GRANDMASTERDRAGONBOATCLUBOFTHEVILLAGES.INC.

BYLAWS
MissionStatement
ThemissionofTheGrandMastersDragonBoatClubofTheVillagesInc.hereinafterreferredto
asGMDBC,orGrandMastersDragonBoatClub,orClubshallbe:
Topromotethesportofdragonboatpaddlingandracing.
ToprovideanopportunityforresidentsofTheVillagestoparticipateinthesportof
dragonboating.
Toprovideaframeworkofrulesforclubmembersandteamsthatensurefairness
andgoodsportsmanshipinparticipationandcompetition.
ArticleIMembership
1. MembershipintheGMDBCshallbeopentoanyresidentofTheVillageswho:
PossessesavalidVillagesResidentidentificationcard(ID)orVillagestemporary
ResidentID.(AGuestpassisnotconsideredavalidresidentID).
HaspaidhisorherduesasoutlinedintheGMDBCRulesandProcedures.
Hassignedthefollowing:
a.TheVillageswaiver
b.GMDBCwaiver
c.UnitedStatesDragonBoatFederation(USDBF)insuranceform
d.GrandMastersDragonBoatClubform(showingdateofbirthandVillageResident
IDnumber).
2. TeamCaptainshallverifyeachteammembersdateofbirthandVillageResidentID
number.
3. Membersrenewingtheirannualmembershiparerequiredtocompletetheaboveformseach
year.
4. TeamCaptainsshallsubmittheirteamsformsandGMDBCduestotheGMDBCtreasurer
byJanuary1.Individualswhofailtosubmittheformsandduesmaynotbepermittedto
participateinboatingactivitiesuntilthoseformsaresubmitted.
5. MembersshallcomplywiththesebylawsandtheRulesandProceduresoftheGMDBC.
Associatemembers:
AnassociatememberisanonpaddlingVillagerwhomayjoinandparticipateinGMBDC
activitiesexceptforpaddlingorridingonthedragonboats.
1. AnassociatemembershallcompleteTheVillageswaiverandaGMDBCformandsubmit
themtotheClubTreasurer.
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2. DuesforassociatemembersshallbepaidasspecifiedintheRulesandProceduresofthe
GMDBC.DuesshallberemittedtotheTeamCaptainortheClubTreasurer(iftheassociate
memberisnotaffiliatedwithateam).
Article II General Membership Meetings
1. General membership meetings shall be held once a month in one of The Villages
recreation centers.
2. Membership shall be notified of the meetings via the Villages Recreational News and
the GMDBC website.
Article III: Voting and Proxies:
Voting:
1. All members of the GMDBC are considered voting members and may cast one vote
per motion/candidate. Voting shall be conducted electronically or by proxy for those
without electronic access at the time of the voting period.
2. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for
changes to be made to the bylaws. If a quorum of GMDBC members vote, a simple
majority shall rule.
3. For election of officers and for expenditures over $5,000 (see Rules and Procedures of
the GMDBC, Section II), a vote of 51 percent of the voting membership constitutes a
quorum.
4. All other items/issues shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the Board
members.
5. Non-survey votes require approval by the majority of the Team Captains before the
vote.
Proxies:
1. Every member entitled to vote electronically may authorize another person or persons
to act for that member by proxy. Proxy votes should only be used when a member is
unable to vote electronically.
2. The members proxy vote shall only relay that persons choice of candidate or
express consent or dissent to an item voted on and shall not be used to express the
preferences (i.e., candidate selection or assent or dissent) of the authorized person.
3. Every proxy shall be signed by the member and submitted by the members
authorized person to the GMDBC during the designated voting period.
4. No blanket proxy shall be accepted.
Article IV: Board Meetings:
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1. Board meetings shall be held monthly prior to the General Membership meeting at a
time determined by the Board for that year.
2. Board members shall be notified of the Board meetings at least one week in advance
of the meeting via the GMDBC website and email.
3. Each voting member of the Board may cast one vote on each item brought before the
Board for a vote.
4. A simple majority shall determine the outcome of the vote.
5. GMDBC members may submit in writing to any Board member an item for GMDBC
consideration and vote .
6. To ensure the Boards/Clubs understanding of the item, the originator may be asked
to discuss the item before the Board.
7. The Board shall consider the item within one month of its introduction and determine
the GMDBCs course of action in regards to the item introduced.
Article V Officers and Board Members
The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer and Team Captains, or
representative designated by the Team Captain shall constitute the voting members of
the Board of the Grand Master Dragon Boat Club. Non-voting members of the Board
shall include Team Coaches and chairs of volunteer positions outlined in the Rules and
Procedures. The insurance consultant volunteer will also be considered a non-voting
member of the Board of GMDBC.
