Bloomington-Normal Pickleball Club ByLaws
Effective: 2/9/2024

Article I – Name

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Bloomington-Normal Pickleball Club (referred to as “BNPBC” or “Club” in the bylaws).

Article II – Purpose

Section 1: The purpose of the Club is to provide Bloomington-Normal, Illinois area residents with information, instruction, and the opportunity to learn to play pickleball, improve skills, and play with one another.

Section 2: The specific objectives and purposes of this corporation shall be:

• To provide instruction to beginner pickleball players
• To provide instruction to intermediate and advanced players
• To provide instruction in formats such as clinics and workshops
• To provide opportunities to play such as Open Play
• To provide opportunities for competitive play such as Leagues and Tournaments

Article III – Membership & Dues

Section 1: Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in the sport of pickleball upon payment of membership dues.

Section 2: Membership types and dues will be established and reviewed annually by the board of directors.

Section 3: An individual’s annual membership dues may be waived by a majority vote of the Board in cases of financial hardship. Such waiver shall be valid for the current year.

Section 4: Membership dues will be used to carry out the purpose of the Club.

Section 5: Membership will be terminated by voluntary withdrawal, nonpayment of dues or assessments, violation of the provisions of these bylaws, or violation of published rules, guidelines or regulations disseminated by the BNPBC. The Board may vote to terminate the membership of any individual displaying abusive, combative, unlawful or dangerous conduct or behavior.

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1: There will be at least one Club meeting per year. The purpose of the meeting will be to inform members of the state of the Club and discuss future plans and events.

Section 2: The Board of Directors (refer to Article V) shall meet at least twice a year to discuss Club business and make decisions. Board meetings will be scheduled by the President.

Section 3: Members will be given the opportunity to provide suggested agenda items for all meetings. Such items shall be provided to the Secretary a minimum of 7 days prior to the scheduled meeting. Member-provided agenda items will be published on the agenda and the requesting member will be invited to the meeting to present his or her agenda item.

Section 4: The Club’s Secretary (or another officer if the Secretary is absent) will record meeting minutes for all meetings. Meeting minutes should be distributed within 1 week of the actual meeting. Any requested revisions should be finalized and] distributed within 2 weeks of the meeting barring any extraneous circumstances.

Section 5: A quorum of the Board shall consist of two-thirds of the voting Board Members. Official Business cannot be conducted without a Quorum present either in person or remotely.

Article V - Board of Directors

Section1: The Club shall be governed by a Board of Directors.

Section 2: The Board shall have the authority to manage the Club’s affairs, make decisions, and oversee its activities.

Section 3: The Board of Directors is composed of 6 elected offices: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Activities Director, and Social Media/Marketing Director. It is deemed necessary that either the President or Vice-President be a year round resident of the Bloomington/Normal Area.

Section 4: All elected officers are voting members of the board.

Section 5: The Bloomington-Normal Pickleball Ambassador will also be a voting member of the Board.

Section 6: If one person serves in more than one voting role, they are allowed only one vote.

Section 7: If any role is filled by co-directors, each is a member of the board and is able to vote.

Section 8: Non-voting members (at large) of the board will be appointed, as needed, by the President and agreed to by a majority of the voting board members. Board will determine the duration of the appointment.

Section 9: Any member (age 21+) of the BNPBC is eligible to serve on the Board.

Article VI – Officers and their Duties

Section 1: Duties of Officers:

A. The President shall:

• Serve as the Leader of the club, ensuring Board and members are adhering to Club Bylaws and supporting the stated Mission, Vision, and Goals.
• Preside at all Board and Membership meetings; President is responsible for providing agenda and leading such meetings.
• Act as official spokesperson / representative of the club. This includes interactions with Bloomington-Normal Parks and Recreation Departments for purposes of court maintenance and growth.

