BY-LAWS OF THE

DUPLICATE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION OF ATLANTA

 

REVISED December 2008

 

 

ARTICLE ONE

 

Organization

 

A.     This organization shall be known as the Duplicate Bridge Association of Atlanta, hereinafter referred to as DBAA.

 

B.     The DBAA is incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the state of Georgia.

 

C.     The geographical area of the DBAA's operation is assigned to it by the Board of Directors of Georgia State Unit 114 and may be modified from time to time.

 

 

ARTICLE TWO

 

Objectives

 

The objectives of the DBAA are:

 

1.      To promote duplicate contract bridge;

 

2.      To assist Georgia State Unit 114 in the promotion and conduct of sanctioned bridge tournaments and activities;

 

3.      To host sanctioned sectional tournaments held within the geographical area of the DBAA;

 

4.      To periodically run an ACBL sanctioned game (DBAA Game) within the geographical area of the DBAA;

 

5.      To conduct and supervise elections for the Officers of the DBAA;

 

6.      To support duplicate bridge clubs in the DBAA geographic area.

 

 


ARTICLE THREE

 

Membership

 

Members of the DBAA consist of members in good standing of both the American Contract Bridge League and Georgia State Unit 114 who reside in the geographical area of the DBAA.

 

ARTICLE FOUR

 

Membership Meetings

 

A.     A membership meeting of the DBAA shall be held during each calendar year. The time and place shall be set by the Board of Directors of the DBAA.

 

B.     Special meetings of the membership may be called at anytime by a majority of the Board of Directors, or upon petition of 50 members of the DBAA.

 

C.     Written notice of all membership meetings shall be posted on the DBAA web site and at the DBAA Game for three consecutive weeks prior to the scheduled date of the meeting.  At least three weeks prior to the scheduled date of the meeting, this notice shall be given to all club managers in the DBAA area for posting at their respective clubs.  This notice must state the purpose(s) of the meeting.

 

D.     A quorum for a meeting of the membership shall be 50 members. Unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, a majority vote is required to pass a resolution.

 

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

Board of Directors

 

A.     Except as otherwise provided, affairs of the DBAA shall be managed by its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following members:

 

1.      The President of the DBAA

2.      The Vice President of the DBAA

3.      The Secretary of the DBAA

4.      The Treasurer of the DBAA

5.      The Metro Atlanta Area Representatives to the Georgia State Unit 114 Board

 

B.     The Board of Directors shall hold meetings at such time or place as it may from time to time determine. The Secretary shall call a meeting of the Board at the request of the President, or upon the request in writing of five (5) of the members of the Board. Notice of said meeting will be mailed or e-mailed to each member of the Board at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting.

 

C.     A quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of 50% of the directors. Proxies are not allowed.

 

D.     Members of the Board shall serve without compensation.

 

E.     The President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer may be removed by a two-thirds vote at a meeting of the membership. Notice of intent to remove an officer of the Board must accompany the announcement of the meeting. Anyone whose removal has been proposed shall be given the opportunity to be heard at this meeting.

 

F.      Any vacancy of the President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer shall be filled by election at the same meeting. The nominee must win by a clear majority, which is defined as 50+% of the votes cast.

 

 

G.    Upon majority vote of the Board of Directors, a member may be prohibited from voting on any matter in which the Board determines that member has a financial interest.

 

 

ARTICLE SIX

 

Officers

 

A.     The officers of the DBAA consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers must be members of the DBAA.

 

B.     The term of office of each officer shall be two years. The word "year" shall mean the period from the adjournment of the annual meeting until the adjournment of the next annual meeting of the membership. Each officer shall continue to serve until the term for which the officer was elected has expired, and/or a successor has been duly elected and/or qualified.

 

C.     A vacancy in any office (other than removal for cause) shall be filled by the appointment of the President, with the approval of the Board. The person so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

 

D.     The duties of the President are:

 

1.      To perform all actions necessary to carry out these By-Laws;

 

2.      To preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors;

 

3.      To prepare an annual report on the affairs of the DBAA to be presented at the annual meeting of the membership;

 

4.      To execute orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors of the DBAA and Georgia State Unit 114;

 

5.      To perform any actions necessary between meetings of the Board of the DBAA. These actions must be reported at the next Board meeting;

 

 

 

 

 

6.      To perform duties and responsibilities assigned by the officers of the following Boards of Directors:  

a.      ACBL

b.      District 7

c.      Mid-Atlantic Conference

d.      Georgia State Unit 114

e.      DBAA

 

E.     The duties of the Vice President are:

 

1.      To perform the duties of the President when the President is absent or unable to do so;

 

2.      To perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

 

F.      The duties of the Secretary are:

 

1.      To obtain from the ACBL a current membership role of the DBAA as necessary to conduct elections or for other DBAA needs;

 

2.      To attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the membership, and record the Minutes of the proceedings at those meetings;

 

3.      To distribute unapproved Minutes of the prior meeting to the Board Members at least one week in advance of the next meeting. Said Minutes will contain notice of the next meeting;

