The name of this organization shall be the Capital District Bridge Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Association" or "Unit").

The objects of the Association shall be to preserve and promote the best interests of competitive contract bridge; to cooperate and assist the American Contract Bridge League in the promotion and conduct of contract bridge tournaments; to encourage the highest standards of conduct and ethics by its members, and to enforce such standards; to prescribe rules of eligibility for participation in tournaments under its auspices; to promote the development and organization of local clubs in its area; to cooperate in the American Contract Bridge League's charity program, and to sponsor and conduct charity events with the object of realizing funds to be devoted to worthy humanitarian causes and to carry on such other activities as may be in keeping with the Association's principal objectives.

Section 1:

The Association shall function as a Unit of the American Contract Bridge League and under its regulations and auspices.

Section 2:

The territory of its jurisdiction in which it shall function as the local Unit of the American Contract Bridge League shall comprise the New York State counties of Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Greene, Saratoga, Warren, Montgomery, Fulton, Washington, Schoharie, northern Columbia and such other counties as shall be assigned to it by the American Contract Bridge League.

Section 3:

All tournaments of local or Sectional rating shall be under the jurisdiction and supervision of the Association. All expenditures relating to any such tournament must be approved by the President under instructions from the Board, or by the Board of Directors and, after deducting the expenses of this tournament, the remaining funds derived therefrom shall belong to the Association. Any deficit shall be borne by the Association.

Section 4:

The fiscal year shall be from January first through December thirty-first.

Section 1:

Membership in the Association shall be open to all persons residing within the jurisdiction of the Association of good character, regardless of race, creed or color. Membership in the Association shall be open to nonresidents who frequently play within the jurisdiction of the Association. Prior to being admitted, nonresidents must show that they have received whatever approval may be required by other governing bodies within and including the American Contract Bridge League.

Section 2:

Dues shall be as prescribed by the American Contract Bridge League. A member who is in arrears one month following the date on which dues are payable shall be dropped from the membership rolls.

Section 3:

Membership in the Unit shall carry with it membership in the American Contract Bridge League.

Section 4:

If members change their official residence to a place other than the playing area of the Unit, they shall cease to be members of this Association, except as provided in Section 1 of this Article.

Section 5:

A member may be suspended or expelled for conduct detrimental to the best interests of the Association, which shall include suspension from tournaments under its jurisdiction. No member shall be censured, suspended or expelled under this Section unless they have been furnished with written charges to which they have had time to reply or until after a hearing of which they have received reasonable notice. The hearing shall be held by the Board or a committee appointed by the President, who shall report to the Board for final action. Disciplinary action by the Association may be appealed to the National Board of Directors.

Section 1:

The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Board of Directors, consisting of 25 members except for directors who may be appointed under Section 4 of this Article, in which case there may be up to 30 members. The directors shall be elected every two years in the month of November, or as soon thereafter as the election can be held, for a term of two years, commencing with the calendar year following.

Representation on the Board of Directors shall be a geographical and at-large combination; geographically, it shall be composed of a maximum of two directors residing in each of the six playing areas, as defined hereafter, (a total of 12); and at-large, composed of the remainder (a total of 13). Should there be no candidate(s) from a playing area, such seat(s) would revert to the at-large representation. The playing areas are defined as:

  1. Albany County
  2. Schenectady County
  3. Rensselaer, Greene and northern Columbia Counties
  4. Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie Counties
  5. Saratoga County
  6. Warren and Washington Counties

Each Capital District Bridge Association paid-up member listed in the September American Contract Bridge League membership roster will receive by mail and be entitled to execute two written ballots; one geographical playing area ballot and one common at-large ballot.

All candidates must make formal written declaration of their desire to serve on the Board of Directors by sending such declaration to the Secretary by a deadline to be determined by the Secretary. All candidates names will appear on their respective geographical playing area ballot and on the common at-large ballot.

In the event of a last place tie in an election, the tie shall be broken by lot, the drawing to be done by the Secretary.

In any election year in which there are twenty five (25) or fewer declared candidates, no ballots will be sent and those candidates will become the new Board of Directors. Resulting vacancies may be filled in accordance with Section 2 of this Article.

Section 2:

A vacancy occurring on the Board between elections may be filled by the President.

Section 3:

Any Director who has been absent for two consecutive regularly scheduled Board meetings may be removed from the Board by a majority vote of the Board. The Secretary shall notify the Board of those directors who have been absent for two consecutive Board Meetings.

Section 4:

The Board of Directors shall include at least five members who have fewer than 200 masterpoints as of the September American Contract Bridge League membership roster in order to insure that the interests of the novice and intermediate players are represented. Therefore, the candidacy of members with less than 200 masterpoints should be encouraged. In the event that in an election fewer than five of the successful candidates have fewer than 200 masterpoints, the President is authorized to appoint such members to the Board of Directors in order to reach a total of five.

Section 5:

All Directors shall be paid up members of the American Contract Bridge League.

