By-Laws of the
Santa Clara Valley Unit No. 507, American Contract Bridge League.
The Unit:
The Unit functions
within the By-Laws and Regulations of the American Contract Bridge League and
its District.
Objectives of the Organization
The objectives of the organization are:
(a) To preserve and promote the best interests of and to stimulate
interest in art of playing competitive duplicate contract bridge and any
modifications thereof;
(b) To cooperate
with, and assist the. League in the promotion and conduct of contract bridge
tournaments;
(c) To
encourage the highest standards of conduct and ethics by its members, and to
enforce such standards;
(d).To
promote the development and organization of affiliated clubs within the
Unit;
(e) To
cooperate in the League's charity program, and to sponsor and conduct charity events
with the object of realizing funds to be devoted to worthy humanitarian causes;
(f} To
conduct such other activities as may be in keeping with its principal
objectives.
ARTICLE I
UNIT JURISDICTION
The geographical area within which this
Unit shall have jurisdiction shall be such area as is presently or may in the
future be assigned to it by the Board of Directors of the ACBL.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
A - Any person of good moral character and residing within the
jurisdiction of the Unit, subject to District regulation, is eligible for
membership, and no person shall be denied membership because of race, creed or
color.
B - Membership in the Unit carries with it
membership in the American Contract Bridge League.
C - Such person,
upon favorable action, shall become and remain a member unless;
(1) He has failed to pay his dues in accordance with
regulations of the ACBL;
(2) He has been
suspended or expelled from membership in accordance with regulations established
by the ACBL and the Board of Directors of the Unit, provided, however, that
such regulations shall conform to the rules of due process applicable to
membership corporations, and that such regulations as are established by the
Board of Directors of the Unit shall not be in conflict with the regulations of
the ACBL.
(3) He changes his residence to a place outside the
jurisdiction of the Unit, in which case he shall become a member of the new
Unit immediately on processing by the League of his change of address; except
that if his residence is changed to an adjacent area within the same District
he may elect to retain his membership in this Unit. The Chairman of the
Membership Committee shall notify the District and the League of this choice.
ARTICLE III
DUES
A - Annual
dues shall be in the amount fixed by the ACBL.
B - The
Board of Directors shall have no powers to levy any special assessments.°
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
A - There
shall be an annual meeting of the members, which may be held in connection with
a tournament or special event which Unit members attend.
B - The
Unit Board of Directors shall fix the time and place of the annual meeting and
shall give appropriate notice by mail of such meeting.
C -
Special meetings of the members may be called at any time to consider specific
subject matters by the Unit Board of Directors or by the President, or by
petition of the members. Notice of the
time and place of any special meeting shall be given by mail at least 10 days
before such meeting. The notice of any
special meeting shall contain an Agenda of the matters to be taken up at such
meeting. No other business shall be
acted upon at such meeting.
D - A
quorum for the transaction of business at any annual or special meeting shall
consist of not less than 15 per cent of the total membership.
E- No proxies
shall be permitted.
ARTICLE V
UNIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A – Number
of Directors
The
affairs of the Unit shall be managed and conducted by the Unit Board of
Directors which shall consist of not less than nine nor more than twelve
persons, all of whom must be members of the Unit.
B - Term
of Office
Each
Director shall hold office for a period of two years or less, but shall hold
office until his successor shall have been elected. Annual elections of the Board of Directors
shall normally be held during the month of June and they shall assume office at
the first meeting of July.
C – Nominations
and Election of Directors
Candidates for Director shall be nominated and elected from
and by the membership of the Unit.
D - Vacancies
Any
vacancy of the Unit Board of Directors shall be filled by the Board of
Directors and the person so appointed shall hold office for the balance of the
unexpired term.
E - Meetings
The Unit Board
of Directors shall hold monthly meetings, one of which shall be designated the
annual meeting. Subsequent regular
meetings thereafter shall be held pursuant to regulations established by the
Board of Directors on appropriate notice.
F - Quorum
A guorum of the Unit Board of Directors for the transaction
of business shall consist of not less than a majority of the Board.
G – Powers
and Duties
In
addition to the powers herein granted by other provisions hereof, and by the
laws of the 5tate of
(1) The conduct, management, supervision and control of the
business of the Unit;
(2) Conduct of Unit tournaments;
(3) The employment and discharging of employees, and the
supervision of their conduct and fixing of their compensation.
(4) To censure, suspend, expel or, otherwise discipline any
member. But no member shall be censured,
suspended, expelled or otherwise disciplined until he has been furnished with
written charges to which he has had time to reply or until after a hearing of
which he has received reasonable notice.
He may be represented by counsel.
Disciplinary action by the Unit may be appealed to the National Board of
Directors. The right of a member, to
play in tournaments, against whom charges are pending shall not be affected
unless otherwise directed by the Board.
H ~ Board
Membership
The Unit
Board of Directors shall be the sole judge of its membership.
ARTICLE VI
UNIT OFFICERS
A - Number
The
officers of the Unit shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a
Secretary and a Treasurer.
B - Election
of Officers
The Board
of Directors shall elect all officers at its first meeting following the
election of a Board of Directors, and the persons elected shall hold office for
one year or until their successors have been duly elected.
C - Vacancies
Vacancies
due to death, resignation or other cause shall be filled by the Unit Board of
Directors.
D - Duties
The duties
of the officers shall be those outlined in the Unit By-Laws and Regulations,
and such others as may be assigned by the Unit Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
IMPEACHMENT
Any
officer or director may be removed for cause at any meeting of the Unit Board provided
two-thirds of those present constituting a quorum shall so vote. Any officer or director against whom
impeachment charges shall be be brought shall be notified in writing, by
registered mail, of the charges against him, at least ten (10) days prior to
the meeting and shall be given an opportunity to be heard before the Unit Board
of Directors and to be represented by counsel of his own choosing. Absence of three (3) consecutive meetings may
be cause for removal of a Director.
ARTICLE VIII
COMMITTEES
The President with
the approval of the Board of Directors shall appoint such committees as may be
necessary to perform the Functions of the organization and he shall define
their duties. Among the committees
appointed by him, shall be the following standing committees--Tournament,
Conduct and Ethics, Membership, and Publicity Committees.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS TO
THE BY-LAWS
Amendment to the
By-Laws may be made by the members of the Unit upon petition signed by at least
twenty-five (25) members and submitted to the Secretary at least ten days in
advance of the annual meeting or any special meeting called for the purpose, or
upon petition signed by at least five (5) members of the Unit Board of
Directors. It shall be the duty of the
Secretary to incorporate the text of the proposed amendment in the notice of
the meeting. The concurrence of
two-thirds of all members present and voting shall be required to pass any amendment.
ARTICLE X
GENERAL
A - These By-Laws
were adopted on July 14, I960, revised at the annual meeting June 7, 1964, and
revised again at the annual meeting on June 24, 1973.