MEMBERSHIP BY-LAWS
 Revised 1997

Categories and Privileges     Demographics      Applications

 Dues and Fees     Termination

Note:

Application for membership requires you to be sponsored by an active member of RF&G. The member sponsoring you can obtain a copy of the membership application for you.

If you are new to the area, this rule still applies. Lacking a member to sponsor your application, you can next contact any member of the board for RF&G. Feel free to attend our monthly meeting, or attend a public shoot and make your desire known. Any of our members will point out one of our club officers for you.

 

 

Membership Categories and Privileges

All members of the Club shall abide by the guidelines and rules set forth here and as established by the Executive Board and/or Committee Chairmen.

Probationary Member: The initial two (2) years of membership is a probationary period. Probationary period begins when the applicant is voted in as a Member (Family, Regular or Pending) at a regular membership meeting. They are subject to a mandatory work commitment of twelve (12) hours per year during their probationary period. They shall have full access rights to the facilities, and voting rights as outlined for each specific membership type. The dollar substitute shall not be available for work during the probationary period.

Regular Member: If an opening exists in the Club per By-Laws limitations, an individual having successfully completed the two year probationary period with dues current shall be considered a Regular Member. They shall have full voting privileges and access rights to the facilities of Rockville Fish and Game Club. Regular (Family and Pending after the first two years) members shall work four (4) hours, or pay a dollar substitute, during each membership period in order to support the Corporations activities.

Pending Member: Shall have all rights and responsibilities of a Member (Probationary or Regular depending on circumstances), except the right to vote. They also cannot take an Executive Board or Committee Chairman position. This class is subject to the 750 limit, but not the 60/40 ratio limitation. Pending members will be moved into Probationary/Regular membership class as positions open as laid out in the By-Laws. Different color Club ID cards will be issued indicating their non-voting status. As this is not a Regular membership, Club privileges may be revoked without benefit of a hearing at any time for disciplinary reasons.

Life Member: Is a voting, non-dues paying member of the Corporation with full privileges. It shall be bestowed on any Member upon reaching age sixty-five (65) with twenty (20) years of continuous dues paying membership. Other deserving Members may be made Life Members by vote of the members at a Regular meeting with the Executive Board's recommendation. Life members are exempt from work assessments.

Honorary Member: A non-voting, non-dues paying member of the Corporation with full access rights to the Club facilities within the guidelines and rules set forth by the Executive Board and/or Committee Chairmen. Honorary status is bestowed by the Executive Board on selected individuals for the good of the club. Honorary membership shall also extend to adjacent property owners contiguous to the Corporation's property. Honorary members are exempt from work assessments.

Military Member: A non-voting and non-dues paying membership reserved for active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States while stationed outside of Connecticut. May be granted upon request for a maximum of four (4) years, which may be extended by the Executive Board when appropriate, e.g. time of war. Military members are exempt from work assessments.

Family Membership: Shall consist of a married couple and their children. Both spouses have full access to the Corporation's facilities but share one (1) vote at meetings. As a couple they shall meet all the membership requirements outlined here but with only one (1) count against the membership limit and ratio guidelines. Children under the age of eighteen (18) shall be supervised by an adult when using club facilities. As a couple they shall fulfill the four (4) hours work requirement, or pay a dollar substitute, during each fiscal year in order to support the Corporation's activities. Children shall submit an application within six (6) months of their eighteenth (18th) birthday in order to continue using the facilities. Holders of Family Membership may extend the application period for full-time college students until the age of twenty-two (22). The request for extension must be received in writing within six months of the student's eighteenth (18th) birthday.
 

Membership Demographics

Membership Limit: Members (including Probationary and Pending, excluding Life, Honorary and Military) shall comprise of no more than seven hundred and fifty (750).

Residency/Membership Ratio: Local: Members (including Probationary, excluding Life, Honorary, Pending and Military) residing in the three town areas of Vemon, Tolland and Ellington shall comprise at least sixty percent (60%) of the membership. Non-local: Persons residing in towns other than Vernon, Tolland, and Ellington shall make up no more than forty percent (40%) of the Members.
 

Membership Applications

Applicants shall:

• Be sponsored by a Member of the Corporation in good standing.

• Be eighteen (18) years of age or older, in good repute.

