Becky Moller

CONSTITUTION
TEXAS NORTH STAR SAMS

A TEXAS GOOD SAM CHAPTER
OF THE INTERNATIONAL GOOD SAM CLUB

I. Name

A. This organization shall be known as Texas North Star Sams. It was organized March 15, 2002, and chartered as a chapter of the International Good Sam Recreational Vehicle Club.

B. This Chapter will only use the Good Sam name and logo in good taste and will promote the Good Sam Pledge and Chapter activities in a manner consistent with the Club Constitution, by-laws and general policies. The chapter agrees to cease and desist from all use of the Good Sam name and logo upon loss of its charter from the Club for any reason.

C. The chapter emblem will have a western motif and include the Texas flag, the state shape and include the words Good Sam or have a Good Sam logo within it in order to meet the requirements established by the International Good Sam Club. The emblem will be submitted for approval to the International Good Sam Club before it will be recognized as official.

II. Membership

A. All members of the Chapter must be current members in good standing of the International Good Sam Recreational Vehicle Club.

B. Membership to the Chapter is by invitation only.

III. Purpose

A. The promotion of good fellowship.

B. The promotion of good camping practices, the use of recreational vehicles and the enjoyment of the outdoors.

C. The promotion of patriotism (not to be confused with political bias) and other aims of the Good Sam organization.

D. The participation in community service projects, including at least one civic, community or benevolent project each year.

IV. Officers

A. Elected officers shall include the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Wagonmaster.

Their terms shall be one (1) year and their duties shall be as follows:

1. President: provide leadership within the Chapter, preside over all general and Executive Committee meetings, appoint committees and non-elective positions and represent the Chapter at regional, state and national Good Sam functions.

2. Vice President: preside in the absence of the President and assume and perform additional leadership roles as required or assigned.

3. Secretary: provide record keeping and correspondence services, attend all business and Executive Committee meetings and attend other committee meetings as requested.

4. Treasurer: maintain control and records of Chapter funds and transactions, accept dues and other incoming monies, disburse Chapter funds as required and approved by the membership and prepare and present financial status reports at each monthly meeting and upon special request.

5. Wagonmaster (Trail Boss): shall select and schedule locations for monthly campouts, publish schedules of campout locations and dates in the chapter newsletter, provide caravan leadership as necessary, maintain attendance records, and supervise the collection and payment of the camping fees.

B. Appointed officers shall include the Chaplain and Newsletter Editor; their terms shall be one (1) year and their duties shall be as follows:

1. Chaplain: shall provide spiritual direction to the Chapter activities and members as appropriate, and conduct or arrange for campout devotionals.

2. Newsletter Editor: shall provide the membership a monthly newsletter, including pertinent information regarding the last meeting, the upcoming campout and other information of interest to the chapter.

V. Committees

A. Executive Committee The Executive Committee shall include the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Wagonmaster (Trail Boss) and Past President. Election of any other members of the committee will be made from the membership.

1. Their duties include helping the president with the guidance of the chapter.

2. Being available for members' concerns.

3. Attending committee meetings and reporting proceedings to the chapter.

B. Other committees may be formed as required and may include Project, Sunshine, Telephone, Legislature and Membership. All committees except the Executive Committee are discretionary and may be formed and dissolved by the President. The President may fill committee positions by appointment or with volunteers.

VI. Standard Operating Procedures

A. Detailed operational procedures for achieving the purposes of the Constitution are listed in the Stand Operating Procedures.

B. Proposed amendments to the Standard Operating Procedures will be presented and discussed at a regularly scheduled business meeting, then published in the chapter's next monthly newsletter and voted on at the next scheduled business meeting. Amendments will be accepted upon simple majority vote of current members present. Amendments become effective immediately upon Chapter acceptance.

