ACBL-UNIT 225

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization shall be ACBL-Unit 225 (formerly East Texas Bridge Association), (hereinafter sometimes called this Unit) of the American Contract Bridge League (hereinafter sometimes called the League or ACBL). This Unit, as a subsidiary of the ACBL, recognizes the ACBL as the parent organization having authority over tournament bridge in the United States. Unit 225 exists under the sanction of the ACBL and functions within the Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations of the ACBL.

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES

 1) To preserve and promote the best interest of competitive contract bridge and any modifications thereof.
 
2) To cooperate with and assist the League in the promotion and conduct of contract bridge tournaments.
 
3) To prescribe rules of eligibility for participation in tournaments under its own auspices.
 
4) To submit reports of dishonest, unethical or improper conduct of participants in tournaments or clubs in this Unit to the District 16 Disciplinary Chair.
 
5) To promote the development and organization of affiliated clubs within this Unit.
 
6) To conduct such other activities as may be in keeping with its principal objectives.

ARTICLE III – JURISDICTION

 The geographical area in which this Unit may operate shall be such as is presently assigned to it by the Board of Directors of ACBL, and as it may hereafter be modified from time to time. The area, all counties Texas, is as follows:

Anderson                   Henderson                Rains

Bowie                         Hopkins                    Red River

Camp                         Hunt                          Rusk

Cass                           Lamar                       Shelby

Cherokee                   Marion                      Smith

Delta                           Morris                       Titus

Franklin                      Nacogdoches            Upshur

Gregg                         Panola                      Van Zandt

Harrison                                                       Wood

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP

 Membership classifications shall be Active and Honorary.

  1. Active

 A. Any person of good moral character and residing within the playing area of this Unit is eligible for active membership.

 B. An active Member shall enjoy and possess all rights of membership equally with all other members.

 C. Membership in ACBL shall carry with it membership in this Unit.

 D. If a member changes his or her legal residence to a place outside the playing area of this Unit, he or she shall cease to be a member of this Unit. No one may be a member of more than one Unit.

 2. Honorary

 A. An Honorary Member is any person whose contributions, after many years of dedicated service to Unit 225, merit special recognition. (See Article IX, 2, Nominations.)

 B. An Honorary Member may be elected to the Board of Directors.

 3. Rights, Privileges and Obligations of Membership

 A. Unit members are bound to full compliance with and adherence to the Charters and Bylaws of this Unit and those of ACBL.

 B. A member remains in good standing unless:

 (1)  He or she has failed to pay dues in accordance with the Regulations of ACBL.

 (2)  He or she has been disciplined under Article IX, 8(B), of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE V – DUES

Any person living within the playing area of this Unit and paying annual membership dues to ACBL shall be a member of this Unit.

ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS

1.  The annual membership meeting shall be the August meeting.

 2.  The Board of Directors of this Unit shall fix the time and place of the annual meeting and shall give notice by mail or through other convenient means at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting.

 3.  Special meetings of this Unit may be called by the President or the Board of Directors upon written notice at least ten (10) days preceding the meeting. The notice shall contain an agenda.

 4.  A quorum of the Unit at annual or special meetings shall consist of five (5) percent of the membership.

 5.  To coincide with ACBL, this Unit’s calendar year shall be August 1 to July 31.

ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS

1. The officers of this Unit shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

 2. The Board of Directors shall elect officers at its first meeting following the annual membership meeting. Persons elected shall hold office for one year.

 3. The Board of Directors shall fill a vacancy of any office through the unexpired term.

 4. Duties of Officers

 A. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of this Unit, shall preside at meetings of this Unit, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, appoint committees, and promote active and successful functioning of the Board of Directors.

 B. The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President when necessary and shall serve as Membership Chairman.

 C. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of this Unit, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, and shall be responsible for all correspondence and reports.

 D. The Treasurer shall be custodian of the funds of this Unit and shall be responsible for planning and management of the funds; and shall furnish monthly reports to the Board of Directors and an annual report to this Unit’s members. The monthly and annual reports will be posted to the Unit’s website. At the first Board meeting following the annual meeting, the Treasurer shall submit all records to an Audit Committee, which shall consist of two (2) persons appointed by the President. The Audit Committee shall examine the records and report to this Unit’s Board of Directors at the next meeting.

