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Greetings CCAA Members,
The CCAA 2023 Election Oversight Committee has been appointed. We welcome the following members:
Timeline for 2023 CCAA Elections:
Qualifications to Hold Office: All Officer or Director nominees must be a member in good standing for three (3) years (36 months) with at least six (6) of those months directly previous to the date nominations close. Also, all Officer or Director candidates/nominees must meet one (1) or more of the following requirements:
Qualifications to Vote or Nominate:
Click here for the 2023 CCAA election nomination form. Click here for the 2023 CCAA election incumbent form. Click here for the list of potential eligible candidates list. Positions Open for 2023 CCAA Elections: Vice President: The Vice President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President's death, absence, incapacity, resignation, or expulsion. The VP is to preside over and manage the regional VPs and affiliated clubs, take an accounting of their actives, help them properly represent the breed and present a written report to the BOD in the first quarter of each yr. regarding such. Position requirements in addition to those stated Article 3 section 1(a): Served for at least one full term as an officer or director of the CCAA. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club, of the Board, of all votes taken by mail or electronically (on the occasion that secret ballots are not required by this document), and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. Additional responsibilities are as follows: having charge of the correspondence, notifying members of meetings, notifying officers and directors of their election to office, working with Director #5 to keep a role of the membership, with their addresses, which shall be sent to any member in good standing, upon written request, once every club year, keeping a copy on file of all the Directors and committee reports for a period no less than two years, and carrying out such other duties as are prescribed in these bylaws. Position requirements are the minimum listed Article 3 section 1(a). Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club. Moneys shall be deposited in a bank approved by the Board, in the name of the Club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection by the Board; a report shall be given quarterly of the condition of the Club's finances, including every item of receipt or payment not before reported; In the first quarter chronicle, an accounting shall be rendered of all moneys received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine. Treasurer will work in corporation with Director #5 to ensure dues are processed efficiently. Position requirements: Position requirements are the minimum listed Article 3 section 1(a). Director #1 – Breed Education: Director #1 is responsible for breed education, strictly over seeing committees pertaining to Judges Seminars, AKC breed certification, public breed seminars, and breed manuals. #1 is to train and ensure that anyone giving seminars for the CCAA is properly versed in the standard and certified with the CCAA. Position requirements in addition to the minimal stated above: Director #1 must have notable and significant experience with the breed, must have studied dog structure and be able to demonstrate a solid grasp of the standard/breed. Experience in breed education or judging is preferred. Director #2 – Ethics and Grievances: Director #2 will preside over the ethics and grievance committee and bring to the attention of the BOD any grievances that the committee cannot resolve through mediation. #2 will have the duty to cultivate and encourage CCAA members and breeders to uphold the Club’s code of ethics. Position requirements are the minimum listed above. Director #3 – Awards and Standings: Director #3 is responsible for accumulating and maintaining a record of conformation, companion, working and temperament evaluation points earned by club member’s dogs associated with club titles (Awards and Standing) and is responsible for acquiring the certificates and awards for such club titles. #3 is to ensure the proper calculation of the club points for conformation and companion, working and temperament evaluation awards and present to the Board a full accounting. Director #4 – Events: Director #4 will preside over the committees that regulate, organize, and promote the CCAA’s conformation events. 4# will preside over the committees that regulate, organize, and promote the CCAA’s companion events, working events, and temperament evaluations. #4 is to ensure the proper calculation of the club points for each respective Corso Working, Sporting and Temperament events and present to the Board a full accounting. Director #5 – Membership/Welcoming: Director #5. Will preside over the Membership/Welcoming Committee and ensure that monthly meetings to vet out applicants for membership into the club are held promptly and that new members are contacted by the committee within one (1) month of induction; this includes: informing them of their new membership status and giving them info about the club. Each month director #5 will submit to the Board a roster of applicants the committee has compiled for final vote and approval of membership. #5 will immediately inform the Treasurer of the new member’s acceptance, so that the Treasurer may pull the dues paid by said member out of the holding account and deposit them into the general fund. #5 will keep a current membership role and provide a quarterly copy to the Secretary, which will make it public record of such role annually. #5 may delegate tasks to his committee members but is ultimately responsible in ensuring the duties assigned this office are carried out forth with. Director #7 – Breeders and Health: Director # 7 will oversee the CCAA breeder’s: organizations, advocates and education committees. #7 will preside over the Health and Genetics committees. Position requirements in addition to those stated above: A Cane Corso Breeder of notable accomplishments and experience. Regional Vice Presidents: The Regional VP is an elected position, in addition to and separate from the BOD. There will be a VP for each one of the 4 regions the CCAA has