By-Laws
Great Lakes Chapter
Antique Outboard Motor Club (AOMCI)
Approved 1-25-2003, Amended 1-17-2005
Article I
Description
Section 1. Chapter Description:
The fundamental purpose of this organization is to provide a means of communication for those who are interested in research and exchange of knowledge pertaining to the history, preservation, and restoration of antique and classic outboard motors. The organization is chartered by and recognized as a bona fide chapter of the Antique Outboard Motor Club, Incorporated (AOMCI), a parent organization that exists for the same fundamental purpose. Similar to the national AOMCI organization, the chapter functions are educational, historical, and non-profit, but the chapter additionally provides a venue for member utilization, display, and enjoyment of said outboard motors. To this end, members will seek new members and further the fundamental purpose of this chapter, hereafter known as the Great Lakes Chapter of the Antique Outboard Motor Club, Incorporated (AOMCI).
Section 2. Motor Categories:
Motors recognized as being within the interests of the AOMCI and this Chapter fall into the following two categories:
(a) Antique; Outboard motors manufactured in 1950 or before shall be recognized as antiques.
(b) Classic; Outboard motors manufactured after 1950 and which are at least thirty (30) years old in this current year (real time) shall be recognized as classics.
Motors not fitting into these categories shall not be utilized at Chapter events, with the only possible exception being the motor on a designated safety boat.
Section 3. Chapter Logo:
An official logo, shown on Exhibit 1, is currently recognized by the Great Lakes Chapter for use in Chapter-related publications and on Chapter-endorsed clothing. Usage of said logo requires permission from the Board of Directors and must not be for personal profit.
Article II
Elected Officers
Section 1. Organization:
The nine elected officers of the Chapter shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Meet Notice Correspondent, Antique Outboarder Correspondent, Water Events Chairperson, and two Trustees, hereafter collectively known as the Board of Directors, or Board. All affairs of the Chapter are governed and controlled by the Board of Directors. A quorum of at least seven members of the Board and a majority vote of five of the members shall be required to legally conduct any business pertaining to the Chapter. The total number of officers is intentionally odd to preclude tie votes.
It should be noted that this organization is only a suggested model and is intended to be flexible to accommodate real-world Board staffing solutions (e.g., to accommodate one person handling more than one of the non-Trustee positions, or in the event that the Board deems the total number of members inadequate to handle the business at hand). In the case where one person assumes more than one non-Trustee position, the intent would be to add Trustees to maintain the total number of Board members at nine. However, if the Board concludes that more Board members are necessary, the number can be increased but the total must be kept odd and both the quorum and number of members to achieve a majority must be adjusted accordingly.
Section 2. Position Descriptions and Responsibilities:
(a) President: This officer shall preside over the Board of Directors and have general supervision over the affairs of the Chapter. He shall be responsible for the development of the Chapter and the election of officers. He shall additionally sign any written contracts on behalf of the Chapter; call and conduct Board meetings; set the agenda for and chair the Chapter Annual Meeting; chair meetings at any Chapter events; oversee the creation, acquisition, and presentation of Chapter awards; annually solicit members for input on Chapter event preferences; establish the annual calendar of Chapter events; designate a Meet Operations Chairperson for each Chapter event; obtain all necessary approvals or site permits for the use of event facilities; coordinate event dates with neighboring chapters to avoid date conflicts; and notify members of events sponsored by neighboring chapters. The yearly calendar of events and the list of Meet Operations Chairpersons are to be communicated to the Meet Notice Correspondent on an ASAP basis.
(b) Vice President: This officer shall assume the duties of the President upon request of the President or in cases of Presidential absence or resignation. He or she shall function primarily as a resource to President, sharing the workload of the Presidential Office and acting as chief counsel on Chapter matters. As such, the Vice President will become familiar with the duties of the Presidential Office. If the President permanently leaves office for any reason before his or her term expires, he or she will be replaced by the Vice President and a new Vice President shall be appointed by the new President and approved by the Board, both for the remainder of that term.
(c) Secretary-Treasurer: This officer shall write minutes of all Board meetings for publication in the subsequent quarterly Chapter newsletter. He additionally shall hold the Chapter funds, maintain a spreadsheet account of Chapter finances, publish a quarterly treasury report, collect member dues, maintain a database of members, publish an annual directory of members, send a copy of the By-Laws and member directory to all incoming new members, and either pay for Chapter-related expenses or reimburse members for paid Chapter-related expenses.
(d) Newsletter Editor: This officer shall solicit input for a quarterly Chapter newsletter and publish and mail the newsletter to all Chapter members in good standing. All back issues of the newsletter for the current year are to be mailed to any incoming new member that joins the Chapter after publication of the first quarter issue.
