Finger Lakes Runners Club

Bylaws

Untitled PDF version

BYLAWS FINGER LAKES RUNNERS CLUB

Article I: Mission
The Finger Lakes Runners Club, a nonprofit organization (501(c)) hereafter known as "the club," provides educational, informational, and community services, in order to promote fitness and health through running. The club holds running activities that may consist of a variety of competitive and noncompetitive events, such as track meets, road races, and cross-country or trail runs. The club may sponsor special events and programs, such as fitness tests, community fun runs, and educational events.

Article II: Structure
The board of the club shall consist of all officers described below, including race directors of official club races. Every board member must be a member of the club. A quorum of the board consists of one-third of board members; a quorum is needed for the board to act. Action may be taken by the quorum present by majority vote. Each board member is entitled to one vote, whether sharing an office or holding more than one office.

Any office of the board may be shared by more than one person.

Officers and their duties shall be the following:

  1. President (elected)
    1. Is responsible for all club activities.
    2. Calls election of officers.
    3. Plans and schedules annual calendar with assistance of board members, to be finalized on or before the November board meeting.
    4. Arranges special club functions.
    5. Assists elected officers and/or committees to perform any duties or functions that do not fall within the province of elected officers.
    6. Appoints replacements for officers and appointees unable to satisfactorily complete their designated duties.
    7. Is responsible for informing board members of meetings.
    8. Has the authority to sign checks on the club's account, as does the treasurer.
  2. Vice-President(s) (elected)
    1. Provides guidance and assists meet or race directors in their duties.
      1. See race director job description (attached) for details, but the emphasis for the VP is guidance and assistance on an as-needed basis.
    2. Executive vice president: Performs duties of the president in case of illness, absence, resignation, or other incapacitation of the president.
      1. The president, with the recommendation of the board, will annually appoint one vice president to assume this role.
        1. If no current vice president agrees to fill this role, appointment can go to another member of the board.
  3. Secretary (elected)
    1. Records minutes of board meetings.
    2. Is responsible for counting ballots.
    3. Assists as needed with design and review of printed material (e.g., proofs race entries).
    4. Maintain archive of minutes and agendas, and other important documents as needed.
  4. Treasurer (elected)
    1. Accounts for all club monies.
    2. Files all necessary tax forms.
    3. Is responsible for renewing the club's membership with an insurance-granting organization (e.g., Road Runners Club of America) on an annual (year-end) basis, or as specified by the parent organization.
    4. Is responsible for obtaining and distributing insurance certificates to race directors.
    5. Renews membership as a club with USATF on an annual (year-end) basis, or as specified by USATF.
    6. Makes disbursements approved or requested by one or more of the officers.
    7. Has the authority to sign checks on the club's account, as does the president.
    8. Is responsible for the collection and deposit of membership fees from the membership coordinator.
    9. Is responsible for all monies collected at club events.
    10. Reports state of the treasury at regular board meetings.
  5. Past President (previously elected)
    1. Provides beneficial expertise and information to the board and others.
  6. Members at Large (elected)
    1. Are responsible for representing the wide and varied interests of club members at board meetings and at other club functions.
    2. Are responsible for helping at club events and in capacities to be determined by their individual talents and interests along with the needs of the club.
  7. Newsletter Editor (appointed by president)
    1. Is responsible for preparing the newsletter, which shall include but not be limited to club announcements, meet and race results, and a local race calendar.
    2. Informs regional running clubs of the yearly calendar.
  8. Webmaster (appointed by president)
    1. Is responsible for the timely updating of the club website.
    2. Maintains the club listserv to assure that it serves the best interests of the club.
  9. Membership Coordinator (appointed by president)
    1. Is responsible for maintaining club membership records.
    2. Sends out a notice to remind each club member to renew prior to the expiration of annual
    3. membership.
    4. Ensures that current club membership forms are readily available to the running community.
    5. Sends membership information on an annual or as-needed basis to the Road Runners Club of America.
  10. Equipment Coordinator (appointed by president)
    1. Is responsible for maintaining club equipment.
    2. Is responsible for storing club equipment.
    3. Coordinates with race directors to ensure necessary equipment is at club events.
    4. Purchases supplies as needed.
    5. Purchases replacement equipment per board approval.
  11. Volunteer Coordinator (appointed by president)
    1. Assists in finding volunteers to work at club-sponsored events.
  12. Race Directors of Official Club Races (appointed by president)
    1. Responsible for planning, promoting, managing of a club race.
    2. Follows guidelines specified in the FLRC race director job description.

Article III: Membership
The officers shall decide upon a fee structure at the beginning of each membership year. Membership categories shall include: full-paying individual, family, group/team (e.g., local interscholastic and intercollegiate teams), and lifetime members (to be chosen by an ad hoc committee of current board members for persons who have shown outstanding and exemplary service over the long term).

Article IV: Procedure

  1. Election of Officers
    1. Officers shall be elected annually.
    2. The president shall appoint a committee, with a minimum of two club members, before or at the September board meeting to make nominations for officers before or at the November board meeting.
    3. Additional nominations may be made in writing to the president by the November board meeting. Such nominees must be seconded and also have documented approval of the nominee.
      1. Write-in balloting is also permitted during the balloting period.
      2. Candidates for the position of president must hold or have held a position on the board for a minimum of one year.
    4. The election will be held by ballot distributed as most appropriate to encourage a majority of members to vote. This might include, but is not limited to, inclusion in a newsletter edition, email ballots, and written notes.
      1. Every submitted ballot must include club member's name for the purpose of membership verification.
      2. The balloting period will be December 1-15.
    5. All votes will be sent to the secretary for appropriate counting and documentation, with reverification by the membership chair.
    6. Election results will be announced in the club's January newsletter, with secretary having given the board prior notification of election results.
  2. Removal of Nonperforming Officers
    1. If an elected officer of board fails to perform duties adequately (an exceptional case), a vote for removal may take place at a regularly scheduled board meeting.
    2. Removal is effected if a minimum of 75% of board members present vote the offending individual out.
    3. The president will appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term.
  3. Appended Board Positions
    1. Additional board positions may be appended to these bylaws by a vote of the board following a successful trial period in which a club member is appointed and fulfils the duties of the new position for one year and the position is deemed beneficial to the functioning of the club.
  4. New Events
    1. Any new event to be sponsored by the club must be approved by the board. The board shall decide at that time the extent of the club's involvement with the event in question.
  5. Auxiliary Board Meetings
    1. Auxiliary board meetings may be called by the president or by any three of the officers described above. Any and all business may be conducted at such a meeting, providing at least one of the following is present: president, a vice president. A reasonable attempt should be made to notify all board members.
  6. Underpinning Rules of Order
    1. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised will be the club's parliamentary authority in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the club may adopt.

Article V: Amending the Bylaws

  1. Amendments to these bylaws can be made in one of two ways:
    1. by 75% of club members who are present at a meeting open to the full membership and who choose to cast a vote; such a meeting is open to the full membership and must be announced at least one week in advance.
    2. by a majority of club members voting by ballots distributed to the full voting membership.
  2. Approved amended bylaws will take effect upon completion of the approval process, but all in-place officers will serve out the remainder of their terms.

Article VI: Dissolution

  1. Upon dissolution of the club, the board members of the club shall dispose of all assets, after creditors have been paid, by contribution to a tax exempt organization under section 501(c) of the IRS code.

RACE DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

  1. preparing and distributing the entry form,
  2. providing publicity to the news media and other local running clubs,
  3. ensuring that all equipment needed is at the race, coordinating efforts with the equipment coordinator,
  4. certifying (if needed) and marking the race course,
  5. obtaining an insurance certificate from the club treasurer
  6. contracting with a timing company, if one is to be used,
  7. contracting with medical personnel, if needed,
  8. procuring race bibs and pins,
  9. purchasing awards and T-shirts, if appropriate,
  10. purchasing refreshments,
  11. obtaining and coordinating volunteers to perform the following duties on race day:
    1. perform preregistration and same-day registration
    2. work the finish line,
    3. operate water stops,
    4. perform as course marshalls,
    5. provide traffic control,
    6. manage the refreshment table,
    7. help with race results,
    8. help with race-day setup and clean-up,
  12. returning all equipment to the equipment coordinator,
  13. getting the results in a timely fashion to local news media, the club newsletter editor, and club webmaster.

REVISED JUNE 2006



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