established in the US. The Board may change the boundaries of these Regions after a review every 3 years, to better serve its members, provided that the regions contain a fairly equal number of club members. The VP must live in the region they represent. The states currently included in these regions are as follows: Region 1 - ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, PA, WV, VA & MD Region 2 - NC, SC, TN, AR, OK, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA & FL Region 3 - OH, KY, MI, IN, IL, MO, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE & KS Region 4 - WA, OR, CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, CO, AZ, NM, AK, HI & UT Duties: (a) Encourage and help organize specialties and match shows in his/her area; (b) Chair or take responsible position in these above shows; (c) Educate and aid new Cane Corso owners in the proper care (feeding, training, grooming) of their dogs; (d) Support, endorse or investigate members of the CCAA at the request of the BOD or the rescue committee; (e) Support and organize activities to bring area members together; fund raise for local Corso events and projects; (f) Submit quarterly reports to the Cane Corso Chronicle; (g) Correspond regularly with the Club VP regarding their region; (h) Act as liaison between affiliate clubs; (i) Represent the interests of that region to the BOD. Additional duties may be assigned by the BOD at anytime. Please use the following e-mail to contact us with any questions or comments you may have: [email protected]. Click here for the 2023 CCAA election nomination form. Click here for the 2023 CCAA election incumbent form. Click here for the list of potential eligible candidates list. Respectfully, The CCAA 2023 Election Oversight Committee:
To view in PDF, click on the file: 
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I Name and Objects Section 1. The name of the Club shall be Cane Corso Association of America hereafter referred to as “CCAA” or “Club”. Section 2. The objects of the Club shall be: (a) To encourage and promote quality in the breeding and welfare of the purebred Cane Corso and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection; (b) To encourage the organization of independent local specialty Clubs in those localities where there are sufficient fanciers of the breed to meet the requirements of The American Kennel Club; (c) To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by The American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Cane Corsos shall be judged; (d) To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog shows, obedience trials, and companion events; (e) To conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows, obedience trials, companion events, and any other event for which the club is eligible under the Rules and Regulations of The American Kennel Club. (f) To support independent rescues dedicated to the rescue of abandoned, abused or displaced Cane Corsos. (g) To educate members and non-members alike about ownership of the Cane Corso breed. Section 3. The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit; no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual. Section 4. The members of the Club shall adopt bylaws, and from time to time, may revise such bylaws as may be required to carry out these objects. These Bylaw are subject to and governed by the State of Florida Not-For-Profit Corporation Laws and the Articles of Incorporation of the State of Florida. In the event of a direct conflict between the provisions of these bylaws and the mandatory provisions of the Florida State Not-For-Profit Corporation Laws, the Florida State Not-For-Profit Corporation Act will be controlling.” Section 5. “[In Accordance with Federal, State and Local Law] No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, officers, directors, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions on furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Constitution or in Article I of the Bylaws.” BYLAWS ARTICLE I Section 1. Membership There shall only be five types of membership open to persons in good standing with the AKC and who subscribe to the purposes of this club. Those membership types are Regular, Household, International, Military and Junior. (a) Regular Membership is open to all persons eighteen years and older: who are and remain in good standing with the American Kennel Club, who are interested in the breed, and who subscribe to the purposes of the Club. This type of membership pays full dues of $45 per yr and offers all Club benefits and participation if they meet the criteria set forth in this document. Regular members may vote and hold office. (b) Household Membership is open to a family whose members reside at the same address, in which the adults would otherwise qualify for Regular Membership. This type of membership pays full dues of $70 per yr. and offers all Club benefits and participation if they have met the criteria set forth in this document. Household Membership entitles the two primary adults to cast votes and hold office. (c) International Membership is open to all persons eighteen years and older: who reside outside of the U.S., who are interested in the breed, and who subscribe to the purposes of the Club. This type of membership pays $55 US per yr. Persons who were members prior to January 31, 2007, as long as they remain members in good standing, are “grandfathered” in with full voting privileges and may hold Board positions. Persons living outside of the US who join after 1/31/07 may not vote nor hold a board position. They will receive the newsletter and be able to participate on committees. (d) Military Membership is open to all active military personnel who apply for membership and are in good standing with the American Kennel Club, who are interested in the breed, and who subscribe to the purposes of the Club. This type of membership pays an amount discounted by 50% per year and offers all Club benefits including voting and holding office while membership is in good standing. (e) Junior Membership is open to children under 18 years of age; a non-voting/non-office holding membership which may convert to to regular membership at age 18. The regular membership at age 18 will have to be voted on