Boyle Bridge Club Constitution

1. Title

The name of the club shall be Boyle Bridge Club.

2. Objects

The objects of Boyle Bridge Club shall be 

• To promote the game of Contract Bridge
• To provide pleasant conditions for its members
• To be affilliated with the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland and register all members with CBAI.

3. Membership

Membership of Boyle Bridge Club shall be open to all those applicants whom the committee deem to have adequate knowledge of the game of Contract Bridge. The committee reserve the right to set the criteria for dealing with applications for membership.

4. Honorary Membership

Members who have rendered exceptional service or contribution to the club may be considered for honorary membership. Awards of Honorary Life Membership shall be at the discretion of the committee and require a 2/3 majority vote  of the full committee.

 5. Authority

Supreme  authority shall be vested in the Annual General Meeting. It is the function of the committee elect to conduct its affairs in conformity with the policy formed at the AGM. This committee shall be governed by any directions, or resolutions made at the AGM.

6. Committee 

The committee shall consist of 9 members and be compose of the following officers,

• President
• Vice President 
• Honorary Secretary 
• Honorary Treasurer
• Honorary Tournament Director

The outgoing president shall be an ex officio member of the committee.

The outgoing president shall nominate the the president of Boyle bridge Club for the forthcoming two Bridge years.

Nominated candidates for the committee and officers will be displayed on the club website in advance of the AGM.

If there are more candidates proposed and seconded for any position on the committee then a secret ballot shall be held. Those candidates recieving the highest votes shall be elected to their respective positions.

The committee shall meet formally at least five times a year. The committee shall have the power to co-opt a member to the committee or subcommittees should the need arise. 

The President will normally act as chairperson but in the absence of the President the Vice President or other person accepted by the committee may act as chairperson.

In the event of a tie on any voting issue the chairperson will have the casting vote.

7. Annual General Meeting / Special General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Boyle Bridge Club shall be held before December each year. The exact date to be decided by the committee and notification to members to be given 3 weeks in advance.

The quorum for the AGM shall be 25% of the paid up membership of the club at the time the meeting is convened.

The incoming officers shall assume their duties at the conclusion of the AGM.

Motions for the AGM together with proposer and seconder shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary and displayed on the club website at least two weeks before the meeting.

The AGM shall appoint from amongst its members a team of 

   i. Tournament Directors

   ii. Scorekeepers and timekeepers

The committee has the power to appoint a tournament director for special events where the regular tournament directors are unavailible.

Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting can be convened at the discretion of the committee or at the request in writing of at least 20 members of the club. Agenda for this meeting must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least 14 days in advance and must be displayed on the club website.

8. Tournament Directors 

The Tournament Directors shall rule in cases of disputes /complaints in the course of competitions and in all cases the rules of the Contract bridge Association of Ireland shall apply.

9. Disputes / Complaints

The committee may suspend or terminate for serious cause the membership of any player . Such a player shall have the right of appeal before the committee in advance of any descision being made.

A member subject to any form of discipline shall be informed in writing of the impending discipline made by the committee and such a member has the right to appeal.

If a member wishes to make a complaint about any other member then his/her complaint must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary.

Should the committee acept the validity of the complaint then the complainant shall be informed of the complaint and given the opportunity to address the committee.

The committee shall then decide on the appropriate action.

10. Finance

The annual Subscription shall be fixed at each AGM. This subscription shall be payable no later than November 30th in each year or on the date of application for membership.

The financial year shall be from September 1st to August 31st of the subsequent year. All funds and assets in the possession of the committee shall be the property of Boyle Bridge Club.

An account of receipts, funds and expenditure shall be kept during the year.

A statement of accounts shall be availible at the AGM.

Table fees shall be fixed at each AGM.

The subscription fees shall include the registration fee of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland.

11. Competitions

All major competitions are restricted to paid up Club Members who have played at least 6 times during the current bridge year.

A visitor to the club may play no more then three occasions in a given year without becoming a member.

12. Handicaps

The power to determine and alter handicaps of members of Boye Bridge Club shall be vested in the committee. However, the computerised scoring system will in general fix the handicaps, which will be the average deviation of each player from 50%. The handicap file must be updated after each tournament.

New members' handicaps will be set by the tournament director who will use availible knowledge of the player until such time as five tournaments have been played. After five tournaments have been played the computer system will set the handicaps.

13. Amendements to the constitution

The power to make amend and revoke the rules of Boyle Bridge Club shall be vested in the AGM.

Proposed amendements to the constitution of Boyle Bridge Club must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the AGM and must be displayed on the club website.

Changes in the rules must be approved by a full 2/3 majority of those members present at the AGM. 

A descision of the committee on any question of the interpretation arising out of the rules of Boyle Brodge Club shall be binding on the members.

14. Bridge Year

The playing year of Boyle Bridge club shall be from September to August with start and finish dates to be decided by the committee.