Section 1:

The Officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Membership Secretary and a Treasurer.

Section 2:

The Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting for a term of one year to expire at the next Annual Meeting. The President and Vice-President must be members of the Board, and every Officer shall be subject to removal by the Board for cause. Vacancies due to death, resignation or other cause shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall fix the compensation, if any, of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor and Unit Coordinator.

Section 3:

The duties of the Officers shall be as follows:

a. The President shall preside at meetings, prepare the agenda for such meetings including any matters requested by a Board member, shall carry out the policies established by the Board and perform such other duties as shall be assigned to the President by the Board. The President shall appoint the Association representatives to the American Contract Bridge League, to the District and to any other organization. The President shall have the power to authorize expenditures within limits authorized by the Board. The President shall appoint an auditor to audit the books of the Treasurer and report thereon.

b. The Vice President shall perform the functions of the President during any absence or disability and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to the Vice President by the Board.

c. The Secretary shall keep and have available the minutes of all meetings and accurate records of the affairs of the Association; shall conduct the correspondence and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to the Secretary by the Board. After each Board meeting, the Secretary shall mail or deliver to each Director a summary of all matters brought up at such meetings and the names of the Directors present at such meetings. The Secretary shall be the Chairperson of the Election Committee appointed by the President to count ballots for the biennial election of Directors. The Secretary shall notify each person elected and shall report the results of the election to the Board at its Annual Meeting. The Secretary shall have this Constitution and Bylaws, and any amendments thereto, available at every meeting of the Board.

d. The Membership Secretary shall maintain membership records; shall be responsible for notifying the American Contract Bridge League and local mailers of changes in membership names and addresses; and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to the Membership Secretary by the Board.

e. The Treasurer shall receive the funds of the Association and disburse same, but only upon the direction of the President or the Board and shall, at the end of the fiscal year, render an account of receipts and disbursements. No expenditures over $50.00 at one time shall be made except as provided in Section 3a of this Article and except in connection with a tournament conducted under the auspices of the Association.

Section 4:

The Board may appoint a Unit Coordinator who shall advise the Board in respect to dates, arrangements and promotion of tournaments under the auspices of the Association and shall be ex-officio a member of every tournament committee.

Section 1:

The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a Conduct, Deportment and Ethics Committee and such other standing or temporary committees as shall be deemed advisable and assign to them their duties, and shall be a member ex-officio of every such committee. The President may discharge existing committees and appoint new committees.

Section 2:

The Board of Directors, at a meeting prior to the Annual Election, shall elect a Nominating Committee from the members of the Board, which shall meet prior to such election and prepare a slate of candidates for officers to be placed in nomination. The President shall not be a member of the nominating committee. Additional nominations may be made by any Director at the meeting at which the election is held, or at any prior meeting after the report of the Nominating Committee has been received by the Board.

Section 1:

The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held in the month of January or as soon thereafter as is practicable. Additional meetings shall be held from time to time and the President at each meeting shall announce the date of the next regular meeting. There shall be at least three meetings annually. In addition to the regular meetings, special meetings may be called by the President or upon the request of three members of the Board stating the reason the meeting is desired and the matters to be brought up. Notice of a special meeting shall be given to each Director at least 15 days before such meeting, except in the case of an emergency, the meeting may be held on shorter notice. If all of the Directors are present at a meeting, the meeting may proceed although notice has not been given. A quorum of the Board of Directors for the transaction of business shall consist of ten Directors or a majority of Directors, whichever is less. The concurring vote of a majority of those present at a meeting shall be the act of the Board, except as provided in Article IX. Any past President and any member invited by the President may be present at a Board meeting, but shall have no vote.

Section 2:

The Annual Meeting of the General Membership shall be held on such date and at such place and upon such notice as shall be fixed by the President, subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Special meetings may be called in a like manner. Fifty members of the Association shall constitute a quorum.

This Constitution and Bylaws shall be deemed adopted when approved by the vote of a majority of all Directors at a meeting of the Board and by the General Membership at a meeting of the members by the concurring vote of a majority of the members present at such meeting provided there is a quorum, but subject to the acceptance by the American Contract Bridge League. Amendments may be proposed by the Board or by a member of the Association at a General Membership general membership meeting and shall become effective when approved at such meeting by a majority of members present thereat provided there is a quorum. Alternatively, amendments may be proposed by the Board or by a member of the Association at a meeting of the Board of Directors and shall become effective when approved by a majority of written ballots sent out to all members of the Association provided that there is at least one hundred ballots returned indicating a yes or no vote on the amendment. Upon adoption of the Constitution and Bylaws, all prior constitutions and bylaws shall be deemed revoked effective immediately. The President and Secretary shall sign the original of the Constitution and Bylaws and any amendments thereof which shall be in the custody of the Secretary, and copies shall be made available to the Directors.

In the event that the Association is dissolved, all remaining funds in the treasury shall be donated to the American Contract Bridge League Charity Program.