Bylaws of District Seven of the American Contract Bridge League

Article One – Organization

This organization shall be known as District 7 of the American Contract Bridge League, and is hereinafter referred to as the District.
The District is a subsidiary of the American Contract Bridge League, hereinafter referred to as the ACBL; recognizes the ACBL as the parent organization, having authority and control over tournament bridge in the United States; exists under the sanction of the ACBL; and functions within the Constitution, Bylaws, and regulations of the ACBL.
The geographical area within which the District shall operate shall be such area as is assigned to it by the Board of Directors of the ACBL, as the same may be modified from time to time.
The principal office of the District shall be such place within the geographical area of the District as the Board of Directors may designate from time to time.

Article Two – Objectives

The objectives of the District shall be:

To promote participation in competitive contract bridge;
To cooperate with and assist the ACBL in the promotion and conduct of contract bridge tournaments;
To schedule and conduct Regional Tournaments allocated to the District, and to prescribe rules of eligibility and conduct for participation therein;
To assist in the scheduling and coordination of tournaments within the District and adjacent Districts;
To consider and deal with reports of unethical or improper conduct of participants in tournaments, and to bar or suspend persons guilty of such conduct from further participation;
To conduct any and all other activities that may be in keeping with its principal objectives.

Article Three – Membership

Each ACBL Unit within the geographical area of the District shall be a member of the District without the requirement of any petition or formal action on the part of such Unit, and shall remain a member until such time as the Unit ceases to be within the geographical area of the District.

Article Four – Board of Directors

Except as otherwise provided herein, the Board of Directors will manage the affairs of the District. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by these Bylaws, the Board may exercise all such powers of the District and do all such acts and things as are not by the Constitution, Bylaws, or regulations of the ACBL or by these Bylaws, directed or required to be exercised or done by the member Units.
The Board shall be authorized to delegate to a conference or other organization its powers and authority as it may deem necessary or desirable for the administration and operation of the affairs of the District. Any such delegation shall be accomplished pursuant to resolution duly adopted by the Board, which shall provide therein the term of such delegation, the scope of the powers and authority so delegated, the manner in which and the terms upon which such delegation may be terminated, and such other matters as may be agreed upon which are not inconsistent with the Constitution, bylaws or regulations of the ACBL, or with these Bylaws. No such delegation of powers and authority shall be for a term longer than one (1) year; provided, however, that the Board, in its resolution establishing any such delegation, may provide that such delegation shall be automatically renewed for successive periods of one year unless expressly terminated by the Board.
Each Unit shall elect one representative to the Board for each six hundred (600) members or major fraction thereof of such Unit; provided, however, that each member Unit shall be entitled to elect at least one representative to the Board; and further provided that no single Unit may have more representatives on the Board than one less than the total number of representatives allocated to all other member units.
For the purpose of determining the representation of member Units on the District Board, the membership of each Unit for a given year shall be determined by its membership as recorded with the ACBL on July 1. Any newly formed unit shall have its membership recorded as of the time it is formed by the ACBL Board of Directors.
Each member Unit shall select the representatives for that Unit. The President of the District shall be notified in writing of the representatives so selected. If the Unit fails to notify the District President or Secretary of new Representatives, any new Representatives, in accordance with Section (f) hereof, shall not be considered properly elected until the District is notified, and in accordance with Section (f) hereof, their predecessors’ terms shall continue until the District is properly notified.
The term of office of each Unit Representative to the Board shall be one (1) year, unless he shall sooner resign, or shall be removed by the Unit he represents, or otherwise disqualified. The term ‘year’ as used herein shall mean January 1, or the day following the conclusion of any Regional tournament held in the District that includes January 1, to January 1st of the following year or the day following the conclusion of any Regional tournament held in the District that includes January 1. Each Unit Representative shall continue to serve until the term for which he was elected shall have expired, and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
In the event of the death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification of a Unit Representative to the Board, his successor shall be appointed by the President of such Unit and shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term of his predecessor.
The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer as well as the District’s Representative to the National Board of Directors of the ACBL, and the appointed or elected members of the ACBL Board of Governors shall also be members of the Board with full voting rights.
In addition to the powers granted by other provisions of these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the following powers and duties:
1. To acquire, hold, administer, maintain, and dispose of all property of the District;
2. To appropriate the funds of the District for the purpose set forth in these Bylaws;
3. To hire and discharge employees and to supervise their conduct and fix their compensation;
4. To review all receipts and disbursements of the District;
5. To conduct, manage, supervise, and control all of the business of the District, including, but not limited to, the conduct of tournaments, the selection of all dates and locations for holding such tournaments, and the making of all contracts in connection therewith;
6. To censure, suspend, expel, or otherwise discipline any member of the District or any member Unit in accordance with ACBL Regulations.