as per Article 1 Section 3. This type of membership pays $25.00 per year. No membership shall exceed $100 per year. 15% of each membership dues amount, rounded to the nearest dollar, will go into a rescue fund selected by the Board of Directors. Section 2. Dues. Membership dues shall be paid on or before the 1st day of January of each year. Dues must be paid to the club via PayPal or check sent to the Membership Director and be accompanied yearly by a membership application form approved by the Board of Directors. All members whether new or renewing must submit the membership form approved by the Board of Directors yearly for your application to be considered valid. New members that join before June 30th will pay the full years dues. New members that join after June 30th will pay ½ price for the current year and full price for the upcoming year. No member may vote, run or hold office whose dues are not paid for the current year. Director #5 shall provide to the Treasurer a list of all current members by November 1st. By November 15th, the Treasurer shall send, via member approved method of contact, each member a statement of his dues for the ensuing year. At that time a notice shall also be posted on the official club website and other official club social media sites with the deadline for renewal. Section 3. Election to Membership. All applicants for membership shall apply via a Board of Directors approved form and which shall provide that the applicant agrees to abide by this constitution, the bylaws, and the rules of The American Kennel Club. The application shall state the name and address, together with such other information as may be required by the Board of Directors and it shall carry the endorsement of two current members who have been in good standing for the last six months. The application fee must be submitted either electronically (via PayPal) or by mail (via check) and be accompanied by a completed application. New membership applications will then be sent to the Membership/ Welcoming committee presided over by Director #5 for review for completeness. If all documentation and fee has been provided, Director #5 will then present the names to the Board for approval. Applicants may be approved at the next meeting of the Board of Directors or by written vote of the Board of Directors by email prior to the next meeting. A 2/3 vote by the Board of Directors is required for membership approval. All new memberships will then be sent a packet with club information from the welcoming committee. If an application for membership is denied, an applicant may petition the club officers/directors directly in writing with a copy to the Secretary, for a second vote on his or her membership request within 30 days. A 2/3 vote is required for membership approval. In the event membership is denied, applicant may not reapply for 90 days. Section 4. Termination of Membership. Memberships may be terminated: (a) By resignation. Any member may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Secretary; but no member may resign when in debt to the Club. Obligations other than dues are considered a debt to the Club; and they become incurred on the first day of each fiscal year. (b) By lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member's dues remain unpaid 30 days after the first day of January; however, the Board may grant an additional 30 days of grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may a person be entitled to run or hold office, vote at any Club meeting or by ballot whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting/ballot is sent. Nor shall they or their dogs accumulate any points for club awards and club titles until the date their membership is paid and accepted. No Officers or Directors shall be allowed to take office or vote in any Board meeting until their dues have been paid for the current year, nor will they be granted a grace period. (c) By expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these bylaws. Dues are forfeit. (d) Any member who is suspended from any of the privileges of the American Kennel Club shall be automatically suspended from the privileges of the Club for a like period. Club dues are forfeited. ARTICLE II Meetings Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Club shall be held in conjunction with the Club's National Specialty Show, which will be held in April of every year, if possible. The place, date, and hour will be designated by the Board of Directors. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, The National Specialty will alternate yearly between the designated Regions. Annual meeting time and place will be publicly posted on the front page of the club’s website and sent to each member individually, by their preferred method of contact at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting in accordance with AKC policy and state law. The quorum for the annual meeting shall be 10% of the members in good standing. Section 2. Special Club Meetings. Special Club meetings may be called by the President, by a majority vote of the Board who are present at a meeting, by a majority vote of the Board taken via email, or by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by 10% of the members of the Club who are in good standing. Such a meeting shall be held at such place, date and hour as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Such special meetings shall be held by methods, in accordance with State Law – such as electronic, virtual, teleconference or methods as may be developed designated by the person or persons authorized herein to call such meetings. Written notice of such meeting shall be sent as required by State law, via email by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other Club business may be transacted. If the meeting is due to a petition of the members then the quorum for such a meeting shall be 10% of the members in good standing. In the case of a member petitioned meeting this meeting is then open to all members Section 3. Board Meetings. The first meeting of the Board shall be held immediately following such Board taking office. Other meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held by methods in accordance with State Law – such as electronic, virtual, teleconference