CENTRAL STATES SHRINE CLOWN ASSOCIATION

BY-LAWS

(Approved Sep 3, 2000)

The purpose of this organization shall be to foster friendship among the various clown organizations of Central States Shrine Association, to further the ideals of Shrinedom, to aid and assist each other in problems arising in clown activities, to help in establishing new clown units where none now exist, to police the organization against imposters, and to improve clowning and clown units in the Central States Shrine Association.

These by-laws shall govern this organization. In the event that they conflict with the directives and instructions of the Imperial Council and the Central States Shrine Association, the rulings of the senior body shall take precedence.

ARTICLE I - NAME

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Central States Shrine Clown Association, and shall be known as CSSCA for convenience.

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF THE ORGANIZATION

Section 1. A meeting of CSSCA shall be held each year during and where Central States Shrine Association holds its annual meeting. The meeting shall be called by the President of CSSCA and held at a place arranged for previous to the meeting by the officers of CSSCA.

1. Special meetings between any or all the officers may be called at any time by the President of CSSCA. Expenses of such meeting or meetings shall be borne by the individual officers and unit members who attend said meetings.

2. It shall be the option of the CSSCA President to call a planning meeting in advance of the annual CSSCA convention. All member units must be notified of this planning meeting a minimum of 60 days in advance of the scheduled date. The purpose of this planning meeting shall be to aid in the planning of the annual business meeting and convention. The stated quorum is required to conduct business, and to propose changes in these by-laws or competition rules. Any proposed changes in the by-laws must comply with the stated rules of this document. Changes shall not take effect until the beginning of the calendar year after the annual business meeting.

3. At the annual meeting, it shall be the responsibility of each clown unit to provide a point of contact for the CSSCA for the next calendar year. Units not in attendance must advise the CSSCA Secretary/Treasurer via letter before the annual meeting of their unit's contact information. Units not providing this information will have all correspondence sent to their respective temple office.

Section 2. The CSSCA President shall have the authority to suspend or close a meeting at any time.

Section 3. In the event the CSSCA President is unable to be present for any reason, the next officer in line shall have the same powers and act in the President’s place.

Section 4. In the event none of the officers are present, any past CSSCA President shall have the authority to call the business meeting and shall have the powers to act in the President’s place.

(A) Such action taken by past CSSCA Presidents shall rank with the most recently made past President present assuming such authority as stated above.

Section 5. Admission to the meetings shall be by current card only, unless properly vouched for by the President, Director, or head of the various units, or upon proper identification of the noble through the records of CSSCA.

ARTICLE III - OFFICERS OF CSSCA

Section 1. The officers of CSSCA shall consist of a President, a first vice-President, a second vice-President and a Secretary-Treasurer.

(A) The officers of CSSCA shall be elected at the business meeting to serve for the following year.

(B) Their term of office shall be from the end of the current convention at which they were elected and installed, until the end of the next annual convention at which their successors are elected and installed.

ARTICLE IV - NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Nomination and election of officers of CSSCA shall be held at Central States Shrine Clown Association’s annual business meeting each year. All nominations shall be made from the floor.

(A) No noble shall be eligible to become an officer of CSSCA unless his unit has been a member of CSSCA in good standing for the two years immediately preceding the business meeting at which he is nominated for office.

(B) No noble shall be eligible for office in CSSCA unless he has been an active member of his clown unit for at least one year previous to his nomination for office.

Section 2. A plurality of votes cast at the business meeting shall elect any nominee for any office in CSSCA.

Section 3. Officers shall be installed at the awards ceremony following the annual competition, but shall not be give any duties or authority to act directly until after the end of the convention at which they were elected and installed.

Section 4. The CSSCA President and secretary-treasurer shall be elected from the same temple unless otherwise requested by the President-elect for good and sufficient reasons, which shall be expressed at the time nominations for the office of secretary-treasurer, are opened. Such reasons shall be judged by the members present as to whether they are sufficient to change this rule and elect a noble from another temple. Such reasons shall be voted on and a plurality shall govern.

