Club Bylaws / Mission

CAROUSEL DANCE CLUB

BYLAWS AS AMENDED 2008

ARTICLE I

SECTION 1: The name of the organization shall be the "CAROUSEL DANCE CLUB." 

SECTION 2: The object and purpose of the organization shall be to conduct social dinner dances for the entertainment of the members. 

SECTION 3: The club shall be operated on a non-profit basis.  The Board of Directors shall determine the amount of funds to carry over each year to ensure the viability of the club.

ARTICLE II

SECTION 1: The business of the club shall be managed by the Board of Directors except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws.

SECTION 2: The Board shall consist of eight member couples.  The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and the four Dance Chair couples. 

SECTION 3: The term of the Directors is designed so the four Dance Chair couples will assume the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary the following year.  Directors shall serve a minimum of two years.

SECTION 4: The Board of Directors shall hold a meeting in the Fall of each year to elect the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary and approve the four new Dance Chair couples, all of whom will comprise the Board of Directors for the following year.  In the month of January, the outgoing officers will meet with the new Directors for the purpose of apprising the new Board of old business and to make recommendations for the new dinner-dance season.

SECTION 5: Other meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the president of the Board, by a majority of the Board, or by petition of ten member couples. 

SECTION 6: Notice of all meetings shall be given to each member of the Board at least five days prior to the meeting and five Directors shall constitute a quorum at all meetings.

SECTION 7: The couples who are President of the Board, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Dance Chair couples shall serve one year and may not be re-elected to the same office the following year.  The President of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board and in his/her absence the Vice-President will preside.  The Vice-President will also coordinate the membership drive.  The Secretary, in addition to keeping the records and minutes, will compile the current membership list, send out membership invitations, and send out membership booklets.  The Treasurer will keep an accounting of all income and expenses and report to the Board at each meeting.

ARTICLE III

SECTION 1: The club shall have one couple serving as President of the Board, one couple serving as Vice-President, one couple serving as Treasurer, one couple serving as Secretary, and four couples serving as Dance Chairs.

SECTION 2: The offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Dance Chair couple shall serve for a period of one year in office.  A vacancy in any office shall occur by failure to act, by written resignation, or other disability of an officer couple or dance chair couple when accepted by the Board.  A vacancy in office shall be filled by the majority vote of the Board at its first meeting after the vacancy occurs. 

ARTICLE IV

SECTION 1: Membership shall consist of no more than 80 couples.  Single memberships (AT NO REDUCTION IN PRICE) may be approved each year at the discretion of that year's Board of Directors.  Single memberships may bring one individual guest free to each function under the membership fee.

SECTION 2: The Board will determine the method by which new members are accepted. 

SECTION 3: Membership dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors from year to year.  Membership dues shall be payable in one lump sum each year on a date determined by the Board.  Any member couple or single member who does not pay their dues by the date specified shall be dropped from the membership rolls of the club.  Resigning members shall not be entitled to a refund of dues.  Should a couple or single member have to miss a dance, no refund will be given nor can they send someone in their place.  This allows all members to benefit by lower membership dues.

SECTION 4: The Vice-President shall present a plan to the Board for approval to increase the membership, if needed.

ARTICLE V

SECTION 1: During each fiscal year not less than four dinner dances shall be held for the entertainment of the general membership.

SECTION 2: Outgoing Dance Chair couples shall obtain successors for their seasonal dance and secure a site and a band for the following year taking into consideration all religious holidays to avoid scheduling conflicts.  These actions will be approved by the Board of Directors at the Fall Board of Directors' meetings.  The Dance Chair couples shall act under the supervision of the President of the Board. 

SECTION 3: Members will be encouraged to invite guest couples to any dance.  Any member bringing a guest couple to a dance shall so advise the Dance Chair couple of that dance and shall pay the Treasurer in advance a guest fee designated by the board.

SECTION 4: Any mergers with other dance clubs will require a majority vote of the members responding to the vote.

ARTICLE VI

SECTION 1: Contracts, instruments, or documents shall be signed by the President of the Board of Directors and in each case attested by the Treasurer.  The Dance Chair couple of each dance, upon approval by the Board, may execute contracts related to their specific dance.

SECTION 2: All notes, checks, drafts, endorsements, and evidences of indebtedness of the club shall be signed by the Treasurer. 

SECTION 3: Signature of either party of the officer couples described above shall be considered the signature of the office.

ARTICLE VII

SECTION 1: The fiscal year of the club shall be from January 1st to the following December 31st of each calendar year.

ARTICLE VIII

SECTION 1: All official acts of the officers or duly appointed members of committees must be approved by the Board of Directors.  No individual officer or committee member shall be personally liable for official acts so approved and any and all liability shall be borne by the club.  No commitment, contract, or any indebtedness shall be entered into by an officer or member of a committee on behalf of the club which shall be in excess of the assets of the club at that time.

ARTICLE IX

SECTION 1: Ammendments to bylaws shall be by the Board of Directors.

By the Board, 2008

CAROUSEL DANCE CLUB OFFICERS DUTIES

PRESIDENT: Presides over Board meetings.  Works closely with all officers and Dance Chair couples.  Prepares and mails newsletters to membership.

VICE-PRESIDENT: Coordinates all membership drives when needed.  Verifies that all guests have signed the guest book.  Is available to assist the Board with any duties that may be assigned.  Assists Dance Chairs with finding their replacements.  Conducts new member orientation with new members.

TREASURER: Receives all membership dues.  Handles all monies.  Issues all checks to pay dance bills, etc.  Receives membership cards.  Calls members who have not replied.

SECRETARY: Sets up new roster.  Aranges printed invitations, envelopes, return cards, proofreads draft of roster for directory and first proof of directory printing before all are run.  Sends invitations to old members and to new nominees.  Helps with calling members who have not replied.

DANCE CHAIR COUPLE: Confirm with previous dance chair the dinner-dance location and band.  Reconfirm personally with your dinner-dance location and band.  Ensure that the dance floor space is as close as possible to 1200 sq. feet (30' x 40') and that this requirement is spelled out in the contract for the dance.  Obtain dance budget from the Treasurer.  Choose a name for your dance and the dress for the evening and inform the Board of your decision.  Make arrangements with Treasurer to pay all dance bills on the night of dance, if possible.