BAY RACERS

Bylaws

  1. Club Name and Purpose

    2. The club shall be known as Bay Racers. Bay Racers is a non-profit organization dedicated to the training, demonstration, and competition of dogs in flyball and to educating the public on canine welfare.

  2. Board of Directors

    1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Events Director, Training Coordinator, Equipment & Field Director and Past President as a Director-at-large (automatic, non-voting, not subject to election). Each elected board member (person) shall have one (1) vote on the Board, although one person may hold more than one position. The Training Coordinator and Past President shall be included as non-voting Consultants.
    2. Nominations for the Board of Directors shall be open from the floor at the November general meeting. Any member may nominate him or her self or another member if prior permission is obtained. Elections shall be held in January. When there is more than one candidate for a position, voting shall be by secret ballot. These ballots shall be mailed or emailed. Those members not voting shall have their votes cast with the majority. The Secretary and one other designated member shall make the count. Results shall be announced immediately after the count.
    3. Term of office shall be one year, and all officers shall assume their term one month following the election.
    4. The Board of Directors shall act on behalf of the membership on issues that include, but are not limited to, setting agendas, ensuring communication among all club members, recommendations to the general membership on issues of policy and fiscal well being, and calling special meetings. The Board of Directors shall make decisions for the overall well being of the club.
    5. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for selecting the teams for competitive flyball events using input from the official timesheets, Bay Racers members, and other variables. The Events Director shall select teams for demonstrations.
    6. The Board of Directors shall make decisions on that which Bay Racers members defer to them as defined in these bylaws and/or as indicated during club meetings. Individual club members who are in good standing may request the Board to take action if the request is submitted in writing. Response is then made to the person submitting the request or to the general membership as required. If it cannot be resolved immediately, it will automatically be added to the next Board of Directors Agenda.
    7. The Board of Directors shall designate and appoint ad hoc committees as needed.
    8. The Board of Directors shall recommend a member in good standing from the general membership to fill any vacated position. Election will be at that same meeting. A position shall be considered vacated if an officer has submitted a letter of resignation or has missed three consecutive Board and General meetings without appropriate justification.
    9. The Board of Directors shall meet every other month, and meetings shall be open to members.
    10. The Board of Directors shall select the representatives to represent Bay Racers to the North American Flyball Association (NAFA).
    11. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the appointment of a Tournament Director for Bay Racers hosted tournaments.
    12. Duties of officers not specifically set forth herein shall be enumerated in a separate set of Standing Rules as may be drafted and modified from time to time by the Board of Directors. The duties of the officers as established herein shall always prevail in the event of conflict between said Standing Rules, as adopted, and these bylaws.
    13. The Directors at large shall assist the President in any area the President may see fit and act as a stabilizing influence on the Group. They may also act as ombudspersons for members in matters regarding the general membership or other matters in which such third-party intervention might be helpful in settling a dispute between members or between a member, or members, and the general public.
    14. Function in a long range planning capacity for the Group.
    15. Expenditure of Money
      1. Verbal approval by a majority of the Board of Directors is sufficient for any expense under $500.00 when the treasury exceeds $500.00.
      2. Expenditures of $500.00 or more must be approved by the general membership at a general meeting.
      3. When the treasury has $500.00 or less, or the proposed expenditure will cause the treasury to fall under $500, all expenditures must be approved by the general membership at a general meeting.
      4. Reimbursement shall be made only for approved expenditures when a receipt has been submitted to the treasurer.
      5. Recurring expenses, such as insurance, can fall out of these guidelines as referred to in the Standing Rules.
      6. For one single large event, such as a tournament, the Standing Rules will define how the budget and approvals will be handled.
  3. Officers
    1. President
      1. The President shall preside at all Board of Directors meetings and Bay Racers general club meetings. The President shall call Board meetings as needed. The President will vote only in case of a deadlock of the present members or Directors voting.
      2. The President shall have general supervision over the function and/or business of Bay Racers.
      3. The President shall be an exofficio member of all committees.
      4. The Vice-President shall fill in for the President to conduct meetings in his/her absence.
      5. The President shall be responsible for setting the agenda for both Board and general membership meetings.
    2. Vice President
      1. The Vice President shall fulfill all the duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence.
      2. The Vice President shall be in charge of publicity, marketing and promotion of all facets of Bay Racers.
      3. The Vice President shall complete the term of President in the event the President for any reason is unable to do so.
      4. The Vice President shall be responsible for the selection of a volunteer to oversee attendance requirements/schedules.
      5. The Vice President shall be responsible for the Bay Racers website management.
    3. Secretary
      1. The Secretary shall take minutes at Bay Racers general and Board meetings and oversee their distribution. The Secretary shall keep a permanent record of these minutes.
      2. The Secretary shall be custodian of all Bay Racers records and will keep them up to date. This includes Bay Racers Bylaws, Bay Racers Standing Rules. and NAFA rule books.
      3. The Secretary will provide member address, email, and phone number lists semi-annually, and work with the Vice President to ensure the website and email tools are up-to-date.
      4. The Secretary shall oversee the Distribution to the members of Bylaws, club rules, information on NAFA, and/or any other club related information. The Secretary shall have Bay Racers Membership Packets available for new members.
      5. The Secretary shall be responsible for the timely notification to the general membership of any changes from the regularly scheduled meetings.
      6. The Secretary shall be responsible for collecting the membership forms and giving the checks to the Treasurer.
      7. The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying the members of the deadline for payment of annual dues.
      8. The Secretary shall maintain CRN's, dog points, dog titles, and Tourney Stats.
    4. Treasurer