VII. Miscellaneous

A. This Constitution may be amended upon recommendation by the Executive Committee, proper notification in the chapter newsletter and the approval of ¾ of the membership attending any regular business meeting, with the stipulation that a quorum is present and the amendment is subject to approval of the International Good Sam Club (A quorum shall include twenty-five percent or ¼ of the current members of the chapter.)

B. All chapter members must at all times have a current International Good Sam Recreational Vehicle Club membership. Current membership number must be provided to the treasurer when dues are paid and upon special request.

C. Acceptance of membership to the Chapter shall be by secret ballot and notification of results will be by mail.

D. Any member family may be removed from the Chapter membership. A motion for removal must be made at regularly scheduled business meetings and the motion will be published in the next Chapter newsletter. The vote will be by secret ballot at the following business meeting and must be approved by ¾ of the members present. Notification will be by letter; dues for the current year will be forfeited.

E. All Chapter members and guests will observe the rules and regulations of the campgrounds that are being used for the Chapter campouts.

Texas North Star Sams Bylaws

Accepted and Adopted 2/18/2017

 

I. MEMBERSHIP

A. Members

1. Definition:

- Pay full dues
- Host/Co-Host Campouts
- Have full voting rights

2. Members attend, in their rigs, a minimum of three scheduled campouts per club calendar year (Jan 1 thru Nov 30)

B. Associate Members - Members who need to take a less active role in the Chapter

1. Definition:

- Must be members who need to take a less active role due to health or other personal issues
- Existing Associate Members as of 2/18/17 are grandfathered into Associate Status
- Approval by simple majority of elected officers required
- Pay ½ the amount of Member dues
- Not required but may co-host
- Cannot vote or make proposals

2. Associate members are not included in the membership reported to the State Good Sams Organization.

3. Associate members are not required to attend the business meetings and not included in determining a quorum. If a Members only business meeting is called then Associate Members, visitors and guests will be excused.

4. Members will request to change to Associate Members status at the time they pay their dues for the following year; dues are paid in October. Associate classification will begin at the end of the current club calendar year. If a Member deems it necessary to become an Associate and obtains approval to do so prior to October, their dues will be pro-rated to the end of the current club calendar year.

C. Prospective Members

1. Interested people who have an RV may express a desire to be considered for membership in the Texas North Star Sams.

2. Prospective Members should attend, in their rigs, at least three scheduled campouts, each time with a sponsor member family. The sponsor or designated alternate, must attend the campout with the Prospective Member and be responsible for their conduct and activities.

3. At their initial visit, the Chapter Vice President will give the Prospective Member a packet containing the Chapter Constitution, Standard Operating Procedures, and other appropriate information. The sponsor and/or Chapter Vice President will inform prospective members of membership requirements and chapter procedures as well as introduce them to the other campers. More than one sponsor may host prospective members during the 12-month period.

4. At the third campout, prospective members will be eligible to be accepted into the Texas North Star Sams chapter. Their acceptance will be by secret ballot voting and must receive a simple majority of the members present. Once voting has been completed and tabulated, the presiding officer will inform the applicant(s) of the vote. Dues are payable upon acceptance of membership and will be prorated to the end of the year - December 31.

5. Prospective members may attend business meetings, but not vote.

D. Visitors

1. Visitors are welcome to attend all chapter gatherings at any time. Visitors may attend, but may not participate or vote in, any business meetings. Visitors without rigs are encouraged to visit campouts to become acquainted with camping activities and the chapter members.

2. Visitors, other than former members, must be invited and accompanied by a sponsor member family at each chapter campout or activity that they attend.

II. ACTIVITIES

A. Campouts

1. Official monthly campouts will be held the weekend of the third Friday of the month unless otherwise announced by the presiding officer via email as well as an update to the club website. The schedule, as determined by the WagonMaster, will be posted on the website and any other media used by the club at that time.

2. Any deposits for a campground facility or campsites will be the responsibility of the WagonMaster in conjunction with the Treasurer or his representative. The Treasurer or campers will make reimbursement to the WagonMaster upon arrival at the camp.

