BY-LAWS OF CALUSA CRUISE CLUB, INC

ARTICLE I - Purpose and Activities of Club

The purpose and activities of the Calusa Cruise Club, Inc. shall be as follows:

1. To promote cruising activities of members.
2. To promote fishing and conservation.
3. To promote safety afloat.

ARTICLE II – Duties of Officers

Commodore:  The Commodore shall preside at all general meetings and shall appoint all committees.  He or she shall have the power and duties as are usual for the President of a corporation.

Vice Commodore:  The Vice Commodore shall act as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and in addition, shall assume the duties of the Commodore in the event of his or her disability or absence.

The Vice Commodore is responsible for planning and overseeing the cruising activities of the Club.  In addition, he or she shall maintain a record of all banners, dining tarps, tables and all other items owned by the Club and used from time to time during Club activities.

Rear Commodore:  The Rear Commodore shall be the permanent chairman of the Membership Committee, collecting all initiation fees and dues, turning such monies over to the Treasurer.

The Rear Commodore shall introduce all new members to the Club membership and present them with the new member packet described in Article V (c-1).

The Rear Commodore shall maintain an up to date master roster of all current members of the Club and distribute copies of that roster to the membership at least once a year.

In addition, the Rear Commodore shall be responsible for obtaining merchandise for the Club’s ‘Store’, selling such merchandise to Club members, maintaining an accurate inventory and turning all funds over to the Treasurer.

In the event of the disability or absence of both the Commodore and Vice Commodore, the Rear Commodore shall assume the duties of Commodore.

Secretary:  The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Club.  He or she shall establish headquarters and shall handle all correspondence and shall keep such books and records as are necessary to the end that a permanent record of the activities of the Club shall at all times be available to the members, and shall perform such other duties as may reasonably be required of him or her by the Club.  At the expiration of his or her term, he or she shall turn over to his or her successor or the Board of Directors all records, books and correspondence that may be the property of the Club.

The Secretary shall maintain an up to date and accurate set of BYLAWS of the Club, incorporating all changes and additions that are made in accordance with Article VII.

Treasurer:  The Treasurer shall receive, have in his or her charge and be responsible for all money, notes, bonds and similar property of the Club.  All monies of the Club shall be deposited in some bank in the name of the Calusa Cruise Club, Inc., said bank to be approved by the Board of Directors, and said monies shall not be withdrawn from said bank except on a check or checks signed by the Treasurer and approved by the Commodore or the Secretary.

The Treasurer shall keep a complete set of all necessary books and records to show the financial condition of the Club at all times, and such books and records shall be open to inspection by any member of the Club at any reasonable time.  The Treasurer shall pay the annual Florida Incorporation Fee and any taxes upon the Club by the respective due dates, and shall pay all other bills and obligations of the Club promptly avoiding any late payment or penalty fees.  All bills in excess of $100 (one hundred dollars) must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present at any regular or special meeting of the Club.  All bills or obligations of the Club shall be presented in writing and upon payment thereof a receipt and/or a cancelled check shall be kept in the permanent records of the Club for at least seven years.

The records of the Treasurer shall be audited at least once each year by a committee appointed by the Commodore, and a report of said committee made to the next general meeting of the Club.  At the expiration of his or her term, the Treasurer shall turn over to his or her successor or the Board of Directors all books, records, monies, notes, bonds, and similar properties of the Club which may have been in his or her possession during his or her term of office.

Board of Directors:  The activities of this Club shall be managed and conducted by the Board of Directors, composed of the Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate past Commodore, and three (3) directors elected annually by the general membership.  Each director shall be assigned one of the three activities set forth in Article I and shall be responsible, under the direction of the Commodore, for developing activities to help promote those purposes of  the Club.  The Board of Directors shall accept or reject all applicants for membership upon recommendation by the membership committee.

 

ARTICLE III – Vacancies in Office

All vacancies in office shall be filled by majority selection of the remaining Board of Directors, providing, however, in the event of more than two concurrent vacancies, said vacancies shall be filled by a special election by the general membership at their next regular meeting.  All persons thus selected or elected to fulfill an unexpired term shall hold office until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified at the next general election.

ARTICLE IV – Election of Officers: 

(a)  A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Commodore at the first meeting in February.

(b)  Recommendations of the Nominating Committee, consisting of one name for each office, will be submitted to the Club Membership at the second regular meeting in February.  No member of the Nominating Committee will be nominated by said committee to any office; however, a member of the Nominating Committee may be nominated from the floor.  At the first meeting of the General Membership in March, nominations from the floor will be open and accepted.  At the second meeting of the General Membership in March, balloting for those officers, nominated by the Nominating Committee and those officers nominated from the floor will be held.  The newly elected officers shall commence their term of office immediately after the Change of Watch ceremony, which should take place as near as possible to April 1st each year.

(c)  Balloting shall be by secret ballot, unless all members present shall consent to other form of voting.  The candidates receiving the most votes after said secret ballot shall be elected to the office.  There shall be no run-off election, except in the case of a tie.  This procedure shall be followed in all elections of officers.  No proxies shall ever be allowed.

ARTICLE V - Membership

(a)  Application for membership in the Club shall be made in writing on the current New Membership Application form and shall have the recommendation of a member of this Club in good standing endorsed thereon.  The term ‘member’ or ‘membership’ as used herein is defined as meaning each name appearing on the Application for Membership.

(a-1)  A prospective member must own a boat and make it available to been seen by the membership committee at a time convenient to both parties.

(a-2)  Prospective members must have successfully completed, or agree to complete within the first year of membership, at least one of the recognized boating safety courses.  (Examples of such courses are: the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Boating Skills and Seamanship Course, and the U.S. Power Squadron’s USPS Boating Course).  The Rear Commodore will be responsible for monitoring and administering this requirement.

Also, present members who may not yet have completed such a boating safety course are strongly urged to do so for their own safety and the safety of others.

(b)  There shall be a membership committee composed of the Rear Commodore as chairman, and two other members chosen by the Rear Commodore, to review all applications for membership and recommend acceptance or rejection to the Board of Directors.  Applicants shall be introduced to the membership at a general meeting prior to action being taken by the Board.

(b-1)  The Board of Directors is empowered to adopt   appropriate rules and regulations for membership acceptance as deemed advisable.

(c)  Membership dues and fees shall be such amount as established by the general membership upon recommendation by the Board of Directors.  Voting privileges shall be limited to those names that appear on the master roster.  A majority vote at a regular meeting or special meeting shall be required to institute any changes in current dues and fees.

(c-1)  Initiation Fee shall be such amount as established by the general membership upon recommendation by the Board of Directors.  The initiation fee includes a name tag, burgee, membership booklet and a tag for the car.

(d)  There shall be a class of member known as Honorary Members, and the names of all candidates for Honorary Membership in the Club shall be presented for election to the members of the Club by the Board of Directors at a regular meeting of the Club, and the candidate for election to Honorary Membership shall not be voted upon by the members at the meeting during which said name is presented, but shall be voted upon at the next regular meeting.

No persons shall ever be elected to Honorary Membership in this Club, except for the reason that said person has rendered to this Club, or to the sport of outboard boating or boating in general, outstanding and meritorious service, local or general, such as would be in the opinion of the members, warrant the awarding of this honor.

Honorary members shall pay no dues, but shall have all privileges of an active member, except that of voting and holding office, and shall be subject to suspension or expulsion in accordance with Article V, Paragraph (f).

e) All membership dues shall be due and payable by April 1st each year to the Rear Commodore. Any member who has not paid dues by May 1st shall be removed from the master roster of current members. The Rear Commodore shall make a reasonable effort to notify all delinquent members of back dues owed. Applicants for new membership after October 1st shall pay the full initiation fee and half the yearly membership dues.

(e-1)  Membership dues collected for the ensuing year shall be retained in escrow for use by the newly elected Board of Directors.  In addition, each outgoing Board of Directors shall pass on to the newly elected Board a sum of monies in the amount of $500 (five hundred dollars) to cover any unanticipated expenses.

(f)  Any member convicted of a felony or conduct that is or has been improper or greatly unsportsmanlike, or whose membership tends to bring ill repute and disgrace to the Club, may be suspended or expelled by the Board of Directors if the facts justify such action after a hearing in his or her own defense.  The Board shall prescribe the time and place and rules of procedure of such hearing.

(g)  A suspended or expelled member shall forfeit all rights to the property, privileges and assets of the Club.

ARTICLE VI – Meetings

(a)  General Meetings.  There shall be two (2) regular meeting nights of the Club each month.

(b)  Special Meetings.  A special meeting of the Club may be called by the Commodore at any time upon due notice.

(c)  Order of Business.  The order of business to be followed at meetings shall be:

• Roll call of officers
• Reading of minutes of previous meeting
• Report of Treasurer
• Reports of standing committees
• Reports of special committees
• Communications
• Unfinished business
• New business

(d)  A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum necessary to transact business at any Board meeting thereof.

(e)  At a general or special meeting of the general membership, those members present shall constitute a quorum necessary to transact business provided that in the event of a special meeting, the membership shall have been duly notified.

(f)  No notice of general meetings shall be required.  However, each member shall be given notice seven days in advance of a special meeting or any deviation from the established regular meeting schedule.

(g)  Unless otherwise required in these Bylaws, a majority vote of those members present and voting shall constitute acceptance or rejection of any and all business presented.

ARTICLE VII – Amendments

Additions, changes or deletions to these By-laws may be accomplished at a general meeting of the Club, provided all members have been notified at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting.  Those members present shall constitute a quorum for acceptance or rejection of said change.

Amended:  August 2003