MONTGOMERY SYCAMORE
ISLAND CLUB

BYLAWS
(as of December 31, 2013)


1. Name and Place of Business
The name of this corporation is Montgomery Sycamore Island Club, situated on Sycamore Island (formerly Barry's Island) in the Potomac River, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The Articles of Incorporation were approved under the laws of the State of Maryland on May 15, 1889, and amended March 14, 1914, and October 28, 1974.

2. Management
The business and property of the corporation shall be controlled and managed by the members in meetings assembled, provided: that the Board of Directors shall have full power to control and manage the corporation's business and property in emergencies occurring between regular meetings of the members, except (1) any disposition of corporation property of value in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), (2) approval of the annual budget, or (3) approval of any expenditure of more than four hundred dollars ($400) in excess of such budget.

3. Elective Officers
The elective officers shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, a Financial Secretary, a Membership Secretary, an Editor, an Archivist, a Captain, a Deputy Captain, a Supervisor of Law, a Supervisor of Finance, a Supervisor of Canoeing, a Supervisor of Swimming, a Supervisor of Camping and Parties, a Supervisor of Carpentry and Painting, a Supervisor of Entertainment, a Supervisor of Clubhouse, a Supervisor of Relief Caretaking, a Supervisor of Website and a Supervisor of Grounds. They shall be elected by the members from their own number, and by a plurality vote at the annual meeting. Officers and supervisors may seek assistants from the membership as necessary.

4. Standing Committees
The standing committees shall be the following: Nominating, Safety and Personnel.

The President shall appoint the Chair of the Nominating Committee who shall form the Nominating Committee, composed of club members, and submit the names of such committee members for approval at the September monthly meeting. Other nominations to committee membership may be made from the floor. The Nominating Committee shall submit to the Recording Secretary and to the Editor a complete slate of members nominated as elective officers of the corporation which shall be published in the November issue of The Sycamore Islander.

The members of the Safety Committee shall be the Deputy Captain; the Supervisor of Canoeing; the Supervisor of Grounds; the Supervisor of Swimming; and Supervisor of Law. The Deputy Captain shall serve as Chair of the Safety Committee.

The Personnel Committee will establish the employment policy for the caretaker with regard to job description, salary and benefits and conduct an annual employee review with the caretaker. The members of the Personnel Committee shall be the President, Vice President, Captain, Deputy Captain, Treasurer, Supervisor of Law and Supervisor of Finance.

Committee members shall be members in good standing.

5. Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Recording Secretary, the Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, the Captain, the Editor and all past Presidents who are still members in good standing.

The President shall be chairman, and the Recording Secretary shall be secretary of the Board of Directors.

At least one member of the Board of Directors shall be a citizen of Maryland actually residing therein; or, if no such Maryland citizen is included in the Board of Directors, the members shall designate a Resident Agent in charge of the principle office of the corporation, which agent must be a citizen of the State of Maryland and actually residing therein.

6. Ad-Hoc Committees
Ad-Hoc committees of members may be elected by the members in meeting assembled or appointed by the President at any time, for specific purposes.

7. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of this corporation shall be the calendar year.

8. Salaries
Employees shall be paid such salaries as may be fixed by the members in meeting assembled.

9. Vacancies
A vacancy occurring in an elective office may be filled by the members at a regular or special meeting, for the remainder of the fiscal year, provided: that, in the event of a vacancy in the office of President, or in the absence or disability of the President, the Vice-President shall be acting President; and, in the event of vacancies occurring simultaneously in the offices of President and Vice-President, or in the absence or disability of both the President and Vice-President, a meeting of the members shall be held upon call of the Recording Secretary or any three Directors, at which an acting President shall be elected.

If necessary, the President may appoint an acting officer or member to serve until the vacancy is filled by the members.

10. Removal from Office
Any officer or director may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the members present and eligible to vote at a regularly called meeting, the notice of which has shown such action to be a purpose of the meeting.

