**CURRENT**

BY-LAWS
OF
CLINTON FISH & GAME CLUB INC.

ARTICLE I

1. The name of this organization shall be CLINTON FISH & GAME CLUB, INC., Clinton, New York.
    
2. The Club shall have a corporate seal bearing the words “CLINTON FISH & GAME CLUB, INC.”. Such Seal shall be affixed to official documents of the Club, but failure to affix the seal shall not invalidate any corporate act otherwise valid.
    
3. The purpose and objectives of the club are:
   1. To promote and aid in the conservation and the preservation of fish, wildlife and their habitats.
   2. To Promote greater interest in our youth in the wise use of our forests, fish and wildlife resources, and to be able to use said resources to their full extent in a safe and enjoyable manner.
   3. To promote a better relationship between the sportsman and the landowner.
   4. To participate in the enactment of laws for the protection of fish and game, the preservation of the forests and the right to bear and use firearms.
   5. To acquire, own, hold, manage, control, mortgage, rent, lease, sell, exchange or otherwise acquire, encumber or dispose of real and personal property and to build, maintain, operate, control and manage the building or buildings, clubhouse or clubhouses, garage or garages, or other structures for the mutual enjoyment, use, occupation, privilege and benefit of its individual members.
   6. To educate persons in the safe and efficient handling of firearms, encourage the shooting sports, educate beginners in safe hunting habits, promote conservation of wildlife and cooperate with national, state and local authorities regarding enforcement of existing laws.
   7. To participate in the raising, breeding, releasing, study and conservation of game birds when economically possible.
   8. To promote and advance the interests, welfare and development of all shooting and related activities, conservation, preservation, and growth of fish and wildlife.

ARTICLE II

1. ELIGIBILITY – Any person age 21 or over, interested in the purposes of the Club and the shooting sports shall be eligible for membership upon endorsement by a member of the Club and approval by the Board of Directors. The immediate family members (spouse, children under the age of 21) of a member in good standing are entitled to receive the same fees discounts as said member. The prepayment of annual dues and any assessments if any will be required. The Board of Directors shall have the right to refuse the application of any individual for an appropriate reason and its judgment shall be final.
    
2. CLASSES – The membership shall be divided into the following classes:
   1. Honorary memberships will be given to people other than members of the Club that have been determined to have significantly contributed to the shooting sports, conservation or preservation of fish and wildlife and its habitat, or to the freedom to bear and use firearms. Honorary membership candidates will be nominated by the Board of Directors, and must be ratified by the general membership.
   2. Lifetime memberships will be given to members of the Club that have been determined to have made a significant contribution to the shooting sports, conservation or preservation of fish and wildlife and its habitat, the freedom to bear and use firearms, or to the Club itself. Lifetime membership candidates will be nominated by the Board of Directors, and must be ratified by the general membership.
   3. Annual members are those upon payment of dues, as determined by the Board of Directors, shall become members in the club for the year. All annual memberships will expire on December 31 of each year, with a thirty-day grace period for the payment of dues.
       
3. DUES – The dues for membership are as follows:
   1. The dues and yearly assessments of individual annual members shall be affixed by the Board of Directors and ratified by the general membership.
   2. Members in Good Standing – No individual member shall be considered in good standing unless such member’s dues are paid in full for the following year by January 30th of said year. The Board of Directors shall have the right to refuse the application of any individual for an appropriate reason and its judgment shall be final. New members who join the Club on or after October 1st of any year will have paid dues for the current year and also for the following year, but will not be eligible to vote until January 1st of said following year. A yearly assessment, if any, shall be paid as the Board of Directors recommends and ratified by the membership. If the assessment, or a portion of the assessment, which is due is not paid within 45 days of the due date the member shall no longer be a member in good standing. No part of any previously paid dues, or assessment fees shall be refunded. The former member, no longer in good standing, may be reinstated only if approved by the Board of Directors, and payment in arrears be paid in full. The member shall be notified by regular mail within 30 days of the date of his possible termination.
   3. The Board of Directors may provide for appropriate pins, cards or certificates to be issued to the various members upon payment of current dues.
   4. Termination – Any member in default of payment of dues, and/or assessment fees is automatically barred from membership and shall forfeit any office or position within the Club. Reinstatement is subject to the action of the Board of Directors and by payment of dues and assessment fees, if any, just as if he/she were a new member.
       