ARTICLE VIII - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

There shall be an Executive Committee, composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, which shall have the power of the Board of Directors when an emergency meeting of all Board Members is not practical. Any action taken by the Executive Committee shall be submitted to the Board for ratification at its next meeting. Three (3) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE IX - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. The Board of Directors shall consist of nine (9) members of this Unit plus any Honorary members, none of whom shall be paid for their services on the Board. An Honorary Member shall have all rights and privileges of elected members.

 2. Nominations

 A. The Unit Board shall appoint a Nominating Committee, a majority of which shall not be current board members, to prepare a single slate of directors that represents all of Unit 225 members as fairly as possible. The Committee shall report the slate to the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting and notify the membership at least twenty (20) days prior to the annual meeting.

 B. Notification will be given that additional nominations may be made in writing to the Secretary of this Unit at least ten (10) days before the date of election. Any additional nomination must be signed by at least ten (10) members in good standing.

 C. No more than one (1) member of the same family shall be eligible to serve during the same tenure.

 3. Elections

 The slate from the Nominating Committee and any additional nominations shall be read to the membership. The directors shall be elected by show of hands or by secret ballot. Proxy votes are not permitted as prescribed by ACBL.

4. Terms of Office

 A. All directors shall serve a term of three (3) years, with election to coincide with the annual meeting of this unit.

 B. Three (3) new directors shall be elected annually.

 C. A director shall not be eligible for re-election after having served two (2) successive terms.

 D. Re-election is permitted after an absence of three (3) years.

 5. Vacancies

 A vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board through the unexpired term.

 6. Meetings

 A. The Board shall meet at least nine (9) times during the calendar year of this Unit, the first as soon as possible after the annual meeting.

B. Any director who has been absent from three (3) scheduled Board meetings in any calendar year, unless excused for valid reason by the President, shall automatically and immediately be relieved of his or her position on the Board.

 7. Quorum

 Five (5) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

 8. Duties

 A. The Board shall conduct, manage, supervise and control all business of this Unit including, but not limited to, the conduct of tournaments, the selection of dates and locations, and the making of all contracts in connection with such tournaments.

 B. In conducting affairs of this Unit, the Board of Directors may not vote by proxy.

ARTICLE X – IMPEACHMENT

Any Officer or Director may be removed for cause at any meeting by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors provided notice of impeachment charges has been given at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting by Registered Mail or Certified Mail with return receipt requested. The person charged shall be given an opportunity to be heard by the Board and to be represented by counsel. Action by the Board shall be final.

ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Orders Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Bylaws or by policies and standing rules adopted by this Unit’s Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENT

Amendments to the Bylaws may be made upon a petition signed by at least fifty (50) members of this Unit or a petition signed by at least six (6) members of its Board and submitted to the Secretary thirty (30) days in advance of the annual meeting or any special meeting. The Secretary shall incorporate the proposed amendment(s) in the notice of the meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting shall be required to pass any amendment. Bylaws adopted at the annual membership meeting, July 1997. Amended, August 2007 and December 2019.

POLICIES

Policies set the standard of conduct for an organization. They carry the authority of Bylaws and therefore can only be amended in the same way as Bylaws.

STANDING RULES

Standing rules relate to day-to-day operation of an organization. They are voted on by the organization’s Board but do not have to be voted on by the entire membership. They give the option of frequent changes.

STANDING RULES (For Unit 225)

Memorials

1. Upon the death of any Unit 225 member, the Sunshine Chair on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Unit, shall send a card of condolence to the appropriate family member of the deceased.

 2. An announcement of a member’s death shall appear in Unit 225’s column of the Scorecard and on the Unit’s website.

 3. A memorial gift deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors for a deceased member shall be limited to present or former Board members or a member who has given many years of devoted Service to Unit 225. The gift may not exceed.$100.00.

Reimbursement

 Any qualified player from Unit 225 who attends and plays in the Grand National Teams or the North American Pairs at the NABC tournament shall be reimbursed funds to help defray expenses, not to exceed $250.00 per person, nor to exceed $1,500.00 for the year.