ByLaws

 Organization name

The organization that encompasses the entirety of the United States of America (USA) shall be known as the “Working Belgian Shepherd Club of America” – WBSCA.


  1. Types of Membership:  Full Individual, Family, Probationary, Full Club, Provisional Club

Full Individual:  Full Individual members are members who have been approved by the executive board and current on their membership dues.  These members may represent their local club as voting delegates at the General Board meetings, participate in meeting discussions, hold committee positions, and represent the organization at select events as defined by the Executive Board of the WBSCA.


Family Membership:  Membership granted to two members in one household at a reduced rate determined by the WBSCA.  Family members have all of the same benefits of the Full Individual members.


Probationary Members:  Probationary members are applicant members who have pending membership approval of the WBSCA Executive Board.  In certain instances, the WBSCA Executive Board may, at their sole discretion and by majority vote, decline or postpone approval of a probationary member’s application based on history of past behavior, perceived conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the club, membership complaints, or any reason whatsoever contrary to the mission of the organization.  Any application fees will be immediately refunded in the case of an unapproved application.   Probationary membership applications may require up to six (6) months of probationary status pending approval.  Probationary members may audit membership meeetings but may not participate in meeting discussions, act as a voting delegate, nor represent the WBSCA at select events as defined by the Executive Board. 


Full Club Membership:  Full Club Membership shall include all WBSCA full member clubs within the USA.  Only full member clubs shall have a vote at a once yearly General Membership meeting and/or for other notified club business.  Full member clubs in good standing with these by-laws and any standing rules shall have a single vote at the General Membership meeting or for other national business.  


Provisional Club Membership:  Provisional Club Membership shall include all applicant WBSCA clubs within the USA.  Provisional Clubs are clubs that have not yet met the mandatory requirements for Full Club Membership or who are awaiting Executive Board approval.  The Executive Board may, at their sole discretion, opt to waive an Provisional Club’s requirements for Full Membership if the club is deemed to have exceptional experience or displayed the capabilities needed to effectively represent the WBSCA.  


  1. Boards:  Executive Board and General Board

There shall be an Executive Board made up of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chair, IGP Director Of Judges, and no less than three (3) and no more than five (5) Directors at Large.  The members of the Executive Board shall be made up of the founding members (members at the time of establishment of these by-laws) until such time that a vacancy occurs as a result of resignation (see Vacancies of the Executive Board).  The Executive Board is tasked with the operations of the

organization and to effectively plan, delegate, and implement the framework in which the organization operates.  


The General Board shall be made up of the Executive Board and all Full Member Clubs (see “Member Clubs”).  The General Board is made up of the membership at large and *****


  1. President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and the General Board and have the duties and authority normally appurtent to the office.  


  1. Vice President

The Vice President shall perform such duties as are assigned to him/her by the President and shall perform the duties of the President in his/her absence.  


  1. Secretary

The Secretary shall be responsible for taking minutes at the Executive Board and General Board meeting(s) and distribute them to the membership within 30 days following the Executive Board and/or General Board meeting(s). 


  1. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall keep the financial records of the organization.  He/she shall be responsible for the collection, custody and control of the funds of the WBSCA and shall ensure that all funds are deposited into the WBSCA account in a timely manner.  The organization’s books shall, at all times, be open to inspection by the board and any inidividual full member in good standing of WBSCA.  The Treasurer shall provide a report at every meeting detailing the condition of the organization’s finances and every item of receipt of payment.  Further, the Treasurer shall provide an annual report to be presented at the General Board meeting.


  1. Membership Chair

The Membership Chair shall be responsible for processing membership applications and verifying membership status prior to meetings, pariticipation in WBSCA events, and requesting renewals.


  1. Directors at Large

The Directors at Large are Executive Board positions held largely for advisory    capacity in conducting business and assisting the general duties of the Executive Board in a broad-based capacity to facilitate the operations and achieve the goals of the organization.


  1.  IGP Director of Judges

  The Director of Judges shall oversea the Judges’ Program.  He/she shall be tasked with the development and recruitment of new IGP judges, implementing criteria, overseeing apprenticeships, creating consistency in scoring, staying aprised of the current international rules, and making recommendations to the board for the acceptance of IGP judges.  


  1. Vacancies of the Executive Board

In the event that an Executive Board position is vacated, the President must call a General Membership meeting, either directly or by directing the Secretary, within 30 days to fill a vacancy.  


If the President’s position is vacated, the Vice President shall assume the position of President until the next General Board meeting.  A vacancy of the Treasurer’s position may be filled by the President appointing another member of the board to serve until the next General Board meeting.  Nominations shall be solicited from the General Membership in good standing, and an election conducted from these nominations at the next General Membership meeting.  The elected board member shall serve a two (2) year term, until the next regular scheduled election.


In all cases, in an effort to emphasize the working endeavor of the Belgian Shepherd Dog, the Executive Board shall be comprised of full members in good standing who have met the minimum training and/or titling requirements established by the WBSDA.  


