January 2005

1.0      Membership, policy approval, changes and enforcement (Approved-1/18/98)

1.1      Council Membership

·  Each state in the Eastern Region with an active federation recognized by the Eastern Region council shall be entitled to one regional council member.

·  States are entitled to one representative for every 250 members, up to a maximum of 2 representatives.

·  A state must have at least 10 AWSA members to elect a councilperson.  The EVP may appoint a councilperson in states with fewer than 10 skiers.

1.2      Policy approval, changes and enforcement

·  Regional Council has the authority to set, approve, change and enforce Eastern Region policies at any official Regional Council meeting (provided there is a quorum present),  within the bounds of the National and Regional By-laws.

1.3      We encourage and support other sports disciplines of USA-WS, and we will cooperate with them to the fullest extent possible.

2.0      Meetings

2.1      Regional Meetings

2.2.1      Summer Meeting

·  The Annual Membership Meeting shall be held in conjunction with the Regional 3 Event Tournament.  Location and accommodations are the responsibility of the sponsoring club.

·  The meeting is open to any Eastern Regional member in good standing

·  Votes taken at the Summer Membership meeting to direct council shall be by all the members present.

·  Council sets regional policy; and the membership gives direction to the council.  Therefore, council vote is necessary for all actions of the Region.

·  Minutes of the Annual membership meeting shall be available to each Regional Council representative, and shall be pending approval at the following winter Regional Council meeting.

2.2.2   Mid Winter Meeting

·  The EVP is responsible for setting the time and place for the Mid-Winter meeting, and announcing it in newsletters, the Eastern Region website, and/or by letter or phone call to Regional council representatives.

· The mid-winter meeting shall consist of a council meeting and a general membership meeting.  Only council persons have a voice and vote at the council meeting.  Other members may attend, except for executive sessions, which may be called by majority vote for personnel or similar sensitive issues. 

·  Similar to the Summer membership meeting, Council sets regional policy; and membership advises council.  Therefore, council vote is necessary on those items voted on by general membership during the open session in order to make them official policy of the Region.

·  Minutes of the Mid-Winter meeting shall be available to each Regional Council representative, and shall be pending approval at the following Annual Summer membership meeting.

3.0       Tournaments

3.1       Regional 3 Event Tournament

3.1.1       Classification - The Eastern Regional 3 Event Tournament shall be an AWSA sanctioned Record capability tournament  - at least Class E.  Only if no bids are received or other unusual circumstances occur shall Class C be allowed, and only then with approval of the EVP.

3.1.2   Bids for Regional Tournament  (approved -1/18/98)

· Bids for an Eastern Regional tournament may be submitted for any year at anytime, and shall be voted upon by majority vote of the Regional Council.  (for, against, or defer)

· The official ER  bid form shall be used (copy attached), and must be received by the EVP or Regional site selection committee chairman.

· If no bid has been received by the July 1 date two years prior to the Regionals, then any bid received after that time shall be considered at the next Council meeting.

· Bids received at least 30 days prior to the next scheduled ER Council meeting will be given priority. 

· If no bid has been received by the last summer meeting  prior to a regionals, the EVP and Site selection chairman are empowered to find a suitable site and sponsoring club, with ratification of the decision by council.

· The following information must be completed and submitted on the ER bid form - 1) Entry Fee; 2) Practice/site familiarization availability & charges; 3) Banquet ticket policy and costs for additional tickets; & 4) Site logistics and details if a site has not previously hosted a regionals.

3.1.3      Regional Tournament Mandatory Requirements

· The hosting club will provide a room or location of adequate size for the Friday evening/night Summer meeting.

·  The hosting club shall provide trophies, medals or plaques for the first three places of each event for each division, and for overall in each division.

· The host club shall provide banquet tickets and room accommodations or reimbursement in lieu of rooms for the same number of nights as the tournament, for 20 (27 if two lakes) appointed tournament officials, including  Chief Judge, Asst. Chief Judge, all Appointed judges, Chief Safety and Asst. Chief safety director,  Chief Scorer, 2 Asst. Chief Scorers, Chief Driver, all Appointed Drivers, and Technical Controller.

· Alternate officials if used shall receive the same rooms or reimbursements as officials listed above.

3.1.4      Regional Tournament Optional Requirements

· Provide for a Saturday night Awards Banquet

· Provide "goody bags" for contestants, to include ski related and other complimentary  products, T-shirts etc.

· Provide a designated time before the tournament begins for site familiarization practice.  Site familiarization will consist of a minimum of two trick passes and two slalom passes, one in each direction, and of a minimum of 2 jumps.

