By-laws
Article I: Names and Language
Section A - Names
1. The organization shall be known as "The Role-Players Guild
of Kansas City," which shall be referred to hereinafter as "the
Guild."
2. The Guild's officers may be referred to by use of the following
special designations:
a. the president may be referred to as "the Guildmaster."
b. the vice president may be referred to as "the Castellan."
c. the treasurer may be referred to as "the Hoardmaster."
d. the secretary may be referred to as "the Scribe."
e. the special projects coordinator may be referred to as "the
Seneschal."
f. the Game Masters' Council coordinator may be referred to as "the
Overlord."
3. On all official documents, and wherever a signature with title
is required, the traditional designations shall be used.
4. The use of non-traditional names within these By-Laws, and within
the structure and activities of the Guild, is in relation to the
purpose of the organization. Their use shall not imply any relation
to or association with the Medieval or other positions with which
they are related and/or share names.
Section B - Language
1. Use of the male gender in these By-Laws shall be understood
to include Members of the female gender.
2. Other terms which might imply discrimination shall be understood
to include all Members in equal status, without discrimination
of any type.
Article II: Purpose
Section A - It shall be the purpose of the Guild to:
1. Educate Guild Members about the nature of role-playing and
other games, and specific gaming systems, in a constructive,
rational
manner.
2. Serve Members by putting them in contact with others who share
similar interests.
3. Promote constructive social interaction among its Members.
4. Serve as a respectable and contributing part of the community.
5. Promote healthy, mature, enjoyable game play.
6. Provide a healthy outlet for creativity and imagination, and
to encourage these characteristics among its Members, within
the context of gaming.
7. Promote the highest standards of role-playing within games.
8. Create situations which challenge Members intellectually,
promoting their education and development.
Section B - The Guild shall not:
1. Discriminate against any Member or non-member because of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, or creed.
2. Discriminate against any Member or non-member because of age,
save in the condition where a minor is unaccompanied by a parent
or legal guardian, in which case the Guild may refuse to permit
the minor to engage in Guild activities.
3. Promote or allow the playing of any game in which persons either
participating or observing could be injured.
4. Promote or allow gambling.
Article III: Memberships and Dues
Section A - Memberships
1. The Guild shall have two classes of membership:
a. Class I memberships shall be for a duration of one (1) calendar
year from the date on which dues are accepted.
b. Class II memberships shall be for a duration of three (3)
months from the date on which dues are accepted.
2. Class I Members shall be entitled to:
a. One (1) vote on all Guild matters considered at any special
or general meeting of the Members, provided the Member is in
attendance at the meeting, or is otherwise entitled to vote under
these By-Laws,
the Guild's Articles of Incorporation, or the law of the State
of Missouri.
b. Use Guild materials and services for all Guild functions,
provided standard protocols are followed.
c. Receive one (1) copy of each edition of the Guild's newsletter.
d. Attend Guild conventions, provided the appropriate admission
charge is paid.
e. Inspect the books and records of the accounts of the Guild,
as provided by law.
3. Class II Members shall be entitled to:
a. Use Guild materials and services for all Guild functions,
provided standard protocols are followed.
b. Attend Guild conventions, provided the appropriate admission
charge is paid.
4. Benefits of Class I and/or Class II membership may be removed
only by a 3/4 vote of the Board of Directors, who may, at its
option, call for a simple majority vote of the Class I Members
for such
removal.
5. An applicant for Class I or Class II membership shall be accepted
only if the applicant:
a. Demonstrates an interest in role-playing or other games related
to the Guild's purpose.
b. Completes a membership application, which shall be made available
from the Guild on request, and shall be the same for all applicants;
the form of the application shall be as approved from time to
time by the Board of Directors.
c. Pays the appropriate membership dues.
6. Class I and Class II memberships may be terminated only when
one or more of the following conditions has/have been met:
a. Membership dues have not been paid.
b. A 3/4 vote of the Board of Directors AND a majority vote of
the Class I Members shall recommend that Member's dismissal.
c. A 3/4 vote of the Class I Members shall recommend that Member's
dismissal.
d. The Member is removed from a Guild function by law enforcement
or security personnel.
7. Should membership be terminated in accord with Article I,
Section A, membership dues shall be refunded to said Member at
a rate of
one dollar ($1.00) per full calendar month of membership remaining,
and all benefits of membership shall be revoked upon the date
of such refund.
Section B - Dues
1. Dues for Class I and Class II memberships shall be set by the
Board of Directors.
2. Membership dues shall not be prorated.
Article IV: Meetings
Section A - General Meetings
1. General Meetings of the Members of the Guild shall be held
monthly.
2. The dates of such meetings shall be determined by the Board
of Directors.
3. The dates of the General Meetings shall be announced in the
Guild's newsletter.
