American Legion Riders
Motorcycle Association Chapter
Attached to American Legion Post 36
JERSEY SHORE, PENNSYLVANIA
PURPOSE
TO PARTICIPATE IN PARADES AND OTHER CEREMONEIS THAT IS IN KEEPING WITH THE AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE AMERICAN LEGION. TO PROMOTE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND TO PROVIDE A SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE FOR AMERICAN LEGION MEMBERS WHO SHARE THE SAME INTERESTS. TO USE OUR ASSOCIATION TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION.
BYLAWS
I. Membership: Any person may become a member of the American Legion Riders that meets the following criteria:
A. Be a current member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion. (Social members are not permitted to hold ALR membership.)
B. You must own a motorcycle or be the spouse of an American Legion Rider member.
C. All operators must have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license, a current vehicle registration and a current insurance card.
D. Riders that have a physical limitation that prevents operation and/or ownership of a motorcycle may remain a member if they have been a member for a minimum of two continuous years.
E. Upon membership termination, either by member or by chapter, you are required to return your chapter patches to the president or other chapter officer. All patches issued to members are the property of the American Legion and the American Legion Riders Post 36. A reimbursement fee for patches for non-charter members will be returned to the member, less shipping and handling. Any charter member not meeting membership requirements must relinquish their patches to the chapter regardless of termination reason; there will be no reimbursement of any patch related fees given to charter members unless member had paid for the patches.
II. Officers:
A. President
B. Vice President
C. Secretary
D. Treasurer
E. Road Captain
F. Sergeant At Arms*
G. Chaplain*
H. Membership Chairman*
I. Historian*
J. Webmaster*
(*These offices are at the discretion of the individual chapter)
III. Executive Committee:
A. Between chapter meetings, the administrative power of the chapter shall be vested in the chapter Executive Committee. This shall consist of officers President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Road Captain for the current year. All vacancies existing in any office for any cause other than expiration of term shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the chapter Executive Committee.
1. A vacancy shall exist when an officer is absent from a chapter due to resignation, loss of qualifications, incapacity from injury or illness, or from a continuous period of 3 unexcused absences.
IV. Election and Nomination of Officers:
A. Election of the chapter officers will be held annually.
B. The chapter will nominate members for office in the month of May.
C. The membership will vote for officers, by ballot, in the month of June
D. Those officers shall be declared elected who have, by ballot, received a majority of the vote of the chapter members in good standing.
E. The newly elected officers will take office in August of that year at the first meeting following the PA State Convention.
F. At the general membership meeting the month prior to elections, the President shall appoint a three (3) member nominating committee who will screen all nominations received. A list of valid candidates will then be presented to the membership for elections. Any member in good standing may also be nominated from the floor during the election.
G. The Chapter Executive Committee shall meet for organizational or other such business as may come before it, at the call of the Chapter President within 30 days after the installation of the new officers. Thereafter the Chapter Executive Committee shall meet monthly or as often as the Chapter President may deem necessary. Three (3) or more members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
V. Duties of the Officers:
A. President Will:
1. Serve as Chief Administrative Officer of the Chapter and will preside over all meetings.
2. Shall have general supervision over the affairs of the Chapter.
3. Shall perform such other duties as directed by the general membership.
B. Vice President will:
1. Assume the duties of the President, in his absence.
2. Assist the President in the performance of his duties, when called upon to do so.
C. Secretary will:
1. Keep a full and correct record of all proceedings of the meetings.
2. Keep membership records, as may be required by the general membership.
3. The Secretary must submit a Consolidated Chapter Report no later than January 31st of each year.
4. Keep a roster of the top five (5) officers and a complete membership list on an annual basis. Members name, address, phone number, email address, Post affiliation, and Regular/Son’s /Auxiliary membership ID number must be included on the list. The Officer Contact roster, the complete membership list and Consolidated Chapter Report must be submitted no later than August 1st each year, to the State Membership Chairperson.
D. Treasurer Will:
1. Have charge of all finances of the American Legion Riders.
2. Have charge of disbursing funds as directed by the general membership.
3. Give detailed financial reports at each regular meeting. (Copies will be furnished to the sponsoring post, upon request.)
E. Road Captain Will:
1. Be the logistics person in charge of the organized runs of the American Legion Riders.
2. Determine the dates, times, routes and meeting places for those taking part in the run activity.
3. At their discretion, appoint assistant Road Captains or take necessary measures to insure the safety of the group during a run.
