HCGC ByLaws 2021

HENRY COUNTY GUN CLUB, INC.

BYLAWS

 

Article I

Name

  1. The name of this organization shall be Henry County Gun Club, Inc. referred to as HCGC or the Club. It is a private, non-profit 501 (c) (4) Corporation. HCGC shall be one Club.  There shall be no Clubs within the Club.  All assets shall be under the sole ownership of HCGC.  The physical location is 1995 Goldston Springs Road, Puryear, TN 38251.

 

Article II

Purpose and Rights

  1. Purpose. The purpose of this Club is to: Organize shooting sports among its members and citizens of the United States residing in our community;  to promote education of and encouragement for organized rifle, pistol and shotgun sports; to encourage good citizenship, good sportsmanship, honesty, self-discipline, team play, community service, and humanitarian services;  to improve the safe handling and proper care of firearms; to promote marksmanship and competitive shooting and to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, with special emphasis placed upon those Rights listed in the Second Amendment.
  1. Rights. All rights, privileges and benefits shall be equally available to all Club members.  All rules, regulations, bylaws, and directives shall be equally applied to all Club members.  No member shall pay more than any other member for any goods, services or privileges provided by the Club.  Every member shall be entitled to one vote; the right to vote on any issue brought before the Membership; and the right to clear, timely notification of important voting issues.  Members shall have the right to a clear, timely notification of all activities which close or limit a member’s use of any Club facility.  For the current info, check the website at www.henrycountygunclub.com.

Article III

Officers, EBM, BOG and Members

  1. The officers of HCGC shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  The HCGC Officers and Elected Board Members (EBM) who, acting together, shall constitute the Board of Governors (BOG), and shall have general supervisory control of all the activities of the Club.  Each BOG member shall serve on a volunteer basis and shall not receive compensation in any manner for their work at HCGC.  Each officer of the Club shall have a general membership in the Club.  Assistant officers may be appointed by the President and confirmed by the BOG, for the purposes of helping an area of the Club requiring assistance, i.e., an Assistant Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer.  Assistant officers shall not have a vote on the BOG.
  1. Elected Board Members. Elected Board Members (EBM) shall be composed of six Club members.  If approved by the Membership, the seventh shall be the outgoing President or any full member willing to serve for a total of seven (7) members.  Every effort should be made to select the six (6) BOG members from the various shooting disciplines of Skeet, Trap, Rifle, Pistol and Sporting Clays representing all the various interests of the Club.  Each member of the Board shall have a general membership in the Club.
  1. Election of BOG.  The election of officers and board members shall occur during the 4th Quarterly Membership meeting in November.  Nominations for Officers and Board Members will be accepted by the Nominating Committee and reported to the BOG during the month preceding the General Election, as well as nominating from the floor on the day of the election.  BOG members shall be elected by majority vote by secret ballot of all members present and entitled to vote and shall hold office for no longer than a one (1) year term.  The term will begin 1 January.
  1. Resignations. Any member of the BOG may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Club. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice.  The vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or any other cause shall be filled by an interim appointment recommended by the BOG and ratified by 2/3rd vote of the Membership present at a Quarterly Membership Meeting.
  1. Responsibilities. Members, Individual Officers, EBM, and BOG:

(a)  Members.  Members shall support the rights of the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America; shall provide input to the BOG on the scheduling and use of facilities and the growth, development, and stability of the Club; shall maintain the general upkeep of the Club facilities, grounds and control all Club assets; shall not consume alcohol prior to, during, or after any shooting.  No alcohol or illegal drugs shall be permitted on Club property at any time.  All members will follow all safety rules & never put themselves or anyone else in danger.  The Membership has the responsibility to police itself.  By assuming these responsibilities, the Membership owns the Club.

(b)  President.  The President or designee shall preside at all meetings of the Club, shall direct or provide oversight of all Club activities, shall make any Club appointments to special committees and projects, be responsible for ensuring all bills and loans are paid and current and that the budget is maintained, participate as ex-officio member of all Club committees except the Nominating Committee, but may not Chair any committee.

