Castleconnell Boat Club Rules

1.Name

1.1 The Club shall be called the Castleconnell Boat Club and shall consist of the various classes of members hereinafter defined who shall be elected The Club colours shall be red, grey and white.

2 Membership

2.1
The membership of the Club shall be divided between the following classes:
a.Senior members
b.Junior members
c.Cadet/beginner members
d.Student (3rd Level) members
e.Masters members
f.Para members
g.Associate members
h.Life members
2.2 A Senior member shall be any member over the age of 18 years on the 1st January of the subscription year.
2.3 A Junior member shall be any member of 17 years or under on the 31st December of the year prior to the subscription year who wishes to be eligible to row competitively for the Club
2.4 A Cadet/beginner member is any member eligible to compete as J14 in the current season, or a new junior beginner on his/her first year of rowing who wishes to be eligible to row competitively for the club.
2.5 A Student member is any member in full time 3rd level education who wishes to be eligible to row competitively for the Club or, on returning from university/college at home or abroad, to compete for the Club during the current season.
2.6 Masters members are eligible to row in masters events only for the Club but may also row for pleasure, subject to permission of the Captain and under any rules the committee may set from time to time.
2.7 An Associate member will be entitled to use of Club facilities in accordance with Club regulations but will not have voting powers or be entitled to hold office on the governing body of the club.
2.8 A Life member shall be a member of twenty five years Senior and/or Associate membership. Such a member will be automatically elected by the committee as a life member. Or A Life member shall be an individual who in recognition of outstanding overall contribution to the Club is unanimously recommended by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting or to a Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club and who, following such recommendation, is elected as a life member at such Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting
2.9 Only Life, Senior, Masters and Para (over 18) members (who are participating in Club activities)will be eligible to vote on Club policy at general meetings or hold office on the committee.
2.10 Except in exceptional circumstances no Senior or Junior member may compete for another Rowing Ireland affiliated club while a member of Castleconnell Boat Club. The determination of what constitutes exceptional circumstances shall be made by the Captain on application for such consideration by the Captain.

3 Election of Members

3.1 Candidates for membership shall be balloted for by the Committee as follows:
3.1.1 The name and address of each candidate together with the names of his/her proposer and seconder shall be given to the Secretary
3.1.2 The election to membership must be agreed by vote, 1 in 3 to disqualify, at a meeting of the Committee at which a quorum of the Committee must be present. A candidate once excluded shall not be proposed again for the space of one month from the date of exclusion and a candidate twice excluded shall not again be eligible for ballot for the season.
3.1.3 No candidate shall be deemed unsuitable for membership on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, nationality, race, creed or age.
3.1.4 The subscription fee is payable before the end of the current year for the following rowing season
3.2 Associate members and Junior members shall be entitled to attend Annual General Meetings but not to vote on any motions presented to the meeting or to be elected to hold office on the committee.
3.3 Temporary club membership for introductory periods may be offered by an officer of the committee at a fee and for a limited period, such fee and period to be determined from time to time by the committee

4 Club Officers

4.1 The Club shall be governed by a President, Captain, Secretary, Treasurer, Health & Safety and Child Liaison Officers and a committee of a maximum of ten. This committee will include three elected parent/guardian representatives for the categories of Cadet, Junior 16 and Junior 18 members respectively. The Officers and Directors are to be ex-officio members of the Committee.
4.2 All officers and committee members will be Senior members of the Club.
4.3 No member of the committee or officer of the Club or Director of the Club may be an active member of another Rowing Ireland affiliated club unless approved by the committee.

5 Election of Officers

5.1 The officers and committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to be held in September and in any case not later than the 30th November in any calendar year. The Secretary shall circulate a notice a minimum of fourteen days in advance of such a meeting.
5.2 Any vacancy occurring during the season shall be filled by the Committee by a simple majority vote.
5.3 Only members of at least two years standing will be eligible for election as President and Captain of the club.

