BYLAWS
EASTERN MICHIGAN TRACTOR PULLING BY-LAWS AND CONSTITUTION
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April 12, 2003-as adopted by membership at PJ’s Lounge, Ubly Michigan
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PREAMBLE:
This constitution is established to promote a sound organization. It is intended to encourage a cooperative and democratic atmosphere for operation of this organization.
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ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be: Eastern Michigan Tractor Pulling Association INC.
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ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization is to:
1. Promote antique and farm tractor pulling
2. Provide equal opportunity for all pullers
3. Preserve the sport for future pullers
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ARTICLE III: GOALS
1. Through association and competition to bring pulling back to all ages and
levels of pullers
2. Help support 4H and youth organizations
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ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
1. Charter member will be a founding member before march 28th 2003
2. Regular member will be a person joining after march 28, 2003
3. All members shall have equal status and voting rights with the club including
holding office, ownership of equipment and operations of the club
4. Membership dues for the pulling year shall be paid by April 1st for renewing
members
5. Dues amount is $60.00 per year per tractor payable by April 1st. after April 1st
amount will be $75.00. Points will follow the tractor in one set class: points in a
second class allowed for $10.00
6. Member not in good standing and sanctions by officers and club members
a. First offense: member will be notified by club officers in writing
b. Second offence: suspended from pulling or $100.00 fine
c. Third offence: suspended from pulling for one calendar year if voted so by
2/3 vote of membership present at special meeting called by president.
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ARTICLE V: GOVERNMENTAL PROCEDURES
1. Governing Body
a. The leadership of the EMTPA will be vested in the elected officers
b. The membership shall have power to amend such by-laws as may be
necessary
c. By-law changes can be made and accepted only during the months of
October through April of each year. Changes must be submitted to the
president prior to the next monthly meeting. Once a by-law is changed, it
cannot be re-submitted for one year. Proposed constitutional or by-law
changes will be published prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The
by-laws shall be amended by a majority vote of the members in attendance
at that meeting.
2. Voting
a. Each member shall have one vote
b. Discussion time from the floor shall be at the discretion of the president
c. All official decisions shall, unless otherwise stated in this constitution, be by
a majority vote of the membership and officers present and having a voting
right
d. Proposals need a majority vote to pass
3. Officers and Their Duties
a. President
i. Call board and special meetings
ii. Act as general chairman of the meetings
iii. Act as chief executive officer of the association
iv. Prepare agenda
v. Conduct meetings under parliamentary laws procedure
b. Vice President
i. Assist the president
ii. Act as president in the absence of president
iii. Assume temporary responsibilities of any vacated officers post until the
vacated post is filled by a majority vote of the EMTPA
iv. This vacated post shall be filled at the next regularly scheduled EMTPA
meeting.
c. Secretary
i. Keep minutes of meetings and make them available to all members before
or at time of following meeting
ii. Handle all correspondence of the meetings, including all mailings, notices,
bulletins, etc.
iii. Maintain an updated EMTPA membership list
iv. Maintain an updated committee and board members list.
d. Treasurer
i. Act as custodian of tall EMTPA funds
ii. Keep records of all assets, liabilities, income, and disbursments, report at
each meeting
4. Elections
a. All officers shall be elected to serve a term of one (1) year
b. All officers are eligible for re-elections; but cannot hold ant y one office for
more than three (3) years unless agreed on by a majority vote of the
members present.
c. Nominations for officers will be accepted from the membership during the
month of November
d. Election of officers shall be held at the January meeting by secret ballot
voting, unless any one office is running unopposed
e. Vacancies occurring among the officers shall be filled by a majority vote of
the present members at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
f. Any officer absent from two (2) consecutive meetings without excuse
satisfactory to the president or fails to complete their duties as listed under
Article V-3, shall be deemed to have surrendered their office
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ARTICLE VI: MONTHLY MEETINGS
1. The meetings shall be held once a month after November 1st until may 30th.
2. Meeting dates may be changed bt general membership and announced moe
month in advance.
3. Special meetings may be called at any time by the president or upon request of
at least one third (1/3) of the membership
4. Members and officers shall be notified ten (10) days prior to a special meeting
date unless an extreme emergency exists
5. Agenda for meeting
a. Call to order
b. Roll call
c. Guests wishing to address the club
d. Reading and approval of previous minutes
e. Treasurers report
f. Presidents report
g. New business
h. Open discussion
i. Adjourn meeting
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ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
1. Committee meetings shall be called by the committee chairman whenever and
as often as deemed necessary to execute the responsibilities of said committee
2. A progress report of each meeting will be submitted to the membership and
officers at the general monthly meeting
3. Committee meetings can also be called by the president of the association
4. All members shall serve on at least one committee each year
5. The following committees will be permanently established:
a. Finance and budget (treasurer)
b. Grievance and rule enforcement
c. Equipment repair and maintenance
d. Track set up and scale operation
e. Transportation of equipment and sled setup
f. Sound system setup and announcing
g. Registration and lineup sheets
h. Points records and awards for winners
i. Sled operation, grader help, pullback equipment
j. Promotion and advertising, booking pulls
k. Pedal pullers equipment and classes
6. Members signing up for a committee shall list their name and address,
telephone number and e-mail on the selection sheet
7. It is recommended that representation on these committees shall be for one (1)
year only.
8. It is also recommended that the chair person serve the following year as a
member, not a chair person) in order to have an experienced member on the
committee two (2) years in a row, one past member may serve again.
9. The New Year’s committee signup sheet shall have the previous year’s list
attached to remind the members of what committees they served on.
10. Committees shall meet the evening of the committee selection to select a
chairperson by a vote and notify the secretary of the results. The chairperson
is not responsible for the failure of other committee members to attend
additional meetings where majority vote issues may be resolved or planned,
provided all committee members are notified one week prior to the additional
meetings. The chairperson is responsible for reporting member attendance
and participation to the general membership.
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ARTICLE VIII: FINANCING
1. The association may sponsor such fund raising activities as deemed necessary
to carry out the purpose of this association as outlined in ARTICLE II above.
The board members and officers or budget committee shall determine the
need after looking over the budget and set up the activities.
2. All funds must be deposited in a checking account at a local bank at the choice
of the treasurer. The treasurer shall have an authorized signature card at the
bank signed and approved by the officers. There shall be one other officer
allowed to sign checks in the event the treasurer is unable.
3. All bills not covered in the annual budget shall be presented to the general
membership at the monthly meetings unless no meeting is scheduled during
the pulling season. Then at least three (3) officers may meet and pay any
operating expenses for trophies, fuel, emergency repairs etc.
4. Special expenditures may be presented to the president for arranging payment
by special officers meeting or placement on the agenda and consideration at
the next monthly meeting.
5. In the event of the dissolution of this association, all assets will be sold and the
funds donated to M.S.U. Extension 4H program.
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ARTICLE IX: ADOPTION
These revised by-laws shall become effective April 12, 2003. All members agree to comply with these by-laws and no member shall be absolved from observance of them.