B. The Vice- President / Membership Chair Shall:

• Assume duties of President in his/her absence
• Assist President in his/her duties as needed
• Assist Committee Chairs and other board members in identifying individuals to serve on committees with the goal of developing future Club leadership
• Chair the Membership Committee with a focus on increasing membership among players of all ages and skill levels

C. The Secretary Shall:

• Record and maintain minutes from both Board and Member meetings in a location accessible by all Club members
• Keep a file of the club’s records
• Maintain the official copy of the Club’s Bylaws
• Maintain a current roster of membership.
• Be responsible for determining if a quorum (two-thirds of voting board members) of board members exists to conduct official business
• Be responsible for officer elections and shall notify members of changes in Club’s officers.
• Disseminate notices of meetings and conduct the general correspondence of the club not assigned to another officer or committee chair

D. The Treasurer shall:

• Receive all income of the Club, pay Club expenditures, and receive approval from a majority of the Board for expenditures over $250.
• Ensure that all funds are deposited in the Club’s account and reconcile account quarterly
• Maintain record of club income and expenses using software approved by a majority of the Board.
• Ensure that all required tax filings are made on time
• Present a written financial report for distribution at annual Club meeting
• Prepare financial reports as requested by the Club president or other Board Member
• Work closely with other Board Members and committee chairs to prepare and monitor budgets for club activities

E. The Activities Director Shall:

• Ensure that a variety of opportunities for club members to play are organized for various ages, skill levels, or level of competitiveness.
• Ensure that social events are planned for the BNPBC members.

F. The Social Media / Marketing Director shall:

• Create and maintain a Social Media Strategy providing direction on the Clubs use of Website, Facebook, Email, and other methods of reaching out to members and the Bloomington-Normal area pickleball players
• Maintain Content on website and social media platforms
• Ensure consistent messaging across all platforms
• Assist Board members and committee chairs in communicating with both members and non-members
• Create and maintain a sponsorship strategy for the club to ensure a consistent approach and equitable benefits for all sponsors

G. The Pickleball Ambassador Shall:

• Serve as an Ambassador on behalf of USA Pickleball for Bloomington-Normal and surrounding areas
• Ensure that the club is serving the community as a whole by providing opportunities to learn for individuals that are not necessarily members of the Club
• Provide free beginner (learn to play) clinics for the community
• Create an instructional team for the purposes of providing quality, consistent learning opportunities in the community
• Be responsible for working with Parks & Rec departments and other agencies to provide Clinics and lessons to the Bloomington-Normal Community
• Maintain USAPA Places 2 Play information and validate with Public and Private venues

Section 2: The Past President shall continue in an advisory (non-voting) capacity for one year following his/her term.

Section 3: Officer terms shall be two years, but shall be staggered so that only one-half of the elected members are voted on each year.

Section 4: No elected officer shall serve more than 2 consecutive terms unless no one else is willing to run for election.

Section 5: If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the office for the remainder of the term. Vacancies in any other office shall be filled by a majority vote of the board for the remainder of the term.

Section 6: Terms of office shall run from November 1st thru October 31st

Article VII – Officer Nominations and Voting

Section 1: The Club Secretary is responsible for managing the Officer Nomination and Voting Process.

Section 2: A call for nominations for Club officers shall begin September 15 and close at midnight on September 30.Nominations may be provided by the board, submitted by any member and members may self-nominate for an officer position. All nominees for officer positions must be Club members. If any officer position is without a nominee at the close of the nomination period Club members shall be notified and the nomination period for that office shall be extended as necessary.

Section 3: Voting for officers shall occur during the first two weeks of October.

Section 4: Ballot tabulation shall be confirmed by at least two Club officers. Results should be immediately distributed to the Club membership. All voting records will be maintained by the club secretary.

Article VII – Amendments

Section 1: These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors (Voting members). Any member in good standing may present a proposal to the Board for an amendment to these Bylaws. The proposed amendment shall be delivered to the President in writing with a statement of the reasons for the proposed amendment.

Article IX – Fiscal Year

Section 1: The fiscal year of the Club shall start the 1st day of September and shall end August 31.