*Constitution of the Rotary Club of - District 7450

*Constitution of the Rotary Club ofArticle INameThe name of this organization shall be Rotary Club ofArticle II(Member of Rotary International)Territorial LimitsThe territorial limits of this club are as follows:Article IIIObjectThe Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster theideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and,in particular, to encourage and foster:First. The development of acquaintance as an opportunityfor service;Second. High ethical standards in business and professions;the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations;and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunityto serve society;Third. The application of the ideal of service in eachRotarian’s personal, business and community life;Fourth. The advancement of international understanding,goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of businessand professional persons united in the ideal of service.Article IVMeetingsSection 1 —.1 This club shall hold a regular meeting onceeach week on the day and at the time providedin its bylaws..2 In an emergency or for good cause, the boardof directors of this club may change a regularmeeting to any day during the period commencingwith the day following the precedingregular meeting and ending with the day precedingthe next regular meeting, or to a differenthour of the regular day, or to a different place..3 If a regular meeting falls on a legal holiday or incase of the death of the club president, or of anepidemic or of a disaster affecting the wholecommunity, the board may cancel such regularmeeting. The board of directors of this club, atits discretion, may cancel not more than tworegular meetings in any one Rotary year forcauses not otherwise specified herein providedalways that the club should not fail to meet formore than two consecutive meetings.Section 2 — An annual meeting for the election of officersof this club shall be held not later than the thirty-first dayof December in each year as provided in the bylaws of thisclub.Article VMembershipSection 1 — General Qualifications. This club shall be composedof adult persons of good character and good businessor professional reputation.Section 2 — Kinds. This Rotary club shall have four kinds ofmembership, namely: active, senior active, past service andhonorary.Section 3 — Active Membership. A person possessing thequalifications set forth in article V, section 3 of the RI constitutionmay be elected to active membership in this club.A person possessing the qualifications for active membership,but who is in the same classification of business orprofession as an active member of this club, may be electedas an additional member under the provisions of this section.Such additional persons are active members with allthe privileges of active membership. However, such additionalpersons shall not be holders of their classificationsand may not propose other additional active members undertheir own classifications.Section 4 — Categories of Additional Active Members. This clubmay elect three categories of additional active members.This club may have one additional active with the sameclassification in each of the three categories.(a) First Category — Same Classification as Proposer. An activemember may propose to active membership a personwho is actively engaged in the same classification asthat of the proposer.(b) Second Category — Former Rotarian. An active membermay propose to active membership a former memberof a club, with the consent of the active member holdingthe classification, if the proposed member terminatedsuch membership in the former club due to nolonger being engaged in the formerly assigned classificationof business or profession within the territoriallimits of the former club.(c) Third Category — Former Rotaractor. An active membermay propose to active membership a former memberof a Rotaract club, with the consent of the active memberwho holds the classification. The former Rotaractormust live or work within the territorial limits of thisclub, have maintained membership in one or moreRotaract clubs for at least four years, and have terminatedmembership in the former Rotaract club due toreaching the age limit for membership or relocatingoutside the territorial limits of the former Rotaractclub.(d) Change in Classification Holder. All additional activemembers must have the same classification as one ofthe active members of this club, who is the holder ofthe classification. If the active member holding theclassification ceases to hold the classification for anyreason, including a transition to senior active or pastservice membership, then one of the additional memberswith the same classification will become theholder of the classification. If there is only one additionalactive member with such classification, theadditional active automatically becomes the classificationholder. If there are two or three additional active*The bylaws of Rotary International provide that each club admitted to membership in RI shall adopt this prescribed club constitution.

