Unit Bylaws
Northern Illinois Airstream Club
BYLAWS AND POLICY
ARTICLE I
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
*Sec. 1 Parliamentary procedures for all meetings of the Unit and Executive Board shall be governed by the current edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED except when they are in conflict with the Constitution, Bylaws, or Policy of this Club.
Sec. 2 The order of business may be:
Opening Ceremonies:
Invocation (Nonsectarian) (suggested but not required)
Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call
- Approval of Minutes
- Reports of Officers and Committees
- Special Orders
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- Announcements
- Adjournment
ARTICLE II
COMMITTEES
Sec. 1 Standing Committees shall be:
A. Budget
B. Membership
C. Caravan
D. Ethics and Grievance
E. Constitution and Bylaws
The President shall appoint and be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
*Sec. 2 All Standing Committees may consist of a Chairman and as many members as deemed necessary by the President. Chairmen of Standing Committees shall report at each meeting of the Executive Board.
STANDING COMMITTEES
General Duties
- Budget
In cooperation with the incoming and outgoing Treasurer of the Unit, prepare for the Executive Board a budget projecting the unit’s income and expenditures for the next year.
- Membership
Be the Unit/Club contact for prospective new members and explain the purpose and objectives of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International. Extend invitations to prospective members to attend a rally or meeting when making application for membership. Coordinate with the Treasurer to ensure having an accurate list of paid-up members, and to assist the Treasurer, as needed, in following up on all members who have not paid dues by October 15th
- Caravan
To plan, organize, and obtain leaders for unit caravans that are operated or conducted for the Unit within the scope of the WBCCI Caravan Handbook. To develop an aggressive Unit Caravan program and to coordinate unit caravan matters with appropriate Region and International Caravan Committee personnel.
- Ethics and Grievance
To investigate and assess all grievances or complaints made by members and others and to make recommendations thereon to the Unit Executive Board.
- Constitution and Bylaws
To conduct a continuing review and study of the Unit and the International Constitution and Bylaws and to make recommendations for any amendments or additions deemed desirable and in the best interest of the Club.
Sec. 3 Special Committees may be appointed by the President as required.
*ARTICLE III
GUESTS
Sec. 1 A guest (or guests) sponsored and invited by a member in good standing, and using the member’s trailer or motorhome or staying in a non-RV facility such as a cabin, motel room, etc., may attend activities of the Unit. Members sponsoring such a guest shall pay one extra rally fee exclusive of the parking fee.
Sec. 2 A member in good standing in this Unit may sponsor and invite a non-member Airstream recreational vehicle owner, as a prospective member, to attend rallies and other activities of the Unit.
Sec. 3 Members in good standing in the International Club may attend activities of the Unit provided that such members, and where required, shall have made prior reservation for each attendance.
Sec. 4 A unit, once each calendar year, may host a rally or caravan or combination thereof with a recreation vehicle club not chartered by the Wally Byam Caravan Club International, Inc., and it may conduct, twice each calendar year, (but not more than 50% of the rallies and caravans conducted by that unit in any calendar year) a buddy rally or a buddy caravan or combination thereof to which each member of the unit may invite not more than one non-member recreation vehicle family.
The non-member RV family to be invited is intended to be one, which is a prospective member, and one, which does not own an Airstream. The family is invited to the buddy rally or caravan to introduce them to the WBCCI “Way of Life” and the unit members in the hope they might decide to purchase an Airstream and join the club. A buddy rally is not intended to be used by current or past WBCCI members to attend a WBCCI rally in their non-Airstream vehicles.
*ARTICLE IV
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Sec. 1 The Executive Board shall, not less than ninety (90) days prior to the unit’s annual business meeting, appoint a three member Nominating Committee who shall, after having obtained the prior acceptance for office of each nominee if elected, place in nomination one candidate for each office to be filled by election, and submit a written report to the Executive Board which shall include the names of all candidates considered, and the President shall distribute the report to the membership not less than fifteen (15) days prior to said business meeting. Additional candidates who have previously consented to accept the office if elected, may be placed in nomination from the floor of said meeting. (No seconds are required for any nomination.) If there are no candidates, for open offices, at the time of the business meeting, nominations may be taken from the floor of the business meeting.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
*Sec. 1 The President shall:
• Preside at all meetings of the Unit and Executive Board.
• Enforce the Constitution and Bylaws.
• Enforce Issue notices of all meetings of the Unit and the Executive Board as prescribed in Article VI, Sections 1 and 2 and Article VIII, Section 2 of the Constitutionand ARTICLE XI, Sec.1 of the Bylaws.
• Prepare an agenda of pending business for use for each meeting.
• Coordinate with the Treasurer to maintain an accurate roster of paid-up members of the Unit.
• Appoint all standing committees and the Parliamentarian.
• Have such powers and duties as normally pertain to the principal executive officer.
Sec. 2 The 1st Vice President shall:
• Attend all business meetings of the Unit and the Executive Board.
