ARTICLE 1
SECTION
1:
NAME
The name of the Federation
shall be the
Vermont
Bass Federation Inc. (VBF)
SECTION
2:
PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be to
unite all bass clubs of the state for
the purpose of promoting bass fishing as a major sport; to educate the public
and introduce other fishermen to the sport of bass fishing; to offer the
Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife our organized moral and political
support and encouragement; to serve as a central governing body for state clubs
throughout the state; to promote and stimulate youth awareness to bass fishing
and techniques; to promote full adherence to all conservation codes and to
demand adequate water standards; to function as an effective link with National organized affiliated
clubs and other state Federations that
the VBF chooses to affiliate with.
ARTICLE II
SECTION
1:
REQUIREMENTS BY FEDERATION FOR CHAPTER AFFILIATION
A) Must be an
approved charter by the VBF and in good standing and be
affiliated
with the National organization recognized by the VBF.
B) There will be a
onetime fee required from all chapters of
$50.00 dollars
for entry into the Federation.
C) New clubs (a club
that has never been a VBF affiliated)
A new club must
be a VBF member no later than the June
meeting or the
members of that club are not eligible to enter
the
D) Dues will be
collected annually and to be determined by
the VBF board of
E) A new club,
applying for membership to the
VBF, shall be comprised of, minimum
of 6 members and must maintain,
a minimum
of 75%
ARTICLE III
SECTION
1:
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
A) President: Preside over all meetings
and direct all official
business. Appoint and be an exofficio member of all committees,
supervise all federation
functions and distribute
information.
B) Vice-President:
Assist the president in his duties and preside in the
absence
of the president; and is responsible for all committees and their duties.
C) Secretary: Maintain accurate minutes
of all regular and special
meetings
as called for by the Federation President. Keep all correspondence with the National affiliated organization current.
D) Treasurer: Shall have the care and
custody of and shall be responsible for all the funds, securities, evidences of
indebtedness and other valuable documents of the Federation, and deposit all
such funds in the name of the Federation in such banks, or trust companies, or
other depositories, or in such safe deposit vaults as the Board of
E)
Environmental Director: Maintain current information on all
matters,
including legislation, related to, and that could affect, the preservation of
aquatic resources and the natural environment; assure President and membership
awareness of
such
matters; review proposed environmental and conversation related projects;
undertake information and educational programs to bring to the members and
public an awareness of threats to the environment and maintain liaison with the
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
F) Committee
Chairman: Shall chair appointed committee’s, report
to
federation board any suggestions, planned activities, and progress of his/her
committee’s.
G) Federation
Representative: Maintain regular liaison between the
clubs
and the Vermont Bass Federation. Also keep club members aware of pertinent
changes and news from the National affiliated organization and the Federation.
SECTION
2:
ELECTIONS
The election of officers
(President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Environmental Director) shall
be held at the December meeting, with nominations to be held at the November meeting.
Elections shall be by simple majority of chapter representatives present,
election of each officer shall be held separately.
SECTION
3:
Eligibility to Vote
Proxy
votes are not permitted. Each club is
entitled to (3) three votes,
SECTION
4:
TERM OF OFFICE
The
term of office shall be for (2) two years beginning January 1st and ending
December 31st.
SECTION
5:
VACANCIES
In
the event an office becomes vacant, nominations shall be solicited and an
election held to fill the unexpired term of the individual vacating the office.
The National affiliated organization shall be notified immediately of any changes.
SECTION
6:
ELIGIBILITY FOR HOLDING OFFICE
A)
Must be a member of the National affiliated
organization in good standing
B)
Nominee must be a member of the Federation board for at least one year.
C)
Must have attended at least 75% of all Federation meetings.
ARTICLE IV
SECTION 1:
MEETINGS
Meetings
shall be held the 2nd Monday of each month. And upon the Presidents request for
emergency or special meeting. All clubs shall have equal representation in the
Federation.
SECTION 2:
ATTENDANCE
There
will be (3) three Federation representatives elected by each club.
SECTION 3:
CLUB IN GOOD STANDING
To
retain club in good standing status, members must be 100% Federated and maintain
the minimum of 6 members on their roster. A club/representative must have
attended a minimum of 75% of all meetings in the 12 months prior to a
Federation
SECTION
4:
New Clubs (A club which has never
been a VBF. affiliated club.)
A
new Club must be a VBF member, no later than the June meeting, or the members
of that Club are not eligible to enter the
ARTICLE V
SECTION 1:
METHODS OF AMENDING CONSTITUTION
To
add amendments or delete any articles or sections of the constitution will
require a 2/3 majority vote of the board.
ARTICLE VI
SECTION 1:
TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE
The
purpose of the tournament committee shall be to plan, organize, solicit
sponsors, and operate all Federation tournaments. The committee along with the
tournament director will enforce all tournament rules and investigate all protest. If any member of the committee is involved in a
grievance, he/she will not participate in the investigation or decision. One
member of the tournament committee will serve as director of the tournament.
This does not have to be the same member for each tournament and the director
shall be eligible to fish in that tournament. All tournaments, dates,
locations, and proposals submitted by the committee must be approved by a majority of
the Federation board.
SECTION
2:
TERM OF OFFICE
Committee
members will serve for (1) year.
SECTION
3:
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
All
special committees will be appointed as needed. The Federation board will
determine these committees and their term of office.
ARTICLE VII
SECTION 1:
REMOVAL OF MEMBERSHIP
A) Failure to pay dues.
B)
Any action that would reflect dishonor and disgrace on this Federation and / or
the National affiliated organization
C)
Disqualification for any reason from participating in the National affiliated
organization sponsored events including disqualification for use of drugs or
alcohol.
