"Membership"

4.1 PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP:

Membership in the Association is and at all times shall be considered to be a privilege and not a right. Active members of the Association are entitled to attend and speak at the membership meetings. In addition, members shall be kept informed of the Association''s activities, shall be notified of all membership meetings including board of directors meetings, shall have annual reports, and up-to-date copies of the bylaws made available to them. All reports and books of the association may be inspected by any member of the association at any reasonable time, with the exception of matters relating to the hiring, firing, discipline of personnel, or personnel records.

4.2 DEFINITION OF MEMBERSHIP:

a) MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY: Any person, family, entity or corporation who owns, breeds, or registers Teeswater Sheep with the TSSNA or has an interest in Teeswater sheep is eligible for membership.

b) ACTIVE MEMBER: Active members must be current on their membership dues (in good standing) to be eligible to register, record, or transfer sheep, vote and/or hold elective office. Active members maintain their active status by being the owner of record on any animal registered with the association.

c) ASSOCIATE MEMBER: Any person, family, entity or corporation interested in the promotion of Teeswater sheep may become an associate member of the TSSNA, and as such is entitled to all privileges of full membership except they shall have no vote, nor shall they be eligible to hold elective office.

d) JUNIOR MEMBERS: Any interested person under the age of 18 may become a junior member of TSSNA. Junior members have the same privileges of active members except they shall have no vote, nor shall they be eligible to hold elective office.

e) HONORARY MEMBER: Any person having made outstanding contributions to the establishment of the Teeswater breed in North America, upon nomination and election by the Board, may become an honorary member. As such they shall not be entitled to the privileges and responsibilities of active members including the holding of elective office and the privilege of vote.

f) FIBER ENTHUSIAST: Fiber artists interested in the Teeswater breed of sheep may join the TSSNA. g) The Board of Directors may, at its discretion, establish other classes of membership.

4.3 MEMBERSHIP FEES AND DUES: Annual membership fees for the above established classes of membership shall be set at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Increases must be approved by the membership.

4.4 EFFECTIVE DATE OF MEMBERSHIP: Annual membership shall begin January 1st and expire on December 31st. During the month of December each year, the Secretary will mail and/or email dues notices to members whose dues are not yet paid.

4.5 TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP: Membership shall terminate on December 31st each year. A grace period of 60 days will be in effect, allowing such time for members to send in membership dues; however, dues must be paid to participate in voting during the grace period.

4.6 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS: The Board may expel members for just cause.

All members are eligible to to be listed on the website membership directory, advertise Teeswater items for sale in the Teeswater Market, submit photos to the Teeswater Fiber Gallery.