How to Join

Membership in the MVMVC is open to all persons having an interest in the preservation of Historic Military Vehicles.

This is a FAMILY club. Make it as enjoyable for everyone, wives children, etc. at all events. (This does not
mean that you must have a family to join)

This is a VEHICLE club. We do not allow live weapons or ammunition.

We are an INVOLVED membership. To become a member, and retain membership, you must do
something every year that the average person could not, or would not do to benefit the club. Examples of
this include volunteering at the Weare Rally, organizing an event, helping with the newsletter...

There are other rules and requirements that are detailed inthe clubs bylaws which you will be required to read and agree to before entering the membership process.

1- Email Ann Celino, the membership administrator, or see any club officer at a club function, they will give you a membership packet including a copy of the bylaws (also listed below), and a simple application. Fill it out and return it with a check for $20.00.

2- At an upcoming Board of Directors meeting, the membership administrator will present your application for a vote by the Board to accept you as a member applicant.

3- As a member applicant you may participate in any club event and attend any meetings. Through participating in these activities, you will need to find a member to sponsor you to be upgraded to full membership. (Not hard, everyone in the club looks forward to having new members join the club)

4- Once you have demonstrated a genuine interest in the club your sponsor will recommend to the board of directors that you be upgraded to full membership, and the board will vote on your status. (The average time to move from Member applicant, to full membership is 3 month to a year, it all depends on how active and how much of an interest you have in the organization and HMVs)

Article 1 Name

The name of the organization shall be THE MERRIMACK VALLEY MILITARY VEHICLE COLLECTORS, INC., and it shall have its principal office in Weare, New Hampshire. The organization shall have and continuously maintain in New Hampshire an office and the address of the office may be changed from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Article 2 Purposes

The purpose of this organization shall be:

Section 1 To serve as a medium of exchange of information, ideas, and sources of supply for the preservation, restoration, custody, disposition and means of identification of historic military vehicles of the world;

Section 2 To encourage conviviality and good fellowship among members of this organization, their families and friends through organized activities including, but not limited to, historic military vehicles of the world;

Section 3 To unite owners of historic military vehicles, together with historians interested in historic military vehicles who share a common interest in a non-profit, social and educational organization, dedicated to the preservation and restoration of historic military vehicles of the world;

Section 4 To provide the members with both original and previously published information and technical data relative to the use, operation, repair and restoration of historic military vehicles of the world.

Section 5 Said Corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including for such purposes the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

Article 3 Membership

Section 1 There shall be one class of membership known as active membership. An active member is one whose activity benefits the club in any way and whose activity is not something that any person of the general public would or could do. Membership shall be limited to seventy-five (75) active members. All active members shall be entitled to receive all newsletters, notices, and benefits of this organization and have the right to hold elected office and to participate in all activities including business meetings and elections of the organization.

Section 2 Any person who owns, or has an interest in, historic military vehicles and is sponsored by a member in good standing, may apply for membership in this organization by submitting their name and full mailing address. The applicant may also provide information as to the type of vehicle they own or have an interest in. The application shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled meeting. At that time, the Board of Directors shall discuss the application(s) and take a secret ballot on each application. A majority affirmative vote of those voting shall be required for membership. No person shall be denied membership in the organization for reasons of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin or age.

Section 3 Dues:
(a) The Board of Directors shall determine from time to time the amount of dues payable to the Corporation by the members.
(b) To continue membership in the organization, each member shall pay their dues by January 1 of each year.
(c) Dues paid after September 1 by an applicant for membership, if membership is granted, shall constitute payment in full for the ensuing calendar year.
(d) Any member whose dues are in arrears may be notified by newsletter that this is the last issue, and/or by mail if directed by the Board of Directors.

Section 4
(a) The Board of Directors may suspend or expel a member for cause or actions not in line with the purposes of this organization and/or in accordance with the by-laws membership Section 1 as it defines active membership, after being given due notice and an appropriate hearing, by secret affirmative ballot of a majority of the directors voting. Each November, the Board of Directors shall review the active status of each member for current calendar year.
(b) The dues of any member whose membership is terminated pursuant to the terms of this Section shall be forfeited. Such termination shall not relieve the member terminated of the obligation to pay any dues or other obligation in arrears.

Section 5 Any member may resign by filing a written resignation with the Secretary at any time, or by failing to pay dues when due. Such resignation shall not relieve the member resigning of the obligation to pay any dues or other obligation in arrears.

Section 6 No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of or be distributed to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose set forth in Article 2, Section 5, above. The Corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a Corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

Article 4 Membership Meetings

Section 1 The annual meeting of the membership shall be held in April of each year.

Section 2 Meetings of the membership shall be held at the direction of the Board of Directors.

