Absent: Judy Hart, Tennessee Valley KC; Jan M. Ritchie, Esq., Richmond Dog Fanciers Club; Burton Yamada, Orange Empire Dog Club

Transcription

1 Bylaws Committee Meeting September 11, 2015 Doubletree Hotel, Newark, NJ Committee members present: Chairman Gretchen Bernardi, Mississippi Valley KC; Secretary Dr. John Ioia, Southern Adirondack Dog Club; Sylvia Arrowood, Charleston Kennel Club; Rita Biddle, Esq., Ingham County Kennel Club; Dr. Gregory J. Paveza, Elm City Kennel Club; Julian Prager, Esq., Central Florida KC; Jan M. Ritchie, Esq., Richmond Dog Fanciers Club; Dr. Pamela Stacey Rosman, Canaan Dog Club of America; Diane Taylor, Absent: Judy Hart, Tennessee Valley KC; Jan M. Ritchie, Esq., Richmond Dog Fanciers Club; Burton Yamada, Orange Empire Dog Club Board Liaison: Gina DiNardo, AVP, AES; Steve Gladstone, Staff Liaison - absent Chairman Gretchen Bernardi called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM (Note correct time) The committee members introduced themselves. The minutes of the September 2015 meeting were reviewed and approved with correction (Taylor, Arrowood unanimous). Chairman s Report: Gretchen welcomed everyone attending the meeting. Gretchen explained that we would change the order of business to allow Whitney Coombs, Catoctin KC to present an issue needing attention. Whitney explained a situation regarding the Pyrenean Shepherd CoA and approximately 38 other Parent Clubs that are being denied membership in AKC. The denial concerns a requirement of 100 households for a parent club to be allowed membership in AKC. He presented the requirements as set forth in Article IV for membership. He also provided information from the April 2008 Board Minutes which established requirements or criteria for membership (see attached letters). As expected there was great amount of discussion. The highlights include: Julian explained that Article IV, Section 7 essentially allows the Board to construct any criteria that they deem appropriate. Gretchen asked or suggested that it would make more sense if the number of required Households be in some proportion to the number of registered dogs.

2 Gina DiNardo (Staff Liaison) explained the numbers as coming from the acceptance of the FSS breeds. Sid Marx (Colorado Springs KC) and Mary Ellen Fischler (Poodle CoA) asked what was the rationale for these numbers. Gretchen suggested that perhaps the membership application process could be simplified and Pam discussed the need to attract or retain more parent clubs, rather than turn them to different registries. In the end a unanimous vote approved a plan to have Gretchen, as Bylaws Chair to write the Board regarding the problem and to ask their thoughts regarding the problem, rather than proceed the a bylaw revision or amendment. Hopefully, Gretchen will have answers for us next meeting. Greg was asked to present and explain the Committee s Bylaws change to Article VI, Section 5 that would allow delegate judges to charge a fee of no more than $ The wording is as follows and will be read tomorrow at the Delegates meeting. CHARTER AND BYLAWS OF THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB, INC. ARTICLE VI, SECTION 5 (First Paragraph) Remove: professional judge of purebred dog events, a professional judge defined as one who charges a fee in excess of actual expenses Replace with: professional judge of purebred dog events, a professional judge defined as one who charges a fee of more than the nominal amount of $150 in excess of actual expenses While there was a great deal of passionate discussion on the subject, nothing new was presented. Most interesting to me was the need for restatement of the history of occupational and other restrictions and their easing or removal over time. Greg provided an interesting insight, which I will paraphrase. If you were to use the argument that anyone deriving income for dog related activities, than all dog breeders could/should be considered ineligible to be Delegates. Since Jan was not present, Rita provided a review on the workings of the Subcommittee on Board Oversight in Hiring. The committee members include; Burt Yamada, Rita Biddle, Gene Mills, Tim Pincus, Ann Yuhasz, Michael Sosne, Sid Marx, Fred Ferris, Mary Stolz and Terrie Breen. Their work concerns Article IX, X and XI of the Bylaws as pertains to BOD oversight in the hiring of significant personnel

