ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this Dive Club shall be the CAPE DIVE CLUB, INC. The location shall be in
The Cape Dive Club is a not for profit Club formed to carry on activities related to SCUBA diving.
The purposes of this Club are:
To promote sportsmanship and the sport of SCUBA Diving by stimulating our members to achieve the highest standards of safety and proficiency in SCUBA Diving
To promote friendship and wholesome social activity among its membership
To promote educational programs that will provide fundamental knowledge supported by actual hands-on experience in a variety of areas including:
1. Safe Diving Practices
2. Conservation of Marine Ecosystems
3. First Aid and Handling Diving Related Emergencies
4. To organize group SCUBA diving trips, educational and social events that will allow our membership to accomplish the above stated purposes
Regular Membership: All candidates for membership must possess a valid Basic SCUBA Diver Certification Card obtained through a recognized certifying agency. Candidates under eighteen years of age will be eligible for membership only with the written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Associate Membership: Associate Membership applies to those individuals who do not meet the qualification for Membership above including non-certified persons. Associate members will have all the privileges as Membership with the exception they cannot vote in elections or hold an elected office. They may however service on certain activities and committees approved by the board.
Application: Forms for membership application shall be available from the Club web site and at each meeting. All membership applications must be submitted to the Club along with payment of designated dues and/or fees, and the signed Diver Information and Assumptions of Risk Release and Hold Harmless Agreement Club Waiver.
Membership Requirements: Must participate in club dives and events on a regular basis. Agree to any and all Club rules and bylaws.
Dues: Shall be annual and set by the Board of Directors (BOD). Dues are good for twelve months and renewal must be paid within 30 days of expiration.
Termination: Failure to pay dues will result in termination. Termination will occur for any individual who has not paid their annual dues within 30 days of the expiration date. Terminated members will be removed from the membership roster and mailing list. Reinstatement of any terminated member may take place at any time and may be obtained by payment of designated dues and/or fees.
Termination of membership can result from:
Conduct that could cause harm or injury to themselves or other individuals
Failure to comply with the rules and policies as outlined in the Club Bylaws
Endangering the safety of themselves or another diver through negligent diving practices
Theft or fighting - If necessary, law enforcement agencies will be notified
Said termination will be acted upon by the Board of Directors, either by request from the membership or themselves. There is no refund of dues if membership is terminated by the Board.
ARTICLE IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS (BOD)
The BOD shall consist of the six (4) elected officers, specifically:
A. President
B. Treasurer
C. Secretary
D. Head Divemaster –Vice President
Elected officers must be a regular member in good standing (dues paid in full) and owe no other monies to the club.
President. The President will:
Provide leadership, overall direction, and administration of the Club.
Call and preside at all meetings of the BOD and all meetings of the General Membership.
Manage the Club budget and approve expenditures of Club funds not covered by the budget and amounting to less than one hundred (100) dollars.
Guide, develop, and coordinate the various activities of the Club towards the furtherance of the Club’s purposes.
Treasurer. The Treasurer will:
Be responsible for keeping accurate financial books and records of all Club activities.
Make all financial records available for review and audit.
Normally write and sign all checks drawn upon the Club funds.
Maintain a file of all invoices and receipts.
Pay all Club bills as directed by the President.
Give a verbal summary report (since the previous Club meeting) of income, expenditures and remaining balance at every Club meeting.
Submit a written summary to the President of the BOD of the Club’s income, expenditures and remaining balance at the end of the fiscal year.
Assume the duties of President and Vice-President in their absence.
Secretary. The Secretary will:
Serve as recording and corresponding secretary of the Club and the BOD.
Keep accurate minutes of all meetings.
Handle all general correspondence as directed by the President.
Maintain copies of all legal records of the Club, current copies of the Bylaws, and any other rules of the Club.
Vice-President/Head Divemaster: The Vice-President will:
Assist the President in directing and coordinating all activities of the Club.
Assume the duties of the President in his or her absence.
Review and approve all diving activates sponsored by the club with the BOD.
Succeed to the office of President should that office become vacant prior to the end of the President’s term of office.
The duties of the BOD shall be:
Review the Club’s financial status.
Approve any commitment of Club funds not covered by the budget and amounting to one hundred (100) dollars or more.
Schedule the Club’s major activities.
Fill any vacated positions of Club officers as they deem necessary.
Recommend any changes to the Club’s Bylaws, or other rules not stated within the Bylaws (e.g., membership application) for membership vote.
Appoint committees and committee chairpersons as required.
Be responsible for the interpretation and application of the Bylaws and any other rules of the Club.
The Board may, from time to time, elect or appoint such other delegates and assign to them such powers and duties as it deems best.
Presiding Officer. The President shall call and preside at all meetings of the General
Membership and the BOD
General Membership Meetings. There will be scheduled meetings of the General Membership every month. The BOD will announce and set the date, time and place for all meetings of the General Membership. The President may call other meetings of the General Membership as necessary. Club members shall be notified of the dates and location of Club meetings via the Club newsletter and web site.
Board of Director Meetings. The President will hold BOD meetings at a minimum of every other month. The President will hold additional BOD meetings at their discretion. Any member may attend the BOD meetings but will not be eligible to vote on action items.
Club-sponsored Dives. A SCUBA dive that has been authorized by the BOD shall be considered a Club-sponsored dive. These dives are announced at a club meeting and on the club website and have been organized by club members. A sign-up sheet would normally be associated with such a dive. The BOD may authorize the use of Club funds for these activities.
Limited Availability. Members in good standing (dues paid in full) shall have precedence when a Club-sponsored dive has limited availability (such as a boat dive or travel). However, if space is available, guests of paid members may be allowed to participate in club-sponsored dives provided that they possess valid SCUBA Diver certification(s) and have signed a statement (waiver) to the effect that the Club shall not be held responsible or liable for any accidents, injury, or loss occurring to any members or their guests while participating in any event associated with the Club.
The BOD may appoint a coordinator or committee for each event.
The BOD on the advice of the coordinator person organizing the activity will determine what fees, if any, should be charged for Club activities.
Quorum. For taking votes on any business the following quorum must be present at any meeting:
Any business conducted at a meeting of the General Membership requires a majority vote of the votes cast of a quorum of at least ten percent (10%) of the total membership is present, or a two-thirds vote if less than the quorum is present. Notice of the meeting and the business to be covered must be sent out at least two weeks in advance. A quorum of the BOD consists of all of the members of the BOD.
Proposal. Any member or committee may propose changes to these Bylaws by submitting a written request to the BOD. If considered appropriate by the BOD the proposed change will be reviewed for possible modification and then presented for vote by all the members.
Two-thirds Vote. Two-thirds of the votes cast by voting members is required to pass amendments.
Effective Date of Amendments: Amendments to these Bylaws shall take effect at the adjournment of the Club meeting at which they were adopted.
All members will be required to put in work time at Club fundraisers.
The Board will set amount of required time.
The Board for valid reasons will grant exemptions.
Failure to meet requirements may result in membership termination.