The minimum training and titling requirements include, at minimum, titling a dog to the highest level in the sport of schutzhund (IGP, IPO, SchH, or as defined by the rules of the international working dog commission), French Ring Sport (highest level of FR level 3) plus one additional dog to a schutzhund title (I-3), or Belgian Ring (highest level) plus one additional dog to a schutzhund title (1-3), an advanced herding title (HC or equivalent), agility title (IAC, MACH, ADCH), AKC  Obedience (OTCH) plus one additional dog to a schutzhund title (1-3), and/or a Mondioring (highest level of MR3) plus one additional dog to a schutzhund title (1-3)   In all cases, Executive Board members must have titled at least one Belgian Shepherd dog of any coat variety.  These requirements are the minimum requirements established by the WBSCA and may increase in difficulty by the determination of 2/3 of the Executive Board.  


  1. General Board Meetings

There shall be a minimum of one General Board Meeting held annually.  The meeting may occur remotely or at a scheduled national event at the discretion of 2/3 of the Executive Board.  Additionally, a General Board Meeting may be called at any time the President deems it necessary or if requested by 2/3 of the Full Member Clubs in good standing at the time of the request.  All Full Member Clubs must be notified at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.  Notification shall be by notification on the national club website and, if possible, via official social media pages and/or email.  Should the national club web server be inaccessible, social media and/or email will be the preferred vehicle of communication.  It is each full member club’s  and individual member’s responsibility to provide up to date records of their email and contact information to the Membership Chair.  Notifications shall include the date, time, location (online or physical address) and purpose of the meeting.  


  1. Quorums

In order for General Board business to be conducted a quorum must be present.  A quorum shall be deemed to be present if at least 50% of the Executive Board and 50% plus one of the Full Member clubs in good standing at the time of the meeting are present.  


In order for the Executive Board to conduct Executive Board business, a minimum of 2/3 of the Executive Board must be present.


  1. Parliamentary Procedure

The WBSCA shall conduct their General Board meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order insofar as they are applicable and not insconsistent with these by-laws.  If in conflict, these by-laws will take precedence.


At all General Board Meetings the order of business, insofar as the character and nature of the meeting permit, shall be as follows:


Roll call

Review of the Minutes

Report of the President

Report of the Treasurer

Report of the Committees

Election of the Members of the Board (when applicable)

Unfinished Business

New Business

Adjournment


In special instances and/or for special meetings not to include the annual General Board Meeting, the normal order of business may be suspended after roll call by a motion and simple majority vote of the Executive Board plus Full Member Clubs in good standing attending the meeting.  


  1. Voting

At all meeting of the General Board, Voting shall be limited to Full Member Club in good standing and represented at the meeting by a delegate.  Voting by proxy will not be permitted.


Each Full Member Club in good standing and represented at the meeting by a  club member in good standing shall be entitled to cast a single vote on issues presented.  Full Member Clubs must submit their delegate names the stated contact on meeting announcements no less than 48 hours in advance of the meeting to verify standing.  


  1.         Nominations for Members of the Executive Board

Nominations for open positions on the Executive Board will be taken from the floor at the annual Genenal Board meeting.  


X. Election of Members of the Exective Board

Election of Members of the Executive Board shall be held at the annual General Membership meeting every odd numbered year.


XI. Committees

Special committees may be appointed by the board to aid in particular projects for the organization.  The President or his/her appointed Member of the Executive Board shall serve on each committee in an advisory capacity.  The President, or the appointed Member of the Executive Board, shall appoint a committee chair.  The committee members should have extensive or exemplary knowledge of or experience in the given committee position (i.e., to serve on a  World Championship committee the member should have been on a prior world championship team in the defined sport and competed at a world championship, or to serve on the social media committee should possess expertise in the field).  


XII. National Working Belgian Shepherd Championship

A.  National Working Belgian Shepherd Schutzhund (IGP) Championship

The organization will hold a National Schutzhund (IGP) Championship on an annual basis between September 1st and June 1st.  The National Schutzhund (IGP) Champion will be the high scoring III level champion.  There will also be a level I and level II if space allows and at the discretion of the host club. Only the level III high scoring dog/handler team will be deemed the National Champion.  

Full member clubs in good standing may bid to host the National Schutzhund Championship.  In the event that more than one club bids to host the championship, the General Board (Executive Board and the Full Member clubs in good standing) may vote to select a host by a simple majority vote.


  1.  Annual Breed Test

The organization will hold an annual Breed Test which may coincide with the National IGP Championship at the discretion of the Executive Board.



XIII. Treasury


  1.  Administration

The Treasury shall be maintained in a bank account approved by the Executive Board and administered by the Treasurer.  The President and one other board member will also be authorized on the account.  The Treasurer shall provide a report at the annual General Board meeting.  


  1.  Limits

There shall be an upper limit of $50,000 on the balance of the organizational bank account.  If, at the end of the year, the balance exceeds this amount, the excess shall be used to reduce the entry costs for participants in annual educational events.


  1.  Authorized Use of Funds

All expenses must be supported with receipts.  No expense shall be paid in advance without a bill and prior authorization from the Executive Board as per the budget.  


XIV. Standing Rules

In addition to these by-laws, a list of standing rules will be maintained by the WBSCA.  Standing rules may not override or conflict with the by-laws of the WBSCA.  Standing rules can be enacted at any Executive Board meeting by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board or at a General Membership meeting by a simple majority vote of clubs in good member standing plus the Executive Board in attendance, provided there is a Quorum.