3 of the organization. There are four enumerated positions specified in the bylaws; CEO, CFO, COO and the Executive Secretary. She provided our members and guests with charts of the current AKC organization structure. There was extensive discussion regarding the Board s role in overseeing key positions in the organization. The work of the Subcommittee was referred to the Board of Directors for their input and suggestion regarding going forward. There may have been some delay in forwarding the material. They have not yet considered the matter. Hopefully, we will have some response next meeting. Gretchen presented the amendment to Article VII, Section 1 of the AKC Bylaws establishing term limits for the Board of Directors. The proposed amendment would eliminate the current term limits for Directors. The amendment originated with the Clarksville KC and Robert Schroll (Clarksville KC) was present to discuss the matter. The proposed amendment is now jointly sponsored by the Bylaws Committee and the Clarksville KC. It will be read at tomorrow s meeting. New Business: Each of the candidates for positions on the Bylaws Committee who were present were allowed to introduce themselves. This included: Sylvia Arrowood, Kathy Coxwell, Barry Hoovis, Sidney Marx, Gregory Paveza and Diane Taylor. Marilyn Vinson was not present. The election is tomorrow. There being no further business to consider, the Committee adjourned at 3:00PM. (Taylor/Arrowood - unanimous vote) Note the correct time. Submitted, John V. Ioia, MD, PhD Committee Secretary September 11, 2015 Guest attendance: Robert Bergman Viola Burgos Richard Collito Whitney Coombs Kathy Coxwell Tom Davies Fred Ferris Mary Ellen Fischer Soft Coated Wheaten CoA Naugatuck Valley KC North Shore KC Catoctin KC Bearded Collie CoA Springfield KC Ct. River Working Dog Assoc Poodle CoA

4 Barbara Gates Barry Hoovis Eugenia Hunter Gary Koeppel Ken Madder Sid Marx Aletta Moore Barbara O Neill Tom Pincus David Powers Doug Rappaport Robert Schroll Abbe Shaw Barbara Shaw Cindy Stansell Barbara Steinbacher-Dalmane Eng Springer Span Club of Michigan Monticello KC Irish Wolfhound CoA Parson Russell Terrier Assoc. Am Sealyham Terrier Club Colorado Springs KC Airedale Terrier CoA Borzoi CoA Houston KC Los Encinos KC Irish Terrier CoA Clarksville KC Santa Barbara KC Greater Colin KC Finnish Spitz Club of Am Garden State All Terrier Club Attachment 1: To Jim Crowley jxc@akc.org cc. jim Doc jrd@akc.org Steve Gladstone sdg@akc.org Pat Laurans plaurans@earthlink.net Kathy Burger Kathy@burgerhaus.net Alan Kalter atk@akc.org Subject: Denial of Parent Club membership of The Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America, Inc. Jim I am writing on behalf of a very disappointed and discouraged Board of Directors of The Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America, Inc. We have again had our request for AKC member club status returned to us by Staff. This time it was for not meeting AKC s minimum household requirements for parent clubs 100 total households. I have spent this morning navigating the AKC website and can find no such Board approved criteria. At the April 2008 BOD meeting the following Club Household Membership Requirements were established: All-breed, Group, Obedience clubs 30 members/25 local members Specialty clubs 20 members/12 local members Agility and Earth Dog clubs 20 members/12 local members Field Trial Hunting, Coursing, Herding clubs 20 members/12 local members Coonhound clubs 15 members/8 local members Tracking clubs 12 local members None of these requirements approach the numbers being required of us and none delineates any number of households. Our club has complied with all the requirements set forth in the How to Form an AKC Accredited Dog Club booklet: we have held all the required licensed

