CLUB RULES

CLUB RULES & BYE LAWS

Current version, effective 19th Dec. 2004 [Word] [Acrobat]
Also available on paper - ask a committee member.

Name and Objective

1.    The name of the club is “The Mullingar Sailing Club”, hereafter referred to as “The Club”, and the burgee of The Club shall be a water-wheel, coloured gold, above two parallel water emblems; all on a green background.

2.    The objective for which The Club is formed is to promote and facilitate the sport of sailing.

Membership

3.    All persons of either sex, whether the owner of a sailing craft or not, who are interested in sailing are eligible for membership provided they are not professional yachtsmen or yachtswomen.

4.    Every candidate for membership shall be nominated by one member, seconded by another member and his or her name and address and any other particulars the committee may require, shall be sent to the honorary secretary.

5.    Election of candidates for membership shall take place at any meeting of the general committee duly convened for that purpose. Candidates may, and on request of any one member of the committee shall be elected by ballot and one black ball shall exclude.

6.    The Club, on recommendation of the general committee, may in general meeting elect honorary members.

7.    Any member desirous of retiring from The Club shall notify his/her intention to the honorary secretary in writing on or before the 21st April, otherwise he/she shall be liable for next year’s subscription.

8.    Every member on joining The Club implicitly undertakes to comply with these rules. Any refusal or neglect to do so, or any conduct which, in the opinion of the general committee, is either unworthy of a member or otherwise injurious to the interests of The Club shall render a member liable to expulsion by the general committee provided that before expelling a member, such committee shall call upon him/her for an explanation of his/her conduct and shall give him/her an opportunity of defending him/herself, or of resigning his/her membership.

    The vote on a resolution for expulsion shall be by ballot and the resolution shall only be carried if not less than three quarters of the members of the general committee present vote in favour of the resolution.

Entrance Fee and Subscription

9.    There shall be an entrance fee of such a sum as the general committee may, from time to time, prescribe.

10.    The annual subscription, payable on election and on the first of May in each year for each class of membership, shall be as proposed at the Annual General Meeting or Emergency General Meeting and carried by a majority ballot of the members present. The subscription rates approved shall continue in force until an amending motion is proposed and carried.
    (a)    A “Full Member” means any over 18 years of age. A full member shall be entitled to the full amenities of The Club.
    (b)    A “Junior Member” means any member under 18 years of age on the first day of January of the current season, or under 23 years who is pursuing full time education. A junior member shall be entitled to the full amenities of The Club.
    (c)    A Family subscription shall entitle husband and wife and their children as defined in paragraph 10 (b) to the full amenities of The Club. The husband and wife will each have the same status as a “Full Member.”
(d)    A “Life Member” shall have the same status as a “Full Member”.

11.    (a)    Any member who has not paid his/her subscription by the first day of May shall be requested, in the name of the general committee to pay the same within 14 days and if his/her subscription is not paid by the 31st day of May his/her name will be removed from the list of members by the general committee. Any member who pays his/her subscription by June 30th will have their membership reinstated without going through the election procedure of Rules 4 and 5.
    (b)    No member shall, in any year, be entitled to exercise any rights or privileges of membership until his/her entrance fee and subscription for that year and all arrears (if any) are paid.
    (c)    A member elected after the first of October in any year who shall have paid his/her subscription for that year shall not be required to pay any subscription for the following year.
    (d)    The membership of all classes who were paid up until December 31st 1996 shall be extended to June 1st 1997.

Officers

12.    The Officers of The Club shall consist of:
            a Commodore
            a Vice-Commodore
            an Honorary Secretary
            an Honorary Treasurer
    who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in each year to hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting. The retiring officers shall be eligible for re-election.
General Committee

13.    (a)    The general committee shall consist of the officers, ex-officio and not more than three members of The Club elected by The Club in general meeting to hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting. On being elected to this committee the three members may each nominate a substitute (who must be a current club member) to act for them if they are absent from any general meeting.
    (b)    Candidates for election to the general committee shall be those members of the retiring general committee who shall offer themselves for re-election and such other members of The Club whose nominations duly proposed and seconded by members of The Club who are present at the Annual General Meeting.
    (c)    If a casual vacancy occurs by a death or resignation the general committee may co-opt a member to fill the vacancy.
    (d)    If the number of candidates duly proposed and seconded exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, the election shall be by ballot.
    (e)    Subject to the provisions of sub-rule 11 (b) hereof, any member may be nominated for election to the general committee in accordance with sub-rule (b) of this rule.
    (f)    The general committee, special committee and any sub-committee shall each keep a minute book and record their resolutions therein.

Special Committees

14.    A “Special Committee” means a committee consisting of not more than seven members of The Club elected by The Club in general meeting to sit on that committee until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting. Sub-rules 13 (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) shall apply to any Special Committee as well as to the general committee.

Sub-Committees

15.    The general committee may appoint such sub-committees as it may think fit, provided that not less than one-third of the members of any sub committee are members of the general committee, that the total number is not less than four and that vacation of office on the general committee shall also involve vacation of office on any sub-committee.

