CHARTER OF THE DIABLO ORDER OF ZYMIRACLE ENTHUSIASTS (DOZE)
ARTICLE ONE: The Club
Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be The Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts, also known as “DOZE.”
Section 2. Purpose
The purpose of DOZE shall be to encourage all members to:
- Have fun
- Develop as brewers and beer, cider and mead enthusiasts
- Promote the dissemination of knowledge in the art of brewing, cider and mead making
- Encourage and reward individuals dedicated to the brewing arts
- Educate the beer cider and mead connoisseur in identifying the components of homebrewed and craft beverages
- Foster the responsible consumption of the products of our craft and celebrate the fruits of our labors.
Section 3. Membership
The membership of this Club shall be open to any person of legal drinking age who enjoys fine beers, ciders or meads, either by making their own or by enjoying the work of others. DOZE does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
Section 4. Meeting Place
The meeting place of this club shall be the Lindsay Wildlife Museum located in Walnut Creek, CA, until such time that the museum permanently closes, or asks the Club to locate elsewhere, or if the membership, by resolution, decides to locate elsewhere.
ARTICLE TWO: Governance
Section 1. Supreme Law
All legislative and executive powers except as noted in this constitution, shall be given to and controlled by the Board of Officers.*1
The Board of Officers shall consist of all the elected officers of this Club.
Section 2. Elected Officers
The elected officers of this Club shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Controller, Competition Coordinator, Jockey Box Keeper, Event Coordinator and Mead and Cider program director are all appointed volunteer positions. An elected office may be occupied by more than one person and one person may occupy more than one position, subject to Board and Membership approval.
Section 3. Term of Office
All offices shall be held for a period of one year. Elections will be held in November every year. An officer’s term starts in the January following the election and ends in December.
Section 4. Removal from Office
Any officer missing three officer meetings and/or six membership meetings during his/her term of office, without reasonable excuse, may, at the determination of the other officers, be removed from office and replaced as soon as possible.
In determining whether to remove an officer, the other officers shall consider the reasons an officer has missed such meetings.
Any officer, as determined by a majority of the Officers, found not performing his/her duties, may be removed from office, subject to the approval by a majority vote of the membership at the next membership meeting following a report from the Officers to the membership.
Section 5. Vacancy of Office
Any interim vacancy on the Officers shall be filled by appointment by the Officers, subject to the approval by a majority vote of the membership at the next membership meeting following the vacancy.
In the event the membership votes down the appointment by the Officers, there will be open nominations for the vacant office and an election held at said membership meeting to fill the vacancy.
Section 6. Returning of DOZE Property
All elected officers and any members, upon completion of their term in office or assignment, shall return to DOZE any and all papers, documents, and property deemed to be important to the operation and history of, and belonging to DOZE.
Failure to comply may result in expulsion from the Club and civil action if deemed necessary.
Section 7. Officer Transition
All exiting officers shall relinquish all credentials to shared applications (google drive, social media, slack, mailchimp, etc) to the new officers after the club holiday party and before the beginning of January. Ex-President will also provide ideas and assistance for the first January club meeting and forward the upcoming meeting location contracts for the following year, and provide meeting presentation templates and leadership meeting agenda templates. Ex-Treasurer will provide all banking information and transition account signing authority to the new president and treasure. Ex-Treasurer is also asked to take the Controller role to assist the new Treasurer with the transition.
ARTICLE THREE: Duties of Elected Officers
Section 1. President
Responsible for the overall direction of the club. Leads meetings and works with officers to schedule and implement all club-related goals and activities.
Section 2. Vice-President
Assists the president in scheduling and implementing all club-related goals and activities. Leads meetings in absence of the president. Responsible for talking with previous club member of the year (Base Malt Award) and assist with selecting the next recipient of the Club Member of the Year Award.
Section 3. Secretary
Responsible for keeping the list of members (and keeping such a list as current as possible)s. Also taking minutes at officer and club meetings. Updating website, social media, calendars etc with pertinent club information i.e. meeting agendas, upcoming events.
Section 4. Treasurer
Responsible for general financial oversight, including: management of income through financial institutions, payment processing of expenses, electronic transfers between club accounts. Must file a form 990 with the IRS every January and provide reporting to the president and controller as requested.
Section 5. Non-Elected Controller
Assists the Treasurer in all club finance. Reviews all incoming and outgoing financial transactions. The controller is needed in times of transition and will typically be a role held by the exiting Treasurer
Section 6. Non-Elected Competition Coordinator
Responsible for notifying club members of all upcoming competitions. Records and reports on all current club competitions and results.
Section 7. Non-Elected Jockey Box Keeper
Responsible for maintaining upkeep, scheduling use of club Jockey boxes for all club activities and club member rentals.