6 Role of the Officers and Committee

6.1 The Treasurer shall receive all monies and make all payments on behalf of the Club, having previously passed committee and shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs and receipts and disbursements of the Club and shall present at each meeting of the committee a statement of affairs.
6.2 The Treasurer shall furnish a statement of the finances of the Club as approved by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting for confirmation.
6.3 The Secretary shall attend to the general business of the Club, guided by the committee and under their direction enforce the rules and regulations. All communications made to the Secretary in is/her official capacity will be submitted to the committee. The Secretary shall submit a list of members of the Club at Annual General Meeting
6.4 All officers shall have the power of appointing substitutes during their temporary absence; such substitutes to be approved by the Committee.

7 Management of Meetings

7.1 The President or vice-President shall preside at all meetings and Committees of the Club and in his/her absence any committee member who shall be elected thereto by a majority of the members present, may take the Chair.
7.2 No motion to be entertained unless seconded. The proposer to address the Chair who shall put the question, and who, in the event of a tie, shall have a casting vote if necessary.
7.3 All voting at Annual General Meetings or Extraordinary Meetings of the Club shall be by simple majority ballot and no vote at any election or meeting shall be taken by proxy.

8 Extraordinary General Meetings

8.1 Extraordinary General Meetings may be summoned by the Committee or on a requisition signed by ten of the senior and/or committee and/or life members, stating the business proposed to be discussed at such meeting. Such requisition must be handed to Secretary who shall have it posted up in the clubhouse seven clear days previous to the meeting. The Secretary shall give members seven clear days’ notice of such meeting
8.2 Any decisions made by majority resolution at a Extraordinary General Meeting shall be subject to approval at Annual General Meeting before coming into effect unless otherwise determined by majority at Committee meeting.

9 Management of the Club

9.1 The property of the Club shall be vested in Directors. The number of Directors shall not be more than five and not less than two, and they shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting. The nominated Directors shall be ex-officio Members of the Committee. They shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Committee (of which an entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence). They shall be indemnified against risk of expense out of the club property.
Each Director shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed from office by resolution of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.
9.2 Subject to 9.1, the general management of the property and affairs of the Club shall be entrusted to the Committee who shall meet quarterly and otherwise when summoned by the Secretary; four to form a quorum.
9.3 The committee shall have the power to raise loans on behalf of the Club subject to unanimous approval by the trustees of the terms of the loan and the purpose for which it is raised. No part of the Club’s property shall be made subject to a lien or mortgage unless approved by the Directors.

10 Subscription Fees

10.1 The annual subscription for all category of members shall be at the option of the committee or as may be agreed at the Annual General Meeting.
10.2 The annual subscription shall be payable with membership application, or at the option of the committee, and annually thereafter on the date of the Annual General Meeting. Any member in arrears shall cease to be a member, and he/she shall be struck off the list of members.

11 Removal and Discipline of a Member

11.1 Should circumstances arise, which, for the wellbeing of the Club, would require the removal of any member, a power to that effect shall rest with two thirds of the members present, and voting by ballot, at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. This course will not to be adopted until after the validity and implications of any complaint are investigated by two officers of the Club appointed for this purpose by the committee. Should due cause be determined, the member will be first called on to resign by the committee. On refusal to resign, an Extraordinary General Meeting will be convened.
11.2 Any member who disturbs the harmony of the Club, shall be subject to such censure as the committee choose to impose.

12 Dissolution of the Club

12.1 Should circumstances arise which would render it expedient to dissolve the Club a power to that effect shall be vested in an Extraordinary General Meeting, composed of not less than two thirds of the voting members. Such resolution must be carried by three fourths of the members present.
12.2 On dissolution the property of the Club will be disposed of to an organisation or body of individuals committed to using the property to continue and/or develop the sport of rowing for the benefit of the general public or, alternatively, will be disposed of to Rowing Ireland as determined by the Extraordinary General Meeting; subject in the first instance to the liabilities of the Club.

