Hudson Valley Rugby Club Bylaws

Adopted By The Club on October 1st 2023



Name of Corporation

The New York State registered name of this organization is the “HUDSON VALLEY RUGBY INC.”

The organization uses the operating name of “Hudson Valley Rugby Club” (referred to herewithin as the “Club”) for all purposes and activities, including internal and external facing communications.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide an accessible and inclusive sports program that promotes health, physical fitness, leadership, wellness, service and community engagement for individuals of all ages and abilities. We strive to create a safe and supportive environment where athletes can develop their skills, build self-confidence, and form lifelong friendships. Through our program, we aim to inspire a love of rugby and physical activity, while fostering values of teamwork, respect, and sportsmanship. We are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of our athletes, their families, and our community as a whole.

Statement of Equality

The Hudson Valley Rugby Football Club, Inc, 501 (c) 3, is dedicated to growing the sport of rugby in the Hudson Valley. We work to create opportunities to play, participate in, support, enjoy and learn rugby. We create this access to the sport for everyone and anyone interested in participating. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexuality, politics, gender, fitness, or experience in the sport. We work to create an environment of acceptance, respect, equality, equal-access, equal-rights, and social support.

The Hudson Valley Rugby Club has zero-tolerance for discrimination of any type, including any activities of hate, hate-speech, prejudice, bigotry, sexism, racism, gender discrimination, ageism, ableism, classism, socio-economic status, misogyny, xenophobia, inequity, intolerance or anti-semitism. Any member participating in discrimination will be removed as a member of the Club and will not be permitted to attend any Club events, including practices, socials, and matches. We believe that rugby can and should be enjoyed by everyone, and that it takes a community of supporting, open-minded and accepting players to build a safe, happy, competitive and beneficial Club. We are constantly working to improve our Club in the realms of openness, acceptance and safety. We welcome any feedback which can be sent to info@hudsonvalleyrugbyClub.com.

Fiscal Year

The Club’s fiscal year runs from January 1st to December 31st.

Membership

Eligibility

Membership in this Club is open to anyone who supports the purpose and objectives of the Club. The Club will regularly evaluate its practices and policies to ensure that they align with the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will be transparent about its progress and challenges in this area. The Club is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive membership that reflects the community it serves. We will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, or disability. See the Statement of Equality section.

Membership Dues

All members are required to pay yearly membership dues to obtain or maintain active membership with the Club. These dues are subject to change each year. The current dues policies are published by the Treasury Department in the “Club Membership Dues Standard” (https://hudsonvalleyrugbyClub.com/2023-Club-membership-dues-standard).

Membership Types

General Membership

These are active members who have paid their annual dues, have full voting rights, can serve on the Club's board of directors or committees, and can participate in all activities and events.

Lifetime Membership

This type of membership is granted to individuals who have paid a one-time $500 fee for a lifetime membership. Lifetime membership is reserved for those of age 35 years or older. Lifetime members have full voting rights, can serve on the Club's board of directors or committees, and can participate in all activities and events.

Membership Behaviour And Conduct 

All members of the Hudson Valley Rugby Club are expected to conduct themselves with dignity, respect, decorum, and manners at all times. This includes but is not limited to:

• Respecting the rights, dignity, and worth of all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic or identity.
• Avoiding behavior that is aggressive, threatening, or intimidating towards others.
• Refraining from using derogatory language or making discriminatory comments or jokes.
• Treating opponents, officials, and spectators with respect and courtesy, regardless of the outcome of the game.
• Acting in a manner that reflects positively on the Hudson Valley Rugby Club and the sport of rugby as a whole.

Any member found to be in violation of these standards may be subject to disciplinary action by the Club's Board of Directors, including but not limited to penalties, suspension or expulsion from the Club.

Conflict Resolution

In the event of a conflict between members and/or officers of the Hudson Valley Rugby Club, all parties are expected to approach the situation with professionalism, maturity, and a commitment to finding a fair and reasonable solution. To facilitate this process, the following steps should be taken:

• Any member who becomes aware of a conflict should immediately report it to their team President and Vice President. If the conflict involves the President or Vice President, the member should report it to any other two officers of the Club.
• Once notified, the President and/or Vice President will make every effort to meet with all parties involved in the conflict and listen to their perspectives. The goal of this meeting is to understand the issues at hand and identify potential solutions.
• If a resolution cannot be reached at this initial meeting, the President and/or Vice President may appoint a mediator to assist in the conflict resolution process.
• All members involved in the conflict must agree to adhere to the final resolution reached through this process. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the Club's Board of Officers.