Section 8. Non-Elected Event Coordinator
Responsible for scheduling, promoting and overseeing all club-related events and activities.
Section 9. Non-Elected Mead and Cider Program Director
Responsible for organizing and promoting the making, judging, competing of Mead and Ciders makers within the Club.
ARTICLE FOUR: Quora
Section 1.
A voting quorum at a membership meeting shall be no less than ten percent (10%) of the paid membership as reported by the Secretary at the last Officers meeting previous to the membership meeting where a vote(s) is (are) to be taken.
A quorum at an Officers meeting shall consist of one half of the Officers plus one.
ARTICLE FIVE: Election of Officers
Section 1. Eligibility
Any person who has been a paid member for at least six (6) months and is in good standing with this Club may run for an elected office.
Section 2. Nominations
Nominations will open at the October meeting and will close with voting at the November meeting. The method of collecting nominees’ names shall be done at the discretion of the President or whoever is chairperson at those meetings.
Section 3. Balloting
A secret ballot election shall be held at the November meeting. Only paid members may vote. The President shall determine how the secret balloting will take place.
Section 4. Tally
The President shall form a committee of three members not running for office to tally the ballots. After tabulating the results, the committee shall submit a report to the President as soon as counted. The new officer(s) for each office shall be the person(s) with a plurality of the votes for that office.
ARTICLE SIX: Installation of Officers
Section 1. New Officers
After the November meeting, officers-elect will begin a transition of duties. Installation of the new officers shall occur at the Christmas party.
Section 2. Officers Filling Vacancies
Any officer filling a vacancy shall be installed at the meeting at which the membership voted its approval.
Section 4. Membership Grant for President
The President after having completed a full active term in office, will be granted a year’s membership for the following year.
ARTICLE SEVEN: Meetings
Section 1. Meetings
Meetings shall be held on the last Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum. Exceptions may occur, which may include months where there is a Festival or other special event.
All members are encouraged to attend these events and meetings.
Section 2. Officers
Officers meetings shall be at a time and place called by the President.
All officers are required to attend and submit a report pertinent to their office. Also, any member may attend these meetings.
ARTICLE EIGHT: Amendments
Section 1. Resolutions
From time to time it may be necessary to modify this Constitution. The procedure shall be as follows:
- Any individual, or committee, or the Officers may write a resolution to modify this Constitution and By-Laws. It shall include the reason for the change, the article, the section, the paragraph, etc., where the change will occur, and what the change will be.
- If an individual member has drafted a resolution, he/she may present it to the Officers for presentation to the membership or bring it to a membership meeting for presentation to the membership. The purpose of presenting it to the membership is to inform them about it
After presentation the membership shall vote on whether or not to accept the resolution for consideration.
- The resolution shall be posted on the club website after the initial membership approval.
- At the next meeting, the resolution will be voted on by the paid membership. A 2/3 majority of paying members present is required for the resolution to be adopted.
ARTICLE NINE: Membership
Section 1. Membership
Membership is for one calendar year regardless of when dues are paid and expires at the end of December of that calendar year.
Section 2. Dues
Dues shall be determined by the Officers and approved by the membership. Members may enjoy any other benefits that come along with membership in this Club.
Section 6. Honorary Membership
The Officers may elect to designate any person an Honorary Member of the Club for a time period determined by the Board at the time of dispensing such Honorary Membership.
Section 7. Membership Agreement
The Officers shall codify a membership agreement that is required for all members. The agreement shall outline acceptable behavior and risks assumed by members.
ARTICLE TEN: Competitions
Section 1. Number
The club will use its best efforts to hold 11 Club competitions per year.
Section 2. Other Competitions
The Officers reserve the right to involve this Club in organizing competitions other than the ones mentioned above, an example of which would be a home brew competition at a county fair. If the Officers chooses to organize such a competition, every effort shall be made to have it sanctioned by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) and or the American Homebrewers Association (AHA).
Section 3. Rules and Awards
The rules and awards for competitions shall be determined on a per competition basis and will be published on the website.
ARTICLE ELEVEN: President’s Club Party
Section 1. Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner
If the club should win one of the following group awards: NHC Club of the year, Radegast Club of the year or CA State Fair Comp Club of the year, the President must organize a party with the help of the officers group in which some sort of Chicken (Meatless faux Chicken is acceptable) will be supplied for consumption. Beer, cider, mead or any other crafted beverage must also be available at the aforementioned event.
ARTICLE TWELVE : Effective Date
Section 1. Effective Date
This Constitution shall be considered in effect when approved by at least two thirds of the membership present at the membership meeting where this document is put to a vote.