Constitution of the Dublin North Region of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland
The following constitution and rules for the Dublin North Region of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (hereinafter referred to as C.B.A.I), are in every way subject to the constitution and rules of the CBAI and in the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between them the said constitution and rules of the CBAI shall prevail.
1. The Dublin North Region hereinafter referred to as the D.N.R. is a geographical area as set out by the Executive Committee of the CBAI
2. Membership: Any person who
a. Is a member of any Club which is affiliated to the CBAI and is situated in the D.N.R
b. Has paid their current affiliation fee to the CBAI through any Club which is defined as a Member of the D.N.R. notwithstanding that they may be a member of another region or other regions of the CBAI.
3. Regional Committee: The regional Committee shall consist of the President, President Elect, Outgoing President, Hon. Secretary, Hon Treasurer, and Assistant Hon Secretary, six committee members plus President Emeritus as appointed by the Regional Committee.
4. Meetings: The Honorary Secretary shall call at least 3 Regional Committee Meetings in addition to the AGM, between the months of September and June of each year. At least 2 weeks notice in writing shall be given by the Hon. Secretary of the date of each Regional Committee Meeting to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated Club.
a. At each Regional Meeting the officers of the D.N.R. shall report to the meeting on the affairs of the Region. The Regional Committee shall have the power to discuss and vote on all affairs of the D.N.R. All members of the Regional Committee present at a Regional Committee Meeting shall be entitled to vote and a simple majority shall pass resolutions. Regional Committee meetings shall be chaired by the President or in their absence by a Chairperson elected by the meeting to chair that meeting only. The Chairperson of the meeting shall have a casting vote on all resolutions proposed at the meeting. The quorum for Regional Committee Meetings shall be 25% of the designated representatives.
b. All the powers of the D.N.R. and the administration of its affairs including the control and disposition of its funds shall be vested in and exercised by the Regional Committee.
c. The Regional Committee shall appoint the appropriate number of delegates to the executive Committee of the CBAI each year.
d. The Regional Committee shall appoint sub-committees as are deemed necessary. Such sub-committees may include persons who are not members of the Regional Committee but the Chairperson of any such committee must be a member of the Regional Committee.
e. The Regional Committee shall keep full and accurate minutes of all its meetings and a record of attendance of members.
5. Officers of D.N.R.
a. The President who shall be entitled to preside at all General and Committee Meetings of D.N.R
b. The President Elect who shall be nominated by a club in the DNR who by invitation will be asked to submit the name of a candidate for the office of President Elect.
c. Outgoing President
d. The Honorary Secretary
e. The Honorary Treasurer
f. The Honorary Assistant Secretary.
g. The Public Relations Officer
6. Annual General Meetings
a. The A.G.M. shall be held normally in the month of May each year. At least two weeks notice shall be given in writing by the Honorary Secretary of the D.N.R. of the date of the A.G.M. to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated Club.
b. All members of affiliated Clubs shall be entitled to attend and speak at the A.G.M.
c. Delegates eligible to vote at the A.G.M. shall be those duly appointed by the affiliated clubs. Each club shall be entitled to one delegate for every 100 members of the club, subject to a minimum of one delegate. A club shall be entitled to one delegate even if its membership is less than 100. Each delegate shall be entitled to one vote only. The quorum for the A.G.M. shall be ten members entitled to attend and vote.
d. The chair of the A.G.M. shall be taken by the President elected at the preceding A.G.M. (or special General Meeting where appropriate) or where necessary by the President Elect and they shall retain the chair at that meeting to its conclusion.
7. AGM Procedure: At the A.G.M. the business of the meeting shall be transacted as follows
a. The minutes of the previous A.G.M. shall be read and approved (with amendments if necessary)
b. The Honorary Secretary shall present an Annual report.
