ODC Standard Operating Procedures

OLD DOMINION CARDINALS GOOD SAM

 

Local Chapter of the

Good Sam Club

 

 

Organized: May 5, 1971

Chartered: August 25, 1971

 

 

Standard Operating Procedures

Adopted May 2013

 

Section 1 – Purpose

 

The purpose of the Chapter shall be to foster the spirit of the Good Sam Pledge: To promote safety, courtesy, and fellowship and to provide enjoyment, companionship, and recreation at Chapter campouts, rallies, meetings, and other activities.

 

 

Section 2 – Code of Ethics

 

 

The following Code of Ethics shall apply:

 

1.      Abide by the Good Sam Code of Conduct

 

2.      Through conduct, indicate to the public that membership in this organization is an assurance of our courtesy on the road and good will to all.

 

3.      Do nothing that would reflect unfavorably on others and dedicate ourselves to bonding the Old Dominion Cardinals, the Good Sam Club, and all others in friendship, good fellowship, and mutual understanding.

 

4.      Conduct ourselves in a manner to inspire other RV enthusiasts to appreciate the intent and meaning of the Chapter and the Good Sam codes.

 

5.      Maintain our campsites in an orderly manner and leave them in a better condition than on arrival.

 

Section 3 – Emblem and Colors

 

The Chapter’s emblem is the cardinal bird.  The Chapter’s colors are red and white.  The Chapter vest is red.  Each Member is to make every reasonable effort to have a Chapter vest and wear it at State and Good Sam Club Samborees and special events.

 

 

Section 4 – Membership

 

1. New Members:  Any person desiring membership in this Chapter must be a current member in good standing in the Good Sam Club, willing to abide by the chapter Standard Operating Procedures and attend one scheduled campout.  A membership, whether an individual person or a household unit e.g., adult(s) and any dependent child(ren) domiciled together, is considered to be a single Chapter Member with a single vote.

 

 

2. Initiation Fee:  New Members shall pay an initiation fee which covers the cost of two (2) Chapter patches and two (2) Official Good Sam Member patches.  The amount of the initiation fee shall be determined by the Treasurer, based on the costs of these items.  These fees are subject to change.

 

3. Dues:  All Members shall pay annual dues to the Chapter.  The Chapter membership shall establish the dues for the coming year at its business meeting in September.  The Chapter will pay it’s apportionment to the State based on the dues established by the State Organization.  All dues are payable to the Chapter Treasurer not later than October 31 of each year.  Dues of a new Member may be prorated quarterly to December 31 of the first year of membership.  The initiation fee and dues of a new Member must be paid in full within 60 days of joining the Chapter.  Members whose dues are not paid within 60 days of the due date may be asked by the Executive Board, via the President, to forfeit their Chapter membership.  Only Members whose dues are not in arrears shall be eligible to participate in Chapter business meetings, cast votes, or serve in elected or appointed positions. 

 

4. Reinstatement:  A Member whose membership has been terminated for any reason is only eligible for reinstatement through the new member application process.

 

5. Attendance:  Members who do not attend at least three (3) Chapter functions per year will be dropped from the Chapter membership rolls.  Extenuating temporary circumstances (e.g. illness, loss of income, loss of RV, extended travel, etc.) shall be considered by the Executive Board as sufficient reason not to invoke this rule.

 

6. Resignations:  Resignations will be accepted from any member wishing to resign.

 

7. Expulsion/Suspension for Inappropriate Conduct:  Upon written notification by the President on behalf of the Executive Board and the Chapter membership, a Member may be expelled from the Chapter or suspended for a specified period of time for conduct considered by the membership as unbecoming a Chapter Member.

 

8. Directory:  Members in good standing will be listed in a Chapter directory which is to include Members’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, anniversaries, and size and type of camping unit (e.g. motorhome, travel trailer, fifth wheel, etc.) including the number of slideouts, if any, the unit has. 

