c) Candidates for active and associate membership shall submit application forms to the Membership Secretary. Candidates for associate membership must be proposed by two active members and must have attended at least two regular meetings as the guest of a member. Acceptance of candidates shall be decided by the Committee.
ARTICLE IV: Committee
a. The Committee shall be appointed for one year and shall consist of eight members as follows:
1. The Chairman
2. The Vice-Chairman
3. The Secretary
4. The Treasurer
5. The Newsletter Editor
6. The Luncheon Secretary
7. The Social Secretary
8. The Membership Secretary
b. 1. Nominations shall be received by the retiring Committee at the November Luncheon and during the period from the November Luncheon up to and including the December Luncheon.
2. No member shall serve on the Committee for more than four consecutive years. Associate and Honorary members shall not be eligible for nomination.
c. 1. Having confirmed that the nominees are eligible, each candidate shall be asked to state the office for which she is willing to stand. The Chairman shall introduce the candidates at the December Luncheon meeting.
2. In the notice convening the Annual General Meeting, the names of the candidates and the positions they are standing for shall be included.
d. 1. Candidates are to be voted for by secret ballot by those attending the Annual General Meeting.
2. A PROXY FORM will be sent to every active member for the use of those unable to attend.
3. Each member attending the AGM may hold only ONE Proxy Vote.
4. Counting will be carried out by three active members appointed at the AGM.
5. Votes may be recounted by any member attending the AGM and by any active member within six months of the AGM.
e. 1. Voting shall take place at the AGM after the presentation and acceptance of reports and accounts.
2. The results of the voting shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting. The successful candidates shall take office immediately after being elected. In the event of two candidates receiving the same amount of votes, it shall be decided by drawing lots.
f. The Committee may co-opt up to four additional members for ad hoc purposes or to replace Committee members who resign.
ARTICLE V: Finance
a. The financial year of the Club shall coincide with the calendar year.
b. The annual subscription to be paid by the active and associate members shall be agreed at each Annual General Meeting and shall be payable by the March Luncheon. Failure to do so within two months of acceptance shall result in automatic loss of membership.
c. No member shall have the right to incur any debt or involve the Club in any way, unless given full written authority by the Committee.
ARTICLE VI: Meetings
1. Regular meetings shall normally be held on the first Tuesday in every month except January, August and September. Another date may be appointed in the event of a first Tuesday falling on a public holiday or otherwise being unsuitable.
b. 1. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in January or February and shall be attended by active members only. At least two weeks' notice shall be given to members in writing. At the meeting the outgoing Secretary shall read the Minutes of the last AGM, the outgoing Treasurer shall present the audited Accounts for the foregoing financial year and the outgoing Chairman shall give a reort on the activities and progresqs of the Club during the previous year.
2. The Chairman shall appoint three active members to conduct the voting procedure.
3. The outgoing officers shall then be formally discharged by a volunteer from the floor.
c. 1. The election of the new Committee shall take place.
2. The votes shall be counted by the three active members appointed by the outgoing Chairman.
3. Immediately after the voting and the results having been announced, the new Committee shall take up office.
d. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened on the written request of at least ten active members. All active members shall be advised of it and of the reason for calling it with at least two weeks' notice.
ARTICLE VII: Amendment of the Statutes
The Statutes of the Club may be amended at the Annual General Meeting or at a convened Extraordinary General Meeting. A quorum of 20% of the members with voting rights is required. An amendment must receive the approval of 75% of those attending the meeting.
ARTICLE VIII: Quorum
The Committee shall not be bound by any decision at any meeting which has received less than 20% of the votes of the total active membership.
ARTICLE IX: Guests
Members may invite up to two guests to any regular meeting, but no non-member shall attend more than two such meetings in one period of twelve months.
ARTICLE X: Termination of Membership
a. A member may resign from the Club or Committee by notifying her intentions to the Membership Secretary in writing.
b. The Committee shall be empowered to request the resignation of any member who, in its opinion, fails to serve the purpose set out in Article II.
ARTICLE XI: Termination of the Club
The Club shall be terminated only by the agreement of a majority of the active membership, voting for the purpose at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. In the event of this, any credit balance remaining in its funds after discharging all its obligations shall be used for a charitable purpose agreed by the members present at the meeting.
ARTICLE XII: Representation of the Club
a. In the event of any court proceedings, the Club shall be represented by the Chairman (or, in the event of her incapacity, by the Vice-Chairman) and the Secretary. These two officers shall represent the Club in all matters in and out of court in compliance with paragraph 26 BGB (German Civil Code).
b. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a solicitor to represent them if necessary.
