NH AMC Paddlers BY-LAWS

Approved March 19, 2006

This organization shall be called the NHAMC Paddlers. The term Club as used herein refers to the Corporation, the Appalachian Mountain Club. The term Chapter as used herein refers to the New Hampshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. The NHAMC Paddlers may be referred to as the New Hampshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club Paddling Group.

The purposes of the NHAMC Paddlers are to cooperate with and to further the objectives of the Appalachian Mountain Club in general, and in particular as they relate to New Hampshire Chapter Paddling.

There shall be 3 levels of Membership within the NHAMC Paddlers: General Members, Active Members, and Voting Members. Each level is defined as follows:

• General Members: anyone can ask to be added to our General Member email list. There is no requirement to be an AMC Member or to have participated with us in our activities. A valid email and other contact information is required and will be maintained. We will treat this information as listed in our privacy policy. Specifically, we will not share this with any third party, and we will take appropriate measures to protect the security of the list. Emails are generally sent to this list weekly during paddling season. General Members may attend the NHAMC Paddlers General Meetings but will not have the right to vote, unless they meet the requirements of a Voting Member.

• Active Members: anyone who has participated in 1 or more NHAMC Paddlers activities during the last 2 years and has the provided NHAMC Paddlers with valid contact information (email address is not required). There is no requirement to be an AMC Member to join our activities and become an Active Member. Active members may have greater access to our web site and may be provided with more detailed information via emails or other distribution methods. Active members are not required to be General Members and may choose to have their contact information excluded from any generally available publication. Active Members may attend the NHAMC Paddlers General Meetings but will not have the right to vote, unless they meet the requirements of a Voting Member.

• Voting Member: anyone who is a current AMC Member (Individual, Family etc.) and has participated in NHAMC Paddlers activities on at least 4 separate days within the prior 2 years. (Activities like the Friday through Sunday Spring Whitewater School could count as 3 days if you participate each day) Voting Members are by definition Active Members. Voting Members can vote at NHAMC Paddlers meetings and hold positions within the NHAMC Paddlers.

SECTION 1 The administration of the NHAMC Paddlers shall be vested in a NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee whose voting members are the Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past Co-Chair and Standing Committee chairs. Four members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

SECTION 2 The members of the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee shall be elected as defined in the "Election of Officers and Standing Committee Chairs" Article of these by-laws.

SECTION 3 The duties of Officers are as follows:

A. Co-Chairs The Co-Chairs shall be the executive and administrative officers of the NHAMC Paddlers and shall preside at all General meetings of the NHAMC Paddlers and meetings of the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee and shall represent the Chapter or the Club, as required, at Club, Chapter and non-Club functions. (Usually the Co-Chair that is in the second year assumes a senior role and chairs meetings) The Co-Chairs will represent the NHAMC Paddlers as members of the Chapter Executive Committee. The Co-Chairs may attend any committee meetings conducted by the Standing Committees.

B. Secretary The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all General NHAMC Paddlers meetings and NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee meetings and records of the NHAMC Paddlers; and shall conduct the correspondence of the NHAMC Paddlers.  The Secretary shall file copies of meeting minutes and pertinent information with the Chapter & Club headquarters if required.

C. Treasurer The Treasurer shall receive all funds paid to or belonging to the NHAMC Paddlers, shall disburse same under the direction of the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee, shall keep proper accounts and make a report of receipts and disbursements at each meeting of the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee and General NHAMC Paddlers meetings. The Treasurer shall oversee the NHAMC Paddlers budget. At a time designated by the Chapter or Club, the Treasurer shall send the financial records to the Chapter or Club headquarters to be audited.

D. Immediate Past Co-Chair The Immediate Past Co-Chair shall serve in an advisory position on the Executive Committee with voting privileges. He or she may perform other duties or assignments as requested by the Co-Chairs.