(e) Meet Notice Correspondent: This officer shall solicit publicity information for all Chapter events from the appropriate Meet Operations Chairpersons and then submit notices for all meets for the balance of the year to the Editor of the AOMCI National Newsletter in time to meet the publication deadlines for each of eight yearly issues, Chapter Newsletter Editor in time to meet the publications deadlines for each of four yearly issues, and to the AOMCI Website on an annual basis (and as any updates are required) for inclusion in the national calendar of chapter events.
(f) Antique Outboarder Article Correspondent: This officer shall solicit information on and pictures from Chapter events from members, fellow officers, and Meet Operations Chairpersons and then submitting an appropriate article on each event to the Editor of the AOMCI Antique Outboarder publication in time to meet the deadlines for the four yearly issues.
(g) Water Events Chairperson: This officer shall store and maintain Chapter safety equipment in accordance with Article VI, Section 2 and bringing it to all meets where motors are run; and ensure that there is a designated safety boat and motor at each event where boating occurs.
(h) Trustees: These two officers will largely fill the roles of Meet Operations Chairpersons for Chapter events. The Trustees may also provide counsel and assist in the management of the affairs of the chapter. The event-related duties of the Meet Operations Chairperson are defined in Article VII, Section 2.
Section 3. Election Process:
Elections will be held every other year for the majority of officers and will normally occur at a January Annual Meeting. The exception will be the election of the second Trustee being voted in the off-year. The attending members shall constitute the quorum necessary to convene the Annual Meeting. Elections will be based on a simple majority of the attendees. Nominations can be made at or before the meeting for all positions open for election. Nominations made before the meeting should be sent to the Chapter President and must be received no later than December 15th for consideration. The Chapter President shall be responsible for bringing a slate of candidates to the Annual Meeting with at least one nominee for each open position. Elections will be handled by a voice vote in cases where there is only one candidate. A visual count of hands will be employed when there is more than one candidate, with the person that gets the most votes being declared the winner. Elections of officers for all positions for which there is only one candidate can be handled with a motion for acceptance by acclimation. Voting for all positions for which there is only one candidate can be handled simultaneously.
Section 4. Terms of Offices:
All officers are elected for two-year terms which start immediately after the adjournment of the Annual Meeting. There are no limits to the number of successive terms they can serve, except in the case of Trustees, who can only serve two terms in that position. However, at the end of those two terms, a Trustee can be elected to serve in another officer position. The terms of Trustees shall be staggered such that one is elected in one year and one in the following year to facilitate smooth continuity of Chapter business (these numbers shall be adjusted accordingly if the number of Trustees is increased).
Section 5. Candidate Qualifications:
All candidates for Board of Directors positions must be members in good standing of the Chapter. Additionally, it is recommended that candidates for President would have served previously in the Vice President position to gain necessary experience in Board and Chapter operations.
Section 6. Removal from Office:
Any officer may be removed from office only for reasons of malfeasance or gross neglect of duty. This can only occur after a proper hearing and a majority vote by the Board of Directors. A proper hearing is defined herein as one that enables the accused person to respond to the alleged charges directly to the board and to use witness testimony if desired. No officer shall be removed without a successor being named by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The successor shall only serve to the end of the predecessor's normal elected term whereupon the normal election process will refill the position.
Section 7. Vacancies:
Vacancies in the Board of Directors, excepting those provided for in Section 6, shall be filled through Presidential appointment and Board of Director approval.
Section 8. Meetings:
Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or a quorum of seven members of the Board of Directors. Notice of all meetings must be received ten days in advance of the meetings either by mail, e-mail, or telephone. A special meeting may be called at any time and at any place by unanimous consent of the Board of Directors. A quorum of seven members of the Board of Directors is necessary to conduct business at a face-to-face meeting. All business decisions require the approval of a simple majority vote (five members).
(a) Alternative Meeting Process: Should a meeting be impossible due to wide dispersion of the Board of Directors, such meetings may be conducted via mail, e-mail, or telephone with the Secretary-Treasurer being responsible for tabulating and publishing the results. All members of the Board must be contacted when using the alternative meeting process.
(b) Order of Business: The order of business at all meetings shall be conducted in a parliamentary manner and in accordance with "Robert's Rules of Order", insofar as practical.
Article III
Membership
Section 1. General:
The membership of the Great Lakes Chapter shall consist of individuals who have subscribed to the purposes and ideals of the AOMCI, have become members in good standing of that parent organization, and continue to function according to the provisions set forth in these by-laws. Chapter membership shall be granted without regard to age, sex, race, nationality, religion, or creed. A Chapter membership is automatically extended to include the spouse and dependent children of the primary member.
