Rev
The name of this organization shall be the Midwest
Region of the American Water Ski Association (Region). The American Water Ski Association (AWSA) is
a Sport Discipline
of USA Water Ski. USA Water Ski (USA-WS)
is the national governing body of water skiing in the
The purpose of this organization shall
be:
1.
To carry out
within the Region the purposes, policies, and directives of AWSA and USA-WS.
2.
To promote better
coordination and understanding between skiers, clubs, and associations.
3.
To promote
membership in the Region, AWSA and USA-WS of individuals, clubs and
associations.
4.
To effectively
promote and coordinate AWSA tournaments and other organized
5.
To act as
official voice for the Region in matters pertaining to AWSA and USA-WS.
6.
To maintain
standards of safety for the protection of skiers, spectators and water skiing
in the Region.
7.
To deal with all
matters affecting the Region, (not provided for or governed by AWSA and/or
USA-WS) through the development of rules and practices for the Region and to do
whatever may be necessary to promote the best interest of AWSA in the Region.
1.
Membership in the
Region shall be open to any individual member of the AWSA, without
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, or sex; and whose
legal domicile is within the boundaries of the Region as defined in the AWSA
Bylaws Article IV.
2.
Midwest AWSA members, eighteen years of age
and older shall have voting privileges.
3.
Members may be
disciplined, including suspension or expulsion, for unsportsmanlike conduct;
any willful violation of Midwest Region and/or AWSA and/or USA-WS rules or
procedures; criminal or fraudulent acts; failure to pay indebtedness; or any
other act which is contrary to the objectives and purposes of the Region, AWSA,
USA-WS, IWSF and/or the USOC. Suspension and expulsion shall be referred directly to the AWSA
President and shall be resolved in accordance with AWSA Bylaws Article XII.
4.
Members may be
disciplined only by a two-thirds vote of the Midwest Regional Council on
charges made in writing over the signatures of at least three regular members
of AWSA and submitted to the Council.
5.
Members may file
a written grievance with the Midwest Executive Vice President (EVP) alleging a
violation of these Bylaws or Regional rules, policies or procedures. If a member is not in agreement with the
decision of the Council, the member shall have the right to appeal the decision
to the AWSA Board per Article XII of AWSA Bylaws.
6.
Members shall
have the right to due process including the appeal of actions or decisions by
the Council or its representatives where the Region has ultimate jurisdiction
and responsibility for the action or decision.
1.
Management of the
Region shall be vested in the Midwest Council (Council).
2.
The Council shall
consist of the following voting members:
Executive Vice President; Midwest AWSA National Directors;
3.
The Council shall
make the decisions on matters affecting the Region as a whole.
4.
The Executive
Vice President (EVP) and the State Council Representative will make the
decisions on matters affecting the Council Representatives state, subject to
approval by the Council as a whole.
5.
No more than
three voting
members of Council shall be elected or appointed from any one state.
The EVP may be elected from any state and will not be considered an additional
member from a particular state for the purpose of this section.
6.
The Council shall
approve by majority vote all contracts entered into by the organization, any
expenditure in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), other than expenditures
occurring in the normal course of business, and such other matters as may be
referred to them by the EVP.
7.
In any state
where there is no Council Representative, the EVP shall make the decisions for
that state.
8. The
term of the State Council Representative shall begin when the Council board
meeting, held prior to the annual membership meeting, is called to order and
shall end immediately preceding the same meeting nearest the end of the period
provided for such term, or until a successor has been duly elected.
9.
Nothing contained
herein shall preclude reelection of the same person for successive terms of
office.
10.
The Council shall
have no authority, expressed or implied, to impose upon, or subject the
membership of this organization to any personal liability for, or in connection
with, the activities of said officers or other members.
11.
Wherever
guarantees or financial commitments are required to be made in the execution of
the duties and functions of officers, they shall be confined to the personal
liability of the officers and such members as may desire to bind themselves
thereto individually.
12.
Honorary National Directors (HND) and past EVPs
shall be ex-officio members of the Council with voice and without vote.
1.
In compliance with the rules and bylaws of
AWSA, the Executive Vice President
(EVP) shall be elected annually by the membership of the Midwest Region and
shall serve for one (1) year or until his successor has been properly
installed.
2. The term of the EVP shall be as defined in the AWSA Bylaws.
3.
The duty of the
EVP shall be to act as Chairman of the Council, to preside at all of its
meetings and to present a report of activities and plans for the Region at each
annual membership meeting.