 

(c)  Vice-President.  The Vice-President shall assume all duties and responsibilities of the President in absence of the President and perform other duties as directed by the President.

(d)  Secretary.  The Secretary shall conduct all official Club correspondence and publish the Quarterly Newsletter; shall maintain a master listing of all Club members, addresses, contact numbers, and email addresses; shall notify members of all regular and special meetings, maintain an accurate record of all meetings; maintain the Club’s activities calendar that involves the use of the clubhouse or ranges and notify the website provider for posting to the website calendar; shall maintain custody of all Club records and deeds and perform other duties as directed by the President.

(e)  Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of all fees and dues; pay all bills as directed by the BOG; keep an accurate accounting of all financial transactions; provide detailed financial reports at all BOG and Quarterly Membership meetings; provide an Annual Year End Financial Report; and perform other duties as directed by the President.

(f) BOG.  The BOG shall be representative of the Club Membership, be independent of any shooting discipline, not favoring one discipline in its decisions over another.  They shall conduct all Safety/Facility briefings for new members and perform other duties as directed by the President. All outgoing BOG members shall transfer all records, past and present, to the new, incoming BOG members by 31 December so they may assume their new Club duties as of 1 January.

 

Article IV

Membership 

 

  1. Membership. Any citizen of the United States who is at least twenty-one (21) years old, who may legally own or purchase a firearm, and has never been convicted of a crime preventing purchase from an FFL dealer, may become a member of HCGC after meeting the requirements below and upon receiving an admittance vote from the Membership of the Club.  Family members under the age of 21 may participate in Club activities under the direct supervision of parents, guardians, or other adult Club members.  Membership in the National Rifle Association is highly encouraged.  Membership will not be denied because of race, sex, religion, national origin, or physical disability of the applicant.  There are three types of Memberships within the Club.  They are:

– Temporary Membership that is good for 90 days and is awarded by the BOG while potential members progress through the application process.

– Probationary Membership which is granted while a member is on their initial one-year probation.

– General Membership after a member has served the one-year probation and has been voted into the Club by its members.

(a)  A General Membership shall include the principal member applicant and the immediate family who resides within the same domicile – husband, wife, and children or custodial children under the age of twenty-one (21). The principal member will be allowed full access to the Club, voting rights, and the opportunity to serve as a Club officer.  Family members under the age of twenty-one (21) will be allowed access to the Club only under the direct supervision of the principal member, guardians, or other adult Club members.  An applicant must:

(1)  Submit a complete Club application with the required dues.

(2)  Attend a minimum of three (3) Club scheduled events.

(3)  Attend a Safety/Facilities Briefing given by a BOG member.

(4)  Serve a one-year probationary period.

(5)  Be approved for membership by a 2/3rd vote of the Membership present at the Quarterly Membership meeting following the probationary period.

(b)  The applicant must attend three Club scheduled events and a Safety/Facilities Briefing given by a BOG member.  If the events and briefing are not completed within 90 days, the application is void and must be resubmitted.  It is the responsibility of the applicant’s sponsor to assist the applicant in completing the requirements of his/her application, such as informing the applicant of Club events so they may attend the three scheduled events and coordinating the Safety/Facilities briefing with a BOG member and the applicant.

(c)  Internal Membership procedures are as follows:  See Attachment “A” flowchart.

(1)  Applicant submits his/her completed application and dues to their sponsor or a BOG member.

(2)  Sponsor or BOG member will mail the application and dues to the Club (HCGC PO Box 155 Puryear, TN 38251) or give it to a BOG member.  The Treasurer will deposit the dues and forward the application to the Secretary.  Secretary shall process the application by starting BOG approval.

(3)  The BOG will consider the application in two ways:  Via electronic contact or at the next monthly meeting.  A 2/3rd vote of BOG members is required for recommending approval of the application.  A quorum of BOG members must be available to vote by either method.

