Policies

  1. PURPOSE AND PROCEDURES:
    1. A policy shall be a plan of operation for the good of the Club.
    2. A policy book shall be established by the Secretary and any policies adopted by the Club shall be entered in this book.
    3. New policies, amendments to policies, or deletions of policies may be brought up for discussion by any member or officer at a regular meeting and voted upon at the next regular meeting. A 2/3 majority vote by the members present who are in "good standing" shall be necessary for approval.
    4. Annually a Policy Committee will be appointed in accordance with Article V Section 1 of the Constitution consisting of the current Secretary and four additional members. Members shall be, not more than one additional Board Member and at least one previous year’s Policy Committee Member. A majority of the committee members must be in attendance for a quorum. It shall be the committee's responsibility to review and suggest changes to the policy file for presentation to the membership for review at the November meeting.
    5. An adequate supply of policies shall be available at the time of review. Each revision shall be voted on at the regular January meeting.
    6. After any approved changes, the policy shall be printed and mailed to the members with the next meeting minutes.
  2. INVITATION TO MEMBERSHIP
    1. The Vice President shall be the Membership Chairperson
    2. The two meetings that a prospective member attends before submitting an application for membership must be General Meetings.
    3. Discussion of new applicants shall occur during the committee report for “Election of new members” during the meeting of the first reading of their application. All applicants and guests will be automatically excused for the remainder of the meeting.
    4. The Membership Committee Chairperson will notify the applicant prior to the meeting at which their membership application will be voted on, asking them not to attend that meeting.
    5. The Membership Committee Chairperson will notify, in writing, the applicant of the results of the voting on their membership application, and on the occasion of their being accepted into membership will include a copy of the TAO Constitution and Bylaws, the TAO Club Policies, and a TAO Membership List.
    6. Life Memberships shall be automatically granted to those members with twenty-five (25) consecutive years of membership in good standing with the TAO. The Membership Committee Chairperson shall notify the club secretary and the member in writing of life membership qualification.
  3. MEMBERSHIP DUES
    1. The annual dues will be $10.00 per person.
    2. New members voted in and paying dues on or after the October meeting, will be paid members for the following calendar year.
  4. APPOINTMENT OF SHOW CHAIRPERSON
    1. The Board shall appoint a Show Chairperson at least twenty-two (22) months in advance of the show.
    2. The appointee for Show Committee Chairperson must have had previous experience as show chairperson for an all-breed club or as an Assistant Show Committee Chairperson at a previous TAO Show.
  5. SHOW COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON'S RESPONSIBILITIES
    1. The Show Committee Chairperson shall be supplied by the TAO with the AKC Show Guidelines.
    2. The Show Committee Chairperson shall contact the cluster show chairpersons within thirty (30) days of being appointed.
    3. The Show Committee Chairperson shall appoint a specialty show coordinator within sixty (60) days of being appointed. If the position of specialty show coordinator has not been filled within that time, the show chairperson will make initial contact with the specialty clubs affiliated with the TAO show within sixty (60) days of his/her appointment.
    4. The Show Chairperson shall select a committee within sixty (60) days after appointment.
    5. Within 60 days of receiving historical show expenses from the treasurer, the Show Chairperson shall submit a budget for the upcoming show to the Board. Board approval will be required for proposed expenses that exceed the historical expenses per item by 10% or $50.00, whichever is greater.
    6. If the appointed Chairperson does not fulfill requirements B, C & D, the Board has the option to reconsider the appointment.
    7. A show committee shall consist of at least five (5) members, as per AKC's guidelines.
    8. The judges selection process will be handled in the following manner:
      1. A standard form shall be sent to all members and specialty clubs to provide suggestions on judges selection to the show committee chairperson within the time limit stated on the form.
      2. The form will include the policy guidelines for selecting judges (see V.I. below).
      3. The Show Chairperson will compile a list of judges who would be available to judge the group and present the list at a general meeting for prioritization from the members. The committee will include on their list judges available from the cluster and club members' suggestions.
      4. The standard judges selection form will be available in the club policy book.
      5. The show committee Chairperson and show committee will meet to review the judges suggested at least 18 months before the show. Specialty clubs having specialties or supporting the entry shall be given preference in their requests. As time permits, and requested/suggested judges are not available, club members and specialty clubs will continue to be notified by the show committee in order that they may be able to make additional requests/suggestions.
