USFA Central California Division By-laws

Article I: Name and Affiliation

The name of the division shall be the Central California Division of the United States Fencing Association, Inc.
The Division shall hereinafter be referred to as "THE DIVISION"," and the United States Fencing Association, Inc. shall be referred to as "USFA, INC."

THE DIVISION is a duly chartered, subordinate constituent body of the USFA, INC., exercising powers given by, performing duties under, and subject to, the Charter and By-laws of the USFA, INC., with jurisdiction over the following geographic areas: the counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey in the State of California.

Article II: Objectives

The purposes and objectives of THE DIVISION are:
  1. To promote, encourage and develop the sport of fencing.
  2. To provide local competitions and tournaments.
  3. To assist Divisional fencers to reach their full potential in fencing.
  4. To aid and assist the USFA, INC. in all its objectives and purposes.

Article III: Membership - Dues - Competitions

Section 1.

Any person residing within the boundaries of THE DIVISION or representing a fencing club within this same area shall be eligible for membership in THE DIVISION.  No member of this Division may be a member of any other Division of the USFA, INC.

Section 2.

Classes of Membership: Membership shall be the same as that designated from time to time by the USFA.

Section 3.

Membership may be transferred into this Division provided that the transferee has a current valid membership card from the USFA, INC.

Section 4.

Any member in good standing, 18 years old or older at the time of the membership meeting, shall be qualified to vote.  The parent or legal guardian of any member in good standing, who has not attained the age of 18, shall be qualified to vote.

Section 5.

Annual Divisional dues shall be determined by the USFA, INC. with the concurrence of THE DIVISION.  THE DIVISION may, upon majority vote of the membership, add an additional fee for dues for Divisional expenses.

Section 6.

The Divisional Executive Committee shall prepare the fencing schedule and shall determine the conditions and restrictions governing the qualifications, entries and conduct of all competitions under its jurisdiction.

Section 7.

Fencers who are found to have entered a competition without being members of the USFA, INC. or who have failed to pay the entrance fee, will be subject to the following penalties and fines:
  1. First offense: warning;
  2. Second offense: $25 fine and expulsion from competition following the occurrence in which the fencer wishes to participate;
  3. Third offense: expulsion for a year.

Article IV: Officers and Duties

The officers of THE DIVISION shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  All officers shall take office the first day of August next following their election, and shall hold office until the following July 31, or until their successors are elected and have justified.

The duties of the officers shall be as follows:

Section 1. Chairperson:

The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of THE DIVISION and its Executive Committee, and perform such other duties as usually pertain to that office and are not inconsistent with these By-Laws.  The Chairperson has the responsibility for filing with the Secretary and the Treasurer of the USFA, INC. the annual reports called for under the corporate By-Laws of the USFA, INC. and the standing votes of the Board of Directors.  The preparation of these reports may be delegated to the Secretary and Treasurer of THE DIVISION.  The Chairperson may, from time to time, assign officers and members of the Executive Committee to chair standing or ad-hoc committees.  The Chairperson shall be ex-officio member of all committees.  The Chairperson of THE DIVISION is responsible for the custody and maintenance of all division equipment.

Section 2. Vice Chairperson:

The Vice Chairperson, in the absence of the Chairperson, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson and any other duties assigned by the Chairperson and/or the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Secretary:

The Secretary shall conduct all official correspondence, keep a record of the meetings of THE DIVISION, issue notices to members of all meetings, and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson of THE DIVISION or other proper authority. The Secretary shall be official custodian of the records of THE DIVISION. The secretary shall prepare and publish minutes of all division meetings including meetings of the executive committee, and shall bring a copy of the previous meeting's minutes to each meeting.

The Secretary shall bring the most current division membership roster to each meeting of  THE DIVISION and each meeting of the Executive Committee.  The secretary shall also verify the voting status of each member as appropriate, and issue some indicia to the individual which shows the number of votes that individual represents (e.g. the individual plus proxies and youth).  All Division meeting minutes shall be published on the Internet.

The secretary shall discuss bylaw changes proposed under Article IX, Section 2, with the USFA, in conjunction with the proponent, prior to the required mailing.

Section 4. Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall, with the assistance of the Executive Committee, present a budget for the following fiscal year (August 1 - July 31) at the July Annual meeting.   Changes made upon the budget shall be presented at the next Annual meeting.  The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of THE DIVISION, receive all moneys, fees, dues, pay all bills approved by the Executive Committee, and preserve all vouchers for such disbursements.  The Treasurer shall, at the Annual meeting of THE DIVISION, submit a report of the financial transactions of the preceding period.  All disbursements shall be made by check from the divisional checking account.  Such disbursements must be supported by receipts stating the nature of the transaction and the payee.  All funds of THE DIVISION shall be maintained in an FLIC insured account under the name of the division, checking and/or savings.  No amount above $50 will be disbursed without Executive Committee approval, and no amounts over $1,000, not part of the budget presented at the Annual Meeting, will be disbursed without the approval of THE DIVISION's membership by a majority vote.  Said vote may be taken by either mail or at a membership meeting.  The Treasurer will provide upon written request of at least ten (10) members of THE DIVISION current financial records within one (1) month of the request.  The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson of THE DIVISION or other proper authority.

Section 5.

The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined for any year upon majority vote of the members of THE DIVISION voting, in person, at the Annual meeting.  In the event of such a vote, the candidates for the office of Secretary and the Office of Treasurer, nominated pursuant to Article VIII of these By-Laws, shall be deemed candidates for the combined office.

