University of California

4-H Unit By-Laws

Rancho Capistrano Wranglers (Pending Approval)

Article I

Name and Location

Section 1. Name of the 4-H Club shall be Rancho Capistrano Wranglers (RCW).

Section 2. The location and time of the meeting will be announced at the monthly meeting, via email, web site posting, or via a phone message.  Eighty percent attendance of the community club meetings is required the year a member applies for a merit star at the club level, provided seventy-two hours notice has been given to notify members of a location and/or time change.  If seventy-two hours notice has not been given, attendance of the changed meeting will not be considered for the eighty percent attendance.

Article II

Membership

Section 1.  Residency of members is limited to areas allowed by the Orange County University of California Cooperative Extension office.

Section 2.  Members must re-enroll in 4-H on an annual basis to retain active 4-H member status.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Section 3.  RCW will accept primary members.  Primary members participate at many of the events but they do not compete.  Primary members are encouraged to keep record books and they are to follow the guidelines set forth by the Orange County University of California Cooperative Extension office.  Primary members may not earn points toward merit stars.

Section 4. RCW will accept young ladies and gentlemen in the junior, intermediate, and senior age categories.  These members may compete and participate in (a) large livestock project(s).  Junior, intermediate, and senior members are encouraged to keep a record book, and they are to follow the guidelines set forth by the Orange County University of California Cooperative Extension office.  These members may earn points toward merit stars.

Section 5. Members working to receive merit stars, yearly pins, and stripes must turn in a record book to the club leaders. Members working to receive merit stars must turn in a record book to the club leaders. Members working to receive a yearly pin and stripe must complete a project, and, in order to demonstrate the project has been completed, they must turn in a completed annual project report, have attended 80% of the project’s meetings, and have obtained the project leader's signature.  Junior and teen leaders must complete a Leadership Plan and Report in order to be eligible for completing the junior or teen leadership project.  Members earning points for the demonstration category may not count practicing at a project meeting or workshop as giving a demonstration. Completed presentations at workshops will be counted if approved by the Demonstration Day committee.  Example of where members may earn points for giving a demonstration include, but are not limited to, the club's monthly business meetings, county workshops, Food Fiesta, Presentation Day, Youth Expo, Sectional Field Day, BLT Conference, and the Orange County Fair. Members working to earn star ranking must have given at least one demonstration per star at the county Presentation Day or other planned county event.                                                                                           

Section 6. Each member is expected to participate regularly in club meetings.     

Section 7. Each member is expected to participate in the club's community service events.                                                                                                 

Section 8. Each member is expected to participate in the club's fundraising events.                                                                                                                

Section 9.  Each member must enroll in a minimum of one project and is expected to keep a record book and encouraged to share what he or she has learned through a talk, demonstration, exhibit, or by entering a showmanship event.                   

Section 10. Participation in 4-H is a privilege and participants are required to show respect and cooperation to the 4-H leaders and participants.  Each member is required to sign and abide by the California 4-H code of conduct and behavior guidelines established by California.  Participants may be removed from 4-H activities or programs for misconduct.                                                                                  

Section 11.  Dues will be collected to cover expenses.  These dues are to be set by a budget committee. If a member cannot pay these dues, they need to discuss the situation with a 4-H leader who may refer him/her to the scholarship committee. The committee and contacting leader are to keep member's personal information confidential.                                                                                                                        

Section 12. Members are expected to pay mandatory fees set forth by the county, i.e. insurance.                                                                                                 

Section 13. Members are expected to pay for their project expenses.       

Section 14.  Priority registration is given to members who attend eighty percent of the monthly club meetings.  These members may select two projects as a priority to be enrolled.  Every effort, but no guarantee, is given to have these members enrolled in these projects.                                                                                                   

Section 15. RCW's membership will be closed approximately three weeks prior to the county deadline date of December 1st. This date is to be announced at the first community club meeting.                                                                              

Section 16.  Refunds of insurance and club dues will only be given if notification is given within seven days of the member's original date of enrollment.

Section 17.  Refunds of project expenses will be considered on an individual basis.  No refunds will be given after December 1st.

Article III

Election of Officers

Section 1.  The officers shall be elected by the first meeting of the year.