Section B - Board Meetings
1. Meetings of the Board of Directors of the Guild shall be held
no less frequent than every three months, but may be held more
often.
2. The dates of the Board Meetings shall be determined by the Board
of Directors.
3. The Guildmaster shall inform each of the Directors of the date
of such meetings.
Section C - Annual Meetings
1. Annual meetings of both the Members and of the Board of Directors
shall be held.
2. The dates of the Annual Meetings shall be determined by the
Board of Directors.
3. The dates of the Annual Meetings shall be announced in the Guild's
newsletter at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting.
Section D - Special Meetings
1. Special meetings of the Members and/or of the Board of Directors
shall be held at the call of the Guildmaster or fifty percent
of the Board of Directors.
2. The Board of Directors shall set the dates of such Special Meetings
of the Board and of the Members.
3. The dates of Special Meetings of the Board and of the Members
shall be announced in the Guild's newsletter or by other means
deemed reasonably by the Board of Directors.
Article V: Board of Directors
Section A - Guild Affairs1. The affairs of the Guild shall be managed by its Board of Directors; the Board shall consist of the officers described below.
Section B - Officers
1. The elected officers of the Guild shall be the:
a. Guildmaster
b. Castellan
c. Hoardmaster
d. Scribe
e. Seneschal
f. Overlord
2. The traditional designations of the officers appear in Article
I, Section A of these By-Laws.
Section C - General Duties
1. The Board of Directors shall coordinate all of the Guild's conventions
and activities.
2. The Board of Directors shall cause an audit of the Guild's books
and records of account, to be made three times each year.
3. Each officer shall attend all General and Business meetings
of the Guild and of the Board, unless excused by the Guildmaster
or Castellan.
4. Each officer shall serve a term of office extending from the
meeting at which he/she was elected until his successor shall have
been elected.
Section D - Election of Officers
1. Directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Members
of the Guild.
2. Nominations for such positions shall begin at the General Meeting
immediately preceding the one at which the elections are to occur.
3. The date of the opening of nominations and of the elections
shall be announced in the Guild's newsletter before nominations
may be made.
4. Candidates for all Board positions must be Class I Members of
the Guild at the time of their nomination and at the time of the
election and must remain so during their tenure on the Board of
Directors.
5. Candidates for all Board positions may be nominated by any Class
I Member of the Guild, and must be seconded by a different Class
I Member of the Guild.
6. Candidates must be present at the time of their nomination and
must agree to the nomination, or must submit in writing a signed
letter of acceptance of the nomination.
7. Candidates must meet the requirements listed below for the office
in order to be nominated for such office.
8. Officers shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the Class
I Members in attendance at the Annual Meeting.
9. Absentee ballots shall be provided by the Guild to those who
request them, and must be signed and received by the Scribe before
the date of the Annual Meeting in order to be valid.
10. Proxies shall not be allowed.
11. Should three or more candidates be nominated for a given office,
a primary election shall be held, with the two candidates receiving
the highest number of votes proceeding to a final election; both
elections shall occur at the Annual Meeting.
Section E - Resignation of an Office
1. An officer may resign by submitting a written resignation to
the Board of Directors.
Section F - Removal of Officers
1. Any Class I Member of the Guild may bring charges against a
Guild Officer for dereliction of duty. Such charges must be presented
in writing, with copies presented to the Guildmaster, the Castellan,
the Scribe, and the officer who is to be charged.
2. Charges may be presented at any time, but may be officially
dealt with only at a General Meeting of the Guild.
3 The date of the General Meeting at which the charges will be
heard shall be no later than three (3) months after the presentation
of charges. The date must be provided to the officer to be charged,
and shall be printed in the Guild's newsletter as well.
4. Charges may be brought against any Guild Officer for any of
the following non-inclusive reasons:
a. Unexcused absence from one (1) General, Business, or Board meeting.
b. Excused absences from three (3) consecutive General Meetings.
c. Apparent neglect of the affairs of the Guild.
5. The accused officer shall be allowed to speak on his/her own
behalf at the
hearing.
6. The Guildmaster shall preside over the hearing. In the case
that the Guildmaster is the officer to be charged, the Castellan
shall preside.
7. The Guildmaster shall determine the procedures to be used during
any such hearing, but all those who wish to speak at the hearing
shall be allowed to do so for a reasonable amount of time.
8. After a hearing, an officer may be removed from office by a
3/4 majority vote of the Class I Members in attendance at the hearing.
Section G - Replacement of Officers
1. If the Guildmaster resigns or is removed from office, the Castellan
shall immediately assume the office, duties, and responsibilities
of the Guildmaster, and shall serve until the next regularly
scheduled General Meeting.
2. If a vacancy occurs in an officer other than that of the Guildmaster,
a special election shall be held at a General Meeting of the Guild.
