CONSTITUTION
AND
BY-LAWS
OF THE
ATGLEN
SPORTSMEN’S CLUB
Table of Contents
ARTICLE I
Name
ARTICLE II
Purpose
Article lll
Officers and Elections
ARTICLE lV
Duties
ARTICLE V
Meetings
Article VI
Membership
ARTICLE VII
Dues
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments
ARTICLE IX
Committees
ARTICLE X
Disbanding of the Club
APPENDICES
Club range and ground rules
Range Officers
General rules
Targets
Do’s
Don’ts
Range Specific Rules
(Revision 2 -- 2020)
ARTICLE I
Name
This organization shall be known as Atglen Sportsmen’s Club Inc. The use of the word club throughout these by-laws shall refer to Atglen Sportsmen’s Club.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
Section 1.
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote greater interest in true sportsmanship and good fellowship among rod, gun and archery enthusiasts. Promote the same for juniors interested in these sports and activities. Bring about a more friendly understanding and harmonious relationship between sportsmen, landowners and tenants within the state of Pennsylvania. Promote and educate adherence to the law for the protection and/or propagation of fish and game. This may include the control, preservation and/or stocking of such natural resources, that will tend to improve hunting and fishing facilities. Propose to such departments or bureaus, legislation as may be deemed expedient to the interest of hunters and fishermen.
All members, especially officers, should conduct themselves in an orderly manner at meetings and other activities of the club. Anyone not conducting themselves in a proper manner at a club meeting may be asked to leave the meeting as per Roberts Rules of Order.
Section 2.
Inasmuch as the club is formed for the perpetuation of the sport of hunting, fishing, archery and shooting sports in all its legitimate phases, it is hereby made a part of these by-laws that any member who may be found guilty of violating the fish, game or forestry laws, maliciously destroying or damaging property of any kind shall be deemed unworthy of membership in this club and his or her name shall immediately be dropped from the roll. Each person so charged shall have the right of appeal before any general, executive or called meeting of the club.
Anyone found guilty of destroying club property, or violating the club’s safety rules, shall be deemed unworthy of membership in this club and his or her name shall be dropped from the roll. He or she will be liable to pay damages and at the discretion of the Executive Board, be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Article lll
Officers and Elections
Section 1.
The officers of this club shall consist of a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Assistant Membership Secretary, and eight (8) Trustees. All elected officers to be members in good standing for two (2) years when nominated and shall serve without pay.
The executive board positions shall be separated into alternating year elections, based on the following grouping.
|
President 2nd Vice President Secretary Assistant Treasurer Assistant Membership Secretary |
1st Vice President Assistant Secretary Treasurer Membership Secretary |
Section 2.
The Executive Board shall consist of the seventeen (17) club officers, the advisers and all committee chairs.
Section 3.
Nominations for officers shall commence at the October general meeting, be open through November general meeting and be closed at the December general meeting. Elections will be held at the January general meeting and newly elected officers will assume office the first day in February. Every member in good standing shall be permitted to vote by ballot at the January general meeting. All nominations for the respective offices shall come from the floor.
A nominee for office must be a member in good standing for at least two (2) years.
No person shall hold more than one office at a time. In the event that a member should be nominated for more than one office during the nomination period, at the December meeting, he or she shall choose the office for which they wish to run, and their name shall be removed from the other positions on the ballot.
The President shall appoint a judge of election and an inspector who will conduct said election. Results of the balloting will be tallied and announced to the general membership and cause the same to be recorded in the minutes of the club.
The President, Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Assistant Membership Secretary shall be elected for a two (2) year term. Annual elections will be held for two (2) Trustees for a four (4) year term and to be continued with always eight (8) Trustees in office.
Section 4.
In the event of an elective office becoming vacant due to death, resignation or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the Executive Board to appoint a successor to fill the vacancy until the next election. The candidate could be anyone, member or non-member, who meets the requirements for the position. Such an appointment is to be approved at the next general meeting by those members present.
Section 5.
Advisors shall be appointed by the Executive Board and will become members of the Executive Board upon appointment.
ARTICLE lV
Duties
Section 1.
The President or First Vice-President in the absence of the President, shall have the duty of conducting the meetings of the club. In the case that both are absent, the Second Vice-President shall conduct the meeting or choose a member of the Executive Board to conduct the meeting, except the person taking the minutes.
Section 2.
The Second Vice-President shall conduct business affairs of the club such as advertising and printing of necessary papers for any events decided upon by the club or Executive Board. They are also able to act as adviser and promoter of all events by assisting any committee and may be appointed to head any committee.
Section 3.
The Secretary or Assistant Secretary shall take minutes of the general, executive or special meetings and handle all correspondence.
