Charter and Bylaws

Bylaws updated on May 2, 2024

ARTICLE I – NAME

This organization shall be known as the DRV Owners Travel Club hereinafter cited as the Club.

ARTICLE II – CHARTER

The Club is organized as a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Indiana and recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization under Section 501 c (7) of the Internal Revenue Code for the purpose of providing social, educational, and recreational activities for its membership.

ARTICLE III – MISSION STATEMENT

It is the mission of the Club to enhance the RV experience for its members by sponsoring a variety of activities to promote interactions among members for purposes of enjoyment of and education about their recreational vehicle.

ARTICLE IV – PURPOSE

The purposes of the Club are:

To promote fun, friendship and a spirit of camaraderie among its members;
To advise members of legislation which affects them as owners of recreational vehicles;
To expand the use of recreational vehicles among its members;
To support the formation of regional and local chapters.

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Eligibility – Membership in the Club shall be open to all owners of an Elite, Mobile, Select, Fullhouse or other luxury fifth-wheel recreational vehicle manufactured by DRV located in Howe, Indiana (cited hereafter as “qualifying RV”). Membership shall not be denied to any person based on race, creed, color, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, ancestry, or disability.
Membership – Each membership in the Club includes those people (maximum of two) who typically travel together in the qualifying RV as shown on the membership application. For voting purposes, each membership unit shall be entitled to cast up to two (2) votes in any election or any matter that comes before the general membership. Single membership shall be entitled to a single vote.
Limitation – No member or official shall become vested of any right, title to or interest in any Club property, except as required by law.
Conduct – Members shall conduct themselves in a respectable, respectful, and orderly fashion at all times when participating in activities of the Club and at all other times when representing or seen to be representing the Club. Any member bringing discredit and/or dishonor on the Club by his/her/their conduct shall be subject to expulsion from this organization, subject to review and decision by the Board of Directors.
In addition to meeting eligibility requirements of section 1 above, applicants for membership must be at least eighteen years of age.
Dues for this organization shall be established by the Board of Directors based on a membership year and payable in advance. The membership year for the Club shall run twelve (12) or twenty-four (24) months from the date of enrollment or renewal for the full term (1 year or two years) as determined by the dues payment. Any member whose dues are three months in arrears shall be dropped from the rolls of this organization. Nothing herein shall prevent reinstatement of a delinquent member upon payment in full of unpaid dues together with any reinstatement fee as established by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors may impose an initiation fee that must accompany a membership application in addition to the first year’s dues.
All personal expenses such as decals, name badges, insignias, shall be borne by each member and shall not be the responsibility of the organization.
Members shall notify the Secretary immediately of any change of mailing address, email address, phone number or last four or six VIN digits (four prior to 2017 and six digits after 2017 DRV production years) of a new qualifying RV should the member change to another qualifying RV.
Resignation of membership shall be in writing and submitted to the Secretary.
Should a member dispose of and no longer possess a qualifying RV, membership in the Club shall terminate and thus no longer be entitled to hold office (if in office). Former members who no longer own a qualifying RV shall be honorary guests welcome to participate in club activities.
A member is considered to be in “good standing” if dues are current and he/she/they are in compliance with the conduct requirements of Section 4 above.

ARTICLE VI – ADMINISTRATION

Authority – The Club shall be a democratic organization deriving existence and authority from the consent of its membership and governed through an elected Board of Directors.
Board of Directors – The Board of Directors shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director, and a Regional Director for each region as defined in Article XIV. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall constitute the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be elected from among all members in good standing and the Regional Directors by members in good standing within the respective regions according to the procedures of Article XII.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee may provide documents for the routine conduct of business by means of electronic communication (e-mail, telephone, video conference and any other digital communications).
Each Board position serves three years, and has one vote only, even if couples work jointly in any of the positions.
1. A quorum for any Board meeting is a simple majority of five (5) members. The chairperson shall only vote if a tie cannot be resolved. Board meetings shall be conducted
  once yearly in person with monthly meetings conducted by phone or other real time electronic communications as long as a five (5) member quorum is satisfied.
2. Board members may receive assistance from members, as volunteers, to perform major functions listed within their area of responsibility. These volunteers are not voting Board members, even though they directly support those functions.
Fiscal Year – The fiscal year for the Club shall commence on January 1 and end on
December 31.
The Club secure, and maintain a liability bond protecting the Treasurer, members of the
Board of Directors, and individual(s) appointed to assist the Treasurer to minimize the negative
consequential impact associated with financial/fiduciary, malfeasance, errors, and omissions.
The Board of Directors may appoint a member in good standing to fill the term of any
vacancy therein occurring between elections. If needed, the Board of Directors may fulfill the
responsibilities of that position with a non-voting, contract individual. In the event the vacancy being
filled is a Regional Director, the Board shall consult members of the region in making the appointment.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS

General meetings of the membership shall be called by the President and shall be held at least
once a year during the calendar year for purposes of conducting the general business of the Club.
Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the President or two (2)
members of the Executive Committee for the purpose of addressing pertinent issues.
All general and special meetings require at least one month’s notice by posting on a website,
e-mail and/or special postal mailing.
Any meeting of this organization may be conducted in person and/or by means of real-time
electronic communications.
A quorum shall consist of 20% of those Club members in good standing and present at the
duly called general meeting of the club.
Except as specified elsewhere in these Bylaws, a simple majority of members in good
standing present and voting, shall be required to approve or disapprove any matter brought to the floor.

ARTICLE VIII – OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties
1. The President shall:
  1. Preside over all general membership and board meetings and be present at all events when possible;
  2. Be the executive officer and shall have the duty to carry out the Bylaws, policies and directions of the Board of Directors;
  3. Serve without right of vote on the Board of Directors except in the event of a tie;
  4. Serve as the liaison between the Club and DRV;
  5. Sign all contracts;
  6. Perform duties of Policies, Procedures and Programs as listed in Article IX;
  7. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
2. The Vice-President shall:
  1. Perform the duties of President in his/her absence;
  2. Serve as a Parliamentarian;
  3. Maintain the Bylaws of the Club;
  4. Organize vendors for all rallies in support of Regional Directors;
  5. Perform other tasks at the request of the President or the Board of Directors;
  6. Perform duties of Policies, Procedures and Programs as listed in Article IX;
  7. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
3. The Secretary shall:
  1. Keep and preserve all records and minutes of the meetings of the general membership and the Board of Directors;
  2. Keep a file system of membership;
  3. Assume the responsibility of roll call when necessary;
  4. Disseminate all election materials as necessary using current Club e-mail and USPS distribution lists;
  5. Receive and answer or make arrangements to answer all general correspondence pertaining to the organization;
  6. Perform duties of Policies, Procedures and Programs as listed in Article IX;
  7. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
4. The Treasurer shall:
  1. Keep accurate and complete records of the funds and accounts of the organization;
  2. Collect all dues and maintain a record thereof;
  3. Keep a file system of membership payment status;
  4. Make disbursements from the funds of the organization as directed by the Board of Directors and Article X hereof;
  5. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
5. The Regional Directors shall:
  1. Report activities of their regions to the Board of Directors;
  2. Keep the Board apprised of issues relating to the regions;
  3. Perform duties of Policies, Procedures and Programs as listed in Article IX;
  4. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
6. The Communications Director shall:
  1. Manage the creative and technical aspects of the Club website and forum with the acceptance of the Board of Directors;
  2. Manage the Club membership database;
  3. Manage all Club Facebook groups and pages according to procedures set by the Board of Directors under Article IV;
  4. Respond to organization emails requesting help with these assets;
  5. Manage electronic communications for general and Board meetings, membership status and rallies, luncheons, and other club events;
  6. In partnership with the Board of Directors, create and manage club marketing activities;
  7. Perform duties of Policies, Procedures and Programs as listed in Article IX;
  8. Perform other duties for the benefit of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors.
Terms of Office:
1. All officers shall be elected to serve a term of three years.
2. To provide for election of at least two seats on the Board every year, elections shall be
  held beginning with:
  1. 2024 – President, Treasurer, and Eastern Regional Director
  2. 2025 – Secretary, Western Regional Director, Communications Director
  3. 2026 – Vice President, North Central Regional Director, South Central Regional Director
3. Elections shall then be every three (3) years thereafter.
4. Additional regions can be implemented when the Board determines there are sufficient DRV owners to support the region formation.
5. If additional regions are added, an additional board member should also be added to
  represent that new region. Their term of office shall be no more than three years and such
  that approximately one/third of the total board is subject to election every year.
6. The regular term of office for all offices shall begin at the close of the general meeting at
  which elections are held or upon satisfactory completion of any recount, whichever is later.