3. Each member family will co-host no more than one regularly scheduled campout each year.

a. Working Members will be given first choice of available hosting months

b. Remaining Members will be assigned hosting months via a drawing in November

c. Should an individual Member not be able to fulfill co-hosting duties during their assigned month, it will be his/her responsibility to provide a replacement co-host and to ensure the presiding officer and WagonMaster are informed of the change.

4. Planning and coordination of campout food will be the responsibility of the hosts assigned to each campout. The hosts will convey plans for each campout to the membership by email, website or other available mechanism.

5. Any member having visitors or inviting prospective members will be responsible for informing the WagonMaster and Campout Hosts of how many guest rigs and/or guests will be attending the campout and meals. The member will be responsible for their guests and should be proactive in introducing them to other members and guests, of informing them of Good Sam and Chapter policies and By-Laws and for making them feel welcome.

6. At the Saturday night dinner, each attending Member and Associate Member will pay $2.50 per person or $5.00/rig . The club Treasurer will reimburse the co-host couples for food expenses for the Saturday night dinner upon presentation of appropriate receipts. The remaining monies collected will be deposited into the club treasury. Prospective members are not expected to pay. Guests and visitors will be paid for by their sponsors.

7. Each member will provide their own beverages, plates, cutlery, napkins, condiments, etc.

B. MEETINGS

1. At a campout, the need for a business meeting, including a place and time, will be determined and announced by the presiding officer.

2. Voting and business meeting attendance and participation is required of members. Each member shall have one vote per person on all business requiring a vote. A quorum of 25% of the Membership must be present to hold a vote on any decisions. Should it be deemed necessary an Executive Officer may request a "member only meeting".

3. The Executive Committee (elected Officers only) will meet when called upon by the presiding officer.

4. All Members are encouraged to wear name tags while at the campground, social dinners or other chapter activities. Changes to Chapter apparel will be voted on by Members. Members may wear the chapter shirts at the Area and State Rallies or other functions considered appropriate.

C. PROJECTS

1. Community, civic or other benevolent projects will be undertaken, after a proposal has been made and approved by a majority of the members present.

III. ELECTION of OFFICERS

A. The presiding officer will appoint a nominating committee in August. The committee chair will present the proposed slate of officers at the September business meeting.

B. Additional nominations for officers will be accepted from the floor at the October business meeting. Consent of the nominees should be obtained prior to nomination by the committee or from the floor.

C. Officers will be elected by simple majority vote of members attending the October business meeting, will be installed at the November meeting and will take office at that time.

D. If an officer resigns during his/her term or becomes incapable of continuing to serve, a replacement will be elected by a simple majority vote of members at the next regularly scheduled business meeting.

IV. MISCELLANEOUS

A. Any budgeting or spending of chapter funds should be limited to prior year's earnings to preserve the chapter's funds. Any exceptions have to be voted on at a chapter meeting by Members. The Treasurer is responsible for distributing the money to the Chapter Sunshine Fund, donations to charitable projects/organizations and dues to the state Good Sam organization.

B. In the event of Chapter dissolution, funds remaining in the treasury after payment of all outstanding bills will be refunded. The amount of refund per member unit will be calculated by dividing the total fund by the number of current paid-up member units.

C. Alcoholic beverages will be restricted to members' rig site.

D. Pets will be on leases or left in rigs and remain at the owner's campsite. In accordance with campground rules, owners are expected to pick up and dispose of their pet's excrement.

E. When participating in chapter activities, parents/guardians, guests or visitors will be responsible for the actions and needs of their children.

F. Campsites must be clean before departing.

G. All complaints of any nature will be reported to the presiding officer.

H. The Sunshine Committee is authorized to spend as much as $50 for flowers or food in the event of the death of a chapter member. The committee will send cards for sickness, injury, hospitalization, and death of relatives as deemed appropriate.