The Hudson Valley Rugby Club is committed to maintaining a respectful, safe, and supportive environment for all members. We encourage all members to take personal responsibility for resolving conflicts in a constructive and collaborative manner.

Membership Onboarding Requirements

Members in the Club are responsible for completing all membership onboarding items as published on the “Members” page of the website (https://hudsonvalleyrugbyClub.com/members).

Membership Communication Requirements

Club members agree to use the primary communication tool of the Club, regularly, to stay in communication with their teams.

Meetings

Typically, meetings are held on a regular basis, such as monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the level of activity. Additional meetings may be called as needed to address urgent matters or to discuss specific projects or initiatives. Meetings may be called by the President, the Board of Directors, or a specified number of members of the Club. Notice of a meeting must be provided to members 7 days in advance. The notice should include the date, time, location, and agenda of the meeting. The quorum required for conducting business at a meeting should also be specified. (The quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present in order to conduct official business).

Standard Meetings

Club General Meeting (C-GM)

The Club General Meeting is a mandatory yearly meeting that is held by the officers for all general members to discuss the past year's activities and to make decisions about the Club's future. The meeting usually includes reports from the Board of Directors and committees, the election of directors or officers, and any other business that needs to be addressed. The C-GM is an opportunity for members to participate in the decision-making process of the Club and to provide feedback on its activities.

Team General Meeting (MT-GM an WT-GM)

This meeting is attended by either Men’s Team Members and Officers or Women’s Team Members and Officers.

Officer General Meeting (O-GM)

This meeting is attended by the MT and WT officers.

Men’s Team Officers General Meeting (MTO-GM)

This meeting is attended by all Mens Team Officers.

Women’s Team Officers General Meeting (WTO-GM)

This meeting is attended by all Women’s Team Officers.

Board of Directors Roles, Responsibilities, and Composition

The Board of Directors, also known as “Officers,” are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Club and their Teams. Each of these Director positions are held by a member of the Men’s and Women’s Teams. For example there is a Treasurer of the Men’s Team and a Treasurer of the Women’s Team. The reporting structure and the per-Team positions are illustrated in the following organization chart: 

Each officer position in this list can be complemented by assistant and support officer positions, working either alongside or below them. For instance, the Match Secretary role could benefit from the valuable support provided by an Assistant Match Secretary.

The Board of Directors are comprised of the following positions, roles and responsibilities:

Team President

The Team President is the leader of their respective Team and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Club and overseeing all of the Team’s activities. The President presides over Board meetings, appoints committee chairs, and represents the Team to external stakeholders. The Women’s Team President and Men’s Team President must work collaboratively to represent the best interests of the Club as a whole, and not just their Teams. They must ensure a collaborative and productive working environment between Team Officers. Responsibilities may include (but not limited to):

Leadership

Providing vision and leadership to the Team, setting strategic goals, and ensuring that the Team is focused on achieving its mission.

Board Governance

Serving as the liaison between the Team Officers and the Team members and volunteers and ensuring that the board is informed and engaged in the Team’s activities.

Fundraising

Representing their team in fundraising activities, identifying potential donors and sponsors, and cultivating relationships with key stakeholders.

Strategic Planning

Representing their team when working with the board and other stakeholders to develop and implement the Team’s and Club’s strategic plan, including setting goals, developing programs, and identifying priorities.

Community Relations and Representation

Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including athletes, parents, sponsors, and community members; serving as the public face of the Club and Team.

Financial Management

Working with the Treasurer and other financial officers to oversee the Club’s finances, including developing and monitoring the budget, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, and providing financial reports to the board and other stakeholders.

Program Management and Development

Overseeing the development and implementation of the Team’s programs and services and ensuring that they align with the Team’s mission and objectives.

Assigning and Managing a Team Coach

The Team President is responsible for recruiting, retaining, replacing and managing their respective Team Coach - should the Team want or need a Coach. The Coach is to report directly to the President. The president may delegate these duties to another officer if they so wish.

