WILDSIDE
BASS CHAPTER
CONSTITUTION
AND
BYLAWS
REVISED 1/03/05
PREAMBLE
These bylaws are approved and accepted by the general membership of Wildside Bass Chapter and are to be adhered
to in strict compliance by all members without exception. All discrepancies in meaning or interpretation will be determined
and finalized by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will enforce bylaws.
ARTICLE 1
SECTION 1
NAME:
This
chapter will be named “ Wildside Bass”.
SECTION 2
PURPOSE:
The
purpose of our chapter is; to support the Mass Bass Federation, other affiliated chapters, and the Bass Anglers Sportsman’s
Society (B.A.S.S.); to stimulate public awareness of bass fishing; to promote and encourage youth fishing; to offer our State
Department of Fish and Wildlife our organized support; and to maintain and encourage both private and governmental involvement
to preserve and enhance the water quality necessary to support a quality bass fishery within our state.
ARTICLE 2
SECTION 1
REQUIREMENTS
FOR MEMBERSHIP:
To become
a member of “Wildside Bass” a person shall express a genuine interest in bass fishing and explain why they want
to join our chapter. The prospective member must be a member of B.A.S.S., as B.A.S.S. requires one hundred (100%) percent
membership of a chapter. To be considered for full benefit membership you must be at least sixteen (16) years of age. All
members must attend chapter meetings, tournaments, and functions. Meetings will be held on the third Thursday of every month
conditions permitting. Presently the meetings are conducted at the VFW in Lawrence, MA. A tournament schedule will be issued
to each member prior to commencement of the tournament season. Functions will be announced at any regular chapter meeting.
REQUIREMENTS
FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP:
An associate member must be a minimum of fifteen (15) years of age and must fish with
their parent or legal guardian until reaching the age of sixteen (16). An associate member is not required to attend chapter
meetings or functions, but will not be discouraged from doing so should they desire to. An associate member will not be permitted
to vote or run for office. When fishing a chapter tournament, associate members will fish for lunker only and will not qualify
for placing points or non-lunker related awards.
SECTION 2
CAPACITY
AND TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP:
Chapter
membership will be limited to thirty (30) active members, of which seventeen (17) must be registered as boaters; for any number
of members less than thirty (30), there must be at least three (3) more boaters than non-boaters.
New Member; Any person who meets the requirements of Article 2, Section 1, and has completed and signed a membership
application and waiver form. The applicant must be voted into the chapter by majority of the members present at a chapter
meeting. New members will be subject to a six (6) month probation period. After completion of the probation period, another
vote will be taken by all members present at a chapter meeting to determine granting of active status. Simple majority will
rule.
Active Member; Any person who has been active in the chapter for more than six (6) months; is a member of the
Mass Bass Federation; and has agreed to abide by the chapter’s Constitution and Bylaws and Tournament Rules and Regulations.
Inactive Member; A previously active member who has declared themselves inactive for his/her own personal reason(s).
The member can remain inactive for a maximum of six (6) months, if additional time is required, the president must be notified
and informed of the time extension. A vote by the general membership will be taken to determine the acceptability of the extension
and the results conveyed to the member. Simple majority will rule. All dues must be current prior to granting inactive status.
Dues are not required during inactivity. Full time students are exempt for this exercise.
SECTION 3
DUES:
All
active and inactive members who wish to stay on the official chapter roster for the upcoming year must pay their B.A.S.S.
requirement and the Mass Bass Federation assessment by the November meeting. New members must pay their B.A.S.S. requirement
and Mass Bass Federation assessment upon being voted into the chapter. Chapter dues in the amount of fifteen ($15) dollars
will be collected monthly. In the event a member can not make the monthly meetings and monthly payment schedule, payment of
dues one year in advance will be required. If that member should resign, quit, or for any other reason leave the chapter,
the remaining balance of dues will be refunded the month succeeding the month of departure.
ARTICLE 3
SECTION 1
OFFICERS,
ELECTIONS, ELIGIBILITY, AND VACANCIES:
President:
The president will preside over all meetings and direct all official business, appoint committee chairpersons, supervise committees
as needed, and exercise guidance, control, and a sense of fairness in all matters.
Vice
President: The vice president will be the Tournament Director and be responsible for all tournament related business (e.g.
pairings, pools, weigh-ins, accurate documentation, census data, etc…). The vice president will preside over all chapter
business in the absence of the president.
Secretary: The secretary will record the roll and minutes at all chapter meetings and maintain an accurate roster at
all times. The secretary will be the record keeper and liaison to B.A.S.S. for the chapter.
Treasurer: The treasurer will maintain all accurate financial records, collect and disburse all monies, and present
a current balance report at each monthly chapter meeting. The treasurer will hold for sale all items (e.g. patches, pins,
weigh-in bags, etc…).
SECTION 2
ELECTIONS:
Election
of officers will be held annually at the October monthly meeting and simple majority of members present will rule. The election
will be in order as listed in Article 3 Section 1. Each member in good standing is entitled to one (1) vote. Should a tie
occur, a runoff vote will be taken. If after three (3) attempts a tie still exists, the incumbent will decide the winner.
All terms of office will commence on January 1st and terminate on December 31st.
SECTION
3
VACANCIES:
If an
office is vacated, or an officer is unable to fulfill their responsibilities, a special nomination and election process will
be held and the elected official will complete the term. The Secretary will notify B.A.S.S. and the Mass Bass Federation.
If an officer becomes ill, the board will appoint an interim.
ARTICLE 4
SECTION 1
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
The board will consist of five positions; all officers and the Federation Director. The term of the board will be the
same as that of the officers. The board will be the governing body for all protests and rule violations once appropriately
received.
SECTION 2
FEDERATION DIRECTOR:
One member of the chapter will be required to hold this position. They will act as liaison between our chapter and
the Mass Bass Federation. The director will be required; to attend monthly meetings held by the federation, and to act as
spokesperson for and vote in the best interest of our chapter. Compensation in the amount of twenty ($20) dollars will be
given to the director for each monthly meeting attended. Should the director miss more than two (2) meetings, the chapter
will receive a letter of notification stating this absence. The chapter will be suspended from the federation after three
(3) meetings have been missed. If the director is unable to attend a meeting, arrangements will be made with an alternate
member to attend in their place.
ARTICLE 5
SECTION 1
REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP
A member will be removed from the rolls: for failure to pay dues or money owed to this chapter or the Mass Bass Federation;
for any action which would reflect dishonor and disgrace on this chapter and/or the federation; and for failure to follow
any of the laws and regulations of this chapter and the federation
SECTION 2
EXPULSION
PROCEDURE:
Any
member deemed incompatible with the membership or the ideals of “ Wildside Bass Chapter” may be removed from the
ranks by a secret ballot vote. The member will be allowed to speak on their own behalf prior to the vote. Seventy-five (75%)
percent of the membership must be present at any regular meeting to administer this vote. A sixty-six (66%) percent favorable
count is required to carry the motion.
SECTION 3
LOSS OF AWARDS:
A member
removed from the chapter for any reason defined in Article 5, Section 1 or Section 2, will not be eligible to receive any
trophies, prizes, awards, or benefits to which said member was eligible. Furthermore, the member’s name and reason for
membership loss will be forwarded to the state federation.
ARTICLE 6
SECTION 1
AMENDING
BYLAWS:
All
bylaws may be amended by submitting the proposed changes in writing at any monthly meeting. All changes will be voted on and
must be approved by sixty-six (66%) of all members present. Write-in and/or proxy votes will not be accepted.
ARTICLE 7
SECTION 1
POINTS:
Points
will be awarded for chapter point tournaments only. Points will not be awarded for fun draw tournaments or for working federation
events.
SECTION 2
AWARDING
POINTS:
Chapter
points will be awarded to all members who fish in the point tournaments by position of placing in the following manner; (Cumulative
weight of bass brought to the scales will determine the position of placing with most weight establishing first place.)
1st Place = 200 points
2nd Place = 199 points
3rd Place = 198 points
4th Place = 197 points
5th Place = 196 points
This
descending order will continue until all bass are weighed. Points will be awarded for fishing the tournament and not weighing
in a bass by deducting twenty-five (25) points from the last points awarded for fish caught. (e.g. last points awarded for
bass caught 10th place = 191 points. Tournament fished but no bass brought to the scales; 191 points – 25
points = 166 points.
In order
to receive points for chapter point tournaments monthly dues must be current. If not, dues must be paid by the next chapter
meeting following a tournament. There will be no exceptions. Members can still participate in tournaments if their dues are
not current, but they will not receive points. The Tournament Director will keep a record of all point standings. Only points
received during chapter point tournaments will apply towards qualifying for the eight (8) positions to represent “Wildside
Bass” in the state fish-offs to qualify for the state team.
Standings
are based on a member’s best five (5) finishes. If a member fishes all six (6) tournaments, they will be allowed to
drop their worst finish.
Awards
won during the calendar year will be given to the recipient’s at our annual chapter banquet held during the month of
December or January withstanding the contradiction with our tournament year.
ARTICLE 8
SECTION 1
ABSENCES:
If a
member is unable to attend a chapter meeting, tournament or function, a call must be placed to any one of the officers notifying
them of the absence prior to the scheduled event, unless previous notification had already been given.
