NEW MEXICO GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

BYLAWS: Revised January 2008

 

Article I                       Name of Organization

Article II                      Objectives and Purposes

Article Ill                     Association Offices And Chapters

Article IV                    Membership

Article V                     Offices

Article VI                    Boards of the Corporation

Article VII                   Duties of Officers and Standing Committee Chairs

Article VIII                  Standing Committees

Article IX                    Special Committees

Article X                     Meetings

Article XI                    Parliamentary Authority

Article XII                   Club Insignia(s), Colors

Article XIII                  Amendments and Additions

Article XIV                 Standing Rules

Article XV                  Membership and/or Area Secession

 

 

STANDING RULES:

 

Rule #1                        Membership

Rule #2                        Royalty

Rule #3                        Audit

 

NMGRA

BYLAWS

 

ARTICLE I:            NAME OF ORGANIZATION

SECTION 1:      Pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation under the laws of the State of New Mexico, the name of this organization shall be NMGRA, Inc. it shall be a nonprofit corporation, hereinafter known as the New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association.

ARTICLE II:            OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSES

SECTION 1:      The objectives and purposes for which the corporation is organized and the nature of the business to be carried out are as follows:

                            A.       To act as a 501-C nonprofit organization.

                             B.       To perform charitable duties through special events, rodeo performances, etc., for any particular charitable organization(s) which the general membership of the corporation shall choose.

                             C.       To develop a community interest in western-related activities, encourage the education and preservation of the country-western lifesty1e and heritage.

                                        a.         To be an organization for the entire community, barring all prejudices related to sex, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, race any other prejudices which the organization might encounter.

                            D.       To establish a base organization in which members can collectively communicate and work with each other as with the gay and lesbian community.

                             E.       To promote and support any IGRA sanctioned event as well as other related country and western amateur sporting events, special events, entertainment activities.

                              F.       To develop a group of people to collectively work on special events and organizational activities.

                            G.       No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall incur to the benefit of or be distributed to its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for the services rendered and to make payment and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in these Bylaws.

 

 

 

ARTICLE III:            ASSOCIATION OFFICES AND CHAPTERS

                            A.       Principal Office shall be located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

                             B.       The corporation may also have additional offices at such places, both within and without the state of New Mexico, as the Board of Directors may, from time to time, determine or the needs of the business of the corporation may require.

                             C.       Satellite Chapter status may be granted by the board of Directors of NMGRA and (approved by the general membership) when:

                                       1.            The Chapter’s geographic location would allow it to provide service and support to a segment of the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender (GLBT) community which otherwise would be unable to participate.

                                       2.            The Chapter’s stated goals, purposes bylaws are in concurrence with NMGRA’s bylaws.

                                       3.            The Chapter can maintain a minimum membership of 10 (ten) individuals.

                            D.       Chapter organizations must adhere to all NMGRA Standing Rules.

ARTICLE IV:            MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1:      Class of Membership

                            A.       Active Individual Membership:

                                       1.            Must be current with annual dues as prescribed by the General Membership.

                             B.       Commercial Membership:

                                       1.            Any corporation, partnership, organization or other such entity.

                                       2.            An entity submitting a minimum donation of $100.00 annually, with membership to begin on date of donation.

                                       3.            Shall register with the Association’s secretary the name of the person who shall carry the one vote privilege.

                                       4.            Shall register with the Association’s secretary the name of the person who shall be able to compete in rodeos.

                                       5.            This membership category shall be exempt from current initiation fees and dues.

                                       6.            All commercial memberships will expire twelve (12) months from date of donation.

SECTION 2:      Membership Application Procedure

                            A.       Must complete and submit an NMGRA membership application along with the prescribed dues and initiation fee.

                             B.       Upon completion of the application and verification of said application by the Membership Committee, a temporary membership can be granted by majority vote of the Executive Board, which will be valid until the next general membership meeting.

                             C.       An application for membership must be submitted to the general membership for approval or denial at the next general membership meeting.

                            D.       All membership applications shall evidence by signature of the applicant that the applicant is in concurrence with the stated purposes and conditions of this association.

SECTION 3:      Privileges/Limitations of Membership

                            A.       All members are granted one voting privilege.

                             B.       All members are entitled to participate in any and all organizational matters and activities except where limited by age requirements of state, federal, liquor/or insurance laws.