· Practice shall be at the option of the sponsoring club, and shall be acceptable during the tournament on unused water.  Sponsoring club is responsible for safety coverage.

· Tech controller shall have priority over practice at the tournament site the day before the tournament, should the site still need preparation.

· All Junior events shall be scheduled to complete before the awards banquet.

3.1.5      Regional Entry qualifications and Skier seeding

·  Girls 1-2, Boys 1-2, Women 3-9 & Men 4-9 shall require first class rating or better.  All other divisions shall require Expert rating.

·  Persons qualified in two events  may ski their third event with one rating lower than otherwise would have been required.  However, in no case will a competitor be allowed to ski with less than a first class rating.

·  Regional entrants are to be seeded by the Seeding committee.

3.1.6      Regionals Towboat selection

· Chief driver will divide events at the regionals into groups equal to the number of qualified towboat manufacturers participating.  Each group shall be of approximate "equal weight" in terms of number of skiers.

·  Towboat selection shall be determined by random draw in the presence of the qualified towboat manufacturer’s representatives and/or tournament officials.  In a circumstance where the Chief Driver and Chief Judge of the regional tournament along with the EVP, determine or perceive that a safety or performance issue exists with a particular towboat manufacturer or model, with a group of skiers or divisions and not the entire group of participants for the tournament, a modification to the random draw may be done to avoid potential problems in those divisions and/or events. — 1/10/2004 

3.1.7      Regionals Officials selection

·  EVP shall appoint all chief and assistant chief officials.  This includes Chief Judge, Asst. Chief Judge, Chief Driver, Chief Scorer & Asst. Chief Scorers, Chief Safety, Tech Controller  and Announcer.

·  Appointed Drivers (3) and alternate, and Appointed Judges (6) and alternate are to be selected by EVP (Rule 6.02) based on vote of council at the winter meeting prior to the regionals from among the officials who apply for consideration.

·  One of the Appointed judges slots should be reserved for a Regular judge for development purposes, should any regular judges apply. Additionally, one of the Appointed driver positions or the alternate shall be reserved for a qualified Regular driver - should any apply.

·  To appear on the council’s ballot, any officials aspiring to serve as appointed officials at the upcoming Regional Championship tournament must notify the EVP by the established deadline. – 1/10/2004

·  All regionals officials shall receive complimentary banquet tickets (no duplication if also a skier.)

3.1.8      Regional Tournament Special Awards

·  Tiny Richards Memorial Awards shall be selected by Regionals officials at the Regional tournament.

·  The  James G. Sylvester Memorial Trophy shall be selected by council members present at the Regional tournament or voting prior to the tournament.

·  The Tommy Kelly Jr. Memorial Award shall be presented each year to the best overall male and female skier in the Eastern Regional Tournament based on NOPS score.

·  (The Ken Mead Memorial Award is selected by Lake Holly Ski Club in accordance with procedures designated by Lake Holly Ski Club.)

3.2      Other Tournaments

3.2.1      Scheduling Tournaments

·  Tournament schedules in each state are to be set by that state’s federation, for submission to the EVP and the Regional Council.     

·  Each state federation shall submit requests for tournament dates to the EVP or his designated representative prior to the winter meeting, or earlier in accordance with schedules that are provided by the EVP or designee.

·  Conflicts should generally be avoided unless agreed to by both sponsoring clubs.

·  A conflict shall be deemed to exist when two tournaments bid for the same weekend, and both sites are within approximately 100 miles of each other for class C tournaments, and 300 miles for class R tournaments.

·  State federations shall solve conflicts within each state. 

·  In the case of unresolved conflicts, R tournaments will generally have precedence over C tournaments, and class C will have precedence over Class I & N.  F tournaments are not deemed to conflict with Class C or higher tournaments.

·  With conflicting tournaments of equal class, those tournaments  submitted earliest will generally have priority.

·  The EVP shall have the Council vote on and approve the sanctioned tournament schedule.

3.2.2     Sanction Approval 1/08/2005

·         Tournament sanction requests may be made via hard copy using traditional AWSA/USA Water Ski forms, or electronically on line either through www.awsaeast.org or www.usawaterski.org. to be listed in the Regional Guidebook.

·         EVP approval of sanction request will be granted upon the following regional requirements being considered.

1.      Approval of council for scheduled date(s)

2.      Verification of quantity, commitment and rating level of tournament officials.

3.      Receipt of applicable regional sanction fees.

Tournament sponsors meeting the regional requirements prior to the annual Tournament Guide Book printing deadline will be listed in the Tournament Guidebook. Tournament Sponsors who fail to meet these requirements by the annual Tournament Guidebook printing deadline will not be guaranteed listing in the Tournament Guidebook.

