The
Sun, Snow, and Surf Ski Club, Inc.
Charter
AMENDED: 25 April
2011
Section 1
The
name of this organization is the Sun, Snow, and Surf Ski Club, Inc. The word Club, whenever used in
this charter, shall mean the Sun, Snow, and Surf Ski Club, Inc.
Section 2
The object of this Club
is to:
a. Encourage participation in winter
sports, such as alpine (downhill) and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and
related activities.
b. Provide opportunities for skiing,
with emphasis upon good fellowship among skiers and skiing enthusiasts.
c. Promote year-round group activities
to sustain physical fitness and to provide opportunities for social
interaction.
Section 1
a. The Club
is registered with its sponsoring organization as a private organization and
will be administered in a manner consistent with the Private Organizations’
Handbook published by our sponsoring organization.
b. Membership in the Club
is open on an equal basis to all those meeting the membership eligibility as
defined in Article V, Section l.
c. The specific name or
reference of any kind to our sponsoring organization or its subordinate
organizations will not appear in any Club correspondence or
publicity--posters, brochures, newsletter, Internet
website, etc.
d. The Club
files Federal and State tax forms in accordance with its non-profit status.
Section 1
The officers of the
Section 2
The Board of Governors consists of
the officers, the immediate past President, and four Governors-at-Large. A
majority of the Board may from time to time modify this number if circumstances
warrant. The term of office for a
Governor is two years. The President acts as the Chair of the Board of
Governors.
Section 3 Duties of the Officers and Governors-at-Large
a.
President - The President presides at all meetings, when possible. The President appoints the Chair of all
committees, and is empowered to request a report from all or any committee
chair at any time. The President shall act at all times in a manner intended to
further the advancement of winter sports and other activities and in the best interest of the Club.
The President or other elected
official will review the private organization folder for the Club
which is maintained by our sponsoring organization. The President will also review the “Annual
Report for Private Organizations” prior to its forwarding to the sponsoring
organization on 1 April of each year.
b. Vice
President - The Vice President is empowered to act as President in the
absence of the President and at the direction of the President. If the office of the President becomes
vacant, the Vice President becomes President and serves until the next regular
election. The Vice President will chair a committee which will be responsible
for planning and oversight of ski trips and other multi-day activities.
c.
Treasurer - The Treasurer handles all Club funds and
renders an accounting to the Board of Governors upon their request. The Treasurer shall prepare and file all tax
forms and the “Annual Report
for Private Organizations.”
d.
Secretary - The Secretary keeps the minutes of the Board of Governors
meetings. The Secretary, at the
direction of the President, answers correspondence and is responsible for
providing the minutes of the meetings to any member of the Club
upon request.
e. Governors-at Large
- Governors-at-Large along with the officers form the policymaking body of the Club.
Section 4 Elections
a. Elections are held during
the month of January, subject to notice to the membership of thirty days or at
a previous open meeting, whichever is greater.
Election to each office and the
Board of Governors is decided by a majority of the members voting. Voting will be by a printed or electronic
ballot provided to each Club member. Newly elected officers shall
take office on 1 March, or as soon as practicable thereafter.
b. Vacancy of any position as
officer (except the President) or member of the board is to be announced to the
membership and filled within sixty days.
In the case of the President, the Vice President fills the vacancy. Nominations are taken from members at
large. A two-thirds majority vote of the
Board of Governors is required to select from the nominees. The selected person then serves until the next
regular election.
c. Search Committee - The Board
of Governors will establish a search committee to surface interested candidates
for election to Club
offices.
d. Candidate
qualifications - Officer: Candidates
shall have
been members of the Club
for
at least one year. Prior
service on the Board of Governors is desirable but not required.
Governor-at-Large: Candidates shall have been members of the Club for at least one year.
Section 5 Removal of Officers
Officers may be removed from office during
the course of the year upon recommendation of two-thirds of the Board of
Governors.
Section 1
The Board of Governors directs
the government and affairs of this Club and approves its
programs.
Section 2
The
Board of Governors must authorize capital expenditures.
Section 3
Meetings shall be scheduled by the President
based on need and on the availability of a quorum.
Proceedings will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, at the
discretion of the officers. The
President will decide whether to bring an issue before the Board of Governors
or the general membership. Decisions at general meetings are decided by a
majority vote from those present and eligible to vote, or, for the Board of Governors,
a quorum is required. A quorum of the Board of Governors is five members of
this body. The President does not vote
except to decide an issue upon which the Board is deadlocked, or to break a
tie.
