NEWPARK BRIDGE CLUB CONSTITUTION
This Constitution replaces all or any previous Constitutions.
NAME
The Club shall be known as Newpark Bridge Club.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Club shall be the playing and promotion of Contract Bridge.
AFFILIATION
The Club will be affiliated to the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI).
CLUB YEAR
The Club’s year shall run from September 1 to the following August 30.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Upon payment of the annual membership fee, members will be issued with a membership card which will give the dates of all the major competitions and other events planned for the year.
APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Any bridge player may apply for membership of the Club by completing an application form which is obtainable from the Secretary. Upon acceptance to join the Club, the applicant will be required to pay the annual membership fee and will receive a membership card. This payment will cover the period up to the following August 31.
RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP
Members who wish to renew their membership must do so by paying the annual membership fee on or before December 1 in the year concerned. If the fee is not paid by December 1, they will become lapsed members. Lapsed members may continue to play at the Club provided they pay the relevant table money but will not be eligible to win a major prize in any of the major competitions listed on the membership card. A major prize is one awarded for final placement within the overall competition or a sessional prize.
Lapsed members who pay the annual subscription between December 1 and March 31 will have full membership rights restored to them effective from the date upon which the annual subscription is paid.
Visitors are welcome to play at the Club but will not be eligible to win a major prize (as defined above) in any of the major competitions listed on the Club’s membership card. Likewise, members who play in partnership with a visitor(s) in a major competition, whether pairs or teams, will not be eligible to win a major prize (as defined above) in said competition.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year between April 15 and June 30. Notice of the date fixed for the AGM shall be displayed on the Club’s membership card and shall be advertised in such other ways as the Committee sees fit.
In the event that the date of the AGM has to be changed due to unforeseen circumstances, at least three weeks’ notice of this change must be given to members via announcements made at the Club’s bridge evenings and by such other means as deemed appropriate by the Committee.
At the AGM, the Secretary of the Club shall present a report of the Club’s activities since the previous AGM and the Treasurer shall present accounts that set out how the financial position of the Club has evolved since the financial statement presented at the previous AGM. The accounts presented at the AGM must be reviewed in advance by at least one other member of the Club who is competent to do so or by an auditor.
At the AGM, a Committee shall be elected and shall comprise a President, Secretary, Treasurer and up to six other committee members. No individual may serve on the Committee for more than five consecutive years of which no more than two years can be as President. Nominations for the Committee, duly proposed and seconded, must be submitted to the Secretary and displayed for at least one week before the AGM.
The AGM shall consider changes to the Constitution that have been submitted in accordance with the rules of the Club as set out below together with such other business as may be raised by the members.
In the event of a vote being taken at an AGM, two members of the Club shall be elected by the meeting to act as tellers. In the event of a tied result, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting vote.
COMMITTEE
The Committee shall be responsible for running the Club until the next AGM. It shall enact all resolutions passed at the AGM and shall have the power to introduce or repeal such other regulations as it sees fit, provided that these are in keeping with this constitution.
The Secretary will keep minutes of the meetings of the Committee and will deal with all correspondence relating to the Club.
The Treasurer will oversee and keep a record of the evolving financial affairs of the Club and report on these to the Committee as required. All cheques issued on behalf of the Club shall require the signatures of two members of the Committee.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members if vacancies exist and to set up and disband sub-committees as it sees fit.
The Committee shall have the power to retain the services of a Tournament Director who shall run the Club’s competitions in accordance with the current laws of duplicate bridge, shall publish results and shall record master points earned and return same to the CBAI.
The Committee shall have the power to retain the services of any other individual to assist in the operation of the Club.
In the event of any person acting in such a way as to bring the Club into disrepute or to disrupt the smooth running of the Club or the enjoyment of other members, the Committee shall have the power to take such steps as it sees fit to rectify the situation.
CONDUCT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Committee meetings will be chaired by the President. In the event of the President being unavailable to chair a committee meeting, those present may elect a substitute chairperson from one of the members present.
At least three members must be present at each meeting of the Committee. In the event of a tied vote at a Committee meeting, the chair shall have the casting vote.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) at any time.
The Committee must call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) at the request, in writing, of at least one-third of the members of the Club.
At least three week’s advance notice must be given to members of the holding of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) by means of announcements made at the Club’s bridge evenings or by such other means as the Committee considers appropriate.
APPEALS AGAINST TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S RULING
Appeals against a ruling of the Tournament Director must be submitted in writing to the Secretary within seven days of the ruling. In the event of such an appeal being lodged, the Committee shall set up a sub-committee consisting of at least three players familiar with the laws of bridge to consider the evidence and to rule on the appeal.
PERSONAL PROPERTY AND LIABILITY
The Club and the members of the Committee, both individually and jointly, accept no responsibility for any liabilities incurred by the Club.
The Club and the members of the Committee, both individually and jointly, accept no responsibility for the property (including parked vehicles and their contents) of any members or visitors whilst at the Club.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to the Constitution can be made only at an AGM or at an EGM. Such amendments, duly proposed and seconded, must be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Club at least three weeks before the date of the meeting at which they will be considered and shall require a two-thirds majority vote of those present in order to be accepted.
WINDING UP OF THE CLUB
Any proposal to wind up the Club must be brought to a properly called EGM and shall require a two-thirds majority vote of those present in order to be accepted. If a proposal to wind up the Club is accepted at an EGM, at least two-thirds of those present must agree a proposal setting out how the assets of the Club are to be disbursed at the time of the winding up.
______________________________________________
This Constitution was agreed at the Annual General Meeting of Newpark Bridge Club held on 12th June 2015.
|