The Constitution of the Old Bastards Vintage Motorcycle Club:
last amendment XXX, xxxx. Monthly meeting minutes are in meetings/events at the bottom
Article 1: Name:
The official Club name shall be ‘Old Bastards Vintage Motorcycle Club’ It may also be referred to as ‘OB’s or ‘OBVMC’ but hereafter in this document is referred to as ‘the Club’. The headquarters of this Club will never be changed from Delta, Ontario, Bastard Township. This article shall not be subject to amendment.
Article 2: Objectives:
1. To promote the ownership and use of vintage motorcycles and to encourage the restoration and survival of motorcycles 25 years old and older through a friendly cooperative and supportive manner. All members are encouraged to own and operate a vintage motorcycle.
2. To support worthy local causes through charitable means when possible. See Article 9: Charity
Article 3: Membership and Dues
1: Membership is open to all vintage motorcycling enthusiasts and family.
2: Honourary Memberships *Honourary memberships may be granted by a membership vote to any member for special contributions/service to the Club. * Any member who has fulfilled an executive position for at least three years will be entered onto the Club’s Roll of Honour which will be posted on the clubs website and archived in the clubs archives. *Honourary members are not required to pay annual dues. *Members over 75 years of age become honourary members if they have been members for 5 consecutive years prior to to their 75th birthday.
3: Responsibilities and Privileges All general members have the right to vote at Club meetings and run for office. All members are encouraged to participate in all Club events. All members are encouraged to attend regular meetings whenever possible.
4: Voting All members in good standing have voting privileges including honourary members
5: Dues Dues for each fiscal year shall be determined by a membership vote. Any dues received after September 1 will validate the membership requirement until December 31 of the following year.
Article 4: Officers and Elections
1: Elections Yearly elections of Club officers will be held in January. A majority consists of 50% plus one vote using ballots.
2: Elected Club Officers: Their responsibilities are to act as executive officers who work together to execute the will of the Club members. If an executive member is unable to fulfill his/her duties for any reason the other executive will follow the direction of the President or Vice President to appoint an interim officer and request input from the membership with regards to filling the vacant position. Any conduct that is detrimental to the Club image, or dangerous to the existence of the Club e.g.: misuse of Club funds, misrepresentation of the Club and its objectives, or not abiding by the Constitution and memberships direction are grounds for a motion to examine the problem and replace the executive in question if the membership votes for this action. The members of the club may remove an officer by a resolution passed by at least two thirds of the votes cast at a general meeting and thereby elect any member in his or her stead for the duration of the term. All attempts will be made to arrive at a reasonable solution before tabling this type of motion.
President: - Will call and preside over meetings as well as call for adjournments. - Will be official Club representative to the press and other public actions - May appoint temporary officers - Will be one of the signing officers of the Club chequing account.
Vice-President - In the absence of the president the vice president will assume the president’s duties. - Will assist the President in all Club duties. - Will fulfill the presidential duties and call for an election if the membership requests it if the President steps down or become unable to act for any reason. - Will be one of the signing officers for the Club financial account
Treasurer - Will maintain a record of all Club financial transactions and keep all pertinent receipts. - Will collect and distribute Club funds. - Will report on the Club’s financial situation at all general meetings. - Will be one of the official signing officers -Will present a full financial report at the annual January meeting
Secretary - Will keep the minutes of the meeting as well as read the minutes of the last meeting - Will maintain a current Club membership list will be the main contact for inquiries and correspondence.
Appointed Officers:
Webmaster/ Club Archival Chair - will maintain the Club website. - will keep on file all historical and press articles pertaining to the Club. Members will be encouraged to submit suitable Club information to him/her.
The President may appoint committee officers ad hoc as required.
Article 5: Conduct of the Voting Process
Elections of officers will take place annually in January. Notification of time and place will be made available to all voting members by December 15. New members will be still be accepted between December 15th and elections in January, but the new signed on members will not be allowed to vote until 12 months later.
A quorum of 6 paid-up members is required and a simple system of written balloting will be employed. In case of a tie the president shall have the deciding vote.
Article 6: Finances
1: Expenditures: All expenditures over $100 will need approval of the membership. All Club cheques will require a dual signatory procedure between the president, vice-president, and treasurer. Exceptional expenses (i.e. rally) will be pre-approved in principle, and will be presented for approval at the next meeting.
2: Regalia All changes to official regalia design must be approved by Club members. All purchases of regalia must be approved by Club members.
3: Any expenditure over $100 must be approved by Club members. Any funding to charity must have approval of the membership. Any monies to be spent on Club social outings i.e. BBQ, Show, Rally, etc. must have membership approval.
