Wiscasset Yacht Club

CONSTITUTION OF THE WISCASSET YACHT CLUB
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INCORPORATED 1952 Constitution Revised: May 1969, September 1972, September 1975, September 1976, September 1988, September 1989, October 2002, October 2005.

ARTICLE I Name This Corporation shall be known as The Wiscasset Yacht Club.

ARTICLE II Seal The seal of the club shall be circular in form, with a diameter of 1 inches, and with the inscription around the circumference: Wiscasset Yacht Club Wiscasset, Maine; in the center, Incorporated 1952.

ARTICLE III Purpose The purpose of this club shall be to encourage the sport of yachting and boating; to promote the science of seamanship and navigation; to provide and maintain a suitable club house and anchorage for the use of its members; to provide for the convenience of visiting yachtsmen from other clubs; and to promote orderly and attractive conditions about the area waterfront.

ARTICLE IV Officers The elective officers of the Club shall be a Commodore; a Vice Commodore; a Rear Commodore, each of whom shall be a boat owner and who shall together comprise the Flag Officers of the Club, at least of one of whom shall reside in the Wiscasset area; a Secretary and a Treasurer; Chairman of the House Committee, Chairman of the Docks and Moorings Committee, and a Chairman of the Membership Committee.

ARTICLE V Duties of the Officers

Section 1: It shall be the duty of the Commodore to command the Club; enforce the laws and regulations of the Club; and preside at all Club meetings. It shall be the duty of the Commodore to assign specific duties to the Vice Commodore and Rear Commodore.

Section 2: It shall be the duty of the Vice Commodore to assist the Commodore in the discharge of his duties, to officiate in his absence, and to oversee the operations of the House and Grounds Committee.

Section 3: It shall be the duty of the Rear Commodore to assist the other two Commodores, officiate in their absence, and oversee the formation of the yearly calendar, social functions, and fundraising projects.

Section 4: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep typewritten or computer printed minutes of all the meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors, to have the custody of all reports and documents connected with the proceedings of the Club, to keep an up-to-date file of minutes at the Clubhouse, and to conduct the correspondence of the Club, including the sending out of notices of all meetings to members.

Section 5: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect, deposit, and account for all monies paid into the Club; to make due payment of all the bills against the Club under the direction of the Board of Directors; and to present a complete financial statement at the Annual Meeting and to file such government reports as necessary.

ARTICLE VI Board of Directors

Section 1: There shall be a Board of Directors which shall comprise the Commodore, the Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Chairmen of all standing committees. In addition to the elected and appointed members of the Board of Directors, all the past Commodores shall be ex-officio voting members. However, in establishing a quorum, only the elected and appointed members shall be counted.

Section 2: The Board of Directors shall meet at least eight times a year or as provided in Article XI,

Section 3: The Board of Directors shall establish and post the working rules of the Club known as the House Rules, these rules being intended to govern the day-to-day operations of the Club.

Section 4: The Board of Directors shall have entire authority in the management of the affairs of the Club; have general control of all its property; supervise all the rules and regulations with reference to use and maintenance of the Club House and other property of the Club; receive reports of all the Committees; appropriate all monies; and make an audit of the accounts of the Treasurer at least once a year, such audit to be performed by a member appointed by the Commodore to conduct the audit and to become sufficiently familiar with the books and records to take over the duties of the Treasurer should it become necessary.

ARTICLE VII Standing Committees

Section 1: The Standing Committee of the Club shall be Membership Committee; House Committee; Docks and Floats Committee; Entertainment Committee; Safety and Education Committee; and Projects Committee. The Chairman of the committees shall choose as many additional members for their committees as they deem necessary.

Section 2: The Membership Committee shall consist of at least five members who shall investigate the qualifications and certify for membership all acceptable applicants. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for keeping an up-to-date and accurate list of members and a waiting list of prospective members.

Section 3: The House Committee shall have general supervision of the Club House and grounds including the rental of the Club House, and be directly responsible for the Yacht Club Steward Program.

Section 4: The Docks and Floats Committee shall be directly responsible for all the docks and floats of the Yacht Club.

Section 5: The Entertainment Committee shall comprise at least three members who shall provide and take charge of all entertainment given by the Club.

Section 6: The Safety and Education Committee shall assume duties delegated to it by the Board of Directors.

Section 7: The Projects Committee shall consist of a t least five members and shall be responsible for all money raising events undertaken by the Club.

