Guest TennisJC Posted June 3, 2019 at 01:56 PM Report Share Posted June 3, 2019 at 01:56 PM I am a member of non-profit tennis league. In order to be a member, one has to pay a league fee twice a year (August and January) and be rostered to a team during both of those league seasons (Fall and Spring). My team was disqualified according to the league rules with which I do not have an issue. My issue is that in disqualifying my team before the season was over, all of us on the team no longer were "rostered" so our membership to this organization was null and void causing us to be barred from participation in the annual General Meeting of the organization in which the vote for the Board of Directors is taken. No recourse is provided in the Bylaws. My question is should this be better spelled out in the Bylaws so that all members understand what team disqualification means in regard to their "rights" as members of this organization? Thank you in advance for any light anyone can shed on this matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted June 3, 2019 at 02:37 PM Report Share Posted June 3, 2019 at 02:37 PM This would not be the first example of poorly drafted bylaws having unintended consequences. If all you're concerned about is making sure that members understand these consequences, there's no particular need to explain that in the bylaws themselves, since that's already what they say. It would be sufficient to merely point this out in a memo or newsletter to members, reminding them of this rule. If, on the other hand, you want to modify the rule to provide a way for people in your situation to retain membership, then it will be necessary to amend the bylaws, which means following your specific procedure, typically contained in the bylaws, providing for their own amendment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Who's Coming to Dinner Posted June 4, 2019 at 04:35 AM Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 at 04:35 AM If better phrasing is the issue, then I take it that the bylaws are not clear on the matter. It was quite possibly precipitous (of the board?) to bar you from the annual meeting. Unless the board has exclusive authority over membership issues, the members at the meeting could have moved to countermand the decision and admit you, depending on their interpretation of the rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted June 4, 2019 at 04:27 PM Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 at 04:27 PM 11 hours ago, Guest Who's Coming to Dinner said: If better phrasing is the issue, then I take it that the bylaws are not clear on the matter. It was quite possibly precipitous (of the board?) to bar you from the annual meeting. Unless the board has exclusive authority over membership issues, the members at the meeting could have moved to countermand the decision and admit you, depending on their interpretation of the rules. I didn't see any suggestion that it was the Board that made the decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Who's Coming to Dinner Posted June 4, 2019 at 10:05 PM Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 at 10:05 PM I'll bet you a jelly doughnut it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted June 5, 2019 at 12:49 AM Report Share Posted June 5, 2019 at 12:49 AM Nah, no bet. I've seen too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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