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By-laws and Constitution for “HUDSON SNO-MEN INC.”
HUDSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03051

Article I – Organization Name

The name of the organization shall be the “Hudson Sno-Men Inc.” of Hudson, New Hampshire. It shall be a nonprofit organization.

Article II – Purpose

a. To establish and uphold a good image for the sport of snowmobiling by educating and encouraging users in the proper, considerate and courteous use of snowmobiles.

b. To promote good conduct, sportsmanship and safe snowmobiling.

c. To promote properly organized snowmobile trips, rallies, competitions and other social functions.

d. To aid local and state officials in rescue operations requiring the use of snowmobiles.

e. To assist local snowmobile owners against discriminatory legislation, regulation and unjust taxation.

f. To work with state and federal officials and land owners towards mutually satisfactory rules for broader use of public and private lands by snowmobiles.

g. To promote a friendly association and good fellowship amongst snowmobile owners.

h. To promote safe snowmobiling for its members.

i. To exchange trail information with other clubs.

Article III – Membership

a. Any person Eighteen (18) years of age or older, having an interest in snowmobiling, may join the “HUDSON SNO-MEN INC.”

b. Membership may be revoked for due cause as recommended by the Board of Directors and a 2/3 vote of the members present at the meeting.

c. Members or applicants for membership shall not be discriminated against for reasons of race, color or creed.

d. Any member may resign from the club at any time upon written notice to the secretary.

e. Membership: Single or Family memberships will be unlimited.

Article IV – Government

a. The club will be governed by officers elected by the club members on a 2/3 vote, of the members present, at the designated Election Meeting.

b. Executive officers will consist of the President, the Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall be members of “Hudson Sno-Men Inc.”.

c. It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors and club Officers to carry out the wishes of the membership.

d. All elected officers will serve for a term of one (1) year, or until replaced or reelected. Any vacancies occurring during the year shall be filled by a member in good standing, recommended by the Board of Directors, and approved on a 2/3 vote of the members present at the designated meeting.

e. No person shall contract any debts for or against the club without first being authorized to do so by a majority vote of club members at any regular meeting.

f. Nomination of Officers will be accepted from the floor. The club officers will be elected by the club membership, on a 2/3 vote of the membership in attendance, at the final regular meeting of the season. New officers will assume their duties at the last meeting of the Spring season, except the Treasurer who will assume office in September. Member(s) must be present at the final regular meeting of the membership in order to cast their ballot(s). Voting by proxy is not permitted.

g. The Board of Directors shall consist of eleven (11) directors plus the officers (4) each of whom shall be active members of the club. The Board will consist of between eleven (11) and seventeen (17) members. A majority of the Board of Directors shall be a quorum. Directors shall be elected just prior to the Annual Meeting and take office at the close of the Annual Meeting. Each Director shall be elected to serve for three (3) years. The Immediate Past President will serve as a Director until the term of the new President is completed and another is elected. The Immediate Past President’s primary function is to assist the new President in familiarization of the organization’s functions. If for any reason a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors, a member appointed by the Board of Directors shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the year. At the end of the year, the membership will nominate and elect a successor for a three year term.

The Board of Directors will act as the overall steering committee for the club. They may appoint club committees, fill any vacancies or change the membership in such committees. The Board of Directors, upon a 2/3 majority vote of the members present at a regular or special meeting, shall have the power to discharge any committee or elective officer. A Director may hold elective office.The Board of Directors will act as a Fund Raising Committee to initiate and schedule activities to raise funds for the club’s general treasury. Activities can consist of functions such as dances, raffles, yard sales, banquets or any other activity not normally planned and scheduled by the Activities Committee (i.e. races and trail rides). These fund raising activities will be chosen as early as ossible each season and coordinated with the Activities Chairman to ensure no conflicts occur with the activities schedule. The Chairman of the Fund Raising Activities will be selected by the Board of Directors. Committee members will be asked to serve by the Board and Committee Chairman at the commencement of the particular activity. Members of the Board of Directors may serve on these committees.

