ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be The Anne Arundel County Fish and Game Conservation Association, Incorporated.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES

The purposes and objectives of this Association shall be:

(a) To promote and project a positive image of private individual firearms ownership through the safe and responsible conduct of shooting on all ranges and through programs, courses, leagues, tournaments, and other activities, sanctioned and/or sponsored by this Association that would promote and project such a positive image.

(b) The conservation of the natural resources of our Nation.

(c) The sponsoring and support of legislation which furthers the purposes and objectives of this organization and opposing that which is adverse to those purposes and objectives.

(d) To promote the impartial enforcement of game laws.

(e) To encourage means to preserve or increase the supply of game fish by stocking, elimination of pollution and the application of modern, scientifically tested methods to the improvement of woods, land, and water areas of the state.

(f) To engage in all types of social activities having any connection whatsoever with the maintenance and operation of the Association or which will financially or otherwise further these objectives.

(g) To promote and encourage friendly relations between land owners, farmers, and sportsmen.

(h) To encourage and influence, by personal conduct and joint effort, a public regard for game and fish protection and conservation.

(i) To make contracts, buy, sell, and own property, and do everything necessary to carry on or accomplish the foregoing purposes.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

(a) All applications for membership shall be on the prescribed form which shall contain the objectives of the Association and the statement: " I herewith heartily and without reservation subscribe to all the objectives of The Anne Arundel County Fish and Game Conservation Association, Incorporated, signed ....". All applicants shall proposed by a member in good standing and endorsed by the Board of Directors. Applicant must appear in person before the Membership Committee with his or her sponsor.

(b) All membership applications shall be submitted to the Club Secretary. They shall be accompanied by the initiation fee and one year's dues. (See Article IV, Section 2.) The Board of Directors shall act as a Membership Committee and shall pass upon the desirability of each proposed member. The Board shall then submit their recommendations to the next general meeting.

(c) Applications shall be submitted to members present at the next regular meeting. Applicants may be voted into membership by a majority vote of those members present.

(d) Any member may be dropped from the membership for: (1) Non-payment of dues and/or assessment. The December Club bulletin shall contain a membership renewal form. Members whose dues and/or assessments are not paid by February 1st of the current year will be dropped automatically from the Club roster and will no longer be entitled to the privileges of the Club, unless payment has been otherwise scheduled with the Treasurer. All Club bulletins from November to January shall contain the renewal form and a reminder that dues and/or assessment are due.

(2) Conduct detrimental to the objectives of the Association. Such a member may be dropped only after having an opportunity to appear before the Board of Directors and then only by a vote of two-thirds of the entire Board.

(3) Members dropped for non-payment of dues may, on application to the Board, be reinstated on such terms as the Board may determine.

(e) Honorary membership of one year's duration may be accorded certain individuals who, as non-members, have demonstrated an active interest in the objectives of the association. Such honorary members will be entitled to all privileges of active members except that they shall have no voting privileges and shall be ineligible for office. Junior boys and girls, 14 years old or older, who have shown by their sportsmanship, club interest, and cooperation that they are potential Club members, may be accorded Honorary membership of one year's duration. They may be reelected yearly if their conduct warrants.

(f) All new members as of August 1999 shall, as a condition of their membership renewal, be a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and that such condition is made known to all prospective incoming new members upon their application to join AAF&G.

ARTICLE IV: DUES AND INITIATION FEES

The Club fiscal year will run from January 1st to December 31st.

The Board of Directors shall present at the September meeting any proposed change to the Annual Dues for approval by a majority vote of the members present. Annual dues will be prorated for new members only.

The Board of Directors shall present at the February meeting any proposed change to the Initiation Fee for approval by a majority vote of the members present. The initiation fee shall be payable with application for membership. An 18-year old person who has been a member in good standing of the Junior Rifle Program, conducted by the Anne Arundel County Fish and Game Conservation Association, Incorporated, for three consecutive years can be admitted to the Club, if duly sponsored, without the above initiation fee.

On decision of the Board of Directors, a Capital Assessment may be submitted to vote of the entire membership by mail and assessment made if passed by a majority of the votes cast. The Board of Directors shall inform the membership of the purpose for the assessment and the number of year(s) that the assessment will be in effect. Once an assessment has been passed, it will continue in effect until the stated project or objective is completed or the project is modified or terminated by the Board of Directors. Capital Assessments will not be prorated except for new members. Capital Assessments are to be paid by all voting members (regular dues-paying members and life members).

Upon the payment of ten times the annual dues, any member in good standing may become a Life Member and shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues thereafter for the rest of his life. A Life Member will have to pay any annual Capital Assessment passed per Section 4.