ARTICLE VIII Membership

Section 1: There shall be four classes of membership, the total of the first two classes not to exceed 160 memberships. No applicant shall be admitted if their election would cause the portion of the membership comprised of residents of Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden, Edgecomb, Newcastle, Westport, and Woolwich to become less than 60% of the total regular and junior members. A resident shall be defined as one whose principal residence is one of these towns, as evidenced by voter registration or driver s license.

All individuals over 18 years of age shall be eligible for regular membership. A regular membership may include both husband and wife and their children 18 years of age or younger. This includes full-time students through the age of 22 years. Junior membership shall consist of those 12 years of age through 18 years if age whose parents do not carry a regular membership. The privilege of Junior Membership may be extended to full time students through the age of 22 years, and shall be limited to residents of the seven contiguous communities listed in Section 1. An Associate member shall consist of a non-boat owner who has held a regular membership in the club for 10 years or more, and who notifies the Membership Committee in writing of his desire to relinquish regular membership in favor of associate membership. This membership will be terminated if the associate member becomes a boat owner. Any club member with an associate membership before September 1988 will retain that membership. Honorary Charter memberships shall consist of the founding members and the builders of the Wiscasset Yacht Club. This membership shall be designated and periodically conferred by the Board of Directors, and members designated shall be hereafter exempt from the payment of dues.

Section 2: Voting members shall consist of regular members at least 18 years of age, and honorary charter members.

Section 3: Election of members to the Club shall be by the membership committee from the establishing Waiting List. An applicant shall be placed on the Waiting List upon submission of a completed application and the application fee; the Board of Directors is responsible for setting the application fee. When a membership space is available, the candidates name, together with that of the sponsor, shall be posted by the Membership Committee for a period of seven days. No protests having been made by any member of the Membership Committee, the Membership Committee will enroll the new member. If objection arises, the objector shall appear before the Membership Committee and state the reasons. The Membership Committee may refer objections to the Board of Directors. A new member may be sponsored only by a regular member, and no member may sponsor more than one new member per calendar year.

ARTICLE IX Nominating Committee

There shall be a Nominating Committee consisting of four members elected at the Annual Meeting and the Club Secretary. The Nominating Committee shall meet within 30 days of the Annual Meeting to elect a Chairman. The Nominating Committee shall propose candidates for all elective officers, the list to be posted on the Club House bulletin board at least 14 days before the Annual Meeting. Thereafter, the Committee shall pass out of existence and be superseded by a new Nominating Committee.

ARTICLE X Elections

Section 1: Elections shall be held at the Annual Meeting of the Club. Offices shall be held for a one-year term.

Section 2: Voting may be by ballot and a majority of the votes cast shall elect.

Section 3: All vacancies in elective offices shall be filled by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XI Meetings

Section 1: An annual Business Meeting of the Club membership shall be held during the month of October at which time all regular and charter members shall be eligible to vote.

Section 2: Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the Commodore or any three members of the Board of Directors.

Section 3: Calendar of Events of the year shall be compiled and mailed to all members by the Board of Directors.

Section 4: At Board meetings two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. In establishing a quorum, only elected and appointed members of the Board of Directors will be counted. At meetings of the whole membership, the Board of Directors shall determine whether or not a quorum is present.

ARTICLE XII Dues

Dues shall be determined by vote of the Board of Directors and shall be approved by the membership at an Annual Meeting or Special Meeting of the Club. Changes in the dues shall be communicated in writing to the membership at least 14 days prior to said meeting. Dues shall be for the period Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. Dues shall be payable by April 1 within the membership period; if payment is not received by April 30, membership is forfeited. Dues that become payable, and are paid on or after September 1st due to the acceptance into the Club as a new member, shall constitute payment for the subsequent year. The Board of Directors may, upon a unanimous vote of the entire board, or a constitutionally authorized quorum, assess all current paying memberships, a payment, not to exceed the amount of annual dues in the year of the assessment, to meet unexpected and unusual expenses which are required for emergency purposes, and are not covered under current insurance policies.

ARTICLE XIII Burgee

Section 1: The Club shall have an official burgee.

Section 2: The design of the burgee shall consist of a white W on a field of blue, as shown in Lloyd s Register.

Section 3: Procurement of the Yacht Club Burgee shall be left to the Board of Directors, who shall make it available to members desiring it.

ARTICLE XIV Club Assets

The property of the Club, both real and personal, shall not be pledged, assigned nor mortgaged as security for debts of the Club for any purpose.

ARTICLE XV Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any Business Meeting of the Club provided a recommendation is made by the Board of Directors following a 14 day advance notice in writing, and provided that a two-thirds vote of all present supports of Amendment.

Last Revision: October 2005