members with such classification, then this club electsone of them to be the classification holder, and theother member(s) remain as additional actives.Section 5 — Senior Active Membership.(a) General Qualifications. Any active or past service membershall automatically become a senior active memberwhere such member’s combined active and past servicemembership in one or more clubs includes: a totalof at least 15 years membership; a total of at leastten years where the member has attained the age of atleast 60 years; a total of at least five years where themember has attained the age of at least 65 years; or,where the member is a present or past officer of RI.(b) Former Members. This club may elect to senior activemembership any former member of any club who wasa senior active member or eligible to become a senioractive member at the time such membership was terminated.(c) Rights and Privileges — Limitations of Senior Active Membership.Senior active members shall have all the rights,privileges and responsibilities of an active member,except that they neither hold classifications nor havethe right to propose additional active members.(d) Successor to Senior Active. This club may admit to membershipa qualified person in the classification of businessor profession in which such senior active membermay be engaged.Section 6 — Past Service Membership. A past service memberis one who has all the rights, privileges and responsibilitiesof an active member except that such member shall notrepresent a classification or have the right to propose anadditional active member under sections 3 and 4 above.(a) Eligibility for Past Service Membership. The following individualsare eligible for past service membership:(i) Past Service Membership — Retirement.A person who has retired from activebusiness or professional life but who is otherwisequalified for Rotary club membershipunder article V, section 3, of the RIconstitution, including having held a qualifyingposition level, may be elected a pastservice member.(ii) Past Service Membership — Loss of Classification.Active members who have losttheir classifications through no fault oftheir own may be elected to past servicemembership by this club’s board ofdirectors.(b) Admission Fee Exemption. Current or former memberselected to past service membership in their clubs areexempt from paying a second admission fee.Section 7 — Dual Membership. No person shall simultaneouslyhold active, senior active or past service membershipin this and another club. No person shallsimultaneously be a member and an honorary member inthis club.Section 8 — Honorary Membership.(a) Eligibility for Honorary Membership. Persons who have distinguishedthemselves by meritorious service in thefurtherance of Rotary ideals may be elected to honorarymembership in this club. Persons may hold honorarymembership in more than one club.(b) Rights and Privileges. Honorary members shall be exemptfrom the payment of admission fees and dues,shall have no vote and shall not be eligible to hold anyoffice in this club. Such members shall not hold classifications,but shall be entitled to attend all meetingsand enjoy all the other privileges of this club. No honorarymember of this club is entitled to any rights andprivileges in any other club.Section 9 — Religion, News Media and Diplomatic Service. Representativesof more than one religious denomination,representatives of more than one newspaper and/or othernews media, and diplomatic representatives of more thanone government may be eligible to active membershipunder such classifications, provided that such representativesotherwise possess the qualifications as set forth in theconstitutional documents.Section 10 — Holders of Public Office. Persons elected or appointedto public office for a specified time shall not beeligible to active membership in this club under the classificationof such office. This restriction shall not apply topersons holding positions or offices in schools, colleges orother institutions of learning or to persons who are electedor appointed to the judiciary. Active members who areelected or appointed to public office for a specified periodmay continue as such active members in their existing classificationsduring the period in which they hold such office.Section 11 — Rotary International Employment. This club mayretain in its membership any member employed by RI.Article VIClassificationsSection 1 — Classifications.(a) Each active member of this club shall be classified inaccordance with the member’s business or profession.(b) The classification of each active member of this clubshall be that which covers the principal and recognizedactivity of the firm, company or institution with whichsuch member is connected or that which covers suchmember’s principal and recognized business or professionalactivity.(c) How Corrected. The board, in its discretion, may corrector adjust the classification of any member whose membershiphas not terminated, if the circumstances warrantsuch action. Due notice of such proposedcorrection or adjustment shall be given to the memberand the member shall be allowed a hearing thereon.Section 2 — Limitations. The active membership shall consistof but one person from each classification of business orprofession, excepting the religion, news media, and diplomaticservices classifications, which may have more thanone person in each such classification, and excepting theprovision for additional active members.Article VIIAttendanceSection 1 — Every member of this club should attend itsregular meetings. A member shall be counted as attendinga regular meeting of this club if such member is present2

