Bellingham Wheel and Keel Club By-Laws
(Amended November 10, 2022)
ARTICLE I - INTRODUCTION
SECTION 1.
The name of this Club shall be the Bellingham Wheel and Keel.
SECTION 2.
The purpose of the Bellingham Wheel and Keel is to serve the interest of boats and boat owners, to defend such owners against discriminating legislation and burdensome taxation related to boating activities, to prevent pollution of neighboring water ways to stimulate a greater interest in boating among all the citizens in the area served by the Club, to develop a fraternal spirit among outdoor enthusiasts, to provide a medium of exchange of boating information, to develop more adequate boat storage and dock facilities and to do all other things which will tend to serve owners of boats and to further the interest of boating locally and generally in a nonpartisan and nonsectarian manner. To acquire, hold, manage, mortgage, rent, lease, sell, convey, and otherwise encumber and dispose of property of every kind and nature, real and personal or mixed, but for the sole end of carrying out and securing the foregoing objects and purposes.
SECTION 3.
The Bellingham Wheel and Keel shall be a nonprofit organization.
SECTION 4.
The Burgee of the Bellingham Wheel and Keel shall be navy blue with a forward vertical white stripe, a bronze propeller wheel and a diagonal white stripe. This burgee shall be displayed, as shown above, only by members of the Club. The burgee and Wheel and Keel banner will not be displayed by any member for self-serving, private or any other purpose without Board of Directors approval. Sharing or trading the Wheel and Keel burgee with other Clubs is permitted.
SECTION 5.
All functions involving The Wheel and Keel Club or representing the same requires Board of Directors approval.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1.
Membership in the Bellingham Wheel and Keel shall be open to all individuals who are interested in boating. Applicant must be 21 years of age.
SECTION 2.
Application for membership in the club shall be made on an official application form and submitted with the required application fees. The membership application, in its approved form shall contain an agreement to abide by the bylaws of the Club. An application for membership shall first be referred to the Membership Secretary (or designate) who will forward it to the Membership Committee for consideration. If approved, such application shall be submitted to the membership at the next regular or special meeting and shall be voted on. The proposed new member or sponsor must be present at this meeting. A favorable vote of a majority of the members present shall be required to elect an applicant to membership. If the application is approved, the applicant shall then become a member of the Club.
SECTION 3.
A member may resign from the Club at any time upon written notice addressed to the Secretary.
SECTION 4.
Membership in the Club shall be terminated for nonpayment of dues prior to April 1. Termination of the membership of any member shall not release said member from obligation to pay all dues owing at the end of the period of membership. A member having been terminated for non-payment of dues can be reinstated during the fiscal year of termination by paying past and current dues, and with approval of the membership committee. Membership may also be terminated for any reason whatever by a three-quarters vote of the members of the Club present at any regular meeting.
SECTIOn 5.
Any member wanting to represent the Club at a function outside of Club scheduled events, orally entity outside the Club wanting Club representation will provide the Commodore of the Club with a minimum of two weeks notice prior to the date of Club participation. It is preferred that the notification arrive by an official invitation in writing or electronically to the Commodore.
ARTICLE III – MANAGEMENT
SECTION 1.
The management of the club shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and the three Trustees.
SECTION 2.
All Members of the Board of Directors shall hold office for one year or until their successors are duly elected and qualified, EXCEPT for the three Trustees, who will be elected to three-year terms, those terms so staggered as to require one Trustee to be elected each year. Five members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3.
Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Commodore or any three of the other members of the Board, notice shall be given in sufficient time to permit members to be present, taking into consideration the availability of transportation and other contributing factors. All members of the Board of Directors must be notified of a Board Meeting. Any member of the board missing 2 consecutive meetings will be dismissed
ARTICLE V – ELECTIVE OFFICERS
SECTION I.
The elective officers of the Club shall be Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Rear-Commodore, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and three Trustees. The first three officers shall be known as flag officers.
SECTION 2.
The officers shall be elected by the members at their annual meeting and shall hold office for the term of one year or until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, EXCEPT in the case of the Trustees, who will be elected and serve as designated in ARTICLE IV, Section 2.
SECTION 3.
The Commodore shall preside at all meetings of the Club and its Board of Directors, shall appoint all committees unless otherwise stated in the bylaws. The Commodore shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the nominating committee and shall carry on those other responsibilities assigned to him by these bylaws and by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4.
During the absence or temporary incapacity of the Commodore, the Vice-Commodore shall perform the duties of the Commodore and have the powers of the Commodore.
SECTION 5.
The Rear Commodore shall perform the duties of the Commodore in the absence of the Commodore and Vice-Commodore and have the powers of the same. The Rear Commodore shall be the chairman of the membership committee.