Article Five – Meetings of the Board of Directors

The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held between July 1 and November 30 at a time and place to be specified by the Board.
Special meetings of the Board, for any purpose or purposes, may be called at any time by the President, and shall be called by the President or Secretary when so directed by the Board, or at the request in writing of one-half (½) or more of the members of the Board. Such request shall state the purpose of the proposed meeting.
Notice of each meeting of the Board, whether annual or special, shall be given to all members of the Board at least fifteen days prior to the date of such meeting. Notice may be given in writing, by email, or by oral notification including a statement during an earlier meeting of the Board as to when the next meeting will be and the inclusion of said information in the Minutes. In the notice of any special meetings of the Board the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be stated.
If a Unit Representative is unable to attend any meeting of the Board, he may designate in writing, directed to the Board, an alternate to attend in his place. Such alternate shall have full voting rights. The representative must notify the District Secretary at least 7 days prior to any meeting advising him/her of the proxy.
A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors for which proper notice has been given, shall consist of 12 members of the Board, provided that at least one representative from three of the states which comprise the District are present. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the Directors present at any meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is present. Notice of any adjourned meeting need not be given other than by announcement at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
Members of the Board may be allowed such compensation for attendance at regular or special meetings of the Board as may be from time to time determined by resolution of the Board; provided, however, that a complete itemization of all compensation received by each member of the Board, whether in cash or otherwise, shall be furnished to the Board of Directors or other governing body of each member Unit at least annually.

Article Six – Officers

The officers of the District shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
Elections of officers of the District shall be conducted bi-annually by the Board. The election of officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting of the Board. The term of office of each officer shall be two (2) years, unless he shall sooner resign, or shall be removed, or otherwise disqualified. The term of each officer shall begin on January 1st in even-numbered years or on the day following the conclusion of any Regional tournament being held in the District that includes January 1. Each officer shall continue to serve until the term for which he was elected shall have expired, and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
No member of the Board shall hold the office of President for more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Any officer may be removed from office, with or without cause, by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board. Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board. Such resignation shall take effect on the date of receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
In the event of the death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification of an office, except for the President, who shall be succeeded by the Vice-President as provided for in Article 6-g, his successor shall be elected by the Board and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
The duties of the President shall be as follows:
1. To preside at all meetings of the Board;
2. To prepare an annual report on the affairs of the District presented at the Annual Meeting of the Board;
3. To see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect;
4. To perform such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to him by the officers or the Board of Directors of the ACBL or by the Board of Directors of the District, and all actions necessary to implement the provisions of these Bylaws.
The duties of the Vice-President shall be as follows:
1. To perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President or in the event of his inability or refusal to act; in so acting, the Vice-President shall have all the powers and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.
2. To perform such other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the President or by the Board.
3. To become President and complete the term of office to which the President was elected in the event of the President’s death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification.
The duties of the Secretary shall be as follows:
1. To attend all meetings of the Board and to record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in books to be kept for that purpose, and to perform like duties for the committees of the District;
2. To give, or cause to be given, any notice required to be given of any meetings of the Board;
3. As requested, to conduct all correspondence with ACBL, the member Units, and all other persons and organizations having official business with the District, and to conduct all unofficial correspondence;
4. To perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the president or by the Board.
The duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:
1. To have charge of and be responsible for the receipt, custody, safekeeping, and disbursement of all District funds in accordance with the instructions of the President or the Board;
2. To prepare and maintain any and all financial data as may be requested by the Board and to work with the Tournament Operations Committee to compile the data relating to the tournaments;
3. To prepare annual budgets (including regional tournaments) and provide same to the Finance Committee for review and presentation to the Board for final approval;
4. To complete and submit all required tax documents; and
5. To perform such other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the President or by the Board.
The duties of the Assistant Treasurer (non-voting member of the Executive Committee shall be:
1. Process payments on behalf of the Region;
2. Balance and reconcile all checking accounts on a monthly basis;
3. Assist the Treasurer in carrying out his/her duties;
4. Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President or the Treasurer
The full Board of Directors will determine all compensation for officers.