for at least 60 percent of the time devoted for the regularmeeting or makes up for an absence in any of the followingways:(a) If at any time within 14 days before or after the usualtime for that meeting such member(i) attends at least 60 percent of the time devotedfor the regular meeting of anotherclub or of a provisional club, or(ii) by direction of this club, attends a regularmeeting of a Rotaract or Interact club orRotary Village Corps or of a provisionalRotaract or Interact club or Rotary VillageCorps, or(iii) attends a convention of RI, a council onlegislation, an international assembly, aRotary institute for past and present officersof RI, a Rotary institute for past,present, and incoming officers of RI, orany other meeting convened with the approvalof the board, the president actingfor the board of RI, a Rotary multizoneconference, a RI committee meeting, aRotary district conference, a Rotary districtassembly, any district meeting held by directionof the board of directors of RI, anydistrict committee meeting held by directionof the district governor, or a regularlyannounced intercity meeting of Rotaryclubs, or(iv) is present at the usual time and place of aregular meeting of another club for thepurpose of attending such meeting, andthat club is not meeting at the time andplace, or(v) except that where a member is travelingoutside the member’s country of residencefor a period exceeding fourteen days, thetime restriction shall not be imposed bythis subsection inasmuch as a member mayattend meetings in another country at anytime during the period of travel, and eachsuch attendance shall count as a validmake-up for any regular meeting missed atthis club during the member’s timeabroad, or(vi) attends a club service project authorizedby the board of this club.(b) If, at the time of such meeting, a member is(i) traveling with reasonable directness to orfrom one of the meetings mentioned inparagraph (a) (iii) of this section, or(ii) on Rotary business serving as an officer ormember of a committee of RI, or a trusteeof The Rotary Foundation, or(iii) on Rotary business serving as the specialrepresentative of the district governor inthe formation of a new club, or(iv) on Rotary business in the employ of RI, or(v) directly and actively engaged in a districtsponsoredor a RI or Rotary Foundationsponsoredservice project in a remote areawhere the opportunity for making up attendanceis completely impossible, or(vi) engaged in Rotary business duly authorizedby the board of this club if this precludesattendance at a meeting of thisclub, or(vii) working in bona fide circumstances withinthe member’s own country of residence forextended periods on outposted assignmentswhen, by mutual agreement betweenthe member’s home club and anominated club, the member may attendsuch nominated club for the period of assignment,validated by an appropriateform of advice by the secretary of said clubto the member’s home club where such attendanceshall be credited in themember’s name.Section 2 — Notice of Make-up. In the cases set out in subsection(a) (ii), (a) (iii) or subsection (b) of section 1 of thisarticle, the member shall only be counted as being in attendanceif notice of the fact is given by the member personallyto the club. In the cases set out in subparagraphs(a) (i) and (iv), such notice may be given by the memberpersonally or by the secretary of the club visited.Section 3 — Exemptions. A member’s absence shall be excusedif(a) (i) the absence is caused by protracted illhealth or impairment or by stay of morethan two weeks in a country in which Rotaryclubs do not exist so that such memberis physically unable to attend a regularmeeting and the board approves such absence.(ii) In the case of intended absence in a countryin which there are no Rotary clubs, themember shall inform the secretary of thisclub before starting the journey or, if thatis impossible, in writing from that country.Before approving such absence, the boardshall satisfy itself that the journey will preventthe member from making up an absencein accordance with section 1 (a) ofthis article, or(b) a member is a senior active member and the aggregateof the member’s years of age and years of membershipin one or more clubs is 85 years or more and the memberhas notified the club secretary in writing of themember’s desire to be excused from attendance andthe board has approved.The absences of members who fall into categories (a) (i)and (ii) above and whose absences have been excusedshall not be included in the club’s attendance records forthe period in question. Members who fall into category (b)above shall not be included in the membership figure usedto compute the club’s attendance; further, neither theirabsences nor attendances shall be used for that purpose.3

