ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Texas Taxidermy Association, Inc., a state organization referred to herein as TTAI, a non-profit educational organization, incorporated in the State of Texas.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The purpose of the TTAI shall be:
To further contacts and better understanding among taxidermists and related industries;
To unite into one organization all interested taxidermists, tanners, taxidermist suppliers, and sportsman;
To disseminate information and meet in convention at regular intervals;
To aid the taxidermy profession as a whole by lobbying for fair legislation on the state level and to develop rapport with those agencies;
To function as a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife through the preservation of specimens to the highest standards of the art of taxidermy;
To establish an ethics committee to arbitrate only with parties involved.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP & DUES Section I
Membership shall be open to all interested parties, including but not limited to: taxidermists, whether professional or amateur, suppliers, tanners, guides, sportsmen, and conservationists.
Section II
The Board of Advisors shall set the amount of annual dues;
All dues are payable in advance and are due as of January 1 of the next year;
Membership will be terminated on March 1 in the event that the dues have not been paid;
Dues collected shall be used for the benefit of all members;
Any member paying his or her dues after October 1 will have his or her membership start January 1 of the next year.
Section III
Membership in the TTAI is individual, not transferable or assignable except any firm or organization desiring or petitioning membership must assign the membership in the name of a representative, and only that designated representative shall be entitled to vote or run for an elective office;
Individual members, or member firms, shall refrain from actions or activities which are detrimental to the organization;
Any individual member, or member firm, may be expelled for conduct detrimental to the organization by affirmative 2/3 (two-thirds) vote of the Board of Advisors. The Board of Advisors shall take no action to expel a member until said member has been given an opportunity for a hearing before the Board.
Section IV
TTAI members are classified into the following categories:
Active Member - Active members shall be eligible to vote, run for office, and hold office in the TTAI. Active membership shall be available to all interested parties, including but not limited to all taxidermists, suppliers, and tanners.
Life Member - A member who has paid the amount set by the Board of Directors. These members will receive the same privileges invested to an Active member. Payable in two equal payments, if desired. Life member will receive a plaque designating him or her as a Life Member of the TTAI.
Family Member - Has the same priviliges afforded Active members. Family membership will be afforded two votes.
Family Life Member - Has the same privileges afforded Life Member. Payable in two equal payments, if desired.
Honorary Life Member - Awarded by TTAI to Distinguished Members. Shall be for individual members so awarded and is not transferable. Does not include Family members.
Good Standing - A member who has paid their first year dues, and if renewed has paid their renewal on time.
ARTICLE IV - VOTING PRIVILIGES
Individuals or the designated representative of the member firm shall constitute one membership and be entitled to one vote.
Active members, in good standing on the date ballots are mailed shall be entitled to vote upon any matter coming before the general membership.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS Section I
Elective Officers of the TTAI shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant of Armes/Parliamentarian. A Board of Advisors consisting of 12 (twelve) members shall be elected. The immediate past President shall serve as a member of the Board.
1) No Member may hold 2 (two) elective offices simultaneously.
2) If there is only one nominee for an office, he/she may run unopposed.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE:
1) Nominations for Secretary, Treasurer, Board of Advisors, and Sergeant of Arms/Parliamentarian must be members in good standing for a period of one (1) year immediately prior to nomination.
2) Nominees for Office of President and Vice President must have served at least three (3) years (one term) on the Board of Advisors prior to nomination.
3) Nominees for all offices must signify acceptance in writing prior to September 30 and must be willing to actively participate in all meetings of the TTAI.
TERM OF OFFICE:
Terms will commence with installation at the annual convention and continue for two (2) years in the case of Officers and three (3) years for Board Members. The immediate past President shall serve as Ex-Officio member of the Board. If the past President has resigned or been removed from office, the Ex-Officio position shall remain vacant until the existing President fills said office for term of two (2) years.
INSTALLATION DATE:
Installation of Officers and Board members shall be at the annual convention.
VACANCIES:
In the event that a vacancy should occur in any office other than the office of President of the TTAI, the Board shall appoint the candidate who has the highest number of votes to fill said office. In the event that there is no additional candidate seeking said office, the Board may appoint any TTAI Active Member in good standing, not presently holding an office to fill said office for the remainder of the term, This appointment must be approved by 2/3 (two-thirds) affirmative vote of the Board of Advisors. In the event that the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall fill the remainder of the term, In the case of a Board Member vacating a seat to run for another seat unopposed, the Secretary shall seek nomination to fill the seat vacated by the Board Member for remainder of the term.
ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS:
Officers and Board Members are expected to attend all official board meetings. Any Officer or Board Member who misses two (2) consecutive board meetings, without a valid reason acceptable by the Officers and Board of Advisors would be asked to voluntarily resign. If such voluntary resignation does not occur, then mandatory forced resignation must be carried out by such acting Officers and Board at the next scheduled board meeting. The individual involved in such action will not be eligible to hold office again for a period of one (1) year following resignation/removal provided that individual remains a member in good standing.