Article Seven – Nominations and Elections

At least ninety days prior to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, the president shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of three (3) members. The immediate Past President of District 7 (or, alternatively, a Past President of District 7) shall be a member of said Committee and serve as chairman. The other members shall be:
1. The District representative to the National Board of Directors of the ACBL;
2. One member of the District to be selected at large by the President of District 7.
The Chairman of the Nominating Committee may appoint a replacement from within the members of the District for any member of the Nominating Committee unable to attend the nominating meeting.
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers to be placed in nomination at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors. This slate of officers shall include the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and a Past President to serve on the Executive Committee.
Any member of the District desiring to run for office may place his name in nomination by advising the President of the District in writing. Such person shall be considered duly nominated if his nomination receives a second at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors.
Elections shall be held at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors by a majority vote of eligible members present.

Article Eight – Committees

There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board of Directors composed of the following members: The President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and a Past President recommended by the Nominating Committee and voted on by the full Board. This Past President will become a voting member of the District Board and the Executive Committee. The District Representative (as the Regional Representative) to the ACBL Board of Directors will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.
1. The Executive Committee is empowered to act on matters of urgency between full Board meetings or at any time on sensitive matters by a majority vote of members of the Executive Committee. It shall determine the manner in which to conduct its business, (in person, email, teleconference or other means), depending on the nature and urgency of the issue(s).
2. A meeting of the Executive Committee can be called by the President or a majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee. For a meeting to be held at least 4 members of the Executive Committee must participate.
3. An affirmative vote of three Executive Committee members is required for a motion to pass. Best efforts must be made to include all members of the Executive Committee for any action; using electronic means is encouraged.
4. The Secretary of the Executive Committee shall take minutes of each meeting and shall report to the full Board within ten (10) days, and place the Executive Committee Action report on the agenda of the next scheduled full Board meeting. Matters dealing with personnel matters will not be reported. Any action taken by the Executive Committee may be amended or reversed by a simple majority of the Board.
The District shall have two (2) Standing Committees. The President shall appoint members of these committees with the approval of the Board of Directors. The President shall select the chairperson(s). Each committee member of these committees shall serve until a new President assumes office unless (s)he is removed, resigns, or is disqualified.
Any committee members of any committee may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of two-thirds of the voting members of the Board of Directors. Any committee member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors. Such resignation shall take effect on the date of receipt of such notice, or at any later time specified therein, and no acceptance shall be necessary to make it effective.In the event of the death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification of a committee member, the President shall appoint a successor with the approval of the Board of Directors.The Board of Directors of the District will determine compensations to members of these committees.