 

9. Reimbursement for Expenses:  Official preauthorized expenses incurred on behalf of the Chapter by its Officers or their designees, and approved by a majority of the membership at a Chapter meeting, shall be reimbursed by the Secretary/Treasurer upon presentation of bills.

 

 

Section 5 – Nominations

 

At the August campout or business meeting, the President shall appoint a nominating committee of at least three Members in good standing.  At the September election meeting, that committee will present one candidate for each office scheduled for election.  Additional nominations may be received from the floor.  A candidate’s name will not be offered in nomination without that person’s prior consent.

 

 

Section 6 – Terms of Office

 

The officers shall serve a term of two years and assume office on January 1 following election.  The filling of a vacancy of an unexpired term is not considered a term of office.  The terms of office for officers will begin as follows:

 

            President   Odd Years

            Vice President   Even Years

            Secretary/Treasurer   Even Years

            Wagon Master   Odd years

 

 

Section 7 -  Duties of Officers and Other Positions

 

1. President:  The President is an officer of the Chapter and a Member of the Executive Board.  S/he shall preside at all Chapter meetings, attend State Organization meetings, and keep Members apprised of information from, and functions of, the State Organization and the Good Sam Club.  The President shall appoint, when necessary and as required, Members in good standing to fill vacancies in Chapter officer positions and, as necessary and required, Members in good standing to Chapter committees.  The functions of the President are:

 

1. To represent the Chapter membership to the State Organization;
2. To represent and uphold the Chapter Operating Procedures;
3. To act as advisor in the administration of Chapter business;
4. To actively seek new Members for the Chapter;
5. To officiate at Chapter meetings and to vote only in the case of ties;
6. To perform such other functions as necessary to further the Chapter’s interests.

 

2. Vice President:  The Vice President is an officer of the Chapter and a Member of the Executive Board.  S/he shall act as President during the President’s absence.  The functions of the Vice President are:

 

1. To coordinate the work of all Chapter committees;
2. To maintain Chapter history records;
3. To actively seek new Members for the Chapter; and
4. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the President.

 

3. Secretary/Treasurer:  The Secretary/Treasurer is an officer of the Chapter and a Member of the Executive Board.  S/he shall preside at Chapter meetings in the absence of the President and Vice President.  The Secretary/Treasurer may not be a member of the Chapter President’s family.  The functions of the Secretary/Treasurer are:

 

1. To handle (prepare, distribute, file) all Chapter correspondence as assigned by the President;
2. To be responsible for recording and handling the minutes for all Chapter meetings;
3. To have a list of all committees and to maintain a master file of the reports of those committees when presented;
4. To have copies of the Constitutions and Bylaws of the Good Sam Club and Standard Operating Procedures of the Chapter and State Organization available for reference;
5. To send out notices of dues and delinquencies, and of all special meetings of the Chapter;
6. To maintain a directory of all Chapter Members and to provide the directory to the State Organization when requested;
7. To have custody of all funds, securities, and assets of the Chapter;
8. To maintain a record of all chapter assets;
9. To be responsible for keeping full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements, and to make a report of such at all Chapter business meetings;
10. To pay only those expenses which have been approved by the Chapter;
11. To prepare an itemized financial report to be read at each Chapter business meeting, and which covers the period from the last meeting;
12. To provide an accounting of dues and fees paid and delinquencies;
13. To remit to the State Organization annually, the Chapter Members’ state dues; and
14. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the President.

 

4. Wagon Master:  The Wagon Master is an officer of the Chapter and a Member of the Executive Board.  S/he shall preside at Chapter meetings in the absence of the President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.  The functions of the Wagon Master are:

            

1. To have overall responsibility for all official camping activities of the Chapter;
2. To recruit Trip Captains for the monthly campouts and to serve as Trip Captain when there are no volunteers;
3. To assist Trip Captains in planning and arranging campouts;
4. To serve as Trip Captain when the State Samboree is substituted for a Chapter campout;
5. To serve as backup to all Trip Captains;
6. To maintain a current “boilerplate” campout registration form and provide copies to Trip Captains;
7. To ensure that the Chapter banner and name board are set up and are turned over the the Trip Captain responsible for the next campout;
8. To resolve, as necessary and appropriate, any camping related dispute(s) which may arise at an official Chapter campout;
9. To solicit input from Chapter members on the quality of campout sites and activities and to provide recommendations to the membership for future campouts based on that input;

 

 

10. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the President.