Management of The Club

16.    (a)    The affairs of The Club shall be wholly managed by the general committee according to these rules. Such committee shall apply the funds of The Club to the objects of The Club: shall make such bye-laws, rules and regulations as it thinks fit as to the management of any club premises.
(b)    It shall be the responsibility of the honorary treasurer to keep a complete and accurate account of The Club’s finances.

Honorary Auditor

17.    At the Annual General Meeting in each year there shall be appointed an auditor whose duty it shall be to audit the accounts of The Club for the then current year. In the event of the person appointed as auditor being unwilling or unable to act, the general committee shall appoint a substitute.

General Meetings

18.    An Annual General Meeting shall be held not later that the 31st October to be fixed by the Commodore. No business (except the passing of the accounts and the election of the officers, general committee and the appointment of the auditor), and any business that the general committee may order to be inserted in the notice convening the meeting, shall be discussed at such meeting unless notices thereof be given to the honorary secretary before the first October prior to such meeting.

19.    (a)    The general committee may at any time call a general meeting of The Club for any specific business. The business at such general meeting shall be confined to the business stated in the notice sent to members.
    (b)    The committee shall also call a general meeting on the written request of twelve members.

20.    (a)    The honorary secretary shall at least fourteen days clear before the date of the Annual General Meeting or seven days clear before a general meeting, post or deliver to each paid-up member notice thereof and of the business to be brought forward thereat.
    (b)    At the Annual General Meeting or a general meeting of The Club each paid-up member (other than an honorary member or a junior member) shall have one vote. Honorary members and junior members shall be entitled to attend such meetings but shall have no vote. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

Trustees

21.    (a)    There shall be three trustees in whom all the property of The Club both present and future will vest. The trustees will hold office during their lifetime, unless they retire, or are removed from office as herein provided.
    (b)    Any vacancy among the trustees shall be filled by the election of a new trustee at the Annual General Meeting next following the creation of the vacancy, or at a special meeting called for that purpose. Nominations for trustees, proposed and seconded by ordinary members of The Club, must be lodged with the honorary secretary at least fourteen days prior to any Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting to deal with the election of trustees. Pending the filling of a vacancy at the Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting, the general committee shall have power to appoint a trustee or trustees who will hold office until the next Annual general Meeting or Special Meeting.
(c)    Where a trustee resigns or ceases to be a member of The Club he/she will be presumed to have retired from the position of trustee and a vacancy will occur.
    (d)    The trustees shall hold all club property in trust for and on behalf of the members, and they shall deal with such property as directed by the general committee. If any trustee or trustees shall neglect or fail to deal with The Club property as directed by the general committee, The Club, by a resolution passed by at least two-thirds of those members present, and voting, shall have power to remove such trustee or trustees from office and declare a vacancy. The trustees shall be indemnified by the members of The Club in respect of any such dealing with the property of The Club, and against any loss or liability arising therefrom.

Borrowing Powers

22.    (a)    The general committee is empowered to borrow for the purposes of The Club such amounts of money not exceeding the total sum of £2000.00 upon such terms, and upon such security, as the general committee shall think fit and proper.
    (b)    If, at any time, The Club in general meeting, shall pass by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members voting thereon, a resolution authorising the general committee to borrow in excess of £2000.00 the general committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of The Club such amount of money, either at one time, and from time to time, and at such rate of interest, and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution.
    (c)    The trustees shall, at the direction of The Club, and subject to the terms of the resolution, if the amount exceeds £500.00, make all such dispositions of The Club property, or any part thereof but subject to any then existing charges or encumbrances thereon and enter into such agreements in relation thereto, as the general committee, subject to the terms of any resolution may deem fit and proper for giving security for such loans and interest thereon. All members of The Club shall be deemed to have assented to any borrowing of money authorised by this rule, and the giving of security in respect of same.

Miscellaneous

23.    (a)    The Club shall not be held liable in any way for injury or loss of life to persons whilst sailing or taking part in any club function.
    (b)    The Club shall not be held liable in any way for loss or damage to property belonging to any visitor or member of The Club.
    (c)    All craft must have adequate 3rd party insurance and the onus shall be on each craft owner to comply with the rule.

24.    Personal buoyancy shall be worn at all times when sailing. Wet suits shall not constitute as personal buoyancy. The onus shall be on club members to comply with this rule.

New Rules, Amendments and Alterations

25.    (a)    Notice of any alteration or addition to the rules intended to be proposed by a member of The Club shall be given to the honorary secretary before the first of October if the same is to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting or at least one calendar month before any general meeting at which the same is to be brought forward and full particulars of any proposed alterations or additions shall be set out in the notice convening the meeting.
    (b)    All such proposed alterations or additions and any amendments to them which may be proposed and seconded shall be put to the vote of the meeting and provided that, on a show of hands, or, if demanded, on a poll a majority of two-thirds of the votes of those members present, and voting shall be cast in favour of any proposed alterations or additions or amendments, then the same be deemed to be carried.

Bye Laws