NOTIFICATION OF BOARD MEETINGS:
Notification for any TTAI board meeting will be by mail and postmarked a minimum of ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
NOTIFICATION OF ELECTION NOMINATIONS:
Notification for all TTAI elections will be by mail and postmarked a minimum of fifteen (15) days prior to the confirmation deadline, September 30.
Section II
Nominations for Officers and Advisors may be made by a nomination committee and/or by nominations by TTAI active members. Notification that nominations are being accepted shall be mailed no later than August 15 to all members in good standing. Nominations will be submitted to the Secretary no later than September 1, with confirmation to be received no later than September 30. Notification of nomination for office shall be sent certified mail by September 15 to the member. All nominees should submit a brief biographical sketch to the Secretary no later than October 15. If not, only the nominee's name will be included on the ballot. This information is to be submitted to all Active Members together with an election ballot.
The acceptance, nominations, and biographical sketches are to be kept on file with the ballots.
Election shall be by secret ballot, according to Robert's Rules of Order, and counted by the CPA firm so designated by the President and the Secretary. Said CPA firm will present the election results in a sealed envelope with the ballots to the TTAI Secretary. Said envelope is to be opened by TTAI Secretary at first board meeting following said election and results so stated in the first newsletter following said meeting as to notify the membership.
Official election ballots shall be made available to all TTAI active members not prior to October 15 and no later than November 15 of each year. Ballots must be returned to the designated CPA firm no later than December 31.
Official ballots shall be kept for a period of three (3) years and shall be available for inspection to all candidates and/or members.
The candidate with the highest number of votes shall be elected. In the event of a run-off election, ballots shall be made available to the membership within sixty (60) days after results are known, and must be returned within three (3) weeks of the time that ballots were made available.
Section III
President - The President shall be a voting member of the Board only in the event of a tie vote and shall preside at all meetings of the members of the Association. He shall appoint a chairman of Standing and Special Committees of the Association. He shall be Ex-Officio on all standing and special committees except the nominating committee. He shall receive an approved allowance to attend the NTA convention, said allowance shall be approved annually by the Board of Advisors.
Vice President - The Vice President shall be a voting member of the Board and shall, in the absence of the President, or at his request, perform the duties of the President. In the event of the inability of the President to serve, the Vice President shall complete the President's term.
Secretary - The Secretary shall be a voting member of the Board and shall attend all meetings of the Board of Advisors and of the members of the Association and record their proceedings. The Secretary shall issue notices of meetings and perform such other duties as are performed by such an officer and may, as directed by the Board of Advisors.
Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be a voting member of the Board and shall attend all meetings of the Board of Advisors and of the members of the Association. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys, pay all bills incurred by authority of the Board of Advisors, and preserve records thereof. The Treasurer shall, at each meeting of the Board of Advisors, prepare and present a statement showing the financial condition of the Association.
Board of Advisors - The Board of Advisors shall be the managing Board of the Association, and act for it's interest in any way not consistant with these by-laws. While ultimate authority rest in the membership, the Board of Advisors shall define policies and shall have full administrative direction of the Association.
Sergeant of Arms/Parliamentarian - The Sergeant of Arms will be a voting member of the Board and shall attend all meetings of the Board of Advisors. Will advise the President or presiding Officer on matters of procedures if necessary consulting a standard authority on Parliamentary Procedures, Robert's Rules of Order. Will, at the President or presiding Officer's request, maintain order during meetings.
ARTICLE VI - ANNUAL CONVENTION
The annual convention membership meeting of the TTAI shall be held in conjunction with the convention. The site will be selected on a bid basis, provided that facilities and a chairman are available and adequate transportation possiblities as well. The site will be determined by affirmative vote of the Board.
ARTICLE VII - PARLIAMENTARY LAW
A quorum for convention membership meeting shall be any number of members who attend said meeting and are registered at the convention.
A quorum for a board meeting shall be a majority of the officers and board members in good standing at the time of the meeting.
Robert's Rules of Order shall govern in all cases not provided for in these by-laws. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS Section I
These by-laws may be amended only by affirmative vote of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the advisors of the Association at a regular or special meeting, provided notice of the purpose of the proposed amendments has been stated in the call for the meeting.
At any time ten (10) percent of the valid membership may petition the Board to change any action of the Board. Said action will then be placed on a ballot to the membership and by 2/3 (two-thirds) majority of those voting, said action of the Board may be overturned.
Section II
If a court of competent jurisdiction shall hold a portion of these by-laws to be invalid, the remainder of the bylaws, not so held invalid, shall be considered in full force and effect.
ARTICLE IX - MEMBERSHIP BOOK
A compiled list of members will be mailed to all TTAI members in good standing once a year.
ARTICLE X - DISSOLUTION
The TTAI, upon dissolution, shall transfer all assets, monetary or otherwise, to it's membership at large, if no agreement is accepted. Otherwise the assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 50 1-C-3 of the Internal Revenue Code corresponding sections of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the State of Texas Government for a public purpose of education of wildlfe, or shall be used for the purpose of buying habitat for endangered species within the State of Texas. These funds shall not be used for any wildlife enforcement acts.
