HOLYOKE REVOLVER CLUB, INC.

431 West Cherry Street

Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040

CLUB BYLAWS

JULY 2021

ARTICLE I

Name, Location, Corporate Seal and Purpose

Section 1

The name of the Corporation is Holyoke Revolver Club, Inc.

Section 2

The principal office of the Corporation shall be 431 West Cherry Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040

Section 3

The corporate seal shall consist of a circular die bearing the name of the corporation and such other device or inscription as the officers may determine. The form of the seal may be changed by the officers whenever they shall order.

Section 4

The purpose of the Corporation shall be to foster good sportsmanship and provide the membership with facilities for the shooting sports; to train individuals in the safe handling of handguns, long guns, and shotguns and in marksmanship; and to provide facilities for National Rifle Association sanctioned matches and tournaments and for all other purposes not inconsistent with the law.

ARTICLE II

Section 1   Membership Annual Members (Adult members 18 and over)  

1. Members in this category shall be elected by the membership at any duly scheduled meeting of the membership.  Annual members must be at least 18 years of age and must possess a valid Massachusetts License to Carry Firearms (LTC) or a valid Massachusetts Firearms Identification Card (FID). Applicants for this category must first attend and pass the Holyoke Revolver Club (HRC) Range Safety Training and Orientation (RST&O), where the applicant must demonstrate to a HRC Range Safety Officer that they have the knowledge, skills, and attitude to safely handle and use firearms. An applicant shall not be elected if, at the meeting his/her application is considered by any three members in good standing, vote against his/her election.
2. Members transitioning to Adult Member status from an existing Junior Membership, with a valid Massachusetts Firearms Identification Card (FID) shall, up to ninety days prior to their 18th birthday, sign up for, attend, and pass the Holyoke Revolver Club (HRC) Range Safety Training and Orientation (RST&O), where the applicant must demonstrate to a HRC Range Safety Officer that they have the knowledge, skills, and attitude to safely handle and use firearms. Upon completion of the RST&O course or if the applicant is a member of the HRC Junior Team and has received a RST&O certificate or its equivalent from the teams Head Coach. The applicant may then attend any monthly Members Meeting after their 18th birthday, to receive their Annual Member credentials and key card.Members transitioning from an existing Junior Membership status to an annual Membership status are not required to and shall not be voted upon by the membership for said membership change.
3. Members in this category must follow all Federal, State, and Local laws set forth by their specific firearm license type.The Board of Officers will establish an entrance fee for admission to membership in the corporation. The entrance fees so established may be changed from time to time by the Board of Officers.Annual dues shall be paid by each member in an amount and in the manner prescribed by the Board of Officers. The Board of Officers, in each year, at the first meeting of the corporation, shall establish the amount of the annual dues.Membership shall continue from year to year until terminated for one or more of the following reasons

1. Written resignation delivered to the Board of Officers.
2. Death of the member
3. Non-payment of dues.
4. Revocation or loss of Massachusetts License to Carry (LTC) or Revocation or loss of Massachusetts Firearms Identification Card (FID).

  Junior Members are encouraged but not required to obtain an FID card for membership.

  5. Expulsion of the member. No member shall be expelled except for one or more of the following reasons:

A.   Commission of an offense or conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.

B.   Conduct detrimental to the best interests of the corporation.

No member shall be expelled except by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Officers, following a hearing at which the member has been offered a right to be heard. The member whose expulsion is being considered shall be given a seven (7) day notice of the hearing, which notice shall be by email to the email address of record, on file with the Membership Secretary of the Corporation. A member who has been expelled as aforesaid may within fifteen (15) days after the date of his expulsion, appeal this expulsion to the membership of the corporation.

An appeal may be taken by filing a request for appeal with the Secretary of the Corporation who shall forthwith call a meeting of the corporation for the earliest practicable date. Notice of such meeting shall be sent to each member in good standing and entitled to vote in the manner prescribed in Article III, Section 1. At such meeting of the corporation the expelled member and all other interested members shall have an opportunity to be heard. A majority of those present at the meeting may vote to reinstate the expelled member, except that no member who has been expelled for non-payment of dues shall be reinstated until he/she has brought their dues current.

Unless a majority of those present at the meeting and entitled to vote, vote to reinstate the expelled member, the expulsion shall be held to be affirmed.

