Constitution & Bylaws for Greater Chicago Bassmasters

CHAPTER NAME:  Greater Chicago Bassmasters

CITY, STATE, ZIP:  Wildwood, Illinois 60030

ARTICLE I – Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name

This chapter shall be called the “Greater Chicago Bassmasters” based out of Wildwood, Illinois.

Section 2: Purpose

The main purpose of our Club is to bass fish and have fun in a safe manner.  We want to keep politics and non-sense out of it.  We want to create an atmosphere where all members can learn from each other and improve in this sport and as individuals.  Every member counts.  Every member’s input is valued.

Additional purposes recommended by B.A.S.S: To stimulate public awareness of bass fishing as a major sport. To offer our state conservation department our organized moral and political support and encouragement. To promote full adherence to all conservation codes and to demand adequate water standards. To detect and report any polluter and call public and political attention to his/her crime. To improve our skill as bass anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchange of expert bass catching

techniques and ideas, and to promote and encourage youth fishing and a love for this great recreation. To function as a dynamic and effective link with other chapters of the state B.A.S.S. Nation, embracing the principles and purposes of B.A.S.S.®.

ARTICLE II – Membership

Section 1: Number of Members

The chapter shall begin with and maintain at least six members.  The target maximum will be 30 members consisting of 15 boaters and 15 non-boaters.  The Board of Directors, further known as the “Board,” will decide if this can be increased.

Section 2: Requirement for Regular Membership

To become a chapter member, a person shall:

(a) Voluntarily express a genuine interest in membership.

(b) Be a member of B.A.S.S. (See ARTICLE V for affiliation requirements.)

(c) Be a member of the state B.A.S.S. Nation.

(d) Be recommended by a member.

(e) Be agreed upon by the Board.

(f) Be 21 years of age.  A Board vote will decide on exceptions below 21 years of age down to the B.A.S.S minimum of 16 years of age.

(g) Not be a member of another Bass Club.

Section 3: Requirements for Junior Membership*

Junior Members are not currently allowed by Greater Chicago Bassmasters.  If the potential arises, and the Board approves, the following are B.A.S.S.’s rules for such a member.

To become a junior member of an adult chapter, a person shall:

(a) Voluntarily express a genuine interest in membership.

(b) Be under 16 years of age.

*Junior members are not required to pay national membership dues and are not entitled to the benefits of a regular member. The acceptance of junior members will not affect a club’s liability insurance policy. Junior members may not hold office in an adult club nor may they be voting members. At age 16, junior members may continue membership by joining the club as a regular member. Junior membership ceases on a person’s 16th birthday.

Section 4: Membership Dues

The membership dues shall be $130 annually, initially payable upon being allowed into the

Chapter; $40 of which shall be for Illinois B.A.S.S Nation dues, $30 of which will be for Club B.A.S.S. dues, and $60 of which shall be for Greater Chicago Bassmasters chapter dues.  The Greater Chicago Bassmasters will operate on $60 per member per year.  Individual B.A.S.S. membership dues are also required at the current rate. Club tournament jersey’s are required and will be at an additional expense. (See ARTICLE V, Section 1 for state affiliation requirements.)

Section 5: Meetings of Members

The Board shall hold regular meetings at pre-established times.  These occur on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm from April through October.  The Club website will inform members of changes and other optional meetings in the off-season.

ARTICLE III – Officers, Appointments, and Eligibility

Officers shall conduct the affairs of the Chapter in a manner consistent with these Bylaws. The State B.A.S.S. Nation Board of Directors is required to be comprised of members who are free to serve the State and its members without a conflict of interest. Any State Board Member or State Officer, or an employee of any other B.A.S.S. organization will not be permitted to hold an office within the B.A.S.S. Nation at any level.

The Greater Chicago Bassmasters will have the following duties divided among five people that the Founding Members appoint.  The Founding Members are Matt Brueck and Rich Cebulak.  The five members will constitute the Board.  Some members may have multiple roles depending on strengths of particular members in any given year.  If five members do not step up to fill responsibilities, the Board will operate on less and work it out.

Section 1: Officers and their Duties

The officers of the chapter shall consist of:

(a) President: Preside over all meetings and direct all official business. Appoint and be an Exofficio member of all committees. Supervise all club functions.  The President’s vote will break all ties, even if there are equal numbers.

(b) Vice President: Act as program chairman, assist the President in his duties and preside in the absence of the President.  In the event the President is not available, the Vice-President’s vote will break all ties, even if there are equal numbers.

(c) Secretary: Be a regular liaison between your chapter and the B.A.S.S. Nation and the state B.A.S.S. Nation chapter.  Keep the chapter current with B.A.S.S.  Make sure that boat insurance for all Boaters and Stand-by Boaters is current.