Section 2. Active Membership:
Any person duly accepted as provided for in Section 3, and having paid annual dues as required in Article IV, Section 5(a), shall be an active member in good standing of the Great Lakes Chapter.
Section 3. New Members:
Any person desiring membership in the Great Lakes Chapter shall make application on the form provided by the Secretary-Treasurer. Such application, along with payment of annual dues as provided for in Article IV, Section 5(a), shall be delivered to and acted upon by the Secretary-Treasurer. Notification of said membership shall be subsequently conveyed to the new member in person or by telephone, mail, e-mail, or newsletter. All new members will receive a copy of these By-Laws and the current Member Directory.
Section 4. Duties:
Members are expected to contribute towards Chapter goals and/or operations by paying dues, attending and participating in events, providing input to the Board on event preferences, providing information or articles for Chapter publications, making historical or technical presentations as a means of sharing expertise, recruiting new members, acting upon request as the Chapter's agent at community affairs, performing as liaison between the Chapter and other boating-related organizations, or performing other duties as may be requested by the officers of this Chapter.
Section 5. Suspension or Expulsion:
Suspension or expulsion of a member from the Chapter may be ordered for reasons of misconduct or just cause after a proper hearing and majority vote by the Board of Directors. Suspension may be temporary or permanent as prescribed by the Board.
Section 6. Complaints:
Any Chapter-related complaints shall be directed to the President. If the member filing the complaint is not satisfied with the response, he or she has the right to request that the issue be forwarded to the entire Board for resolution (his or her presence at the ensuing Board meeting is at the option of the member). Disputes between members are considered private matters and are to be resolved by those members without Chapter officer involvement.
Section 7. Use of Name:
Upon termination of a Chapter membership for any reason, use of the Chapter name, logo, or any other properties of the Chapter shall automatically be relinquished by the affected person.
Article IV
Finances
Section 1. Control:
The finances of this Chapter shall be governed and controlled by the Secretary-Treasurer, subject always to the supervision and direction of the Board. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain a spreadsheet account of all Chapter expenses and revenues and shall make a quarterly financial summary report in each of the quarterly Chapter newsletters. The fiscal year begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st.
Section 2. Depository:
Because the Chapter is not incorporated and is therefore not a legal entity, the Chapter funds are to be deposited in a commercial bank by the Secretary-Treasurer under his or her name and the President or individual appointed by the President. Another individual appointed by the President shall review a current bank statement at mid-year and at year-end to verify that funds on account match those reported in Chapter newsletters at those times (the auditor must be someone who does NOT have his or her name on the Chapter account). The account is not expected to draw interest. When a new Secretary-Treasurer is elected or appointed, the outgoing official must deliver the total Chapter treasury balance to his successor within fifteen days of the election or appointment.
Section 3. Expenditures/Reimbursements:
Chapter business-related expenditures can be made by officers or members at Chapter expense but shall require prior verbal approval from the Secretary-Treasurer. Board approval is additionally required in cases where there is no historical precedent for the purchase of a specific item or service. The following items do not require any prior approval:
(a) Office supplies and services needed for publication of Chapter business letters, quarterly Chapter newsletter, submissions of national newsletter meet notices, and Antique Outboarder articles.
(b) Postage stamps used in the mailing of Chapter business correspondence, Chapter quarterly newsletters, submissions of national newsletter meet notices, submissions of Antique Outboarder articles, input for any of the aforementioned items, and expense reimbursements.
Reimbursement requests for both approved and approval-exempt expenses are to be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer along with a "paid" receipt for the expenditure. The Secretary-Treasurer, in turn, will make immediate payment to the requester by check.
Section 4. Notes, Bills, etc.:
All checks, drafts, warrants, and orders for payment of money by the Chapter shall be made in the name of the Chapter (via a "memo" on the face of the check) and signed by the Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 5. Revenues:
The operation of the Chapter shall be financed by per-capita membership payments, donations, and funds raised in connection with Chapter events. The Chapter is a non-profit organization and, as such, assesses dues and raises revenues only as necessary to meet program expenses.
(a) Per-Capita Payment: Individual membership payments shall be established by the Board of Directors based on current and anticipated operating expenses. The amount of the dues shall be published regularly in the quarterly newsletter and shall be payable in U.S. funds.
(b) Annual Dues Payment Notification: Members shall be notified by the Newsletter Editor in the first quarter Chapter newsletter each year that the annual dues payment is required. Any member that does not pay his or her dues prior to the deadline for publication of the second quarter newsletter will not have his or her name listed in the annual Chapter directory (which is to be published as an addendum to the second quarter newsletter).
