Bylaws of the Massachusetts Chess Association, Inc.
(in committee as of Dec 28, 1999, Donna Alarie Chairperson)
Section 1
Name, Purpose, Location, Corporate Seal, and Fiscal Year
1.1 Name and
Purpose. The name of the
corporation shall be “Massachusetts Chess Association, Inc.”. and
purposes The purpose of the corporation shall be as set forth in the
articles of organization. The Massachusetts Chess Association will be
referred to as MACA in the balance of this document.
1.2 Location. The principal office of the corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall initially be located at the place set forth in the articles of organization of the corporation. The Executive Board may change the location of the principal office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts effective upon filing a certificate with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
1.3 Corporate Seal. The Executive Board may adopt and alter the seal of the corporation.
1.4 Fiscal Year. The Fiscal Year of the corporation shall, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board, end on June 30 in each year.
Section 2
Members and Affiliates
2.1 Membership and Affiliation. Any individual or organization interested in chess may become, respectively, a member or an affiliate. There shall be four classes of memberships, and one class of affiliation.
a. Adult Membership. Any individual 18 years of age or over, may become an Adult member upon payment of annual dues of $12.00. Adult members have full voting rights.
b. Junior Membership. Any individual under 18 years of age may become a Junior member upon the payment of annual dues of $6.00. Junior members have no voting rights. Junior members, at their option, can convert to Adult members, by payment of the pro-rated Adult dues, upon their 18th birthday. Junior members do not automatically convert to Adult members.
c. Life Membership. Any individual over 18 years of age may become a Life member upon the payment of one-time dues of $175.00 ($100.00 if 65 or older) and subsequent Executive Board approval. A member may be conferred a Life membership with no fee by the Executive Board’s unanimous vote (of those present and voting) at any meeting after reasonable and sufficient notice. Life members have full voting rights.
d. Family Membership. The spouse or child or sibling of any Adult or Junior or Life member residing at the same address may become a Family member upon payment of annual dues of $4.00. Family members have no voting rights.
e. Adult, junior, and life
members are voting members and can vote in elections and membership meetings.
Family members cannot vote and do not receive a subscription to the official
organ.
e. f.
Affiliation. Any organization may become an affiliate upon payment of annual
dues of $25.00, the filing of an “Affiliate Information Form”, and the
Executive Board’s 2/3 vote (of those present and voting) at any meeting after
reasonable and sufficient notice.
g. i) Any individual may become a
subscriber upon the payment of annual dues of $12.00
ii) Any New England primary or
secondary school may become a subscriber upon payment of annual dues of $6.00.
iii) Any New England library may
become a subscriber upon the payment of annual dues of $6.00
iv) Any chess club may become a
subscriber upon the payment of annual dues of $12.00.
f. h.
The Executive Board may establish surcharges for special circumstances, such as
the cost of Chess Horizons postage.
g. i. The Executive
Board may offer, for a specified time, incentives, consistent with MACA’s
tax-exempt status, for the purpose of promoting membership and raising funds.
j. The Executive Board may conclude agreements with other organizations to provide it’s magazine or other materials at rates to be set by the MACA Executive Board. Such agreements shall not confer membership status in MACA to this organization or its members, or benefits beyond receipt of such materials.
2.2 Length of
Membership. Adult and Junior memberships and affiliations shall
expire on the fifteenth day of the month, same month following year, twelve
months after payment of dues. Memberships and affiliations may be
extended for an additional years by paying additional appropriate annual
dues.
a. A Life membership expires immediately upon receipt of written notification by the Executive Board, of the member’s death or resignation.
b. A
membership expires immediately upon receipt of written notification by the
Executive Board, of the member’s death or resignation.
c. There
is no refund of membership dues upon resignation or death.
2.3 Length of
Affiliation. Affiliations shall
expire on the fifteenth day of the month, same month following year, after
payment of dues. Affiliations may be extended for additional years by paying
additional appropriate annual dues.
b. An
affiliation expires immediately upon receipt of written notification by the
Executive Board, of the affiliation’s dissolution, or resignation.
c. There
is no refund of affiliation dues upon dissolution or resignation.
2.3 Powers
and Rights. In addition to
the rights vested in the by-laws elsewhere and the articles of organization,
the members shall have such other powers and rights as the Executive Board may
designate.
2.4 Privileges.
a. Competition. A member shall be permitted to
compete in any event held by the corporation, subject to such rules and
regulations as may govern that event.
b. Subscriptions. Members, except Family members, and
Affiliates shall receive annual subscriptions to the official organ.
c. Affiliate Services. Affiliates are entitled to
such services, upon availability, as:
i) Initial organization kit, simultaneous exhibitions,
lectures;
ii) Chess education materials;
iii) Advice on forming leagues, organizing and directing
competitive chess events;
iv) Space in the official organ for affiliate and
scholastic news;
v) Tournament supplies;
d. Agenda and Minutes. A member or an affiliate may
receive all minutes, agenda to the Executive Board meetings, and proposed
amendments to the articles of organization and by-laws upon payment of a
prescribed fee.
2.5 Annual
Meetings.
2.4 Types of Meetings.
a) Annual Meetings. The
location and date of the annual meeting shall be specified by the Executive
Board in the notice for the annual meeting and shall take place during the
months of April or May at the site of the Massachusetts Championship. If an
annual meeting is not held as herein provided, a special meeting of the members
may be held in place thereof with the same force and effect as the annual
meeting, and in such case all references in these by-laws, except in this
section, Section 2.5 to the annual meeting of the members shall be
deemed to refer to such special meeting. Any such special meeting shall be
called and notice shall be given as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.8. the
sections titled “Special Meetings” and “Call and Notice”.
2.6
Regular Meetings.
b) Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the members may be held at such places within Massachusetts and at such times as the members may determine.
2.7 Special
Meetings.
c) Special Meetings. Special meetings of the members may be held at any time and at any place within Massachusetts. Special meetings of the members may be called by the President or by the Executive Board upon the written application of thirty ormore voting members.
2.8 Call
and Notice.
2.5 Call and
Notice of Meetings
a. Annual and Regular Meetings. The call or notice
for annual or regular meetings of the members shall be sent to all voting members.
The call or notice must list either contracts or transactions of the
corporation with interested persons, amendments to the articles of organization
or to these by-laws (as adopted by the Executive Board or otherwise), or other
items as required by law, the articles of organization, or these by-laws.