(d) Treasurer: Collect and disburse all monies. Maintain accurate financial records and present a current balance report at each regular meeting. Prepare an annual audit for review by the chapter Board.

(e) Conservation Director: Serve as liaison between the chapter and state and national conservation/environmental agencies. Plan chapter conservation projects and attend all local and state conservation meetings/hearings when possible.

(f) Youth Director: Organize all youth activities and programs. Coordinate youth events and start a Junior Bassmaster Chapter when the chapter is ready for this sponsorship.

(g) Tournament Director:  Be in charge of Tournaments, Permits, Hotels, Launch Ramps, Tournament Equipment, and other Tournament-related issues per the Tournament Rules.  The Tournament Director will make sure to have a full Tournament Committee at each Tournament, which includes, but is not limited to, a Bump Man, a Scale Man, a Statistician recording weights and bass caught, a White Board Man confirming and posting stats for all members to see Tournament Results, a Picture Man for every member’s catch for the website, and a release plan to make sure that every bass lives.

(h) Website Director:  Maintain and update the website.

(i) Membership Director:  Work to maintain and increase membership to the level that the Board requests.

(j) Raffle Director:  Work to maintain a monthly volunteer Raffle at the monthly meetings that supports the Club in a profitable manner.  The Raffle may or may not happen on any given month or at all.

(k) Other Directors:  Appointed as needed.

Section 2: Appointments

The Founding Members will appoint all Directors and Committee positions.

Section 3: Eligibility of Vote

Each member is entitled to one vote when the Board or Founding Members decide to go to a Club-wide vote on an issue. Proxy votes are permitted, but only with the authorization of the Board or Founding Members.  Most voting will be handled by the Board, so that members can just show up, fish, and have fun.  This is designed to keep the Club and Club Meetings about fishing and not business or details.  The Board will decide when to put certain issues up for an entire Club vote in a fair manner.  See the Tournament Rules for further detail.  The Founding Members can over-ride any vote, but only in the best interest of the Club and its longevity.

ARTICLE IV – Removal of Membership**

Section 1: Removal of Membership

Members may be dropped from the membership role for the following reasons:

(a) Failure to pay dues.

(b) Any action that would reflect dishonor and disgrace on the chapter and/or B.A.S.S. Nation.

(c) Failure to attend 50% of the chapter meetings and 50% of chapter functions during a

12 month period based on a Board or Founding Member determination.

(d) Disqualification for any reason from participating in B.A.S.S.-sponsored events.

(e)  See Tournament Rules for further detail.

(f)  Found cheating in a Tournament.

(g)  The Founding Members can remove any member, but only in the best interest of the Club and its longevity.  This option should be exercised rarely and with Board and Club input.

**Note:  Military deployment is exempt.

ARTICLE V – Affiliation

Section 1: Requirements for Affiliation

(a) Approval of chapter charter by B.A.S.S.

(b) Update B.A.S.S. with chapter membership roster once each year. Annual update cycle

begins each year on November 1st.

(c) Names and addresses of new members joining the chapter during the year must be

submitted online to B.A.S.S. as they occur. (See ARTICLE II, Section 3 for dues requirements.)

(d) Maintain 100% B.A.S.S. membership.

(e) Must affiliate with the state Nation and support its conservation and youth programs. Any

additional requirements that the state establishes for chapters, such as membership, dues,

attendance at meetings, etc., would be necessary for the chapter to participate in the state

qualifying tournament(s) and any other Nation-sponsored tournaments or events.

(f) Must belong to and support the Illinois BASS Nation.

(g) All members must be in good standing with the Illinois BASS Nation.

ARTICLE VI – Method of Amending the Bylaws

Section 1: Amending the Bylaws

The Bylaws may be amended or exceptions made at any time by the Founding Members, preferably with input from the Board or membership.  The Founding Members have run another Club for many years in a fair and reasonable manner.  They will continue to listen to every member’s input at all times.  The Founding Member status is in place to provide consistency for the Club, to allow for the longevity of the Club, and to make sure that the Club is run in a fair and reasonable manner.

Section 2: Assignment of Title

A Founding Member may assign Founding Member status to a member provided the Founding Members agree.  In the event that only one Founding Member remains, the remaining Founding Member can assign that status.  This is designed to ensure Club longevity and will be executed in a fair manner, and preferably with input from the Board and/or all membership.

We, the undersigned Founding Members, do hereby agree to the above Bylaws and the commencement of the chapter on this, the 6th day of January, 2015.  We also affirm that we will have six members annually to continue the chapter.

Matt Brueck, Founding Member

Rich Cebulak, Founding Member