• Agree to honor and abide by all the rules of the Corporation, including those set forth by the Executive Board and/or Committee Chairmen.

• Respond to the Membership Secretary's notification of membership vacancies within thirty (30) days or forfeit their eligibility and be dropped from the waiting list.

The Membership Secretary shall:

• Consider applications from the immediate family (child or sibling) of a Member, if received within six (6) months of the applicant's eighteenth (18th) birthday, first regardless of residency requirement, membership limit or membership ratio. This period may be extended for Family Members.

• Review applications when received, verify sponsor status and notify the Executive Board of anomalies.

• Separate applications by Local or Non-local status and maintain a waiting list in chronological order according to when the applications were received.

• Notify applicants when membership vacancies exist, within the membership limit and ratio guidelines, and their application is eligible for processing.

• Membership in the Corporation shall be granted when all of the following conditions, in order, are met:

• Appropriate membership vacancies exist within membership limit and ratio guidelines.

  • The applicant has been presented to the membership by their sponsor.

  • The applicant has appeared for a scheduled interview! orientation meeting. A minimum of five (5) elected officers of the Corporation shall be present.

  • The applicant receives a favorable recommendation to the membership from the Membership Secretary and the officers at the orientation meeting.

  • The applicant has completed payment of the initiation fee, current year's annual dues, prorated if applicable, and any other fees deemed appropriate.

  • A majority of the members present at a regular meeting vote toaccept the applicant as a member.

Membership Dues and Fees

Membership dues, initiation fees, work substitution fees and late fees shall be:

Established at a Call meeting. The Executive Board shall make a recommendation, which the membership can accept, reject or modify. If the membership rejects the proposal, or the Executive Board fails to make a proposal, the dues and fees approved for the previous year shall remain in effect.

The membership period shall run from October 1st through September 30th.Membership dues, initiation fees and other appropriate fees are payable in advance.

Membership dues shall be due on September 30th for the subsequent year. Dues received after the October regular meeting, but no later than October 31st, shall pay a late fee. Members not paying their dues and applicable fees by October 31st shall be removed from membership roll without notice.

Work substitution fees for hours not worked shall be collected with the subsequent year's dues.
The Executive Board has the authority to grant deferments (additional time) or exemptions based on age, health or extraordinary circumstances. Cases shall be decided on individual basis by the simple majority vote of the Executive Board. Member deferment requests shall be in writing and presented no later than the October Executive Board meeting.

Persons wishing to re-establish their lapsed membership may within one (1) calendar year apply for immediate re-instatement and shall pay the same dues and initiation fees as a probationary member. If more than one (1) year has lapsed they shall submit a new application and follow the normal course (including being subject to any waiting period).
 

Mandatory Work Commitment

All Probationary Members of the Corporation shall work twelve (12) hours per year during the two (2) year probationary period. The work must be for the benefit of the Corporation and approved by an Executive Board member or a Committee Chairman. Failure to complete the work commitment in the allotted time will result in loss of membership. A member with extraordinary circumstances may be granted additional time by the Executive Board. Probationary members shall actually invest time in the Corporation and shall not pay the dollar substitute for hours not worked.

All Regular members shall work four (4) hours per membership period in support of the Corporation's activities. Any member not completing the minimum of four (4) hours shall pay a fee substitute per hour not worked with their subsequent membership dues. Work hours may be fulfilled by:

• Serving as an elective officer or committee chairman.

• Assisting with any club activity or work party.

• Representing the Corporation's interests at legislative, local, state and federal functions.

• Any other activity approved by the Executive Board or Committee Chairmen.
  Note: Life, Honorary and Military members are exempt from work assessments.

Termination of Membership

Secretary or any other member of the Executive Board shall notify individuals of possible termination of their membership in writing. The termination of membership may be appealed by the member. Appeals must be in writing and shall be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.
Terminations shall be considered:

• If any information on the application is falsified.

• When any member of the Corporation is, or has been, convicted of a felony, punishable by one year or more of incarceration, in any court, in any jurisdiction of the United States or Military Court of the United States.

• When any member violates through misconduct the rules and regulations of the Corporation.
  When any member exhibits abusive or unsafe behavior.

• When a member does not pay annual dues (exempt from written notice requirement, except for general announcements in the Corporation's newsletter and non-receipt of membership card).

• When a member fails to complete their work commitment.