This organization shall be known as The Wisconsin English Springer Spaniel Association, Inc. It shall be a non-profit organization.

The purposes of this Association are:
A. To stimulate greater interest in purebred English Springer Spaniels throughout the state of Wisconsin, and to encourage      the ownership and exhibition of representative specimens of the breed.

B. To achieve, through careful selective breeding, a continuous improvement in type in accordance with the Standard of      Perfection for the breed.

C. To encourage closer cooperation and communication among owners and breeders of English Springer Spaniels, and to      develop thereby a greater knowledge of the breed and of the techniques of exhibiting, training, and breeding.

D. To conduct an annual English Springer Spaniel Specialty Show under American Kennel Club rules and regulations, and      such other shows and trials as the Association may, from time to time, determine.

Membership shall be open to any person fulfilling the following requirements:

A. Who subscribes to the purposes of the Association.

B. Whose application for membership is approved by a two thirds majority vote of the regular members present at any      regular meeting of the Association.

C. Who meets the requirements of, and as required, pays the annual dues for one of the following classes of membership:

Regular Membership is open to any person who is at least 18 years of age. No more than 30% of the regular membership, however, may reside outside of the State of Wisconsin.

Associate Membership is open to any person who is at least 18 years of age.

Student Membership is open to any person who is under 18 years of age, or who is under 23 years of age and is a full-time student in a recognized educational institution.

Family Membership is open to any two or more immediate members of a family. When a family subscribes to a Family Membership, two members of the family who meet the requirements for Regular Membership will be designated as Regular Members. Other members of the family will be designated as Associate Members if they are 18 years or older, as Student Members if they are under 18 years of age.

Distinguished Service Lifetime Membership may be conferred upon any Regular Member, or former Regular Member, of the Association who has given outstanding service to the Association and to the breed over a period of at least twenty years. However, there may be no more than four Distinguished Service Members of the Association at any one time.

Honorary Membership may be conferred upon any person who has made an outstanding contribution to the breed and whose activities have been of exceptional benefit to the Association.

Candidates for this honor may be nominated by the Board of Directors or by any six regular members of the           association. Distinguished Service Membership will be conferred upon any nominee who is approved by a           three-fourths majority of the regular membership present at a regular meeting.

Only Regular Members and Distinguished Service members are eligible to vote at meetings of the Association           and to hold any office of the Association specified herein. Associate Members and Student Members may           serve on and chair committees and may hold any office not specified herein.

Members of the Association may be expelled from membership by a three-fourths majority vote of the regular members present at a regular meeitng for the following reasons only:

A. Nonpayment of dues, after being in arrears for a period of at least ninety days.

B. Willful violation of the rules and regulations of the Association, or conduct detrimental to the welfare of the               Association or its aims.

No member shall be expelled from membership, however, unless and until, he has been given thirty days           written notice of the contemplated action and an opportunity to be heard on his own behalf by the Board of           Directors.

A member whose membership shall terminate for any reason shall have no right to or interest in any property           or assets of the Association.

The annual dues shall be determined annually by a majority vote of the regular members at a regular meeting of the Association.

There will be no dues for an Honorary Membership, or for a Distinguished Service Lifetime Membership.

Annual dues are payable on October 1st of each year for the one year period following that date.

Annual dues for new members are payable on the date of election to membership. If election to membership occurs from October 1st through April 30th, such dues will apply to the current year. If election occurs from May 1st through September 30th, such dues wil apply to the year beginning on October 1st.

If the membership of any membership shall terminate for any reason, there will be no refund or partial refund of dues. If, however, such member shall be reinstated during the period for which his dues have already been paid, then the dues of such reinstated member will be considered as paid up to the end of that period.

Not less than six regular meetings shall be held each year at such times and places as the Board of Directors shall determine. Six meetings annually will be held within the State of Wisconsin.

One of such meetings, which will be held in Septembers, will be designated as the annual meeting for the election of officers.

Special meetings may be called from time to time by the Board of Directors upon the wrtitten request of any six regular members.

At any meeting of the Association six regular members, or one-third of the total number of regular members of the Association, whichever is the lesser, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Each regular and special membership meeting shall be preceded by a written notice or notification by newsletter to each member, no less than 10 days in advance of the meeting.

Voting at any meeting of the Association by proxy, or absentee ballot, is prohibited. By action of the Board of Directors, however, the election of officers in any year may be conducted by mail.

Robert's rules of Order shall govern in all matters not covered by these By-laws.

The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. (The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined in any year by action of the Board of Directors, in which case, the combined office will be known as Secretary-Treasurer.)

The term of office of all officers shall be one year, or until their successors have been elected.

The President will preside at all meetings, appoint all committees and act as Chairman of the Board of Directors and executive officer of the Association.

