DALLAS ORIGINAL BYLAWS

Transcription

1 BLUE ELDERS LAW ENFORCEMENT MOTORCYCLE CLUB DALLAS ORIGINAL BYLAWS In January of 2008, Rick L. Reid, Founder and President of the BLUE ELDERS LAW ENFORCEMENT MOTORCYCLE CLUB, formed the Club with four basic fundamentals in mind, Brotherhood, Fun, Fellowship, and Riding. These four fundamentals form what is considered to be the Spirit of the Club. If we, as members, always maintain the Spirit of the Club in what we do, where we go, and how we treat each other and the people we meet, then the Blue Elders will always remain an organization we can all be proud to be a member of. Rick Reverend Reid. 1. The BLUE ELDERS LEMC is open to any active, former, or retired law enforcement officer from any department or agency, their families, and HONORARY members. An Honorary member is someone who, in their day to day life, has done something to aid and assist law enforcement, or through their actions has brought honor to the law enforcement community. 2. The Club will be governed by five (5) officer positions, President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sgt. At Arms. Only TEXAS rocker wearing members can be one of the 5 governing officers. Any member holding an office within the Club, will wear a patch designating their office. This patch will be worn on the front, upper third of the Club vest. The rules of succession between offices will not be practiced within the BELEMC. (Example: If the Club Treasurer were to quit, or not be able to perform his duties, the Sgt. At Arms would not automatically move up into that position because he might not be qualified for or want that position.) If an officer does not, or is unable to perform his duties, or quits his office, it will be the responsibility of the President to appoint someone to that position until the regularly scheduled election. The 5 governing officers will meet once every quarter. Other offices within the Club will be Membership Director, Activities Director, Senior Road Captain, Senior Webmaster, Senior Merchandise Director, and Safety Officer. 3. Elections will be held every two (2) years on the FIRST MONDAY in January for the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sgt. At Arms. Any member wishing to run for an office will submit his name to the Club Secretary by the December General Meeting, prior to the election. (April 6, 2010) A motion was made that Reverend be President for Life. When Reverend steps down, the next President has to stand for election every two years. At that time, Reverend will assume the position of President Emeritus. The motion carries. The responsibilities of each office are as follows: PRESIDENT shall preside over all officer and general membership meetings. He will oversee all affairs of the Club and may appoint persons or committees as may

2 be required for Club business. If any officer in the Club is unable to, or fails to perform his duties, it is the responsibility of the President to appoint a replacement until the general election. VICE PRESIDENT shall perform all duties incumbent upon the President during the absence of the President. SECRETARY shall keep a record of all proceedings and shall keep the minutes at all monthly meetings. Within one week of the monthly meetings he will distribute the minutes to the Club membership, either in writing or by . TREASURER must account for all income and expenditures of the Club. He will maintain an accounting journal and log all transactions by the Club. He will give a financial report at each monthly meeting showing the current wealth of the Club. He must insure that all disbursements of Club money are approved as follows: Disbursements under $100 must be with the knowledge & approval of the Pres. and V-Pres. Disbursements of $100 and under $500 must be approved by majority vote of the five (5) Club officers. Disbursements of $500 or more, must have unanimous approval by the officers. He will be responsible for collecting any and all Dues or Fees required by the Club. SGT AT ARMS shall promote safety throughout the Club. His duties include maintaining order during all Club meetings, events and functions, and to protect the rights of the Club and it s members. It is also his duty to manage all complaints and to bring them to the attention of the President. The Sgt. At Arms will also keep an up to date record of all members to make sure that each member s motorcycle driver s license, motorcycle insurance, bike registration and inspection are all current. MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR shall be responsible for keeping an up-to-date record of all members, including Full, Associate, Honorary and Prospects. He shall be responsible for assigning Sponsors for all Prospects. ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR shall keep a Club Calendar of Events, and will keep the Club informed about upcoming events, and will help plan Club sponsored Rides, Events or Functions. SENIOR ROAD CAPTAIN shall be responsible for the safety of the membership any time the Club rides as a group. He will review routes for safety concerns, and will assist other riders in practicing safe driving while traveling in formation. He will be responsible for scheduling departure times and locations for trips or rides, and will communicate this information to all the membership. In the event that the Senior Road Captain is unable to take part in a Club run or trip, he will pick a Road Captain and two (2) Assistants to lead the Club in his absence, and will help them in their preparation, if needed.