D)
The Federation board will determined the length of time for removal
ARTICLE VIII
SECTION 1:
DISSOLUTION
Upon
the dissolution of the Federation the board of directors shall, after paying or
making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Federation, dispose of all assets of
the federation exclusively for the purpose of the Federation in such a manner,
or to such charitable, educational, environmental or sportsmen organization as
the board of director shall determine.
ARTICLE IX
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE STATE TEAM
1) A person
shall qualify for the Sate team by method established
by the tournament committee.
2) A deposit will be required from all team
members. The amount
and due date will be determined by the
Federation board.
3) The first place qualifier will earn the
title of “MR. BASS” and
receive a plaque from the Federation. The
team captain will be
elected by the team members. Also he/
she will be the spoke person
at the Eastern Divisional.
4) Team jackets will be provided to new
members, patches,
insignias and location will be approved
by the Federation
board. Replacement jackets will be
handled case by case
5) A member who drops from the team, All
sponsor product must
be returned and the Federation board
will decide on returning
the deposit. The next man / women in
order of qualifying will take his / her
place.
6) The
expenses incurred by each team member at the Eastern
Divisional will be reimbursed, based
on the availability of
funds and approved by the Federation
board, each year will
be treated separately.
7) All
state team members must attend team meetings, time and
dates will be set by the team
organizer.
8)
There will be (6) six boaters, (6) six non-boaters,(1) one 1st alternate
and (1)
one 2nd alternate will be the president
and his attendance will be optional.
9) The
top (6) six finishes at the qualifier will be first given the opportunity to be
boaters, if there is not enough boaters
the team organizer will ask team
members in order of placement from the
qualifier. The remaining (6) six
members will be non-boaters. The 13th
qualifier will be the 1st alternate.
10) During the 3-days of competition if any
of the (6) six boaters cannot field a
boat for any given day the next person
(7thru 12) with a boat becomes a boater
for that day. If repairs are made on
the disabled boat the designated boater will
be able to return as a boater in the
next days competition. The National affiliated
Organization must be
notified of any change in roster.
11) At the Eastern Divisional if (1) one of
the (12) twelve team members becomes
ill or for what every reason is not
able to compete, the 1st alternate will take
his / her place.
12) Boaters are required to provide to the
team organizer on the date that is
requested, proof of insurance stating
the expiration date and the amount of
liability. And if a boater is borrowing
a boat he / she must acquire a written
permission letter from the owner along
with his / her proof of insurance.
13)
the National affiliated organization Official
Rule
“During the official practice, and
during the tournament a competitor may not have the
assistance or the advice of anyone for
the purposes of locating or catching bass, nor
enter the tournament waters with anyone
who has been on the tournament waters
during the 6-day off-limit period, A
professional guide, state or federal wildlife
agency employee, or any other person
deemed an “Expert” on these tournament waters
by the tournament director, unless he /
she is a contestant in the tournament”
In the case of this rule violation the
Vermont
vote , replace that team member with the
alternate and that violator will be disqualified
from further participation in the event.
( voted in by
board
RULES/REGULATION VIOLATIONS
The Federation board will
review violators of the above rules/regulations and by a majority vote
sanctions and or being dropped from the team will be imposed. If a Federation
board member is also a team member in question he will refrain from any
discussion and voting.(Examples of sanctions are forfeit of deposit: boater to
non-boater: disqualification from the Vermont
revised
TOURNAMENT RULES
1.
Participants shall observe high standard of ethics and personal conduct.
Alcohol and/or drugs
are strictly prohibited any time during the
tournament or weigh-in. Violation of the rule is
grounds for disqualification.
2.
Tournament waters are defined as all public water which are accessible by boat
from the
tournament start site. The tournament
director will announce any exception.
3.
No competitor shall fish with in 50 yd. of another competitor, who is anchored
and has their
trolling motor in an upright position.
Fishing within 50 yd. radius of the launch site is
prohibited. fishing from shore is
prohibited.
4.
Trailing a boat during tournament hours is prohibited.
5.
Coast Guard approved life vests and kill switches must be worn/used anytime the
main
combustion engine is in gear.
6.
All boat motors will be checked against the maximum rating of the boat. Any
boat not in
tolerance will not be allowed to
participate.
7.
An aerated live well for each boat is mandatory. All boats will have a live
well and
compartment check before the start of the tournament by tournament officials. All
tournament
will support catch and release.
8.
At the end of competition it is the responsibility of each participant to check
in with the tournament officials.
Fishing after check in is not
allowed. A 1.00 lb. penalty for each minutes late at weigh-in up to 15
minutes will be levied. Over 15 minutes
late will result in disqualification.
9.
Tackle used shall be limited to artificial baits only with the exception of
pork baits and rinds.
10.
Only one line/fisherman is permitted to be used at any given time.
11.
Landing nets are not legal. (The tournament director will note exceptions.)
12.
A minimum fish length of 12” will be maintained. Courtesy checks will be
offered if requested. Any fish
entered under 12” that has not had a
courtesy check will be eliminated and a 1.00 lb. penalty will be
assessed.
13.
A maximum of fish per boat will be announced by the tournament director.
14.
0.25 lb. will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish entered.
15.
Dead fish will not be eligible for the lunker prize.
16.
Tie breakers will be determined 1st by the greatest number of fish entered and
2nd by the weight of the
largest single fish entered. If still a
tie, the prizes will be split.
17.
All participants must follow all
either are grounds for disqualification.
18.
Any protest must be made verbally to a tournament official before weigh begins.
19.
Boaters must have a min. of $100,000 liability insurance on their boats and a
copy will be presented with
the entry form.
20.
NO REFUNDS.
21.
The decision of the tournament committee for all rulings will be final.
STATE CONSTITUTION
OF THE
VERMONT BASS FEDERATION
INC.