    9. Guidelines for selecting judges:
      1. Club members will not judge the Terrier Group at our shows unless an emergency situation arises.
      2. Club members will not judge the regular classes at our show unless requested by a specialty club for their specialty or supported entry, or an emergency situation arises.
      3. Any club member shall be eligible to judge non-regular classes at our show.
      4. No club member shall receive payment for any judging at our group show.
      5. The club will give extra consideration to judges who are provisional, are breeder judges, and/or are licensed for 5 or fewer breeds.
      6. The club will attempt to utilize judges hired by the all-breed clubs in order to minimize expenses.
      7. The club will ask to have input into the hiring of terrier judges for the all-breed shows.
    10. The Show Chairperson will review all contracts with Specialty Clubs for Specialty Shows and supported entries.
    11. The Show Chairperson shall review the premium list with the Board before it is submitted to the Superintendent, to ensure all Policy guidelines are followed.
    12. The Show Chairperson must pre-approve all show related expenditures.
  6. CONTRACTS
    1. All TAO standard contract forms shall be used by the show committee.
    2. All approved standard contract forms will be included in the policy file.
    3. Changes to the standard forms must be approved by the Board.
    4. Any interim Board-approved revisions to the standard forms will be kept by the Secretary and published in the next policy update.
  7. ENTRY FEES
    1. Any change in entry fees shall be submitted to the membership for approval.
    2. Puppy, Bred-By-Exhibitor, and Veterans classes (if offered) will be at a reduced rate.
    3. In support of Jr. Showmanship, Jr. Showmanship entry fees will be kept as low as possible.
  8. GENERAL SHOW POLICIES
    1. The Show Chairperson and his/her immediate family, living in the same household, shall not enter a dog owned or co-owned or exhibit any dog on the day of our show.
    2. The show committee, club members, and members of their immediate families living in the same household and having contact with the Judges, shall not enter a dog owned or co-owned or exhibit any dog on the day of our show.
    3. The President shall not show at the TAO show.
    4. Guidelines for Ring Stewards:
      1. Ring Stewards shall not be paid money.
      2. To receive lunch and parking pass, the ring steward must commit to ring stewarding all day.
      3. Club members who commit to ring stewarding all day will be given preference over non-club members for ring stewarding.
    5. Lunches will be provided for the Show Chairperson, Chief Ring Steward, Judges, Sweepstakes Judges, one Catalog Salesperson, Ring Stewards committed to the entire day, and two for the Show Superintendent.
  9. LICENSED SPECIALTY SHOWS AT THE TAO SHOW:
    1. Where the TAO pays for the judge, the specialty clubs will be reimbursed a minimum of $3.00 per dog entered in regular classes.
    2. The specialty clubs will be reimbursed 100% of all Sweepstakes entry fees.
    3. Where the specialty club wants to supply the judge or requests an available judge that falls outside of the TAO's financial criteria, a reimbursement agreement will be determined, in addition to the above offerings, between the two clubs, and must be approved by the Board.
    4. TAO will provide rosettes for BOB, BOS, BOW, WD, WB and High Scoring Obedience for specialty clubs holding a Specialty Show.
    5. Any additional rosettes or awards will be paid for by the specialty clubs.
  10. SUPPORTED ENTRIES AT THE TAO SHOW
    1. Supported entries may be by a licensed, sanctioned, or non-sanctioned club.
    2. There will be no reimbursement for any regular class entry fees.
    3. The clubs will be reimbursed 100% of all Sweepstakes entry fees.
    4. TAO will provide rosettes for BOB, BOS, BOW, WD, WB and High Scoring Obedience for the supporting club.
    5. Any additional rosettes will be supplied by the supporting club.
  11. TAO TROPHIES
    1. The Club offering as a minimum, is as follows:
      1. BOB in all breeds - TAO medallion and rosette
      2. First through Fourth Group Placements - trophies and rosettes
      3. All group trophies will be TAO specific unless trophy is cash.
      4. High Scoring in Trial - trophy and rosette
      5. High Combined Score - rosette only
      6. Best Junior Handler - trophy and rosette
      7. Qualifying ribbons will be awarded for obedience.
    2. Responsibility for storage of all trophies will be by the current trophy chairperson.
    3. Group Placement awards/trophies and their cost will be presented to the membership for approval.
  12. SHOW EXPENDITURES
    1. Any show related expense incurred by any member must be submitted to the Show Chairperson for their approval before requesting reimbursement or payment of said show expense from the club treasurer.