G.     All members shall become liable for dues for any current year on the date specified by these bylaws for the annualmeeting of the corporation, and shall remain liable unless their membership is terminated within thirty (30) days after the said date in one (1) of the manners prescribed by Section 1., paragraph D of this Article. Dues for any current year shall be due and payable on the date set for the annual meeting as aforesaid, except that the Board of Officers may provide for the payment of dues in installments throughout the year.

Each member shall be entitled to the use of all facilities of the corporation subject to such reasonable and uniform rules and regulations as may from time to time be adopted by the Board of Officers.

Section 2 Training Members

1. Membership in this category shall commence with receipt of the registration fee for the safety course and other such qualification training as the Board requires in order to maintain safety and membership standards. Membership is valid only during the safety course and other such qualification training given by NRA certified instructors. The standard NRA Basic Pistol Course introduces shooters to the proper and safe handling, firing and care of handguns. Other training that may be required for membership can include, but not be limited to the use of HRC facilities, range rules and demonstration of safe firearms handling.

2. Members in this category are accepted into the Club by accepting their registration fee. Training membership expires upon completion of this course: the applicant may apply for annual membership upon meeting all requirements for annual membership.
   

Section 3   Life Members

A.     Membership in this category shall be those annual members nominated by the Board of Officers and elected by the general membership to that status for long and distinguished service to the corporation.

Section 4     Honorary Life Members

A.    Membership in this category shall be conferred upon by a vote of those members in good standing of the corporation to those persons who have provided long and distinguished service to the shooting sports on either the state or national levels.

B.    Members in this category are not entitled to vote as they are not members of the corporation as described in Section 1.

Section 5    Junior Members (Members less than 18 yeas of age)

Members in this category shall be elected by the membership at any duly scheduled meeting of the membership. Applicants for Junior Membership must be sponsored by an Annual Member. All Junior Members are less than 18 years of age. Junior Memberships terminate on the Members 18th birthday. An applicant for membership shall not be elected if at the meeting at which his/her application is considered by any three members in good standing vote against his/her election. Applicants are required to have successfully completed an NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course given at the Holyoke Revolver Club, or Board accepted equivalent.

No key card will be issued to Junior Members. Junior members shall have full membership rights, which may be exercised subject to the following provisions: they will not be issued a Club key card; if they wish to vote, they must vote through their Annual Member proxy. The Junior Member and Annual Member will have one vote combined.

Except for designated Club events, Junior Members may only use the facilities under direct supervision of the sponsoring annual member or other designated Annual Member(s). Only one firearm may be shared between the Junior Member and the sponsoring Annual Member(s) or other designated Annual Member(s), who must monitor the Junior Member at all times.

A Junior Member with a valid Firearms Identification Card (FID) may fire a rifle or shotgun, but not a handgun, on a firing station adjacent to the sponsoring Annual Member or other designated Annual Member(s) while said sponsor is shooting. The sponsoring Annual Member or other designated Annual Member(s) must be in a position to effectively monitor the Junior Member.

A Junior Member with a valid Firearms Identification Card (FID) may fire a handgun only under the direct supervision of the sponsoring Annual Member, or other designated Annual Member(s), or designated Range Safety Officer.

Section 6    Tournament Members

A.    Membership in this category shall commence with the registration of shooters and tendering of a set fee as established by the Board of Officers for the duration of the tournament. A complete list of members shall be a matter of Club records at the usual place of the corporation’s office. Membership shall expire upon completion of the tournament.

Section 7    Organizational Members

A.    Members in this category are full members and must be chartered or recognized organizations and may be granted Organizational Membership status by a vote of the Board of Officers. Such organizations shall include, but not be limited to the Holyoke Police Department. A contract shall be drafted annually outlining the terms and fees of membership. Membership will expire at the end of the designated one-year contract with said organization.

Membership renewal must be approved by vote of the Board of Officers on an annual basis. Individuals within such organizations can also have full membership rights, which may be exercised subject to the following provisions: they will only be issued a Club key card upon request and upon completing the requirements outlined in Section 1 Annual Membership; each organization will be afforded one vote and shall cast that vote through their contract liaison or his or her designee.