The EVP (or designee) may check officials listed on the tournament sanction to verify they have committed to serve as appointed officials for the scheduled tournament, and /or verify their qualification to do so.  Council authorizes the EVP to refuse sanction approval for any tournament(s) that the aforementioned do not meet requirements.

·         USA Water Ski approval of sanction request will be granted upon the following requirements being met.

1.      Submission of necessary and required tournament sanction information and detail either via hard copy or electronically.

2.      Approval of EVP that Regional requirements have been met.

3.      Receipt of completed and signed Safety Checklist.

4.      Receipt of applicable USA Water Ski tournament sanction fees.

  Tournament sanctions may be refused for the following year for any club that is delinquent in payment of applicable sanction fees beyond the annual Eastern Region Winter Meeting.                  

3.3      Regional Rules for Tournaments

3.3.1   Slalom (approved August 4, 2000)

·  In any Eastern Regional tournament, if the towboat is stopped at the end of a slalom pass in accordance with AWSA rules, the Eastern Region has voted that the minimum set down time shall be 45 seconds.  A skier may waive the set down time and start the subsequent pass earlier, but when doing so he/she gives up any ability to request a reride due to backwash caused  rollers.   The time shall start when the skier’s knees enter the water upon completing a pass after the boat has stopped, and will end no earlier than the knees exiting the water upon startup of the subsequent pass.  ("Knees in to knees out" shall be at least 30 seconds).

4.0      Records (no change from Jan 12, 2002 approved changes)

4.1      Regional Records (no change from Jan 12, 2002 approved changes)

4.1.1      Approval of records (added review of records by Tech committee Chairperson -  August 2002)

· EVP is responsible for approving all record applications approved by the Seeding Committee.

· Any application for a regional record should be submitted to the Seeding Committee Chairperson using the Eastern Region Record application form in the guidebook. 

· The Seeding Committee Chairperson along with the Technical Committee Chairperson will review and screen all applications, and will submit approved record applications to the EVP for approval.

4.1.2      Eligibility for Eastern Region Records (no change from Jan 12, 2002 approved changes)

· Regional records may be set at Class C tournaments sanctioned and held in the Eastern Region or any sanctioned Class E,L,R tournaments in other regions, or Record capability international tournaments. Class C tournaments held out of the Eastern Region are not eligible for to have Eastern Region records set.

· Only US citizens and "legal" residents of the Eastern Region may set regional records.  Students are not considered residents of the Eastern Region unless their official home address is in the Eastern Region

· Records may be set in each of the three events, Slalom, Tricks, and Jump, and also in overall.

4.1.3  Class C & Above Record Governing Process (approved August 2, 2002)

           · The East recognizes Class C & Above records. No Eastern Region records are kept for any Class F (fun), N (novice) or I (Intermediate) tournaments.

· Guiding principle - Class C & Above Record is the highest score set in a class C, E, L or R tournament.  No distinction is made between C, E, L or R tournaments.

· For a record to be considered and approved, it must tie or exceed the existing Class C & Above record.  If a score is a tie, then both skiers' scores (old and new) share the record.

· The initial Class C & Above record shall be the highest record score from the published Eastern Region  Records in the guidebook and AWSAEast website, kept current by the Seeding Committee Chairperson and the Tech Committee Chairperson. Three transition scenarios may be encountered:

- First Transition Scenario – if there is only a Class C existing record, it becomes the new Class C & Above record.

- Second Transition Scenario – if there is only a Class R existing record, it becomes the new Class C & Above Record, and it will also become the new Class R record, see section 4.1.4.

- Third Transition scenario – if there is both a Class C & Class R existing score shown, then the higher Class C score becomes the new Class C & Above Record.  The lower existing R score from the Class R tournament will become the new Class R  record, and will not be part of the Class C & Above record. see section 4.1.4.

- If there is no record listed, recorded or kept for that event and division, then the highest future submitted score for that event/division will be considered for the Class C & Above record.

4.1.4 Class R Record - Governing Process (approved August 2, 2002)

           · The East recognizes Class R records, separate and distinct from Class C & Above records covered in Section 4.1.3.

· Guiding principle - Class R  Record is the highest score set only in a class  E, L or R tournament. 

· For a record to be considered and approved, it must tie or exceed the existing Class R record.  If a score is a tie, then both skiers' scores (old and new) share the record.