or methods as may be developed as designated by the Board and at such times and places as are designated by the President or by a majority vote of the (entire) Board. Written notice of each such meeting shall be sent as required by State Law via email by the Secretary. Notice of each such meeting shall be provided to each member of the Board by email at least 7 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for a Board meeting shall be a majority of the Board. Section 4. Board Business. The Board of Directors may also conduct its business by telephone conference or video conference or by any other methods in accordance with State Law – such as electronic, virtual, teleconference or methods as may be developed, provided that it does not conflict with any other provision of these bylaws. Items voted upon by any method other than “in-person” meetings must be confirmed in writing by the Secretary within seven days. ARTICLE III Directors and Officers Section 1 Board of Directors (a) The Board shall be comprised of the officers and eight (8) Directors (who must reside in the US. See exception in Article 1, section 1, c) all of whom shall be members in good standing for a minimum of 36 months where any portion of a month counts as a full month. Additional requirements for each position are included in Sections 2 of this Article. Candidates for Officers & Directors must have either served as a member of a CCAA committee for 12 months, or have served a full term as a Regional VP, or be an AKC Breeder of Merit for the breed, or a petition of 10% of members in good standing, or have served a full term on the BOD and have met the requirements for their office. Two members of the same household may not serve concurrently. They shall be elected for two-year terms as provided in Article IV, and shall serve until their successors are elected. General management of the Club's affairs shall be entrusted to the entire Board of Directors, all of whom have equal authority and equal rights granted under Florida law and one vote. No member of the Board may make unilateral decisions regarding club policy. Board Members will conduct themselves as ethical, proper representatives of the Club/Breed in all situations concerning the same. Failure to act in this manner may be grounds for a grievance to be filed via the process in Article VI, section 2. Failure to carry out one’s duties as set forth in Section 2 or failure to participate fully in Board discussions, meetings, and voting without just cause may be grounds for a charge of dereliction of duty and action may be taken as described in section 4. Election of Officers shall take place in even years. Election of the odd number Directors shall take place in odd years. Election of the even number Directors shall take place in even years. Section 2 Officers The Club's Officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and AKC delegate shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board and its meetings. (a) The President’s main function is to facilitate the cohesive inner workings of the club, preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board, to be a suitable figure head, carry out the requirements and powers normally appurtenant to the office of the President in addition to the duties set forth in this document. Position requirements in addition to those stated in Article 3 section 1(a): Served for at least one full term as an officer or director of the CCAA. (b) The Vice President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President's death, absence, incapacity, resignation, or expulsion. The VP is to preside over and manage the regional VPs and affiliated clubs, take an accounting of their actives, help them properly represent the breed and present a written report to the BOD in the first quarter of each yr. regarding such. Position requirements in addition to those stated Article 3 section 1(a): Served for at least one full term as an officer or director of the CCAA. (c) The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club, of the Board, of all votes taken by mail or electronically (on the occasion that secret ballots are not required by this document), and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. Additional responsibilities are as follows: having charge of the correspondence, notifying members of meetings, notifying officers and directors of their election to office, working with Director #5 to keep a role of the membership, with their addresses, which shall be sent to any member in good standing, upon written request, once every club year, keeping a copy on file of all the Directors and committee reports for a period no less than two years, and carrying out such other duties as are prescribed in these bylaws. Position requirements are the minimum listed Article 3 section 1(a). (d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all moneys due or belonging to the Club. Moneys shall be deposited in a bank approved by the Board, in the name of the Club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection by the Board; a report shall be given quarterly of the condition of the Club's finances, including every item of receipt or payment not before reported; In the first quarter chronicle, an accounting shall be rendered of all moneys received and expended during the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine. Treasurer will work in corporation with Director #5 to ensure dues are processed efficiently. Position requirements: Position requirements are the minimum listed Article 3 section 1(a). (e) AKC Delegate. Among other duties, the Delegate shall present to the Board of Directors all issues and updates regarding AKC business. After the club is officially recognized, delegate will report to the Club all actions and matters discussed at the AKC's Quarterly Meetings. The term of the AKC Delegate is 2 years and they are a voting member of the board. Position requirements: 5 years experience participating in AKC events, extensive knowledge and understanding of the workings of the AKC. Qualify under AKC guidelines. Section 2 b. Each Director shall be responsible for certain areas in addition to their respective capacities both with regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board