Article V – Meetings

a. The Annual Meeting will be held in either the month of April or May at a time and place selected by the Officers and Board of Directors. The first meeting of the year will be held in September. Meetings will be held the first and third Wednesday of the month and will begin at 7:30 pm. Summer meetings will take place the third Wednesday of the month from April through August. (These Summer meetings are not regularly scheduled and will be voted upon by the members prior to the Annual Meeting).

b. Board of Director and Executive Officer meetings will be held monthly, unless voted otherwise by the Board. Any Board of irectors member having two (2) consecutive un-excused absences from meetings shall be contacted by the President and asked for their intentions. Upon a third (3) violation they shall be immediately terminated from the Board. A sum of $300.00 is allocated annually to help defray the costs of hosting Board of Directors meetings. A sum of $20.00 per meeting may be allocated to the individual(s) hosting a Board of Directors meeting.

c. If funds remain at the close of the Bimonthly meetings and prior to new elections of Officers, the Board of Directors may elect to have a dinner/business meeting utilizing the unused funds.

d. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted during any business meeting.

e. Any member committing an act of violence or causing bodily harm at any official club gathering may have their membership revoked by the Board of Directors.

Article VI – Dues

a. All dues for membership will be payable at the first September meeting of the year, and said dues when paid will constitute a membership in good standing. Any member(s) not having paid their dues by the first meeting in October will be declared delinquent and their membership terminated.

Dues in various categories shall be:

ANNUALLY

Family membership, *, **, *** ----------------- $ 25. 00
Individual Membership, **, *** ----------------- $ 25.00

* Family is: father, mother, and children under 18 years of age.
** Individual/Dual membership to NHSA will be voted on by the membership at the first scheduled meeting in May.
*** New member(s) shall receive club decals: two (2) decals for family memberships and one (1) decal for single membership. Additional decals may be purchased for $ 1.00 each.

b. Only regular members in good standing will be eligible to hold an office or serve on any committee. A family membership is entitled to two votes, the husband and wife having voting privileges.

c. The club will use a portion of each member’s dues to pay their membership in the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association (NHSA). Hudson Sno-men Lifetime Members will be responsible for paying their own NHSA membership.

d. In the event “Hudson Sno-Men Inc.” dissolves, for any reason, the excess funds, after all debts are paid, will be donated to the “Hudson Youth Center, 4 Oakland Street Hudson, NH 03051”.

Article VII – Duties

a. The President shall preside at all; regular, special, and Board of Directors meetings. He/she shall be an ex-officio member with the right to vote. He/she shall have such power and perform such duties as may normally be incidental to the office of the President. The President and escort will be entitled to attend all functions of the club at no cost to themselves or as voted by the membership annually. The President has the authority to use club funds up to $ 50.00 without approval of the membership for immediate expenditures. Such expenditures shall be brought before the membership at the next club meeting. This authority can be revoked at any time by the membership.

b. The Vice President will assist the President in the discharge of his duties and shall preside in the absence of the President.

c. The Secretary shall keep a correct record of the proceedings of all meetings and shall read said minutes at the succeeding meeting. In the absence of the President and Vice President, it is the Secretary’s duty to call the meeting to order and occupy the chair until a chairperson pro tempore is elected. The Secretary will read all matters to be acted upon when requested to do so, and will call the roll of the Club when necessary. A committee chairperson will be provided a list of the persons on the committee and a statement of the committee’s responsibilities. The Secretary will have custody of all papers and documents. The Secretary will sign the minutes of the meeting and the authentication by his/her signature alone, or in connection with that of the presiding officer, all acts, orders and proceedings of the meeting will be official.

d. The Treasurer shall receive all dues from the membership chairperson keeping a record of all financial matters. He/she shall pay all obligations as sanctioned by the members of the Club and keep a true and complete record of all financial transactions. The Treasurer will render a report at all meetings. The accounts shall be audited each year by the Board of Directors in September and a printed report prepared and distributed to members at the Annual Meeting.

e. Each Director shall represent the wishes of the Club to the best of his/her ability in keeping with the intents and purposes of the Club. He/she shall keep outside groups informed of the good that snowmobilers are doing in their communities as individuals, as a club, or as an association. They will forward to the President all information promoting the sport of snowmobiling that may come to their attention.

f. Committees shall be chosen by the Club, at a regular meeting, at the end of the season. Committee membership is voluntary. Committee chairpersons shall select the number of members from within the club to fulfill the objectives of the committee. The following committees are in effect:

Article VIII - Committees

1. Membership Committee - Objective:

To sign up new members, and keep an active record of the membership. This committee will receive dues when signing a new member and must forward dues to the Treasurer, and provide the new member’s name to the Secretary.

2. Activities Committee (Presently administered by Board of Directors) – Objective:

To plan trail rides, trips, picnics, social meetings, make accommodations, schedule competitions, coordinate with other clubs and plan and implement all non-fund raising activities. Develop an activities program and budget no later than December 1st, and obtain membership approval for the current year’s activity schedule.