· The initial Class R record shall be the highest record score from the published Eastern Region Records in the guidebook and AWSAEast website, kept current by the Seeding Committee Chairperson and the Tech Committee Chairperson, or established via the benchmarking process – see section 4.1.5.

· Three transition scenarios to the Class R records may be encountered:   

- First Transition Scenario – if there is only a Class C existing record, then there is no Class R record, and the initial Class R record must be established via the benchmarking process, see section 4.1.5.

- Second Transition Scenario -  if there is only a Class R existing record,  it becomes the new Class R Record.

- Third Transition Scenario – if there are both  Class C & Class R existing scores shown, then the lower existing R record score from a Class R tournament will become the new Class R  record, and the higher Class C score will become the Class C & Above Record. (See Section 4.1.3.)

- If there is no record listed, recorded or kept for that event and division, then the highest future submitted R score from a Class E, L or R tournament for that event/division will be considered for the Class R record.

4.1.5 Benchmarking to establish initial Regional R Records (approved August 2, 2002)

· If an existing Regional record prior to approval of and transition to  this proposed amendment’s record keeping procedure was established in a Class C tournament, then initially there will be no Class R record.(See 4.1.4)   However, over the past years, there may have been many valid scores obtained in E, L or R tournaments that were very close to, but did not exceed the existing C record. These past R scores need to be appropriately considered in establishing new Eastern Region R records.

· It is the Eastern Region’s desire to provide a suitable period of time (a Benchmarking period) for skiers to research their past E, L & R tournament performances, and submit R record applications if they believe they have and can document a past performance which should be considered for a record.

· Skiers will have until January 15, 2003 – the initial benchmarking period - to submit R Record applications for consideration by the EVP and his/her designated representatives. The results of these submissions (highest R scores) will be published in the 2003 Guidebook and AWSAEast website as "provisional", and subject to challenge.

· The Record applications from past performances need to be verifiable – and signed performance sheets, scorebooks, HQ scoring data, computer scoring databases, valid state record data will be used to verify past performances. Other appropriate and verifiable documentation may be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the proposed record subject to approval by the EVP and council.

· For the next 12 months, from January 15, 2003 until January 15, 2004, the Challenge period, the provisional records may be challenged, and a substitute higher record from a past or current performance submitted for consideration in its place.

· The final results after the end of the Challenge period – highest R scores from the record applications submitted thru January 15, 2004 will become the official Eastern Region R records, and will be published as official in the 2004 guidebook.

· After 1-15-04, documentation of verifiable past performances depicting higher scores than listed in official Eastern Region R Record will only be considered only on a case by case – rare exception basis, and then only with approval of the EVP and ER Council.

· Current & future performances must be submitted on the Eastern Region R Record form. Requirements will be the same as for Class C & Above records, except that the Technical Controller signature is also required.

4.1.6  Regional Overall Records (approved August 2, 2002)

· Overall NOPS scores will be used to determine records.  The NOPs scores alone (not the underlying 3 event performances) will be used to establish the records. The Eastern Region recognizes  year-to-year fluctuation in NOPS point values will cause inequities between current performances and past performances. For example, performances in prior years may actually have exceeded current performances but garnered lower NOPs points, or vice versa the prior performances may have been lower than current performances, but with attendant higher NOPs points.

· Overall records are subject to the same Class C & Above Record and Class R Record distinction covered above.

4.1.7 Regional Tournament Records  (approved August 2, 2002)

· The Eastern Region will establish a new set of records – based on performances in the Eastern Region Tournament itself.

· Guidebooks and scorebooks/scoresheets will be used to establish the initial Eastern Region Tournament Record.

· The first Eastern Region Tournament Records will be posted at the 2002 Regionals site and also listed on the AWSAEast website as provisional. Skiers will have until 1-15-2003 to get corrections to the EVP or his designates (Seeding Committee Chairperson and the Tech committee Chairperson)  for the Regional tournament Records.  It is the Eastern Region’s desire to have the Regional Tournament Records also be published in the 2003 guidebook as provisional.

· From January 15, 2003 until January 15, 2004, the Challenge period, the provisional Eastern Region tournament Records may be challenged, and a substitute higher record from a past Regional tournament performance submitted for consideration in its place.

· The final results after the end of the Challenge period – highest Regional Tournament scores from the corrections/challenges submitted thru 1-15-04 – will become the official Eastern Region Tournament Records, and may be published as official in the 2004 guidebook. Additionally, they shall be listed on the AWSAEast website.

5.0      Guidebook & Website

· Anyone  not paying a fee owed to the Region will not be granted a sanction the next year.