 SECTION 4 The NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee shall consist of the officers listed in the above section and a sub-set of the committee chairs. Proposed changes to Executive Committee structure will be presented at any general member meeting for approval.

 SECTION 5 No expenditure shall be made or financial obligation incurred by any office or committee of the NHAMC Paddlers without previous authorization by the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee or, if timing is critical, by the Co-Chair(s).

 SECTION 6 Should any vacancy occur on the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee, such Committee shall appoint a Voting member to fill the vacancy until the next Fall General Meeting.

 SECTION 1 The General Fall Meeting of the NHAMC Paddlers shall be held between October 1 and December 15 at such hour and place as shall be designated by the Co-Chairs. The proposed Officers & Chairs are presented at this meeting.

SECTION 2 Not less than one additional general meeting for the membership shall be held each year, usually in the late winter or spring.

SECTION 3 Twenty voting members of the Chapter present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Should a quorum fail to attend, the NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee shall have the authority to conduct the business of the General Meeting.

SECTION 4 The NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee shall meet not less than 2 times each year.

Standing Committees and Committee Chairs are added and deleted as the NHAMC Paddlers evolves. A list of current Committees, chairs, officers and duties will be available to the membership.

Changes to the Committees will not require changes to the by-laws.

SECTION 1 Officers and Chairs are proposed and elected as follows:

• Any nominee for Committee Chairs or Officer positions must meet the requirements described for a Voting Member

• Election of Paddling Co-Chair(s)

  • The Current Co-Chairs will form a nominating committee, comprised of themselves and at least one other voting member, which will identify recommended Co-chair for the following year and will present the nomination to the current NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee for their approval at a meeting in the winter/spring prior to the Spring General Meeting. The vote for Co-chair will take place at the Spring General Meeting. The new Co-chair will take effect at the Fall General Meeting.

    • The Co-Chairs shall not be eligible to hold a Co-Chair office for more than two consecutive years. Co-Chair positions are 2-year positions with 1 Co-Chair being replaced each year. Should a Co-Chair resign that position may be filled for the remainder of the term.

    • The Co-chair elect may attend meetings as appropriate prior to the Fall Meeting.

• Election of Officers and chairs

  • The Co-Chairs will form a nominating committee, comprised of themselves and at least one other voting member, which will formulate the proposed list of officers and chairs for the following year and will present it to the current NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee for their approval at a meeting in the fall prior to the Fall General Meeting.

  • The approved list will be presented to the membership at the Fall General Meeting. Nominees are approved by a majority vote of "Voting Members" present and voting at each Fall General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Fall General Meeting or until their successors are chosen. Individuals can occupy more than 1 chair position with the following conditions:

    • The positions (Co-Chairs, Secretary & Treasurer) must be occupied by different people

    • A person holding multiple positions shall only have 1 vote and be counted as 1 attendee (for quorum purposes) at any meeting.

SECTION 2 Members who wish to run for office must place their name in nomination at least ten calendar days prior to the General Meeting. This notification must be in writing and sent to the secretary, and accompanied by signatures of at least five other voting members.

The proposed candidate must include a statement from the nominee that he/she is willing to serve if elected. The nominee must meet the requirements described for a Voting Member. The Secretary will make any nominations known to the Executive Committee as soon as possible and will make them known for consideration at the General Meeting prior to any vote on nominees. Nominations submitted via this section will not require approval of the Executive Committee.

SECTION 3 No person shall be elected to office unless nominated by one of the above methods except in the event that a nominee cannot be found prior to the Fall General Meeting. Should a position not have a nominee at the start of the General Meeting, the Co-Chairs may either: accept nominations from the Voting Members at the meeting or defer the position for resolution at a future NHAMC Paddlers Executive Committee Meeting at their sole discretion.

 SECTION 1 By-laws may be amended at any General meeting of the NHAMC Paddlers by two thirds vote of those Voting Members present and voting, provided notice of such amendment shall have been made available at least three weeks previously.

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