 

5. Immediate Past President:  The Immediate Past President serves on the Executive Board but is not an officer of the Chapter.  The functions of the Immediate Past President are:

 

1. To provide advice and counsel to the Executive Board; and
2. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the President.

 

6. Trip Captain:  The Trip Captain does not serve on the Executive Board and is not an officer of the Chapter.  The functions of the Trip Captain are:

 

1. To organize authorized Chapter campouts;
2. To identify a suitable campout location within an approximate 100 miles of the Greater Fredericksburg area ( unless a longer drive time is agreed to by the Chapter membership);
3. To ensure that the campout site can accommodate the largest rig within the Chapter membership;
4. To provide notification and details about the campout site (including brochures, directions, registration information, and other appropriate literature) to all Members within a reasonable time prior to the campout;
5. To arrange for collection and payment of necessary campsite registration fees, or provide information on submission of the fees directly to the camp site;
6. To set up the Chapter banner and name board and, at the conclusion of the campout, turn them over to the Trip Captain responsible for the next campout;
7. To set up activities as may be appropriate (such activities may include, but are not limited to: breakfast on Saturday morning, potluck supper on Saturday evening, scavenger hunts, games, etc.);
8. To provide assistance as necessary to Members in locating their campsites and parking their RVs.

 

 

 

                       

Section 8 – Campouts, Meetings, and Activities

 

     A.  Campouts:  Not less than six (6) campouts, weather permitting, are to be held

            annually.  The date and location of campouts are to be selected by the respective

            Trip Captains.  Trip Captains shall select campout locations as soon as practical

            following the first business meeting of the year.  State Samborees may be

            substituted by the Chapter for campouts.

 

     B.  Business Meetings:  Not less than eight (8) business meetings, weather permitting

           are to be held annually.  A business meeting is to be held at each campout.

 

     C.  Special Meetings:  Special meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the

           President, or upon written request to the President of not less than 20% of the

           Members in good standing.

 

     D.  Activities:  Other activities of the Chapter may be organized as deemed

           appropriate upon approval by a majority of Members at a Chapter meeting.

 

 

Section 9 – Guests

           

Members may invite guests subject to space availability.  Members must advise the Trip Captain of the number of guests they wish to invite to a Chapter campout.  The inviting Member is responsible for the guests’ fees and conduct.

 

Section 10 – Committees

 

The President may appoint standing or ad hoc committees as s/he deems necessary or upon request of the Executive Board.  The President shall appoint the following standing committees:

 

            Audit:  An Audit Committee, consisting of a least two Members in good standing, shall be appointed to audit the accounts of the Chapter Treasurer at the end of each calendar year and provide a report of its findings to the President.  No members of the President’s or Treasurer’s families may be appointed to the Audit Committee.  After review by the President, the Committee’s report is to be presented to the Chapter membership.

 

            Nominating:  A Nominating Committee, consisting of at least three Members in good standing, shall be appointed at the July or August campout or business meeting.  The Committee will present one candidate for each office at the September business meeting.  Additional nominations may be received from the floor.  Elections are to be held at the September business meeting.

 

Section 11 – Order of Business

 

The order of business for Chapter meetings shall be at the discretion of the President or authorized presiding officer.  All Members present who desire to speak shall be heard in due course.  All meetings and governance of the Chapter shall be conducted in accordance with guidelines contained in Robert’s Rules of Order.

 

Section 12 – Amendments to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s)

 

The chapter Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) may be revised or amended at any time provided that a majority of the members are present for the official vote.

 

A simple majority of those present and voting will determine the outcome of proposed changes.

 

Section 13 – Distribution

 

A current set of the Chapter Standard Operating Procedures shall be provided to each Member.