East Coast Mini Sprint Association Inc. Official By-Laws [Print-friendly version]
Prepared for E.C.M.S.A. Members
BY-LAWS
EAST COAST MINI-SPRINT ASSOCIATION, INC.
ARTICLE ONE
NAME AND OBJECTIVES
1. The name of the organization shall be the East Coast Mini-Sprint Association, Inc.
2. The East Coast Mini-Sprint Association, Inc. is organized for the purpose of promoting, without profit, the development, betterment, safety and sportsmanship of mini-sprint auto racing for the mutual benefit of racecar owners, drivers and fans.
3. The East Coast Mini-Sprint Association, Inc. shall be non-profit, non-partisan, and shall be organized as a not-for-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Items with red show changes for 2010
ARTICLE TWO
MEMBERSHIP
All mini-sprint car owners, drivers and fans having an interest in the sport of mini-sprint car racing and the objectives of the East Coast Mini-Sprint Association, Inc. shall be eligible to apply for membership.
1. Application for membership shall be made in writing on forms provided for this purpose and shall be signed by the applicant. Membership categories and the rights and obligations thereto shall be as follows: Founding Member Founding members shall be those members who have qualified for full membership prior to December 31, 1997 and have paid dues for 1997. In each subsequent year of membership, founding members shall be entitled to a reduction in annual dues in the amount of five ($5.00) dollars. Founding members shall be entitled to vote on all issues at any meeting of the Association and shall be eligible for election to any office and appointment to any committee.
Full Member: All car owners and drivers are eligible for full membership. Full members shall be entitled to vote on all issues at any meeting of the Association and shall be eligible for election to any office and appointment to any committee.
Associate Member: Associate members shall be entitled to vote on all issues at any meeting of the Association except those votes taken on any issues regarding any Technical Committee appointed by the Board of Directors. Associate members shall be eligible for election to any office or appointment to the Board of Directors.
**Honorary Membership: The Board of Directors may award honorary memberships annually As seen appropriate by the Board. The honorary members shall be granted all rights and privileges of associate members. The membership privilege granted shall be for an unlimited time unless revoked by the Board of Directors. Honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues.
Visiting Member. Visiting car owners shall be entitled to a visitor membership for each event attended upon the payment of a fee as set by the Board of Directors. Visiting members shall not be entitled to vote on any issues but shall be entitled to qualify for membership awards at events so designated by the Board of Directors.
All membership applications must be approved by the Board of Directors. All members entitled to vote
shall be allowed to vote in person
**1. Membership dues for both full membership and associate membership shall be at such rate or rates as may be from time to time prescribed by the Board of Directors. Annual dues shall be payable annually on the first day of March for an early season discount. the discount amount will be set by the Board of Directors. Dues paid after that date shall be specified by the Board of Directors as the normal association membership fee.
2. All founding, full, associate and honorary members shall be entitled to one vote at all annual and special meetings of the organization unless otherwise stated herein.
ARTICLE THREE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. The government of the East Coast Mini-Sprint Association, Inc. and the direction of its work shall be vested in a Board of Directors consisting of not less than five and not more than nine members who shall be elected annually for a term of one year, as hereinafter provided. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill, by majority vote, any vacancies on the Board of Directors, of elected officers or appointed committees caused by death or resignation. The Board of Directors shall by majority vote, select from the elected members of the Board, a Chairperson who shall also serve as Vice President of the Association who shall act in the absence of the President. They shall meet at least once each year and at such other times and places as will be determined by the Board. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. The Board of Directors shall by a majority vote, decide all Association issues regarding the general operation of the Association including, but not limited to: capital spending, approval of appointments, oversight of officers and committees. The Board of Directors shall be empowered to act by a two-thirds (2/3) vote to remove and replace any officer or committee person, if it is deemed in the best interest of the Association. The Board of Directors shall have the power to approve by a majority action, binding agreements with businesses, corporations and individuals, and the time period of suet" agreements are not limited to the term of office of those Board members acting on behalf of the Association.