4.
Subject to these
bylaws, the EVP shall be the executive head of this organization in the making
of all contracts, arrangements, plans, and appointments; the giving of notices,
the certifying of records, reports, and statements; or other executive action
herein provided.
5.
It shall be the
duty of the EVP to carry out the purposes of the Region as set forth in Article
II of these bylaws, and to generally assist each Council Representative in his
state.
6.
It shall be the
duty of the EVP to carry out directives, mandates, and duties as set forth by
AWSA and USA-WS.
7.
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the
EVP, Council shall appoint one of the AWSA National Directors to fill the
office within 30 days and he shall hold the office for the unexpired portion of
the term.
1.
In compliance
with the rules and bylaws of AWSA, four (4) AWSA National Directors shall be elected
from the membership of the Region by the regular members thereof, under such
rules and regulations and upon such terms and conditions (with respect to the
qualifications, election procedure and related matters) as the Board of
Directors of AWSA may prescribe from time to time.
2.
The EVP shall be one of these
Directors. The remaining three (3) Directors shall serve terms of three (3) years,
respectively, so arranged that the term of one said Director shall expire each
year.
3.
The term of each
elected Director shall be as defined in the AWSA Bylaws.
4.
The
Region shall elect an alternate AWSA Director annually. The alternate Director shall fill the Director role should a vacancy occur and shall hold the
office for the unexpired portion of the term. The alternate Director shall
represent the Region at AWSA board meetings in the absence of an elected AWSA Director.
Qualifications for the alternate shall be the same as for an elected AWSA
Director.
1.
The Region shall
generally be allocated one (1) USA Water Ski Director seat per AWSA
bylaws. This Director shall be elected
from the membership of the Region by the membership, under such rules and
regulations and upon such terms and conditions (with respect to the
qualifications, election procedure and related matters) as the Board of
Directors of AWSA and USA-WS may prescribe from time to time.
2.
Should the Region
be allocated more than one USA-WS Director seat, additional Directors shall be
elected using the procedures detailed in Article VII Section1, and so arranged
that the term of one said Director shall expire each year.
3.
USA-WS Directors
shall serve terms of two (2) years. The term shall be
as defined in the USA-WS Bylaws.
4.
If a vacancy
occurs in this Directorship, it shall be filled by the EVP
and he shall hold office until the next annual membership meeting at
which time the vacancy shall be filled by election. The EVP shall represent
the Region at USA-WS board meetings in the absence of the elected USA-WS Director. Qualifications
for the replacement shall be the same as for the elected USA-WS Director. If the EVP is not qualified, he shall
appoint a qualified AWSA National Director or a HND to replace or fill in for
the elected USA-WS Director.
1.
Annually, each
state shall elect one (1) Representative to represent their state on the
Council.
2.
It shall be the
duty of each Council Representative to carry out the purposes of the Region as
set forth in Article II of these bylaws, and to generally assist the EVP in
carrying out his duties.
3.
If a State has no
elected Council Representative, the EVP may appoint a Council Representative
for that state, subject to approval by the Council.
4.
Should a Council
Representative become unable to serve, the EVP shall select a successor to fill
the vacancy, subject to approval by the Council, until such time the state
selects a replacement.
5.
States may select
an alternate who shall represent that State at Council meetings in the absence
of the elected Council Representative.
Qualifications for the alternate shall be the same as for the Council
Representative.
1.
The Council may
elect such officers and appoint committees as they deem necessary to conduct
the business of this organization.
2.
Officers shall
hold office for a term of one year, or until their successors have been duly
elected.
1.
A Nominating
committee shall be appointed by the EVP no later than sixty (60) days after the
annual Council meeting. As far as practical, the members of this committee
should geographically represent the Region.
2.
The Nominating
Committee shall attempt to secure two qualified and willing candidates for the
positions of EVP, AWSA National Director, alternate AWSA National Director, and USA-WS
Director.
3.
The election
shall be conducted by official ballot.
Such ballot shall be made available to all members eligible to vote by means
prescribed by the Council. The official ballot will indicate the
names of the nominees submitted by the Nominating Committee and will provide
space for write-in candidates.
4.
Procedures for
conducting the election will be established by the Council and shall accompany
the official ballot.
5.
A Tellers
Committee with Chair shall be appointed by the EVP no later than sixty (60)
days prior to the annual Council meeting.