Election of Officers:
1. Officers shall be elected annually.
2. Nominations for the officers of GMDBC shall be submitted to the Secretary no later
than May 1st.
3. Nominees must accept the nomination to be considered a candidate.
4. Nominees shall be introduced at the May General Membership meeting.
5. Ballots shall be available to all GMDBC members electronically.
6. Associate members may run for office.
7. Members shall submit their votes by June 1.
8. Ballots shall be tallied by the Secretary and Vice-President. Results of the election
shall be communicated to nominees by the GMDBC President.
9. The GMDBC President shall announce election results at the June General
Membership meeting.
10. New officers shall assume their respective responsibilities as of July 1.
Duties of President:
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TheGMDBCPresidentshall:
1. PresideattheGeneralMembershipmeetingsandtheCaptains/Boardmeetings.
2. BeawareoftheGMDBCsrecreationalandbusinessactivitiesinconjunctionwithBoard
members.
3. RepresenttheGMDBCwhereappropriate.
4. CastanadditionalvotetobreakatievoteonanyactionbytheBoard.
5. ServeasoneoftheBoardmemberswhomaysignGMDBCchecksordrafts.
6. MaintainanotebookofthePresidentsdutiesandfunctionstobeturnedovertothe
succeedingPresident.
ThePresidentofGMDBCorotherdesignatedofficershallattendtheSoutheastRegionDragon
BoatAssociation(SRDBA)AnnualGeneralMeeting.Travelexpensesshallbereimbursedby
GMDBC.
ThePresidentofGMDBCorotherdesignatedofficershallserveasthesinglepointofcontact
betweentheGMDBCandtheVillagesRecreationDepartment(VRD),asrequiredbyVRD.
ThePresidentofGMDBCorotherdesignatedofficershallserveasthesinglepointofcontact
betweentheGMDBCandtheSumterCountyCommissionersinregardstoLakeMiona.
DutiesofVicePresident:
TheVicePresidentshall:
1. AssumetheresponsibilitiesofthePresidentintheabsenceorinabilityofthePresidentto
fulfilltheresponsibilitiesoftheoffice.
2. SupportthePresidentinallactivitiestopromotethemissionofGMDBC.
3. AssistindevelopingprogramsandactivitiesfortheGMDBCandperformallduties
requestedbythePresident.
4. Overseeandcommunicatewithclubvolunteerpositioncoordinators.
5. WiththeSecretary,tallyresultsfromallvotingactivities.
6. CollectsafetyformsfromTeamCaptainsonquarterlybasisandturnformsintoGMDBC
President.
7. MaintainanotebookofdutiesandresponsibilitiesoftheVicePresidenttobeturnedoverto
thesucceedingVicePresident.
8. ServeasoneoftheBoardmemberswhomaysignGMDBCchecksordrafts.
DutiesofSecretary:
TheSecretaryshall:
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1. RecordtheminutesofallmeetingsoftheBoardandGeneralMembershipanduploadthose
minutestotheClubwebsite.
2. AlongwiththeVicePresident,talleyresultsfromallvotingactivities.
3. Ensurethatalltopicsdiscussedanddecisionsagreeduponareaccuratelyreflectedinthe
officialminutesandarepostedtotheGMDBCswebsiteforreview.
4. ScheduleandmaintainpermitsforGMDBCmeetings.
5. BeresponsibleformaintainingtheClubscorporatestatuswiththestateofFlorida.
6. Maintainthemembershipnotebook.
7. SubmitsignedVillageswaiverstotheVRD.
8. MailcompletedUnitedStatesDragonBoatFederation(USDBF)insuranceformstothe
insuranceagency.
9. Takeattendanceatmeetings.
10. Maintainanotebookfordutiesandresponsibilitiestobeturnedovertosucceeding
Secretary.
11. PostupdatedformsformembersontheGMDBCwebsitebyDecember1,orassoonasthe
formsareavailable.
12. ServeasoneoftheBoardmemberswhomaysignGMDBCchecksordrafts.
DutiesofTreasurer:
TheTreasurershall:
1. MaintaincustodyofallGMDBCfundsandfinancialrecords.
2. KeepaccurateandcurrentfinancialrecordsforGMDBC.
3. Collect,record,anddepositallfundscomingintoGMDBC.
4. Payallapprovedbillsinatimelymannerandrecordallpayments.
5. PrepareamonthlytreasurersreportfortheGeneralMembershipmeeting.
6. Makesureallfinancialrecordsarecurrentandavailabletoallofficersandmembersof
GMDBC.
