- Chapter Name And Affiliation:
The Vulcan Riders Association is the governing body
of all VRA sanctioned activities. Each National chapter,
however, will operate as an independent organization
providing services to their chapter members on a
"not-for-profit" basis. Each chapter is required to
adhere to this charter and all operational policies as
well as local laws. Where the Association Charter and
local laws conflict, local law will always prevail. The
Regional and local chapters will be named after its
respective city or locale. The Association reserves the
right to approve chapter names. If at any time the
National Chapter determines that a Regional or Local
chapter is not adhering to this charter or the spirit of
this charter, that Regional or Local chapter affiliation
may be rescinded.
- Membership:
Requirement for Association full membership is a
legal, running Kawasaki Vulcan of any size. All members
must have insurance and licensing for said Vulcan as
required by their locale. Spouses, Significant Others,
and children of Full Members are also allowed full
membership without prejudices. All members will be
assigned a VRA number; associate members will fall under
the full member number. This number will be as follows:
11-22-3333A-44444
Whereas:
11 will be the International
dialing number for the National Chapter that member
belongs to
22 will be the Local or Regional
Chapter
3333 will be a number different for
each member of a National Chapter.
A signifies the owning member in
each family. The 2nd member is "B", then "C", etc.
This number starts at 0001A and then increments by
one each time a new member is added.
4444 is the Kawasaki model number
of that members Vulcan.
- Chapter Officers and the Executive Committee:
The Association requires all National and Local
Chapters to have the following primary officers:
President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. No
member may fill more than one of these positions
simultaneously. Other Officers may be appointed as
needed. An appointed officer may simultaneously hold a
position as an elected primary officer. A Regional
Chapter has only a President.
- Elected Officers:
- President
- The President shall be the
nominal head of the chapter. The President is to
chair all meetings. The President or the
President's nominee shall represent the chapter
at all functions and public events.
- Vice
President
- The Vice President shall
generally assist the President and assume the
duties of President in the President's absence.
-
Secretary
- The Secretary shall convene
all meetings and be responsible for the minutes
of their proceedings. The Secretary shall
circulate copies of the minutes of meetings to
other bodies as directed by the Executive
Committee. The Secretary or the Secretary's
delegate shall be a member of all
sub-committees. The Secretary shall conduct the
correspondence of the Association and maintain
contact with all affiliated bodies and inform
the Association of matters related to them. The
Secretary shall keep control of all records and
other documents relating to the Association.
-
Treasurer
- The Treasurer shall keep
account of the finances and assets of the
Association. At the end of each financial year,
the Treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet and
statement of accounts. All financial matters
must be referred to the Treasurer.
- Appointed Officers: (To
be appointed as necessary)
- Sergeant At Arms
- Maintains order at
Chapter meetings and activities. Assists Road
Captain at activities and runs. Rides at rear of
pack on runs, or designates someone to ride at
rear on runs.
- Road Captain
-
Ensures all riders and rides are legal before
all runs. Is responsible for planning routes for
all planned runs. Leads all runs or designates
someone to lead the runs.
- Other Officers
-
Appointed as necessary by the Chapter to perform
functions deemed by the Chapter.
- Election of Chapter Office Bearers:
The Office Bearers of a Chapter shall be elected at
the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall be made in
writing to the Secretary and signed by two members with
Full Membership rights, accompanied by written consent
from the nominated person. Persons nominating or being
nominated must have Full Membership rights. Voting for
the election of Office Bearers shall be by secret ballot
by members with Full Membership rights. Voting shall
take place only if there are two or more nominations for
a position. The term of office shall be from the
conclusion of the meeting at which they were elected,
until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.
A person is not eligible to simultaneously hold more
than 1 (one) Office Bearer position.
