Willamette Valley Grotto

By-Laws

Retyped revision #2 (Feb 1976)
Revision #2 supercedes revision #1 of Sep 1975.

  1. Membership
    1. Categories of Membership
      1. Voting Member (regular member)
      2. Associate Member
      3. Provisional Member
      4. Dependent Member
      5. Honorary Member
    2. Membership Requirements
      1. Voting Member
        1. NSS membership and;
        2. Active in the grotto (at least on one of the following)
          1. Participates in grotto work
          2. Attends grotto trips
          3. Contributes in other functions and meetings
      2. Associate Member
        1. Active in scientific or conservation efforts for caving
        2. Professional status in a field allied to caving
      3. Provisional Member
        1. Meets all requirements for regular voting membership except is not an NSS member
      4. Dependent Member
        1. Is under sixteen years of age
      5. Honorary Member
        1. Has made a significant act of friendship towards the grotto or its purpose
    3. Privileges of Membership By Category
      1. Voting Member
        1. May vote in grotto business at any grotto meeting
        2. May hold grotto office
        3. Receives all grotto publications (unless waived)
        4. Has access to grotto files
        5. May use grotto equipment
      2. Associate Member
        1. May consult or advise on grotto projects
        2. Receives grotto publications as authorized by grotto
        3. May have access to grotto files if authorized by vote of grotto
      3. Provisional Member
        1. May participate in grotto activities
        2. Receives all grotto publications
        3. May gave access to grotto files if authorized by vote of grotto
        4. May use grotto equipment if approved by vote of grotto
      4. Dependent Member
        1. May participate in grotto activities
        2. May be granted regular voting member status, providing;
          1. Meets all requirements for voting membership except age
          2. Regular voting membership status is approved by vote of grotto
      5. Honorary Member
        1. May participate in grotto activities
        2. Receives grotto publications as authorized by grotto vote
    4. Membership Consideration
      1. Applicant must complete membership form
        1. Caving experience and interest
        2. NSS membership status
        3. Other caving affiliations
      2. Membership must be approved by majority vote of the grotto
    5. Membership Suspension
      1. Any member may suspend his membership upon his request
      2. Any member may be suspended from the grotto by a 2/3 vote of the grotto for the following reasons
        1. Inactivity for a period of three months or more
        2. Misuse of grotto equipment or funds
        3. Actions detrimental to the grotto, its purpose, caves or caving
      3. Any membership suspension action will be held during the regular meeting of the grotto
        1. The person involved must be notified in writing prior to the meeting
        2. The person may appear at the meeting to defend himself
        3. The suspension must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the grotto
    6. Change of Membership Status
      1. Any member may change status at his request subject to approval by vote of the grotto
      2. Any member who becomes inactive for a period exceeding three months may be changed from voting status to provisional status or subscriber status by vote of the grotto
        1. Any person subject to such change must be given sufficient notice prior to the meeting where the vote will be taken
      3. Reversion to provisional status is automatic for any voting member upon renewal of WVG membership if his NSS membership is not in good standing

  2. Offices of the Grotto
    1. Officers
      1. Offices will be created and officers appointed or elected as authorized by grotto constitution, these by-laws, and/or by majority vote of the grotto

  3. Voting
    1. Quorums
      1. A quorum will consist of the regular voting members present at any regular meeting of the grotto, providing that a minimum of five such members are present
    2. Voting
      1. "Vote of the Grotto" means a majority of those regular members present (a quorum) at any regular grotto meeting

  4. Election of Officers
    1. Elections will be held as prescribed by the grotto officers and approved by a majority vote of the grotto
    2. Elections will be held annually
    3. The term of office will be one year

  5. Grotto Meetings
    1. Time and Location
      1. Grotto meetings will be held at the time and place set by the officers
    2. Intent
      1. It is the intent of the grotto to make meetings accessible as possible to the grotto members by;
        1. meeting on weekends
        2. combining meetings with caving activities
        3. rotating meetings to appropriate locations throughout the area
    3. Organization of Meetings
      1. The chairman will preside over all meetings
      2. In the absence of the chairman, the officer next in succession will preside. The succession of officers is:
        1. Chairman
        2. Vice-Chairman
        3. Treasurer
        4. Secretary
        5. Librarian
        6. Historian
      3. All grotto business will be conducted in open business session at the regular grotto meetings
    4. Goals of Meetings
      1. Communication and fellowship among the members
      2. To conduct the work and business of the grotto
      3. Provide educational and conservation information for the members
      4. Assist the members to develop their skills and abilities in caving and cave research