7. Conductsemiannualbudgetreviews.
8. CalculateanddistributeteamrefundsbasedonfairsharecontributionsiftheBoard
determinesthereareexcessfundsintheGMDBCtreasury.
9. AssisttheBoardindevelopinganannualbudget.
10. Ensureproperdocumentationandaudittrailforallfinancialtransactions.
11. Treasurersrecordsshallbereviewedannuallybyaqualifiedperson.
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12. DistributeformsforcompletingtheGMDBCstaxreturn.
13. MaintainanotebookofdutiesandresponsibilitiesoftheTreasurertobeturnedovertothe
succeedingTreasurer.
14. ServeasoneoftheBoardmemberswhomaysignGMDBCchecksordrafts.
15. CompletetheSoutheastRegionDragonBoatAssociation(SRDBA)membershipformevery
December.
16. PaytheUSDBFinsurancepremiumeveryDecember.
DutiesoftheBoardofGMDBC:
TheBoardshall:
1. FulfillthemissionoftheGMDBC.
2. EstablishanddirectthepoliciesandproceduresoftheGMDBCincompliancewiththese
bylaws.
3. Appointcommitteesandsubcommitteesasdeemednecessary.
4. ApproveordisapprovetheestablishmentofanynewteamintheGMDBC.
5. ProposeandestablishanannualbudgetforGMDBC.
6. Determinethefairsharecontribution.
7. Actonbehalfofallmembersinobtainingservicesorequipment.
8. Assistinraisingfundstofinancetheannualbudget.
9. AuthorizetheexpendituresoftheGMDBCfunds,asappropriate.
10. DevelopandmaintainrelationshipsbetweentheGMDBCtheVRD,TheVillagescommunity,
otherdragonboatclubs,dragonboatgoverningorganizations(e.g.,SRDBA,USDBF)and
racevenuestopromotetheClubandthesport.
11. ReviewandresolveanygrievanceraisedbyaTeamintheeventofviolationsofGMDBC
RulesandProcedures.
12. OverseesubcommitteesdescribedintheGMDBCRulesandProcedures.
Vacancies:
1. AnyofficervacancyontheBoardofGMDBCmaybefilledbytheaffirmativevoteofthe
majorityoftheremainingBoardmembers.
2. AnofficerelectedbytheBoardtofillavacancyshallholdofficeonlyuntilthenextelectionof
officersbythemembers.
3. VacanciesofBoardmemberswhoarenotofficersshallbefilledwithsomeonefromtheir
teamasdesignatedbytheTeamCaptain.
RemovalofOfficers:
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1. AnyofficerormemberappointedorelectedbytheBoardwhocannotorwillnotperformthe
dutiesoftheirpositionmayberemovedfromthatpositionfollowingconsultationwiththe
remainingBoardmembers.
2. AnyofficerormemberelectedbytheMembersmayberemovedonlybyavoteofthe
Members,unlesstheMembershaveauthorizedtheOfficerstoremovesuchofficeror
member.
3. Anyvacancy,howeveroccurring,inanyofficemaybefilledbytheBoard,unlessthebylaws
haveexpresslyreservedsuchpowertothemembers.
ArticleIXLegalStatus
TheGrandMastersDragonBoatClubofTheVillages,Inc.isregisteredasaFlorida
NotForProfitCorporation.ThecorporationhasalsoqualifiedasanInternalRevenueCode
Section501(c)(7)taxexemptorganization,arecreationalclub.
ArticleXAdoptionandAmendment
TheabovebylawsshallbeintroducedtoallmembersofGMDBCforreviewanddiscussionone
monthpriortovotingontheiracceptanceorrejection.ThebylawsshallbelinkedtotheGMDBC
websitesothatallmembersmayhaveaccesstothem.Thefollowingmonth,eachGMDBC
membershallbeabletocastasinglevotetoadoptorrejectthesebylaws.Membersshallhave
onemonthtocasttheirvote.OnceaquorumhasbeenestablishedasdescribedinArticleIIIof
thesebylaws,amajorityvoteshalldeterminetheoutcomeofthevote.Ifapproved,thesebylaws
shallbeadoptedbytheGMDBCandreplaceanypreviousbylawsandamendmentstoprevious
bylaws.ThesebylawsmaybeamendedbyBoardrecommendationandthemajorityvoteof
Members,followingproceduresdescribedinthisparagraph.
TheabovebylawsoftheGrandMastersDragonBoatClubwereadoptedbythemembersofthe
GMDBConthe______dayof_______,2014.
CertifiedCorrect _______________
SecretaryGMDBC