5.1      Tournament Advertisements  in the Guidebook

5.1.1   3 Event Tournaments

·  The Eastern Region does not charge a "head tax" per skier in each tournament.  Instead, the Eastern Region sanction fees for 3 event tournaments are as follows: Class C & R - $125; & Class N - $65. There is no Regional sanction fee for Class F tournaments.   Class F tournaments wishing  to advertise in the guidebook will be charged $65 per tournament for the guidebook ad.  Note that Eastern Region Tournament Schedule may also be "listed" on the AWSAEast webpage

·  Class N, C and R tournament regional sanction fees apply regardless of whether the tournament is advertised & listed in the guidebook.

·  Class F (fun) tournaments not listed in the guidebook are not charged a regional sanction fee.

5.1.2   Other tournaments - (Barefoot, Show Skiing, Wakeboard, Kneeboard)

·  Other tournaments not sanctioned by Eastern Region (e.g. Barefoot, wakeboard, ShowSkiing, kneeboard, or Collegiate) will be charged $65 for a half page ad that is similar to 3 event tournament ads.

·  Other tournaments may group their ads together and buy a commercial advertisement, at commercial rates listed below.  Camera ready art is required for commercial style ads for other tournaments, and is the responsibility of the advertiser. 

5.2      Commercial Advertisements in the Guidebook

·  The Eastern Region Guidebook shall have space available for businesses wanting to advertise.  Guidebook rates for advertisements  shall be $100, $180, and $300  for quarter page, half page, and full page adds respectively, or as modified by Council.

·  Camera ready art is required for commercial ads, and is the responsibility of the advertiser.

·  The region shall donate net advertising proceeds (less cost of printing & paper) for ads brought in by the Jr. Development Committee to the Eastern Region Jr. Development Fund.

5.2      Website Commercial Advertising

·  The Website shall allow advertising for businesses.  Pricing shall be determined by the WebMaster and EVP with Council ratification.

6.0      Financial Matters (Approved January 11, 1997)

6.1      Fund Balance Policy - The Region should maintain a fund balance (or cash balance assuming no significant accruals) of 1.5 times the average of the  actual expenditures of the region for the last two fiscal years and the proposed expense budget for the current year. Such excess shall be maintained for years when operations do not support themselves.  In such years,  Council shall develop plans to return the Region to break-even or positive operations as quickly as possible.  Any existing excess of cash  should be considered available for special non-recurring programs that would significantly promote our Region and our sport. Council should consider the current financial  reports in making decisions regarding the spending of excess funds.  No more  than $3,000, or  33% of any excess, whichever is greater,  should be budgeted  in any one fiscal year for such non-recurring programs.  There is no requirement to spend the excess funds in any year, but rather a policy that qualifying programs should be considered. (Based on our current situation  targeted fund balance would be approximately  $16,500  ($7,000+$16,000+10,000 (estimated budget for 1997))/3*1.5).  The excess fund balance of  $5,700 ($22,200-$16,500) would be available for non-recurring programs to be budgeted at no more than $3,000 per year. (Greater of $3,000 or 33% of $5,700)  The proposed program or programs would have to be non-recurring, such that the Region could easily discontinue the program without undue hardship. )

6.2       Reimbursement of expenses - No expenses should  be reimbursed without the following:

· Item must be budgeted, or if not budgeted,  approved by the EVP and a majority of the National Directors  and ratified by the Council at the next Council meeting

· Proper documentation must be submitted, i.e. invoice.

· Approval of the EVP, or in the case of EVP expenses, approval of a National Director  

· Approval of the Treasurer

· For National Winter Board Meetings Directors may be reimbursed up to $300 for travel expenses.  No reimbursement is made fro the summer meetings.  National Committee members may be reimbursed up to $300 for National meetings if approved in advance by the EVP.   

6.3      Other Funds - Upon approval of the Council the Treasurer shall be authorized to administer other funds for activities related  to the activities of the Region, such as the existing Junior Development Fund.  There shall be no requirement to keep separate checking accounts for such funds, but the Treasurer may do so solely at his or her discretion.

6.4      Reports and Fiscal Year - The treasurer shall annually submit a  Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Fund Balances and a Statement of Revenues and Expenses Compared to Budget, both submitted on a calendar year basis.  The Treasurer shall also submit interim statements at the summer meeting.

6.5      Investment Policy - All moneys shall be kept in interest bearing accounts insured by an agency of the Federal Government or other appropriate insurance.  Funds not needed should be considered for longer term Certificates of  Deposits or other appropriate instruments.

7.0      Policy Revisions (Approved January 11, 1997)

Additional policies and procedures should be approved from time to time by majority vote of the Council to accommodate needs of the region.