(4)  If recommended by the BOG, a ninety (90) day Temporary Membership is given.  The application is posted to the application bulletin board for review by the Membership for a minimum of ninety (90) days.  During this ninety (90) day period the applicant must attend three scheduled Club events, have them signed on their application by a Club member or Match Director, and attend a Safety/Facilities Briefing given by a BOG member. The pending membership will be announced in the Newsletter and the applicant will be voted on at the first available Quarterly Membership Meeting.

(5)  If approved by 2/3rd of the Membership present, the Secretary will issue club card and keys and the applicant will be granted a one-year Probationary Membership beginning from the date of the ninety (90) day Temporary Membership.

(6)  If not recommended by the BOG, the ninety (90) day Temporary Membership is withheld.  The application will appear before the next Quarterly Membership meeting, where the BOG’s recommendation will be read by the Secretary and the Membership shall vote on the individual.  A 2/3rds vote of the Membership present will be required to override the BOG’s recommendation of denying membership.  If approved by the Membership, a second ninety (90) day Temporary Membership is given and paragraphs (4), (5), (8) & (9) applies.

(7)  If rejected by the Membership, the President will notify the applicant and all dues paid will be refunded.

(8)  At the end of the one-year probationary period the Secretary will notify the applicant so they may appear at the Quarterly Membership Meeting and is again voted on by the Membership.  If approved by 2/3rd of the Members in attendance, the applicant is a General Member and receives voting privileges.

(9)  If rejected by the Membership, then the Probationary Membership is null and void, and the applicant’s membership application is rejected with dues forfeited.

  1. Suspension or Termination of Membership. The BOG may temporarily suspend and/or recommend termination of any member who willfully falsifies a Club application, violates any Club Bylaw, rule, safety regulation, policy, non-payment of dues, or who misappropriates HCGC funds or property. The BOG may suspend a member for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days pending the complete investigation.  The process is listed below:  See Attachment B flowchart.

(a) Any Club member that witnesses any such action shall notify a BOG member immediately.  Charges against any officer, EBM, or member may be submitted by any Club member in good standing.  Charges shall be in writing, clearly stating the facts and accompanied by all signed statements or exhibits that are to be used in their support.   Charges shall be filed with the BOG, who will immediately call a special meeting of the BOG to hear the charges. The Secretary, or acting Secretary, will give at least ten (10) days’ notice of the meeting to all members of the BOG, to the accuser, and to the accused in writing and will include a copy of the charges and of the supporting signed documents and exhibits.  At that time, the member under charges will be given a full hearing including the right to question witnesses and present evidence on his/her behalf.  If the BOG hearing reveals that the violation(s) require action to be taken, the offender may be suspended from the Club by a 2/3rd affirmative vote of the members of the BOG present at any regular or special meeting and termination recommendation will be made to the Membership.

 

(b) Any member recommended for termination by the BOG may appeal to the Membership of the Club. Such appeal shall be made in writing to the BOG.  The BOG will call a Special Meeting of the Club for the purpose of acting on the appeal. The Secretary, or acting Secretary, shall give at least ten (10) days’ notice in writing to all members of the Club of the date, time, place, and reason for such meeting. At the Special Meeting of the Club, the Secretary, or acting Secretary, will read the original charges, the supporting signed statements, and will read or display the accompanying exhibits, and will read the minutes of the special meeting of the BOG at which the charges were heard, and action taken. A full hearing will be given to the member under charges including the right to question witnesses and present evidence on his/her behalf.

 

(c) A vote will be taken by ballot of the members present and a 2/3rd vote shall terminate the individual’s membership.  Club keys and card, along with any HCGC equipment in the member’s care will be returned to the Club.

 

(d)  Should the member not be terminated but the Membership feels that some punishment is warranted, such as attendance of a safety or anger management class, or other measures deemed appropriate, then the suspension of privileges for a specified period may be recommended.