4. MEETINGS – The meetings shall be as follows:
   1. Annual Meeting – The regular monthly meeting held on the last Tuesday of December shall be designated as the Annual Meeting. At this meeting the club elections for the members of the Board of Directors shall be conducted together with any other business that may properly come before it.
   2. Regular Meetings
      1. The Board of Directors shall meet when deemed necessary by said Board.
      2. The general membership meeting shall be conducted on the last Tuesday of each month or at such time as may be determined by the Board of Directors so as not to conflict with the observance of national holidays.
      3. Other than herein stated, no further notice of meetings of the Board of Directors and general membership need be made and, unless noted otherwise, all meetings shall be held at the Clinton Fish & Game Club Inc., clubhouse.
      4. Where national holidays fall on a scheduled meeting day, an alternative meeting date shall be determined by the Board of Directors, and notification of the alternative date will be sent to the general membership. The alternate meeting day must be within the same month as the original meeting day.
   3. Special Meetings
      1. Special meetings of the general membership may be held upon the call of the President, the Board of Directors, or upon the demand by any member in good standing, in writing, stating the object of the proposed meeting, and signed by at least 10% of the current membership of the club. Unless otherwise specified, the place of all special meetings shall be the said clubhouse. Notice setting forth the time and date of such meetings, at least one (1) day prior to said meeting, shall be given by U.S. Mail to the membership and only the business set forth in said notice shall be transacted at such special meetings.
      2. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held upon the call of a member of the Board of Directors, by giving reasonable notice to all available members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of said meetings.
   4. Quorum
      1. At any regular or special meeting of the membership, 10% of the membership in good standing shall constitute a quorum.
      2. Six (6) members present at a Board of Directors meeting shall constitute a quorum for each, a majority vote of either being sufficient for the conduct of any of its business unless otherwise specifically set forth herein. Each member shall be entitled to one (1) equal vote, a tie vote being equivalent to a defeat of the motion.
   5. Proxies
      1. Proxy voting shall be permitted at a Board of Directors meeting by written proxy only. Such proxy shall be given to a duly authorized board member prior to the meeting in order to be valid.
      2. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted at any regular, special, or annual meeting of the Clinton Fish & Game Club except as stated above.
          

ARTICLE III

1. BOARD

   The Board of Directors shall consist of eleven (11) members, one of which shall be designated by the Board as Chairman to conduct meetings (which will include: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer).

2. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

   Nominations and election of members of the Board of Directors and Officers shall be made by nominations and elections from the floor at the regular membership meeting held in the month of November. The Board of Directors may recommend nominations for Board Members and Officers, but this shall not be binding on the membership. Nominations can only be closed by a majority vote of the members present. Notification of the nominees selected will be sent to the general membership along with notification of the elections to be held at the annual meeting in December.

3. TERMS

   The terms of office for members of the Board of Directors shall be two (2) years. The election shall be apportioned so that one-half of the total Board shall be elected annually (three the first year, four the second, then repeated). All terms shall commence on the first day of the year for which the Director was elected.

4. DUTIES

   The Board of Directors shall be responsible for all normal operations of the Club not specifically designated either to the Board of Directors, the individual officers, or the general membership. The Board of Directors will appoint members in good standing to assist in the requisition of supplies for the Club’s operation. No capital expenditures in excess of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) may be made without the approval of the Board of Directors and the general membership at any regular or special meeting. Capital expenditures exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) shall require a minimum of three (3) independent competitive bids, which shall be considered and approved by both the Board of Directors and the general membership. No work on any accepted bid shall commence without the contractor, whose bid was accepted, first supplying the Board of Directors with a current certificate of insurance covering the type of work to be performed, and in an amount sufficient to cover the contract with all necessary coverage to fully protect the Club from all liability.

5. VACANCIES

   Any vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors may be filled for the balance of the un-expired term by a majority vote of the general membership present at any regular or special meeting.