13 Crews

13.1 The Captain shall have the power to form Crews. He may delegate this power to the coach appointed to each crew under rule 13.2
13.2 The Captain shall appoint a coach to each crew in training,.
13.3 Should any dispute arise as regards rowing in any particular boat or boats, this will be settled by the Captain, the coach designated by the Captain, or other club officer present.
13.4 Any crew member guilty of insubordination may be reported to the committee, who shall have power to suspend such member for any length of time they may think fit.
13.5 Crews in training shall have priority of the use of equipment and of the slip
14 Competition
14.1 All crews sent by the Club to contend at a public regatta, shall be formed or approved by the Captain in consultation with the relevant coaches.
14.2 No member will be allowed to enter a boat at any regatta, to compete for or against the Club, without the permission of the Captain or the committee of the Club signed by the Secretary.
14.3 All cups and prizes won by crews, competing in the name of the Club, shall become the property of the Club. The necessary expense of such crews may, at the option of the Committee, be defrayed by the Club.

15 Rowing Ireland

15.1 The Club shall affiliate to Rowing Ireland and shall pay annual affiliation fees as levied from time to time by Rowing Ireland
15.2 All Senior, Junior, Cadet, Student, Masters ,Para, Associate and Life members will be required to register, and remain so registered, with Rowing Ireland according to the rules of Rowing Ireland.
15.3 The committee shall nominate one or more delegates to attend General Meetings of Rowing Ireland and to represent the views of the Club at such meetings as mandated by the committee.

16 Equipment

16.1 No boat will be admitted to the boat house unless by permission of the Captain or removed unless by permission from the owner, owners, or committee of the Club. The Club does not accept any liability.
16.2 Members shall be responsible for any loss or damage, through wilfulness or neglect, done to any Club property while in their charge. The amount will be determined by the committee. Any member refusing to abide by their decision shall be liable to expulsion from the Club and to legal proceedings instituted for recovery of the amount so determined.
16.3 The committee will levy a charge, at its discretion, on any member for storage of boats or other equipment on club premises.

17 Use of Facilities by other Clubs and Organisations

17.1 The committee may from time to time enter into agreement with other clubs to allow members of such clubs to avail of the facilities or equipment of Castleconnell Boat Club. Licences, fees or rental charges as deemed appropriate will be set by the committee in relation to each individual case.
17.2 The committee will ensure that any agreement, licence or contract will not in any way inhibit the right and freedom of Castleconnell Boat Club to gain free and unfettered access to and use of, its site, facilities and equipment. No such agreement shall be entered into, or by extension of time or use allowed to become an agreement, which in any way gives rights to another club or organisation to the use by law of the site, facilities or equipment of Castleconnell Boat Club.
17.3 Any club to whom such a licence, agreement or contract is given will be bound to use such site, facilities or equipment in accordance with the rules, direction and practices of Castleconnell Boat Club
17.4 Exceptions to 17.2 of this rule shall only be made in an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. Such resolution must be carried by three fourths of the members present.

18 Visitors

18.1 Members shall have the option of introducing their friends to all the privilages of the Club. Visitors may not to be introduced more frequently than twice in one month.
18.2 The committee or officers are empowered to exclude objectionable visitors

19 Liquor or illegal substances

19.1 No excisable liquor or illegal substances shall be sold or consumed on club premises.

20 Confidentiality

20.1 No member shall divulge or discuss outside the Club, any information officially communicated to him/her regarding Club business or any circumstances relating to ballots or to any differences which may arise between members of the Club. Members who breach this rule may be sanctioned by the committee.

21 Correspondence

21.1 All letters posted to the addresses, or emails sent to email addresses, given by the members shall be considered delivered.

22 Notice of Rules

22.1 The rules of the Club shall be posted on the Club website.
22.2 Any member who wilfully persists in infringing the rules shall be liable to expulsion as provided for by Rule 11

23 Changes to the Rules

23.1 For making any new rule, or altering any existing rule, it is required that it be proposed and approved at Annual General Meeting or a Extraordinary General Meeting called for this purpose; not less than seven voting members being present. The proposed change shall be submitted to the Secretary with names of proposer and seconder at least fourteen days in advance of such meeting. The Secretary shall circulate the proposal to all voting members at least seven days in advance of such meeting. The committee shall be deemed competent to amend any rule which must be amended to comply with any statute.