5 events/shows, our Constitution and Bylaws have been approved by our membership and AKC, our Board has voted to apply for membership, we have submitted a list of officers, and we provided a listing of our 110 members residing in 89 households. At the December 2014 Delegates Meeting, Jim Doc had lunch with you and, at my request, he asked you what more we had to do to become a member club. It was my understanding from Jim that all we needed to do was submit a written membership request from our club President. The request was submitted on Jan 19, 2015 and was rejected on Feb 3, Will someone please tell me when the household minimum was established by the Board and what other requirements we will need to meet in order to attain Parent Club membership status. Whitney Coombs Director, PSCA Attachment 2: Non-member Parent Specialty Clubs Based on 2015 Delegate Directory Breed American English Coonhound American Eskimo Dog Beauceron Bergamasco Bluetick Coonhound Boerboel Boykin Spaniel America Cane Corso Cesky Terrier Chinook Cirneco dell Etna Coton de Tulear Curly-Coated Retriever Dogue de Bordeaux English Foxhound Entlebucher Mountain Dog Finnish Lapphund Icelandic Sheepdog Irish Red and White Setter Lowchen Neapolitan Mastiff Norwegian Buhund Norwegian Lundehund Parent Club from AKC website American English Coonhound Association American Eskimo Dog Club of America American Beauceron Club Bergamasco Sheepdog Club of America American Bluetick Coonhound Association American Boerboel Club Boykin Spaniel Club & Breeders Association of Cane Corso Association of America American Cesky Terriers Association, Inc. Chinook Club of America Cirneco dell Etna Club of America United States of America Coton de Tulear Club Curly-Coated Retriever Club of America Dogue De Bordeaux Society of America English Foxhound Club of America National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Club Finnish Lapphund Club of America Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America no parent club listed Lowchen Club of America United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club Norwegian Buhund Club of America Norwegian Lundehund Association of America

6 Plott Polish Lowland Sheepdog Portuguese Podengo Pequeno Pyrenean Shepherd Rat Terrier Redbone Coonhound Russell Terrier Swedish Vallhund Treeing Walker Coonhound Toy Fox Terrier Wirehaired Vizsla Xoloitzcuintli Plott Association of America American Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club Portuguese Podengo Pequenos of America Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America Rat Terrier Club of America National Redbone Coonhound Club no parent club listed Swedish Vallhund Club of America Southern Treeing Walker Association American Toy Fox Terrier Club Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America Xoloitzcuintli Club of America Attachment 3: Catoctin Kennel Club PO Box 3395 Gettysburg, PA To the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club In accordance with Article XX, Section 1 of the AKC Bylaws, we the Catoctin Kennel Club hereby request that the Board of Directors take all necessary actions to abide by Article IV, Sections 1 and 4 of the AKC Bylaws. Specifically, that the parent Specialty Club for all breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club be approved for member club status without any other requirements or limitations beyond those existing in Article IV, Sections 1, 2 and 3. Discussion: Article IV, Section 1 states that All clubs or Associations which have held at least three Dog Shows, Obedience Trials, Field Trials, or Agility Trials in consecutive years under rules of the AKC which have been or shall be formed for the improvement of any breed of purebred dogs shall be eligible to become members of the AKC. Article IV, Sections 2 and 3 also require Candidates for membership must apply in writing on the forms approved by the Board [provide] a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of the applicant and a list of its officers and members [and] must send with its application a check or cash for the amount of its admission fees and dues for the current year These are the only stated membership requirements for parent Specialty Clubs. Nevertheless, parent Specialty Club membership applications have been denied based on the parent club not meeting AKC s minimum household requirements for parent clubs 100 member households. This barrier to membership is contrary to the intent of the Bylaws and denies parent clubs direct control and access to their rights and obligations under Article IV, Section 4, which states that:

7 It shall be the duty and privilege of each parent member Specialty Club to define precisely the true type of the breed of purebred dogs which it was organized to promote and improve and its definition when approved by the Board of Directors of the AKC as the sole standard of excellence no AKC breed standard of excellence may be altered or replaced without the official approval of the parent member Specialty Club representing the breed in question. The parent member specialty club shall own its standard and the AKC shall have full use of the approved standard. At the present time there are 35 parent Specialty Clubs for breeds recognized by AKC who do not have AKC membership status (see the attached list). This represents about 19% of all AKC approved breeds. While some may have elected to not apply for membership, it is our position that all parent clubs for recognized breeds who comply with the requirements of Section IV should be automatically approved for membership as a parent member Specialty Club. Whitney Coombs Solomon Delegate Lamar President