MINNKOTA CRUISING CLUB

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Name

Section 1. The name of the organization is the Minnkota Cruising Club.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this organization is to promote and encourage safe boating and to be a family cruising club.

ARTICLE III

Membership

Section 1. Any person aged twenty-one or more is eligible for membership in the Minnkota Cruising Club. Members of the club are expected to be moral, social, and thoughtful people. Every member is expected to promote the welfare and reputation of the club, obey its laws, and avoid conduct at club functions and while boating which may be offensive to fellow members or others.

Section 2. Membership commences when there is a unanimous vote of the membership committee for admission and continues until voluntarily terminated by the member or until expelled by a majority of the Board of Trustees and a confirming vote of two-thirds of the members present at a regular meeting. No one may be expelled until given an opportunity of explanation at a regular meeting. (Failure to keep dues payment current is considered voluntary termination.)

Section 3. A regular member owns a boat. A social member does not own a boat. (Dues adjustments noted in “Standing Rules.”)

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Section 1. The elective offices of the Minnkota Cruising Club are The Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, and the Treasurer. The officers must be regular members in good standing and no member can be elected to an office during the first year of membership.

ARTICLE V

Officers Duties

Section 1. The commodore is in command, and is the guardian of the rules and regulations, and the welfare of the club. This officer is expected to take all actions appropriate to the office, keeping in mind that final authority rests with the membership.

The Commodore, if present, presides at all formal meetings unless otherwise delegated.

The Commodore’s signature is the only one which can “commit” the club to an action as a body. (When reasonable, the Secretary should co-sign commitments to ensure that the action becomes a matter of record.)

The Commodore appoints all non-elective officers and committees.

Section 2. The Vice Commodore assists the Commodore in the discharge of duties. When the Commodore is indisposed, the Vice Commodore assumes the duties of Commodore.

The Vice Commodore performs duties assigned by the Commodore and/or the Board of Trustees, and is the Chairperson for the Membership Committee.

If the Office of Commodore becomes vacant the Vice Commodore succeeds to the office.

Section 3. The Rear Commodore assists the Commodore and the Vice Commodore in the discharge of their duties, and in their absence officiates in their stead.

The Rear Commodore is the Commodore’s chief organizer of the annual program of cruises. The Rear Commodore is delegated the authority to appoint Cruise Captains and is responsible to make sure that plans for each cruise have been prepared to ensure the membership a pleasant and memorable time.

If the office of Vice Commodore becomes vacant the Rear Commodore succeeds to that office.

Section 4. The Secretary is the guardian of the true record of the Minnkota Cruising Club. The records are the permanent property of the Minnkota Cruising Club and as such must be legible and comprehensive. The Secretary maintains the correct roll of membership and makes copies available as requested.

The membership roll contains a member’s name, address, and telephone number(s) together with the boat name, size, power, port and radio call signs.

Due to the importance of record continuity the Secretary is expected to provide a substitute for any planned absence from a regular meeting.

The Secretary will be reimbursed for postage and publication costs.

Section 5. The Treasurer is the record keeper of the finances of the Minnkota Cruising Club, and the interface between the club and the designated bank. Deposits and withdrawals of the club funds can only be to and from accounts in the name of Minnkota Cruising Club.

All withdrawals must be traceable, however circuitous, back to an approval by the membership through the Commodore or other duly appointed officer.

The Treasurer will report the bank balances and any unusual financial activities at each regular meeting. At least once a year the books will be audited by a committee appointed by the Commodore, and at the end of the year the books will be fully up to date for transfer to the incoming Treasurer.

ARTICLE VI

Elections

Section 1. Nominations must include the consent of the nominee before placement in nomination either by the committee or from the floor.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee Chairman, a past officer, is appointed in June by the Commodore. The committee consists of the Chairman and four regular members.

The Nominating Committee meets in September and produces at least one nominee for each elective office to be filled. Their report is made at the October regular meeting. At this meeting nominations from other regular members are added to the slate.

The Nominating Committee chairman also makes sure that a reminder about the November election is included in the minutes of the October meeting.

Section 3. Elections are held at the “Annual Meeting” (the regular November meeting). Election is by a simple majority from a secret ballot. The Commodore appoints an election committee on the night of the election and voting must by completed during that meeting.

Installation of officers is accomplished by a Changing of the Watch ceremony at the December regular meeting. The ceremony is a transfer of commission from each presiding officer to his newly elected replacement.

All records of the club are transferred to the newly installed officers at the regular January meeting following elections.

The Minnkota Cruising Club limits the elected officers to two consecutive terms in the same office.

There is a regular succession from Vice Commodore to Commodore unless the member declines the succession.

Section 4. If a vacancy occurs in an elected office, the Board of Trustees must schedule an election to find a replacement. If the vacancy occurs in the Commodore ranks, each incumbent will move up to fill the successive openings and the election will be to replace the Rear Commodore.

Section 5. An officer can be asked to resign from office if the cause is supported by a two-thirds vote of the Board of trustees. If the officer declines the resignation, the remaining officers will declare the position vacant.

ARTICLE VII

Board of Trustees

Section 1. The Board of Trustees includes the six elected officers and the retiring Commodore, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2. The Board of Trustees is the general supervisor of the club in matters of policy, rules, discord, etc. The Board has the authority to act between regular business meetings, only if action is imperative prior to the next general meeting.

Section 3. The Board of Trustees meets at the call of the Commodore or at the call of three of its members. A full report of its meetings must be made to the membership

ARTICLE VIII

Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings will be held monthly except for July, August and December.

Section 2. The regular meeting in November is the “Annual meeting” and while not exclusively for elections, that is the primary topic.

Section 3. The business meeting is conducted in the following order:

a. Call to order

b. Opening ceremonies

c. Minutes of the previous meeting (if requested)

d. Treasurer’s report

e. Introduction of guests

f. Officer’s reports

g. Committee reports

h. Old business

i. New business

j. Adjournment

ARTICLE IX

Finances

Section 1. The Board of trustees is the administrator of the funds of the Minnkota Cruising Club. They can be overruled by a two-thirds vote of the membership at a regular meeting.

Section 2. The fiscal year runs from January 1 to December 31 of the same year.

Section 3. Reimbursement for authorized expenses will be made on the submission of receipts.

Section 4. If dissolution occurs, the assets of the Minnkota Cruising Club will be distributed among the members under the direction of the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE X

Insignia

Section 1. The burgee of the Minnkota Cruising Club is gray with a blue “MK” in the center.

Section 2. The elected officers are entitled to fly the traditional flags of their office in addition to the club burgee.

Section 3. Changes in the insignia require a seven eighths vote of the membership.

ARTICLE XI

Parliamentary Procedure

Section 1. The conduct of business in a meeting is loosely described as discussion then motions and seconds from the floor and a vote by the membership present at the meeting. It is recommended that the Commodore return or delegate a subject to a committee for more work if long, disorganized or heated discussion ensues.

ARTICLE XII

Amendments

Section 1. Changes to these bylaws, except changes to the insignia, may be made by a two thirds vote of the members at a regular meeting, if the proposed changes have appeared in published minutes at least one month earlier.

Revised October 2001.

Approved:

Leo Goedde, Commodore