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ARTICLES of AGREEMENTQuick Link IndexPREAMBLEARTICLE VI - MEETINGS & GENERAL PROCEDURES ARTICLE VII - HOSTING MEETINGS ARTICLE - VIII SANTIONED EVENTS PREAMBLEThe Atlantic Motorcycle Coordinating Council (AMCC) exists as a forum for discussion among member Clubs. Its purpose is to foster brotherhood among Clubs sharing a commonality of interest and geography.* The decisions of the Council will be executed by the member Clubs and enforced only by the honor and good-will of these Clubs. The Council will at no time involve itself in the internal affairs of any member Club. *In the USA - the States of ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC, GA, FL *In Canada - all of the Province of Ontario east of the 80th meridian and all of the Provinces of QUE, NB, NS, PEI, NF *In London, UK - the SNC 69 Club ARTICLE I - PurposeA. The Council will work to encourage participation at all sanctioned events. B. The Council is to coordinate event dates for its member Clubs so that, whenever possible, there is no conflict with another member Club. C. The Council will make itself available for discussion of items of interest to the member Clubs. D. The Council will work to promote the enjoyment of motorcycling, leather/levi, and social activities among its members and to foster the safety thereof. ARTICLE II - StructureA. The Council will be comprised of member Clubs. Two (2) members from each Club will serve as representatives to the Council. Each Club is entitled to only one (1) vote. B. These two representatives will be chosen by the member Clubs by whatever method they deem appropriate. At least one representative to the Council should be as permanent as possible. Preferably, the President or chief officer of each represented Club should sit on the Council. C. Members of member Clubs are encouraged and entitled to attend Council meetings. However, the host Club is responsible for hosting at the Council meeting only two (2) official Council representatives from each member Club. D. The Council may establish committees to advise the membership on the various issues that may come before it. ARTICLE III - MembershipA. Membership in the Council is to be comprised of voting and non-voting member Clubs. B. Applicants for membership must certify in writing that they have at least ten (10) full active members and have been in formal existence for at least one (1) year. C. An applicant must be sponsored by a voting member Club and co-sponsored by another voting member Club and both will verify that the applicant Club meets the requirements of Article III.B and is willingly and knowingly joining the AMCC. The applicant will be presented at a Council meeting and voted upon by the Council at the next meeting. D. Eighty percent (80%) of the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which a vote on a new member Club is held must vote affirmatively for the acceptance of a new member Club. If the vote is in the affirmative, the applicant becomes a voting member of the AMCC upon the adjournment of that meeting. The vote will be by secret ballot. No proxy votes will be allowed for this vote. Article VI.H does not apply to this vote; an abstention is considered a vote in the negative. E. On or about January first of each year, each member Club will certify to the Secretary of the Council, in writing, the number of regular members and pledges for regular membership in the Club. The Secretary of the Council shall transmit a reminder to each Club, its President, and its AMCC representative during that same time period. Any member Club which fails to respond by the second meeting of the AMCC in each calendar year will not be permitted to vote until such certification is received. Upon receipt of such certification, that member Club's vote is automatically restored if no other impediment to voting exists. A member Club may hold non-voting membership due to non-compliance with this section of this Article for no more than six (6) months from the date that voting rights were suspended. When that period of time has been completed and such member Club has not complied with the provisions of this section of this Article for the current and past years, that Club will have resigned from membership in the AMCC. That Club may rejoin under the provisions of sections B, C, and D of this Article. ARTICLE IV - Council OfficersA. PRESIDENT - Chair AMCC meetings in accordance with the Articles of Agreement, maintain order at these meetings, generally direct the Council, and ensure that the directives of the Council are carried out. The President shall publish and transmit an agenda for each meeting of the Council at least thirty (30) days prior to that meeting to each Club, its President, and its AMCC representative. B. VICE-PRESIDENT - Chair AMCC meetings in the absence of the President and assist the President in all Council activities. The Vice-President shall maintain and publish a calendar of AMCC member Club and known non-Council Club major events that are not in conflict with AMCC sanctioned events. Publication and distribution of this calendar is to take place at each AMCC meeting. To assist the Vice-President in this effort, it is requested that AMCC member Clubs submit a list of upcoming events taking place over the next six (6) months. This list should be submitted to the Vice-President not later than thirty (30) days prior to each meeting. [Return to Calendar] C. SECRETARY - Keep all minutes and records. Transmit copies of the minutes within thirty (30) days after each meeting to each Club, its President, and its AMCC representative. The Secretary is to initiate all Council correspondence. The Secretary is to maintain, publish, and distribute at each meeting of the AMCC a current directory of Council member Clubs, Presidents, and AMCC representatives. To