The Teller’s Committee shall ascertain that ballots are valid and make a
count of the ballots.
6.
A Report will be
made by the Teller’s Committee and the winners of the elections announced at
the annual membership meeting.
1.
The annual
membership meeting of this organization shall be held within the bounds of the
Region during the Midwest Regional Tournament and shall be near the tournament
site. In the event there is no Midwest Regional Tournament, the annual meeting
shall be at a time and place designated by the Council.
2.
Council shall meet within ten (10) days
prior to the
3.
Voting members of
the Region shall be notified of the time and place of the annual membership
meeting at least ten (10) days in advance of such meeting.
4.
Each voting member
of the Midwest Region shall be allowed one (1) vote in person at the annual
membership meeting
5.
There shall
be at least twenty (20) voting Midwest Region members present in person at the annual
membership meeting to constitute a quorum for the purpose of
transacting business.
6.
The agenda and the
order of business at the annual membership meeting shall be at the discretion of the EVP and Council.
7.
The Council may
authorize membership meetings or meetings of the Council at any time; provided
that for general membership the notifications procedures in Section 3 must be
followed. Unless waived in writing, ten
days notice of the time, place, and purpose of all Council meetings must be
given.
8.
At all meetings
of the Council, two-thirds (2/3) of Council shall constitute a quorum.
9.
In lieu of
special meetings, the Council may take any action by mail; email; or other electronic means. Any
resolution approved by a majority of the Council (unless greater majorities are
required by these By-laws) shall have the same force and effect as if adopted
at a called meeting of the Council. The
Council shall be notified of the results of all ballots. All such ballots shall be ratified at the
next scheduled meeting of the Council.
1.
No dues or
assessments of any kind or character may be levied, assessed or charged against
any members of this organization by act of the Council and same shall be
imposed only by majority vote of the members at a Membership meeting, at which
time any member may terminate his membership prior to application of such dues
and assessments.
2.
The Council may
authorize and approve the collection of reasonable and appropriate entry fees
for sanctioned competition water skiing events or may authorize and approve
reasonable entrance fees or charges to be levied at authorized water skiing
exhibition events, under such terms and provisions as it may deem appropriate
from time to time.
1.
These bylaws may
be amended and approved by the Council.
Amendments shall be voted upon by the Council only at scheduled Council
meetings.
2.
Amendments to
these bylaws may be adopted after approval by the Council with a two-thirds
(2/3) affirmative vote and after approval by the AWSA Board of Directors.
3.
Amendments shall
be communicated to the membership sixty (60) days prior to their effective date
and shall become effective on that date unless a referendum is called on the
amendment, in which case the amendment shall take effect only upon approval by
the general membership of the Region.
Member referendums shall follow the procedures detailed in Article IX
USA-WS Bylaws.
4.
Any provision of
these bylaws which is or shall become contrary to or in conflict with the rules
and bylaws of AWSA and or USA-WS, shall automatically be suspended in
application and supplanted by the rules and bylaws of AWSA and or USA-WS, where
such conflict exists.
The members of the Council, as a council and
individually, and the members of each committee, as a committee and
individually, are specifically held harmless by the Region, AWSA and USA-WS and
its membership for all actions taken in good faith on behalf of the Region,
AWSA and USA-WS, including omissions, unless found culpable in a court of law
of willful malfeasance, illegal activity or gross negligence, in which case the
Region and AWSA and USA-WS shall be entitled to recover any payments, costs or
expenses incurred in the defense, compromise or settlement of any claims or
suits against such member prior to such finding.
The Region shall subscribe to the USA-WS written Code
of Conduct and Ethical Practices which includes the requirement that each
Officer and Council member annually agree in writing to abide by such code.
The fiscal year of the Region shall
coincide with that of the AWSA.
1.
The rules
contained in the current edition of the Roberts Rules of order, newly revised,
shall govern the Region in all cases to which they are applicable and in which
they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the
Region, AWSA and USA-WS may adopt.
2.
Policies and Procedures may be established and amended by the Council,
and when applicable, shall direct Region and Council actions. These Policies and Procedures shall not be in
conflict with these Bylaws or the AWSA and USA-WS Bylaws and Policies and
Procedures.
These bylaws supersede all previous bylaws of the AWSA
Midwest Region of the American Water Ski Association.
Rev
2.0 Approved by the
Rev
2.0 Approved by the AWSA Board January 26, 2008