2. The Board of Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
3. A Nominating Committee of not less than three members shall be appointed by the President not less than thirty days prior to the annual meeting, whose duty it shall be to nominate from the founding, full and associate members of the Association, individuals to be voted on for the Board of Directors, President and Drivers Representatives. The Nominating Committee shall file a list of the nominees with the Secretary not less than fifteen days before the election. Other nominations than those of the Committee may be made by any member from the floor at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE FOUR
OFFICERS AND DRIVERS REPRESENTATIVES
1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors, and shall perform all duties incident to this office. The President may, in the absence of any member of the Board of Directors, act as a temporary Board member. He/She shall, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint all non-elected officers, committees and honorary members. He/she shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
2. The Vice President shall act as Chairperson of the Board of Directors and shall be elected for the term of one (1) year by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President
3. The Secretary shall conduct the official correspondence, preserve all books, documents and communications, and maintain an accurate record of the proceedings of the Association meetings. The Secretary shall be appointed for the term of one (1) year by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall also serve as the Clerk of the Association.
**4. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse the funds of the Association. The Treasurer shall be appointed for the term of one (1) year by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. All disbursements shall be made by check and signed by the treasurer. Any disbursements over five hundred ($500.00) dollars must be approved by the Board of Directors. At regular intervals, the treasurer shall make reports to the Board of Directors.
5. Driver’s representatives shall be three (3) full members elected for a one (1) year term by a majority vote of the membership voting at the Annual meeting. The drivers representatives function shall be to act as liaison between the following parties:
Between drivers/owners and the race director; and
Between drivers/owners and drivers/owners
Any personal conflict occurring on or at any track will be handled by the drivers’ representatives. A form prescribed by the Board of Directors shall be completed by any member seeking intervention by the drivers’ representative. Drivers’ representatives shall maintain a neutral position and shall seek to mediate disputes. Drivers’ representatives shall not mediate or become involved in technical issues.
6. The votes for all elected officers and drivers’ representatives shall be by paper ballot.
ARTICLE FIVE
COMMITTEES
1. The Board of Directors shall authorize and define the powers and duties of all committees.
2. The President shall appoint all committees, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to remove any committee member by majority vote if it is deemed in the best interest of the Association
3. The Chairperson of each Committee shall submit a written report of the Committees' activities to the Board at least quarterly.
4. The President shall appoint an Audit Committee consisting of two directors and one other member of the Association. The Treasurer shall not be eligible for this committee. The Audit Committee shall present a report of the Associations' financial affairs and accounts at each annual meeting.
ARTICLE SIX
MEETINGS
1. The annual meeting of the Association shall be held between October 1 and November 30 of each year at a place to be determined by the Board of Directors. All members shall be given at least 30 days notice of the date and place of the annual meeting.
2. The Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the Association by a majority vote of the Board and shall call a special meeting upon petition signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the smallest quorum of members required at any meeting. Notice of any special meeting shall be sent to each member entitled to vote at said meeting at least ten (10) days before the date of any special meeting.
3. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the members in good standing eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum at all membership meetings.
ARTICLE SEVEN
FISCAL YEAR
1. The fiscal year shall end the thirty-first (31) day of December.
ARTICLE EIGHT
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
1. All questions of parliamentary procedure shall be determined by the President according to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
ARTICLE NINE
AMENDMENTS
1. The By-Laws of the Association shall be adopted by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The power to alter, amend or repeal the By-laws or any portion thereof shall be vested in the Board of Directors. The membership of the Association may, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present at any annual or special meeting of the Association, alter amend or repeal the By-laws or any portion thereof provided written notice of the meeting and proposed by-law change have been given to all members eligible to vote not less than ten days prior to such meeting. The By-laws may contain any provision for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Association not inconsistent with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
ARTICLE TEN
AMENDMENTS
The power to change, alter or adopt rules shall shall be decided at the annual meeting and remain with the full or founding members of the East Coast Mini Sprint Association who are car owners. Each full or founding member who is a car owner and competed in at least one racing event during the current racing season shall be eligible for one vote per car on any rule or technical issues.
**Rule change requests must be submitted in writing to the technical committee chairman or club president no later than 21 days prior to the annual meeting. The technical committee will research each rule change request. At the annual meeting the technical committee will present the results of their research. Rule changes not sent to the technical committee 21 days prior to the annual meeting, will not be addressed at the annual meeting.
To open a discussion for a proposed new rule or rule change, the proposal must be supported by a 2/3 vote of the eligible members present at the annual meeting.
In order to adopt a new rule or rule change, it must be supported by a majority vote of those eligible members present at the annual meeting.
The technical committee shall write language and interpret rules in a manner, which most clearly reflects the spirit, and intent of the vote taken to adopt or change rules and most clearly preserves the stock nature of the 750 class.
The Board of Directors shall review and approve technical committee language. Rule updates, changes or new rules shall be sent to all current members within a period of 21 days of the vote taken to adopt or change such rules.
Official interpretation of rules will be made by the technical committee.