The Vice President will act for the President in his absence, and will automatically succeed to the office of President in the event the President is, for any reason, unable to continue to serve. The Vice President will perform specific duties delegated by the President.

The Secretary will handle all correspondence, maintain all records and papers of the Association, and perform all other duties incidental to the office of Secretary. The Secretary will act for the President in the absence of the President and Vice President are, for any reason, unable to serve.

The Treasurer will act as custodian of, and account for the funds of the Association, pay all bills which have been properly approved, and make such periodic report of receipts and disbursements as the Board of Directors may direct. All checks of the association will be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the President.

The Board of Directors may establish, for any year, one or more offices of the Association to be designated as Regional Vice President, each of which shall represent such region or regions as the Board of Directors shall specify.

A Regional Vice President will represent the members who reside in the region he represents, maintain contact with them, transmit their needs and ideas to the Board of Directors, and solicit memberships in the Association among English Springer Spaniel fanciers in the region.

The Board of Directors may establish, for any year, the position of Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary will record all proceedings of the Association, thereafter distributing a copy of this record to the President and any other members as requested by the President.

The Board of Directors will consist of the officers of the Association and three members-at-large, one of whom shall be the most recent past President of the Association, if that person is available.

The Board of Directors shall be empowered to fill vacancies which may occur in the offices of the Association, to authorize the payment of bills, and to conduct all business between the regular meetings.

Officers and the at-large members of the Board of Directors will be elected annually at the September meeting.

At least one month prior to the September meeting, the Secretary may send a nomination form to each regular member of the Association, requesting suggested nominees for all offices.

Nominations returned to the Secretary on such forms, no later than the beginning of the September meeting, will be submitted by the Secretary as the report of the nominating committee. Regular members in attendance at the meeting will also be given the opportunity to make nominations from the floor for all offices. By action of the Board of Directors, however, nominees may be selected by a nominating committee named by the President at the regular meeting prior to the election of officers.

The nominee who receives the greatest number of votes for each office will be declared elected, and newly elected officers will take office at the adjournment of the annual meeting. Ties will be decided by the Board of Directors.

The election of officers will be by secret ballot.

The following standing committees will be appointed by the President at the first regular meeting after the September meeting, and will serve for a period of one year, or until their successors have been appointed:

1. Show Committee
2. Program Committee
3. Match Committee
4. Hunt Test Committee

The President willl appoint such other committees as the Board of Directors, or the regular membership, may from time to time direct.

The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the regular members present at any regular meeting of the Association. No amendment shall be voted upon, however, unless and until a copy of the proposed amendment has been made available to all regular members at least two weeks prior to the date on which the amendment is to be voted upon.

These By-Laws shall be printed, and a copy shall be issued by the Secretary to all members of the Association and to new members when they are elected to membership.

The Awards committee appointed by the Presidetn will make award recommendations to the Board of Directors annually on the basis of members contributions to the local club and individual member achievements which honor and promote the English Springer Spaniel breed.

Recipients for awards for individual achievements must be a WESSA member for at least one full year and a present member in good standing.

A. The Appendix serves as a documented guide to the Board of Directors in conducting the affairs and activities of the Club,      but it is not mandatory.

B. The Appendix may be revised at any time by a majority of the Board of Directors.

C. Committees (* - Standing Committees)

1. Show Committee*
   This shall be the official show committee that appears in the show catalog. It shall be responsible for planning and conducting the annual show - including activities such as provision of trophies, personnel functions at the show, show ring stewardship, arrangements for the judge, hospitality at the show, etc.
2. Program Committee*
   This committee shall plan and prepare a series of educational and entertainment events to be presented at regular and special meetings of the Club.
3. Match Committee*
   This committee shall be responsible for planning and conducting the match - including activities such as provision of trophies, personnel functions at the match, match ring stewardship, arrangements for the judge, hospitality at the match, etc.
4. Hunt Test Committee*
   This committee shall be responsible for planning and conducting hunt tests - including activities such as securing judges, marshals, gunners, and other personnel needed to conduct a test, setting up the course, providing birds and qualifying ribbons, etc.
5. Publicity Committee
   This committee shall be responsible for the sale of show catalog advertising. It shall also plan and suggest other publicity programs and methods of execution.
6. Membership Committee
   This committee shall reveiw the membership roster and conduct membership drives if and when deemed desirable by the Association. It shall stimulate attendance and participation in Association activities by all Club members.
7. Award Committee
   The Awards committee will make award recommendations to the Board of Directors annually on the basis of member contributions to the local club and individual member achievements which honor and promote the English Springer Spaniel breed.
   
   NOTE: The Chairpeople of Committees shall submit reports at regular meetings. If not present, this should be delegated to another members of the committee.