4. In the absence of the Sergeant At Arms, the Road Captain will keep order at meetings.
F. Sergeant At Arms Will:
1. Set up meetings, maintain order during meetings, and assist the President as required.
2. All issues will be directed to the Sergeant at Arms. Direct the issues to the Officers.
3. Decide if issues need to be addressed to the Officers.
4. Be responsible for security over annual election ballot boxes.
G. Chaplain Will:
1. Provide spiritual guidance and counseling to the membership.
2. Offer divine, but nonsectarian, service in the event of dedications, funerals, public functions, etc., and adhere to such ceremonial rituals as are recommended by National or Department.
H. Membership Chairperson Will:
1. Maintain membership records and provide membership reports at each meeting.
2. Be responsible for accurate records of all Officers, and members of the Chapter. Information such as: first and last name, address, state, sip code, telephone number, the 9 digit ID number (from the member’s Legion, Legion Auxiliary or Son’s membership card) Home post number, and the email address.
3. Send a report of the Officers and membership to Department of PA by July 1st each year.
I. Historian Will:
1. Keep all historical records and photographs for the Chapter.
J. Web Master Will:
1. Operate and maintain the Chapter website.
VI. Meetings:
A. Meetings will be held at a date, time and place, as voted on by the majority of the members, at any regular meeting. A quorum must be present.
B. The Chapter President, or a majority of the Chapter Executive Committee, shall have power to call a special meeting of the Chapter at any time.
C. Upon the written request of _______members, the Chapter Executive Committee shall call a special meeting of the Chapter.
D. ______members shall constitute a quorum.
VII. Finances:
A. Finances of each Chapter will be from the Chapter membership dues, or other such sources, as approved by the membership.
B. Treasurer will collect yearly dues and maintain all Chapter funds.
C. Renewal of the dues will be no later than the November meeting for the following year. If a member fails to pay dues, membership will be removed and if member wishes to continue to be a Rider member, a new application will need to be resubmitted and be re-voted into membership.
D. All checks must have the signature of two (2) officers.
E. Each Rider Chapter will submit $5 per member to the American Legion Riders Pa Inc. no later than December 31, of each year.
VIII. Disbursement of Funds:
Disbursement of funds will only be authorized at a chapter meeting, except for normal operating costs acquired by the chapter which may be disbursed anytime, although records will be kept and presented at the next meeting explaining transactions if not conducted during normal meeting hours. Each chapter will be a nonprofit organization and may only disburse funds in a manner that is in keeping with all local, state, and national laws regarding nonprofit organizations.
IX. Expulsion or Suspension:
A. After due process, any member may be expelled or suspended from the Chapter, by a 2/3 majority vote of the general membership, at a regular chapter meeting (i.e., for behavior unbecoming a legionnaire).
B. All new members will be under an initial 90 day probation period.
X. Residency:
Each chapter will be known by the Sponsoring Post.
XI. Governing Rules:
A. The chapter may elect to adopt a set of standing rules to govern membership activities. Any such rules shall be in conformity with these By-Laws.
B. All such rules may be amended by a majority vote, of a quorum, at any regular American Legion Rider meeting, called for said purpose, providing the notice of said meeting sets forth the proposed change in the rules.
XII. By-Laws:
None of the By-Laws shall be in conflict with the National Constitution and/or By-Laws of the American Legion, the Department in which it is located, or that of the sponsoring Post.
XIII. Amendments:
These By-Laws may be amended at any regular chapter meeting, by vote of two thirds of the members, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read at three preceding chapter meetings. All members must be notified in writing, at least five (5) days in advance of said meeting, when the amendment is to be voted upon. In this notice it must state that a vote will be taken to amend the By-Laws.
XIV. Chapter Delegates
A. Chapter Delegates and alternates to a State ALR, convention, regional gathering, or other activity, shall be elected by ballot at a regular meeting of the Chapter, which will be held prior to the date of such event.
B. Each chapter will be entitled to 1 delegate per 25 members, and/or part of 25, of their total membership.
C. Alternate(s) will vote only if the delegate(s) cannot attend the State ALR meeting, convention, regional gathering, or other activity.
XV. Order:
All meetings will be conducted under “Roberts Rules of Order”, newly revised. Revised Oct 2007
XVI. Signatures required of Executive Board:
President -
Vice President -
Sergeant-at-Arms -
Secretary -
Treasurer -
Road Captain -
Revised August 21, 2012