Section 2.  Election of officers may be done individually or by a slate. The positions will be available to one young lady and one young gentleman with the exception of Sergeant at Arms where there may be two young ladies and two young gentlemen.  In the event a position is not filled by the opposite gender, the same gender may fill the position.

Article IV

Duties of Officers

Section 1.  The president(s) shall preside at all meetings and have in mind at all times the interests of the 4-H members.  The president may call special meetings with the consent of the organization volunteer(s).  The president shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 2.  The vice-president(s) shall perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president.  The vice president shall serve as a chairperson of the yearly program committee and the membership committee.  The vice president shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 3.  The recording secretar(y)(ies) shall keep the minutes of all 4-H meetings, act as the group’s correspondent, and keep a correct roll of 4-H members.  At the end of the 4-H year, the recording secretar(y) (ies) and organization volunteer(s) will submit a final report to the County Extension office. The recording secretar(y)(ies) shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 4.  The treasurer(s) shall receive and keep all money belonging to the unit and shall pay it out only upon order of the President, after the 4-H members approve.  The treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all money received and paid out and keep a report up to date in the 4-H treasurer’s manual.  The treasurer and the organization volunteer(s) will compile and submit required reports at the end of the program year. The treasurer shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077 and 1035.

Section 5.  Other offices may be established as the needs of the unit dictate. 

Section 6.  The corresponding secretar(y)(ies) shall report on all correspondence sent on behalf of, or received by, the club.  The corresponding secretary shall compose letters and or thank you notes to guest speakers and members who make a donation to the club. The corresponding secretar(y)(ies) shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077. 

Section 7.  The photographer(s) in the officer's position will be responsible to provide the historian photographs of club members and events.  The officer(s) will chair the photographer committee. The photographer(s) shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 8.  The editor(s) will be responsible to provide publicity for the club and newsletters for the club's members.  The editor will chair the reporter committee.  The editor shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 9.  A news reporter will be responsible to write at least five articles for the club paper and/or community paper to achieve officer status.  A reporter who writes fewer than five articles will be considered a committee member.  A copy of the article must be given to the editor and community club leader. The reporter shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 10.  The recreation leader(s) will be responsible provide activities for club gatherings.  The recreation leader shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 11.  The past president(s) will advise the executive board.  The past president(s) shall follow the guidelines as described in the 4-H officer manual 1077.

Section 12.  It is recommended that the officers be elected at the end of the year and they are to be installed at the beginning of the new 4-H year. They shall hold office for one year.  All active members are eligible to run for an office and to vote.  Voting is done by a majority rule and is by secret ballot, if a slate is not used.  If a slate is used, voting may be done by a show of hands or a verbal vote.

Section 13.  Vacancies of officers: If an office is not filled, the board members must decide how the work is to be divided. 

Section 14. Removal from office: If an officer fails to do the duties of the position, they will meet with a peer review committee.  Effort is to be made to encourage the member to be successful in fulfilling the duties of the position.  If the member still fails to do the duties, then they are subject to removal from office.  The peer review committee shall consist of one executive board member, one project leader, and one community club leader.  The committee may, also, include the county program director. 

Article V

Committees

Section 1.  The president may appoint committees for special purposes at any time. 

Section 2. Members are expected to volunteer for committee assignments. The president has the authority to appoint committee chairs and members.

Section 3. An Audit Committee, all whom do not have signatory rights on the financial accounts, will conduct an audit of the club's financial records.  The club leader will see that the audit and records are turned into the extension office at the end of each 4-H year. (Check with the extension office for the date.)

Section 4.  It is recommended that two committees be set up annually to support the officers.  There should be a reporter committee and a photographer committee.  The reporter committee will be led by the editor.  A reporter may earn officer status if he or she submits at least five articles to the editor(s), with a copy given to the club leader, by a reasonable date set forth by the editor(s).  The photographer committee will be led by the member(s) that is (are) elected as the club's photographer(s).

Section 5.  It is recommended that there be a scholarship committee composed of at least three adult leaders, one of which is a community club leader.  The scholarship committee members are to be appointed at the beginning of each program year. 

Article VI

Meetings

Section 1.  The regular meetings of the unit shall take place on the first Thursday of each month.  With a minimum of 7 days notice, the president, with consent of the organization volunteer, may call special meetings. 

