Copyright: Kirklees Model Boat Club 2010 CONSTITUTION Kirklees Model Boat Club   (K M B C) Objectives:   The KMBC shall be formed to promote all aspects of the hobby, and shall strive to encourage and develop the hobby both within the club and with its neighbours, to improve the standard of modelling by the interchange of ideas, discussion and demonstration of techniques. A committee will be formed to carry out the running of the club. It will consist of: President - Term of 2 years Chairman Secretary - Membership Secretary Treasurer Public Relations Officer Six committee members Responsibilities Chairman. The overall control of the committee and monthly meetings. Overall control of the organization of events. Secretary. To record minutes of meetings. To deal with correspondence relating to club matters. To maintain accurate membership records. Treasurer. To receive all monies. To keep accurate accounts. To allocate club funds as available and according to committee instructions. To complete an inventory of club equipment and property and its disposition. To reimburse members for authorised expenditure. Public Relations Officer. To liaise with other clubs, and organizations, for both home, and away events. Remainder of Committee. To assist the principal officers as required For any Committee Meeting a minimum of seven members are required to form a quorum 1. The management committee will call the Annual General Meeting in November each year, at the normal Club meeting, held on the 2^nd Wednesday of the month. At the AGM an annual report will be provided to give: The various undertakings for the year. To provide an outline of the previous years successes and failures. The financial state of the club 1.a. The committee will be elected each year at the A.G.M. Nominations, including a proposer and seconder to be sent to the secretary 14 days prior to the meeting. Persons nominated for election to the committee must have been a member for at least 2 years. 1.b. The constitution rules can only be amended at the A.G.M. or E.G.M. 1.c. Proposed changes to the rules for the A.G.M/E.G.M. to be in writing and received by the secretary 28 days before the meeting. 1.d. Auditors will be appointed to confirm the annual accounts. 1.e. The Committee may co-op up to three members onto the Committee for a specific task or a specific time. 2. At least 14 days notice of the A.G.M. will be given in writing or electronically to all club members. 3. Annual subscriptions and any joining fee will be decided at the Annual General Meeting. 4. Subscriptions are due by 6 weeks after the AGM each year.  Any members who have not paid the subscriptions for the ensuing year by the last day of January, in whole or in part, will not be allowed to sail until they have done so, or be covered by the Club Insurance. 4.a. New members joining after the 1^st of September each year, will only be required to pay a joining fee for insurance purposes  5. All meetings will have an agenda and will be minuted. Any other business will only be accepted at general meetings if the Secretary is given at least 28 days notice in writing of the item to be discussed. 6. Voting will normally be by show of hands, however a secret ballot must be taken should any member request that this be done. Proxy and postal votes will not be allowed 7. All proposals must be seconded and voted upon.  A majority vote is required to carry any proposal. 8. Amendments to proposals must be voted upon first. 9. The Committee, through the Chairman has the power to ask a person to leave any meeting in the event of that person disrupting the meeting. 10. The Committee has the right to refuse membership to new applicants. 11. New members will be required to serve an initial probationary period of 12 months, and may have their membership terminated at the discretion of the Committee for unsatisfactory conduct. 12. Members who have allowed their subscriptions to lapse for less than one year will not normally be asked to re-apply for membership or pay any joining fee, but will be required to pay a full 12 months subscription 13. Persons letting their membership lapse for 1 year or more, will be required to re-apply for membership and pay any joining fee on their return to the club 14. All club safety rules and regulations will be reviewed annually, and will be considered binding for 12 months, excepting where urgent action is required.  This action must then be ratified by the Committee at the next club meeting or at a general meeting. EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS 15. The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club by a resolution of the Committee stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members stating the business to be discussed. 16. The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club on receipt of a request in writing signed by not less than 10 members of the club, stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members in writing stating the business to be discussed. 17. When a request for a meeting is made in accordance with the above rules and it is not called within 28 days, the persons requiring the E.G.M. may themselves convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club by giving 28 days notice in writing to all members, duly setting out the purpose for which the meeting was called.  Any resolutions passed at such a meeting will have the same force and effect as if they were passed at a meeting convened by the Committee. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS. 18. Any complaint concerning any member must be made in writing and signed by the complainant(s).  The written complaint must then be forwarded to the Secretary so that the matter can be addressed at the next Committee meeting or if serious a specially convened Committee meeting. 19. The Committee may impose a suspension not exceeding 60 days upon any member in the event of misconduct.  Any suspension must be accompanied by a verbal and/or written warning as deemed appropriate 20. The Committee may consider removal from the roll of members any member whose conduct is considered to be prejudicial to the club.  Dismissal will be in accordance with the following procedure in order to comply with the laws of natural justice. 21. The member is to be given a verbal warning by an authorised Committee Member in which the member is made aware of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends 22. If the member does not respond, he is to be given written warning by an authorised Committee Member to advise him of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends. 23. If he still fails to respond, the Committee should invite him in writing to meet with them at a previously agreed date and time to discuss the situation, advising they are considering withdrawal of his membership. 24. If he still fails to respond to reasoning or fails to attend without reasonable cause, the Committee can advise him in writing that his membership is withdrawn, stating the reasons why this decision was reached. 25. When the member is advised of withdrawal of his membership, he must be given the right of appeal.  If he opts to appeal, this will be to the club membership at the monthly meeting, agreed date and time.  