and its meetings. The Board shall assign such areas to each director. (a) Director #1 is responsible for breed education, strictly over seeing committees pertaining to Judges Seminars, AKC breed certification, public breed seminars, and breed manuals. #1 is to train and ensure that anyone giving seminars for the CCAA is properly versed in the standard and certified with the CCAA. Position requirements in addition to the minimal stated above: Director #1 must have notable and significant experience with the breed, must have studied dog structure and be able to demonstrate a solid grasp of the standard/breed. Experience in breed education or judging is preferred. (b) Director #2 will preside over the ethics and grievance committee and bring to the attention of the BOD any grievances that the committee cannot resolve through mediation. #2 will have the duty to cultivate and encourage CCAA members and breeders to uphold the Club’s code of ethics. Position requirements are the minimum listed above. (c) Director #3 is responsible for accumulating and maintaining a record of conformation, companion, working and temperament evaluation points earned by club member’s dogs associated with club titles (Awards and Standing) and is responsible for acquiring the certificates and awards for such club titles. #3 is to ensure the proper calculation of the club points for conformation and companion, working and temperament evaluation awards and present to the Board a full accounting. (d) Director #4 will preside over the committees that regulate, organize, and promote the CCAA’s conformation events. 4# will preside over the committees that regulate, organize, and promote the CCAA’s companion events, working events, and temperament evaluations. #4 is to ensure the proper calculation of the club points for each respective Corso Working, Sporting and Temperament events and present to the Board a full accounting. (e) Director #5. Will preside over the Membership/Welcoming Committee and ensure that monthly meetings to vet out applicants for membership into the club are held promptly and that new members are contacted by the committee within one (1) month of induction; this includes: informing them of their new membership status and giving them info about the club. Each month director #5 will submit to the Board a roster of applicants the committee has compiled for final vote and approval of membership. #5 will immediately inform the Treasurer of the new member’s acceptance, so that the Treasurer may pull the dues paid by said member out of the holding account and deposit them into the general fund. #5 will keep a current membership role and provide a quarterly copy to the Secretary, which will make it public record of such role annually. #5 may delegate tasks to his committee members but is ultimately responsible in ensuring the duties assigned this office are carried out forth with. (f) Director #6 will preside over the Public Relation(s) Committee, merchandise and the Fund Raising Committee. #6 will ensure that the respective committees are on task and fully functional. Position requirements in addition to those stated above: Must have good organization and people skills. (g) Director # 7 will oversee the CCAA breeder’s: organizations, advocates and education committees. #7 will preside over the Health and Genetics committees. Position requirements in addition to those stated above: A Cane Corso Breeder of notable accomplishments and experience. (h) Director #8 will coordinate the production of the chronicle, making sure each party that is supposed to contribute does. Section 3 Vacancies Any vacancies occurring on the Board or Regional Vice President during the year shall be filled until the next annual election. Any Board member may nominate a candidate. The candidate must have a majority vote of the members of the Board to be approved. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled automatically by the Vice President and the resulting vacancy in the office of Vice President shall be filled by the Board in the manner stated above. Any Board member that resigns twice from his/her elected position will be deemed ineligible to hold a position on the Club’s Board for a period of not less than 7 years. Section 4 Removal of Officers and Directors. A) An Officer or Director may be removed from their positions as stipulated by the applicable laws of the state of Florida Section 5 The Regional VP is an elected position, in addition to and separate from the BOD. There will be a VP for each one of the 4 regions the CCAA has established in the US. The Board may change the boundaries of these Regions after a review every 3 years, to better serve its members, provided that the regions contain a fairly equal number of club members. The VP must live in the region they represent. The states currently included in these regions are as follows: Region 1 - ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, PA, WV, VA & MD Region 2 - NC, SC, TN, AR, OK, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA & FL Region 3 - OH, KY, MI, IN, IL, MO, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE & KS Region 4 - WA, OR, CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, CO, AZ, NM, AK, HI & UT Duties: (a) Encourage and help organize specialties and match shows in his/her area; (b) Chair or take responsible position in these above shows; (c) Educate and aid new Cane Corso owners in the proper care (feeding, training, grooming) of their dogs; (d) Support, endorse or investigate members of the CCAA at the request of the BOD or the rescue committee; (e) Support and organize activities to bring area members together; fund raise for local Corso events and projects; (f) Submit quarterly reports to the Cane Corso Chronicle; (g) Correspond regularly with the Club VP regarding their region; (h) Act as liaison between affiliate clubs; (I) Represent the interests of that region to the BOD. Additional duties may be assigned by the BOD at anytime. Regional VP will serve a two (2) year term. Elections will be held for Regional VPs on odd years. Only members of the CCAA in good standing may vote in regional elections. Members may only cast a vote for the candidate from their region. Eligible candidates must be members for