assist the Secretary in this effort, it is requested that AMCC member Clubs submit, in writing, to the Secretary the name, address, phone, electronic address, and other preferred contact information, if any, of their President and/or AMCC representative whenever there is any change. If there is any change in the contact information of a member Club, such change must be reported to the Secretary, in writing, as soon as possible. D. TREASURER - Keep all Council financial records. Recommend an assessment for Council approval for operating expenses. Keep a bank account with the Treasurer's and any one other officer's signature required for disbursements. Report in writing at each Council meeting all receipts and expenditures since the last meeting. This report shall be transmitted with the minutes and shall be distributed at each meeting of the AMCC. E. REMOVAL - If an officer continually neglects to perform the assigned duties as outlined in these Articles or neglects to carry out the voted decisions of the Council, that officer may be removed. The request for removal must come in writing from at least two (2) voting member Clubs and must be submitted to the President of the Council. (If the request is to remove the President, the request shall be submitted to the Vice-President.) The request and the reasons for it will be made known to all member Clubs by the President (or the Vice-President) of the Council no more than thirty (30) days after such a request is received by transmitting a copy of the request to each member Club, its President, and its AMCC representative. The request shall be discussed at the meeting following the receipt of such a request if at least thirty (30) days have elapsed since the transmittal of a copy of the request by the President (or the Vice-President) of the Council; otherwise, the request shall be discussed at the next meeting. Any defense shall be offered at the meeting at which the request is discussed. The vote for removal shall be held at the next meeting following the discussion of the request for removal. Eighty percent (80%) of the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which the vote for removal is held must vote affirmatively for the removal to be effective. If the vote is in the affirmative, the removal is effective upon the announcement of the vote. The vote will be by secret ballot. No proxy votes will be allowed for this vote. Article VI.H does not apply to this vote; an abstention is considered a vote in the negative. ARTICLE V - ElectionsA. Commencing April 5, 1979, officers of the Council shall be elected for a term of two (2) years. B. Elections are held biennially at the last Council meeting prior to April 5 of the election year. C. Officers will assume their duties on April 5 of the election year. D. The only qualification for office in the Council is that of belonging to an AMCC voting member Club as a regular member. E. The Council meeting prior to the scheduled election meeting will be the nominating meeting. A ballot will be prepared and mailed by the Secretary to all voting member Clubs at their designated address. This ballot should be returned to the Secretary. However, if the incumbent in the office of Secretary of the AMCC is nominated for any office of the AMCC, the President shall designate a person to receive the ballots who is not currently nominated for any office of the AMCC. In the event of an emergency during which the Council is meeting virtually, the Council may, by a vote of 80% of the member clubs present at the nominating meeting, decide to vote electronically. F. A vacancy in any office will be filled by an election at the Council meeting following a vacancy. Nominations shall be received during the meeting and the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting will cast their ballots until a winner is chosen. G. In any election for any office in the AMCC at any time: the individual with the highest number of votes receives the office; if a tie occurs, the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which an election is being held will recast their ballots until a winner is chosen; only the name of the winner of the office will be announced; the actual vote count will not be announced or included in the minutes of the meeting; the vote will be by secret ballot; no proxy votes will be allowed. ARTICLE VI - Meetings and General ProceduresA. MEETINGS - AMCC meetings should be held during AMCC sanctioned events, although at the pleasure of the Council, one meeting a year may be held at any other time. Except when the Council itself schedules a meeting when no member Club has requested to host under the provisions of Article VII, future meetings shall be scheduled two (2) meetings in advance at any meeting. When the Council itself schedules a meeting when no member Club has requested to host under the provisions of Article VII, that meeting may occur sooner than two (2) months from the previous meeting, if necessary, or sooner than two (2) months before the next meeting, if necessary. B. QUORUM - A quorum will exist at a meeting when there is representation by fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the voting member Clubs. Business authorized by these Articles may be conducted if a quorum is present at a meeting of the AMCC. C. EXPEDITING BUSINESS - Unless specified in these Articles that an item of business is held over for a vote to a subsequent meeting, representatives should be prepared to vote on any business to come before the Council. D. VOTING RIGHTS - Member Clubs may not vote when their membership falls below six (6) members. Voting rights will be automatically restored when the Club presents to the Secretary of the Council a written certification by its President that its membership again has reached six (6) or more members if no other impediment to