By-laws

NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE CRUISING CLUB CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

The Following is the Official Constitution and By-Laws for the Northern Chesapeake Cruising Club as the January 15, 2011.

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be as derived from a majority agreement of the club members.

Article II – Purpose

There are three equally important purposes of this organization and they are: 1. To promote a program of family cruising and social activities so that members may enjoy the good fellowship associated with the ownership and sailing of a sail boat. 2. To promote the education of members regarding the safe operation and maintenance of their boats, and to enhance sailing and navigation skills of members. 3. To solicit all owners of sailboats of any manufacturer who share the purposes of this organization and to secure their membership in this organization.

Article III – Membership

Section 1. – Members

A MEMBER is a person who has paid the full individual dues for the current period. Members shall have the responsibility and privilege of attending all club on-land and on-water functions, making motions, voting, and holding elected office in this organization.

Section 2. – Membership Removal

1. Failure to pay dues in a timely manner may constitute automatic removal from membership. Payment of dues at any subsequent time during the current year shall restore the member to good standing.
2. Any member may be suspended and/or expelled from the organization for “just cause” by a motion to that effect carried by three-fourths vote of the entire membership. Such a special session can be called by minimum of three members or two officers or by similar motion and vote made at any general meeting at which 3/4 of the entire membership is present. “Just cause” shall be for conduct or action deemed prejudicial or injurious to this fleet organization.

Article IV – Conduct of Meetings

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER, Newly Revised – 1990, 9th Edition shall be the final authority in resolving all disputed points in organizational procedure. This reference manual shall be purchased by treasury funds for the organization. The Secretary shall be custodian of this manual and bring it to each meeting of the membership.

Article V – Officers

Section 1. – Officer Makeup

As a minimum, there shall be two officers and they shall perform the duties of: (1) – Fleet Captain, (2) – Secretary, (3) – Treasurer, (4) – Cruise Director, and (5) – Past Fleet Captain as determined by general agreement among them. In addition, the organization membership may create and elect through proper motion, additional offices as the membership so elects. Officers may, from time to time, by general agreement among them, create special and/or ad hoc committees, appoint committee chairpersons and staff such committees and shall promote and support the purposes of this organization.

Section 2. – Election of Officers

Nominees for officers shall be made by any member in good standing (including self) to the organization’s Secretary and/or to the Fleet Captain at least 30 days in advance of the CHANGE OF WATCH DINNER/MEETING, All nominees shall be notified in a timely fashion of their nomination by the then acting Fleet Captain. Those then agreeing to hold office, shall have their names so forwarded by the Fleet Captain to the general membership via the Secretary. The Secretary shall issue an organization newsletter for this purpose which is to be delivered to the membership at least 5 days in advance of the election date. In addition, nominations may be accepted from the floor. Each officer shall be elected by simple majority of those members present at the CHANGE OF WATCH DINNER/MEETING. Newly elected officers shall begin their term of office immediately at the close of this meeting at which they were elected.

Section 3. – Vacancy of Office

Should any office become vacant, a replacement shall be elected into that position by special election meeting called by the Fleet Captain or if his office is that vacated, by the next officer in succession (Past Captain if available, then Secretary, followed by Treasurer and then Cruise Director) in as timely a fashion as possible while following the 5 day due notice to the general membership outlined above.

Section 4. – Removal of Officer

Any officer may be suspended and/or expelled from the organization for “just cause” by a motion to that effect carried by three fourths vote of the entire membership. Such a special session can be called by minimum of three members or two officers or by similar motion and vote made at any general meeting at which 3/4 of the entire membership is present. “Just cause” shall be for conduct or action deemed prejudicial or injurious to this fleet organization.

Article VI – Responsibility of Officers

Section 1. – Fleet Captain

The Fleet Captain shall call general and special meetings and shall lead and preside over these meetings. The Fleet Captain shall authorize expenditure of funds for the everyday conduct of organization business such as postage, newsletter expenses, annual trophies and awards, etc. Typically, other expenditures will require the vote of the general membership. It is, however, possible for the Fleet Captain to authorize a financial disbursement in special situations. (See Office of Treasurer). The Fleet Captain shall appoint committees with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee and/or the membership, as deemed necessary to co-ordinate or accomplish tasks considered to be in the general interest of the membership.