      1. The Treasurer shall collect dues, pay bills, and maintain the club checkbook and ledgers. These ledgers shall be available at the meetings for the membership to examine. The Treasurer shall give an oral report of financial standing at each meeting.
      2. The Treasurer shall handle the filing of an annual income/expense statement with IRS if applicable.
      3. The Treasurer shall be responsible for retaining liability insurance.
      4. The Treasurer will invoice for all performance events and submit the final report to the Events Director for verification prior to disbursement.
      5. The Treasurer shall maintain a Team Asset List
    5. Events Director
      1. The Events Director shall handle all correspondence and phone calls related to specific Flyball competition events.
      2. The Events Director shall compile information on national, state, or local Flyball competitions. This information shall be submitted to Bay Racers members for a decision as to club participation.
      3. The Events Director will coordinate participation in competitions by Bay Racers. The Events Director will inform the membership of upcoming competitions, comprise a list of all those able to participate (both handlers and non-handlers), and take the resulting list to the Board for team selection. After team selection, the Events Director will schedule an initial meeting for the team(s) and helpers to set practice schedules and job assignments. The Events Director will see that entry forms and fees for Bay Racers are properly submitted and see that competition information (maps, schedule, etc.) is disseminated.
      4. The Events Director shall maintain an updated file on each competition that is put on by or participated in by Bay Racers members. This shall include competition results, the name of the sponsoring club, the name of the contact person, phone numbers, dates of participation, prices, maps, and any other related information.
      5. The Events Director shall establish Tourney Roles (Box Loader, Captains, Line Coach, Ball Shag, Stat keeper, Time sheets to Secretary). S/He is also responsible for submitting the Tournament Entry Form and providing Seed Times; as well as coordinating car-pool and hotel arrangements.
      6. The Events Director shall Coordinate/ Provide needed equipment at all club events.
      7. The Events Director has the authority to negotiate contracts for a club approved flyball event. He/She will give a report of all financial arrangements, participants, and any other elements affecting finances to the Treasurer for billing purposes.
      8. The Events Director shall maintain an updated file on each flyball performance that is put on by or participated in by Bay Racers members. This shall include the name of the sponsor, the name of the contact person, phone numbers, dates of participation, prices, maps, and any other related information.
      9. The Events Director will prepare an events calendar as far in advance as possible for all club events.
    6. Equipment and Field Director
      1. The Equipment and Field Director shall maintain & provide equipment for practices, tourneys, classes and events.
      2. The Equipment and Field Director shall obtain new training fields, arrange bookings to suit training dates and times, and sign reservation contracts.
      3. The Equipment and Field Director shall obtain "Additional Insured" forms if required by the field owner.
    7. Training Coordinator
      1. The Training Coordinator shall create and conduct the training schedule for team practices.
      2. The Training Coordinator shall be responsible for coordinating with the other team trainers.
      3. The Training Coordinator shall select and train the assistant team trainers.
      4. The Training Coordinator does not necessarily need to be a member of the club; she/ he may be appointed by the Board of Directors.
  4. Membership
    1. Dues
      1. Quarterly membership dues are to be paid on or before the following dates: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. Members whose dues are not paid by the July/January meeting may not vote. Members who are 30 days past due shall be dropped from club membership. All voting privileges are reinstated for former members in good standing upon payment of dues. New members only shall have their dues prorated monthly.
      2. The amount of dues shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors annually during the budget review. Any recommendation as to a change of the dues amount must be approved by the general membership.
    2. Types of Membership
      1. The types of membership shall be defined in the Standing Rules.
    3. Membership Termination: The membership of any member shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
      1. The resignation of the member.
      2. The failure to pay dues within the time set forth In these by-laws.
      3. The determination by the Board of Directors or a committee designated to make such determination that the member has failed in a material and serious degree to observe the rules of conduct, as stated in the Standing Rules, governing membership in this organization.
      4. Members must meet the Racing Requirement as stated in the Standing Rules.
  5. General Meetings
    1. Bay Racers general club meetings shall be held every other month. Any member in good standing may vote. Anyone may attend. Decisions are made by a majority of the club members present, unless otherwise stated in these by-laws or the Standing Rules.
    2. A special meeting of the members may be called by any of the following:
      1. The Board of Directors
      2. The President
      3. Ten percent (10%) or more of the membership provided that in all cases not less than three (3) weeks notice shall be given to all members of such special meeting.
    3. One-quarter (1/4th) of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the members. The members present at any duly called meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment. If the withdrawal of enough members leaves less than a quorum, business may continue as long as any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by at least a majority of the members required to constitute a quorum.
    4. Any members meeting may be adjourned from time to time by the vote of a majority of the members represented.
    5. Notice of a meeting shall be deemed given to any member who attends the meeting without protesting before or at its commencement about the lack of adequate notice.
    6. Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the meetings of the Group and shall be the final authority in all matters not covered in these bylaws.

  6. Amendments to the Bylaws

    7. Amendments to the Bylaws shall be by mail or email with two-thirds of the members in good standing voting for the change. Those members not returning a ballot shall have their votes cast with the majority.

  7. Standing Rules

    8. The club shall have Standing Rules. These rules shall include but not be limited to:

    Amount of Dues

    Handler Requirements/Expectations

    Dog Behavior

    Dog Qualifications

    Training

    Participation in Events

    Practice

    Meeting Time and Place

    Demonstrations

    Competitions

    Timings

    Standing Rules shall be approved by the general membership.

  8. Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of this club, all equipment owned by the club is to be sold and all assets shall be distributed to a non-profit organization as recognized by law and as selected by the Board of Directors.