at least 12 months on the date nominations close and must be current members for the previous 6 months on the date nominations close. ARTICLE IV The Club Year, Voting, Nominations, Elections Section 1 Club Year The Club's fiscal and official year shall begin on the 1st day of January and end on the last day of December. The elected Officers and Directors shall take office on the first day of January following the election and each retiring officer shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records relating to that office on or before January 15. Any officer who resigns or is removed shall turn over to his successor all properties and records relating to that office within fifteen (15) days of such resignation or removal. Section 2 Voting At the Annual Meeting or at a Special Meeting of the Club, voting shall be limited to those members in good standing who are present at the meeting, except for the annual election of Officers (delegate) and Directors, amendments to the constitution and bylaws, and the Standard for the Breed, which shall be decided by secret electronic balloting. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted. The Board of Directors may decide to submit other specific questions at any time for decision of the members by written ballot cast by electronic ballot in accordance with AKC’s procedure on Electronic Balloting for AKC Parent Breed Clubs. Section 3 Annual Election The election of Officers and Directors shall be conducted by secret ballot. Ballots, to be valid, must be received by the Election oversight committee (or an independent professional firm designated by the Board) by December 1. Ballots shall be counted by three inspectors of the election; if possible they should be members of the oversight committee. They must be members in good standing. They cannot be members of the current Board, candidates on the ballot or their family members. These inspectors must be approved by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Board may designate an independent professional firm to send, receive, and count the ballots. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. If any nominee, at the time of the election, is unable to serve for any reason, such nominee shall not be elected, and the vacancy so created shall be filled by the new Board of Directors in the manner provided by Article III, Section 3. Section 4 Nominations and Ballots No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated in accordance with these bylaws. An Election Oversight Committee shall be chosen by the Board of Directors before August 15th. The committee shall consist of: five members-one from each region and one additional, all members in good standing, no more than one of whom may be a member of the current Board of Directors, and none that are up for re-election. The Board shall name a chairman for the committee if it so chooses. The Nominating Committee may conduct its business electronically or by phone. The Election Oversight Committee shall receive nominations of candidates from eligible members of the Club. Potential eligible candidates of the club will be posted on the club’s member only area for membership review and to assist members in nominating candidates for a position. By July 1st the Membership Director and/or committee will post and/or update a candidate eligibility list taken from the master membership list. This list will be posted for membership to review at that time. The initial list will have the names of all members both past and present found to meet the criteria to run for a position in the Club. Upon original acceptance of this list, further lists will only add names but never remove them. The list once posted will not be modified until the new additions are added on July 1st of the subsequent year. Names must have documentary proof of membership, committee time and/or proof of holding the office to be added if the member name is not included on the original list. This documentary evidence would include the use of past director votes, and or newsletter documentation. There will be a section for those found eligible to be President or Vice President as those positions have additional requirements. Any member having documentary evidence of eligibility would have until August 1st to petition the Membership Director to have the list corrected. On August 15th the Membership Director will provide the EOC Chair the list of members in good standing so that eligibility of nominations can be determined The Election Oversight Committee shall receive nominations of candidates from eligible members of the Club. The Committee will vet out the nominees and confirm that they wish to run for the position and shall notify the Board of their findings. In order to qualify to be a candidate as an Officer or Director, the person must be a member in good standing for at least three (3) cumulative years with at least 6 of those months directly previous to the date nominations close. The member must meet that offices requirement. The committee shall then submit its slate of candidates to the Secretary, who shall publicly post the list and notify each member, including the full name of each candidate and the name of the state in which he or she resides, to allow each member of the Club to view it on or before September 1st, so that additional nominations may be made by the members if they so desire. (a) In order to be eligible to vote in an annual election, a special referendum or to vote on an amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws or the breed standard revisions or to run for office , a member must satisfy all other requirements in the Constitution and Bylaws and have been a member in good standing for six (6) months prior to the date nominations close or the ballots are mailed or sent electronically to the membership. (b) Additional nominations of eligible members may be made by written petition addressed to the Chair of the oversight committee and postmarked on or before September 30th, signed by two members and accompanied by the written acceptance of each such additional nominee signifying his willingness to be a candidate. (c) If no valid additional nominations are submitted for a position, the Election Oversight Committee's slate shall