voting exists. During the interim, the Club will have non-voting Council membership and retain any sanction date the Council has already granted for the current calendar year; however, the Club may not request or be granted any further sanction dates during the interim period. During the interim, the Club will be held to all the requirements of Article III.E and Section F of this Article. E. PROXIES - Proxies must be in writing, signed by the Secretary or President of the Club issuing the proxy, and a copy shall be delivered to the presiding officer of the Council prior to the call to order of the meeting at which it is to be used. The proxy shall state which Club is to vote the proxy; however, it need not state issues to be voted upon. Proxies will be considered for the establishment of a quorum and may be used to vote except when such use is prohibited in these Articles. Only voting member Clubs may submit or hold proxies. A voting member Club may hold the proxy of only one (1) other voting member Club at any meeting. A voting member Club may submit its proxy for no more than two (2) consecutive meetings. F. ATTENDANCE - A member Club must attend in person at least one (1) meeting which may include the biennial election of officers and before the next biennial election or it automatically loses its right to vote until it does so. The Secretary of the Council shall report member Club attendance and voting status to the Council during or immediately after roll call at each meeting. The Secretary of the Council shall notify in writing a member Club of its potential loss of voting rights so that remedial action can be taken by that member Club. This notification shall be transmitted to the Club, its President, and its AMCC representative not later than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which voting rights would be suspended. A member Club may hold non-voting membership due to non-compliance with this Section of this Article for no more than six (6) months from the date that voting rights were suspended or until the meeting of the AMCC following the date that voting rights were suspended whichever is later. When that period of time has been completed and such member Club has not complied with the provisions of this Section of this Article, that Club will have resigned from membership in the AMCC. That Club may rejoin under the provisions of Article III Sections B, C, and D. G. ABSTENTIONS - A simple majority of member Clubs voting will decide any issue unless a different percentage is specifically required elsewhere in these Articles. Abstaining votes are not to be included in the vote count. The number of votes cast is to be diminished by the number of abstentions. H. GUESTS - Guests may be invited to Council meetings by any member Club of the Council or by any Council officer provided no member Club objects. Guests may not participate in the meeting unless invited to do so. Persons who are not members of a member Club of the AMCC are the only persons to be considered as guests. I. BUDGET - In order to carry out the duties of the officers as outlined in these Articles, a proposed biennial budget shall be presented to the Council by the Treasurer of the Council for Council approval no later than the second meeting after the biennial election of new officers. This budget shall include the estimated expenditures and revenues projected from that meeting to the end of the term of officers then in office. This budget is only to serve as a guideline. It may be changed by vote of the Council at any meeting as necessary. ARTICLE VII - Fair and Equitable Hosting of AMCC MeetingsA. A Club requesting a meeting must transmit this request in writing to the Vice-President of the AMCC at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting date at which the next host site determination will be made. B. The first calculation is a division of the number of years the Club has been in the AMCC by the number of meetings hosted by the Club in the last ten (10) years. C. The next calculation is the addition of the number of years since the Club has hosted a meeting. D. The Club with the highest total gets the next host site. E. All ties come to the floor. There are three (3) additional considerations: 1. One (1) member of the prospective host Club must be registered on the event at which the meeting is being held where the determination takes place. 2. The Vice-President shall render a Club ineligible to host if the requested date for the meeting is within two (2) months of a previously scheduled AMCC meeting. 3. If joint AMCC hosts are in the running, the calculations would be from the Club with the most favorable history to host. F. Clubs jointly hosting a meeting will be charged one (1) full point each in the determination of fair and equitable hosting of AMCC meetings. ARTICLE VIII - Sanctioned EventsA. The Secretary of the Council will receive requests in writing for event dates at least thirty (30) days prior to the last meeting of each calendar year. The Secretary will present these requests to the member Clubs at the last meeting of each calendar year at which time those dates not in conflict will be voted upon. Invitational events shall not receive or retain sanction. 1. Member Clubs with conflicting dates will resolve such conflicts among themselves with the Council acting as mediator if requested by all such Clubs involved. Dates in conflict will be voted upon when such resolution is completed. B. Member Clubs with sanctioned dates may advertise their event as AMCC sanctioned. Only one (1) event may be sanctioned per calendar year for each member Club. C. Sanctioned events fall into two (2) categories: those lasting over thirty (30) hours and those lasting thirty (30) hours or less. No other interclub activity shall be held in conflict with a sanctioned event lasting over thirty (30) hours and which occurs within a three hundred (300) mile radius of the site of such a sanctioned event. No other interclub activity shall be held in conflict with a sanctioned event lasting thirty (30) hours or less and which occurs within a fifty (50) mile radius of the site of such a sanctioned event. 