Intra-Team Collaboration and Productive Working

The Team Presidents are responsible for creating a collaborative, productive, communicative, transparent, equitable and safe working environment for the entire Club to work together. When all else fails, they are the bridge between the  Team officers and members and must represent the Club and its interests in working together towards the Club’s overall mission.

Vice President

The Vice President supports the President in their duties and assumes the President's responsibilities in their absence. The Vice President may also be assigned specific responsibilities (but not limited to):

Supporting the President

The Vice President typically works closely with the President to provide support and assistance in carrying out their duties and may serve as acting President in the absence of the President.

Committee Oversight

The Vice President may be responsible for overseeing the work of one or more committees, ensuring that they are functioning effectively and making progress on their assigned tasks.

Membership Recruitment and Retention

The Vice President plays a key role in recruiting and retaining members of the Club, including developing outreach strategies, communicating with potential and existing members, and working with staff and volunteers to ensure a positive member experience.

Event Planning

The Vice President may be responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of events and activities by the Social Chair, including fundraising events, sports tournaments, and other community outreach activities.

Fundraising and Development

The Vice President is responsible with the President, Treasury, and other members of the Club to develop and implement fundraising strategies, including identifying potential donors and sponsors, writing grant proposals, and organizing fundraising events.

Public Relations Oversight

The Vice President is responsible for the high-level oversight of the Club’s public relations efforts, promoting the Club's programs and services, and working with the media to promote the Club's mission and events. While the Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for executing these public relation activities, the Vice President is to oversee these efforts. The Chief Marketing Officer is to report to and work collaboratively with the Vice President on public relation activities .

Treasurer

The Treasurer of a non-profit sports Club is responsible for managing the financial operations of the Club. Responsibilities include:

Budgeting and Financial Planning

The Treasurer is responsible for developing and managing the Club's budget, working with other members of the board to determine financial priorities and allocating funds to different programs and activities. This also includes the coordination and collection of membership dues.

Financial Management

The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, including receipts, invoices, and bank statements. They must ensure that all financial transactions are properly recorded and that the Club is in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Bookkeeping and Record-Keeping

The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records for the Club, including receipts, invoices, and bank statements. They must ensure that all financial transactions are recorded in a timely and accurate manner.

Fundraising

The Treasurer may play a role in fundraising activities for the Club, such as writing grant proposals, organizing fundraising events, and soliciting donations.

Tax Compliance

The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that the Club complies with all relevant tax laws and regulations. This may include preparing and submitting tax returns, obtaining tax-exempt status, and providing documentation to support tax deductions for donors.

Legal Compliance

The Treasurer is responsible for the Club keeping compliance with all laws and regulations.

Match Secretary

The Match Secretary is responsible for managing the logistics related to scheduling and organizing matches, games, practices and / or competitions. Responsibilities may include:

Scheduling

The Match Secretary is responsible for scheduling matches and / or games for the team, taking into account factors such as availability of the team, availability of opponents, and availability of facilities.

Communication

The Match Secretary is responsible for communicating with team members, opponents, and officials regarding match details such as time, location, and any special instructions.

Match and Training Day Preparation

The Match Secretary is responsible for ensuring that the playing field, practice field, or other venue is ready for the match, practice or other training event, including ensuring that all necessary equipment is available and in good condition. They are responsible for ensuring a safe and hazard free playing and training area. They must ensure the playing field markings and preparation is in accordance with the required rules and regulations.

Governing Bodies Compliance

The Match Secretary is responsible that the Team and it’s event attendees are in compliance with all venue, town, city, county, and other governing body’s rules and regulations. This will maintain the relationship with the venue and local government.

Chief Marketing Officer

The Chief Marketing Officer heads up the Marketing Department and plays an important role in helping the Club and their Team engage and grow its audience, promote its mission, drive recruitment and ensure member retention. They are responsible for developing and implementing a marketing strategy across all available channels including but not limited to social, website, email, discord, print, and partners, creating engaging content, managing social media accounts, updating website content, and any other marketing channel activations, including those on print and digital. Responsibilities may include:

Develop a Marketing Strategy

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for developing a marketing strategy encompassing social media channels, the website, email, discord, print, and partner channels. The strategy must be designed to achieve the following goals:

• Increase recruitment
• Inform our audiences of Club and Team activities
• Generate new audiences
• Keep current membership engaged in Club activities and social media
• Promote Club Sponsors as per partnership agreements

Manage Social Media Accounts

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for managing all social media accounts assigned to their Team designation. This includes but is not limited to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. They are responsible for posting regular content, engaging and growing our social audiences, and monitoring the accounts for incoming messages.