Section 4.
The Treasurer shall:
1. Pay all bills and invoices by check, electronic funds transfer or petty cash account.
2. Obtain two authorized signatures for checks or consent by two authorized signatories for electronic or cash payments.
3. Keep financial records of all business transactions.
4. Provide a monthly financial report at each general meeting.
5. Submit his or her book, cash and bank records to an auditor appointed by the Executive Board at the end of the fiscal year.
6. Be bonded in an amount as deemed appropriate by the Executive Board. The Fidelity (Dishonesty) Bond shall cover the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. This bond expense shall be paid by the Atglen Sportsmen’s Club, Inc.
7. File all local, state and federal taxes.
The Assistant Treasurer shall:
1. Deliver the financial report at the general meeting should the Treasurer be absent for that meeting.
2. Be bonded in an amount as deemed appropriate by the Executive Board. The Fidelity (Dishonesty) Bond shall cover the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. This bond expense shall be paid by the Atglen Sportsmen’s Club, Inc.
3. Provide support as deemed necessary by the Treasurer to maintain Separation of Duties related to financial reporting and handling of funds.
Section 5.
The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Maintaining the membership rolls of the club.
2. Distribution of the new membership cards to those eligible to receive them.
3. Turnover to the Treasurer of the club all funds received as membership dues and assessments.
4. Provide a monthly report on membership standings.
5. If needed, will also keep and have at his or her disposal, the club computer at his or her personal place of residence.
The Assistant Membership Secretary shall stand in for the Membership Secretary and provide the monthly report on membership standings should the Membership Secretary be absent for that meeting.
Section 6.
The Trustees’ duties shall be to see to the maintenance of the ranges, buildings and grounds.
Section 7.
The advisers’ duties shall be dictated by the needs of and at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 8.
The Auditor shall audit the Treasurer’s accounts at the end of the fiscal year and the Treasurer will notify the Executive Board of the results of such audit in writing, to be recorded in the minutes at the second meeting of the new fiscal year.
Section 9.
All committee heads must be approved by the Executive Board. Committees will give monthly financial statements as directed by the Executive Board.
Section 10.
No committee may spend over $300.00 for the club per month without the majority approval of the Executive Board.
The paying of bills by the heads of committees is prohibited unless authorization to do so by a majority of the Executive Board.
Any committee having its own account shall have its books examined once a year by the Executive Board and will be subject to the overall annual audit by the Treasurer.
ARTICLE V
Meetings
Section 1.
The general membership meetings of this club will be held the second Tuesday of each month except for July and August when meetings will not be held due to lack of attendance. The general meeting will be held at the clubhouse unless differently arranged. Fifteen members in good standing shall be a quorum for a general meeting.
Section 2.
The executive meeting will be held the second Tuesday of each month following the general meeting. Six (6) members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for transactions of the Executive Board.
All committee chairpersons are requested to attend the executive meeting.
There shall be no general members or nonmembers participating in the executive meeting. Anyone presenting at the executive meeting shall leave after their presentation. All presentations by non-executive members shall occur before any other club business is discussed.
Section 3.
Special meetings for the general membership may be called by the President. In such cases, giving members five (5) days notice either through the club web site, social media, text, phone call or mail to all members as to the nature of the business, time and place of such a special meeting.
Section 4.
All business meetings of the Atglen Sportsmen’s Club, Inc. shall be conducted by “Roberts Rules of Order.” Any parliamentary procedure shall be governed by these rules.
Section 5.
Good parliamentary procedure ensures justice to everyone, prescribes order, reflects kindness and generosity, provides constructive use of limited time and gives one a sense of self-confidence.
If a topic debate exceeds 10 minutes, it should be either:
1. Referred to a committee – to delay action; to give more time for consideration or study of the matter.
2. Postponed to a definite time – to delay action on a proposed question to a specified time.
Article VI
Membership
Section 1.
Any person seeking membership at the Atglen Sportsmen’s Club from 18 years of age and up must first be proposed by a member in good standing for at least two (2) years. The Executive Board shall have the authority to reject any application for membership into the club.
Section 2.
The total membership in this club may be adjusted by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 3.
The Executive Board may grant a Lifetime Membership to a member for outstanding service to the club. Approval requires a majority vote of the Executive Board for acceptance.
Section 4.
Except for events that are open to the public, members will be allowed only one shooting guest at a time. The member must always accompany the guest, and they must share a shooting lane when the range is busy.
An exception to this policy is limited to immediate family members. This would include a spouse/significant other and children over the age of 8. This exception does not include extended family members. Extended family members can be considered the one guest allowed.