3 SENIOR WEBMASTER shall maintain all BELEMC websites, including blueelderslemc.com, and Blue Elders LEMC on Facebook. SENIOR MERCHANDISE DIRECTOR will be in charge of ordering and distributing all Club related gear and clothing. SAFETY OFFICER will work in conjunction with the Senior Road Captain and will periodically hold Safety Meetings and will keep the membership up to date on all safety issues and concerns, and will work with the Senior Road Captain in preparing the Club for events, rides and trips. 4. All decisions affecting the Club will be voted on by the membership present. The voting membership, or FULL MEMBERS, consist of only the members that are law enforcement or former law enforcement members that wear the TEXAS bottom rocker on the back of their Club vest. In the event a tie vote occurs, the final decision will rest with a majority vote by the Five Club officers. 5. The Club patches will consist of five (5) back patches, and a chapter patch to be worn on the front of the Club vest. Back patches consist of a top rocker that reads BLUE ELDERS, a bottom rocker that reads TEXAS, a center patch of the SKULL/BADGE, which is the Club emblem, and two (2) small patches that read LE and MC. All Dallas Chapter members will wear a blue and black, Texas shaped patch that reads Dallas Original. All wives and family members that want to participate in the club can wear BLUE ELDERS SUPPORTER patches. Honorary members will wear full patches, but will wear an HONORARY bottom rocker. Honorary members do not have voting power. ALL PATCHES MUST BE SEWN ON. (May 11, 2010) BLUE ELDERS SUPPORTERS was established. Supporters are Non-Police individuals, including family members, that have a desire to Support and Ride with the Club and participate in Club events. It will be that Sponsor s job to insure that the Supporter adheres to Club rules and regulations, and that the individual never acts in any manner that would bring discredit to the Club. Any problem with a Supporter will be dealt with by that individual s Sponsor. Supporters will wear only 2 patches on the back of their Club vest. A Supporter vest will have a special BLUE ELDERS top rocker and a SUPPORTER bottom rocker. There will be nothing else on the back of a Supporter vest. Supporters can only wear their vest when they are attending Club events, going to or from a Club event, or if they are riding with a Full Patch Member. A Supporter will pay a one time Joining Fee of $ and will pay yearly dues of $ Once a Supporter pays his $ Joining Fee, he will receive his back patches from either the Club President or the Membership Director. Supporters can participate in all Club events and rides, with the exception of the Club Monthly Meetings, which are closed to non-members. Prior to receiving their patches, a Supporter must sign a Patch Waiver, acknowledging that if they decide to end their relationship with the Blue Elders, that they must return their Club patches to their Sponsor.