    2. Expense must be accompanied by a receipt and/or Show Chairperson's written approval.
  13. CLUB PRE AND POST SHOW FUNCTIONS:
    1. Club pre and post show functions shall be at the discretion of the show committee and the membership.
    2. Any club member or member of their immediate family who will be exhibiting at the show cannot attend pre show functions.
    3. Anyone can attend post show functions.
    4. TAO will pay for show chairperson and all judges (including sweeps judges) to attend post show function.
  14. APPOINTMENT OF BREED SEMINAR COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON
    1. The Board of Directors shall appoint the Breed Seminar Committee Chairperson at least twelve (24) months prior to the Breed Seminar.
  15. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BREED SEMINAR COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON
    1. The Breed Seminar Committee Chairperson shall report to the Board a plan for the content and format of the Breed Seminar eight (8) months prior to the Breed Seminar.
    2. The Breed Seminar Chairperson shall have a plan secured and a status report for the Board six (6) months prior to the Breed Seminar.
  16. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE
    1. To be an eligible candidate for an office (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Historian), a candidate must have been a member of TAO for at least two years.
  17. GENERAL MEETING DATES:
    1. All general meetings will be held on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
  18. PLAQUES:
    1. Any club member earning a title on a dog is entitled to one plaque; any titles completed will receive nameplates that can be hung from the original plaque.
    2. The Board shall appoint a member to be in charge of plaques and nameplates not later than September for that year.
    3. The plaques and nameplates will be awarded for the calendar year, January 1 through December 31, and will be awarded at the annual meeting.
    4. A plaque and nameplate form, requesting the necessary information, will be sent out in the December newsletter.
  19. NEWSLETTER
    1. The meeting minutes will be included in the newsletter.
    2. The newsletter, including the meeting minutes and notice of next meeting, must be mailed no later than ten (10) days (Constitution, Article II, Section 1) before the next meeting.
    3. The newsletter will be sent to all members.
    4. Two issues of the newsletter will be sent to guests following their attendance at a general meeting.
    5. The newsletter will be sent to anyone actively applying for membership.
    6. Courtesy copies will be sent, by request, at the discretion of the newsletter editor to others, such as: other clubs to notify them of events, contributors to newsletter articles, authors providing copyright of their material, etc. In the case of doubt, the newsletter editor will seek the advice of the Board.
    7. Articles submitted for publication in the newsletter will be reviewed by the editor. If the newsletter editor questions the content, it will be reviewed by the board and possibly delay the publishing of the article to the next newsletter issue however, it will not delay the publishing and mailing of the newsletter.
    8. Newsletter subscriptions will be $7.50 to nonmembers.
    9. The newsletter will not exceed, in weight, one (1) ounce therefore the cost of first class postage, unless subsidized by advertising.
    10. Printing costs will not exceed the current competitive costs of self-copying.
  20. GUIDELINES FOR WEB SITE
    1. The Club Web Site shall include, but not be limited to, Meeting Minutes, Policy, Constitution and By-laws, Board Members, and General Membership list with breed and e-mail address only.
    2. The Board shall be responsible for the content of the Web Site.
  21. FINANCIAL REPORT
    1. The Treasurer, within sixty (60) days after any TAO event, shall submit to the Board of Directors, a written itemized Profit and Loss statement for said event. Copies of the Profit and Loss statement shall be available to the interested club members at the General Meeting following receipt by the Board of Directors.
    2. The President, in addition to the Treasurer, will be an authorized signer on the Club's bank accounts.
  22. Annual Board Meeting
    1. The Annual Board Meeting shall be the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board following the Annual General Meeting.
    2. The meeting shall be attended by the previous and current Board Members in order to review any unfinished business of the Board and to turn over any materials to new officers, where applicable.

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