  6. Publications
    1. Types of Publications
      1. Publications will be produced as directed by the grotto officers and approved by vote of the grotto
      2. Publications may include:
        1. Meeting notices as appropriate and requested
        2. Grotto newsletter
        3. Technical bulletins
    2. Copyrights
      1. All grotto publications containing technical, scientific, and/or cave location information will be copyrighted
      2. The copyright will generally be assigned to the author of the information
    3. Distribution of Publications
      1. Publications will be distributed as directed by vote of the grotto
      2. Regular voting members will receive all publications, except in such cases where only one member of the family elects to receive publications
      3. Other members will receive publications as directed by vote of the grotto
      4. Publications may be distributed to any organization in furtherance of the purposes of the grotto, upon approval by vote of the grotto
      5. Subscribers will receive the grotto newsletter only
    4. Editors of Publications
      1. As much as possible, the editorship of the grotto newsletter will be rotated to a different member or group for each issue
      2. Editorship will be on a voluntary basis only
    5. Content of Publications
      1. Newsletter: The newsletter will contain information pertaining to caving and caving activities, in accordance with the purposes of the grotto. Cave locations will not generally be given.
      2. Technical Bulletins: A technical bulletin will contain scientific and technical reports on caves, equipment, techniques, and/or activities. The distribution of such information shall be restricted as provided by vote of the grotto. Cave locations may be given if appropriate.
    6. Publication Expenses
      1. Meeting notice: Each member wishing to receive a meeting notice must contribute either cash or postage sufficient to cover the cost of mailing a meeting notice to him.
      2. Newsletter: Expenses will be covered either by subscription fees, or by member donations sufficient to cover the costs
      3. Technical Bulletins: Each member wishing to receive a technical bulletin must contribute sufficient funds to cover his cost.
    7. Newsletter Subscriptions
      1. A subscriber to the grotto newsletter receives the newsletter only; he has no other rights of membership
      2. The subscription rate will be established by vote of the grotto, but must be sufficient to cover the costs of publication

  7. Grotto Files
    1. History
      1. A Historian may be elected or appointed by vote of the grotto
      2. A history of the grotto will be kept including all important documents
      3. A history of the surrounding cave area may be established
    2. Financial Records
      1. A treasurer will be elected as prescribed by the grotto
      2. Detailed records will be kept of all financial affairs
      3. Financial records will be available at every grotto meeting for review by the membership
      4. The Treasurer will prepare the annual report for the NSS and will submit it for approval to the grotto officers in January of each year
    3. Grotto Library
      1. A library may be established by vote of the grotto
      2. The library will contain books, magazines, maps, exchange publications and other information as appropriate
      3. Grotto Library facilities are for use by regular voting members, associate members, provisional members and dependent members
      4. Access to the library by other persons may be authorized by vote of the grotto
      5. A librarian may be elected or appointed by vote of the grotto
    4. Cave Files
      1. Access to cave files will be by regular voting members only
      2. Other members may be granted access by vote of the grotto
      3. All information in the cave files will be copyrighted, by the author if possible, otherwise by the grotto
      4. Cave files will contain:
        1. Complete description
        2. maps
        3. locations
        4. photos
        5. special information (e.g. scientific data, records of visitation, etc.)
    5. Membership Files
      1. The grotto secretary will be responsible for maintenance of a membership file
      2. the membership file may not be used for any purpose other than record-keeping or MSS requests except by 2/3 vote of the grotto
      3. The secretary will use the NSS monthly mailing to update the files
      4. The secretary will use the NSS monthly mailing to contact, within 30 days, any NSS member new to the area
      5. The secretary will notify the NSS office of any recognized member address change within 30 days

  8. Grotto Equipment
    1. Grotto equipment may be loaned to any member
    2. Grotto equipment may be loaned to any speleological project by vote of the grotto
    3. The treasurer will maintain an inventory of all grotto equipment including:
      1. Its source
      2. Its current location and the person responsible
      3. Grotto equipment will include equipment will include equipment on loan to the grotto as well as equipment loaned from the grotto
    4. Upon dissolution of the grotto, any equipment owned by the grotto will be donated to the National Speleological Society

  9. Grotto Activities
    1. Cave Trips
      1. Cave trips will be open to all voting members and their dependent members
      2. Cave trips will be open to all provisional members
      3. Cave trips will be open to others with grotto approval
      4. Limited number trips
        1. If the number of persons in a caving party are limited, selection will me made on the following basis:
          1. Skills needed for the work to be done
          2. Order of sign-up for the trip
      5. Vertical caving trips
        1. Each person must have his own equipment for descending and ascending
        2. Each person must have appropriate experience or training for the cave to be visited
        3. Each trip must have a designated leader or coordinator
    2. Other activities
      1. Grotto activities should generally be oriented toward caving
      2. Grotto activities will generally be designed for the least cost to the grotto members

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