ARTICLE IV

1. NUMBER AND ELECTION

   The officers of the club shall be a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary and a Treasurer, each of whom shall be elected at the annual meeting. Officers shall serve for one year.

2. DUTIES
   1. President

      The President shall preside at all meetings of the club membership. He shall automatically become a member, ex officio, of regular and special committees and shall perform such other duties, usually pertaining to such office.

   2. Vice-President

      The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President at his absence or at his request, and any other duties usually pertaining to such office in addition to those specifically designated by the Board of Directors and President.

   3. Recording Secretary

      The Recording Secretary shall attend all Board of Directors and general membership meetings and record all minutes of such meetings, read all correspondence, attest all documents and perform such other duties as required by the By-Laws, or assigned by the Board of Directors, President, or Vice-President.

   4. Treasurer

      The Treasurer shall have the duty of possession and maintaining all of the official records and documents of the club, which shall be maintained in a safe place designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for maintaining a complete, accurate and current set of records indicating the funds on hand, receipts, and disbursements of any and all funds coming into his possession. The Treasurer shall cause all funds to be deposited in such bank and at such rimes as designated by the Board of Directors and shall withdraw such funds only by checks signed in such manner upon the request of the Board of Directors and of the general membership present at any general or special meeting as prescribed thereby, unless otherwise authorized by these By-Laws. The Treasurer shall make a completed, accurate, and current financial report to the club in the form of an income statement, on a monthly basis to be presented to the membership at every regular membership meeting, in addition to the Board of Directors, if so requested by said Board. The Treasurer shall make an annual report to the Board of Directors at the end of each year, as well as to the general membership. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for keeping a roll of all Life, Honorary, and Annual Members, along with their addresses and telephone numbers, and perform such other duties usually incident to such office. The treasurer shall furnish a surety bond, if requested to do so by the Board of Directors or the general membership at any regular or special meeting.

3. VACANCIES

   In the event of the death, resignation, removal or disability of any officer, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors for the balance of the un-expired term.

4. COMPENSATION

   No officer or director shall receive any salary or other compensation from the Club unless specifically authorized by a three-quarters (3/4) vote of the general membership at any regular or special meeting.

5. NOTICES

   Unless otherwise specified by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors, the Recording Secretary shall send each and every written notice required to be given in connection with any business of the club by ordinary U.S. Mail.

ARTICLE V

1. Order

   The order of business at all meetings of the general membership and Board of Directors shall be as follows:

   1. Roll call except at general membership meetings, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
   2. Reading of previous minutes, if required to be kept.
   3. Report of Treasurer or other fiscal officer in charge.
   4. Filling vacancies.
   5. The reports of officers who are committee chairman.
   6. Reports of committees.
   7. Election of Directors and Officers, if required.
   8. New business and/or resolutions.
   9. Old business.
   10. Program of the day.
   11. Adjournment
        
2. Rules

   Unless the same conflict with these By-Laws, “Roberts’ Rules of Order” shall govern all meetings.

ARTICLE VI

These By-Laws may be amended in whole or in part by the majority vote of the general membership present at any regular or special meeting at which there is at least ten percent (10%) of the total club membership attending. The general membership shall be notified by U.S. Mail at least five (5) days in advance of the meeting at which any amendment is intended to be made, specifically setting forth the fact that an amendment is going to be proposed and a brief statement of the substance of the proposed amendment, in addition to the time, date and place of said meeting.

ARTICLE VII

The Board of Directors may, from time to time, adopt and amend rules and regulations for the conduct of affairs of the club by the membership and guests, including the use and operations of facilities of said club.

ARTICLE VIII

Each Officer and Director, and other committeemen acting in such capacity, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Club for and against any claims, cause of action, liability, litigation or threat thereof made or brought against him as an individual or as such member, officer, director or chairman by any firm, person, corporation or governmental body, for any matter arising out of or occurring by reason of the activities carried on in good faith as such office, director or chairman, or committee.

END OF BY-LAWS

Questions, suggestions, or comments email: cfag@clintonfishandgameclub.com
Mail: P.O Box 122, Clinton, NY 13323