Section 5.
Membership cards must be worn on your person in plain view on club property. The membership and membership card are nontransferable.
Section 6.
Officers, Trustees, committee heads and advisors shall receive free memberships while in office. Any additional comp memberships must be approved by an executive board member. A comp membership will be revoked if the person fails to perform his or her volunteered services.
ARTICLE VII
Dues
Section 1.
The dues for any person 18 years of age and over shall be proposed by the Executive Board and voted on by members at a general meeting. For new members, there will be an additional initiation fee; this will also be established at a general meeting.
Section 2.
The membership renewal period shall occur during the months of July through October. Dues for the upcoming year shall be paid by the last day of the renewal period, October 31. At the end of this period all members not paid up shall be declared delinquent. Once declared delinquent, a member must resubmit an application for membership through the waiting list process and that application will be considered a new membership with the applicable fee.
Section 3.
The membership year will run from January 1 thru December 31. The access code on the main gate at the entrance of the club grounds will be changed each year on January 1. The new access code will be given upon membership renewal.
Section 4.
When the need arises to fund a special project, an assessment may be required of the total membership. When this occurs, the proposal and the amount of the assessment will be put in front of the general membership by the Executive Board at one general meeting, read again at a second general meeting, and voted on at a third general meeting. A majority vote of the membership present is required to levy the assessment.
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments
Section 1.
Amendments to these by-laws shall be made only after having been presented at a general meeting by the Executive Board. All such amendments must be presented in writing at one general meeting, read again at a second general meeting, and voted on at a third general meeting.
Section 2.
To participate in any vote, the member must be present at the meeting the vote is being taken.
ARTICLE IX
Committees
Section 1.
Committees of this club may be appointed for any purpose the Executive Board deems necessary.
ARTICLE X
Disbanding of the Club
Section 1.
The club can be disbanded only by a two-thirds vote of the attending membership after having been presented at one general meeting by the Executive Board, read again at a second general meeting and voted on at a third general meeting. At which time any property and/or real estate belonging to the club shall be sold to satisfy any club debts. Sales of these assets will be put into an escrow account for a minimum of one year, not to exceed two years, before distribution. Escrow account will be opened within thirty days after the passage to disband the club and its assets.
To be eligible for any monies after all liabilities have been settled, the balance of the money shall be distributed equally among members in good standing with a minimum of five (5) consecutive years of membership.
APPENDICES
Club range and ground rules
The purpose of these rules is to maximize your safety and enjoyment while using the club facilities and keep club expenses and dues to a minimum. The rules are not meant to hinder your use of the club and for the most part is simply good common sense.
If you should see someone who is violating these rules, please get their name, I.D. number, and/or vehicle license number and report the incident to any member of the Executive Board. Keep in mind that violations are not committed against the officers or Executive Board alone but against every member of the club who must share the burden in cost and labor to correct the situation created by the violation.
Range Officers
Members of the Executive Board and activity leaders serve as range officers when present. The purpose and authority of a range officer is to ensure that proper safety, range use and behavior is always being maintained. A range officer is identified by having an EXECUTIVE Stamp on their ORANGE membership card.
Any violation of range or club rules is subject to review by the Executive Board, which could result in the suspension or loss of membership and the possibility of prosecution. (By-Law - Article II Section 2.)
General rules
1. Upon a ceasefire and before someone goes down range:
a. Magazines should be removed, when applicable
b. All actions should be opened
c. Chamber flags are required
d. Do not handle firearms
e. Do not handle magazines
2. Anyone under 18 years of age must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times while on club property. Proper supervision of young people is of the greatest importance.
3. No alcoholic beverages shall be allowed on club property. No one shall be visibly impaired on club property at any time (i.e. drunk, high, etc.).
4. Eye and ear protection should be worn for your safety while on the firing ranges.
5. Membership badges are always to be worn in plain sight.
6. Everyone will stay behind the firing line until all firing has ceased and all firearms have been cleared.
7. Make sure everyone on the firing line is aware of your intentions, such as going down range or resuming fire. Check twice – Be safe not sorry.
8. Any member bringing a guest or family member to the club is responsible for that person, who will remain in that member’s presence during their visit. - No Wandering -.
9. No wildlife is to be hunted, trapped or shot on club property.
10. Range Hours:
a. Opens 8 AM to Dusk Monday through Saturday
b. Opens Noon to Dusk Sunday
c. Shooting in a club sponsored event, occurring before or after stated range hours, is allowed.
d. You are not allowed to shoot outside of these posted range hours unless you are participating in a club sponsored event.