3.Trail Administrator

Mark Trails, Trail Maintenance

4. By-Laws Committee - Objective

Establish club By-laws and make amendments as required by the membership or Board of Directors. This committee is only active at the request of the club’s executive officers.

5. Safety Committee – Objective:

Establish a safety code and insure that all members are provided this information. Report dangerous or unsafe, machines or conditions to club officials.

6. Publicity (On request) Committee - Objective:

To report activities to the news media and write and release press items. Maintain personal contact with the news media and insure that newsworthy activities and events are reported. Submit appropriate advertisements and notices to the news media.

7. Refreshments Committee – Objective:

Provide refreshments at club meetings and outings. Committee chairpersons may request members to assist in food preparation etc…

8. Point Chairperson

The Point chairperson will receive and record all points submitted in accordance with the rules set forth in the club’s Policy On Conducting Hudson Sno-Men Inc. Business. Points must be received from the committee chairperson within 30 days of the activity for the points to be creditable.

9. Condolences Committee (Presently Administered by the Secretary)

To have delivered or forwarded to club members (a member is as defined in Article (III) an expression of sympathy upon (*) serious illness, death or birth in a club member’s (**) immediate family. The one person committee will receive requests for (***) condolences from other club members and see that appropriate actions be taken based on definitions stated below. The invoices for such items are forwarded to the club Treasurer. It is understood that it is not our intent to forward condolences to all the people within a family structure of our members, but only as they apply to our paid dues member’s immediate family.

Definitions

(*) Serious Illnesses: Requiring a minimum of a member’s 3 days stay in hospital. Death of a member is self explanatory.

(**) Club members immediate family is defined as:

Family membership: Husband, wife (or significant other),
Children. Other considerations would be; father, mother, brother or sister.

(***) Condolences will be sent by virtue of flowers or cards:

The condolences committee chairperson must be notified, and this action is solely the responsibility of the members of the club:

Flowers: Will be sent for; serious illness, death or birth to a member’s immediate family as defined above.

Cards: Will be sent for other expressions of; sympathy, injury, or other occasion to a member’s immediate family as defined above.

10. Program Chairperson (This activity temporarily inactive)

To plan and schedule short entertainment subjects at regularly scheduled Monday night meetings on an as needed basis. Subjects may be items such as films, slides,
speakers, safety demonstrations, cold weather survival techniques or any other appropriate subject.

11. Photography Chairperson

To photograph club functions, upon request from the membership. To maintain albums of the photographs for the membership. Upon termination of the photographic chairperson all prints, negatives and album(s) will be returned to the President immediately. The chairperson will upon request supply the album(s) to the membership.

12. Meeting Raffle Chairperson

The meeting raffle chairperson is responsible for drawings held at regularly scheduled meetings. Monies collected are to be given to the treasurer at the end of the meeting. The Meeting Raffle Chairperson is also responsible for award distributions.

13. Point Trip Chairperson

1. Investigate areas of potential interest.
2. Present to the membership choices available.
3. Site pros and cons of each area if applicable.
4. When a choice is made, coordinate reservations, attendees, and funding appropriations from the Treasurer with the majority approval of the membership present at a meeting, by vote.

Article IX – Amendments

a. Amendments to these By-laws may be submitted to the club membership on vote of the Board of Directors, or on petition signed by at least ten (10) members in good standing and submitted to the Secretary in writing.

b. Proposed changes shall be submitted to the members before a regular meeting at which time a vote is to be taken.

c. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by the membership present shall be required to amend the By-laws.

Article X – Charities

The club will attempt to give charitable donations to worthy causes and organizations as approved by the club membership at a regular meeting. The sums of money may be adjusted upon a recommendation of the Board of Directors, with the approval of the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Article XI – Adoption

Adopted by the club membership on a 2/3 vote of the members present. This meeting took place on the 15th day of December, 2004 at the Hudson Recreational Center, Hudson NH.

The Hudson Sno-Men Inc. of Hudson NH

Signed by: James Tribou, President
Signed by: Michelle Rodrigue, Secretary

A copy of these bylaws and/or amendments shall be forwarded to the Officers and Directors of the club and shall be made available to members through the website.

The bylaw chairperson is responsible for the updating and maintenance of the bylaws, and the record keeping of any; corrections, changes and/or amendments approved by the membership.

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