Section 5. The President of CSSCA shall be or appoint a member of the host temple as the Director of Work

ARTICLE V DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

Section 1. The CSSCA President shall conduct all meetings. He shall be in charge of the overall operation of CSSCA during his tenure of office. It shall be his duty to see that the officers under him and any committees appointed perform according to their various duties and assignments.

Section 2. The first vice-President shall assist the CSSCA President and shall take the President’s place if for any reason the President is unable to perform his duties.

Section 3. The second vice-President shall have the same powers as the President or first vice-President in the event they are both unable to attend.

Section 4. The secretary-treasurer shall have the same powers to act as the above named officers in their absence.

(A) The secretary-treasurer shall keep a record of all meetings and the minutes thereof. He shall keep all records of CSSCA during his term of office and shall keep all previous records on file for future use of CSSCA. He shall turn over to his successor a complete and accurate record of all activities and expenditures of CSSCA during his term of office. It shall be his duty to keep a supply of official shoulder patches for sale to the membership.

Section 5. The CSSCA President and secretary-treasurer shall open a joint bank account for CSSCA for the handling and disbursement of all monies of the organization.

Section 6. It shall be the responsibility of the CSSCA President and the secretary –treasurer to ensure an appropriate amount of “seed” money be held and turned to the incoming CSSCA officers. The amount of “seed” money shall not be less than $1,000.

ARTICLE VI – DUES

Section 1. All units shall be members of CSSCA but shall not be admitted to any of its functions until payment of ten dollars (10.00) annual dues for the unit and three dollars ($3.00) individual dues for each member has been paid to the secretary-treasurer of CSSCA. Dues are to be paid on or before January 1 of each year for the current year.

ARTICLE VII - SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS

Section 1. An official CSSCA patch shall be worn on the left sleeve of the costume or uniform by each member of CSSCA at any official function, parade, or meeting.

Section 2. Policing of the clowns shall be controlled by the officers, assisted by all members.

(A) In the event of misconduct of any member, he may be suspended immediately by any executive officer of CSSCA and brought to trial at a closed meeting if deemed appropriate after full investigation of the incident.

(B) The suspension shall be affirmed or denied by an affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 of the voting units present, and if affirmed, he shall be suspended immediately from any activity of CSSCA for a period of one year.

ARTICLE VIII - MISCELLANEOUS RULES

Section 1. Quorum: A quorum of this body exists when a majority (51%) of the clown units in good standing within the CSSCA are present. A unit may not assign another unit as proxy in their absence to establish a quorum.

Section 2. Voting: The following shall apply when voting on issues before this body.

1. The CSSCA President shall have a single vote, but it will only be cast in the event of a tie.

2. Each unit in good standing within CSSCA shall have one vote. Before a vote, the individual authorized to cast the unit’s ballot shall be identified to the Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 3. These by-laws can be amended or changed in the following manner:

1. A unit in good standing within the CSSCA may propose a change to the by-laws. The proposed change must be submitted in writing to the CSSCA President at least 120 days before the next scheduled annual business meeting. If this lead-time is not provided, the proposal shall be tabled until the next annual business meeting. Every unit must be provided a copy of the proposed amendment for their review. The proposal shall then be brought to the floor and read; it shall require a second from another unit to place it before the body for discussion and voting.

2. The President of the CSSCA may appoint a committee chairman to review the by-laws and recommend changes or amendments. The committee chairman will attempt to contact each unit within the CSSCA; solicit their comment, inputs and coordination. After these have been refined and compiled, the chairman will report on the recommendation put forth, and may make a motion that the changes be placed before the body for consideration. The motion shall require a second from a unit to place it before the body for discussion and voting.

3. As in voting, all discussion shall be directed through the unit’s spokesman, who shall be identified to the CSSCA secretary-treasurer.

4. It shall require a simple majority of units present to change, amend or modify these by-laws.

5. Upon approval of any changes of these by-laws by the CSSCA membership, they shall be submitted to the current President of the Central States Shrine Association for his approval and/or coordination. After obtaining CSSA approval, they shall be submitted to the Imperial Potentate of the AAONMS for his approval. The date of the final approval by the Imperial Potentate shall be the approval date.

