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THE BERMUDA BRIDGE CLUB

(the “Club”)

 

CONSTITUTION and BYE-LAWS

 

1. Name

 

The Club shall be known as “The Bermuda Bridge Club”.

2.            Objects

The objects of the Club shall be as set out in Clauses 2(a) to (g) of the Bermuda Bridge Club Act 1974.

3.            (a)            Officers

(i) The Officers of the Club shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Tournament Director, to be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve until the next Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Club.  If more than one candidate is proposed for any of these offices, election for that office shall be by ballot of the Active and Life Members.

  1. (ii) The President of the club shall not serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms of office, save that nothing herein contained shall prevent the President from completing the terms of a predecessor and which terms shall not count for this purpose.

(b) Committee of Management (the “Committee”)

The general management of the affairs of the Club shall be entrusted to a Committee who shall meet as and when occasion shall require.  This Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Club, the Immediate Past President of the Club and four other members, to be elected at the Annual General Meeting by ballot of the Active and Life Members.  The Committee may co-opt two additional members as the pressure of business or absence of other members necessitates.

  1. (c) Nomination

Nomination of the Officers and other members of the Committee may be made by a Nominating Committee set up by the Committee for such purpose, or by nomination by any Active or Life Member at the Annual General Meeting.  Any person proposed for nomination shall, prior to such nomination, or at the time of nomination, indicate his agreement to being so nominated.

4. Functions of the Committee

  1. (a) At meetings of the Committee five (5) members shall constitute a quorum, one

(1) of whom must be an Officer of the Club.  A member of the Committee who is absent from a meeting of the Committee may, in writing, appoint another member of the Committee as his proxy for such meeting, but such proxy shall not constitute one of the members required to form a quorum.

  1. (b) Subject to the Bye-Laws of the Club, the Committee is empowered to determine what charges shall be made to members and guests, to formulate rules for the Club’s operation and for the conduct of all Bridge and other games played therein, and to employ such assistance and generally to make such financial commitments as may be necessary for the fulfillment of the Club’s purpose.

(c) The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancies which may occur during the year.

  1. (d) A member of the Committee who misses three (3) consecutive Committee meetings can be removed from the Committee.  This decision can be rescinded if the member subsequently provides the Committee with sufficient explanations for his or her absence.
  1. (e) If it so desires, the Committee may appoint a Publicity Director and Assistant Tournament Directors who may be invited to attend Committee meetings without a vote.
  1. Membership

(a) The membership of the club shall consist of Active, Life, Temporary and Honorary members.

  1. (b) Active Members

Anyone eighteen (18) years of age or over and resident in Bermuda may, on election by the Committee, become an Active member.  Only Active and Life Members shall be entitled to hold office, to serve on the Committee, to vote at meetings and to play in Club Championships.  Candidates for Active Membership, whose applications have been posted and whose dues have been paid, will be given full membership privileges, excluding bar privileges, until such time as the Committee approves their membership.

(c) Life Membership

Life Membership may be obtained by anyone eligible for Active Membership on election by the Committee.  Their privileges shall be the same as those of an Active Member.  Membership shall last for the lifetime of that member, subject to paragraph 11.  The fee for Life Membership shall be fifteen (15) times the current rate for Active Membership.

(d) Temporary Membership

 

Anyone eighteen (18) years of age or over and resident in Bermuda may, on election by the Committee, become a Temporary member on a monthly basis for a period not exceeding three (3) months.  A person proposed for Temporary Membership will automatically be entitled to the privileges of the Club, except those outlined in 5(g), and charged accordingly until their application has been decided upon by the Committee, provided that the application has been seconded by a member of the Committee and the fee for the time being in force has been paid.  The Committee reserves the right to refuse to renew any Temporary Membership.

(e) Honorary Membership

The Committee is authorized to accord the privilege of Honorary Membership of the Club to such persons as shall have rendered distinguished serve to the Club or otherwise have merited its gratitude and admiration.

  1. (f) Junior Membership

Anyone under eighteen (18) years of age may apply for Junior Membership at half the rate for Active Members.  A Junior Member may not vote at any General Meeting and will not have any rights in respect of Club ownership.

  1. (g) Temporary and Honorary Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club except those of holding office, serving on the Committee, attending business meetings of the Club, or participating in Club Championships.
  1. Election of Members

(a) Applications for membership must be duly signed by a Proposer and Seconder, to whom the candidate must be known personally, and who must have both been Active or Life Members of the Club for at least one (1) year. The name of each proposed applicant, along with the name of the applicant’s Proposer and Seconder, shall be posted on the Notice Board of the Club premises for at least fourteen (14) days before the candidate may be elected.   If any member of the Club shall object to the election of a person proposed for membership, he shall within fourteen (14) days of the posting of such notice submit his objection in writing, together with his reasons therefore to the Committee.

(b) After complying with Bye-Law 6(a), the name of such candidate shall be submitted to the Committee at its regular meeting and where there are no objections made in writing by a member of the Club, election shall be by majority vote.  In the event of the receipt of an objection in writing from any member of the Club, the support of the objection by three (3) or more members of the Committee shall be sufficient for rejecting a candidate.