4 BLUE ELDERS LEMC retains ownership of all patches. Any member leaving the Club, for any reason, will return all patches to any ACTIVE MEMBER of the Club within 48 hours of leaving. NO OTHER PATCHES WILL BE WORN ON THE BACK OF A MEMBERS VEST, OTHER THAN THE FIVE (5) APPROVED CLUB PATCHES. NOTE: Patches. Only the President or the Membership Director can hand out Club 6. Any individual who is employed, or was employed, by a Police Department as a Chaplain, who carries or carried a badge, but did not have a Warrant of Appointment, is eligible for membership with the BELEMC, but will be considered and Honorary member, and therefore wear the HONORARY bottom rocker. 7. The first fourteen (14) members of the Dallas Original chapter of the BELEMC will be considered Charter Members, and will wear a CHARTER MEMBER patch on the upper front of their Club vest. All members thereafter will be considered regular members. 8. MONTHLY MEETINGS will be held on the First (1 st ) MONDAY of each month at a designated location. These meetings are very important, and every member should make every attempt to attend the monthly meetings. For the Club to thrive and prosper, it requires the participation of every member. Any member, upon learning that they will be unable to attend these meetings, or any other event planned by the Club, should send out an to the membership advising them of the situation. This will prevent time lost or wasted, waiting on a member that is not going to attend. (November 2, 2010) By unanimous vote of the sitting membership, it was ordered that Monthly meetings will only be attended by FULL PATCH MEMBERS, that is the voting Police members that wear the TEXAS bottom rocker. 9. DUES & FEES: Yearly dues will be paid by the First (1 st ) Monday in March. For FULL members and PROSPECTS, the annual dues will be $ Any PROSPECT joining the Club after the March meeting date, will be required to pay his yearly dues of $30.00 upon completion of his Prospect period, and having been voted into the Club and received his Club Patches. The only other FEE that the Club has is the ONE TIME, NON-REFUNDABLE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FEE of $ Any other fees needed for the day to day operation of the Club will be dealt with on an individual basis and voted on by the membership. For ASSOCIATES, HONORARY and SUPPORTERS, the annual dues will be $ (November 2, 2010) By majority vote of the sitting membership, it was ruled that there will no longer be ASSOCIATE patches. Family members wanting to join the Club will from this point on only be allowed to wear the SUPPORTER patches. However, anyone wearing Associate patches

5 prior to will be allowed to keep and wear their Associate patches and will still be referred to as Associates. The only other change will be that the current Associate s yearly dues will change from $30.00 to $ Responsibilities of FULL MEMBERS: A full patch member MUST own a motorcycle. A full member must make an effort to attend all meetings, events, and functions, and be dedicated to maintaining the Spirit of the Club. He must help out other members in any way possible, whenever possible. He must show appropriate respect to fellow members, and other clubs. He must be a mentor to Prospects, showing them the ways of the Club. He must always remember that when he wears the patches of the BLUE ELDERS, that he represents the whole Club, and must never act in a manner that would bring discredit or dishonor to the Club. He MUST wear Club vest at all Club functions and events. Any FULL MEMBER that has not attended any Club events, functions, or meetings for Six (6) Months, will be asked to turn in his Patches to one of the five Club officers. The exception to this rule would be if the member, or his family, has a medical emergency that would prevent him from being active in the club for long periods of time. The Club Officers will deal with these situations on an individual basis, and will make decisions accordingly. 11. ASSOCIATE, HONORARY and SUPPORTERS: These members must remember that, while wearing the patches of the BLUE ELDERS, they too represent the whole Club, and must never act in a manner that would bring discredit or dishonor to the Club. They are welcome to attend all events, and functions, but can not vote in matters pertaining to Club law. They are not required to wear their Club vest at all events and functions, but should make every effort to do so, when possible. They should also always strive to further the Spirit of the Club whenever involved in Club activities. When SUPPORTER and HONORARY members first join the Club, they will be assigned Non-family sponsors, and will be given ONLY their SUPPORTER or HONORARY bottom rockers. Supporter and Honorary members must make every effort to get to know the sitting membership of the Club. Once their sponsor feels that they have proven to the Club that they are serious about becoming members, have attended several Club events or functions, and that they understand the importance of the Spirit of the Club, then he can ask the sitting membership to vote and award them their patches. All Supporter and Honorary members must pay their Membership Application fee before they can receive their bottom rockers. 12. PROSPECT Responsibilities: To become a member of the BELEMC, a person is required to PROSPECT for a period of time, during which the Prospect must attend certain Club functions, thus giving the sitting membership time to get to know the individual. During this period, the Prospect will wear a PROSPECT patch on the back of his vest. Once the Prospect receives his PROSPECT patch, it is his responsibility to see that his patch has been sewn properly onto a vest, and worn to the next Club event that he attends. No other patch will be worn on the back of the Prospect s vest during this period. Before a Prospect can become a

