MILL CREEK BASS CLUB CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS ARTICLE 1: NAME AND PURPOSE SECTION 1: NAME: This chapter shall be called the "Mill Creek Bass Club"of Russellville, Arkansas. SECTION 2: PURPOSE: To stimulate public awareness of bass fishing as a major sport. To offer our conservation department our organized support and encouragement. To promote adherence to conservation codes and to demand adequate water standards. To improve our skills as bass anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchanges of bass catching techniques and ideas and a love for this great recreation. To function as a dynamic and purposeful bass anglers sportsman society. ARTICLE 11: MEMBERSHIP SECTION 1. REQUIREMENTS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP To become a full chapter member, a person must: (1) Be 16 years of age. (2) Be recommended by one member. After applying for membership it will be moved that the applicant become a member of Mill Creek Bass Club. At this time, the applicant will be asked to leave the room if present. Following a discussion, a vote shall be taken in a manner prescribed by the presiding officer. Eighty percent of the members present must vote affirmation if the applicant is to become a member. Full membership shall be awarded when the applicant presents evidence that he is a member of B.A.S.S. and has paid yearly dues to both the Arkansas and National Federation. Any member who left the club in good standing may reapply for membership and his membership will be restored without a vote. SECTION 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP To become a associate chapter member, a person must: (1) Be recommended by one member. After applying for membership it will be moved that the applicant become a member of Mill Creek Bass Club. At this time, the applicant will be asked to leave the room if present. Following a discussion, a vote shall be taken in a manner prescribed by the presiding officer. Eighty percent of the members present must vote affirmation if the applicant is to become a member. Associate members need not be members of B.A.S.S. and they need not pay yearly dues to State or National Federation. Associate members will not be eligible to fish the Arkansas State Federation tournament. Associate Members will afforded all other rights afforded full members. Associate members under the age of (18) eighteen will fish as no- boaters. 2/16/03 SECTION 3. RETENTION OF MEMBERSHIP A member shall be dropped from membership role for the following: A) Failure to pay yearly dues by the first tournament each July. B) Any action that would reflect dishonor and/or disgrace upon the club. C) Failure to retain current membership in B.A.S.S. and/or the National Federation. A notification of suspension will be mailed to the member in question stating the rule violation(s) and/or offense(s). The member will be given an opportunity to represent himself at the next meeting or to contact a club officer with reasons why not to be suspended. Before the close of the next regular meeting, a decision will be rendered. Failure to contact a club officer or failure to attend the meeting will cause automatic expulsion from the club.(aug. 2004) SECTION 4 NUMBER OF MEMBERS The club must maintain a minimum of 6 members. SECTION 5 MEMBERSHIP DUES Membership dues are $25 annually, payable before the first tournament each fiscal year. New Members coming into the club between July and April will pay the full $25 annual dues. Any member paying dues in May and June will have those dues credited to the following year. No dues will be refunded unless the club should disband.(aug. 2004) SECTION 6 MONEY A) Any money spent from annual dues will require club approval prior to distribution. All money collected from annual dues will be used to fund federation teams. Other club money dispensed above $10 will require approval prior to being paid. B) Assuming funds are available, a sum of $20 shall be paid to the two club representatives that attend the state federation meetings. ARTICLE 111. ELECTION OF OFFICERS SECTION 1 OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES A) President - shall preside over all meetings and direct all official business, appoint and direct all committee functions and supervise all club functions including tournament weight-ins. B) Vice-President - shall act as program chairman, assist the President and the Secretary/Treasurer in their duties, preside in the absence of President or Secretary/Treasurer and assist in weight-ins. This officer is also the club’s director of fund-raising tournaments and shall be in charge of all such activities unless a committee is appointed for a specific tournament. In this case the committee will have responsibility for that tournament and that tournament only. C) Secretary/Treasurer - shall maintain accurate minutes of all meetings, maintain financial records, give a report on said records at each regular monthly meeting and maintain liaison between the club and B.A.S.S. D) Recorder - shall maintain accurate records of club monthly tournaments and give a report at each regular monthly meeting, collect money the morning of tournaments and assist weigh master in tournament operations. E) Weigh Master - shall be responsible for conducting the monthly club tournament weighting and measuring of all fish brought to the scales. SECTION 2 ELIGIBILITY OF OFFICERS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR OFFICE A MEMBER MUST: A) Have been a member for at least six months. B) Have attended at least 60% of the club meetings and 60% of the club functions. C) Have shown an active interest in all club functions. SECTION 3 ELECTION OF OFFICERS A) Elections are held for officers annually at the regular meeting in January. B) Election shall be in the order of President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Recorder and Weigh Master. C) To be elected a candidate must receive a simple majority of affirmative vote of the members present. D) Each member is entitled to one vote. No proxy votes will be allowed. SECTION 4 TERM OF OFFICES Officers are elected for two years, but it is understood that an officer may resign at the end of one year if that officer does not want to remain in office for the second year. The term of offices begins February 1, following the January election. Before assuming office the