Content Creation

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for creating content for all marketing channels, including posts, images, videos, stories, emails, copywriting, and print collateral. They must ensure the content is high-quality, engaging, and consistent with the Club's branding.

Community Engagement

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for engaging with the Club's audience and followers by responding to comments and messages and fostering a sense of community, across all channels.

Recommendations and Improvement

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for tracking and analyzing audience and engagement trends, such as engagement rates, reach, and follower growth. They must use this data to evaluate the success of the Club's social media strategy and make recommendations for improvement.

Keep the Website Updated and Current

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for ensuring that all content on the website is fresh, current, appropriate, of high quality, and regularly updated. They do not necessarily have to run the backend of the website itself - this can be done by another Member, Officer, or Third-Party, however, they are responsible for overseeing the website and its content and direct changes when necessary.

Responsible for Driving and Reporting On Recruitment

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for driving recruitment, which means bringing new Members and players into the Club. They are also to work with the Administrative Officer to report to the Club officers on recruitment activties and statistics in order to evaluate the success of the Club’s recruiment.

Collaboration with Other Committees

The Chief Marketing Officer may work closely with other committees within the Club, such as the fundraising committee of Social Chairs, to promote events and campaigns across channels.

Manage the Marketing Officer

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for overseeing, managing, working with, and delegating tasks to the Marketing Officer. They are responsible for creating a collaborative and supportive team environment for the Marketing Department to thrive.

Marketing Officer

The role of the Marketing Officer is to support the Marketing Department’s efforts in promoting the Club to current and new audiences. They support and report to the Chief Marketing Officer while sharing the same goals, responsibilities, and multi-channel oversight. The CMO and Marketing Officer are to be a tight nit, collaborative and supportive team both in the Marketing Department and to all Committees and Officers. Responsibilities are the same as the Chief Marketing Officer above and also include:

Working to Support the Chief Marketing Officer

The Marketing Officer must work with the Chief Marketing Officer to delineate tasks and roles within the Marketing Department. They must work closely to identify specific tasks that will result in the successful execution of all marketing activities across all available channels.

Social Chair

The primary role of a Social Chair is to plan and organize social events and activities that promote the Club's mission and goals, that focus on camaraderie and team spirit among athletes, coaches, sponsors, and volunteers. Responsibilities may include:

Event Planning

The Social Chair is responsible for planning and organizing social events for the sports Club, such as team-building activities, social outings, and post-game celebrations. They must determine the date, time, location, theme, and activities for each event.

Budgeting and Fundraising

The Social Chair must work with the Treasurer to develop a budget for each social event and identify sources of funding, such as sponsorships or donations. They must ensure that the events are financially sustainable and aligned with the Club's mission and values.

Communication

The Social Chair is responsible for communicating with athletes, coaches, sponsors, and volunteers about upcoming social events, including sending invitations, reminders, and updates. They must ensure that all members are aware of and invited to social events.

Administrator Officer

The Administrative Officer is responsible for maintaining accurate records, meeting minutes, and maintaining membership management records for the team.

Record-Keeping

The Administrative Officer is responsible for maintaining accurate records of all meetings, decisions, and important events of the Club. They will need to take minutes at meetings, organize and store documents, and ensure that records are easily accessible to other members of the Club.

Membership Management

The Administrative Officer is responsible for managing the Club's membership database, including maintaining accurate records of members, managing membership applications, and working with the Treasurer ensuring that membership dues are collected and processed in a timely manner.

Technology and Systems Management

The Administrative Officer is responsible for managing all of the Club’s and Team’s technology and systems, including but not limited to Discord, Dropbox, Website Hosting, Google Workplace, Google Drive, and any other that assist the operation of the Club.

Board of Directors Election, Term, and Vacancies

Election

Each Team is responsible for electing their Team Officers. I.e. Women’s Team members vote for the Women’s Team Officers and the Men’s Team members vote for the Men’s Team Officers.

The election process should run as follows for each team:

Nomination

A call for nominations is made, typically by the President or a designated member of the Club. Members may nominate themselves or others for the available positions.