ARTICLE III

Meetings

Section 1    Annual and Special Meetings

The annual meeting of the corporation shall be held on the first Wednesday of November in each year, at the principal office of the corporation. Regular meetings of the corporation shall be held on the first Wednesday of each month, except that such regular meetings may be canceled by notice of the Board of Officers.

Special meetings of the corporation may be called at any time by the Board of Officers, and shall be called upon an appeal as provided in Article II, Section 1, Paragraph D, or upon application filed with the Board of Officers by any ten (10) members who are in good standing and entitled to vote.

Annual and special meetings shall be called by published notice on the corporation’s website, special newsletter to member’s email address of record and posted notice at the clubhouse. The notice will state the place, date, hour and purpose of the meeting, which notice shall be given by the Secretary at least seven days before such meeting to each member by leaving such notice as described above and to the email address as it appears upon the books of the corporation. Notices shall not be required to any member who waives such notice in writing.

Section 2    Quorums

At all annual, regular or special meetings of the corporation, a majority of the members in good standing and entitled to vote, or twelve (12) of such members, whichever amount is lesser, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. Though less than a quorum may be present, any meeting, annual, regular or special, may, without further notice, be adjourned to a subsequent date, or until a quorum, be had.

Section 3 Voting

Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote at any annual, regular or special meeting of the corporation, except that no member shall be entitled to vote whose dues for the previous fiscal year are in arrears.

ARTICLE IV

Officers and their Election

Section 1   Organization

The officers of the corporation shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Club Governor, a Membership Secretary and six (6) officers at large, which officers shall comprise a Board of Officers.

All past presidents shall have a right to a majority vote of one (1) on the Board of Officers.

Section 2    Eligibility

All officers shall be members of the corporation.

Section 3 Election of Officers

All officers, except officers at large, shall be elected annually by the members at the annual meeting of the corporation.

These officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected and qualified.

Nominations for officers, except officers at large, shall be made at the annual meeting from the floor.

Section 4 Election of Officers at Large

Two (2) officers at large shall be elected for a term of three (3) years at each annual meeting of the corporation.

Nominations for officers at large shall be made at the annual meeting from the floor.

ARTICLE V

Board of Officers

Section 1    Meetings

The Board of Officers shall meet as often as the needs of the corporation may require. They may fix the time and the manner of giving notice of the meeting and may determine the form and contents of the notice to be given. Any meeting of the Board of Officers shall be a legal meeting if each officer by a writing, which is filed with the records of the meeting, waives such notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice any and all business may be transacted at any meeting of the board.

Section 2    Quorums

A majority of the Board of Officers shall constitute a quorum. Though less than a quorum be present, any meeting may, without further notice, be adjourned to a subsequent date or until a quorum be had.

Section 3 General Duties

The Board of Officers shall have the control and management of the business and property of the corporation and shall have and exercise all the powers conferred upon them or set forth in the charter of the corporation, the general laws, or these bylaws. Without in any manner limiting the general powers otherwise conferred, it is expressly declared that the Board of Officers shall have the following powers:

1. To purchase, lease or otherwise acquire for the corporation any rights, privileges, franchises and property, whether real or personal, business, good will, fixtures, patents and interest thereunder, whenever they in their judgment, deem it beneficial for the purpose of the corporation and which the corporation is authorized to acquire, and to pay for the same wholly or partially in money or in stocks, bonds, debentures, or other securities of the corporation, or on such terms and conditions and for such considerations as they may think fit.

2. To borrow or raise money when they deem it necessary and to issue any and all bonds, debentures, or other obligations convenient for the business of the corporation, and secure same by mortgage, pledge, deed of trust, or in any other manner, on all or any property of the corporation present or after acquired, and to draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute, and issue contracts, promissory notes, bills of exchange, warrants and negotiable and transferable instruments.

3. To delegate to the Treasurer of the corporation such duties pertaining to the management of the corporation as they think fit and as the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will permit.

4. To determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions and regulations the accounts and books of the corporation, or any of them, shall be open to the inspection of the members, and no member shall have the right to inspect any account, book or document of the corporation, except as conferred by statute or authorized by the Board of Officers or by resolution of the membership.

5. To hire or employ such employees as they see fit subject to other provisions of these bylaws, to establish salaries, determine duties and fill vacancies.

