AMERICAN WATER SKI ASSOCIATION, EASTERN REGION
A SPORT DISCIPLINE OF U.S.A.
WATER SKI, INC
BY-LAWS
DATE: Amended
and Approved January 8, 2005
ARTICLE
I NAME
Section 1
The name of this organization shall be the Eastern Region
of the American Water Ski Association, the abbreviation of which
is AWSA ER, as defined in the Bylaws of the American Water Ski
Association Article IV, A.3, as approved August 10, 1998, a
Sport Discipline of USA Water Ski, (USA-WS) which is the national
governing body of water skiing in the United States.
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be:
Section 1
To carry out within the Region the purposes, policies, and directives of AWSA
and USA-WS, as expressed in its constitution, rules and bylaws.
Section
2
To promote better coordination and understanding between
skiers, clubs, and associations.
To promote membership in the Region, AWSA and USA-WS
of individuals, clubs and associations.
Section 4
To effectively promote and coordinate AWSA tournaments
and other organized AWSA ER skiing activities
in the Region.
Section 5
To act as official voice for the Region in matters
pertaining to AWSA and represent the AWSA ER on the USA-WS Board
of Directors.
Section 6
To establish and maintain standards of safety for the
protection of skiers, spectators and AWSA water skiing in the
Region.
Section 7
To deal with all matters affecting AWSA ER,
(not provided for or governed by AWSA) through the development
of rules and practices for the Region.
Section 8
To do whatever else may be necessary to promote the
best interest of AWSA in this Region.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
Membership in AWSA ER shall be open
to any individual member of AWSA and USA-WS, without discrimination
on the basis of race, color, religion, age, or sex: bonafidely
residing within the Region, as now or hereafter defined by AWSA
and USA-WS shall be considered a member in this Sport Discipline.
The privileges of this membership will be exercised in the region
of the individuals residence as determined by AWSA and USA-WS
membership files. Subject only to payment of dues
as the USA-WS, AWSA and AWSA ER may prescribe from time to time.
Section 2
Any such affiliated member under seventeen years of
age shall be classified as a junior member. Any such affiliated
member over seventeen years of age shall be classified as a
senior member.
Section 3
A member may be disciplined, including suspension
or expulsion, for: unsportsman like conduct; any willful violation
of AWSA ER and/or AWSA and/or USA-WS rules or procedures; criminal
or fraudulent acts; failure to pay indebtedness; or any other
act which is contrary to the objectives and purposes of AWSA ER,
AWSA, USA-WS, IWSF and/or USOC. Suspension
and Expulsion shall be referred directly to the AWSA President
and shall be resolved in accordance with AWSA Bylaws Article XII.
Section 1
The management of the AWSA ER
shall be vested in a Regional Council. However, during any membership
meeting any action taken shall be binding on the Council.
Section 2
The AWSA ER Regional Council
will make the decisions on matters affecting the AWSA
ER Region as a whole. The Executive Vice President and the local
Councilmen will make the decisions on matters affecting the
Councilmen’s state, subject to appeal to the Council
as a whole. In any state where there is no Councilman, the Executive
Vice President shall make the decisions.
ARTICLE V---REGIONAL COUNCIL
Section 1
The AWSA ER Regional Council
shall consist of the four Directors as described in Section
2 and at least three (3) AWSA ER Regional Councilmen
representing different states, selected in the following manner.
Section 2
Of the four Directors, three
of them shall serve terms of three (3) years, respectively,
so arranged that the term of one said director shall expire
each year. The remaining Director shall be elected to
a term of one year, during which period he shall, in addition
to his duties as Director, serve as the Executive Head of the
Region, and his official title in this capacity shall be that
of “Regional Executive Vice President.” In the
case where no one candidate receives a majority, there shall
be a runoff and elimination conducted at the Annual Regional
Meeting until one candidate receives a majority vote of the
eligible and voting members present at the said meeting.
A USA-WS Director and an alternate shall be elected at this
said meeting by majority vote.
Section 3
Each state shall be entitled
to one (1) Councilmen for each 250 AWSA members residing in
that state for a maximum of two (2). Each state shall be entitled
to one councilman regardless of the number of AWSA members residing
in that state. Council members shall be elected at their AWSA
ER sanctioned tournament, if held or at the State Federation’s
summer meeting.
Section 4
The Executive Vice President
may appoint a Councilman for any state it deems necessary, provided
that state has no elected Councilman.
Section 5
No more than three Councilmen,
other than the Executive Vice President, shall be elected or
appointed from any state, except as provided in Section 3 above.
The Executive Vice President may be elected from any state and
will not be considered an additional member from a particular
state for the purpose of this section.
Section 6
When a vacancy in
a Directorship occurs for any reason, it shall be filled through
temporary appointment by the Regional Council; and the person
temporarily appointed shall hold office until the next AWSA
Annual Eastern Regional Meeting, at which time such vacancy
shall be filled by election for the unexpired term.
Section 7
Should any Regional Councilmen become
unable to serve, the remaining member(s) of that state’s
Council and that state’s Federation President shall appoint
a successor to fill this vacancy for the remainder of the term
with the approval of the Executive Vice President.