Eligibility

The Club will review the eligibility of each candidate, ensuring that they meet the qualifications outlined in the bylaws and have no conflicts of interest.

Campaigning

Candidates may be given the opportunity to campaign for their positions, either through public forums, speeches, video or written statements.

Voting

The Club will conduct a fair and equitable vote amongst the current Membership, with equal access for all eligible Members to cast their votes.

Eligible Members who can vote are defined as those Members who have paid Club Dues for the current year and are actively serving as Member of the Club.

Vote Counting

The Club will tally the votes, either immediately after the vote or at a later time if absentee ballots or electronic votes need to be counted.

Announcement of Results

The Club will announce the results of the election, either at the same meeting or at the next AGM.

Installation

Newly elected officers will be installed in their positions and will assume their duties effective in the upcoming fiscal year outlined in the bylaws.

Term

The board members and officers of the Club serve for one year and may be elected to serve for additional terms as long as they are in good standing as a general member.

The suggested term for Officers is from January 1st to December 31st.

Vacancies

When there is a vacancy in an office position, any of the following 3 can be considered for action:

Appointment by the Board

The board of directors may appoint a replacement officer to fill the vacancy until the next election cycle. The appointment process may involve nominations and a vote by the board.

Special Election

The Club may hold a special election to fill the vacancy, either at a regular meeting or at a specially called meeting.

Succession

In some cases, if a succession plan for filling officer vacancies is available, that may be utilized. For example, the Vice President may automatically assume the role of President if the President resigns or is unable to fulfill their duties.

Suggested Election Schedule

The following is the suggested Election Schedule. The Team Presidents are responsible for selecting and executing the Election Schedule each year.

• Nominations and Acceptance of Nominations: November 1st - November 10th
• Campaigning: November 11th - November 30th
• Voting: December 1st - December 15th
• Announcement of Election Results: December 16th
• Migration of Officer Roles: December 17th to December 31st
• New Officers Take Office: January 1st

Financial Management Policies

All Club financial matters are managed by and are the responsibility of the Treasury Department, made up of the Treasurers from both the Women’s Team and the Men’s Teams. Policies include:

Books and Accounting

The Club’s financial records are managed in Quickbooks Online. Access to Quickbooks is granted to Treasurers only. Quickbooks is connected to the Club’s bank accounts electronically, with journal entries made manually by the Treasurers.

Dues Invoices

Dues are paid via electronic invoices emailed to active Club members from the quickbooks online system. The Treasury Department is responsible for executing yearly invoicing for all active members.

Membership Dues and Game Day Dues Policies

The Treasury Department must publish the “Club Membership Dues Standard” on the Club’s website (https://hudsonvalleyrugbyClub.com/2023-Club-membership-dues-standard) by December 31st of the current year for the year following. This is done to announce to all members the details of the next year’s membership dues and game day dues.

Bank Accounts

The Club maintains two bank accounts at Hudson Valley Credit Union, one checking account and one savings account to house sponsorship funds.

Access to Bank Accounts

The Treasury is responsible for managing Officer access and control over the bank accounts. The Treasury can issue debit cards to officers for charging Club related expenses. When an Officer retires from a post they must return any Club debit cards to the Treasury.

Match Day Budgets

The Treasury is responsible for issuing a “Match Day Budget” and communicating this budget to the Social Chair and Match Secretary, to help guide their spending on match days.

Yearly Financial Reporting

The Treasury is responsible for publishing a Yearly Financial Report by December 31st of each year to the entire Club Membership, detailing the expenditures and revenue of the previous year. 

IRS 990-N Filing

The Treasury is responsible for filing the IRS 990-N form each year to ensure the Club maintains its 501 (c) (3) non-profit status with the IRS. This is done in the Q1 of each year at: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/annual-electronic-filing-requirement-for-small-exempt-Clubs-form-990-n-e-postcard

Amendments

Notice

A proposed amendment must be submitted in writing by an active Club member to the Board of Directors at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which the amendment will be considered. The notice should include the full text of the proposed amendment and an explanation of the reasons for the proposed change.

Consideration

The Board of Directors shall review the proposed amendment at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and shall decide whether to submit it to the general membership for a vote.

Voting Requirements

A vote on a proposed amendment may be taken at any general member meeting or over a two week virtual/digital voting period of the membership, provided that notice has been given in accordance with the bylaws. A quorum of two-thirds of active affected members is required for the vote to be valid.