                             C.       All members are entitled by choice to be excluded from any association publication or other medium.

                            D.       All members must be at least 21 years of age to hold an office on the Board of Directors or compete in Royalty competition.

                             E.       All members must fulfill all age requirements set forth by IGRA to compete in any IGRA sanctioned rodeos/or other functions/activities set forth and regulated by IGRA.

                              F.       All members must adhere to all Bylaws and Standing Rules set by NMGRA and IGRA.

SECTION 4:      Obligations of Membership

                            A.       No member shall bind this Association through joining, representing or affiliating with any other organization without the prior expressed permission of the Board of Directors, subject to approval by the general membership.

SECTION 5:      Membership Fee, Dues Other Monies

                            A.       The initiation fee amount is to be set by the general membership.

                             B.       The annual dues amount shall be established by the general membership.

                             C.       All membership dues and membership fees received and/or collected shall be nonrefundable with the only exception being the non-acceptance of membership status by the general membership.

                            D.       All monies received and/or collected shall be deposited in the appropriate account(s) by the Treasurer.

SECTION 6:      Suspension and Termination of Membership

                            A.       Nonpayment of annual dues will result in automatic termination of membership as per procedures set in these Bylaws/Standing Rules.

                                       1.            If dues are paid during the grace period, the dues will be applied back to the original due date.

                                       2.            A three month grace period shall be given for late dues, after which a new membership application and dues must be submitted.

                             B.       Membership may be suspended or terminated for gross misconduct according to the IGRA Code of Ethics, failure to adhere to NMGRA/IGRA Bylaws/Standing Rules, any of which must be presented to and procedures followed by the Ethics Review Committee as set forth in these Bylaws/Standing Rules.

                                       1.            After a review of the recommendation, a larger than 50% vote of seated executive board members is required for referral to the general membership.

                                       2.            A larger than 2/3 (two-thirds) vote of the members present at the general membership meeting is required for suspension or termination of membership.

                                       3.            A copy of the IGRA code of Ethics will be made available to any member within 30 days of request, by the Trustee.

SECTION 7:      Liability, Waiver and Insurance

                            A.       This Association assumes no responsibility and the enactment of the waiver procedure shall endure.

ARTICLE V:            OFFICES

SECTION 1:      Elected Offices of the Corporation shall be:

                            A.       President

                             B.       Vice-President

                             C.       Secretary

                            D.       Treasurer

                             E.       IGRA Trustee

SECTION 2:      Election of Offices

                            A.       All candidates for an office shall:

                                       1.            Be a member in good standing.

                                       2.            Have completed a minimum of 90 days consecutive membership prior to the election.

                                       3.            Be limited to one member within a committed relationship to run for different offices.

                                       4.            Ask for a waiver to (3) to allow for members in a committed relationship to run in an office that the Nominating Committee is unable to obtain any other nominations for.

                                       5.            Be limited to run for election in one office per election.

                                       6.            Not also be the Rodeo Director.

                             B.       An Election Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board at a General Membership Meeting occurring at least two General Membership Meetings prior to the November Election Meeting to accept nominations for officers and to count the votes.

                             C.       The Election Committee shall present a slate of candidates to the General Membership at a General Membership Meeting occurring at least one meeting prior to the November Election Meeting.

                            D.       The election of officers will be held at the November General Membership Meeting at which time nominations may be received from the floor or from absentee ballots.

                             E.       The successful candidate for office shall receive more than 50% of the quorum on hand, which consists of all members present plus all absentee ballots received. A runoff will be used if necessary.

                              F.       Absentee Ballots:

                                       1.            Must be requested from the Election Committee Chair at least two weeks prior to the election date. 

                                       2.            Must be mailed to the Election Committee c/o NMGRA and received no later than 24 hours prior to the election. Ballots can also be delivered to committee chair no later than one hour prior to the election.

                                       3.            Must be placed in an envelope, sealed and signed across the seal and inserted in the mailing envelope.

                                       4.            Will be considered as part of the quorum.

                                       5.            Vote need not be for announced candidate.

                                       6.            Vote will be counted in runoffs unless candidate is eliminated.

                                       7.            Will be announced by the Election Committee prior to the election.

                            G.       The term of office for elected officers shall run from the first of the year after the election through January 1 of the following year.

                                       1.            A transitional period shall be observed between the past officers and the new officers from the election through January 1st.

 

 

SECTION 3:      Impeachment

                            A.       Any elected officer missing three consecutive or four meetings total in the course of one year shall be subject to removal by the Board.