ARTICLE VI
Section 1 Primary Duties

President

The President shall have the powers and duties usual to his/her office, subject to any provisions contained elsewhere in these bylaws concerning his/her powers and duties. He/she shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the corporation and Board of Officers.

Section 2 Additional Duties

The President shall, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Officers, manage the property and affairs of the corporation and perform such other duties as may be delegated to him by the Board of Officers, subject to the other provisions of these bylaws.

ARTICLE VII

Section 1 Duties

Vice President

The Vice President shall act and preside at all meetings of the corporation or of the Board of Officers from which the President is absent.

ARTICLE VIII

Section 1    Duties

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall have the powers and duties usual to his/her office, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be made by the Board of Officers and to any provisions contained elsewhere in these bylaws concerning his/her powers and duties.

He/she shall give a bond to the corporation, if required by the Board of Officers, in such sum and with such sureties as they may require, for the faithful performance of his/her duties. He/she shall keep accurate books of account which shall be open for the inspection of the Board of Officers, and he/she shall render to them at the annual meeting of the corporation or whenever the Board of Officers may require, a brief statement of the financial condition of the corporation, and he/she shall also present to the members at their annual meeting, a report giving the receipts and disbursements of the preceding fiscal year and then the financial condition of the corporation.

ARTICLE IX

Section 1    Duties

Secretary

The Secretary shall attend the meetings of the corporation and of the Board of Officers and shall record the proceedings thereof. He/she shall notify the members and officers of their respective meetings, in accordance with the bylaws of the corporation, and shall perform other duties as the Board of Officers may prescribe.

Section 2    Elections

The Secretary shall be directed at the Annual Meeting of the Corporation to call for the election of officers and oversee the voting, counting of ballots and certify the election of officers.

ARTICLE X
Section 1 Primary Duties

Club Governor

The Club Governor shall have full charge of the ranges, the supervision of all intra-club competitions and matches, and the procurement of range supplies.

Section 2 Handling of Funds

The Club Governor shall turn over to the Treasurer all monies received by him/her in payment for ammunition and other supplies and shall render a full accounting to the Treasurer.

Section 3 Liabilities

The Club Governor shall make no purchases and shall incur no liabilities or expenses except upon the authority of the Board of Officers.

ARTICLE XI

Membership Secretary

Section 1 Primary Duties

The Membership Secretary shall have complete control over all membership activities. He/she shall be responsible for keeping all membership records in an orderly fashion, maintain all membership applications and up to date renewal information, collect annual dues, and issue membership cards and keys.

Section 2 Handling of Funds

The Membership Secretary shall turn over to the Treasurer all monies received by him/her in payment of annual dues and shall render a full accounting to the Treasurer.

ARTICLE XII

Fiscal Year

Section 1 Term

The Fiscal Year of the corporation shall end with October 31st of each year.

ARTICLE XIII

Amendments

Section 1 Quorum

These bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by a two-thirds vote of a quorum as herein defined at any annual, regular or special meeting of the corporation, provided notice of such proposed amendment, alteration or repeal is given in the call for the meeting.

Amendments

1. [1]  Changed from 18 years of age in December 2003

2. [2]  Changes voted May 7, 2009

3. [3]  Article II Section 1.A and 1 D 4 Changed by unanimous vote of the

General Membership.

1. [4]  Article II Section 5 Changed by unanimous vote of the General Membership.

2. [5]  Article II Section 1A: insertion of “valid” for LTC and “to include”.

3. [6]  Changes voted to by unanimous vote of the General Membership to approve

waiver of Article III Section 1 for meeting notices May 1, 2013.

1. [7]  Changes proposed July 17, 2019 by Board of Officers.

2. [8]  Change voted by the unanimous vote of the General Membership,

September 2019, Article II Section 2 change to reflect need for improvements in safety orientation to the organization prior to voting on member. This change creates additional training categories than the original NRA Basic Pistol.

[9] Change voted by the unanimous vote of the General Membership, September 2019, Article III Section 1 change to eliminate mailed notices to members and allow for website, email and physical posting at clubhouse. As note 2, above indicates, waiver of right to notice was previously created.

[10] Changes voted by the General Membership July 7, 2021