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Coasters Harbor[b] NAVY[/b] Yacht Club
P.O. Box 3236 Broadway Station
Newport, RI 02840
By-laws
Amended November, 2004
[b]Article 1. Name and Burgee[/b]
1.1 The name of the organization shall be the Coasters Harbor Navy Yacht Club, Inc.
1.2 The burgee of this organization shall be a pennant with a blue field and a hoist to fly ratio of two to three. A gold horizontal stripe of a width of one forth the hoist shall run from the center of the hoist to the point. The letters "CHNYC" shall appear as follows, with the "N" being of a height of one-sixth the hoist.
[b]Article 2. Purpose[/b]
2.1 To promote the enjoyment of recreational and competitive boating and sailing.
2.2 To promote instruction and training in the skills necessary to the safe enjoyment of the recreational and competitive boating and sailing.
2.3 To act as the advocate for patrons of the Naval Station Marina at Coasters Harbor.
2.4 To provide, manage, operate and maintain such physical and material facilities and boats that may be deemed necessary and expedient in furthering the purposes of the organization.
2.5 To purchase, acquire, hold, sell, convey, mortgage, lease, and exchange real estate and personal property of every nature, kind and description whatsoever, and to do any and all things not prohibited by law, which are necessary to, expedient to, and consistent with the purposes of this organization.
[b]
Article 3. Membership[/b]
3.1 Regular memberships shall be open to:
3.1.1 All active duty, active reserve, and retired members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and U.S. Coast Guard.
3.1.2 All active duty members of the Armed Forces of other nations allied with or having security agreements with the United States of America
3.1.3 Lawful dependents of the persons indicated in the subparagraphs above.
3.1.4 Department of Defense employees and retirees.
3.2 Associate memberships shall be open to:
3.2.1 Lawful minor dependents of regular members.
3.3 Honorary memberships may be conferred on any person for a period of one year by a majority vote of the Executive Board. There shall be no more than twelve honorary members at any given time.
3.4 Privileges of Membership
3.4.1 Regular members shall be entitled to hold office, except as provided in Article 4 below, to vote at general meetings, to enjoy all activities of the organization and to use all the physical and material facilities and boats owned or operated by the organization.
3.4.2 Associate members shall be permitted to enjoy all activities of the organization and to use all of the physical and material facilities and boats owned or operated by the organization, unless any activity, facility, or boat have been restricted from associate members by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
3.4.3 Honorary members shall be permitted to enjoy all activities of the organization and to use all of the physical and material facilities and boats owned or operated by the organization, unless any activity, facility or boat has been restricted from honorary members by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
3.5 Application for Membership. Each person shall apply for membership by written application to the Secretary of the organization, accompanied by payment of annual dues, which shall not be pro-rated. Membership is effective upon issuance of a membership card signed by the Commodore, Vice-Commodore, or Secretary of the organization.
3.6 The membership year of this organization shall be from April 1 to March 31 of the calendar year following. The Commodore, Vice Commodore, and Secretary may begin issuing memberships for the upcoming membership year within a period not to exceed 90 days prior to the beginning of that year.
3.7 Expiration of membership. All shall automatically expire on March 31 of the membership year.
3.8 Revocation of membership. All memberships may be revoked for cause by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. All memberships may be suspended for cause and reinstated by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board.
[b]Article 4. Officers and Administration[/b]
4.1 The officers of the organization as described below shall be elected to serve for a period of one year.
4.1.1 The Commodore shall be a regular member and shall be Chief Executive Officer of the organization, presiding at all meetings of the organization and at all Executive Board meetings.
4.1.2 The Vice Commodore shall be a regular member and shall assist the Commodore in the execution of his duties and shall act in the place of the Commodore in the Commodore's absence. Either the Commodore or the Vice Commodore shall be a person on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. In the event that any general election of officers shall result in the election to both of these offices of persons who are regular members of a status other than active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, then the office of Vice Commodore shall be the burdened office and the member elected to that office must step down. A new general election for the office of Vice Commodore must immediately be called by the Executive Board wherein only regular members of a status of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States shall be eligible to run.
4.1.3 The Executive Rear Commodore shall be a regular member and shall assist the Commodore and Vice Commodore in the execution of the duties of their offices, and shall act in the place of the Commodore in the absence of the Commodore and the Vice Commodore.
4.1.4 The Secretary shall be a regular member and shall maintain all records of the organization, keep minutes of the organization and Executive Board meetings, administer all correspondence, maintain the membership roles, and perform all duties that may be required of his office.
4.1.5 The Treasurer shall be a regular member and shall maintain all financial records, keep all accounts of money received and paid, and perform all other duties that may be required of his office.
4.2 The Executive Board shall consist of the above named five officers, and shall be empowered to transact all business of the corporation not forbidden by law, or restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these by-laws. The Commodore as Chief Executive Officer, or in his absence the Vice Commodore or Executive Rear Commodore in order of rank, shall be empowered to act for the organization when the Executive Board is not in session, provided that his acts shall not be contrary to any law, article, by-law, or policy of the Executive Board, and provided that he shall report his action or actions to the Executive Board at their next meeting. The Executive Board shall meet at any time and place agreed to by the majority of the Board, but 24 hour notice must be provided each officer. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be three or more members, and the majority vote of a quorum shall be sufficient to transact all business not otherwise prohibited by these by-laws. In the event of death, disability, resignation, or non-feasance of duty of any officer of the Executive Board, the remaining officers shall call a general election without delay to replace that officer.
4.3 The Executive Board shall appoint persons to the following Standing Committees. The Chair shall be an active regular member.