11. No Draw Fire without prior authorization from the Executive Board.
12. Scheduled events have precedence over range use. Check website for up-to-date closures.
13. If you find a gun on the range - don’t touch it. Call the State Police, their phone number is printed on your membership card.
14. Any device using propellant to launch a projectile will be considered a firearm.
15. Posting on the internet or social media of pictures or videos taken on club property shall be reviewed by the Executive Board prior to posting.
16. Leave the gate as you found it. If it is open, leave it open. If it is locked, lock it upon entering/exit. If people are lining up to get in, please verify they have a membership card before letting them in the gate.
Targets
1. Use targets that are intended as targets only, bring your own supplies to hang said targets
2. Acceptable targets: paper, bowling pins, balloons, clays (clean up afterward)
3. Claybird Rules: Use the earthen banks to the side of the back stops not to exceed the height of the top cross member on any range.
4. Police-type silhouettes are acceptable, but no representations/pictures of politicians, celebrities, spouses, etc.
5. No metallic targets closer than 50 yards.
6. Target placement should be where a miss or ricochet will be stopped by a berm or backstop.
7. No exploding targets
8. No cans, bottles, CDs, etc.
Do’s
1. Always handle firearms and bows in a safe manner.
2. Practice good ethics when sharing the range with others. Such as: not taking more bench space than needed or not being aware of your brass ejection.
3. Keep ranges clear of debris.
4. Remove your targets from the backstops when you are finished shooting.
5. Put your trash in the receptacles provided.
6. Provide your own targets for practice.
7. Be aware of information posted on the club’s web site concerning activities, such as maintenance work, temporary area closings and general information.
8. Have a safe and good time while on club grounds.
Don’ts
1. Do not handle firearms FOR ANY REASON, when someone is down range.
2. Do not use material not deemed proper or regulation such as cd’s, exploding targets, cans or bottles.
3. Do not use any backstops other than ones provided by the club.
4. Do not shoot from in front of the designated firing line when others are using or want to use the range.
5. Do not “Short Shoot” on any range. This means shooting at targets where the back stops may not catch the ricochets. Example: walking the target along the ground.
6. Do not shoot shotshells on any range other than the trap range and the muzzle loader range using the chicken wire backing only.
7. Do not shoot shotgun slugs on any range except the muzzle loader range or the upper rifle range.
8. Do not shoot at trash receptacles, backstop posts or backstop cross members.
9. Do not place targets on backstop posts or backstop cross arms.
10. Do not place clay birds on posts, cross members or steel rails. Use the earthen banks to the side of the back stops not to exceed the height of the top cross member on any range.
11. Do not shoot any firearm in any form of full auto, simulated full auto or bump fire. Legally licensed full auto firearms can only be fired in semi-auto or single shot unless specific written permission is given by the Executive Board.
12. Do not park or drive on the grassy areas of any range.
13. Do not use firearms firing cartridges such as 50 BMG or any like cartridges designed for material destruction or extreme distance. Send any concerns or questions to the Executive Board.
14. Do not use any cartridges designed for or designated armor piercing, tracer, incendiary or illumination at any time.
15. Do not set targets on top of berms.
16. Do not skip rounds or use ground targets.
17. Do not blow out the back stops.
18. Do not use metal targets closer than 50 yds from firing line.
19. Do not smoke within 20 feet of the firing line at all ranges.
Range Specific Rules
Lower 100-yard Range
This range is for rifle and handguns only. No shotguns or slug guns.
25-yard Pistol Range
This range is for handguns and smallbore rimfire rifles only. No other rifles including pistol cartridges, no rifle-caliber pistols (Contender, XP100, etc.), no shotguns. No metal targets on this range.
Black Powder Range
This range is for black powder, muzzle loader firearms and shotgun slugs. Shotgun shot shells may only be fired into the chicken wire backstops.
Trap Range
This range is for shotguns firing shot shells only (no slugs). Use 7 ½, 8, and 9 shot only. No patterning on the Trap Range.
Upper Rifle Range
1. Before setting up, be absolutely positive that no one is down range and out of sight. Take the two minutes to drive down to the 500-meter range.
2. All approved caliber rifles, handguns, slug guns can be used on this range.
3. Restrict shooting to targets posted on backboards and silhouette rails where backstops are present. Claybird rules apply.
4. Do not shoot magnum rifles at the 200-meter rails or steel targets. Restrict those calibers to 300-meters and beyond.
5. The 40 through 100-meter section of rails is restricted to rimfire, pistol calibers and cast bullet cowboy action firearms.
6. Please always use the range sign when appropriate.
Archery Ranges
Do not use broadhead arrows on any of the club’s targets. When shooting the “In the woods course” please go through the stations traveling in a clockwise fashion.