National Boating Federation

By-Laws

ARTICLE I - Name and Location

  1. The name of this corporation shall be National Boating Federation (herein after called the Federation). The principal office of the Federation shall be at such places as shall from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.
  2. The Federation shall be organized as a non-profit corporation in the District of Columbia and qualified to act wherever required.

ARTICLE II - Objectives
    We recreational boaters associate for the following purposes:
  1. To encourage effective programs of education and research, and to render assistance to the Members of the Federation in the achievement of these objectives
  2. To represent, promote, and protect boating and related recreational activities and the interests of recreational boaters at the national level.
  3. To encourage programs of development and conservation of water resources, to disseminate information concerning such programs, and to assist the members of the Federation to plan and to support such programs.
  4. To provide a medium for the exchange of boating information; to strive for unanimity among recreational boaters through their national, regional, and state associations; to provide a responsible voice in all matters affecting their interest; and to encourage boaters to organize into national, regional, or state associations for stronger, more effective representation.
  5. To act as liaison among boaters, boating organizations, and federal and state agencies.

ARTICLE III - Membership

  1. There shall be four (4) classes of membership in the Federation:
    1. REGULAR MEMBER. A non-profit national, state, or regional association of recreational boaters other than a yacht or boat club. Only Regular Members shall be entitled to vote.
    2. Representatives of Regular Members shall be the Delegates to the Federation. They may vote and hold office in the Federation. The vote of a Regular Member shall be cast by its designated representative, or alternate in the absence of the designated representative. There shall be no voting by proxy. Constituent members of Regular Members may also hold office in the Federation. The Delegates of the Federation shall constitute the voting authority of the Federation.
    3. Each Regular member shall certify, in writing, to the Federation its Representative and one or more Alternate Representatives. Each such certification shall remain in force until revoked in writing.
    4. ASSOCIATE MEMBER. A water-oriented organization, federal or state agency, or persons with an interest in water recreation which do not qualify for regular membership.
    5. CLUB MEMBER. Any one boat or yacht club, or other local group of recreational boating individuals which does not qualify as a Regular Member.
    6. INDIVIDUAL/FAMILY MEMBERSHIP. A person, or persons of the same household, wishing to support the Federation.

  2. The Membership Committee shall review and process all membership applications and decide the eligibility for membership classification. Membership applications for Regular and Associate Members will be presented to the Executive Committee for approval. Club and Individual/Family membership shall be approved by the Membership Committee.

ARTICLE IV - Dues and Assessments

All dues and assessments shall be determined by the Executive Committee and shall be approved by the Delegates.

ARTICLE V - Membership Meetings

The Annual Membership Meeting of the Federation shall be held in the first half of the calendar year, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Committee, with written notice of such meeting mailed to all Delegates at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.

  1. A semi-annual Membership Meeting of the Federation may be held in the second half of the calendar year, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Committee, with written notice of such meeting mailed to all Delegates at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.

  2. Special Membership Meetings of the Federation may be called by the Executive Committee. The Delegates shall be notified by first class mail of the time, place and purpose of a special meeting at least thirty (30) days prior to the designated date
  3. Any seven Delegates may, by written petition to the President, call for a Special Meeting of the Federation. The purpose of the meeting must be stated in the petition. The President shall direct the Secretary to notify the Executive Committee and Delegates, by first class mail, of the time, place and purpose of the special meeting, to be held no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of petition.
  4. One half (1/2) of the Regular Members of the Federation shall constitute a quorum of any Annual or Special Membership Meeting of the Federation. Two thirds (2/3) of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of that committee.
  5. All action shall require the concurrence of a majority of those present.
  6. Associate, Club, and Individual or Family Members shall be notified of, and encouraged to be represented at, Membership Meetings of the Federation.
  7. All meetings of the Federation and its Committees shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised where the bylaws do not provide otherwise.
  8. When not meeting formally, the Executive Committee may conduct business by electronic means provided a quorum of the committee participates. When minutes are required, action taken electronically shall be recorded in the minutes of the next formal Executive Committee meeting. When signatures are required, verifiable electronic signatures may be used.
ARTICLE VI - Officers and Committees
  1. The officers of the Federation shall be President, Vice President, Legislative Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each officer must be a member in good standing of a Regular Member of the Federation. Nothing in this Section shall preclude the same person from holding the dual position, of Secretary/Treasurer.
  2. The Executive Committee of this Federation shall consist of the Officers, five (5) Directors elected by the Delegates, and the Immediate Past President, all, of whom shall be members in good standing of a Regular Member of the Federation.
  3. Officers and Directors shall be elected at each Annual Membership Meeting for the term of one year, and shall hold office until their successors have been elected. Their term of office shall commerce at the close of the meeting at which elected.
  4. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be called by the President. It shall transact the 'business of the Federation between Membership Meetings. The President shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee within thirty (30) days upon petition of one-third of the Executive Committee members.Each elected member of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to cast one vote in person at Executive Committee meetings.
  5. Past Presidents, other than the Immediate Past President, shall serve as Advisory Members of the Executive Committee and may make or second motions, but have no vote unless also serving as an elected member of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII - Duties of Officers and Executive Committee

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Federation and of the Executive Committee, and at all times shall exercise overall direction of its affairs in accordance with these By-Laws.

  1. The President shall appoint such other committees or positions as are deemed necessary for the optimum effectiveness of the Federation, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee to include Audit Committee and vacancies on Executive Committee.