Section 6.

Any officer of THE DIVISION may be removed from office by the following procedure:
  1. A petition of twenty-five (25) voting members of THE DIVISION, and
  2. An election in which the officer receives less than a majority.
  3. The election may be held at either an Annual meeting or a special meeting of the divisional membership.

Article V: Management by the Executive Committee

Section 1. Composition:

The management of the division shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of THE DIVISION, additional directors, and a representative from each recognized club within the division if that club is not already represented on the committee.

Section 2. Quorum:

A quorum shall consist of one third (1/3) of the members of the Executive Committee, or three (3) members, whichever is the greater.

Section 3. Meetings:

Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held on a regular basis at such time and place as shall be designated by the Chairperson, and shall be also called upon the written request of three (3) or more members of the Committee.   All Committee members shall be given not less than fourty-eight (48) hours prior notice of all special meetings.  All meetings except those in which disciplinary action is to be taken or contemplated against any Executive Committee member or Divisional member shall be open to the Division membership.

Section 4.

Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to perform his duties may be removed from the Executive Committee using the following procedures:
  1. Written notification of the causes for removal must be provided to the entire Executive Committee, including the member to be removed.
  2. At any meeting in which removal of any member of the Executive Committee is contemplated, three quarters (3/4) of the members of the Executive Committee must be present.
  3. The member so charged has the right to appear at the meeting and present any arguments against removal.
  4. The member who is contemplated for removal has no vote at this meeting.
  5. Three quarters (3/4) of the Executive Committee members present at the hearing must vote for removal before the member is removed.

Section 5.

The executive committee may replace a member who has resigned or who has been removed by the Executive Committee by the following procedure:
  1. At any executive meeting where a new member is to be voted upon, three quarters (3/4) of the members of the Executive Committee must be present.
  2. Three quarters (3/4) of the Executive Committee at this meeting must cast votes of approval before the new member of the Executive Committee is so approved.

Article VI: Meetings of the Members

Section 1. Annual Meeting:

The Annual Meeting of THE DIVISION shall be held in July.  The date, time and place of the Annual Meeting shall be designated by the Chairperson.

Section 2. Special Meetings:

Special meetings may be called at any time and place by the Chairperson, and shall be called by the Chairperson upon the written request of not less than twenty-five (25) members of THE DIVISION.  THE DIVISION members must be given two weeks advance notice of such special meeting.

Section 3. Quorum:

A quorum shall consist of those members of THE DIVISION present in person or by proxy and must meet the quorum requirements set forth in article v section 2 at a minimum. and a A majority vote of those present shall control, except as herein otherwise provided.

Article VII: Elections

Section 1.

Candidates for all offices established under these Bylaws shall be nominated from the floor at the annual meeting of THE DIVISION.

Section 2.

If not more than one (1) nomination is made for any office, the Secretary of THE DIVISION shall cast a unanimous ballot at the annual meeting for the candidate nominated.  If two (2) nominations are made for any office, voting for the candidates shall be either in person or by proxy and the candidate receiving the majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected.  Written ballots shall be used.  In the event that three (3) or more candidates are nominated for any office, and no candidate receives a majority vote, a run-off election shall be conducted between the two candidates receiving the most ballots on the first round and the winner shall be declared elected.  If the votes in either a regular or run-off election for any office results in a tie, a lot shall be cast and the winner declared elected.

Section 3.

Members in good standing may give their proxy for election of officers only to any other member in good standing of the division.  All proxies shall be in writing and shall be submitted for verification to the Secretary of THE DIVISION not less than seventy-two (72) hours prior to at the commencement of the Annual Meeting.  The person designated in the proxy must be in attendance at the annual meeting in order to exercise it.

Article VIII: By-Laws, Rules and POLICIES of the USFA, INC.

All by-laws, rules, regulations and matters of policy concerning the conduct of competition as set forth in the fencing rules and manual of the USFA, INC. are hereby incorporated as part of these By-Laws without action by the Executive Committee or members of THE DIVISION.

Article IX: Amendments

Section 1.

These Central California Division By-Laws may be amended at any Annual meeting of the membership.  An amendment receiving a majority of all votes case by the members voting in person shall be deemed as adopted, subject to the approval of the National USFA, INC.

Members in good standing may give their proxy for election of officers only to any other member in good standing of the division.  All proxies shall be in writing and shall be submitted for verification to the Secretary of THE DIVISION at the commencement of the Annual Meeting.  The person designated in the proxy must be in attendance at the annual meeting in order to exercise it.
 

Section 2.

These Central California Division bylaws may also be amended at a special meeting provided that the following conditions are met:
  1. That notice be given by US Mail to all division members no less than three weeks before the special meeting, stating when and where the meeting will be held and the general nature of the bylaw amendments to be decided upon,
  2. That the meeting date not conflict with any divisional, sectional or national tournament, with the SAT or ACT exams, or with any major religious or secular holidays, and
  3. That at least twenty-five (25) members, or 10% of the membership, whichever is less, be present in person or by proxy.
An amendment will be approved (subject to the approval of the USFA, INC.) if it receives two thirds (2/3) of all votes cast, in person or by proxy.

 

This document was transcribed by hand by Dick King from the records of the USFA as FAXed to Lisa Posthumus and then to Dick King on 7/16/1998.  Please email me any needed corrections.