Article 7: Meetings
Members are encouraged to come to breakfast at the Longhorn Saloon or Bob’s Diner (next door) in Delta and bring all other types of riders throughout the season. Other locations may be announced. Regular meetings are to be held once a month, usually the last Sunday of the month Voting during these meeting is valid with a quorum present (6 paid-up members). The president or vice president must be present. Process of the meeting shall be: a call to order, reading of the minutes (if necessary), reports by officers and or committees, old business, new business, announcements and adjournment.
Minutes (including attendance) shall be recorded by the secretary or designate.
Article: 8 Amendments
Any member may submit, in written form, suggestion(s) for amendments to the Club constitution to the President. It will be voted on at a regular meeting where a quorum is present and it has been put on the agenda sent to members. Every effort will be made to present the proposal to the entire membership before voting. A two-thirds majority vote is required for passage, and enough time must have passed for all members to receive notice of the motion. This would typically be considered a month.
Article 9: Charity
Whenever the club has earned surplus over and above its $5000 operating budget (after all expenses) 50% of the sum above $5000 should go to charity. Our current stated main Charity is listed with the club treasurer and can be view by request.
Any charity can apply to the Club for consideration of funding. Changing our current stated charity to another requires a simple majority vote at any general meeting.
Our policy regarding fund raising for charity is one of a passive nature and not a goal in itself, but whenever the club has excess funds these will be given to charity.
Article 10: Dissolution
If for any reason the Club ceases to exist as a formal organization all funds shall be donated to charity to be decided by the membership. Any unsold regalia will be sold off and proceeds thereof donated to charity decided by the membership.
We are riders brought together by our passion for old machinery, and by virtue of our usual meeting place thereby came by our name! This Map, over 100 years old, is of historic Bastard TWP. For a quick history lesson, click on the following link http://www.twprideaulakes.on.ca/heritage/bastard-ward.html
About 6 years ago with a desire to belong to a Bike Club like the one he left behind in Toronto before his move to Delta Ontario, Ernie Olivo decided to put an ad in a local paper to see if anybody would be interested in joining a club that he was about to form. The responce was impressive. The club's name was to be 'Old Bastards Vintage Motorcycle Club'. They formed an executive committee with Ernies as President. Meetings were once a month in Ernie's shop and soon there were 20 of them. From then on the club has had an annual Rally and has enjoyed participating in many local shows and events. The club is doing well and all our profits go to local charities.
We are vintage motorcycle enthusiasts who meet in old Bastard Township, Ontario. Since we, and many of our bikes, are a bit older too, our name became
"Old Bastard Township Vintage Motorcycle Club" , often shortened by many folks, to "OLD BASTARDS"
We are proud to be Bastards in Leeds County, Ontario
What make us different from other vintage bike clubs is our willingness to give to local, worthy charities. Below you will find our latest project towards which we donated funding.
Local paper write-up about the Club and its $500 donation to its favourite charity, the Sweets Corners Elementary School Playground Comittee
Country Style Cookin, Country Style Prices. Ride in and join us for breakfast most Sunday mornings at Bob's Diner in Delta, Ontario for a breakfast to be remembered.
MPP PROUD TO BE A BASTARD Bob Runciman, PC MPP for the rural eastern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville, recently told the Legislature that he was proud to be a bastard. He also accused Premier Rae of being a bastard.
The occasion was the 20th anniversary of the township of Bastard and South Burgess, which is named after a... bastard. Rich in Loyalist Ontario history, this is also the area that became home to that great Canadian patriot, Benedict Arnold, after the U.S. War of Independence. Because of his loyalty to the Queen, Arnold was given 1,800 acres of prime land in the Bastard township area.
Many Americans, on the other hand, are taught that Arnold was one of the worst traitors in American history. To our friends south of the border, he was... a bastard.
Runciman told the Legislature that residents of the Bastard township have provided pins, one of which he was wearing, that said, "I'm Proud to be a Bastard."
This was the first time that MPPs could remember Liberal and NDP MPPs all agreeing with something that Runciman said. Runciman went on to say that an original song had been commissioned. (To be sung by Bob and Doug McKenzie, eh! -- ed.)
"Premier Rae and his family have been longtime summer residents of the township," Runciman continued. "Although I frequently disagree with many of his government's initiatives, we're proud to have him as a resident and a legitimate Bastard."
There was wide agreement from the Liberal and PC MPPs with Runciman on this point.
Local paper write-up about the Club and its $500 donation to its favourite charity, the Sweets Corners Elementary School Playground Comittee 
We are easily found, just check the map!