Section 2. – Secretary

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings, provide and/or supervise the delivery of all meeting notices, and keep all records of this organization including a complete current membership roster and a current copy of this constitution and by-laws. The Secretary shall bring a current copy of the membership, Constitution and By-Laws, and Robert’s Rules Of Order to each general and special meeting. The Secretary shall keep a record of all his communication with outside organizations and report all such correspondence to the general membership at general and special meetings or in a timely fashion through written notice if deemed prudent. The Secretary should either issue or oversee issuance of Northern Chesapeake Cruising Clubs newsletters to the membership.

Section 3. – Treasurer

The Treasurer shall have custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and/or securities, and all financial records pertaining to this organization. The treasurer shall receive and disburse funds as necessary, as authorized by the membership and/or the Fleet Captain. The treasurer may be directed to disburse funds without the approval of the membership if the Fleet Captain deems such disbursement to be a special case. Such joint action by the Fleet Captain and the Treasurer shall be justified and explained by the Fleet Captain in writing to the Secretary to form a matter of record for later reporting to the general membership in a timely fashion. The Treasurer shall prepare and present at the Spring General Membership Meeting, a financial report concerning income from all sources to date and anticipated expenditures for the season just about to begin. This Spring report shall include any proposed corrections to those expenditures and/or any request for emergency dues along with their schedule of collection as may be required to meet the anticipated expenditures. In the Fall, the Treasurer shall prepare a financial summation of the season “just past” along with anticipated expenditures for the up-coming year and present that report at the annual Change Of Watch Dinner/Meeting. That Fall report shall also include suggested figures, as agreed to by the executive board, for the next year’s membership dues and/or fees based on those up-coming anticipated expenditures.

Section 4. – Cruise Director

The Cruise Director has the responsibility of planning the fleet’s cruising schedule and advising the membership, preferably via newsletter, of cruising destinations, rendezvous times, and activities during fleet cruises.

Section 5. – Immediate Past Fleet Captain

The Immediate Past Fleet Captain is expected to be available to assist the newly elected Fleet Captain if questions or problems arise during the time immediately after the election of the new Fleet Captain. In addition, the Past Fleet Captain may function as a voting member of the fleet officers, to provide direction and opinion as needed. This position is automatically held without election by the outgoing Fleet Captain at the time of officer elections, and is held until the next turnover in the post of Fleet Captain.

Section 6. – Other Offices

The duties of the other offices elected by membership shall be as charged at the time of election. The job description at the time of election shall be attached to, but NOT BECOME A PART OF THIS CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS. This description should be prepared in advance of election for that post.

Article VII – Meetings

The Fleet Captain shall call at least two general meetings, open to all members, per calendar year. The first meeting shall be in the early Spring, before the active season and the second meeting shall be at the end of season in the late Fall. The SPRING MEETING shall be for the purpose of discussing plans for the season just to begin, and any other matters which the officers and members consider worthy of discussion. The Fall meeting is herein referred to simply as the CHANGE OF WATCH DINNER/MEETING. The Change Of Watch Dinner/Meeting shall be for the purpose of year end reporting on all activities, the presentation of awards, the establishment of next year’s anticipated expenditures, the voting on next year’s associated dues and fees, and the election of the next year’s officers, etc. There shall be at least 15 days advance notice of such meetings in writing to the entire membership. The Fleet Captain (or any two organization officers) may call any other meetings as deemed necessary throughout the year. A quorum of a majority of currently elected officers and at least a matching number of non-officer members must be present to constitute any official meeting. As noted previously in Article Ill, Section 2 and Article V Section 4, a special meeting for suspension/expulsion may be called as well.

Article VIII – Amendments

No amendment to this Constitution and By-Laws may take place until a minimum of 2 sequential monthly notices, in writing, to the entire regular membership have been issued regarding the general wording and intent of the amendment. No sooner than 15 days nor longer than 90 days following the issuance of the second notice, a timely general meeting shall be called and the issue placed before the regular membership in the form of a motion. This shall be followed by seconding and discussion. A vote in the affirmative by at least 2/3 of the membership present at that meeting shall be required to carry the amendment.

Article IX – Dues

The specific dollar amount of member dues, shall be announced by the Treasurer, following coordination with the executive board members at the Fall CHANGE OF WATCH DINNER/MEETING and shall be approved by simple majority vote of those members present at that meeting. These dues and fees shall be paid to the office of Treasurer by no later than the last day in February so that the Treasurer can give a meaningful report of financial status at the Spring General Meeting. Members not paid by the end of February may be dropped from the organization rolls following an arrears notice issued by and under the terms of the Treasurer. If deemed advisable, the dues paid by members who are retired, could be less than other members, but the specifics of the dues structure are at the discretion of executive board.

End of Constitution and By-laws