- Vacancies in Chapter Committee:
A vacancy in the office of a committee member occurs
if the member dies, ceases to be a member of the
Association, resigns from office or is absent from three
consecutive Executive Committee Meetings without
reasonable excuse. Casual vacancies on the Executive
Committee shall be filled by majority vote at a General
Meeting.
- Removal of Chapter Office Bearers:
The chapter may, in a General Meeting, by resolution,
remove any office bearer from the Executive Committee,
before the expiration of the member's term of office.
- Chapter Meetings:
- The Annual General Meeting:
- The Annual
General Meeting shall be held. In addition to any other
business, the business of the Annual General Meeting
shall be to:
- Confirm the minutes of the last preceding
Annual General Meeting
- Receive from the
Executive Committee reports on the activities of
the Association during the preceding year
-
Elect members of the Executive Committee
-
Receive and consider the audited statement of
accounts and any other reports required to be
submitted to members
- Regular Meetings:
- General Meetings shall be
held at an agreed interval not greater than every three
months.
- Executive Committee Meetings shall be
held at least monthly, at a time and place agreed by the
Executive Committee.
- General Committee meetings
shall be held at least quarterly at a time and place
agreed by the General Committee.
- Special
Meetings:
- A Special General Meeting may be
called by a request made in writing to the Executive
Committee signed by at least ten full members, stating
the purpose of the meeting.
- A Special Executive
Committee Meeting may be called by a request made in
writing to the Secretary, signed by at least three
General Committee members stating the purpose of the
meeting.
- Upon receipt of such requests the
Secretary shall within seven days convene a meeting for
a date not more than twenty-one days after receipt of
the request.
- Items of Business:
No item of business shall be transacted at a General
Meeting, Special General Meeting or Annual General
Meeting, unless a quorum of members entitled to vote is
present during the time the meeting is considering that
item.
- Adjournments:
An unfinished item of business at a General Meeting
may be adjourned to a Special General Meeting or to the
next General Meeting, subject to the consent of the
majority of members present at the meeting.
- Quorum:
A quorum for a General Meeting, Special General
Meeting or Annual General Meeting shall be the Office
Bearers of that chapter.
- Voting:
Issues shall be decided by a majority vote, this
majority being determined by a show of hands from those
entitled to vote. Any Full Member can demand a secret
ballot on any vote taken at a meeting. Any person with
Full Membership rights but unable to be present may
communicate their vote in writing to an Office Bearer
prior to commencement of the meeting. Any member with
Full Membership rights, but unable to be present may
appoint another Full Member to act as their proxy.
Notice of this is to be given in writing to an Office
Bearer prior to commencement of the meeting.
- National, Local and Regional Chapter Finances:
The funds of the chapter shall be derived from annual
subscriptions of members, sales of stock, donations and
any such other source as the Executive committee
determines, subject to confirmation by majority vote at
a General Meeting. The funds of the chapter shall be
banked in the name of the chapter in a financial
institution decided upon by the Executive Committee.
Checks or withdrawals shall be signed by any two Office
Bearers. All income of the chapter shall be used to fund
its activities and further its aims. No money may be
paid to any member as remuneration but compensation
shall be given for authorized expenses.
- Chapter Sponsorship:
Chapters may seek sponsorship from a local Vulcan
dealer. Chapter sponsorship may take the form of
financial sponsorship of the chapter and/or chapter
events, and discounts to chapter members on purchases or
other sponsorship arrangements. In return, the
sponsoring dealer is entitled to on-sell membership to
the chapter with the sale of Vulcan motorcycles, and may
display Association logos and symbols in the sponsor's
business premises and at legitimate trade shows. The
sponsor is also entitled to display and demonstrate
products at official chapter rallies.
- Chapter Dissolution:
If the chapter is dissolved for any reason, the
assets and properties remaining after the settlement of
all just debts shall not be disbursed to members but
shall be given to bodies with similar aims to the
Association and/or to a recognized charity. The
recipient organization is to be determined by resolution
of the members of the Association at or before the time
of the dissolution.