be declared elected and no balloting will be required. (d) If one or more valid additional nominations are postmarked on or before September 30th, the independent professional firm designated by the Board shall, on or before October 15th, mail electronically or via USPS to each member in good standing a ballot listing all of the nominees for each position in alphabetical order, with the names of the states in which they reside, and an optional résumé (500 words or less) submitted by the candidate, together with a blank envelope and a return envelope addressed, if mailed to the designated professional firm) marked "Ballot" and bearing the name of the member to whom it was sent. So that the ballots may remain secret, each voter, after marking their ballot, shall seal it in the blank envelope, which in turn shall be placed in the second envelope addressed to the designated professional firm and mailed in, post marked on or before December 1st. The designated professional firm shall check the returns against the list of members whose dues are paid for the current year prior to opening the outer envelopes, remove the blank envelopes, and shall certify the eligibility of the voters as well as the results of the voting, which shall be announced no later than December 15. If the vote will be handled electronically then all required ballots, candidate slates and resume will be sent electronically by the designated professional Parliamentarian firm. (e) Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as provided above. ARTICLE V Committees Section 1 Each year in January the Board will appoint standing committees and their chairs to advance the work of the Club in such matters as listed in Article III, section 2. The Board may at anytime commission additional committees to progress the advancement of the Club and breed or reassign current, secondary committees. All committees will be overseen and governed by the Board. The Committee Chair is to keep its overseeing Director fully apprised of the committees’ inner workings and direction. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Committees are required to present a written, quarterly report to its respective Director who in turn will present it to the full BOD for discussion and approval. After which, the report will be filed with the Secretary. No committee may create or carry new policy without the full BOD approval by majority vote. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects. Appointees must be members in good standing. Section 2 Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority vote of the full Board, and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose services have been terminated. Committee appointees are to thoroughly engage their assignment, as it is a privilege to serve the club. Appointees may be terminated from their assigned committee for dereliction of duties. Teamwork is essential for a committee to function, and committees are invaluable to the running of the Club. ARTICLE VI Discipline Section 1 American Kennel Club Suspension. Any member who is suspended from any of the privileges of The American Kennel Club automatically shall be suspended from the privileges of this Club for a like period. Section 2 Charges Any member may bring charges against a fellow member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the Breed. Charges must pertain to incidents occurring no more than 180 days prior to filing and must not contain contractual disputes. Written charges with specifications must be filed with the Secretary, together with a deposit of $50, which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained by the Board or a committee following a hearing. The Secretary shall promptly send a copy of the charges to the Director assigned as #2 and the grievance/ethics committee. The committee will attempt to arbitrate a solution between the two parties. If after 20 days of the receipt of the charges there is no resolution, the Member that is bringing the charges may request that the BOD consider whether the actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or the Breed. If the Board considers that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to the best interests of the Club or of the Breed, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Board entertains jurisdiction for the charges, it shall fix a date of a hearing by the Board or a committee of not less than six members of the Board, not less than three weeks or more that six weeks thereafter. The Secretary shall promptly send one copy of the charges to the accused member by certified mail, together with a notice of the hearing, an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in his own defense, and an acceptance for bringing witnesses on his or her behalf. Section 3 Board Hearing The Board of Directors or Board committee, of not less than 6 directors shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board or Board committee may by a majority vote of those present reprimand or suspend the defendant from all privileges of the Club. Suspension may not last longer than a calendar year. Immediately after the Board or Board committee has reached a decision; its finding shall be put in written form and filed with the Secretary. The Secretary, in turn, shall notify each of the parties of the decision and penalty, if any. Section 4 Expulsion Expulsion of a member from the club may be accomplished only at the annual meeting of the club following a hearing and upon the recommendation of the board or board committee as provided in Section 3 of this article. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing on his own behalf, though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges and the findings and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speak on his own behalf. The members shall then vote by secret ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2/3 vote of those present and voting at the annual meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the suspension shall stand. ARTICLE VII Amendments Section 1 Amendments to the constitution and bylaws (and to the standard for the breed) may be proposed by the Board of Directors at any time. Members may submit a written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by 20% of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary. Such proposed petitions must follow AKC rules and guidelines. Proposed amendments to the standard for the breed must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for a vote following the procedures established by the AKC Board of Directors. Section 2 The constitution and bylaws (or the standard for the breed) may be amended at any time, provided a copy of the proposed amendment has been mailed or sent in accordance with AKC’s procedure on Electronic Balloting for AKC Parent Breed Clubs by the Secretary to each member in good standing on the date of mailing, accompanied by a ballot on which a choice for or against the action to be taken shall be indicated. If USPS balloting is used dual-envelope procedures described in Article IV, Section 4(d) shall be followed in handling such ballots, to assure secrecy of the vote. Notice with such ballot shall specify a date not less than 30 days after the date postmarked, by which date the ballots must be returned to the Secretary to be counted. Electronic balloting may be used and administered by the designated independent professional Parliamentarian firm. The favorable vote of 2/3 of the members in good standing who return valid ballots within the time limit shall be required to effect any such amendment. Section 3 No amendment to the constitution and bylaws (or to the standard for the breed) that is adopted by the Club shall become effective until it has been approved by the Board of Directors of The American Kennel Club. ARTICLE VIII Dissolution Section 1 The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2/3 of the members in good standing and in accordance with State law. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, other than for purposes of reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the Club nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Club shall be distributed to any members of the Club, but after payment of the debts of the Club its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs selected by the Board of Directors unless otherwise prohibited by State law. ARTICLE IX Order of Business Section 1 At meetings of the Club, the order of business so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit shall be as follows: Roll Call Minutes of the last Meeting Report of President Report of Secretary Report of Treasurer Report of Committees Unfinished Business New Business Adjournment Section 2 At meetings of the Board, the order of business; unless otherwise directed by a majority vote of those present; shall be as follows: Reading of Minutes of last meeting Report of Secretary Report of Treasurer Report of Committees Unfinished Business Election of new members New Business Adjournment ARTICLE X Section 1 All meetings and parliamentary procedures shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of "Robert Rules of Order, Newly Revised", unless this is in conflict with the requirements of this Constitution and By-Laws or applicable law, in which case the Constitution and By-Laws or applicable law shall take precedence. Section 2 In the event that any performance is required by the By-Laws to occur on a weekend or legal holiday, such performance shall be deemed in compliance if it occurs on or before the next date that is not a weekend or legal holiday. Section 3 In any case where USPS mail is noted in these bylaws other than the Annual Election, AKC Standard Revisions or Bylaw Amendments, email may be the choice and only form of communication or notification. Members who do not utilize e mail and wish to receive USPS mailings must notify the club. Section 4 In all matters with a time restriction, if unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances prevent the Club from meeting a deadline, the Board shall have the right to amend the deadline for a reasonable amount of time. The Club will notify the members of such a change of date. Code of Ethics Section 1: The following Code of Ethics is attached to and made a part of the CCAA By-Laws. Section 2: I, as a member of the CCAA, agree to abide by the rules set forth before me on this Code of Ethics and the previously mentioned By-Laws. First and foremost are the welfare of the Cane Corso and the integrity of the Club and its members. I realize that any violation of the Code of Ethics or the By-Laws is grounds for expulsion or suspension from the privileges of the Club. (a) I will strive to keep the Cane Corso purebred and will not knowingly breed the Cane Corso to any other breed of dog. (b) I will not knowingly falsify any papers or documents, such as health records and registration papers, vital to the regulations records, show records, or other aspects of the Club. (c) I will recognize and accept the CCAA as the official breed club of the Cane Corso in the U.S. If breeding a litter, I agree to provide proper AKC or AKC recognized registry paperwork in a timely manner, but no longer than 6 months, unless so stated in the purchase contract, and to mark each pet quality pup as limited registration on the puppy registration form. (d) I will never breed a bitch that is under 18 months of age, or an immature dog that is under 12 months of age. (e) I will provide adequate food and shelter, proper health care, and companionship for all of my dogs. (f) REMOVED (g) I will not sell dogs or puppies to pet shops or dog brokers. (h) I will not misrepresent my dogs to anyone. (i) I will always breed as close to the AKC Standard as possible. I will not breed dogs which have severe faults which would be detrimental to the health and welfare of the breed, including temperament flaws. (j) I will conduct myself in a sportsmanship manner at all dog shows and functions; and will act as a true representative for the breed and the Club. (k) I will not be involved in or use my dogs for any illegal activity. (l) I will not make false accusations or try to discredit other breeders, exhibitors or CCAA members. |
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This is the official blog of the Cane Corso Association of America. The CCAA uses this blog to communicate with its members and the Cane Corso breed community. 
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