1. An interclub activity is defined as any activity involving the expected support and/or solicitation and/or participation of any other member Club. D. Member Clubs may have additional interclub events throughout the year as they see fit, subject to the provisions of Section C of this Article, but may not advertise them as sanctioned. The Council encourages member Clubs within a particular geographic center to resolve non-sanctioned event date conflicts to mutual satisfaction. E. The Council will seek to encourage co-sponsored events and regional events. If two or more member Clubs wish to co-sponsor events, they will collectively retain the right to conduct as many events as they would have conducted had they sponsored individually. F. Member Clubs which have repeatedly held sanctioned events on a specific weekend of the year or on a given date retain their right to that weekend or date even though they may refrain from exercising their option to hold a sanctioned event on that weekend or date during one (1) calendar year. A weekend or date will become available if the member Club using it does not hold a sanctioned event on it for two (2) consecutive years. The time periods allotted for sanctioned events are not cumulative. If a member Club does not hold a sanctioned event one year, it is not permitted two sanctioned dates the following year. ARTICLE IX - ViolationsA. A member Club indicating a continued lack of interest in working with the Council or displaying a willful disregard for the Articles of Agreement, especially but not limited to Article VIII - Sanctioned Events, may be given non-voting status or may be removed. B. In either case, the request to take such action must come in writing from at least two (2) member Clubs and must be submitted to the President of the Council. C. The request and the reasons for it will be made known to all member Clubs by the Secretary of the Council no more than thirty (30) days after such a request is received by transmitting a copy of the request to each member Club, its President, and its AMCC representative. The request shall be discussed at the meeting following the receipt of such a request if at least thirty (30) days have elapsed since the transmittal of a copy of the request by the Secretary of the Council; otherwise, the request shall be discussed at the next meeting. Any defense shall be offered at the meeting at which the request is discussed. The vote for removal or non-voting status will be held at the next meeting following the discussion of the request. D. Eighty percent (80%) of the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which a vote for non-voting status or removal is held must vote affirmatively for such action to be taken. If the vote is in the affirmative, the action is effective immediately upon the announcement of the vote. The vote will be by secret ballot. No proxy votes will be allowed for this vote. Article VI.H does not apply to this vote; an abstention is considered a vote in the negative. E. A motion to restore the voting rights of a member Club whose voting rights were suspended by action of the Council under the provisions of this Article shall be made during a meeting. The vote for restoration of voting rights shall be voted upon at the next meeting. F. Eighty percent (80%) of the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which a vote is held for restoration of voting rights of a member Club whose voting rights were suspended by action of the Council under the provisions of this Article must vote affirmatively for such action to be taken. If the vote is in the affirmative, voting rights are restored effective upon the announcement of the vote. The vote will be by secret ballot. No proxy votes will be allowed for this vote. Article VI.H does not apply to this vote; an abstention is considered a vote in the negative. Article X - RevisionsA. Proposals for revisions in the Articles of Agreement must be presented in writing at a Council meeting. A vote on the acceptance of the revision will be taken at the next meeting. B. The Secretary of the Council is to transmit to each member Club, its President, and its AMCC representative the text of any and all proposed revisions to these Articles. The text must be transmitted not more than thirty (30) days after the meeting at which the proposed revision is presented. The Secretary is to request confirmation of receipt from each member club in order to assure that one hundred percent (100%) of all member Clubs have received a copy of the proposed revisions. C. Eighty percent (80%) of the voting member Clubs present in person at the meeting at which a vote for acceptance of a revision of these Articles is held must vote affirmatively for such revision to be accepted. If the vote is in the affirmative, the revision becomes effective upon the announcement of the vote. The vote will be by secret ballot. No proxy votes will be allowed for this vote. Article VI.H does not apply to this vote; an abstention is considered a vote in the negative. PERORATIONCouncil member Clubs accepting these Articles agree by their membership in the Council to uphold them in the spirit of brotherhood they engender. As administrations and general membership of each subscribing member Club change, each member Club recognizes that, by virtue of its continued membership in the Council, it is honor-bound to abide by and uphold the commitment. Return to Top of Page Return to Main Document Page
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CURRENT EVENTS |
