By-Laws

The following is a draft only of by-laws and has not been approved by board members (as they do not yet exist).

Article I – Name

Section 1: The name of the club shall be “Decorah Chess Club”.

Article II – Purpose & Objectives

Section 1: Decorah Chess Club was formed to provide residents in the Decorah area opportunities to meet and play other Decorah area chess enthusiasts, and to deepen their interest and understanding in the game of chess through mentoring.

Article III – Affiliation

Section 1: The club shall be affiliated with the United States Chess Federation (USCF) and the Iowa State Chess Association (IASCA).

Article IV – Not for Profit

Section 1: The Decorah Chess Club shall not be operated for profit. No part of its dues, contributions, assets, or net income shall benefit any individual. Cash prizes, trophies, or other awards for chess events shall not be considered benefits under this article.

Article V – Membership

Section 1: Club membership is open to all interested USCF members without discrimination, subject to any qualifications (such as dues, entry fees and participation) required by the club officers.

Section 2: All members have the duty and/or privilege:

  • To aid in the fulfillment of the club purpose.
  • To support and uphold the decisions of the officers.
  • To participate in club events.

Article VI – Officers

Section 1: The officers of the club shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Social Marketer.

Section 2: The officers shall have the right to censure, suspend, or expel a member for conduct unacceptable to the Club. Any permanent action taken against a member requires a majority vote by the officers.

Section 3: Duties of the President include:

  • Preside over meetings
  • Monitor and assist other officers with their duties.
  • Appoint committees or assistants to special tasks (e.g. event planner, event planning committee)
  • Manage correspondence within the club
  • Ensure the mission/purpose of the club is fulfilled.

Section 4: Duties of the Vice President include:

  • Fill in for President when President is absent.
  • Coordinate (or assign coordinator) for extra Decorah Chess Club days outside the regularly scheduled meeting.
  • Other duties as assigned by President.

Section 5: Duties of the Treasurer

  • Collect and record all dues and fees.
  • Report monthly on club income and expenses.
  • Make all disbursements authorized by the officers.
  • Maintain records of all club assets.

Section 6: Duties of the Secretary include:

  • Collect, organize, and maintain new member information.
  • Create minutes of any business meeting with actionable items.
  • Disburse these minutes to the membership and post on website.
  • Maintain club bylaws and other documentation.
  • Other duties assigned by the President.

Section 7: Duties of the Social Marketer

  • Maintain a marketing presence in the Decorah area community.
    • Post on DecorahNow.com of all community events
    • Post on Facebook Group of all events, both before and after.
  • Continually brainstorm creative and innovative ways to build and maintain membership.

Article VII: Meetings

Section 1: On the 2nd Wednesday of each month, officers of the club shall hold a monthly meeting.

Section 2: Elections of officers will be held during the December meeting. The ballot shall be determined during the November meeting.

Section 3: Non-business chess club meetings for the membership shall take place weekly as defined and organized by officers, assistants, and event coordinators.

Article VIII: Dissolution

Section 1: The Decorah Chess Club may be dissolved with the unanimous approval of the club officers and a two-thirds majority vote by the club membership.

Section 2: In the event of dissolution the net assets of the club shall be distributed as follows:

  • All liabilities and obligations shall be paid, satisfied, and discharged or adequate provisions shall be made thereof.
  • All remaining assets shall be distributed back to the club membership as deemed appropriate by the officers.

Article IX: Amendments

Section 1: These Bylaws may be ratified or amended at any time by a majority vote of the club officers.