4.3.1 Race Committee: Shall organize and supervise all sailing races conducted by the organization and assist as necessary in races conducted by or in conjunction with other organizations. The Race Committee shall hear protests, for which purpose the Chair may appoint a Race Protest Subcommittee. The Race Committee Chair shall be entitled Rear Commodore (Racing).
4.3.2 Cruising Committee: Shall organize and supervise all sail cruising activities conducted by the organization and shall assist as necessary in all such activities conducted by or in conjunction with other organizations. The Cruising Committee Chair shall be entitled Rear Commodore (Cruising).
4.3.3 Power Committee: Shall organize and supervise all powerboat activities conducted by the organization and shall assist as necessary in all such activities conducted by or in conjunction with other organizations. The Chair of the Power Committee shall be entitled Rear Commodore (Power).
4.3.4 Training Committee: Shall organize and supervise all sailboat training activities conducted by the organization and shall assist as necessary in all such activities conducted by or in conjunction with other organizations. The Chair of the Training Committee shall be entitled Rear Commodore (Sail Training). The principal assistant shall be entitled Rear Commodore (Ground School).
4.3.5 Facilities and Property Committee: Shall be responsible to the Executive Board for the operation and maintenance of all real estate, personal property, and boats owned and operated by the organization. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member of the committee. The Chair of the Facilities and Property Committee may be entitled Rear Commodore (Facilities).
4.4 Advisory Board: The Chair of the above standing committees shall constitute an Advisory Board which shall meet with the Executive Board when so directed by that Board for the purpose of advising the Executive Board.
4.5 All of the above named officers and committee chairmen and members shall serve without remuneration. All other committees and tasks appointed by the Executive Board shall also serve without remuneration unless the Executive Board specifically states the remuneration to be given. All committees may meet at any time or place and may be called by any member of the committee, provided that all members must be given 24 hours notice. A committee quorum shall be 51 percent or more of the members of that committee present, and a majority vote of the quorum shall be sufficient to conduct the business of the committee. The Executive Board may appoint such committees or delegate such tasks as it deems appropriate to carry out the business of the organization.
4.6 The Annual General Membership Meeting shall be held in November each year, at the Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island. Notice is required of this meeting, and will be published to the membership by the Executive Board. The Annual General Membership Meeting shall be held to elect the Officers of the Executive Board for the upcoming membership year, and to conduct other such general business as may be desired by the membership. If any member desires to have a vote on a change of these by-laws, such changes proposed must be published to regular members two weeks in advance of the Annual General Membership Meeting. Other General Membership Meetings may be called by the Executive Board or by a petition to the Executive Board by twenty or more regular members provided that in either event the Executive Board must publish two weeks notice to the regular members of the time, place, and date of the meeting and of the proposed business to be conducted at the meeting. In no event shall a General Membership Meeting be held outside the confines of Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island, without a two-third vote in agreement of a quorum of the regular membership.
4.7 Procedural Rules:
4.7.1 Quorum: Shall be effected when one-tenth of the regular membership are present at a duly called General Membership Meeting. The Secretary shall certify the quorum.
4.7.2 Voting:
4.7.2.1 General Membership Meetings: Each regular member shall have one vote. A majority vote of the quorum shall be effective to conduct all business of the organization except amendment of these by-laws.
4.7.2.2 Executive Board Meetings: Each elected officer shall have one vote.
4.7.2.3 Committee Meetings: Each committee member shall have one vote
4.7.2.4 Voting by proxy shall be permitted at all meetings. A proxy shall be signed by the person giving the proxy, and shall name the person authorized to use the proxy. The Secretary shall certify the validity of all proxies at the General Membership Meetings and Executive Board Meetings.
4.7.3 Robert's Rules of Order are adopted to the extent that they do not interfere or conflict with these by-laws as governing the conduct of all meetings. The Commodore or Chair of any meetings may appoint a parliamentarian to rule on all questions of order.
4.7.4 Election of Officers: Officers shall be elected at the General Membership Meeting in November of each year, to take office upon election and serve for a period of one year or until relieved. The Executive Board may appoint a nominating committee. Any person qualified in accordance with the provisions of Article 4, paragraphs 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, and 4.1.5 of these by-laws may be nominated for office by the nominating committee or by petition signed by five regular members and may thereby stand for that office in the Annual General Membership Meeting election of officers. Such nominations or petitions must be presented to the Secretary no later that the first Wednesday in October to be valid. Notice of persons nominated for positions of officers shall be provided to each regular member no less than two weeks prior to the Annual General Membership Meeting. Any person holding an office may be nominated for another term by either nominating committee or petition.
[b]Article 5. Financial Policies[/b]
5.1 Dues:
5.1.1 The amount of dues shall be determined annually for the next year at the General Membership meeting occurring in November.
5.1.2 Dues shall be due or owing at the time of application for membership or the expiration of the membership year.
5.1.3 The fiscal year for the organization shall be January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year following.
5.2 Expenditures:
5.2.1 All funds shall be expended for the purpose of the organization as stated in Article 2 of these by-laws and Corporate Articles.
5.2.2 The Commodore is authorized to approve and expend sums of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less. All other expenditures must be approved by the Executive Board or General membership.
5.2.3 The Treasurer may maintain a petty cash account of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less for which he shall be accountable to the Executive Board.
[b]Article 6[/b]
6.1 Amendments to these by-laws: These by-laws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the quorum at a General Membership Meeting of the organization. Notice of a proposed amendment shall be as required in Article 4, paragraph 4.6.
Amended November 5, 2004
_______________________________
Benjamin C. Riggs, Jr., Commodore
Coasters Harbor[b] NAVY[/b] Yacht Club
P.O. Box 3236 Broadway Station
Newport, RI 02840
By-laws
Amended November, 2004