6 FULL member, he must attend at least FOUR (4) Club events, and MUST attend three (3) Monthly Meetings. (A Club Event is defined as any event scheduled by the Club, in which at least Three (3) Full Patch wearing members are in attendance.) The Prospect must also attend at least One (1) New Member Formation & Safety Ride which is held once or twice a month by the Senior Road Captain. These New Member Formation & Safety Rides are open to all Club members. The Prospect must pay his Membership Application Fee of $ before he can receive his Prospect patch. A Prospect will NEVER attend a Club function without his Club vest. During the Prospect period, the Prospect should make every attempt to meet ALL sitting members of the Club by introducing himself, shaking hands, and making sure that the sitting members know he is serious about becoming a member of the BLUE ELDERS. At weekly breakfasts or dinners, it is the Prospects duty to enter the restaurant first to insure that seating arrangements are ready for the membership when they arrive. (April 11, 2010) For the safety of the Prospect during his Prospecting period, the Prospect will only wear his Prospect patch when he is either riding to or from a Club function, or when he is riding with another full patch member of the Club. A club function is defined as any event such as Club meetings, breakfast, dinner, any ride or run, or any event where the Club gathers. A full patch member is defined as any member wearing full back patches with a TEXAS bottom rocker. (July11,2010) Prior to joining the Club and receiving their Prospect Patch, all new Prospects must show proof that they have a current and valid Driver s License with a Motorcycle Endorsement. They must also show that they have current Insurance on the motorcycle they will be riding in the Club. Likewise, the Prospect s Inspection and Registration must be current on their bike. (NOTE: The BLUE ELDERS LEMC is a Law Enforcement Club, and therefore, all Club members must have a Motorcycle Driver s License and up to date insurance on their motorcycle. They must also maintain their motorcycle to insure that their Inspection and Registration is always up to date.) 13. PROSPECT SPONSOR Responsibilities: A Sponsor must be a mentor to the Prospect, and guide him through the process of becoming a member of the BELEMC. It is the Sponsor s job to make sure that the Prospect knows the requirements to become a member, and to keep track of where his Prospect is in the process. Once the Prospect has completed all the requirements to become a member, it is the Sponsor s job to bring this to the attention of the Membership Director, who will in turn advise the President that the Prospect has completed his requirements. At the next general meeting, the President will call for a vote of membership on the Prospect. 14. PROSPECT VOTING: Once a Prospect has completed the requirements as set forth within these Bylaws, and the Prospect s Sponsor has advised the Membership Director that the Prospect is ready for a vote, the Prospect will be voted on during the next scheduled monthly meeting. To become a member, the Prospect must receive a majority vote of the voting membership present. Any negative votes must be explained to the membership. If the Prospect does not

7 receive a majority vote, the decision will be made by the Club officers whether to extend the Prospect s time, or to dismiss the Prospect. The Prospect will not be present in the room during the voting process. If the Prospect receives a majority vote for full membership, he will be awarded his patches. 15. DISCIPLINARY ACTION: If any member within the Club should do anything that causes dissension among the members, or does anything that goes against the Spirit of the Club, the matter will be brought to the attention of the President. The President will turn the matter over to the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sgt At Arms, who will look into the matter and act accordingly. 16. The THREE most senior, active members of the BLUE ELDERS Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, having been with the Club the longest, will be referred to as The 3. They are identified by a Blue and Black 3 patch worn high on the front, left side of their vest. These three members should be awarded the respect due them, by all members, for having worn the SKULL/BADGE the longest, and thus forming the foundation from which would grow the BLUE ELDERS LEMC. 17. Occasionally, situations will arise that involve special circumstances. Such situations will be handled by the five (5) Club officers, and it will be up to them to determine what action will be taken in these matters. 18. The Blue Elders Colors are a Registered Trademark, and are protected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It is the purpose of these Bylaws to preserve and protect the integrity and character of the Club for it s membership, and to promote the ideals this club was founded for, brotherhood, fun, fellowship, and riding, which are now, and should always remain, the Spirit of the Club. Rick Reverend Reid PRESIDENT BELEMC