This election shall be held within three (3) months of the occurrence
of the vacancy. The officer so elected shall serve until the next
Annual Meeting.
3. The Guildmaster may appoint a Class I Member in good standing
to serve in the vacated position until said special election occurs.
Article VI: Specific Duties of the Officers
Section A - The Guildmaster shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age.
2. Sign a document accepting responsibility for the duties of
this office.
3. Preside at all General, Business, and Board meeting of the
Guild.
4. Call and preside over any Special meetings of the Guild.
5. Act as the Guild's primary liaison.
6. Sign all official Guild correspondence.
7. Sign or appoint another officer to sign all Guild checks.
8. Have powers to deal with occurrences not specifically delegated
to other Guild Officers by these By-Laws.
Section B - The Castellan shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age.
2. Sign a document accepting responsibility for the duties of this
office.
3. Preside at meetings at which the Guildmaster is absent, or where
the Guildmaster shall designate the Castellan as the presiding
officer.
4. Serve as the primary coordinator for all Guild conventions.
Section C - The Hoardmaster shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age.
2. Sign a document accepting responsibility for the duties of this
office.
3. Collect and disperse Guild dues and other funds.
4. Keep all financial records of the Guild in accordance with Generally
Acceptable Accounting Procedures, and make such records available
as required by law.
5. Provide a monthly report of the Guild's financial status at
the General Meetings.
6. Maintain a checking account for the Guild.
7. Insure that both the Hoardmaster and the Guildmaster (or the
Guildmaster's appointee) sign all Guild checks.
8. Maintain proper records and filing to obtain tax-exempt status
for the Guild as a non-profit organization under Internal Revenue
Code Section 501(c)(7).
Section D - The Scribe shall:
1. Record all minutes of the Annual, General, Business, and Board
meetings of the Guild, or ensure that such are recorded, and
ensure that a summary appears in the issue of the Guild's newsletter
following the meeting.
2. Compose all Guild correspondence, unless another officer is
specifically designated.
3. Provide a copy of all Guild correspondence to the Guildmaster.
4. Record attendance at Annual, General, Business, and Board Meetings,
and at other Guild functions such as conventions.
5. Provide for the production, printing, copying, and distribution
of the Guild's newsletter, with funds provided by the Guild.
Section E - The Seneschal shall:
1. Assist the Castellan with planning the Guild's conventions.
2. Serve as the primary new member correspondent for the Guild,
including both orienting new members to Guild functions, and recruiting
new members.
3. Coordinate other special Guild projects, as assigned by the
Guildmaster and/or the Board of Directors.
Section F - The Overlord shall:
1. Coordinate all correspondence and meetings between members of
the Game Masters' Council, which shall be composed of Class I
and Class II members of the Guild who are interested in leading
gaming groups.
2. Head the Game Masters' Council meetings.
3. Make a report to the Board of Directors at each regularly scheduled
Board Meeting concerning the status and membership of the Game
Masters' Council.
Article VII - Guild Monies
Section A - Income
1. The Guild shall be supported primarily by membership dues
and admission fees collected from Members. The Guild may provide
meals
or refreshments at Guild conventions. Attendance at the conventions
shall be limited to Members only.
2. Any donations voluntarily made to the Guild shall be understood
to be non-deductible as a charitable contribution on the donor's
federal income tax return.
Section B - Expenditures
1. No Member of the Guild, whether Class I, Class II, or officer,
may receive any Guild monies for any purpose, except as reimbursement
for reasonable expenses incurred in relation to the Guild's purpose.
Such "reasonable expenses" must be approved by a majority
decision of the Board of Directors.
2. All expenditures of Guild funds in any amount greater than fifty
dollars ($50.00) must be approved by a majority decision of the
Board of Directors.
3. The books and records of the account of the Guild shall be available
for review by Members as provided by law.
4. All checks drawn on the Guild's account must be signed by the
Hoardmaster and either the Guildmaster or by a Director appointed
by the Guildmaster.
Article VIII - Amendments
Section A - Procedure
1. Any Class I Member of the Guild may propose an amendment to
these By-Laws.
2. Proposed amendments to these By-Laws shall be presented in
writing to the Guildmaster.
3. Proposed amendments shall be announced at the General Meeting
immediately following their presentation to the Guildmaster.
4. Proposed amendments shall be voted upon at the General Meeting
following their announcement (i.e. two General Meetings following
their presentation to the Guildmaster).
5. Each Guild Officer shall receive a copy of the proposed amendment
for review before the General Meeting at which it is to be discussed
and voted upon.
Section B - Acceptance
1. Proposed amendments shall become a part of these By-Laws upon
ratification by a 2/3 majority of the Class I Members present
and voting at the General Meeting at which the amendment is voted
upon.
2. Proposed amendments shall take effect upon the date of their
ratification, unless the amendment itself provides for an alternate
date.