Article V
Offices
Offices:
The principle office of the Chapter shall be at the home address of the Chapter President. The office for membership matters, expense reimbursements, and other financial-related matters shall be at the home address of the Secretary-Treasurer. The office for submissions of information for meet notices shall be the address of the Meet Notice Correspondent. The office for submissions of information on Chapter activities for the AOMCI Antique Outboarder articles shall be the address of the Antique Outboarder Article Correspondent. Other offices may be created based on the needs of the Chapter.
Article VI
Non-Financial Assets
Section 1. Purchase Guidelines:
Authorizations for the purchases at Chapter expense and reimbursements for such expenses must be in accordance with the requirements and procedures specified in Article IV, Section 3.
Section 2. Safety Equipment:
All Chapter-owned safety equipment (e.g., fire extinguishers, first aid kit, and safety flags) is to be kept by the Water Events Chairperson and maintained at Chapter expense. The Water Events Chairperson or his designee shall bring this equipment to each Chapter event where boats are to be used or motors run. Upon election of a new Water Events Chairperson, said equipment shall be turned over to the new Water Events Chairperson.
Section 3. Signs:
The Chapter signs for directing members to a meet site are to be kept by one of the Meet Operations Chairpersons and delivered to the event site and set up prior to the published event start time by the Meet Operations Chairperson or his or her designee. Signs are to be picked up by the Meet Operations Chairperson or his designee after conclusion of the event.
Section 4. Office Supplies/Services:
Office supplies and services needed for publication of Chapter business correspondence, Chapter quarterly newsletter, national newsletter event notices, or Antique Outboarder articles can be purchased at Chapter expense without prior approval. Any unused portion of said supplies remains as Chapter property until it is consumed for Chapter-related purposes. In the event of a change of office, any such unused supplies are to be turned over to the new officer succeeding the outgoing officer.
Section 5. Postage Stamps:
Postage stamps needed for mailing of Chapter business correspondence, Chapter quarterly newsletters, submissions of national newsletter meet notices, submissions of Antique Outboarder articles, input for the aforementioned items, and expense reimbursements can be purchased at Chapter expense without prior approval. Any unused postage stamps remain as Chapter property until they are consumed for Chapter-related purposes. In the event of a change of office, any such unused stamps are to be turned over to the new officer succeeding the outgoing officer.
Section 6. Archival Materials:
Historical documents created in the course of Chapter business (e.g., business letters, quarterly Chapter newsletters, submissions of Antique Outboarder articles, submissions of National Newsletter event notices, etc.) are to be retained by the creators of those documents. Materials related to the archival of these documents can be purchased at Chapter expense only with prior approval of the Secretary-Treasurer. These materials remain as Chapter property and are to be turned over to the successor along with the archived documents when the officer is succeeded in office.
Article VII
Chapter Events
The Chapter shall sponsor meets throughout the year for any or all of the following purposes: (a) bringing together members and guests with similar interests in antique and classic outboard motors, (b) enabling usage of said motors on some body of water, (c) enabling the swapping or selling of outboard motors and parts, (d) displaying member and guest motors along with any available documentation and history on same, and (e) conducting business meetings. The President shall obtain any necessary permission or permits to use the meet sites. Site permit or registration fees shall be borne by the Chapter.
A Meet Operations Chairperson shall preside over each meet. These Chairpersons will either be volunteers or will be designated by the President. The Chairperson’s event-related duties include creating publicity information and conveying that information to the Meet Notice Correspondent, overseeing meet operations, placing signs, having all attendees (members and guests) sign the registration form, distributing nametags, overseeing display motor registration, overseeing People's Choice voting for display motor awards, counting award ballots, announcing award winners, collecting any donations, ordering and serving lunch where applicable, and overseeing site clean-up after event conclusion.
The Meet Notice Correspondent shall provide ample notice (i.e., publication before the event date) of all Chapter meets in the AOMCI National Newsletter, the Chapter Newsletter, and the AOMCI Website “Upcoming Events” calendar. Information shall include at a minimum the site location, date, type of meet, and contact person (Meet Operations Chairperson). The Meet Operations Chairperson(s) for each meet shall oversee the placement of Chapter signs to help route attendees to that meet.
All boats used at Chapter meets must be licensed, equipped, and operated in accordance with all local, state, and Coast Guard requirements. For purposes of determining safety equipment requirements, a "racing boat" is defined as any rig in which the motor and/or boat (factory produced or home-made hydroplane or utility-type) was originally designed for competitive sanctioned racing.