 

4.      To distribute approved Minutes of the previous meeting to the DBAA clubs;

 

5.      To handle correspondence as directed by the President;

 

6.      To perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

 

G.    The duties of the Treasurer are:

 

1.      To handle all income and expenses under the guidance of the President and/or the Board of Directors;

 

2.      To keep complete, accurate records and to prepare a “Treasurer’s Report”, summarizing at minimum the prior month’s activity to be delivered at each Board Meeting;

 

3.      To prepare a yearly financial statement for the annual meeting of the membership;

 

4.      To provide annually the Treasurer's Reports and all data pertinent to an individual selected by the Board to review the accounts of the DBAA;

 

5.      To perform the duties of Club Manager for the club number 139659, Georgia State Unit 114, DBAA;

 

6.      To perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

Area Representatives

 

A.     The terms and number of Area Representatives are defined in the Georgia State Unit 114 By-Laws

 

B.     The procedures to elect, remove and/or replace Area Representatives are defined in the Georgia State Unit 114 By-Laws

 

C.     The duties of Area Representatives are:

 

1.      To serve as liaisons between the Boards of the DBAA and Georgia State Unit 114;

 

2.      To perform other duties as assigned by the President or Board of Directors.

 

3.      If an elected representative to Unit 114 from the DBAA area does not wish to serve on the DBAA Board, then upon receiving written notice of resignation, the President of the DBAA, with the approval of the Board, will appoint someone to serve specifically on the DBAA Board. This person will have no responsibilities to the Unit 114 Board and shall serve only for the term of the vacancy.

 

 

 ARTICLE EIGHT

 

Nominations and Elections of Officers

 

A.     The President of the DBAA shall appoint a Chairman and two members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee Members shall be members in good standing of the DBAA. They cannot be elected officials and shall not be eligible for nomination.

 

B.     Candidates for all positions must be members in good standing of the DBAA.

 

C.     The duties of the Nominating Committee are:

 

1.      Perusing potential candidates;

 

2.      Selecting at least one candidate for each office listed on the ballot;

 

3.      Publicizing the slate of candidates 60 days prior to the date of election so that the membership has the opportunity to view the list and give due consideration prior to the election;

 

4.      Sending the list of candidates to each local club to be read to their membership and posted in their playing area prior to the election. The name of the Nominating Committee Chairman and instructions for receipt of an absentee ballot shall be posted at the bottom of the slate of candidates;

 

 

 

5.      Allowing the addition of any person(s) wishing to run for office whose name is not on the slate proposed by the Nominating Committee. Any such candidate may have their name put on the ballot by notifying in writing the Chairman of the Nominating Committee, no less than 30 days prior to the date of the election. If required, an amended slate of candidates shall be issues.

 

 

D.     The President of the DBAA shall appoint a Chairman and an appropriate number of members for an Election Committee to handle the election in a comfortable and efficient manner. The Election Committee Members shall be members in good standing of the DBAA. They cannot be elected officials and shall not be eligible for nomination.

 

E.     The Board shall establish procedures under which the Election Committee shall operate.  These Election Procedures shall be posted on the DBAA web site and provide, at a minimum, for absentee balloting.  The Election Procedures may be amended by a 2/3 vote of directors in attendance at a regularly scheduled meeting.  The Secretary shall maintain a current copy of the procedures in the Minutes book. 

 

 

ARTICLE NINE

 

Committees

 

The Board of Directors may create committees as necessary. The Chairman and the members of all committees shall be chosen by the President and approved by the Board.

 

 

ARTICLE TEN

 

Miscellaneous

 

A.     Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, the latest revision of the Scott Foresman edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.

 

B.      Whenever notice is required to be given to any member, director, or officer, such notice may be given by personal notice, by publication, by email, or by mail. If notice is given by mail, such notice shall be directed to the member at the member’s post office address last shown on the records of the DBAA. Notice may also be given to the members by mailing and/or emailing a copy to the club manager of each franchised duplicate bridge club within the DBAA, with instructions to announce and post the notice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

Amendment of By-Laws

 

A.     The By-Laws of the DBAA may be amended and new By-Laws adopted at a meeting of the membership.

 

B.     Amendments may be proposed by members of the DBAA upon petition signed by at least fifty members and submitted to the Secretary at least thirty days before a meeting of the membership.  Amendments may be proposed by members of the Board of Directors upon petition signed by at least two-thirds of the members of the Board and submitted to the Secretary at least thirty days before a meeting of the membership.

 

C.     The Secretary shall incorporate the text of the proposed amendment(s) into the notice of the membership meeting.

 

D.     The favorable vote by two thirds of all members present is required for passage.

 

 

END OF BYLAWS

 

 

The following is not part of the bylaws but is provided as clarifying information.

 

1.      The most recent amendments to the bylaws are:

 

December 2008

March 2007

August 1995

 

2.      The geographic area of the DBAA as of December 2008 includes the counties of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett.

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