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Orange County Bassmasters
Constitution
and Bylaws
Last
Updated 3/2012
amended
4/2015 Section
3 - Membership Dues
Article I - Name and Purpose
This
chapter shall be called the Orange County Bassmasters.
It’s
purpose shall be:
1) To improve our
skills as bass anglers by sharing ideas through events, activities, and
inter-club interaction.
2) To endorse a
policy which includes flexibility, fellowship and sportsmanship.
3) To promote public
awareness of sport fishing as pleasurable and fulfilling past time.
4) To promote strict
adherence to all State DEC regulations.
5) To have fun away
from the pressures and politics of a daily routine.
Article II - Membership
Section 1 - Membership requirements
a) Sustained on a
continuous basis, no less than 60% of the club’s membership shall be registered
with “boater” status. A boater is defined as a member who has
intent to fish each club tournament event with a ‘tournament approved boat’
which they either own or are authorized to utilize. For each club tournament for which the boater
participates, the boater shall allow one non-boater club member per tournament
to fish with them in their boat. A
“tournament approved boat” is defined in the Chapter Tournament Rules, which
may vary in definition from year to year as situations change.
b) All members MUST
maintain membership in B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, and maintain their B.A.S.S.
Membership (Bassmaster Magazine)
subscription .
Special Note
All
members are urged to maintain membership with New York State B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation
(NYSBCF) as well. A NYSBCF membership
must exist if a member:
(1) is to participate in any NYSBCF tournament
or (2) is to participate in the NYSBCF Club Team Event. To be eligible for the 6- man team event a
member must have been a member of NYSBCF and the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation for
the year in which the 6- Man Team Event ranking occurred and be a member of NYSBCF for the year which the event takes
place and (c) has paid at least $xx minimum Orange County Bassmasters dues for the year which the event takes place.
Section 2- Filling of Membership
Vacancies
To
become a member a person shall:
a) Voluntarily
express a genuine interest in membership at a regular club business meeting.
b) Be sponsored by
one club member who can attest to the applicant’s character integrity, ability
and intention to act with high standards of sportsmanship, volunteerism and as
a member of Orange County Bassmasters.
c) Submit an
application for membership approval. http://www.nybassfed.com/Data/Forms/Membership_Form.pdf
d) An un-sponsored applicant must attend two meetings. At the second meeting the applicant must be approved
by at least a 2/3 majority of those present at a regular business meeting. The
candidate must be able and committed to pay the minimum dues required at the
meeting for which the vote takes place or the voting process will be postponed
to a future business meeting when all conditions are met.
e) Pay membership
dues as declared under Section 3
Membership Dues. At least the minimum payment must be received on the
business meeting which the person becomes a member for the club year.
f) Boaters
must show proof of liability insurance (minimum $300,000) prior to using his
boat in any club tournament. A candidate boater member must agree to this prerequisite for being
considered to be voted in as a member of the club, or apply for an available
non-boater position.
g) Be of age 18
years or older on or before the first club tournament is conducted.
Exception: An age exception
will be considered for any candidate who is under the age of 18 but is at least
16 years of age if and only if evidence can be provided prior to their
application acceptance that they (1) have been a member in good standing of any
officially recognized B.A.S.S. Federation Nation junior club for one full year
prior and (2) have successfully passed the New York State Boater Safety
Course.
h) As of 03/05, the
club has voted to make Anna Velie an honorary member.
Section 3 - Membership Dues
In
addition to the base requirement to have a valid/active BASS Magazine
membership, every Orange County Bassmasters member must pay (1) annual OCBM General
Membership dues, (2) annual BASS Federation Nation dues and (3) optionally, New
York State Bass Chapter Federation (NYSBCF) membership dues. All dues are to be paid through the
designated OCBM Club Treasurer.
(amended 4/2015) All
renewal/returning members from the prior year must pay their dues in full by
the April business meeting with a minimum down payment of $50 $25 received at the January business meeting
to be considered a counted/active member in the club boater/non-boater ration
calculation. Please be considerate of the club's need to
manage the boater/non-boater ratio to sustain the 60:40 ratio rule. Members who attempt to join late can be at
risk of acceptance based on membership conditions of maintaining the 60:40
boater to non-boater ratio.
No
individual shall be allowed to participate in any tournament draw until they
have paid their membership dues in full and the status has been verified by the
club treasurer. New members shall
receive a club patch if available, a roster of the club members, a copy of the
Club Constitution and By-Laws, and a copy of the Tournament Rules and
Guidelines.
Membership Dues Detail:
(amended 4/2015)
1) Required
Annual General Membership Dues: $25.00 to contribute to the club operations
expenses
2)
Required Annual BASS Federation Nation
Dues: An additional $30 with no
prorating special circumstances.