(c) A rejected candidate may be proposed for election once again, but only after a period of six (6) months shall have elapsed from the date of his original rejection for membership, and if rejected for membership a second time, shall not be eligible thereafter for nomination as a member.

  1. (d) A rejected candidate for membership shall be advised by the Secretary of the Committee’s decision, but the Secretary shall not be required to give any reason therefore.  The Proposer and Seconder of a rejected candidate may request the Secretary to refer the rejection of the candidate to a General Meeting of the Members of the Club, and the majority decision of the Active and Life Members as to the admission or otherwise of such rejected  candidate shall be final.
  1. (e) The Secretary shall notify each newly elected member of his election and of the amount due to the Club.

(f) No elected candidate shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until his entrance fee and subscription have been paid.

7. Subscriptions

  1. (a) Active Members shall, upon election, pay an entrance fee and shall thereafter pay an annual subscription in advance, due and payable on the first day of January in each year. These fees and subscriptions will be set by the Committee.
  1. (b) Temporary Members shall pay in advance the monthly subscription as determined by the Committee.

(c) Any Active Member who has been elected during the second quarter shall be liable to three-quarters (3/4) of the annual dues, during the third quarter, half (1/2) the annual dues, and during the fourth quarter one quarter (1/4) the annual dues.  Upon termination of membership, an Active Member shall be liable for the subscription to the end of the Club’s fiscal year.

(d) If any Active Member shall neglect for two (2) monthly after receiving notice from the Secretary or Treasurer to pay any subscription due by him, his name shall be suspended by the Committee from the membership list of Active Members and he shall thereon pay non-members fees, provided however that the Committee shall have the power to restore the name of such member on receiving satisfactory explanation of such neglect and on payment of the amount due.  If the member shall fail to pay such dues within a period of six (6) months, the member’s name shall be removed from the membership list automatically and he shall thereafter cease to be a member.

8. General Meetings

(a) The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than 31 March of each year on a day and at a time to be fixed by the Committee, and notice (“Notice”) of such meeting, together with the Agenda thereof, and of the fact that the Officers and the Committee will be elected thereat, shall be sent by email at least one (1) week before the date of the meeting to each Active and Life member at the email address for such member then recorded on the Club website.  A copy of such Notice and any slate of Officers proposed by the Committee, or any Nominating Committee appointed by them, shall also be posted on the Club’s Notice Board at least fourteen (14) days before the date of such meeting.  In the event any member does not have email, the posting of the Notice on the Club Notice Board shall be deemed sufficient notice to such member.

 

(b) At the Annual General Meeting each year, the Committee shall submit a statement of the financial condition of the Club as of 31 December preceding the meeting.

(c)        At any time during the year a Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee subject to notification of members as for the Annual General Meeting.

(d)        A Special General Meeting may also be called at any time during the year on the written request of not less than fifteen (15) Active or Life Members of the Club.

(e) Quorum

Not less than 25 Active and Life Members of the Club shall form a quorum at any General Meeting of the Club.

9. Guests

Rules and fees applicable to guests using the Club are left to the discretion of the Committee.   Use of the Club premises by outside groups of individuals shall be subject to such rules and fees as the Committee may from time to time adopt.

10. Sub-Committees

The President is empowered to appoint such sub-committees as may be necessary for the fulfillment of the Club’s purposes.  Such committees shall have as a member at least one (1) member of the Committee who may or may not be appointed the Chairman of such sub-committee.

11. Suspension or Expulsion

If any member shall be guilty of conduct detrimental to the interests of the Club, the Committee, after making such investigation, and giving such opportunity of explanation by the member complained of, as it shall think fit, is empowered by the affirmative vote of not less than six (6) members of the Committee to suspend such member for a period decided by the Committee, or to expel such member and to strike his name from the list of members.  A member aggrieved by the decision of the Committee of Management shall have the right of appeal to a General Meeting of the Active and Life Members of the Club called for such a purpose by the Committee and the majority decision of such General Meeting shall be final.

12. Bridge Laws

Copies of the latest internationally adopted Laws covering Contract and Duplicate Contract Bridge shall at all times be available at the Club premises and shall govern all disputes arising in connection with these games when played at the Club or in any Tournament held under the auspices of the Club.

13. Changes to the Constitution and Bye-Laws

No alterations or amendments may be made to the Constitution and Bye-Laws except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting whose Agenda gives notice of such change and then only by a three-quarters (3/4) majority of members present at such a meeting.  Notice (“Notice”) of such meeting together with the Agenda thereof shall be sent by email at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting to each Active and Life member at the email address for such member then recorded on the Club website.   A copy of such Notice shall also be posted on the Club’s Notice Board at least fourteen (14) days before the date of such meeting.   In the event any member does not have email, the posting of the Notice on the Club Notice Board shall be deemed sufficient notice to such member.

14. Affiliation

Affiliation or non-affiliation with any other Bridge Organisation shall be reserved to the decision of a General Meeting.

Revised February 2010