Approval

A proposed amendment shall be adopted if it is approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the active affected members present at the meeting or voting period.

Record-Keeping

The Administrator shall record the adoption of any amendment to the bylaws and shall ensure that a copy of the amended bylaws is distributed to all members of the Club.

Dissolution

Notice

A proposal to dissolve the Club must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors at least 120 days in advance of the meeting at which the proposal will be considered. The notice should include the reason for the proposed dissolution and any recommended plan for the distribution of assets.

Consideration

The Board of Directors shall review the proposal to dissolve the Club at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and shall decide whether to submit it to the membership for a vote.

Vote

A vote on the proposal to dissolve the Club may be taken at any meeting or over a two week virtual/digital voting period of the membership, provided that notice has been given in accordance with the bylaws. A quorum of two-thirds of active members is required for the vote to be valid.

Approval

The proposal to dissolve the Club shall be adopted if it is approved unanimously by the active members present at the meeting.

Distribution of Assets

In the event that the Club is dissolved, its assets shall be distributed to one or more nonprofit Clubs with similar purposes and goals as determined by the Board of Directors. If no such Clubs exist, the assets shall be distributed to a local charity of its choice as determined by the Board of Directors.

Record-Keeping

The Administrative Officer shall record the adoption of the resolution to dissolve the Club and shall ensure that all required filings and notifications are completed with the appropriate government agencies. If the Administrative Officer is unable to perform these duties, the duties are transferred to the Club Presidents.

Conflicts of Interest

Disclosure

No paid employee of the Club shall sit on the Board of Directors, provided that a paid employee may, at the invitation of the Board, attend meetings of the Board and speak therein. No contract or other transaction between the Club and one or more of its Trustees, Officers or Members, or between the Club and any other corporation, firm, association or other entity in which one or more of its Trustees, Officers or Members are director or officers, or have substantial personal, professional, political or financial interest, shall be approved by a vote of the Board or any committee thereof if such Trustee or Trustees or Officer or Officers are present at the meeting of the Board, or of a committee thereof, which authorizes such contract or transaction, or his or her votes are counted for such purpose, unless:

• The Trustee, Officer, or Member involved in a contract or transaction must disclose any relevant facts about their interest in it. This includes any common directorship, officership, or personal, professional, political, or financial interest. The disclosure should be made in good faith or known to the Board or committee. However, the contract or transaction can proceed if a majority of the Trustees voting on it are impartial.
• OR; The disclosure should be made in good faith or known to the Members who have the right to vote on it. If a majority of those Members approve, the contract or transaction can proceed.
• All directors, officers, and members of committees with board-delegated powers have a duty to disclose any conflicts of interest that arise or may arise during their tenure with the Club. A conflict of interest arises when a person's personal interests or relationships may be perceived as competing with the interests of the Club.
• Any director, officer, or member of a committee with board-delegated powers who has a conflict of interest must recuse themselves from any discussions, deliberations, or decisions involving the matter in question. They should not participate in any vote or decision-making process regarding the issue.
• Consequences of violating conflict of interest policies could include removal from the board or committee, suspension or termination of membership, or legal action if necessary.
  
  
  

Compensation

No officer or director of this Club shall receive any compensation or remuneration for services rendered to the Club in relation to their duties as an officer, except for reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the Club. No employee of this Club shall receive compensation in excess of a reasonable salary for services rendered to the Club, as determined by the Board of Directors. Any compensation or salary paid to an employee shall be based on fair market value for the services rendered, and shall be approved by the Board of Directors. All compensation and salary decisions shall be documented and maintained in the Club's records.

The revenue generated by a non-profit Club is reinvested back into the Club to support its mission and activities, rather than being distributed as profit to shareholders or owners. The Corporation will not have or issue shares of stock. No dividends will be paid. No part of the income or assets of the Corporation will be distributed to its Members, Trustees or Officers without full consideration. No Member of the Corporation has any vested right, interest or privilege in or to the assets, property, functions or activities of the Corporation. The Corporation may contract in due course with its Members, Trustees and Officers without violating this provision.

Approval

These by laws were adopted on October 1st 2023, following a 90.9% majority vote of the current Club Officers, in accordance with the previous by laws’ guidance on amendments and changes.