EXCEPTION: If the member has
already paid or plans to pay their annual BASS Federation Nation membership
dues thru another BASS affiliated club they belong to, then this $30 fee does
not need to be paid through Orange County Bassmaster
Treasurer.
3)
Optional NYSBCF Dues: An additional
$20 per year for membership in the New York State BASS Chapter Federation is
encouraged. This entitles the angler to
a one-year subscription to Fishlines Magazine,
membership to private forums on nybassfed.com, and the ability to participate
in NYSBCF-organized tournaments. All memberships expire on December 31st.
OCBM 6-Man Team
Rule:
This fee is required to be paid by every member that fishes on the Orange
County Bassmasters 6-man Team for both the year that
the ranking was finalized and the (following) year this NYSBCF Club Team
Championship (CTC) Tournament takes place.
If a member is aspiring to fish the next season's CTC 6-Man Team Event
based on their year end result ranking for the current year, then this fee
becomes required and not optional. Effective as of the 2004 Club Team
Championship to qualify for the CTC all anglers on the team and the club must
be members in good standing and meet all of the guidelines of the NYS B.A.S.S.
Chapter Federation in the qualifying year, on or before September 1st of the qualifying year, as well as the CTC Tournament
year.
Article III - Officers, Elections, Vacancies and
Eligibility
Section 1 - Officers of the Chapter
and their duties
a) President:
1) Presides over
regular meetings.
2) Advocates active
support of the club’s purpose and encourages the participation of all members
at all meetings.
3) Coordinates the
Advisory Council as the need arises and integrates ideas and opinions into
working principles and proposals.
4) Handles
intra-club communication.
5) Is responsible
for filling temporary vacancies of any officer.
b) Vice-
President/Treasurer:
1) Shall assist the
president in his duties and preside in the absence of the president.
2) Maintain accurate
financial records and reports at each meeting.
3) Must establish an
annual budget and present it to a regular business meeting in February for
approval.
4) Maintain the
Membership Roster.
c) Secretary:
1) Maintain accurate
minutes of all meetings and handles all necessary correspondence relating to
Chapter business.
2) Update and
maintain the Constitution and Bylaws and Tournament rules and be sure written
copy is provided to the webmaster for posting,
d) State
Representative:
1) Represents the
Chapter at state meetings of the NYSBCF and is responsible for all
communications between both organizations.
e) Tournament
Chairman/Director
1) Presides over all
tournament functions and governs them as expressly identified in the Chapter’s
Tournament Regulations.
2) Shall appoint a
committee of not less than two members to assist in his duties, including
maintaining the tournament score sheets, tournament records, club weigh-in
scale, and updating the tournament regulations.
3) Is responsible
for the preparation and presentation to the club, not later than the April
meeting, a proposal of sites and dates.
f) Advisory
Council/Steering Committee:
1) Shall be
comprised of the current club officers and is open to all other members whose
input, directly or indirectly, is welcome.
2) The Council
serves as a club tool, apart from regular meeting, to define, discuss and resolve
conflicts or problems, to propose that which supports the club’s purpose and to
formulate proposals for club approval, disapproval or modification at the next
regular meeting.
Section 2 - Nominations and
Elections
1) Nominations for
the election club officers shall be made from the floor at the November meeting
and the election shall occur at the December meeting. Nominated members must be in attendance.
2) Election shall be
made by secret ballot by a simple majority of the members present.
3) Only dues-paid
members are entitled to vote.
Section 3- Term of Office
1) Shall be one year
beginning January 1st.
Section 4- Vacancies
1) In the event an
office becomes vacant, the President shall appoint a replacement for the
remainder of the term of office.
Article IV - Constitutional Amendments
This
constitution may be amended, provided notification is given at least one
meeting prior to the vote. A 2/3 majority will pass the amendment at the
meeting.
Article V - Rule Enforcement
Blatant
disregard for the club policy or rules will be reviewed and penalized as the
need arises. Members must keep in mind flexibility and leniency in their
enforcement of by-laws, as well as the club’s advocating of “fellowship”.
Proposals for penalties shall be presented by the Advisory Council/Steering
Committee to the membership present at the next regular meeting, for approval
by simple majority of the membership present.
Article VI - Affiliation
This
chapter shall be affiliated with B.A.S.S. of Alabama, B.A.S.S. Federation
Nation and New York State B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation.
**Orange County Junior Bassmasters shall be affiliated with Orange
County Bassmasters Inc.
**Amended 03/01/04
Article VII - Order of Business
All
regular business meetings shall cover the following topics:
1)
Reading of the previous meeting’s
minutes.
2)
Reading the Treasurer’s Report.
3)
Old Business (may include Advisory
Council proposals).
4)
New Business.
5)
Fishing related activities or
discussions as well as presentations of certification to the most recent
tournament winner.
6)
Coordination of free time to buddy
fishing.