The Water Events Chairperson shall bring the Chapter Safety equipment (two fire extinguishers, first aid kit, and colored flags) to each meet where motors will be run, and shall make sure one boat (properly equipped and capable of easy starting and planing speed) is available and dedicated for usage as a safety boat at each meet where boats will be run. The green flag is to be posted in a visible location by the Water Events Chairperson when activity on the water is permitted. The black flag is to be posted when water activity is to be terminated (i.e., in cases of an accident or a meeting). Member boaters are responsible for watching for the black flag and complying immediately when it is posted. The Water Events Chairperson will also be responsible for making sure a cell phone is available at each meet where motors are run and that the local emergency telephone number is known. Racing boats must be equipped with a dead-man throttle, full throttle plate, and tethered ignition kill switch. Drivers and all passengers of racing boats must wear modern lifejackets with flotation collars and modern safety helmets. Adherence to boat safety equipment requirements will be determined yearly by a "committee of peers" (a collective group of all attending racing boat drivers organized by the Water Events Chairperson). All boats in compliance will receive a sticker stating, "This boat is equipped with GLC-required safety equipment" and the year. The sticker is to be placed on the boat and will preclude the need for any further inspections that year. Most inspections will occur at the first wet meet of the year. Questions on sources for or installation of the required equipment can be referred to the Chapter President. Any member that uses a racing boat without an inspection sticker or without use of all required safety equipment will have his or her name removed from the list of meet attendees (and will thereby forfeit benefits associated with being an official meet attendee) and may be subject to further disciplinary action by the Board.
Section 6. Insurance and Liability Protection:
Each attendee of a meet must sign the waiver of liability shown on Exhibit 2 as part of the registration process BEFORE any motors are run. This waiver states that any party that is injured at a meet will agree not to hold the AOMCI, Great Lakes Chapter, Chapter Officers, and any agents of the Chapter (i.e., non-Board members that are committee chairpersons or committee members) liable for the accident. Additionally, guests are NOT permitted to operate boats at meets for insurance reasons.
The Great Lakes Chapter is a dependent arm of the national parent AOMCI. National membership includes “third party” accident liability insurance coverage for Chapter officers and members. “First party” insurance coverage can only be provided through a member’s own personal homeowner's or boater's insurance policy. To avoid the financial risk associated with causing an accident while operating a boat, each Chapter member is strongly advised to have his or her own insurance policy and be familiar with the coverage limitations that apply to his or her operation of antique or classic outboard motors and boats. Any such “first party” liability insurance policies shall be obtained at the member’s own expense.
The Great Lakes Chapter has NOT been incorporated to avoid any risk of invalidating coverage of the AOMCI national insurance policy associated with existence as a separate corporation.
Article VIII
Amendments
Amendment Process:
A petition for amendment of these by-laws shall consist of signatures from no less than ten percent of the current membership and shall be submitted to any member of the Board of Directors. Within sixty (60) days, the Board of Directors shall prepare a ballot on the proposal for mailing to all Chapter members in good standing. The membership shall return the ballots within thirty (30) days to the Chapter President. Notification of passage or rejection of the referendum and any resulting by-law changes shall be published in the next quarterly newsletter.
Exhibit 1
The official logo of the Great Lakes Chapter:
-To be inserted -
Exhibit 2
Liability waiver to be signed by each attendee at each Chapter meet:
Waiver of Claims Contract
In consideration of permission to participate in activities or events sponsored by the Antique Outboard Motor Club, Inc. (AOMCI) and its Great Lakes Chapter (GLC), I personally admit and acknowledge that hazards exist in the running of boats and outboard motors: there is a risk of injury, even if small, and that all hazards from water, boats, motors, or human error cannot be eliminated.
I acknowledge that I have been warned of the danger of injury or death existing in the running of boats and outboard motors, including the non-competitive use of racing-type boats;
I agree to assume the risk of injury or damage from AOMCI or GLC activities and waive, personally and for my heirs, executors, or assigns, any and all claims, for negligence causing personal injury or property damage against the AOMCI, its Great Lakes Chapter, and its agents, servants, or employees;
and further, I agree to indemnify and hold harmless the AOMCI, GLC, and their agents, servants, or employees for any and all claims for injury or damage against the AOMCI or GLC by myself, or my crew, agents, servants, and employees.
I also am fully aware that the AOMCI and GLC do NOT provide me with any first-party liability insurance at this event; the only source for any such protection would be through my own personal home-owner's or boater's insurance policy.
Date: ___________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________
Meet Title: _________________________________________________________