new officers shall audit the club books. SECTION 5 VACANCIES OF OFFICES If an office becomes vacant, nominations shall be taken and an election held to fill the unexpired term of the vacated office. ARTICLE 1V. GENERAL RULES SECTION 1 CLUB MEETINGS The monthly club meetings will be on Tuesday night at 7:00 P.M. immediately preceding the third Sunday of each month. Except no meeting will be held in November and December. The January meeting will be used for the elections of officers. The June meeting will be used to submit proposed rule changes, which will be voted on in the July meeting. SECTION 2 CLUB SCALES AND OTHER CLUB PROPERTY The club will provide scales and a measuring board to conduct club weigh-ins. The club officers are responsible for club property. The club scales may be loaned to civic groups, etc., for their use in their "worthy cause" fund raising tournaments. SECTION 3 CLUB DISBANDMENT If the club were to cease to exist, any member that has paid ahead on dues will be refunded that amount. The remainder of the club funds shall, after all club obligations are satisfied, be split equally among all members in good standing at the time of the disbandment. SECTION 4 FEDERATION TOURNAMENTS (1) The top six anglers will fish for the mill creek bass club in the state federation tournament and will have their entry fees paid by the club. The next six anglers will fish for the Pope County bass club and the club will assist them in paying their entry fees. (2) Numbers 1, 2 and 3 from the mill creek club are boaters and numbers 4, 5 and 6 are no boaters. (3) Numbers 7, 8 and 9 from the pope county club are boaters and numbers 10, 11 and 12 are no boaters. (4) Numbers 13, 14, 15 and 16 are alternates. (5) If, for any reason one (or more) of the anglers holding a position can not fish the federation tournament, then the person holding the next position in line has the option to move up to the vacant position or that person can keep the position he / she holds. The next person in line will have the option to move up to fill the vacant position or keeping the position he / she holds. (6) This option to move up to fill the vacant position will continue down through number 12. if the 12th anglers wants to keep the position he / she holds, then the vacant position (s) will be filled by an alternate (s). To be eligible to fish the State Federation tournament, a member must have attended 50% of the club meetings and/or tournaments. To be excused from a meeting a member must notify a club officer prior to the meeting. SECTION 5 SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD Sportsmanship should be a high priority of athe club and a sportsman of the year should be chosen and a plaque awarded at the end of the fishing year designation this individual . The individual will be selected by secret ballot with nominees being made by the membership in writing. Each member ARTICLE V. AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS AND TOURNAMENT RULES SECTION 1 AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS The constitution and bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by two-thirds majority of members present, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been provided to the members at least 30 days prior to being voted on. Discussion at the preceding meeting and inclusion in the minutes will constitute notice. SECTION 2 AMENDING CHAPTER TOURNAMENT RULES The tournament rules are considered separate from the constitution and bylaws. Tournament rules will be amended at the July meeting by a simple majority vote of the members present, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been provided to the members at least 30 days prior to being voted on. Once the rules are voted in they will remain unchanged for that year. 2/13/03 2009 CLUB OFFICERS    PRESIDENT Allan Reaves VICE PRESIDENT Greg Widner SECRETARY/TREASURER Terrance Narveson RECORDER Any available Officer Present WEIGH MASTER David Abbott 2009 Board of Directors Shawn Gordon Gene Alderson Terrance Narveson Greg Widner Rico Johnson Mel Davis MILL CREEK BASS CLUB TOURNAMENT RULES REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENTS 1. The monthly club meetings will be on Tuesday night at 7:00 P.M. immediately preceding the third Sunday of each month. Except no meeting will be held in November and December and January. Club Officers will be elected in the February meeting. The June meeting will be used to submit proposed rule changes, which will be voted on in the July meeting. There will be ten tournaments per year. (July thru June) One tournament per month on the third    Sunday of each month except November with no tournament in December and January. The November tournament will be set by the members present at the October meeting and fished in October or November. All ten tournaments will count in the standings to determine the six members eligible to fish in the Federation Tournament. (Highest point totals for the year qualify) 4. The annual club membership dues will be used to sponsor the qualifying members in the federation tournament. 5. Tournament lakes will be selected by the members willing to fish and present at that meeting. Lake will be selected by nomination and a simple majority vote at the regular meeting. (After the first vote is taken, if no lake has 51 percent, the next vote will be a run-off between the top two lakes on the initial ballot.) No lake shall be fished twice in a row or more than three times during the tournament year. 6. Launch ramps and tournament hours will be decided at the regular club meeting preceding that tournament. 7. Members who, for whatever reason, intend to fish a club tournament but miss the draw are allowed to enter the tournament by contacting the Club president within 48 hours of the completion of the draw. Each Member is allowed to do this (2) times during the tournament year. Any Member exercising the 48 hour rule will be paired as a non-boater for that tournament unless the boater/non-boater pairings is too close to endanger the participation of a non-boater. The President at his discretion may allow the member to use his boat in that situation. 8. Boaters and non-boaters will be paired together first. All remaining boaters will be paired. If a decision cannot be reached, a flip of a coin by a tournament official will decide. 