BY-LAWS OF THE WASHINGTON GAMERS ASSOCIATION
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Washington Gamers Association (WGA)
is to facilitate its members' enjoyment of all kinds of
conflict simulation by holding meets and tournaments
and carrying out other appropriate activities.
The Association and its activities may not be used for the
benefit or gain of any individual, or for political purposes.
II. MEMBERSHIP
Membership in WGA is open to anyone who agrees with
the purpose of the organization and pays the
dues determined by the council. Membership and participation
may not be denied anyone on the basis of race, creed, sex, or
national origin. There are three levels of membership
available: Individual, defined as one adult, who is entitled to one
vote and one entry into members-only events;
Junior, defined as one minor with written consent from a parent or
guardian, who is entitled to one entry into
members-only events but who has no voting privileges; and Family,
defined as one or two adults and any minors residing at the same
address, who are entitled to one vote and entry
into members-only events for each family member meeting the
definition above.
III. OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be a chairman,
a secretary, a treasurer, a webmaster, a site events manager,
and club liaison. The chairman may convene meetings
of the council or the members; he/she shall publicize the
activities of the Association and serve as its official
representative and spokesman. The secretary shall keep
the records of all official business, except financial
records, including results of elections and a membership
roster. The treasurer shall receive dues and other revenue
of the Association for deposit in an appropriate bank account;
he shall keep an exact record of all receipts and expenditures.
The webmaster shall maintain the website. The site events
manager will be responsible for official Association meet sites,
events, and tournaments; he/she shall assign meet site coordinators/tournament
coordinators as seen fit. The club liaison will be responsible for
promoting the club and its events, handle the workings between the
Association and other clubs and handle relations with vendors and
game makers/designers.
IV. COUNCIL
The WGA council shall consist of the officers
and one member at large.
A majority of the council shall constitute a quorum, but any majority
vote of the council shall suffice to pass an issue. The chairman
may secure by telephone the vote of a member absent from a
meeting if that member is informed of all aspects and arguments
of the matter in question. The chairman may secure by electronic mail
the vote of a member absent from a meeting if that member is informed
of all apsects and arguments of the matter in question. Such an electronic
vote shall also serve as fulfiling a requirement for a quorum on that issue only.
The decisions of the council shall be
published on the website at the earliest opportunity, and
shall become Association policy unless nullified in one of two ways:
1) If it can be proven that the conditions for a
majority vote were not met;
2) If one-third of the WGA membership responds with written notices
of complaint or rejection within 30 days of publication.
V. ELECTIONS
Council members shall be elected at a meeting
of the membership once a year. The date of the election
shall be determined by the council, and shall be at
least nine months and no more than fifteen months from
the date of the last election. The meeting shall be published
sufficiently in advance on the website.
Anyone who is currently a WGA member may be nominated during
the meeting. A majority vote of all members in attendance shall
suffice to elect, and terms of office shall begin on the same day.
The results shall be published on the website, and may be
nullified if one-third of the membership responds with written
notice of rejection within 30 days of publication. In the event
of such response, any members of the previous year's council may be
appointed to the council by the chairman until another election can be held.
VI. DUES
The amount and frequency of dues shall be determined by a two-thirds majority
vote of the council.
Once dues are adopted, they shall continue in the same amount
until a different amount is adopted.
VII. GAME MEETS AND TOURNAMENTS
The council may approve any building, establishment, or
other appropriate facility as a site for regular game meets;
the site events manager shall appoint the meet coordinator for each site.
No qualified members may be excluded from participation in any
meet except by specific action of the council-and never in
contravention of Article II.
The games to be played at game meets,
and other activities at meets, shall be determined
by mutual agreement of the members attending. The places,
dates, and times of game meets shall be published on the website.
No fee shall be charged to members for participation, but fees may be
charged to non-members unless prohibited by the person or organization
providing the meeting place.
The Association may hold public conflict simulation tournaments,
charging admission fees or fees for particular events to defray
expenses of the tournament. The council may designate tournaments
to be held, and may waive all or part of the admission fees for members.
The council may authorize a manager for a particular tournament to
incur debts of the Association from expenses necessary to the tournament,
including facilities rental, publicity, supplies, prizes, and purchase of
items to be sold at the tournament.
VIII. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Membership meetings, including an annual meeting to elect officers,
may be called by the chairman or council and published in advance on the
website. Such meetings may be held at the same place and date as a
game meet or at any other time. Only dues-paid members shall vote at meetings,
but members may give proxies to other members. The lesser of 16 members
or a simple majority shall constitute a quorum.
IX. WEBSITE
The webmaster shall maintain the website. This publication must include
notice of all Association activities,
and may include any other articles or announcements pertinent to conflict
simulations. At least once per year a statement of assets and liabilities
and a summary of revenue and expenditures shall be published.
The council may authorize the webmaster to accept paid advertisements and
to
determine advertising rates, or may determine advertising rates itself.
The council may also authorize the webmaster to incur expenses on behalf
of
the Association for registration, hosting and software for the website.
X. OTHER ACTIVITIES
The council may authorize additional activities (other than game meets, tournaments,
membership meetings and maintenance of the website) so long as they are clearly
related to the purposes of the Association. The council may authorize specified members
to incur expenses for these activities. All such activities shall be announced on the
website, and all members shall be eligible to participate in them.
XI. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES
As provided elsewhere in these by-laws, the council may authorize the incurring of
expenses related to Association activities. The treasurer shall pay all debts,
and shall reimburse members promptly for all authorized expenses, from Association
funds. He shall keep a record of all such payments and may require appropriate
documentation before payment.
XII. AMENDMENTS
The council may amend these by-laws with a two-thirds vote, subject to
"nullification" as described in Article IV.
XIII. CONTINUATION OF ACTIVITIES AND OFFICERS
Game meets and other regular Association activities occurring before
the ratification of these by-laws are understood to be in accord
with them unless a specific objection is raised. Persons holding
office when these by-laws are ratified, including at-large members
of the council, shall continue in office until
replaced or re-elected according to Article V.
XIV. RATIFICATION
These by-laws shall be published on the website upon approval
of two-thirds of the council and shall take effect 30 days after
such publication unless one-third of the membership responds with
written notice of objection beforehand.
Copyright ©2020 Washington Gamers Association.