 

(e)  In the event criminal activity is suspected, HCGC retains the right to request the assistance of local, state and/or federal law enforcement in the investigation of the issue.  HCGC or law enforcement findings may become evidence in any subsequent criminal proceedings.  HCGC may pursue criminal and/or civil charges against any member determined to be in participation of illegal activity on HCGC property.  Membership will be automatically terminated for any member convicted of a felony.  The BOG and Membership will be notified of the termination at the next Club meeting.

(f)  Any BOG member may be removed from office by 2/3rd vote of the Membership present at any special meeting for non-performance of their duties.  If removed from office, the ex-BOG member still retains his/her membership unless paragraph (2) above applies to the situation.

Article V

Guests & Visitors

  1. HCGC is a private club.  Guests are welcome to watch or participate in HCGC calendar and website scheduled events, i.e., Skeet League, Trap League, USPSA/IDPA Pistol, NRA Rifle matches, 3 Gun and Sporting Clay shoots.  To participate in nationally recognized registered shoots such as the ATA, NSSA, or USPSA, guests must be a current member of that organization.
  1. Members may bring guests to introduce and recruit them for membership not to exceed three visits at non-scheduled events.  During any visit, guests are the member’s responsibility and must be signed in.  They must abide by the rules of the Club as the member does.  Member’s guests shoot with the member and cannot shoot on a different range unless under the supervision of a Match Director or another club member.  Guests arrive when the member arrives, and they leave when the member leaves.  They are not allowed access to the Club without the club member being present.  Guests must have adequate eye and ear protection.
  1. Requests for an exception to the policy of the non-scheduled events three visit rule will be directed to the President for a decision in advance, i.e., grandson or granddaughter visiting from out of state for a week. Active-duty Military is exempt from the non-scheduled events three visit rule.
  1. Visitors are not members and not guests. Visitors are any person or persons at the Club not described above as a guest. Visitors must follow all safety rules and wear all required PPE for the area.

 

Article VI

Meetings

  1. Regular Meetings. The regular monthly business meeting of the BOG shall be held on any date and time established as the BOG shall determine.  An example would be the first Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. unless it is a holiday, then it will be held the following Monday.  All meetings will be held at the HCGC clubhouse unless otherwise published.  Meeting dates will be published on the website and Club calendar. All members are encouraged to attend every meeting.
  1. Membership Meetings. Membership meetings are held quarterly after the BOG meeting.  They are held in the months of January, April, and July.  The 4th quarter meeting is delayed until November when the annual election of officers and board members takes place.
  1. Special Meetings. Special Meetings of members may be called at any time, by the President, the BOG, or by 10% of the members entitled to vote, in writing via a petition.  Upon receipt of a petition addressed to a BOG member, or delivered personally, the President shall cause all members to be notified by U.S. Mail, email and/or telephonically that a special meeting will be held.  Notice of time, location and agenda must be given to the Membership.  Members must be notified at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting.

Article VII

Quorum, Conduct of Meetings and Proxy votes

 

  1. Quorum. For a BOG meeting, a quorum will exist if six (6) BOG Members, including the President or in his absence, the Vice-President are present.  Depending on the type of business and its urgency, the BOG may postpone the meeting with a majority vote until more members are present.  For a Quarterly Membership meeting, a quorum will exist if twelve (12) club members, including the President or in his absence, the Vice-President are present.
  1. Conduct of Meetings. The President or designee shall be responsible for the conduct of all meetings.  The conduct of all HCGC meetings will be professional and relaxed but will follow the guidelines of Robert’s Rules of Order.
  1. Voting by Proxy or Written Ballot. Any form of proxy must be in writing or by electronic media.  It must designate the person who is to cast the member’s vote and must be signed by hand or emailed and dated by the member giving the proxy.

Article VIII

Records, Inspection and Annual Report

  1. Adequate Records. The Club shall keep:

(1) Adequate and correct books and records of account.

(2) Minutes of the proceedings of the Regular, Membership and Special meetings.

(3) A record of the Members giving their names and addresses.