7/12/05 9. Each contestant shall be allowed equal time in the front of the boat if so desired. That contestant shall be liable for any damage due to misuse or abuse of the boat. A mutual agreement on sharing expenses between the boat owner and the non-boater owner should be reached. 10. Official tournament time is kept by the weigh master and will be given to contestants prior to departure. No contestant shall be allowed to fish if he has not paid his tournament entry fee and checked in with the tournament recorder, prior to the tournament departure time. All contestants must check-in with the weigh-master prior to tournament stop time. Contestants who are late for the check-in will be assessed a late penalty of 1 pound per minute for up to 10 minutes. After ten minutes the member will be disqualified. 11. Scoring for the tournament will be based on a total weight system awarding points for the top six places. Points are awarded as follows: 1 -12pts 2 -11pts 3 -10pts 4 - 9pts 5 - 8pts 6 - 7pts 7 - 6pts 8 - 5pts 9 - 4pts 10 - 3pts 11 - 2pts 12 - 1pts In addition: A)Two points will be awarded for Big Bass, one point awarded for second big bass and one point awarded per person for attendance at tournaments. Six points will be awarded to the club president(of each club) or his designee to attend the federation meeting if it conflicts with a club tournament. 7/13/04 B)If a boater is a no-show without prior notice, and without a dire emergency, and if his no-boater is unable to find a ride for the tournament, the boater shall be penalized 3 points. C)A no-boater who is scheduled to fish in a tournament, who shows up for the tournament, and there is no seat in a boat available for him, that no-boater shall be awarded 3 points in lieu of an opportunity to fish the tournament. 12. All contestants shall endeavor to keep fish alive. Depending on the scales used, there will be a deduction of two-tenths of a pound or three ounces from each contestant’s total stringer weight for each dead fish presented for weight-in. All live fish will be returned to the lake by or at the direction of the tournament officials. 13. Each contestant may weigh in a maximum of five fish. Minimum length is 12 inches measured from the front end of the lower jaw to the tip of the tail with the fish laid on a flat board and the tail lobes pressed together, or that lakes size limit. In case of a tie on total weight, the large bass in the affected stringers will be the tie breaker. If a tie still exists, the two tied places will have the points added together and split equally between the two affected places. Any contestant caught weighing in fish caught by another for his own total weight will cause both contestants to be disqualified for the tournament and the incident brought before the board of directors for further action. 15. All contestants shall fish from a boat. 16. Only artificial lures may be used. Plastic trailers and pork rinds shall be considered artificial lures. 17. All boats will depart and return by water. Trailering will only be allowed to retrieve an out of service boat. 18. No fishing will be allowed within fifty yards of a public marina, gas pump, or another contestant’s boat which is anchored. Anchored is defined as a boat with trolling motor up, with anchor out or tied to a visible above water object. 19. All boats will be required to have a kill switch in working order. 20. All contestants shall wear a life jacket anytime the boat is on plane. 21. Any protest must be made verbally to tournament officials within fifteen minutes after completion of the weigh in. A decision will be made by the officers present. The decision shall be final with no further protest being available. 22. Each tournament contestant shall pay five dollars prior to starting the tournament. The Monies will be split as follows: 25% to the Club 30% to First Place 25% to Second Place 20% to Third Place 23. There will be an optional Big Bass pot of five dollars in which 50 percent will go to the club, 30 percent to first place, 20 percent to second place Big Bass. 24. The elected officials shall have the authority and the responsibility to make rulings on unusual or unforeseen events or developments during he course of the tournament day. Once made, the ruling will stand for that tournament only. 25. All fish will be brought to scales in a water filled fish bag. 26. The recorder will be responsible for collecting money the morning of the tournament and will assist the weigh master. On the morning of the tournament, entry fee must be paid fifteen (15) minutes prior to take-off time. 27. The weigh master will be responsible for weighing and measuring of all fish brought to the scales. 28. In case of inclement weather, the board of directors will decide to cancel or postpone the tournament to the following Sunday, and will notify all of the participants prior to the tournament 29. In case the regularly scheduled tournament falls on a holiday, the club can vote to fish the fourth Sunday of the month instead of the third. 30. Any night tournament may begin the preceding Saturday night and go into Sunday. 31. If a tie exists in total points at the end of the yearly tournaments between two or more club members, the tie will be broken by the large bass of the affected members. 32. Tournament starting positions will be determined by the draw at the club meeting during pairing. First pair drawn will be boat one. Last place drawn will start the tournament by calling out boat numbers sequentially. 33. Lake Dardanelle will be split into two parts (upper and lower) with the dividing point being Cabin Creek Rec. area boat ramp. The upper and lower will be treated as two separate lakes. 34. For their first tournament new members can fish with the person sponsoring their membership, if the member so chooses: otherwise, the new member’s name will be added to the regular drawing. FEDERATION TOURNAMENTS 35. The 1st Place team winnings will be divided as follows: The Club will be reimbursed for the club money spent on the team. The remaining money will be divided 30% to the Club, 70% to the team members. 36. Individual federation winnings will belong to the member that wins them. 37. The club will assist the members that qualify for the regional team by helping to raise money or sponsors to help defray expenses for the regional tournament. 38. Deleted moved to bylaws 2/16/03 Last Amended 7/20/05