6. All changes and amendments to these by-laws will take effect at the beginning of the calendar year after their approval date.

Section 4. The incoming CSSCA President should be elected from the shrine organization that will host the convention the next calendar year. The First Vice-President should be elected from the shrine organization that will host the convention in two years. The Second Vice-President should be elected from the shrine organization that will host the convention in three years. This will allow each officer to advance in the line, one position at each annual business meeting.

(A) If the temple unit is not a member of CSSCA at the time the second vice-President is to be elected, then a member of some unit near said temple would be elected to the post.

Section 5. The incoming CSSCA President shall be awarded a Standard (one jewel line) fez at the time of his installation. The fez will have the name of his temple and a single line under the crescent saying “President CSSCA 20—“ (the year he is serving as President).

(A) Rules of the Shrine Temple of the incoming CSSCA President are to be checked, as some temples do not allow a year to be placed on the fez. If this is the case, the single line under the crescent shall say “President CSSCA”. Should there be restrictions, preventing such fez being worn, by any temple, then the past President shall have a suitable plaque equal in value to the fez, stating the name, year, and temple from which the past President comes, engraved and stating that the noble was President of CSSCA during the year stated.

(B) The outgoing CSSCA Secretary-Treasurer shall be awarded a plaque stating the noble’s name, year he served as secretary-treasurer of CSSCA and the temple he comes from. Such plaque shall be ordered as soon as practicable after the new secretary-treasurer assumes the duties of office.

Section 6. The CSSCA President and secretary-treasurer shall be issued a lifetime membership card. This card shall entitle them to all the rights, privileges, and benefits of an active member of CSSCA.

Section 7. Any issue coming before the membership of CSSCA at its business meetings requiring a vote shall be voted on by each temple clown organization in good standing, with one vote to be cast by each unit. A maximum of five minutes time between time for the motion to be voted on and time for any unit to cast its vote shall be given for the caucus of members of any one unit.

ARTICLE IX - RULINGS IN QUESTION: These by-laws shall be the primary document for governing the actions of the Central States Shrine Clown Association. In the event that some issue is not covered in these by-laws, Robert’s Rules of order shall supplement this document. In the event that there is conflict between these by-laws and Robert’s Rules of Order, these by-laws shall take precedence.

ARTICLE X – COMPETITION RULES

Section 1. This body shall approve a standard set of competition rules. These rules shall serve as the foundation for all competition within the CSSCA. Competition rules approved with this by-laws revision shall take effect on January 1, 2001.

Section 2. These competition shall be amended or changed in the following manner:

1. Any unit in good standing within the CSSCA may propose a change to the competition rules. All proposed changes shall be submitted to the CSSCA Secretary/Treasurer at least 90 days before the next scheduled business meeting. If this lead-time is not provided, the proposal shall be tabled until the next business meeting. The proposal shall then be brought to the floor and read; it shall require a second from a unit to place it before the body for discussion and voting.

2. Every three years, the President of the CSSCA shall appoint a committee to review the competition rules and recommend changes. The committee chairman will contact each unit within the CSSCA; solicit their comments, inputs and coordination. This committee shall as a minimum have four (4) members from different clown units. It shall consist of the first and second Vice-Presidents, and two (2) members from the general membership of CSSCA.

3. The first Vice-President as the committee chairman will report on recommendations at the next business meeting, and he may make a motion that the changes be placed before the body for consideration. The motion shall require a second from a unit to place it before the body for discussion and voting.

4. All discussion shall be directed through the unit’s spokesman, who shall be identified to the secretary-treasurer.

5. It shall require a simple majority of units to change, amend or modify these competition rules. In the event of a tie, the CSSCA President shall cast the deciding vote.

6. All changes to the competition rule will take effect on January 1 of the year following their approval by CSSCA.

7. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain a master set of competition rules, and a current copy shall be provided to each unit when annual CSSCA dues cards are mailed to the units.