sponsor.
-
The
applicant has appeared for a scheduled interview! orientation
meeting. A minimum of five (5) elected officers of the
Corporation shall be present.
-
The
applicant receives a favorable recommendation to the
membership from the Membership Secretary and the officers at
the orientation meeting.
-
The
applicant has completed payment of the initiation fee, current
year's annual dues, prorated if applicable, and any other fees
deemed appropriate.
-
A
majority of the members present at a regular meeting vote
toaccept the applicant as a member.
-
Membership
Dues and Fees:
Membership
dues, initiation fees, work substitution fees and late fees shall be:
-
Established
at a Call meeting. The Executive Board shall make a recommendation,
which the membership can accept, reject or modify. If the membership
rejects the proposal, or the Executive Board fails to make a
proposal, the dues and fees approved for the previous year shall
remain in effect.
-
The
membership period shall run from October 1st through September
30th.Membership dues, initiation fees and other appropriate fees are
payable in advance.
-
Membership
dues shall be due on September 30th for the subsequent year. Dues
received after the October regular meeting, but no later than
October 31st, shall pay a late fee. Members not paying their dues
and applicable fees by October 31st shall be removed from membership
roll without notice.
-
Work
substitution fees for hours not worked shall be collected with the
subsequent year's dues.
-
The
Executive Board has the authority to grant deferments (additional
time) or exemptions based on age, health or extraordinary
circumstances. Cases shall be decided on individual basis by the
simple majority vote of the Executive Board. Member deferment
requests shall be in writing and presented no later than the October
Executive Board meeting.
-
Persons
wishing to re-establish their lapsed membership may within one (1)
calendar year apply for immediate re-instatement and shall pay the
same dues and initiation fees as a probationary member. If more than
one (1) year has lapsed they shall submit a new application and
follow the normal course (including being subject to any waiting
period).
-
Mandatory
Work Commitment:
-
All
Probationary Members of the Corporation shall work twelve (12)
hours per year during the two (2) year probationary period. The
work must be for the benefit of the Corporation and approved by an
Executive Board member or a Committee Chairman. Failure to
complete the work commitment in the allotted time will result in
loss of membership. A member with extraordinary circumstances may
be granted additional time by the Executive Board. Probationary
members shall actually invest time in the Corporation and shall
not pay the dollar substitute for hours not worked.
-
All
Regular members shall work four (4) hours per membership period in
support of the Corporation's activities. Any member not completing
the minimum of four (4) hours shall pay a fee substitute per hour
not worked with their subsequent membership dues. Work hours may
be fulfilled by:
-
Serving
as an elective officer or committee chairman.
-
Assisting
with any club activity or work party.
-
Representing
the Corporation's interests at legislative, local, state and
federal functions.
-
Any
other activity approved by the Executive Board or Committee
Chairmen.
-
Life,
Honorary and Military members are exempt from work assessments.
-
Termination
of Membership:
Secretary
or any other member of the Executive Board shall notify individuals of
possible termination of their membership in writing. The termination of
membership may be appealed by the member. Appeals must be in writing and
shall be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.
Terminations
shall be considered:
-
If any
information on the application is falsified.
-
When
any member of the Corporation is, or has been, convicted of a
felony, punishable by one year or more of incarceration, in any
court, in any jurisdiction of the United States or Military Court of
the United States.
-
When
any member violates through misconduct the rules and regulations of
the Corporation.
-
When
any member exhibits abusive or unsafe behavior.
-
When a
member does not pay annual dues (exempt from written notice
requirement, except for general announcements in the Corporation's
newsletter and non-receipt of membership card).
-
When a
member fails to complete their work commitment.
|