Article VIIIOfficersDirectors andSection 1 — The governing body of this club shall be aboard of directors to be constituted as the bylaws of theclub may provide.Section 2 — Except as herein otherwise specifically provided,the decision of the board in all club matters shall befinal, subject only to an appeal to the club. The board shallhave general control over all officers and committees andmay, for good cause, declare any office vacant. It shall constitutea board of appeal from the rulings of all officers andactions of all committees. Appeal may be taken from anydecision of the board to the club. On such appeal, the decisionappealed from shall be reversed only by a two-thirdsvote of the members present, at a regular meeting specifiedby the board, a quorum being present, notice of suchappeal having been given by the secretary to all membersof the club at least five (5) days previous to such meeting.Section 3 — The officers of this club shall be a president, apresident-elect, one or more vice-presidents, all of whomshall be members of the board, and a secretary, a treasurer,and a sergeant-at-arms, any or all of whom may or may notbe members of the board as the bylaws of the club shallprovide.Section 4 —.1 Each officer shall be elected as provided in thebylaws of the club and, except as may otherwisebe provided in relation to the president, shalltake office on the first day of July immediatelyfollowing election to office and shall serve forthe term of office or until a successor shall havebeen elected and qualified..2 The president shall be elected, as the bylaws ofthe club may provide, within the period of notmore than two years but not less than eighteenmonths prior to the day of taking office as president.The president shall be a director of theboard and shall serve as president-elect for theyear immediately preceding the year in whichthe term as president shall commence. Thepresident shall take office on the first day of Julyin the Rotary year for which the president iselected to serve and shall serve for the period ofelection or until a successor shall have beenelected and qualified..3 Each officer and each director shall be an active(including additional active), senior active, or apast service member in good standing of thisclub. For a better understanding of the dutiesand responsibilities of club president, the president-electshall attend the district presidentselecttraining seminar and the district assemblyunless excused by the governor-elect. If so excused,the president-elect shall send a designatedrepresentative from the club whose dutyit will be to report back to the president-elect.Article IXand DuesAdmission FeesEvery active, senior active, and past service member of thisclub shall pay as an admission fee and as annual dues suchsums as may be prescribed in the bylaws of this club, exceptthat a senior active or past service member who has held activemembership in this club shall not be required to pay asecond admission fee.Article X Duration ofMembershipSection 1 — Period. Membership shall continue during theexistence of the club unless terminated as hereinafter provided.Section 2 — How Terminated.(a) Membership shall automatically terminate when amember ceases to have the necessary qualifications formembership, except that(i) active members who, through no fault oftheir own, would otherwise lose their classificationsmay, by action of the board ofdirectors of this club, be elected to past servicemembership; or(ii) by permission of the board, active membersmoving from the territorial limits ofthe club may be given special leave of absencefor a period not exceeding one yearto enable them to visit and become knownto a Rotary club in the community towhich they move, providing they are stillactive in the same classifications of businessor profession and continue to complywith the attendance and all other conditionsof Rotary membership; or(iii) by permission of the board, active membersmoving from the territorial limits ofthe club may retain membership providingthey are still active in the same classificationsof business or profession and continueto comply with attendance and allother conditions of Rotary membership; or(iv) active members who would be losing theirclassifications without default on their partmay retain their classifications and begiven special leaves of absence for periodsnot exceeding one year to enable them toobtain new employment in their classificationsor in new classifications providingthey continue to comply with the attendanceand all other conditions of Rotarymembership. The termination of theirmembership would take effect only at theend of the period of leave granted to them.(b) When past service members reenter active business orprofessional life, their memberships automatically becomeactive memberships if the classifications are vacant.If the classifications are not vacant, they continueas past service members.(c) Honorary membership shall automatically terminateon the thirtieth day of June next after the date of election.However, the board in its discretion may, by resolution,from year to year continue such honorarymembership for the ensuing year.Section 3 — How to Rejoin. When the membership of an activemember has terminated as provided in the foregoingsection 2, such person may make new application formembership, under the same classification or anotherclassification. If elected to membership, a second admissionfee shall not be required.4