(4) All records of New Member Safety Briefs

(5) Other records as directed by the Board of Governor’s

(a) The minutes and other books and records shall be kept either in written form or in any other format capable of being converted into a clearly legible format that all may utilize.

  1. Members Right of Inspection. The financial books and records as well as Club meeting minutes shall be open to inspection upon the request (written or electronic) by any member, at any reasonable time, for any interest of the member, subject to the protection of the privacy rights and credit identity of the Club and of its members.
  1. Annual Financial Report. An Annual Financial Year End Report shall be prepared by the outgoing Treasurer within 30 days after the close of the Club’s fiscal year.

(a)  All financial records shall be made available at any time for review by a Certified Public Accountant for accuracy if requested by the BOG.

(b)  The accounting year of the Club shall be 1 January to 31 December of any given year.

 

Article IX

Amendments to Bylaws

  1. Bylaw Amendments. New Bylaws or changes to current bylaws may be submitted for amendment or repeal by a 2/3rds vote of the Members present at a Regular Membership Meeting.  Once the recommendations have been made and accepted by a 2/3rds vote, the BOG shall cause all members to be notified by U.S. Mail, email, and/or telephonically that a special meeting will be held.  Notice of time, location and agenda must be given to the Membership.  Members must be notified at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting.  A 2/3rd vote of the Membership present at that special meeting will add, amend, or repeal the bylaws noted on the agenda.
  1. Adoption of Bylaws. Whenever amendments to the bylaws or new bylaws are adopted, the new wording or bylaw shall replace the old and not clutter up the present bylaws with the wording of the old.  Revisions will be made by replacing the entire page.

 

 

Article X

Committees

  1. Standing Committees. Standing Committees members are appointed by the President at the beginning or during his or her term of office.  The President shall serve as ex-officio member of all such committees except the Nominating Committee.  These committees are composed of a Chairperson and Club members.  A Chairperson will be a responsible individual with drive and ambition to get the assigned projects completed.  He/she may or may not be a BOG member.  The committees will report on their needs and progress of their projects to the BOG at the monthly BOG meetings.  Examples of Standing Committees are:  New Construction, Traps & Maintenance, Affiliations, or others as may be designated.
  1. Nominating Committee (NC). The NC will be appointed by the BOG at the September BOG meeting.  Every effort should be made to select the NC from across all the various shooting disciplines of Skeet, Trap, Rifle and Pistol, with the four members representing all the various interests of the Club.  The NC’s sole purpose is to poll the Membership for members that are qualified and interested in serving as officers and as an EBM for the Club.  The recommended individuals will become nominees for the election of Officers and EBM at the November Quarterly Membership meeting.  After it has fielded its recommendations to the BOG at the November meeting, the year’s NC will cease to exist.
  1. Special Committees.  Special Committees will be appointed as needed to assign responsibilities for any event not covered in the daily routine of HCGC.  A Chairperson for the committee shall be appointed by the President and he/she shall report to the BOG at the monthly and quarterly meetings.  After the committee’s event has occurred, the committee will cease to exist, unless otherwise directed by the President.

 

Article XI

Range Rules

 

  1. Range Rules. Range Rules are specifically designed for each shooting discipline.  They include the safe use and operation of various types of equipment such as trap machines, timers, and target holders.  All the range rules are in the “Henry County Gun Club Member Booklet Club Orientation and Club Rules”.  This booklet, along with the “Henry County Gun Club Bylaws” and the “Henry County Gun Club New Member Checklist” are reviewed by each member during their Safety & Facility Briefing by a BOG member. This information shall also be available and current on the Club website.
  1. Range rules are designed to be flexible, easily changed, and adaptable to the various changing situations for each shooting discipline. Examples would be instructions in the use of the new wireless voice activated Canterbury Trap system, a new timer for IDPA, target systems for the 600-yard range, or the voice activated APB Skeet system.  New equipment is being added all the time.  The OEM booklet of instructions for the use of this equipment and safety rules will be made available.
  1. The BOG shall oversee updating of the Range Rules as needed to keep them current with our facilities and equipment and provide for the safe use of all equipment for all members.