    The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee and Audit Committee. The Vice President shall, in the event of the inability of the President to perform his duties, have the same authority as the President.

  2. The Vice President shall serve as the Chairman of the Membership Committee. He or she shall select no fewer than two Delegates as members of that Committee; each of these shall represent a different Regular Member of the Federation. He or she shall maintain the membership rosters and mailing lists, mail donation requests, issue membership cards and/or certificates, and he or she shall account for all monies received from Members to the Secretary/Treasurer. He or she shall act to maximize the membership of the Federation.

  3. The Legislative Director shall be responsible for the legislative activities of the Federation on a National level. He or she shall be responsible for identifying and evaluating in-process and/or proposed Federal legislation considered to fall within the purview of recreational boating. He or she shall recommend to the Executive Committee approval actions on legislative issues that are within the purview of the Federation and in the best interests of the Federation.

  4. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Membership and the Executive Committee. He or she shall record all votes and minutes of all proceedings, and publish said minutes in a timely fashion.

    He or she shall send notices of all meetings and perform such other duties as may be directed by the President or Executive Committee, under whose supervision he or she shall be.

    He or she shall be the custodian of the minutes and corporate records of the Federation.

  5. The Treasurer, by direction of the Executive Committee, shall have charge of the funds of the Federation. its financial records, and corporate seal.

    He or she shall receive and deposit the funds in depositories designated by the Executive Committee.

    He or she shall pay all vouchers or order's properly attested, as authorized by the Executive Committee, and shall make a complete and accurate report of the itemized expenses and income of the Federation at each meeting of the membership or of the Executive Committee, or at any other time, upon request, to the Executive Committee.

    With the advice of the President and Vice President, he or she shall prepare an annual budget for submission to the Executive Committee.

  6. No Officer or Director may commit Federation funds other than those currently on deposit. Nor may any contract be let without prior approval of the Executive Committee.

  7. Any member of the Federation in good standing may represent the Federation at any non-NBF meetings as directed by the President.

  8. Should any Officer or Director, other than the President, become unable to serve for any reason, the Executive Committee, by majority vote, shall appoint a person to that vacancy to complete the term to which the incumbent was elected. The replacement shall be a member in good standing of a Regular Member of the Federation.

ARTICLE VIII - Federation Publication

The official publication of the Federation shall be called the LOOKOUT.

ARTICLE IX - Flags

  1. Former Officers, Officers, Directors, representatives of Advisory Members, representatives of Individual Club Members, and Individual Members may display, on vessels which they command or upon which they are present as guests, identifying flags of rank as herein provided. They may also wear the flag replica pin. All such flags shall be twelve inches (12") upon the hoist and eighteen inches (18") upon the fly, or similarly proportioned in other sizes, and shall be gold in color, with a circle of thirteen (13) small blue stars about the center.
  2. The flag, as described in 1, embellished by four large blue stars, placed in the lower and the upper staff side corners, and the lower and the upper fly side corners, may be flown by the President.
  3. The flag, as described in 1, embellished by three large blue stars placed in the lower and the upper staff side corners, and the lower fly side corner may be flown by the Vice President and the Legislative Director.
  4. The flag, as described in 1, embellished by two large blue stars placed in the lower and the upper staff side corners may be flown by the Secretary and Treasurer.
  5. The flag, as described in 1, embellished by one large blue star Placed in the lower staff side corner, may be flown by Executive Committee Directors.
  6. Such blue stars shall be five pointed in shape and displayed with a single Point upward. The large blue stars used to embellish the flags described in 2., 3., 4., and 5. shall be two (2) times the size of the small blue stars making up the circle of thirteen (13) stars in the center of the flag described in 1. These stars shall be placed one (1”) inch from the edges of a twelve inch (12”) by eighteen inch (18”) flag.
  7. The flag, as described in 1., without further embellishment, may be flown by representatives of Associate Members, representatives of Individual Club Members, and Individual Members
  8. Former officers may display the flag of the highest office attained.

ARTICLE X - Nominating Committee

  1. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee Chairman, who shall select no fewer than two (2) Delegates as members of that Committee; each of these shall represent a different Regular Member of the Federation.
  2. The Nominating Committee shall present, with the notice of the Annual Membership Meeting, nominations for officers and Directors. Other nominations may be submitted by the written petition of two (2) Delegates; said petition to be received by the Secretary at least ten days prior to the Meeting. All nominees shall acknowledge, in writing, their willingness to serve if elected.
  3. For consideration by the Nominating Committee for an Officer position, it is preferable that the candidate has served on the Executive Committee for at least two (2) years.

ARTICLE XI - Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended at any Annual or Special Membership Meeting by a majority vote of Regular Members attending such Meeting, provided such proposed amendment shall have been mailed to each Delegate with notice at least thirty (30) days in advance of such meeting.

ARTICLE XII - Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Federation, the then existing Executive Committee shall distribute any surplus funds pro-rata to those Member groups who have qualified as a tax exempt organization under 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

CERTIFICATION OF ADOPTION

I hereby certify that, upon notice duly given in accordance with Article X of the By-Laws of the National Boating Federation, as adopted 25 April 1998, and as in force thereafter, the foregoing revised By-Laws were duly approved at a meeting of the National Boating Federation on 28 April 2007

Penelope N. Orth, Chairman, By-Laws Committee