Section 2.  An annual achievement meeting will be announced at the first club meeting.  At this meeting members will be recognized for their achievements and yearly pins and stripes will be awarded to members that completed a record book and submitted it to the club leaders.

Section 3.  Special meetings will be announced by the following methods: at a meeting, by phone, email, web site posting, or newsletter.

Section 4.  Future meetings will be announced at the community club meeting.  Changes will be posted on the website, announced via email, or a phone message.

Section 5. Voting will take place by ballot, by hand, or a verbal aye or nay.

Section 6.  As a guide, the order of the meeting shall take place as follows with the option of the program* taking place in the beginning of the meeting:                                          

1.   Officers Call to Order

2.   Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-H Pledge

3.   Reminder to sign attendance sheet

4.   Minutes of last meeting

5.   Treasurer's report

6.   Correspondence Report

7.   Other officers’ reports

8.   County Council Report

9.   Committee Reports

10.  Project Reports

11.  Unfinished business

12.  New business

13.  Announcements

14.  Adjournment

15.  Educational program/project work*

Article VII

Quorum

Section I. A quorum to do business of a regularly scheduled meeting shall consist of at least ten members that meet the membership criteria listed in Article IV of the Constitution. One of the ten members present must be a member of the executive board (president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer). 

Section II.  If the meeting is not a regularly scheduled meeting then one-third of the members meeting membership criteria in Article IV of the Constitution must be present.  A member of the executive board must be one of the attending members.

Article VIII

Program of Work

A program of work for the year shall be written and adopted not later than the third meeting of the program year.

Article IX

Rules of Order

Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the meetings of the unit.

Article X

Amending By-Laws

These by-laws may be amended by two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting.

Article XI

Fiscal Operations

Section 1. Fiscal Policies: The club will follow all University of California fiscal policies as well as state and federal regulations.

Section 2.  If project fundraises for the benefit of a project, and not the club as a whole, five percent of the profit will go in the club operating fund.  The remaining profit can be used by the project.                                                                    

Section 3.  Members must designate whether they are fundraising for the club or for a project.  If a member does not state the purpose, it will go into the club’s general operating fund.                                                                                    

Section 4. To ensure proper use of the club name and use of the 4-H clover, fundraising efforts must be approved by the club and county.                                                                                                                             

Section 5.  Inventory with a value greater than $100.00 must be recorded on the club’s annual inventory sheet.

Section 6.  All funds are to be channeled through the club's treasurer(s).

Section 7.  Any money left over from a project is to be allocated to the club's general operating fund at the beginning of the new program year, unless voted to remain in the project by the club members.

Article XII

Dissolution of Unit

Upon consideration of the dissolution of the 4-H unit, the officers will inform the County 4-H YDP staff and the County VMO as to their desire and conformance to the following procedure:

The Rancho Capistrano Wranglers 4-H Club shall be terminated and dissolved upon majority vote of the membership in favor of dissolution of the 4-H unit. Upon dissolution of the 4-H unit for any reason, the officers shall take full account of the Rancho Capistrano Wranglers 4-H unit assets and liabilities, and shall liquidate the assets as promptly as it is consistent with obtaining the fair value thereof, and shall apply and distribute the proceeds there from in the following order:

a.     Payment of the debts and Liabilities of the Rancho Capistrano 4-H club.

b.     Setting up of any reserves which the officers may deem necessary for any contingent or unforeseen liabilities or obligations of the Rancho Capistrano Wranglers 4-H unit; such reserves shall be paid over by the Treasurer to the County 4-H VMO.  The county 4-H VMO will hold the funds in an escrow account for three (3) years for the purpose of contingent or unforeseen liabilities or upon re-establishment of the Rancho Capistrano Wranglers 4-H unit.  At the expiration of the 3-year period, the balance shall be distributed to the County VMO for the purpose of program development directly relating to the enrichment of the quality of life of 4-H youth and volunteers.

Each member shall be furnished with a statement prepared by the Rancho Capistrano Wranglers 4-H unit setting forth the assets, liabilities, and distribution upon complete liquidation.  Upon compliance with the foregoing terms and manner of distribution, the 4-H unit shall cease. 

 

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        Unit President                                       Community Unit Leader

 

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        4-H YDP Staff