Any member, upon reaching the age of 65, who has been an active member for the preceding ten years, may apply for Life Membership on a form provided by the Secretary on request. On favorable action by the Board of Directors, such member shall be exempt from payment of annual dues thereafter. Such member will have to pay any annual Capital Assessment passed per Section 4. If such member has been a member in good standing for the ten (10) years immediately prior to his application, he shall be instated as an Active Life Member with all membership privileges. Applicants with less than ten (10) years previous membership shall be instated as Honorary Life Members. Any member so desiring may remain a dues paying member regardless of his age. Members entering the Armed Services and temporarily absent from their normal residence, or any member who, through business connections or otherwise, is required to change his residence such that regular attendance to meetings of the Association is prohibited may, on written request to the Secretary, and with the approval of the Board of Directors, be declared an Absentee Member, and such member shall be exempt from payment of annual dues during the period of his absence.

Members of the immediate family (over 18 and living in the same household) may join as family members for the cost of 25% of the annual dues (no initiation fee or capital assessment). This fee is also prorated for the first year.

Any person who is 18 years of age or older and is a full time undergraduate student at a college, university, vocational training school or military academy may be granted a non-voting membership. This membership will be limited to persons 25 years of age or less. The initiation fee will be waived and the cost of this membership will be 50% of the dues and any capital assessments of a regular annual membership.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

The Association shall meet monthly on the second Thursday at 8:00 p.m. local time.

The order of business at regular monthly meetings shall be:

(1) Call to Order

(2) Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

(3) Secretary's Report

(4) Treasurer's Report

(5) Committee Reports

(6) Unfinished Business

(7) New Business

(8) Good of the Order

(9) Adjournment

The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held during the month of December with the specific date and time to be set by the Board of Directors. The general membership shall be notified accordingly, thirty days in advance of said meeting.

The order of business at the Annual Meeting shall be:

(1) Call to Order

(2) Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

(3) Secretary's Report

(4) Treasurer's Report

(5) Annual Reports of Officers and of the Board of Directors

(6) Election of Officers

(7) Old Business

(8) New Business

(9) Adjournment

Special meetings may be called by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Only members in good standing, not declared arrears in dues, shall be entitled to voice or vote in any meeting.

Ten percent (10%) of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting, and the Secretary shall inform the presiding officer at the Call to Order whether or not a quorum is present.

All meetings shall be conducted under the current bylaws of this Association and by Robert's Rules of Order Revised. In the event of a conflict, these bylaws shall always take precedence.

All members shall be notified of meetings, regular, annual, or special, by the Secretary, by mail, in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE VI: MANAGEMENT

Management of the Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

The Officers of the Association shall be:

(1) President (3) Secretary

(2) Vice President (4) Treasurer

The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by ballot and shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting or until their successors are elected.

The Association shall be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and twelve (12) elected members, and the immediate past President. Nine (9) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

A Nominating Committee of three (3) members, not less than two (2) of whom shall be members currently holding no office in the Association, shall be elected at the June meeting. This committee shall nominate one member for each of the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four or more members of the Board of Directors. The term of office of Board Members shall be three years with four or more (see Article VII, Section 8) being elected each year. The Nominating Committee shall report its nominations at the September meeting and slate shall be circulated to all members with their notification of the Annual Meeting.

Any member may, at the September meeting, submit additional nominations at the time the Nominating Committee makes its report. These nominations shall be circulated with those of the Nominating Committee. At the Annual Meeting, additional nominations from the floor may be made. The person(s) receiving a plurality vote shall be deemed elected in each instance.

The election shall be conducted by the Nominating Committee, with the Chairman of the Nominating Committee presiding. Voting shall be by ballot. A quorum of ten percent (10%) of the total voting membership must be present at the Annual Meeting for the election of officers.

The President, Vice President, and Directors may not be re-elected for more than three (3) consecutive terms. All other officers shall be unrestricted

In the event of a vacancy occurring in any office, the Board of Directors shall appoint a member to fill such office until the next annual election.

All candidates for any office or seat on the Board of Directors shall be members in good standing whose dues and assessments (when applicable) are paid in full, or payment has been otherwise scheduled with the Treasurer. All candidates and nominees for the offices of President and Vice President shall have been members in good standing for the two (2) years previous to their taking office.

The Board of Directors and Officers of the Association shall be indemnified by it against court-awarded damages, reasonable costs, expenses, and counsel fees paid or incurred in connection with any action, suit, or proceeding in which such Director or Officer is a party by reason of his being or having been such Director or Officer.

