CONTENTS
OF CONSTITUTION
AMENDED MAY 2005
1. Name
2. Description
3. Duration
4. Headquarters
5. Objectives
6. Eligibility
(non-discrimination)
7. Membership
8. The
National Executive
9. Quorums
10. Voting
At National Executive Meetings
11. Elections
12. Resignation
13. Suspensions
14. Expulsion
15. Vote
of No Confidence
16. Annual
General Meetings
17. Extraordinary
Meetings
18. Subscriptions
(Levies)
19. Finances
20. Interpretation
21. Modification
22. Pecuniary
Gain
23. Dissolution
of the NZFSS
Appendix I Diagrammatic
Structure of NZFSS
CONSTITUTION
1
NAME
1.1
The
name of the federation shall be the New Zealand Federation of Sleddog Sports
Incorporated, also known as the NZFSS.
2
DESCRIPTION
2.1
The
NZFSS is a federation of national sled dog clubs and other organisations
contributing to sled dog sports, whose member clubs communicate regularly but
retain their autonomy and independence, within the limits as mentioned in this
constitution and any by-laws appertaining thereto.
3
DURATION
3.1
The
NZFSS shall have perpetual existence as a non-profit federation, under its
federation name.
4
HEADQUARTERS
4.1
The
Headquarters of the NZFSS shall be where the National Executive decides.
5
OBJECTIVES
5.1
The
principal objectives and purposes of the NZFSS are:
5.1.1
To
collaborate with organisations having as their objective the promotion of the
sled dog sports.
5.1.2
Promote
the education of the NZFSS Members on rules, regulations and procedures,
thereby establishing proper conduct of all events which abide by the rules,
regulations and procedures.
5.1.3
Promote
the education of dog drivers and race officials throughout
5.1.4
To
strive for the uniform development of sled dog sports nation-wide.
5.1.5
To
promote the use of uniform race rules by members.
5.1.6
To
maintain the authority and autonomy of its members.
5.1.7
To
promote closer links between its members and any other sled dog sports
organisation.
5.1.8
To
convey to other organisations it's views and decisions.
5.1.9
To
co-ordinate and protest the common interests of its members.
5.1.10 To collect, collate and circulate information
to and among its members.
5.1.11 Inform and educate the members of the proper
care and handling of the animals to ensure their humane treatment and to ensure
identification and treatment of any health problem, peculiar to the sled dog.
5.2
Other
objectives may from time to time be defined by the National Executive.
6
ELIGIBILITY
(non-discrimination)
6.1
The
NZFSS shall by no means, or by any occasion, perform or support rules or
regulations that:
6.1.1
Discriminate
against any competitor for racial, political or confessional reasons.
6.1.2
Discriminate
against any dog or team because of breed or non-registration (non-registration
in this sense refers to New Zealand Kennel Club registration. All dogs must be on the NZFSS register for
inclusion in any point’s tabulation).
7
MEMBERSHIP
7.1
Only
the National Executive, with a two-thirds majority, may grant memberships in
the Full Members, Associate Members and Sponsors categories. Provisional Membership is granted on receipt
of the application by the Secretary in consultation with either the President
or Vice-President after having been satisfied that the application meets
requirements as detailed below.
7.2
Membership
shall only be granted to organisations governed by a management structure
elected according to the requirements of their own constitution. This membership shall fall within one of the
following classifications:
7.2.1
Full
Members
a.
Sled
dog sports clubs or other non-discriminatory breed clubs who include sled dog
sport in their activities and which hold regular competitions at a national
level.
b.
c.
Full
Members shall be organisations which are self governing in any respect concerning
sled dog sports and having aims and objectives declared to be and agreed by the
National Executive as being beneficial to the aims and objectives of the
NZFSS. Further they must seek to promote
national interest in the sport of sled dog racing and related activities that
will foster the safety of the competitors and animals involved.
d.
For a
description of an Individual's rights and obligations within a Member Club see
section J of the Sanctioning Requirements and Standards.
7.2.2
Associate
Members
a.
Groups
or associations sympathising with sled dog sport may be granted Associate
Membership, provided said groups or associations have aims and objectives
declared to be and agreed by the National executive as being beneficial to the
aims and objectives of the NZFSS.
7.2.3
Sponsors
a.
A
sponsor shall be a company or corporation that supports the goals of the NZFSS
but who shall not vote, hold office or serve as a Chairman.
7.2.4
Provisional
Members
a.
Sled
dog sport organisations applying for membership, which only partially qualify
as members may be granted provisional membership, this membership is renewed
annually by the National Executive with a view to granting full membership.
b.
Organisations
applying for membership should in any case serve their first year as a
provisional member.
c.
If
after five years, the Provisional Member has not qualified to become a full
member, the National Executive shall consider whether to extend or withdraw
such Provisional Membership.
7.2.5
New
Members
a.
Investigations
as to the bona-fides of any applicant organisation shall be conducted by the
National Executive Officers but no commitment to the outcome of such an
application may be given by any person on behalf of the National Executive.
b.
Applications
for membership shall be submitted to the Secretary of the National Executive
for consideration of acceptance at least three months prior to the AGM together
with:
.i
A
statement of acceptance of the NZFSS Constitution, By-laws and race Sanctioning
Procedures/Rules.
.ii
A
copy of the applicant club's constitution, stating the purpose and objectives
of the organisation.
.iii
A
copy of any other regulations of the applicant.
.iv
The
names, addresses, and telephone numbers of a least two key officials.
.v
Details
of the last competition at a local or national level, organised by the
applicant (This may include Single Dog (Bike), Weight Pull or "fun"
events).
c.
Candidates
for membership shall, if so requested, prove to the satisfaction of the
National Executive that the activity which they control does not conflict with
or is not in rivalry with an already existing member of the NZFSS.
8
THE
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE
8.1
The
supreme authority of the NZFSS is the National Executive.
8.2
The
National Executive shall comprise three to four Officers and the Executive
Council
8.2.1
The
Officers are the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary and Treasurer may be combined
if required.
8.2.2
The
Executive Council shall be comprised of one delegate (Councillor) from each
member club.
8.3
The
Executive Council will meet at an appointed time and place, where they will
elect the Officers from the members of the National Executive. Once elected the Officers cannot act as a
club delegate and shall act solely in the interest of the objectives of the
NZFSS. The clubs which they previously
represented shall then elect a new delegate to the Executive Council.
8.4
All
Officers forgo their right to vote except that the President shall have a
casting vote.
8.5
Officers
shall be voted in for a term of two (2) years and club delegates (Councillors)
for 1 year.
8.6
The
National Executive with the co-operation of the Executive Council and subject
to this constitution and any by-laws appertaining thereto, shall be empowered
to manage the business and purposes of the NZFSS.
8.7
The
National Executive and the Executive Council shall meet at least once during
each year of its term of office.
8.8
Any
amendments to the constitution will be made at the above meeting after
discussion and voting at individual club meetings.
8.9
Immediate
action may be taken by the National Executive at any time provided a majority
of the Executive Council members vote for such action by mail, fax or
telephone. Telephone votes are to be
confirmed by each individual councillor in writing to the Secretary of the Federation. All voting action must be recorded by the
Secretary.
8.10
A
Chairperson for the Junior Division shall be appointed and they shall be
responsible for over-seeing the development of the Junior Division.
8.11
A
registered Junior Musher shall be appointed to represent the interests of their
peers in the Junior Division at National Executive level.
8.12
Between
Executive meetings, the President and the Vice-President shall deal with the
current affairs in co-operation with the Secretary and Treasurer. They shall be responsible for the day to day
running of the Federation, subject to the authority of the National Executive
and the Executive Council.
8.13
The
Executive may appoint committees to handle specific activities for the
NZFSS. The committees shall have only as
much authority as shall be delegated to them by the National Executive.
8.14
A
Sanctioning Officer shall be appointed and they shall be responsible for
completing the IFSS Annual Survey.
9
QUORUMS
9.1
The
quorum for the meeting of the National Executive shall be the President or
Vice-President plus 75% (rounded down) of the Club Representatives.
9.2
The
quorum for business entailing changes to this constitution or by-laws
appertaining thereto, or the dissolution of the NZFSS, shall be 75% (rounded
down) of the paid-up full members of the NZFSS.
10
VOTING
AT NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
10.1
Club
representatives shall each have one vote.
The National Executive Officers have no voting rights except that the
President/Chairman shall have a casting vote.
10.2
Associate
and provisional members shall have no votes but shall have the right to be
recognised and to make motions.
10.3
Voting
shall be by show of hands, unless two or more members should request a secret
ballot.
10.4
The
voting majority required for elections and points of order shall be 50%
(rounded up) of votes (including proxies).
10.5
In
all other matters the voting majority required shall be 75% (rounded down) of
voting members (including proxies).
11
ELECTIONS