 

 

Article XII

Animal Control

 

Animal control.  All dogs and other domestic animals brought to HCGC shall always be on leash and under control of a responsible individual.  Except for handicap assistance service dogs, all animals are prohibited in the HCGC Clubhouse.  No domestic animal shall be tied to, left unattended, or within any HCGC structure.  The training of dogs or use of dogs for hunting on HCGC property is prohibited.  The use of horses on HCGC property is prohibited unless approved by the BOG on a case-by-case basis.  Owners are responsible for their animals and assume all liability and clean up actions.

Article XIII

Hunting, Trapping

 

Hunting or Trapping. There shall be no hunting, trapping or pursuit of game on HCGC property.  Wildlife presenting a clear danger to persons, or clearly established as a serious nuisance, may be destroyed as directed by the BOG after coordination with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA).  No turkey or deer shall be destroyed because of alleged or actual crop damage.  The BOG will ensure that all members and persons authorized to work or farm on HCGC property are aware of these regulations.

Article XIV

Political Activities

Political Activities. HCGC shall not endorse, support, or contribute to any specific political candidate or political party (local, State, or Federal).  HCGC property or facilities shall not be rented, leased, loaned, or donated to any group or person(s) for any activity in support of a specific candidate or political party.  Signs or distribution of political materials on HCGC property is prohibited.  These restrictions are not to prohibit or impede free speech of members or guests.  Nor do they apply to political signs on vehicles or clothing.

Article XV

Dues and Club Funds

  1. Dues. Annual membership dues shall be for the fiscal year 1 January through 31 December, shall be of the amount determined and shall be due and payable on the date determined by the BOG.  Dues for new members joining the Club after 1 January shall be prorated on a quarterly basis as noted below.

January through March – full yearly rate

April through June – 75% of yearly rate

July through September – 50% of yearly rate

October through December – 25% of yearly rate

  1. Club Funds. All expenditures shall be approved by the BOG.  The President is responsible for all expenditures of Club funds.

3. Expenditure Approval Procedure. a.    The BOG shall approve all expenditures from $1 – $1999 in advance that arise between monthly meetings. The transaction shall be recorded in the minutes for the next monthly meeting. b.   All proposed expenditures exceeding $2000 must be brought before the BOG for review and acceptance or rejection in a monthly BOG meeting no later than one month before the next Quarterly BOG/Membership meeting.  NOTE: Any unapproved expenditures made are at your own risk. The following information will be provided to the BOG at the regular monthly Club meeting:

(1) At least one written firm bid to include all costs associated with the project or product.(2) A description of the project/product, benefit to the club and members, impact on the other shooting disciplines and project completion time.(3) Any other information that would address safety, liability &/or environmental concerns of the proposed expenditure. The BOG, at its discretion, may require additional bids or information before consideration.

(4) After 2/3 majority approval by the BOG, all members will be notified in a timely manner (not less than 10 days from date of BOG approval) of the approved projects/expenditures.

(5) A presentation will be made at the next Quarterly Membership Meeting or a Special Meeting before voting by the membership present.

(6) The project/expenditure will move forward with a 2/3 majority of the members present in favor.

  1. In case of an emergency, profitable, or humanitarian situation that cannot be delayed, the President may expend up to $2000.00 without prior approval of the Membership. The BOG shall be informed via electronic means as soon as possible and the President must request approval from the Membership as soon as practical. If not approved by the Membership, the President shall reimburse the Club.

 

Article XVI

In the Event of Dissolution of the Club

  1. The property of the Club shall include real estate in Tennessee, together with all improvements, and all other property assets belonging to HCGC wherever located, both within and outside the State of Tennessee, as may be necessary for this purpose.
  1. Upon dissolution of the Club all assets of every kind shall be liquidated or assigned a fair market value. After all debts and obligations of the Club have been satisfied or otherwise provided for, the resulting monies shall be distributed to other non-profit charities, agencies or scholarships as the Membership shall

feel proper.