                             B.       Any two Board members may initiate impeachment proceedings.

                             C.       Any member of this Association may initiate impeachment procedures by presenting the Board of Directors with a petition signed by one-third of the general membership, which is then automatically referred to the general membership for vote.

                            D.       Officer in question will not have a vote during impeachment proceedings.

                             E.       A 2/3 (two-thirds) vote of the members present (quorum) is required for impeachment.

                              F.       Absentee ballots will not be allowed for impeachment proceedings.

SECTION 4:      Appointed Offices

                            A.       In the event an office needs to be filled in the middle of the year, the Executive Board shall appoint an officer to fill that position.

                             B.       The office of Rodeo Director shall be appointed by the Executive Board no later than the first General Membership meeting after the Zia Regional Rodeo.

                                       1.            The duration of the term of the Rodeo Director Office will be from the time of approval by the membership until the next Rodeo Director is appointed and approved the following year.

                                       2.            In the event that the appointee is not approved, the Executive Board must submit a new appointee for membership approval at the next consecutive meeting.

                                       3.            In the event that there is no rodeo held during the term of the Rodeo Director, the Executive Board shall appoint a new rodeo Director no later than one-year from the previous Zia Rodeo date.

                             C.       At the first General Membership meeting after the appointment by the Executive Board, the appointed officer must be approved by a majority vote of members present.

                            D.       Impeachment shall follow the same procedures as for elected offices.

 

ARTICLE VI:            BOARDS OF THE CORPORATION

SECTION 1:      Executive Board

                            A.       The daily affairs and operations of the corporation shall be managed by the Executive Board of the corporation pursuant to the direction of under the supervision of, the Board of Directors.

                             B.       The Executive Board shall consist of:

                                       1.            President

                                       2.            Vice-President

                                       3.            Secretary

                                       4.            Treasurer

                                       5.            IGRA Trustee

                                       6.            Rodeo Director

                             C.       Duties and Powers

                                       1.            The Executive Board shall have such powers and shall perform such duties, as may from time to time be specified in these Bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by the corporation.

                                       2.            The Executive Board is empowered between meetings of the general membership to handle all matters, subject to ratification by the general membership.

                                       3.            The Executive Board may meet in person or by electronic communication to conduct business.

                                       4.            It shall be incumbent upon all officers of the Executive Board to engage in an area of total communication.

                                       5.            The Executive Board must meet for a minimum of two Bylaws Workshops within two months after the election, to read and become familiar with all the Bylaws and Standing Rules. Any interested members of the association must be invited to attend these workshops.

                            D.       Residency

                                       1.            All Executive Board Members must reside in the State of New Mexico for their term of office.

                                       2.            Residency waiver(s) of D.1. in this section are within the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, provided said Executive Board Member(s) can complete duties of office as set forth in these Bylaws.

SECTION 2:      Board of Directors

                            A.       The Board of Directors Shall be comprised of:

                                       1.            Executive Board

                                       2.            All Standing Committee Chairpersons

                                       3.            Any Satellite Chapter Director(s)

                             B.       Duties of the Board of Directors

                                       1.            The Board of Directors shall meet monthly prior to the general membership meeting.

                                        a.         To facilitate and monitor the performances of all officers, royalty and committees of the corporation.
                                       b.         To suggest business which should come before the general membership.
                                        c.         To fill temporary vacancies created by resignation or impeachment.
                                       d.         To approve all formal contracts entered into by the Association.

                                       2.            The Board of Directors may delegate to any committee or officer any portion of its power, subject to any limitations imposed by the New Mexico  Nonprofit Corporation Law, these Bylaws or other limitations the Board may see fit to impose.

                                       3.            In addition to the authority and powers expressly conferred upon the Board by these Bylaws or by the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors may exercise all action for and on behalf of, the corporation, not inconsistent with:

                                        a.         The Laws of the State of New Mexico.
                                       b.         The Articles of Incorporation.
                                        c.         The Bylaws of the corporation
                                       d.         The Standing Rules of Order.

                             C.       Board of Directors Voting Rights

                                       1.            Each member of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to one (1) vote, with the exception of Standing Committees with Co-chairs, where only one united vote is counted.

                                       2.            All votes shall be cast in person, electronic communication or conference call. No absentee votes accepted.

 

 

ARTICLE VII:            DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS: