DISTRICT 9

AMERICAN CONTRACT BRIDGE LEAGUE

BY-LAWS

 

ARTICLE I

OBJECTIVES

 

  1. To cooperate with and assist the League in the promotion and conduct of Bridge tournaments within the District.

 

  1. To coordinate tournament schedules within the District.

 

  1. To seek concerted action on all matters affecting the District, by consulting with and making recommendations to the District Representative on the National Board of Directors.

 

  1. To promote the highest standards of conduct and ethics for participants in tournaments and to take any and all steps necessary for that purpose.

 

  1. To act as fact-finding body in connection with any matter arising within the District.

 

  1. To allocate the Regional Tournaments and decide where they will be held, subject to the approval of the District Board as to availability of playing space and location thereof.

 

(1)    Unit 128 shall conduct the Southeastern Regional annually within the State of Florida.

(2)    Unit 128 shall conduct the tournament formerly known as the “Off-Shore Regional” tournament, now held in Naples yearly.

 

(3)    All remaining and any additional tournaments granted to District 9 shall be assigned by the District Board.

 

(4)    The Host Unit of each Regional assigned to that Unit shall solely be responsible for activities and all operational expenses. Minimum standards for hospitality, etc. may be established by the District Board. Any profit derived from said operation shall belong to the Host Unit subject to Article IV, 1-5.

 

(5)    The District Board shall approve the amount of Regional entry fees.

 

  1. To recommend the selection of specific individuals to represent the District on the National Board, and first and second alternates for that office.

 

  1. To perform such other functions as may promote the best interest of Contract Bridge.

 

 

ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP

 

All ACBL Units which are or hereafter come into being within the geographical boundaries of the District are automatically members of the organization so long as they remain within the District, without requirement of any petition of formal action on the part of the Unit.

 

No member of District 9 may transfer to another contiguous District 9 Unit without written approval from the District 9 Board.

 

 

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

  1. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body.

 

  1. Each Unit shall appoint or select at least two persons to be members of the District Board, on a pro rata basis, one person for 1000 members or a (majority) fraction thereof with a minimum of two. 

 

  1. Units are to notify the District Secretary in writing as to the names of those chosen to serve on the District Board immediately following such selection.  Unit Presidents may appoint alternates to fill permanent or temporary absences of such members, but must submit in writing as promptly as possible the names of such alternates to the District Secretary.

 

  1. The membership of a Unit shall be the greatest number of members recorded with the League for the preceding calendar year.

 

  1. The District Director of ACBL shall be an ex-officio member of the District Board and all committees that may be appointed, and may, at said Director’s option, attend any and all meetings of the Board or Committees.  The District Director shall cooperate with the Board and shall act in an advisory capacity. This does not preclude the District Director from being a voting member of the District Board, if so appointed.

 

  1. No Unit shall have over one vote more than the combined total of all other Units when voting for the National District Director.

 

 

ARTICLE IV

POWERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

  1. The Board of Directors of the District shall have the following powers:

 

(1)    To determine the place and date for any Regional tournament held within the District.

 

(2)    To acquire, hold and dispose of any funds or property acquired by the District organization.

 

(3)    To employ personnel to serve the organization at the Discretion of the Board.

 

(4)    To levy dues or assessments on member Units, which are not prohibited by the By-Laws of the ACBL, prorated on the basis of membership.

 

(5)    To assess each host Unit a dollar figure as established by the District, payable to the District Treasurer immediately upon completion of any Regional tournament conducted by said Unit.  This dollar figure shall be determined by the District Board at least once a year, to be in effect for the following calendar year.  This amount will be a lump sum PLUS a per-table fee.

 

(6)    To determine eligibility to participate in Regional tournaments held in the District and to bar any League member from participation in any one such Regional tournament, but such determination shall not contravene ACBL By-Laws.

 

(7)    To promote the best interest of competitive Contract Bridge, not limited to, but whether in the form of entertainment, charity programs, and assistance to the League.

 

(8)    Do such things as may be necessary to accomplish the objectives outlined in Article II of these By-Laws.

 

 

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

  1. The annual meeting shall be held preferably during a District Regional tournament each year at such date and time as shall be designated by the President or his authorized representative.  A Board member desiring to include an item in the Agenda of the meeting shall so advise the District Secretary ten (10) days prior to such meeting.

 

  1. Notice of such annual meeting shall be made in writing to each member of the District 9 Board of Directors.

 

  1. Special meetings may be called on not less than fifteen (15) days written notice by the District President or upon written request of not less than one-half of the Board members.  Notification of such meetings will be accompanied by an agenda stating the items to be discussed and the meeting shall be limited to such agenda.

 

  1. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of no less than one-half of the Board members.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

  1. The officers shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary-Treasurer.  Each of these officers shall be elected from the Board membership for a term of two (2) years (and until their successors shall be elected) at the Annual meeting of the Board of Directors.  Officers elected at such meeting shall take office at the conclusion of the Regional Tournament in progress and shall continue in office until their successors take office.

 

  1. Nominations for each of the offices shall be made from the floor during the course of the meeting.  A majority of votes is necessary for election and, if no majority exists on a first ballot, the names of only those two candidates, including ties, receiving the largest number of votes will be placed on the second ballot.

 

  1. The President is limited to tenure of two (2) consecutive, two (2) year terms, when a new President must be elected.

 

  1. Once elected as an officer of the District, by the District Board, no officer may be removed from holding office by the Unit that appointed/elected the sitting officer to the District Board, before his or her term as officer has expired, unless impeached, which requires a vote of 2/3 of the entire District Board’s membership.

 

 

ARTICLE VII

JUDICIARY COMMITTEES OR SUBCOMMITTEES

 

  1. The President shall, upon election, appoint a Judiciary Committee.

 

  1. The President shall appoint a chairman of said committee and up to five (5) additional members.  These members may also be members of the District Board of Directors. No Unit may have more than 3 members on this committee.

 

  1. The President shall appoint the committees and chair of each committee that he/she deems fit.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 

A.  The President shall preside at all meetings of Board of Directors. He/She shall supervise the management of the affairs of the District and perform all duties incidental to this office.  He/She shall be a member ex-officio of all committees, and may chair committees as a voting member.  He/She shall appoint such special committees, as he/she shall from time to time consider necessary.

 

  1. In the absence of the President or his/her inability to act, the Vice President shall preside at meetings and succeed the President in the performance of his/her duties.  If both are unable to act, then the Board of Directors shall choose a presiding officer from among their group.

 

  1. The Treasurer may be bonded and have the care, custody and responsibility of all funds, securities and properties of the District.  He/She shall deposit the funds in such bank as may be designated by its Board of Directors.  All disbursements will be by check and may carry two signatures.  He/she shall keep an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements and shall submit a report at the Annual Meeting and at such other times as may be required by the President or Board of Directors.

 

  1. The District Coordinator shall maintain a calendar of prospective dates for all Sectional tournaments in the District, sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League, supplying copies of such calendar to each unit.

 

  1. The Secretary may be paid such annual salary as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

 

ARTICLE IX

MEMBER UNITS

 

A.   All member Units retain autonomy in the conduct of their affairs as provided in the Regulations and By-Laws of the ACBL.

 

B.   Each member Unit shall:

 

(1)    Submit names and addresses of officers and members of their Unit Board of Directors immediately following their selection.

 

(2)    Submit names and addresses of representatives to the District Board of Directors immediately following their selection.

 

(3)    Submit dates and locations of its tournaments to the Tournament Committee Chair for District approval prior to submission to the District Tournament Coordinator and before submitting the sanction request to  the ACBL for approval.

 

 

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

 

These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors providing that the notice of such meeting states the amendment to be considered and is mailed to each member Unit at least thirty (30) days prior to such meeting.  A concurrent vote of two-thirds of the votes present at any quorum meeting of the Board of Directors shall be required for the passage of any amendment to these By-Laws.

 

 

ARTICLE XI

DUTIES OF JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

 

A.  Any member or group of members may appeal directly to the District Judiciary Committee where there is an alleged violation by a Unit of its own By-Laws or Regulations.

 

B.  The structure and composition of such Judiciary Committee shall be determined by the District organization.

 

C.  Hearing committees may be established to conduct hearings in any location convenient to the person involved.  Such Hearing Committees may only recommend action to the full Judiciary Committee and may not act to impose discipline by themselves.

 

D.  Where appeal is sought from disciplinary action taken by an arm of a Unit, appeal shall be first to the Unit and then to the District Judiciary Committee.

 

E.  The right of appeal to the National Board shall remain but shall be limited to a review.

 

(1) Whenever rights established under the By-Laws and Regulations of the ACBL, of a District or of a Unit, are alleged to have been violated, or

 

(2   Whenever the sanctions imposed are alleged to be manifestly against the weight of the evidence, or

 

(3) Whenever the disciplinary action is against a non-resident member of the body imposing such sanctions, or

 

(4) Whenever a member is either expelled or suspended for a period in excess of one year

 

F.  In all cases of disciplinary proceedings the affected party shall:

 

(1) Have written notice of the hearing

 

(2) Have written charges or specifications appended to said notice

 

(3) Be accorded the privileges of counsel and presentation of witnesses.

 

G. A Unit may by majority vote of its Board of Directors refer any disciplinary matter to the District Judiciary Committee for hearing or disposition, and such District Judiciary Committee shall then have all powers of the referring Unit in accordance with the By-Laws and Regulations of the American Contract Bridge League.

 

H.  A District Judiciary Committee may, upon notification of charges and after a hearing, suspend the franchise of a club, subject to the right of appeal to the subsequent National Board of Directors meeting.  Unless the Executive Committee otherwise directs, suspension will be stayed upon notification of the Executive Secretary of Appeals to the Board of Directors.  Nothing herein contained shall be construed as affecting Management’s rights of summary suspension.

 

I.   The District Judiciary Committee to which an appeal has been taken, the National Director having jurisdiction of a member, or the President of the ACBL may stay the execution of any discipline of such member pending an appeal.

 

 

ARTICLE XII

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES

 

Regional tournament schedules, including locations, must be approved by the District Board.

S. Seals – February 15, 2007
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