By-Laws

Bloomington/Normal Area Scholastic Chess
Bylaws
October 2016

 

Article I. Name and Legal Status.

 

 

The name of the organization is Bloomington/Normal Area Scholastic Chess, Incorporated (BNASC) a non-profit organization registered in the State of Illinois.

 

Article II. Purpose.

 

 

The BNASC is dedicated to promoting the game of chess and chess play through the sponsorship of tournaments, educational events, and other related chess activities for the scholastic (K-12) level. We anticipate a major activity of the group will be to host a State level tournament(s) in the area. Additionally, this organization will help schedule and support, but not interfere with, local school tournaments.

 

Article III. Membership and voting.

 

Section 1: Current and previously active chess parents and chess coaches from each Bloomington/ Normal area school are eligible to be a member of the BNASC organization. The Board of Directors shall also be voting members.

 

Section 2: The members of the BNASC shall elect the organization's Board of Directors annually at its regularly scheduled annual meeting.

 

Section 3. Any member may terminate his or her membership at any time.

 

Article IV. Program Year and Annual Meeting.

 

Section 1. The program year from the Bloomington/Normal Area Scholastic Chess shall run from October 1 to September 30.

 

Section 2: The annual meeting of the BNASC shall be held in September of each year.

 

Section 3: The annual meeting of the BNASC shall take place at a location reasonably accessible to the members as determined by the BNASC's Board of Directors.

 

Section 4: Notice of the BNASC's annual meeting and location shall be sent to the members at least 7 days prior to the meeting via Email or other reasonable means.

 

Section 5: A quorum for the annual meeting shall consist of 2/3 of the current Board of Directors.

 

Article V. Board of Directors.

 

Section 1. The officers of the BNASC shall be the president, vice-president, the secretary, and the treasurer.

 

Section 2. The Board of Directors of the BNASC shall consist of the officers, the Representative, and no more than ten members at large.

 

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall be elected for annual terms of office at the BNASC's annual meeting.

 

Section 4. The Board of Directors shall consist of people representing a variety of area schools and chess clubs.

 

Section 5. A quorum shall consist of at least half of the sitting Board of Directors. If there is a quorum, a simple majority is needed for a decision.

 

Section 6. Vacancies in the board of directors occurring during a program year shall be filled through a vote of the members at a duly noted extraordinary meeting of the organization (as set out in Article) or through a majority vote of the remaining directors. For a vote of the directors to take effect at least 3 Directors must concur in the proposed choice or choices.

 

Section 7. Any member of the BNASC's board of directors may be removed from office by a majority vote of the board of directors or upon the written demand of two thirds or more of the members.

 

Section 8. The officers and directors of the BNASC shall disclose any actual or perceived conflicts of interest to the Board of Directors and shall refrain from taking any action where the remaining Directors of the Board deem that the Directors or Officers presenting a conflict of interest should be disqualified from taking action.

 

Article VI. Administration.

 

Section 1. The BNASC's Board of Directors shall be authorized to take any action deemed appropriate consistent with these bylaws.

 

Section 2. The BNASC's Board of Directors may affiliate the organization with the United States Chess Federation or other chess organizations.

 

Section 3. The BNASC's Board of Directors may meet as frequently or infrequently as the Board of Directors wishes. A simple majority of the Board of Directors present and voting at duly noticed Board Meetings shall be sufficient to bind the board. The Board shall provide notice of its meetings and planned agendas to the members as it deems appropriate. The Board's meetings shall be open to the members.

 

Section 4. The President or his or her designee shall give an account of the activities at the annual meeting.

 

Section 5. The Treasurer or his or her designee shall give an account of the finances at the annual meeting. The financial affairs and other records (including membership rosters) shall be open to inspection by any member upon reasonable notice.

 

Section 6. The BNASC’s Board of Directors shall plan the program year and endeavor (but not be required) to carry out two or more of the following activities during the program year: tournaments, education events, and exhibition matches.

 

Section 7. The BNASC's Board of Directors shall call extraordinary meetings of the members for any input or action that may be desired. A quorum for these extraordinary meetings shall be at least two fifths of the members. Notice to the members of the extraordinary meeting and its planned location shall be given at least 7 days in advance of the meeting via email or other reasonable means. The meeting shall be held at a location reasonably accessible to the members.

 

Section 8. The BNASC is encouraged (but not required) to engage in joint activities with other organizations interested in the game of chess or playing chess.

 

Section 9. The Board of Directors of the BNASC shall be authorized to set reasonable fees for tournaments, special exhibitions, and other activities for those interested in participating. Members and non-members desiring to participate in these activities may be required to pay these added fees as a condition for their participation.

 

Section 10. Any dues and fees paid to the BNASC shall be non-refundable unless the Board of Directors directs otherwise.

 

Section 11. The BNASC's Board of Directors shall be authorized to grant or issue prizes. The BNASC and its members shall not engage in or tolerate any lotteries or wagering in their activities.

 

Section 12. The BNASC's Board of Directors is authorized to purchase and maintain equipment suited to its activities. The Board shall designate a custodian or custodians from among the Directors or Members for any property. An inventory of the property and its estimated value shall be distributed to the members at the annual meeting.

 

Article VII. Amendments and Dissolution.

 

Section 1. The BNASC bylaws may be amended by a vote of three fourths of the members present and voting at one of its annual meetings or at an extraordinary meeting that the Board may set for the members as indicated in Article VI, Section 7. Notice of any proposed amendment to the bylaws shall be furnished to the members at least 30 days in advance of the meeting.

 

Section 2. The BNASC shall continue in existence indefinitely.

 

Section 3. The BNASC may disband upon the vote of three fourths of its members.

 

Section 4. If the BNASC were to disband, then all assets will be distributed evenly, based on fair market value, to eligible local schools, both public and private, which have active chess clubs. Local schools will be within a 15-mile radius of Bloomington-Normal. 

 

Approved November 15, 2016