SECTION 6.
The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence of the Club, record the minutes of the Club meetings and the meetings of the Board of Directors, and read those minutes at the following regular meeting of the Club.
SECTION 7.
The Membership Secretary shall head all membership drives, shall maintain membership file, a copy of which shall also be filed with theSecretary, and shall sign and distribute or mail membership cards.
SECTION 8.
The Treasurer shall keep all accounts of the Club and shall have charge of its funds. He/she shall keep all funds in a bank as approved by the Board of Directors and in the name of the Club, subject to withdrawals by checks (see section 10). He/She shall; dispense the funds of the Club under the direction of the membership in regular or special meetings. Payments for membership or other obligations to the Club may be made electronically. An annual audit shall be prepared of his/her books and submitted to the membership by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 9.
The Nominating Committee shall be elected by the October meeting and shall consist of three members, one of which shall be the Vice Commodore. The Nominating Committee shall Nominate one member for each elected Flag Office and at least one member for each vacancy on the Board and shall submit their report at the annual meeting. After the report the Commodore shall call for nominations from the floor. Vacancies in any elected office may be filled by the members at any meeting of the Club at which a quorum is present. The successor so chosen shall serve for the unexpired term of his predecessor.
SECTION 10.
It shall be the duty of the Officers of the Club to see that all club funds are signed by two of the following officers: Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Treasurer for amounts of $1,000.00 or greater.
SECTION 11.
No member of the Club shall be nominated to office unless he is present at the annual meeting or agrees in writing to accept a nomination.
ARTICLE VI - FISCAL YEAR
SECTION 1.
The fiscal year of the Club shall commence on the first day of January and end the thirty-first day of December.
ARTICLE VII – DUES
SECTION 1.
The dues for each member of the Club and the method of payment thereof shall be determined at each annual meeting.
ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS
SECTION 1.
The annual meeting of the members of the Club shall be held on the first meeting in November of each year. Elected officers shall take office the first meeting in January.
SECTION 2.
Regular meetings of the members of the Club shall be held on the second Thursday of each month, excepting June, July, and August.
SECTION 3.
Written notices of the place, day, and hour of the annual and regular meetings shall be prepared and distributed to the membership by the Secretary.
SECTION 4.
Special meetings of the members of the Club may be called by the Commodore or by five (5) members upon giving three days' written notice, which notice shall state the place, day, hour, and the purpose of the meeting.
SECTION 5.
All meetings of the members shall be held at the place, day, and hour designated in the notice.
SECTION 6.
Twelve (12) members shall constitute a quorum. Any action taken at a regular or special meeting shall require a majority vote of those members present.
SECTION 7.
The Commodore or ranking senior officer at any cruise may call a special meeting for the purpose of voting on applications for membership.
ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES
SECTION 1.
Membership committee shall consist of the Rear Commodore and two non-officer members. The committee shall investigate all applications for membership as provided for elsewhere in these bylaws.
SECTION 2.
The Public Relations Committee shall strive to project the best image of the Wheel and Keel and its activities and shall obtain as much favorable publicity as possible in the local news media.
SECTION 3.
The Cruise Committee shall consist of the Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Rear Commodore, and at least two members from the membership. The Cruise Committee shall establish dates and locations for each cruise. The chairman shall be approached before being delegated. The cruise committee shall establish a budget for each cruise. Members wishing to bring a guest to a dinner/potluck will be responsible for bringing dishes for their guest or making an appropriate donation to the cruise fund. The Commodore shall set the appropriate donation.
SECTION 4.
The Salmon Fishing Derby Committee Chairman shall be the winner of the previous salmon derby. The Bottom Fishing Derby Committee Chairman shall be the winner of the previous bottom-fishing derby. The committees will be responsible for tickets, rules, prizes, price, time, area of derby, and location of weigh in. Only boats with a member in good standing thirty days prior to each derby are allowed to participate. Members must accompany fish at weigh-in. If the winner of previous Derby cannot assume the responsibilities of chairman, the Commodore shall appoint a chairman.
SECTION 5.
The Finance Committee shall consist of the Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Treasurer, and two non officer members. The Finance committee shall develop a budget for the coming year to be presented at the annual meeting. The budget must address all sources and uses of funds and provide financial guidance to all other committees. The commodore and Treasurer shall monitor the attainment of the budget
ARTICLE X – CHANGES TO BYLAWS
These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Club by a majority vote of those present, providing the proposed amendment or amendments are first properly drawn, signed by the proponent, the presentation approved by the membership in a regular meeting; then provided a notice of such proposed amendments or amendments shall have been mailed or emailed to each member with notice of the meeting at which the amendment or amendments are to be considered.