Section 4 — Termination — Non-Payment of Dues..1 Any member failing to pay dues within thirty(30) days after the prescribed time shall be notifiedin writing by the secretary at themember’s last known address. If the dues arenot paid on or before ten (10) days from thedate of notification, said membership shallautomatically terminate..2 Such former member, at the discretion of theboard, may be reinstated to membership uponthe former member’s petition, and upon thepayment of all indebtedness to the club, providedthat no former member can be reinstatedto active membership if the classification of theformer member has been filled.Section 5 — Termination — Non-Attendance.(a) Each member, other than an honorary member of thisclub, must(1) attend or make up at least 60 percent of club regularmeetings in each half of the Rotary year;(2) attend at least 30 percent of the regular meetingsof this club in each half of the Rotary year.If such a member fails to attend as required above, thatperson’s membership shall automatically terminateunless the board consents to such non-attendance forgood and sufficient reason. If such member is a currentofficer of RI, that member shall be excused fromattending the regular meetings of such member’s clubuntil the member’s current term of office expires.(b) The membership of any member, other than an honorarymember, of this club shall automatically terminateif, without the consent of the board for good and sufficientreason, the member fails to attend or make upfour consecutive club meetings.Section 6 — Termination for Other Causes.(a) The membership of any member who shall cease tohave the qualifications for membership in this clubmay be terminated by the board by the votes of not lessthan two-thirds of the members thereof, at a meetingcalled for that purpose.(b) The membership of any member may be terminatedby the board, for a reason which the board may deemto be sufficient, by the votes of not less than two-thirdsof the members thereof, at a meeting called for thatpurpose.(c) In either case (a) or (b), the member shall be given atleast ten (10) days’ notice in writing of such pendingaction and an opportunity to submit to the board awritten answer. The member shall also have the privilegeof appearing before the board to state themember’s case. Service of such notice shall be made bypersonal delivery or by registered letter to themember’s last known address.(d) In case of a decision to terminate membership, the secretaryshall, within seven days after the date of theboard’s decision, notify the member in writing of thedecision of the board. Such member may, within fourteendays after the date of such notice, give writtennotice to the secretary of the intention either to appealto the club or to arbitrate as provided in article XIV ofthis constitution. In the event of an appeal, the boardshall set a date for the hearing of the appeal at a regularmeeting of the club, to be held within twenty-one(21) days after the receipt of such written notice ofappeal. At least five (5) days’ notice of such club meetingand its special business shall be given in writing toevery member of the club, and only members of theclub shall be permitted to be present when such appealis considered at such meeting.(e) When the board has terminated the membership of anactive member as provided for in this section, the clubshall not elect a new member under the former classificationuntil the time for hearing the appeal, if any,has expired and the club’s decision or the decision ofthe arbitrators has been announced.(f) The action of the board shall be final if no appeal tothe club is taken and no arbitration is requested. If anappeal is taken, the action of the club shall be final.Section 7 — Resignation. The resignation of any memberfrom the club shall be in writing (addressed to the presidentor secretary) and shall be accepted by the board, providedthat all indebtedness of said member to the club hasbeen paid.Section 8 — Property Interest — Forfeiture of. Any person whosemembership in this club has been terminated in any mannershall forfeit all interest in any funds or other propertybelonging to the club.Article XI Community, Nationaland International AffairsSection 1 — The general welfare of the community, the nationand the world is a concern to the members of thisclub, and the merits of any public question involving suchwelfare shall be proper subjects of fair and intelligentstudy and discussion before a club meeting for the enlightenmentof its members in forming their individual opinions.However, this club shall not express an opinion onany pending controversial public measure.Section 2 — This club shall not endorse or recommend anycandidate for public office and shall not discuss at any clubmeeting the merits or demerits of any such candidate.Section 3 —(a) This club shall neither adopt nor circulate resolutionsor views, nor take corporate action dealing with worldaffairs or international policies of a political nature.(b) This club shall not direct appeals to clubs, peoples orgovernments, or circulate letters, speeches, or proposedplans for the solution of specific internationalproblems of a political nature.Section 4 — Recognizing Rotary’s Beginning..1 This club will strive to emphasize aspects of Rotaryservice during a special week of celebrationscommencing on the anniversary ofRotary’s establishment. The week commencingon 23 February of each year shall be known asWorld Understanding and Peace Week..2 While the special week will provide opportunityto reflect upon past achievements, it is appropriateto focus upon programs of peace, understandingand goodwill within the communityand throughout the world.5