Section 4
All time spent in furthering the activities
of this Club is on a non-remunerative basis, except for those
compensations provided by the tour agency or other vendors with whom we are
dealing for a particular trip, or as modified by the Board of Governors.
Section 5
Club trips will be scheduled
and run in accordance with current guidelines approved by the Board. Such guidelines shall be reviewed and updated
on a bi-annual basis and are available to any member of the Club
upon request. A cancellation policy for trip participants shall be established
and reviewed by the Board bi-annually. No scheduled trips will be cancelled
without prior approval of the Board of Governors.
Section 6
The President shall determine
the need for committees doing the work of the Club. There will be
written responsibilities for each committee.
Section 7
The Board of Governors shall
determine the need for a club newsletter and Internet website. They shall
additionally determine the number of issues to be published per year and establish
guidelines for the content.
Section 1 Eligibility
Membership in the Club
is available to individuals who satisfy the following criteria:
1. Current members or former members.
2.
3. Employees of organizations affiliated with
the sponsoring organization such as industrial and academic institutions.
4. Retirees from the organizations specified
above.
5. Friends of any of the above. A friend is defined as an individual with
close personal, social, or business relationship with a member. A Club
member will sponsor all such individuals in accordance with current guidelines. Individuals who obtain membership in the Club
in this manner may sponsor another, subject to the approval of the Club’s
Membership Committee.
6. Be at
least 18 years of age.
Section 2 Membership Classes, Effective Dates
a. There are two
classes of Club
membership: individual and family.
1. Individual:
an individual member is defined as a person who meets the
qualifying and age criteria in Article V, section 1, and who pays dues (or is
an honorary member designated by the Board of Governors).
2. Family:
a. Family Membership covers any individual
sharing the household of a person who meets the qualification for individual
membership. Family membership also
covers any individual related by blood, adoption or marriage to an individual
who is otherwise eligible for Club membership. Families with
persons under 18 years of age must abide by the provisions of Section 3.d
below.
b. The effective dates for a Club membership will include that period from the end date of the last ski trip through 30 June of the following year.
c. All members must sign the Club waiver.
Section 3 Membership Rights
a.
Each individual member and each member covered by a family membership is
eligible to:
1.
Vote on all issues or in any election,
2.
Hold any office, elected or appointed,
3.
Participate in any activity.
b. Each individual member
and each family membership is entitled to receive the Club
newsletter (Sitzmark), mailed or
e-mailed to the address of record of the individual member or family
membership.
c. Only members of the Club
may participate in Club activities that include an overnight
stay. All participants, including non-members, must sign waiver agreements to
participate in Club athletic activities.
d. The Board of Governors
may declare, at its discretion, any Club athletic activity to be
open or closed to underage individuals.
For open activities, a family member 18 years of age or older must
sponsor, accompany and assume complete responsibility for the safety, conduct
and supervision of all underage persons.
At its discretion, the Club may require a written and
signed statement from the parent or legal guardian of a child when a Club
member who is not related to the child accompanies that child. The sponsoring
Family Member will sign a Club waiver on behalf of all underage
individuals.
e. Members may sponsor a
guest at any Club activity with the exception of overnight
activities, with the agreement of the member hosting or running the activity.
Section 1 Assessments
a. The Board of Governors has the
authority to levy an assessment on all members in the form of membership dues.
b. The amount of the membership dues
for each year is set by the Board of Governors for that membership year.
c.
The Fiscal Year of the Club shall be July 1 through June 30.
Section 2 The Treasury
a. The Treasury consists of all monies
collected in the form of activity fees and dues.
b. All monies will be expended for Club
activities or specific purposes only (i.e., the purchase of needed equipment,
rental of equipment, repairs to equipment, rental of meeting rooms,
transportation, meeting needs, Club publications and other
operational expenses).
c. Any social activities (i.e.,
parties) will be financed entirely by funds contributed by the members. An exception may be made to subsidize an
activity with treasury funds, such as to reduce the cost of a banquet. The Board of Governors will determine the
applicability and amount of subsidy.
Section 1
The Board of Governors shall review the Charter every two years.
Section 2
Changes to this Charter will be made by
majority vote of the Board of Governors. A copy of the Charter will be posted
on the Club’s Internet website with notification in the Club’s newsletter.
Section 3
The following documents are referenced in this charter and are
appendices to it:
a.
Guidelines for Trip Captains
b.
c.
Newsletter Publication Guidelines