WCST Bylaws
BY-LAWS OF THE WHITTINGTON CREEK SWIM TEAM
Article I - Name
The name of the organization shall be the Whittington Creek Swim Team (WCST).
Article II - Purpose
Section 1. The WCST is an organization of families within the Whittington Creek neighborhood development whose purpose is to organize swimmers from the ages of 4 to 18 years of age to participate as a formal member of the Greater Knoxville Area Interclub Swimming Association (GKAISA). WCST is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes and for the purpose of fostering national or international amateur sports competitions within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law. WCST is a nonprofit public benefit organization and is not organized for the private gain of any single person. WCST will not, as a substantial part of its activities, attempt to influence legislation or participate to any extent in a political campaign for or against any candidate for public office.
Section 2. As members of the Whittington Creek Homeowners Association (WCHA) and of the GKAISA, the rules and regulations of those two organizations will apply to WCST. Should there ever arise any conflict between the rules and regulations of these two organizations, those of WCHA will take precedence.
Section 3. These by-laws have been created to provide a framework of effective, fair, and consistently applied set of rules to assist current and future Whittington Creek families and staff.
Article III - Membership
Section 1. “Swim team member” refers to one individual child swimming on the WCST.
Section 2. “Voting member” refers to each family having one (1) vote at general membership meetings.
Section 3. The children of any Whittington Creek property owner in good standing are eligible to join WCST.
Section 4. The children of any property owner who sells their neighborhood property are eligible to remain on the team provided they were swim team members the previous season. This type of membership is referred to a “grandfathered membership.” A grandfathered membership is restricted to the swim team only and does not entitle the individual or family to use the pool at other times. The fee for a grandfathered membership is the team fee plus a per child grandfathered fee. Both fees will be set by the WCST Board. No more than 20% of the swim team membership may be grandfathered members.
Section 5. The children of any pool employee, whose condition of employment includes his/her family using the pool, are eligible to join WCST.
Section 6. If it should become necessary to limit the size of the team, children of current property owners shall be given priority.
Section 7. All swim team members shall pay fees prior to participation. The fees will be determined by the WCST Board of Directors.
Section 8. All swim team members are subject to approval by the WCST Board. Membership may be revoked by the board without cause and without refund of team fees. Decisions of the board are final.
Article IV -Board of Directors
Section 1. The WCST Board of Directors shall direct the business and management of the WCST. All positions must be held by current property owners. All decisions of the board are final.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of nine (9) voting positions. The members of the Board of Directors are selected following the summer season for the next year. Should there be more than one individual interested in a position, then a General Membership meeting shall be called and the position filled by plurality vote of the voting members present. Should a position become vacant after the election, the Board of Directors may appoint a member to fill the vacant position.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following nine (9) positions: President, Vice-President, Communications Director, Treasurer, Meet Director, Social Director, Concessions Director, Awards Director and one (1) Director-at-Large.
Section 4. Duties of the Board of Directors
A. The President shall:
1. Call and preside at meetings of the WCST board and general membership
2. Ensure that officers fulfill their duties.
3. Serve as GKAISA representative and be responsible for GKAISA correspondence, including, but not limited to correspondence to the coaches.
4. Provide volunteers to attend GKAISA clinics.
5. Interview candidates for coaching positions.
6. Create and update coaches job descriptions.
7. Serve as a point of contact for all matters concerning the team.
8. Update Team Handbook
9. Keep GKAISA registration forms and ensure all GKAISA forms are at each meet.
10. Ensures that tent is put up for the Smoky Mountain Meet and City Meet.
11. Lines up workers for the Smoky Mountain Meet and City Meet.
B. The Vice-President shall:
1. Assume role of president when current president’s term expires, or at any other time when president is unable to assume his/her duties
2. Be responsible for two-year team suit selection. Be responsible for annual T-shirt design and order.
C. The Communications Director shall:
1. Keep minutes of the meetings.
2. Be responsible for official notebook.
3. Update team roster.
4. Provide information to parents when needed.
5. Manage all external communications and media
D. The Treasurer shall:
1. Collect all money for team fees and revenues.
2. Keep all financial records for team.
3. Make payments to GKAISA for dues, City Meet, and Smoky Mountain Meet.
4. Pay vendors.
5. Pay coaches.
6. Prepare financial statement and make available to members upon request.
7. File all annual tax and compliance documents.
E. The Meet Director shall:
1. Ensure that the home facility is ready for the meet.
2. Be responsible for all necessary supplies and equipment for home meets.
3. Be responsible for filling all necessary jobs for away and home meets.
F. The Social Director shall:
1. Be responsible for planning and organizing social activities such as but not limited to: recruiting functions, movie nights, ice cream socials, theme nights and after-meet gatherings.
2. Be responsible for organizing food and snacks for WCST swimmers at the regional swim meets.
3. Plan and organize the end-of-season awards ceremony.
G. The Concessions Director shall responsible for organizing, purchasing, and selling concessions at home meets.
H. The Awards Director shall:
1. Be responsible for ordering ribbons and awards as needed for meets and end-of-year ceremonies
2. Compile and distribute ribbons and awards from all meets
I. The Director-at-Large shall:
1. Attend board meetings and be eligible to vote.
2. Assist other Board members as needed.
Section 5. A board member may be removed from the board if two-thirds of the board or six (6) board members vote for removal of that individual.
Section 6. At WCST board meetings, five members of the WCST Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum and must be established in order to pass motions. A majority of those present are required to pass motions.
Article VI - Fees and Assessments
Section 1: Fees and assessments shall be determined by the WCST Board of Directors.
Section 2: When the Whittington Creek Swim Teams decides to no longer function as an area swim team, any left over money will be distributed to another area 501(c)(3) swim organization. The exact organization will be determined by the WCST Board of Directors at that time.
Article VII - Meetings
Section 1. One meeting per year of the general membership shall be held at the beginning of each summer season. Other meetings of the general membership shall be held as necessary.
Section 2. Notice of the meetings of the general membership shall be publicized using appropriate means such as email, team website and/or social media. Two weeks notice shall be given at a minimum.
Section 3. Meetings of the general membership may be called by either the president, two (2) board members, or seven (7) voting members.
Section 4. A quarterly meeting of the WCST Board of Directors shall be held.
Section 5. A meeting of the Board of Directors may be called by either the president or two (2) board members.
Article VIII - Amendments
Section 1. A quorum shall consist of twenty percent (20%) of the general membership and must be established in order to change the by-laws. The by-laws can only be approved and amended by two thirds of those voting members attending a general membership meeting. Each family shall be considered as one (1) voting member.
Section 2. The WCST by-laws are subject to the governing by-laws of the Whittington Creek Homeowners Association.
- Bylaws revised October 2014 -