11. Charges Against Members
If five members, in writing signed by them, shall charge an officer, director, or member with willful violation of these By-Laws or of any rule adopted by the members, or with malfeasance in office, or with neglect of the duties of office, and shall file such charges with the Recording Secretary or with any member of the Board of Directors, that Board shall within ten days afford the accused person a hearing if the person so desires, at which the accused and the accusers may appear in person or by attorney. After such hearing, or after waiver of such hearing by the accused, the Board of Directors, unless it finds that the charges are without foundation or are unimportant, shall present them with its recommendations, to the members at a regular or special meeting to be held within fifteen days after such hearing or decision by the Board, the purpose of which meeting shall be included in the notice thereof. The members may, at such meeting, by a two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote, remove the accused person from office, or expel the person from the club, or both. The accused shall be promptly advised by the Recording Secretary of the decision or action by the Board of Directors or the members.

12. Suspension on Charges
The members in meeting assembled may suspend a member from any office, or from the Board of Directors, pending consideration of charges against the member under the provisions of By-Law No. 11. The period of such suspension shall not exceed 60 days. A member shall not be eligible to vote while thus suspended.

13. Membership
Membership shall be limited to 160 Regular members resident in the Washington, D.C. area. A member may be a single person, a couple, or a family living under the same roof. Each club member so defined is entitled to one vote.

If a regular member is a couple who become separated or divorced, each partner may remain a full member upon written request to the Membership Secretary, entitled to one vote each.   Each must pay full membership dues, and will be carried as an overage to the limit on Regular membership pending the next vacancy.

14. Dues
Each member shall pay dues as established by the members in meeting assembled. Membership dues are due and payable upon a member's receipt of the annual dues notice. The dues shall be paid to the Financial Secretary annually, in advance on January first, or in four equal installments, each quarter in advance. The dues of a new member shall be pro-rated by months for the quarter during which the member's application is approved, and payment of dues shall begin on the first day of the month following such approval.

The Waiting List Fee assessed against applicants on the Club waiting list is due and payable upon an applicant's receipt of the annual notice.

15. Expulsion for Non-Payment of Dues
A member whose dues have not been received by the Financial Secretary by April 1, or in the case of quarterly payers, by Feb. 1, April 1, July 1, and Oct. 1, shall be dropped from membership, without advance notice to the member required.

Any applicant whose fee is not received by the Financial Secretary by April 1 shall be withdrawn from the waiting list without advance notice to the applicant required.

Members or applicants who seek reinstatement shall be obliged to reapply as new applicants, unless there are extenuating circumstances as determined by the Membership Secretary.

16. Resignation
A member who wishes to resign shall so notify the Financial Secretary in writing, whereupon at their next meeting the members may accept the resignation and fix its effective date. Such member shall be liable for all dues and other debts to the Corporation accruing prior to the effective date of resignation; if not paid, such member shall be recorded as resigning not in good standing.

17. Inactive Membership
A Regular member in good standing may be moved to Inactive Membership. Inactive Membership may be granted: a) to those who move away from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for a period of one year or more; or b) to those who must for compelling personal reasons reduce their commitment to the Club for one year or longer while remaining in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

A Regular member moving away as in a) shall be granted Inactive Membership status upon written request to the Membership Secretary.

A Regular member not leaving the area as in b) may make a written request for Inactive Membership to the Membership Secretary. The Membership Secretary will make a recommendation on such application to the Club at its next meeting for the Club's decision.

Inactive members must remove all their personal gear from the Club premises and are not eligible to be assigned a locker or canoe rack.

Inactive members shall pay one-fourth of the annual Club dues, and do not count against the overall membership limit for the Club.

Inactive members have no voting rights in the Club.

Inactive members are welcome to participate in Club events, such as workfests, and inactive members from out of town are welcome to visit the Island when in town.

An Inactive Member wishing reinstatement as a Regular member may be returned to Regular membership upon written request to the Membership Secretary, and will be carried as an overage to the limit on Regular membership pending the next vacancy.

18. Senior Membership
A regular member in good standing who has maintained that status for 20 years or more may apply in writing to the Membership Secretary for Senior Membership. Such application shall be approved and reported to the next Club meeting. A Senior Member shall be entitled to use of the Club facilities as specified in the Standing Rules.

A senior member shall pay one-half of the regular Club dues.

A senior member may apply in writing to the Membership Secretary for the resumption of Regular Membership and shall be reinstated when the first Regular Membership becomes available.

19. Honorary Membership
Any member for twenty-five years or more who has resigned in good standing, or any person who has rendered unusual and outstanding service to the Club, may be elected an honorary member of the Club, on written recommendation by a member citing the nominee's service and qualifications.