ARTICLE IX – POLICIES, PROCEDURES & PROGRAMS

The President and Vice President shall develop policies, procedures and programs to manage the day-to-day functions of the Club.
All policies, procedures, and programs shall be voted on, approved, modified, and adhered to by the Board of Directors consistent with the Club Bylaws.
These policies, procedures and programs shall be recorded and maintained by the Secretary.

ARTICLE X – EXPENDITURES AND FINANCE

The Treasurer shall establish and maintain a checking account for the Club. All monies
received from all sources for Club purposes shall be deposited in said account as soon as practicable
after receipt. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer may each have authority to sign
checks and/or have a debit card on this account to pay the obligations of the Club within the provisions
of this article.
No withdrawal or disbursement of funds shall be made without the approval of the Board of Directors.
Any disbursements required by a contract duly approved directly by the Board of Directors may be paid without further action or approval by the Board.
A review of the Club financial records shall be conducted and reported to the membership
annually by a review committee of not less than three (3) members appointed and operating according to
Article XI of these Bylaws. The Treasurer shall not be a member of this committee but shall cooperate
fully with the committee in all aspects of the review.

ARTICLE XI – COMMITTEES

Committees, either sustaining or ad hoc, shall be appointed by the President and approved by and answer to the Board of Directors.
Ad hoc committees shall be organized for a specific set of duties, tasks or responsibilities and shall conclude specific duties, tasks, and responsibilities at such time as a designated deadline arrives and/or the assigned work is completed to the satisfaction of the President.
All committees shall function within the policies and procedures of the Club and under the guidance of the President or other Board member as assigned by the President in accord with the committee’s function.
Meeting minutes, activity reports, financial reports, vouchers, and monies due to the Club shall be submitted on a timely basis to the Board of Directors by the committee chair.
A quorum of any committee shall be a simple majority of its members attending in person or via real-time electronic communication.

ARTICLE XII – ELECTIONS

Election of those officers whose terms are expiring shall be conducted annually at the general
membership meeting within the current calendar year.
1. Elections, including the nominating and balloting process may occur prior to the annual
  meeting required in this section provided that all requirements of this article are met.
2. The schedule and processes to be used for distributing information concerning an
  election, accepting nominations, and distributing and casting ballots shall be determined
  by the elections committee established in Section 3 of this Article and approved by the
  Board except that the election process shall not begin more than six (6) months prior to
  the general membership meeting as provided in Section One (1) of this Article. Each such
  process may utilize any available digital technologies or group of digital technologies, in
  person or electronic, appropriate to the process provided all members have the
  opportunity to participate in all phases of the election by some means.
3. Abstentions and proxies are not allowed and will not be counted.
4. Upon motion, members in attendance at the general meeting may affirm all the voting results by acclamation.
Qualifications of Candidates:
1. All members in good standing are eligible to be nominated for any elective office. If nominated from the floor, the nominee must be present in person or via real-time electronic connection and agree to serve if elected;
2. A member may hold only one position on the board at any time.
Elections Committee:
1. The elections committee shall consist of not fewer than three Club members in good
  standing selected by the President and approved by the Board for a one-year term.
  Membership on the elections committee shall not preclude anyone from nomination for
  office. One or more members of the Board may serve on the elections committee.
2. Purpose – The elections committee shall conduct and ensure the fairness of all elections.
3. Chairperson – The elections committee shall select a chairperson from among its members who will chair all meetings and present the slate to the membership.
4. Duties:
  1. Nominate a slate of qualified and willing candidates for open positions on the Board;
  2. Prepare election information for distribution to the membership;
  3. Collect ballots and tally the votes cast; however, no member nominated as a candidate for any position may collect or tally votes.
A simple majority of votes cast shall be necessary for election to any office. If no single
candidate for an office receives a simple majority of the votes cast, there shall be a run-off election
between the two candidates that received the most votes as soon after the original election as practical.
The candidate receiving a majority of votes in the runoff election shall be declared elected.
If, in an election for an office in which one candidate receives a majority of votes, the number
of votes separating the highest and second-highest number of votes is fewer than 5% of the total votes
cast, any of the candidates for that office may request a recount of votes.

ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS

Any member of the Club in good standing may submit an amendment to the Bylaws of the
Club in writing to the Board of Directors 60 days prior to the annual business meeting of members of the
Club. The Board of Directors will be responsible for communicating the submitted amendment to the
club members 45 days prior to the general meeting.
Approval of an amendment proposed at a meeting of the membership at which a quorum is
present shall require an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members present in person or by electronic
communication. The vote may be verbal, but should be verified by roll call, if any member requests the
roll call.
Approved amendments to these Bylaws become effective immediately upon their adoption or at such other time as specified in the amendment.
Copies of amended Bylaws shall be posted on the Club website.

ARTICLE XIV – REGIONAL AND LOCAL CHAPTERS AUTHORIZED

Regions:
1. The Club is subdivided into four regions of states as follows:
  1. Eastern Region: ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, KY, WV, VA, DC, NC, TN, SC, GA, MS, AL, FL and the Canadian provinces east of Ontario.
  2. North Central Region: MI, IN, WI, IL, MN, OH, IA, ND, SD, NE, and the Canadian province of Ontario.
  3. South Central Region: TX, OK, AR, LA, MO, and KS.
  4. Western Region: MT, ID, WA, OR, WY, CO, UT, NV, CA, AZ, NM, AK, HI and the Canadian provinces west of Ontario.
2. In addition to the Regional Director who shall serve on the Board of Directors as provided in Section VI.2 of these Bylaws, a region may elect other officers as its members deem it necessary to manage regional affairs.
3. A region may not levy dues upon its members in addition to Club dues levied by the Board of Directors under Article V. This limitation shall not preclude a region from charging participating members the cost of voluntary activities such as rallies, campouts, or other social gatherings.
4. Terms of office for any region officers other than regional directors shall be no more than two years.
Local Chapters:

A group of at least five member units of the Club within a defined geographical area may
organize into a local chapter of the organization and operate as an autonomous
subdivision of the full organization subject to all the rights and limitations of the Club
and its Bylaws. To retain its status as an officially recognized chapter of the Club a Local
Chapter shall maintain a minimum membership of five (5) member units.
A Local Chapter shall organize itself and elect such officers as it deems necessary to
manage its affairs subject to the requirement that there shall be at a minimum a President
or like chief officer, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Secretary and Treasurer may be
combined into a single position.
A Local Chapter may levy dues upon its members in addition to the dues levied by the
Board of Directors under Article V. However, Local Chapter dues may not exceed ten
(10) US dollars per year.
A Local Chapter officer shall furnish to the Club lists of chapter members and chapter
officers and certification that at least one business meeting was held during the year for
the purpose of electing officers. Said report shall be submitted to the Club Secretary no
later than December 31 and include minutes of all business meetings held during the year
as approved by the members.
Terms of office for officers of Local Chapters shall be no more than two (2) years.
Amendments approved to the Club Bylaws and affect chapter organization or operation
shall automatically be adopted as part of each chapters’ Bylaws as a mandatory
amendment without vote of individual chapter members.

ARTICLE XV – PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE

Unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws, the most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall govern parliamentary procedure for the Club.

ARTICLE XVI – DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

Dissolution of the Club shall require a simple majority affirmative vote of the membership.
Upon dissolution, all remaining assets of the Club shall be dispersed following guidelines for a nonprofit organization under section 501 C (7) of the Internal Revenue Code under which the club is
organized Disbursement shall be to a non-profit charity or charities according to a vote of the
membership.

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