Section 3 The members will be summoned to Special and/or Annual Meetings through a written notice sent to all members. the notice shall be mailed at least ten (10) days before the meeting and it shall include an agenda.

Section 4 The members present shall constitute a quorum. Motions are binding by affirmative majority of the members present, except as outlined in Article 6, Section 8, on or after the time called for such meeting.

Section 5 No adjourned meeting may be reopened.

Section 6 Any member present can chair the annual or special meeting if no officer or director is present.

Section 7 The power in the general membership will include:
(a) Suggestions and recommendations at any meeting;
(b) Expending amounts greater than $5,000;
(c) Filling vacancies in the Board of Directors;
(d) The revision or amending of the by-laws.

Section 8 Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the President, or any two directors, or must be called by the President on receiving a written request from five or more members.

Section 9 Annual Meeting: The annual meeting will be held for purposes not limited to the disclosure of a full annual financial report.

Section 10 Conduct:
(a) No firearm or live ammunition of any kind will be allowed at any club function, except a displayed firearm that is inoperable and secured to a vehicle, or an inoperable firearm specifically approved by the function chair. If anyone is found to be violating this provision, an officer or member of the board shall take any appropriate action deemed necessary to enforce this provision, up to and including removal of the offending party from the function.

Section 11 Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.

Section 12 CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Any possible conflict of interest on the part of any member of the Board, officer or employee of the Corporation, shall be disclosed in writing to the Board and made a matter of record through an annual procedure and also when the interest involves a specific issue before the Board. Where the transaction involving a board member, trustee or officer exceeds five hundred dollars ($500) but is less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) in a fiscal year, a two thirds vote of the disinterested directors is required. Where the transaction involved exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000) in a fiscal year, then a two-thirds vote of the disinterested directors and publication in the required newspaper is required. The minutes of the meeting shall reflect that a disclosure was made, the abstention from voting, and the actual vote itself. Every new member of the Board will be advised of this policy upon entering the duties of office, and shall sign a statement acknowledging their understanding of and agreement to this policy. The Board will comply with all requirements of New Hampshire law in this area and the New Hampshire requirements are incorporated into and made a part of this policy statement.

This is to certify that the preceding bylaws have been approved by the membership at meetings held in Lowell, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1989, and ratified by the Board of Directors in Pelham, New Hampshire, on March 20, 1990. Amended at a Special meeting in Lowell, Massachusetts, on October 6, 1991. Amended at a general membership meeting held in Londonderry, New Hampshire on October 21, 2000. The current bylaws were approved at a general membership meeting held in Londonderry, New Hampshire on April 9, 2001.

Article 6 General Rules

Section 1 The officers of this organization will consist of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four (4) directors. In no case shall there be more than seven (7) officers at one time.

Section 2

(a) Officers and board members of the organization shall be elected in December of each year by mail-in ballot. There shall also be an election committee consisting of at least two (2) unrelated members appointed by the Board of Directors at the October meeting. No incumbent or nominee may serve on the election committee. Nominations for officers and board members shall close at the November board of directors’ meeting. All officers and board members shall serve for one (1) year or until the election of a successor. No one may be elected to more than one office at one time. The election shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

(b) Election of the officers and board of directors shall be vested in the membership.

Section 3 The principal executive officer and the chair of the Board of Directors shall be the president who, in addition to the Board of Directors, shall generally supervise and control all the business affairs of the organization. The president shall preside at all meetings of the membership and Board of Directors and shall perform all duties incidental to the preservation of order. The president shall appoint all committees as needed except as noted in Article 6.

Section 2.     The committees shall elect their chair from their respective committee and the president shall serve as a member of each committee, except the election committee, ex-officio.

Section 4      In the absence of the president, any director may preside, by agreement of the directors present.

Section 5      The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and report in writing via the Newsletter of any actions taken at a previous meeting. The Newsletter shall be the official record of the organization. The Secretary will post all notices of meetings in the Newsletter and in general perform all duties incident to the Office of the Secretary.

Section 6      The Treasurer shall have charge, custody, and be responsible for all accounting of funds of the organization. The Treasurer shall collect and record all remittances, and report the nature and amount of any expenditure at the regular and annual meeting of the membership.

Section 7      The fiscal year of the organization shall commence on the first day of each calendar year and end at the last day of the same calendar year.

Section 8      A proposed amendment to the by-laws shall be submitted by a majority of the Board of Directors to the membership. The membership will vote on all proposals and changes at a special meeting after notice of such meeting has been placed in the Newsletter together with a copy of the proposed change(s) or amendment(s). The quorum for by-law meetings shall be the total eligible members present.

Section 9      Questions of parliamentary law, not herein expressly provided for, shall be determined according to Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure. The Robert's Rules book shall have been published within the previous five years.