• Shall assist the President.
• Assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence.
Sec. 3 The 2nd Vice President shall:
• Attend all business meetings of the unit and the Executive Board.
• Assist the President and the First Vice President.
• Assume the duties of the First Vice President in the absence of said officer.
• Assume the duties of the President in the case of the absence of the President and the First Vice President.
• Perform the duties as assigned by the Executive Board.
*Sec. 4 The Recording Secretary shall:
• Record and preserve the minutes of all official meetings of the Unit and the Executive Board, and provide copiesto the members of the Executive Board.
• Record the attendance of the officers at each meeting and advise the presiding officer if a quorum is present.
*Sec. 5 The Treasurer shall:
- Maintain the financial records of the Unit and receive all monies, as prescribed in international Bylaws, Article XVI Financial Management Sec. 12 – 13 and Policy, Financial Data Guidelines, and promptly deposit them in the bank previously chosen by the Executive Board.
- Notify members of expiration of dues, issue receipts for dues paid through the unit, and maintain an up-to-date roster of paid-up members. Changes to this roster shall be shared with the Corresponding Secretary, the Newsletter Editor, and the Membership Chairman. In addition, the Membership Chairman shall be notified of all members who have not paid their dues by October 15th in order that the membership chairman might assist the Treasurer in contacting those members to collect their dues prior to November 1st.
- Submit a full written report of finances to the Executive Board at each meeting. Each year a committee selected by the incoming President will audit the books and accounts. Before retirement, all books, monies and property of the Unit shall be delivered promptly to the incoming Treasurer.
Sec. 6 The duties of the Trustees (or Directors) shall be:
• To attend all meetings of the Unit and the Executive Board.
• To accept special assignments as directed by the President. Additional duties may be to chair or be members of committees.
*ARTICLE VI
DELEGATES
Sec. 1 The Executive Board shall appoint one delegate and one alternate from among the Regular Members who will attend the annual Delegates Meeting of the parent organization, the Wally Byam Caravan Club International, Inc. An Affiliate Member of this unit who is a regular member in the same region may be appointed if the unit has no Regular Members who are going to attend the Delegates Meeting. Any vacancy occurring following such selection shall be filled by appointment by the President. The delegate should be instructed with respect to the wishes of the Unit on matters to come before the meeting. The President and Secretary shall certify to these appointments.
*ARTICLE VII
DUES
Sec. 1 The annual Unit dues of Regular and Affiliate members shall be set by the Executive Board.
Sec. 2 A member who fails to pay properly assessed International and Unit dues before November 15 may not be listed in the Annual Membership Directory of the International Club for the following year. If the dues are not paid and receipted by the Unit or International on or before December 31, the membership will be terminated.
Sec. 3 Unit dues payment schedule must follow WBCCI payment schedule.
ARTICLE VIII
CODE OF ETHICS
Sec. 1 All members shall abide by the following Code of Ethics:
A. To be ever mindful of our responsibility to Wally Byam Caravan Club International, Inc., and through conduct, indicate to the public that membership in this organization is an assurance of our courtesy on the road and good will to all peoples and countries.
B. To be ever mindful of what we say or print with respect to the effect on others of our diverse membership so as to avoid disharmony and ill feelings among club members of diverse ethnicities, religious beliefs or orientation and to dedicate ourselves to the work of cementing together the members of WBCCI in bonds of good fellowship and mutual understanding.
C. To conduct ourselves in a manner to inspire others engaged in recreational vehicle travel to a full appreciation of the intent and meaning of this code.
D. To maintain our camps in an orderly manner and leave them the same way.
*ARTICLE IX
LIABILITY
Sec. 1 Neither the Unit nor its officers are responsible for the loss of or damage to property or for injury to or death of a person on the premises of any club function. This freedom from responsibility for loss or damage to property applies regardless of whether that property has been received by any member or officer or left upon the premises.
*ARTICLE X
POLICY
Sec. 1 Policy consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Unit and with the Constitution, Bylaws and Policy of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International, Inc., embodying additional provisions for the government of the Unit may be adopted by the Executive Board or the Unit members.
*ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
Sec. 1 These Bylaws may be amended at any business meeting of the Executive Board by a two-thirds vote, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted to all members of the Executive Board in writing ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
Sec. 2 Such amendments shall become effective upon adoption.
*ARTICLE XII
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR DISSOLUTION OF THIS UNIT
Sec. 1 In the event the members of this Unit deem it desirable for this Unit to merge with another Unit, or for the Unit to consolidate with one or more Units, or for the Unit to dissolve, the members shall, through the President of this Unit, follow the appropriate procedures as prescribed in ARTICLE VII, Section 1 through 6 of the Bylaws of the International Club. These procedures are in accordance with Section 501 (c) 7 of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
*These Bylaws, as last amended, were adopted by the Board on April 26, 2019 at 4-H Center, Amboy, IL