Section 8
All Councilmen shall take office
simultaneously with the Executive Vice President as provided
by the AWSA Bylaws.
ARTICLE VI DUTIES
OF THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Section 1
It shall be the duty of the
Executive Vice President to act as Chairman of the Regional
Council, preside at all of its meetings and present a report
of activities and plans for the region at each annual meeting.
Subject to these bylaws, he shall be Official Executive
Representative of this organization in the making of all contracts,
arrangements, plans, and appointments; the giving of notices,
the certifying of records, reports, and statements; or other
executive action herein provided for.
Section 2
It shall be the duty of the
Executive Vice President to carry out the purposes of the Region
as set forth in Article II of these bylaws, and to generally
assist each Councilman in his state.
Section 3
It shall be the duty of the
Executive Vice President to carry out directives, mandates,
and duties as set forth by AWSA and USA-WS.
Section 4
It shall be the duty of the Executive
Vice President to enforce these Bylaws and perform all of the
duties, herein expressed or implied, incidental to the office
of the Executive Vice President.
Section 5
The Executive Vice President may appoint
a Secretary to be the recording officer and custodian of records
during his/her term in office.
ARTICLE VII DUTIES
OF THE REGIONAL COUNCILMEN
Section 1
It shall be the duty of each
Councilman to carry out the purposes of the Region as set forth
in Article II of these Bylaws, and to generally assist the Executive
Vice President in carrying out his duties.
Section 2
The Regional Council shall approve
by majority vote all contracts entered into by the organization,
any expenditure in excess of five hundred ($500.00), other than
expenditures occurring in the normal course of business, including
but not limited to items in the approved ER budget if the item’s
expenditure level is consistent with the line item in the approved
ER budget, and such other matters as may be referred to them
by the Executive Vice President.
Section 3
The Officers herein provided for shall hold office
for terms of one year, or until their successors have been duly
elected.
ARTICLE VIII PROCEDURE FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1
A Nominating Committee composed of at least five (5)
persons, members of the AWSA ER, shall be appointed by the Executive
Vice President no later than sixty (60) days after the AWSA
ER Regional Meeting. As far as practical, the
members of this committee should geographically represent the
Region.
Section 2
The Nominating Committee shall attempt to secure two(2)
qualified and willing candidates for each office of AWSA National
Director and an Alternate (three year term) and AWSA Executive
Vice President and an Alternate (one year Term). In the odd
year, they shall also seek candidates for one (1) USA-WS Director
and an Alternate. Per AWSA Bylaws Article V and USAWS Bylaws
Article VI.
Section 3
A Tellers Committee with Chairman shall be appointed
by the Executive Vice President from among AWSA ER members who
are present at the AWSA Eastern Region Tournament and AWSA Eastern
Region Meeting.
Section 4
There will not be mail (absentee) ballots.
Section 5
Other qualified candidates for the office of AWSA Executive
Vice President, AWSA National Director and Alternates and the
USA-WS Director and Alternate, may be nominated from the floor
during the AWSA Eastern Region Meeting.
Section 6
A roll call of all AWSA Eastern Region members present
at the AWSA Eastern Regional meeting may be made to determine
voting eligibility.
Section 7
A Report will be made by the Teller’s Committee
on the vote by members present and the winners of the elections
will be announced.
ARTICLE IX OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
Section 1
The Regional Council may elect such officers and appoint
committees as they deem necessary to conduct the business of
this organization.
Section 2
The Executive Vice President shall appoint a Tournament
Committee within (30) days after the Regional Mid-Winter Meeting.
Section 3
The Council shall elect a Treasurer to be the Chief
Financial Officer of the Eastern Region. The Treasurer shall
be responsible for the control of Eastern Region funds and the
maintenance of appropriate records.
Section 4
The Regional Council may recommend to the AWSA Board
of Directors the removal of any official from office by a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of the total number of Regional Council, at any time,
with or without a cause.
When a vacancy in a Directorship occurs for any reason,
it shall be filled through temporary appointment by the Regional
Council; and the person temporarily appointed shall hold office
until the next Annual AWSA Eastern Regional Meeting, at which
time such vacancy shall be filled by election for the unexpired
portion of said term.
Section 5
The committees of the ER may include but shall not be
limited to the following committees: Regional Awards Committee,
Communications/Guidebook Committee, Website Committee, a Regional
Bylaws Committee, Regional Junior Development Committee, Regional
Membership Committee, and a Time and Place Committee. The EVP
may appoint other committees as deemed necessary. The duties
of the committees shall be defined in the Policies & Procedures
Manual.
ARTICLE X DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEES
Section 1
The Tournament Committee shall be in charge of all Eastern
Region tournament scheduling. The Eastern Region Tournament
bid process and Tournament schedule shall be outlined and defined
in Section 3.0 of the Eastern Region Policies and Procedures
Manual.
Section 2
The Nominating Committee shall:
(B) Nominate a candidate for any position not having
a candidate nominated under Section 2(A) above. Not less
than one, but not more than two persons may be nominated by the
committee for each position not having a nominee. Any nomination
found defective may be voided by the Nomination Committee.