The motion to uphold the membership withdrawal or reverse it must be in accordance with the voting procedures set out in the Club Constitution. 26. In the event of gross misconduct, immediate dismissal without warnings may be considered but the member must still be accorded his rights to present his case to the Committee and be given a right of appeal in accordance with the above requirements. 27. In the event of dismissal the Committee will arrange for the member's current membership fee to be reimbursed in full. 28. The Secretary must be informed of any negotiations proposed by club members which affect the Club as a whole and copies of any written correspondence must be submitted to him for record purposes. 29. Any Committee Member or Officer wishing to resign should do so in writing. Any member of the Committee who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without reasonable cause will automatically forfeit his seat on the Committee. 30. The Committee may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the club.  If a Committee Member engages or becomes involved in court proceedings, whether criminal or civil in his representative capacity on behalf of the club, as opposed to his capacity as a private individual, the club will indemnify the Committee Member in respect of any fines or damages or costs awarded against the Committee Member 31. In the event of a Committee Member being awarded damages or costs in the course of proceedings taken by him in his representative capacity, such damages or costs will belong to the Club and not the Committee Member personally and upon receipt that Committee Member will pay them to the Club Treasurer. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB Should it be considered necessary or desirable to dissolve the Club, the Committee will call an Extraordinary General Meeting.  Should a quorum (5 members including one trustee) fail to appear, the meeting will be adjourned and a further EGM must be called.  The second meeting will proceed even if a quorum is not present and the motion will then be carried by a simple majority vote. 32. On dissolution and after the sale of assets, settlement of all outstanding debts, and the refund of subscriptions for the remaining part of the year, any funds will be distributed to sporting or sailing charities, with consideration given to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Kirklees Model Boat Club Rules and Practices All members will act with courtesy and consideration to other members and the general public at all times. At club meetings when the chairman calls the meeting to order private discussion will cease all further comments will be made through the chair. In the case of more than one person wishing to be heard the chairman will decide the order in which they will speak, and quiet, polite modes of address will be used. Dangerous practice or abusive behaviour will result in disciplinary action. The committee’s decision on the infringement of rules is final. The property of the local authority is to be treated with respect at all times, and this includes the wildlife and the environment in the vicinity of Wilton Park Lake. Any decision by an appointed officer (Park Ranger) of the local authority must be obeyed. All cars except for loading or unloading must be parked in the car park and not by the lakeside or on the roundabout. The correct frequency flag must be attached to the transmitter aerial before sailing, with the correct frequency peg obtained from the pegboard. A maximum of 20 minutes sailing time will be enforced on any one frequency unless not required. In the event of the rescue boat having to be used all other boats must keep clear of the area. Only authorised and insured members are allowed to use the rescue boat, and must use the life-preservers provided. They must also make sure that when boarding or alighting from the boat at least 2 persons are holding the boat against the lakeside. All club equipment, especially life preservers, must be returned to the club storage facility (SHED) in a clean and safe condition For all competitions an Officer of the Day will be appointed, and his decision will be final in all matters relating to the running and results of the event. No internal combustion engine powered model boat or very high speed electric powered model boat are allowed on Wilton Park Lake, because of the effects they have on both the environment and the wildlife, and on the safety of the general public using the lake and it’s vicinity. Steam powered model boats must have a current boiler certificate and a certificate proving the effectiveness of the boiler safety valve. Submarines using a gas ballast system must use metal pressure tanks. Hovercraft use on the lake will not be permitted until 1030hrs on Sunday morning due to noise factor in the neighbourhood. Small fast electric craft must be run at set times of ¼ to the hour or ¼ past the hour to permit scale craft to move position. Any item may be sold or traded at the lakeside with the permission of the committee, but the club accepts no responsibility for any transaction. It would be appreciated if club sweaters/polo-shirts were worn by members manning exhibition stands, and that members attending exhibitions spend at least 3 hours per day manning the stand, on a shift basis. It would also be appreciated if pin badges were worn by members at the lakeside. Please remember that our behaviour will decide our future use of Wilton Park Lake, which is under the authority of Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council. REGATTA RULES   1.ELIGIBILITY.    1.1 Competitors must be club members.    1.2 All boats are eligible.    1.3 Submarines must remain on the surface.    2.Course    2.1 The course and direction will be displayed.    2.2 No time limit will be set.    2.3 The course will consist of one complete circuit.    3. Competition rules.    3.1 Competitors and judges only in the sailing area.    3.2 Competitors must not be advised of the course, while sailing.    3.3 All stops to be called by entrant and cleared by the judge.    3.4 One boat per person for club competitions.    3.5 Craft being repaired or fitted with new batteries will be rerun from the point of breakdown and incurred           penalties will stand.    3.6 Reruns will be at the discretion of the Officer of the Day.    4. Scoring.    4.1 Each entrant will start with 100 points.    4.2 Points will be deducted for taking the wrong course.    4.3 Collision with any object will result in loss of points.    4.4 All obstacles to be completed.    4.5 The entrant with the most points at the end of the competition will be adjudged the winner.    4.6 A  tie will be decided by run offs on a modified course. CLASSES OF BOATS FOR CLUB COMPETITIONS ISLAND  ENDURANCE Class A Up to 24 inch (610 millimetre) Laps  X  2.15 Class B 24 to 36 inches (611 to 914 millimetres) Laps  X  1.65  Class C More than 36 inches ( 915 millimetres) Laps  X  1.00 YACHT CLASSES Class A Up to 29 inches (737 mm)  3 Laps Class B 29..25 to 38 inches (743 to 965 mm) ……………………………...4 Laps Class C 38.25 to 48 inches  (972 to 1220 mm) ……………………………...5 Laps Class D 48.25 to 53 inches (1225 to1346mm) ……………………………...6 Laps Class E 53.25 to 62 inches(1352 to 1575mm) ……………………………...7 Laps