The two Standing Committees include the Finance Committee and the Tournament Operations Committee:
1. Duties of the Finance Committee shall be as follows:
  1. A detailed review shall be made of all the funds, property, and accounts of the District. This annual review shall be delivered to the Board for their consideration no later than the Annual Meeting.
  2. To review expenditures and review the annual budget prior to presentation to the Board.
2. Duties of the Regional Tournament Operations Committee shall be to maintain the smooth running of all of our regional tournaments. This committee will also be available as a resource to any sectional chairperson. The Tournament Operations Committee shall be chaired by the District VP and consist of these resources and operations and any others that the Committee appoints to fulfill these specific duties:
  1. Contracts
  2. District Treasurer
  3. Scheduling
  4. Advertising
  5. District Tournament Coordinator
  6. Tournament Policies & Procedures
  7. Point of Contact (Advisor) assigned to each Regional Tournament (at the discretion of the District VP)
The President shall determine if other committees are necessary for the District to carry out its functions as well as special committees may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors.
The President will appoint Committee members with the approval of the Board and name the chairperson.
Each committee member shall serve until the adjournment of the Annual Meeting following his appointment unless he shall sooner resign, or shall be removed or otherwise disqualified.
Any committee members may be removed, with or without cause, by vote of two-thirds of the members of the Board. Any committee member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board. Such resignation shall take effect on the date of receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
In the event of the death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification of a committee member, his successor shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board, and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of his predecessor.
The Board of Directors will determine any compensation for members of committees of the District.

Article Nine – Miscellaneous

The District books of account shall be kept on a fiscal year basis, and shall be closed and balanced at the end of each fiscal year. The Fiscal year of the District shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30.
Annually and as of the end of the fiscal year, a financial review, independent of the Treasurer, shall be made of all the funds, property, and accounts of the District. A report of this annual financial review shall be delivered to the Board for their consideration within 90 days of the fiscal year-end.
All funds of the District shall be deposited in the name and to the credit of the District in a bank or banks designated by the Board. Withdrawals from said accounts shall be made only by checks or vouchers signed by the District Treasurer or another Board authorized representative.
To the extent practical, the District shall obtain liability insurance that covers the actions of the officers and employees of the District.
Whenever under the provisions of these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any officer or director of the District, such notice may be given by personal notice, by mail, or by email. If notice is given by mail, such notice shall be directed to the officer or director at his post office address last shown on the records of the District. If notice is given by email, such notice shall be directed to the address last shown in the records of the District. Whenever under the provisions of these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any member Unit, such notice shall be given to the president or secretary of such Unit.
The conduct of all proceedings of the Board of Directors and of all committees of the District shall be governed by Roberts’ Rules of Order (latest edition) when not in conflict with these Bylaws.

Article Ten – Amendments

The Bylaws of the District may be amended and new Bylaws adopted at any annual or special meeting of the Board.
Amendments may be proposed by any member of the Board and submitted to the Secretary at least 45 days in advance of any Regular or Special Meeting of the Board. The Secretary shall include the proposed amendment(s) on the agenda distributed for the next meeting and enclose a copy of the proposed amendment(s). The Secretary shall distribute that notice under the same provisions as the notice required for each meeting of the Board as provided for in Article 5-c of these Bylaws.
The Secretary shall incorporate the text of the proposed amendment in the notice of the meeting.
If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all members present and voting shall be required to pass any amendment.
5. One copy of any amendment shall be attached to these Bylaws, and one copy shall be filed with the national office of the ACBL.

Article Eleven – Effective Date

The foregoing Bylaws shall supersede all previous bylaws and shall become the official Bylaws of District 7 of the American Contract Bridge League. A copy of these Bylaws shall be filed with the National Office of the ACBL.

Note: These Bylaws were adopted by District 7 in 1975 and revised on the following dates: October 10, 1978; September 1, 1985; April 16, 1994; December 10, 1994; April 29, 1995; June 17, 1995; July 1996; September 1, 2005; April 14, 2007; February 13, 2010; January 1, 2011; June 13, 2015; September 5, 2015; October 30, 2021. The effective date of the most recent revision is October 30, 2021.

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