ARTICLE VIII: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

The President shall preside at all regular membership meetings and at the Annual Meeting, except during election of officers (see Article VIII, Section 6). He shall automatically be a member of all committees, except those special committees appointed by the Board of Directors, and shall instruct all standing committees (see Section 2 hereunder) as to their duties and responsibilities. He shall have full authority to change these duties and responsibilities if and when, in his judgment, such changes will be in the best interests of the Association. He shall be permitted, in the event of emergencies needing immediate attention or decision, to take such action as his best judgment dictates to cover the emergency. When the emergency involves the special business(covered in Article IX, Section 2), such action shall be taken only after due effort has been made to convene the Board of Directors.

The President shall appoint Chairmen to the following standing committees and such special ad hoc committees as is deemed necessary:

(1) Public Relations

(2) Fish and Fishing

(3) Game and Hunting

(4) House

(5) Planning, Buildings, and Grounds

(6) Entertainment and Hospitality

(7) Program

(8) Legislation and conservation

(9) Rifle Committee

(10) Shotgun Committee

(11) Hunter Safety

(12) Auditing

13. Pistol
14. Action Pistol

(15) Land Committee

(16) Junior Programs

(17) Black Powder

(18) Archery

All committee appointments to be valid must be accepted by the appointee. Membership of all committees shall be posted and kept current by the Secretary.

Standing committees shall determine their own methods of procedure and meet at the call of the Chairman. Committee activities shall be reported at regular meetings and committees shall make such special reports as the Board of Directors or the President may direct.

In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President and be accorded all the rights and privileges of that office and, in addition, shall perform such other duties as the President may direct.

The Secretary shall be required to keep a complete and accurate record of the business of the meeting, which record shall be presented to the members at each following meeting as minutes. He shall at all times maintain an accurate, up-to-date mailing list and other records as shall enable the Board of Directors at any time to determine the status of any member. The Secretary shall be responsible for reproducing and mailing all notices to the members which are authorized by the members in meetings or by the Board of Directors. He shall be responsible for all Association correspondence as the President and Board of Directors may direct. In the absence of the President and the Vice President, the Secretary shall preside at regular meetings and, if he deems it advisable, shall appoint an acting Secretary for that specific meeting.

The Treasurer shall receive all money paid into the Association and shall deposit all Association funds in the name of the Association in such bank as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall maintain an accounting system as designated by the Board of Directors and shall keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer shall give an accounting of all receipts and disbursements to the members at the regular meeting each month. The Treasurer shall make no disbursement from the treasury except for specific expenditures as may from time to time be authorized in advance by a majority vote of the members at a regular meeting of the Association or by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall see that all required tax returns and license applications will be filed as required.

The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve (12) elected members, the immediate past President, the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board of Directors shall meet as soon after the Annual Meeting as is mutually convenient for the purpose of electing a Chairman and organizing the Board. Board Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Directors. If the Chairman is absent, the President shall open the meeting for the purpose of electing an acting Chairman from the Board Members present. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be ineligible for election to the office of Chairman of the Board. Thereafter, the Board shall meet at least once each calendar month prior to the regular meeting of the Association. The time and place of meetings shall be determined by the Board. Minutes will be kept by the Secretary. Any Board member who fails to attend three consecutive meeting without excuse satisfactory to the Chairman shall be deemed to have resigned and thereafter ceases to be a member of the Board. The Board shall be responsible for the management of the Association in conformance with the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. The Board of Directors shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual budget which shall be presented to the membership at the February meeting. This budget shall include all anticipated activities, have approximate cost of each, and indicate priority. On acceptance by the members attending the February meeting, all such projects shall immediately become active in order of priority and shall require no further approval provided the expenditures involved shall not materially exceed the estimated cost. Provided, however that such expenditures shall at no time reduce the Treasury below Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). The Board shall approve all committee and Association Programs, house rules, ground rules, expenditures of Association funds, accounting procedures, determine Association policy, and, in general, manage the Association.

Any Officer or Chairperson handling Club money must give a written accounting of same. This report shall consist of copies to the Secretary and Treasurer.

ARTICLE IX: VOTING PROCEDURES

Normal business will be conducted by a majority of the members present.

All matter of major policy, acquisition or disposal of property, expenditures of large sums by the Treasurer, commitment to long term indebtedness, relationship with State or National Sportsmen's bodies, action in conjunction with or in cooperation with State or National wildlife and conservation agencies, etc., shall be studied by the Board of Directors and their recommendations shall be submitted at the meeting next subsequent for disposal by a majority vote of members present.

The Board of Directors will prescribe the nature of business; i.e., normal or special, if a doubt exists. Either the presiding Officer or a majority of the members present may ask the Board for a decision.

ARTICLE X: CHANGES

Changes, amendments, or additions to these Bylaws may be made as follows: