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C.A.N.S. By-Laws |
| Article I: Name |
The name of this organization shall be the Chicago Area Naturist Sons, to be abbreviated C.A.N.S. |
| Article II: Purpose |
The purpose of C.A.N.S. shall be to provide an outlet for social and recreational gay nudity in a nonsexual context among the men of the greater Chicagoland area. |
| Article III: By-Laws | |
| These by-laws shall be the official document governing the administration, purpose, and function of C.A.N.S. | |
| The by-laws shall be adopted by a 2/3 vote of a quorum of the membership. The membership shall vote upon each article of these by-laws individually. | |
| Changes in the by-laws may be entertained at the annual meeting. Proposed changes to the by-laws must be submitted to the Executive Committee no less than seven days prior to the annual meeting. | |
| Not less than a 2/3 vote of a quorum of the membership shall be required to alter or amend these by-laws. Each article of the proposed changes to these by-laws shall be voted upon individually. | |
| Article IV: Membership | |
| Any gay man age 21 or over shall be eligible for membership in C.A.N.S. upon completion of the application form, the responsibility release form, approval by the Membership Committee following a personal interview by interviewers appointed by the Chairman of the Membership Committee. Become a member of C.A.N.S. by attending an event. (Most events require registration or an RSVP prior to the event with a phone interview to follow.) No sponsorship is required; just a positive attitude, a smile, and the desire for a good time naked. | |
| Active status is defined as a member who participates in at least two events over the previous 36 months. | |
| There are no membership dues. The club is self-supported by registration fees on most activities. Submit your name and email address at our website, www.cansguys.org and new members will be added to the mailing list. | |
| There shall be no discrimination in membership on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, disabling conditioon, marital status, or physical appearance. | |
| Members are not required to make any commitments. Members may participate as much or as little as they wish. Members will be encouraged to participate by hosting events and attending events. Members who do not participate in at least two events in the previous 36 months will be dropped from the membership roll. Members and guests will be asked to sign in at each event. | |
| Article V: Organization | |
Officers |
There shall be four officers elected from the membership: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The elected officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. |
Responsibilities |
The President shall preside over the annual and special meetings and shall have overall responsibility for the affairs of C.A.N.S. |
| The Vice-President shall perform duties as requested by the President and, in the President's absence, shall preside over the annual and special meetings of the membership. The Vice-President shall assume the office of President in the event of a vacancy in that office occurring between elections. | |
| The Secreatary shall maintain all minutes of all meetings of the membership as well as all written records of the organization and official correspondence. | |
| The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records of C.A.N.S. and shall conduct all necessary fiscal transactions on behalf of the organization. The Treasurer shall be empowered to open and maintain a bank account for C.A.N.S. and shall be reimbursed for any and all expenses associated with the maintenance of such account. The Treasurer shall provide a verbal and written report to the membership at the annual meeting. | |
| There shall be five standing committees: Steering Committee, Membership Committee, Events Committee, Newsletter Committee, and Networking Committee. All members in good standing are eligible for committee membership and shall be appointed for one-year terms, as described below. Appointments of chairs shall take place at the first meeting of the Steering Committee following election of officers. | |
Committee Responsibilities and Membership |
The Steering Committee shall consist of the officers and the chairmen of the standing committees. The two founding members of C.A.N.S. shall be ex-officio members of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall be responsible for determining the overall direction for C.A.N.S. and identifying organizational needs. The Steering Committee shall also be responsible for appointing the chairs of all standing and ad hoc committees. Should the chair of any committee become vacant, the Steering Committee shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the chair's term. The Steering Committee shall meet not less than once per quarter. |
| The Membership Committee shall be a standing committee and shall consist of the Membership Chairman, four interviewers appointed by the Chairman and confirmed by the Steering Committee, two directory/membership maintance persons, and two persons responsible for name tags. The committee shall receive, consider, and pass on applications for membership. | |
| The Events Committee shall be a standing committee and shall consist of a Chairman and such persons as he may appoint as necessary. The committee shall, in cooperation with the President, plan and conduct C.A.N.S. social events and the annual and special meetings. This committee will also be responsible for Transportation/Hospitality coordination and Photography/Video coordination. | |
| The Newsletter Committee shall be a standing committee and shall consist of a Chairman and such persons as he may appoint as necessary. The committee shall, in cooperation with other committees, produce and distribute the C.A.N.S. newsletter. | |
| The Networking Committee shall be a standing committee and shall consist of a Chairman and such persons as he may appoint as necessary. The committee will be responsible for maintaining information / newsleeters / brochures from other clubs and reporting this information to the Newsletter Committee for publication. This committee will also be responsible for checking the C.A.N.S. mailbox as needed and distributing mail to the appropriate individuals. This committee will also be responsible for coordinating the C.A.N.S. archives and for publicity. | |
| All committee meetings shall be open to the entire membership, including those of the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee. The Executive Committee may adjourn into Executive Session for the sole purpose of discussing the suspension and revocation of membership of any member as described in Article VIII of these by-laws. | |
| Article VI: Election of Officers and Terms of Office | |
| The Officers shall be elected by secret ballot at the annual meeting from among candidates nominated from the floor. A simple majority of the membership present at the annual meeting shall be required for election. | |
| The election of President and Treasurer will be voted in on odd calendar years and serve for a term of two years. The election of Vice President and Secretary will be voted in on even calendar years and serve for a term of two years. Terms of office shall begin upon adjournment of the annual meeting. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in any one office. | |
| No person shall hold office if he is not a member, and no member shall hold more than one office at a time. | |
| The succession of the President shall be filled by the Vice President. Vacancies in the office of Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be filled on an acting basis by appointment of the President. Persons so appointed shall serve until the next election of officers. | |
| Any officer may be removed from office by affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 of the voting members at any special meeting called for that purpose, in accordance with Article VII. A successor to fill the unexpired term of an officer so removed from office may be elected by a majority vote of the members present at the special meeting. | |
| Article VII: Meetings | |
| The Annual Membership Meeting of C.A.N.S. shall be held in the first three months of each year for the purpose of nomination and election of officers, receiving annual reports from the Treasurer, President, and Committee Chairs, and conducting any other business that may arise. Only currently active members as defined in Article IV Section 2 may speak or vote at the Annual Membership Meeting. | |
| Notice of the annual meeting shall be given to the membership by mail, at least thirty days in advance. | |
| The President may call a special meeting at the request of twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership. Such request shall be delivered in writing, signed by those members requesting such a meeting, to the Secretary. Any such special meeting shall be held within forty-five days of receipt of such a request with at least 30 days notice of the meeting given to the membership by mail. | |
| A quorum of the membership must be present to convene the annual or special meetings. A quorum shall be defined as twenty-five percent (25%) plus one of the total membership of the organization. | |
| Except as otherwise specified in these by-laws, a simple majority of the membership present shall be required to adopt a motion. | |
| All members shall be entitled to one and only one vote on any action taken in the annual or any special meeting. | |
| The annual meeting and all special meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order. The Vice-President shall function as, or shall appoint, the Parliamentarian at all meetings. | |
| Article VIII: Rules and Etiquette | |
| All C.A.N.S. events shall be conducted according to the organization's "Rules and Etiquette." | |
| All members shall agree to conduct themselves according to the "Rules and Etiquette" at all C.A.N.S. events as a condition of membership. | |
| The "Rules and Etiquette" shall be adopted by a 2/3 vote of the members present. | |
| Changes to the "Rules and Etiquette" may be proposed by any member, in writing, to the Executive Committee. Any proposed change in the "Rules and Etiquette" shall be presented to the membership at the annual meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose in accordance with Article VII of these by-laws. | |
| Changes in the "Rules and Etiquette" shall require a 2/3 vote of members present. | |
| Article IX: Suspension and Revocation of Membership | |
| Subject to the provisions of this article, the Executive Committee may, by majority vote, suspend or revoke the membership of any member for good cause. "Good cause" may include violation of the by-laws, rules of conduct, or other conduct harmful to the interests of C.A.N.S. and its members. | |
| No member may be suspended or have his membership revoked without written notice to the member from the Secretary. The notice must state the specific reasons for the suspension or revocation and be signed by the Secretary. The notice also will inform the member of his right to file an appeal with the Executive Committee. | |
| A member who has received notice from the Secretary that his membership is being suspended or revoked may file a written appeal with the Executive Committee within fifteen (15) days after the date of notice. Within thirty (30) days after the appeal date, the Executive Committee will sustain or overturn the suspension or revocation and state its reasons in writing. | |