Article XIIRotary MagazinesSection 1 — Unless this club is excused by the board of directorsof RI from complying with the provisions of thisarticle in accordance with the bylaws of RI, every active,senior active or past service member of this club, by acceptanceof such membership, shall become, and so remainfor the duration of such membership, a paid subscriber tothe official magazine or to the approved magazine prescribedfor this club by the board of directors of RI. Thesubscription shall be handled in six (6) month periods andshall continue for the duration of membership in this cluband to the end of any six (6) month period during whichmembership may cease.Section 2 — The amount of the subscription shall be collectedby the club from each member semiannually in advanceand remitted to the Secretariat of RI or to the officeof such regional publications as may be determined by theboard of directors of RI.Article XIII Acceptance ofObject and Compliance withConstitution and BylawsA member, by payment of an admission fee and dues,thereby accepts the principles of Rotary as expressed in itsobject and submits to and agrees to comply with and bebound by the constitution and bylaws of this club, and onthese conditions alone is entitled to the privileges of theclub. No member shall be absolved from the observance ofthe constitution and bylaws on the plea that such memberhas not received a copy of them.Article XIVArbitrationShould any dispute arise between any member or members,or a former member or members, and the club, or any officeror the board of the club, relative to membership or toany alleged breach of the constitution or bylaws, or the expulsionof any member from the club, or on any accountwhatsoever which cannot be satisfactorily settled under theprocedure already provided for such purpose, the mattersin difference shall be settled by arbitration. Each party shallappoint an arbitrator and the arbitrators shall appoint anumpire. Only members of a Rotary club may be appointedas umpire or as arbitrators. The decision arrived at by thearbitrators, or, in the event of their disagreement, by theumpire, shall be final and binding on all parties.Article XVBylawsThis club shall adopt bylaws not inconsistent with the constitutionand bylaws of RI (and the rules of procedure for anarea administration where established) and with this constitution,embodying additional provisions for the governmentof this club. Such bylaws may be amended from time to timeas therein provided.Article XVIIAmendmentsSection 1 — Time. Except as provided in section 4 of this article,this constitution may be amended only by the councilon legislation in the same manner as is established inthe bylaws of RI for the amendment of its bylaws.Section 2 — Who May Propose. Amendments to this constitution,except as provided in section 4 of this article, may beproposed only by a club, by a district conference, by thegeneral council or the conference of RI in Great Britainand Ireland, by the council on legislation, or by the boardof directors of RI.Section 3 — Procedure..1 Any proposal to amend this constitution shallbe delivered to the general secretary of RI notlater than 30 June in the year preceding that inwhich the council on legislation is to meet..2 The general secretary of RI shall mail five copiesof all duly proposed amendments to eachgovernor, one copy to all members of the councilon legislation and one copy to the secretaryof any club that requests it, no later than 31December in the year the council shall be convened.The proposed amendments also will bemade available via the Rotary World Wide Webhome page. Resumés of all proposed enactments,with details of the deletions and additionsto the Manual of Procedure omitted, shall besent to each club..3 The council shall consider and act upon eachduly proposed amendment transmitted to thecouncil and any duly proffered amendmentthereof.Section 4 — Article I (Name) and Article II (Territorial Limits)of this constitution shall be amended at any regularmeeting of this club, a quorum being present by the affirmativevote of a majority of members present and voting,provided that notice of such proposed amendment shallhave been mailed to each member at least ten (10) daysbefore such meeting, and provided further, that suchamendment shall be submitted to the board of directors ofRI for its approval and shall become effective only when soapproved. In the event of reconsideration of a decision notto relinquish or share territory for the organization of anadditional club, as directed by the board of directors of RI,as provided in subsection 2.020.4. of the bylaws of RI a twothirdsvote is required to sustain the previous negative decision.Article XVIInterpretationThroughout this constitution, pronouns of either the masculineor feminine gender shall include the other.12A-EN—(698)6