c. The Honorary Treasurer shall submit an account of the funds of D.N.R., duly audited and the meeting shall approve the accounts (with amendments if necessary)
d. The meeting shall then proceed to elect a President, President Elect, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Assistant Secretary, Hon. Treasurer for the following year. Nominations for the positions of President Elect, Hon. Secretary, Hon Assistant Secretary and Hon. Treasurer and six committee members shall be submitted in writing to the Hon. Secretary not less than seven days before the date fixed for the A.G.M. and such nominations must be signed by the proposer and seconder, each of whom must be members of one of affiliated clubs in D.N.R. The President Elect shall take office immediately after the conclusion of the A.G.M. and their term of office shall terminate at the conclusion of the next A.G.M. This procedure shall be followed in each succeeding year to the intent and effect that the President Elect for one year shall become the President for the following year. There will be an election to select six committee members from the nominations received. Each Club should nominate one person who shall be a member of that club. Only the designated representatives of each club in the Region shall be entitled to vote.
e. The A.G.M. shall appoint an auditor.
f. The meeting shall then proceed to any other business.
g. Any club may submit a resolution to the A.G.M. by submitting it in writing signed by the Hon. Sec. of the Club and the proposer and seconder of the resolution. The resolution must be received by the Hon. Secretary of D.N.R. at least 21 days before the date of the A.G.M. Such a resolution must be moved at the A.G.M. by a delegate from the Club by which the resolution was submitted.
h. Any member of the D.N.R. may submit a resolution to the A.G.M. for discussion by furnishing it in writing, duly proposed and seconded, and received by the Hon. Secretary of D.N.R. at least 21 days before the date of the A.G.M. Such a resolution must be moved at the A.G.M. by the proposer or seconder by whom the resolution was submitted.
8. Special General Meetings: A Special General Meeting may be summoned by the Regional Committee or by the Hon. Secretary on a request in writing signed by the President, or by seventy five members of D.N.R. At least 10 days notice in writing of the date, time and place of the S.G.M. shall be given to the Hon. Secretary's of each affiliated Club by the Hon. Secretary of D.N.R. Any such notice convening the meeting shall set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed. No other business shall be transacted at the S.G.M. other than that for which it has been convened. Entitlement to vote shall be as the A.G.M. The Quorum shall be 10 delegates entitled to be present at such a meeting.
9. Voting Majorities: Resolutions at the A.G.M. shall be passed by a simple majority of the votes cast by the delegates present at the Meeting.?A Resolution at an S.G.M. shall be passed only if it receives two thirds of the votes cast by the delegates present at the Meeting. In the event of an equality of voting at an A.G.M. the Chairperson (or acting Chairperson) shall have a casting vote but there shall be no casting vote on any resolution at a S.G.M.?Voting shall be by show of hands or by a written poll if such a poll is requested by a delegate entitled to vote.
10. Minutes: The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of all A.G.Ms and S.G.Ms. Copies of these minutes shall be available to the Hon. Sec. of any affiliated club in D.N.R. on written application within two years of the date of the Meeting.
11. Registration:The Registration fee payable to D.N.R. by each affiliated club shall be the Affiliation fee as set from time to time by the Executive Committee of the C.B.A.I. together with such sum (if any) as is determined by the regional Committee.
12. Registered Members: No person except those on the registered list of a Club will be recognised as members entitled to participate in Regional Competitions or to attend meetings of D.N.R. A Club may forward a late registration (along with the appropriate fee) which will entitle the person to play in Regional Competitions but that person may not vote at a meeting or represent the Club until after the A.G.M. following registration.
13. Competitions: The Regional Committee shall fix entry fees for Championships and competitions as they see fit and may stipulate that competitors shall jointly or severally hold a certain number of Master Points.
14. President Emeritus: The Regional Committee may at it's discretion from time to time appoint any person, who in it's opinion, has been of outstanding service to the Region or to Bridge in Ireland to be a President Emeritus of D.N.R. A President Emeritus shall continue in office for life or until they resign or be removed from office by a Special resolution of the Regional Committee. This resolution would have to be passed at a meeting of which prior notice was given and the resolution would have to be approved by not less that two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote. A President Emeritus shall be entitled to attend and vote at Regional Meetings of the D.N.R. but shall not be an officer of D.N.R.
15. Alteration to the Constitution: Any Alteration to this Constitution may only be made by a Resolution duly submitted to the Hon. Secretary in writing at least 21 days before the date of the AGM or 14 days in the case of a SGM. All such resolutions will only be accepted if they are proposed and seconded by members of the Dublin North Region.
Agreed 23rd September, 2005