An honorary member shall be entitled, without dues, to the use of the Club facilities as specified in the Standing Rules. An honorary member shall receive The Sycamore Islander each month, may vote at club meetings and hold elective office.

20. Service Membership
A Service Member will have full privileges and obligations of membership during a contracted period of service, with Regular Membership to be accorded upon successful completion of the service contract. Contract terms and recommendation of a candidate for Service Membership shall be determined by the elected Officers of the Club and shall be approved by the membership by majority vote at a regular meeting of the Club. Should the position filled by a Service Member be that of an elected Supervisor or Officer of the Club, the approving vote shall also elect to the position.

21. The Sycamore Islander
There shall be issued not less than five days nor more than ten days before the monthly meeting a bulletin or publication to be called The Sycamore Islander.

This shall contain all official Club notices to members and to all applicants on the Waiting List, including notices or meetings, reports on all important actions taken by members in meeting assembled or by the Board of Directors, and all matters proposed for consideration at forthcoming meetings. There shall also be included other news of the Club and items of interest to members.

22. Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of the members shall be held on the second Wednesday of December.

23. Regular Meetings
Regular meetings of the members shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month, the December meeting being combined with the Annual Meeting.

24. Special Meeting
A special meeting of the members may be called at any time by the President.

A special meeting of the members must be called by the President to be held within fifteen days after submission to the Recording Secretary, or to any member of the Board of Directors, of a written request therefor, stating the purpose of the meeting, signed by at least five members, unless a regular meeting of the members will occur within the fifteen day period.

The notice of the special meeting of the members shall state the business to be transacted, and no business not necessary to the announced purpose of the special meeting shall be transacted.

25. Meetings of the Board of Directors
A meeting of the Board of Directors may be called by the President whenever he deems it necessary or must be called upon the request of three members of the Board.

26. Notice of Meetings
Notice of every meeting of the members or the Board of Directors shall be given to all those eligible to vote, by means of The Sycamore Islander, or by a special notice, in either case to be placed in the mail, postage prepaid, addressed to each person's last known address, at least five days before the date of such meeting.

27. Place of Meetings
All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at Sycamore Island, or at such other place in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia as may be designated by the President and stated in the notices of the respective meetings.

28. Quorum
Ten or more members present in person and eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the members.

Five or more members present in person and eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the Board of Directors.

29. Majority Vote
Except as otherwise provided by the By-Laws or Standing Rules or by action of the members in meeting assembled, a majority of the votes cast by members eligible to vote shall suffice for approval and adoption of all motions, resolutions and other matters at all meetings of the members, the Board of Directors, or standing committees.

30. Adjournment
Any meeting of the members or of the Board of Directors may be adjourned by the President or those present and eligible to vote, to a later fixed date for any good cause.

31. Order of Business
The regular meetings of the members shall be conducted in accordance with the following order of business:

  • Approval or correction of minutes of the last preceding regular meeting of the members and of any intervening meetings of the Board of Directors;
  • Communications;
  • Treasurer's monthly report;
  • Financial Secretary's report on deposits and delinquents;
  • Captain's report on activities, revolving funds, etc.;
  • Membership Secretary's report, and action on membership matters;
  • Other committee reports;
  • Annual reports of the Treasurer, Finance Committee on Audit and Budget, and Archivist;
  • Report of the Nominating Committee, nominations from the floor, election of officers, etc.;
  • Elections to fill officer vacancies;
  • Appointment or discharge of ad-hoc committees; Unfinished business;
  • New business;
  • Adjournment.
32. Standing Rules
The members in regularly called meeting assembled may adopt such Standing Rules as they deem necessary to implement, supplement, or explain the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, these By-Laws, or the policies and procedures of the Corporation, and the management of the Club. Such Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, or abolished by a majority vote of the members present and eligible to vote at any members' meeting, the notice of which has shown such action to be a purpose of the meeting.

33. Master Copy
The Recording Secretary shall keep a master copy of the By-laws and Standing Rules, together with a current list of the officers, directors, and chairmen of standing committees, on file at all times for inspection by members or other authorized persons.

34. Amendments
No amendment or revision of these By-Laws shall be made until notice thereof shall have been given to all members with notice of the meeting at which it is to be considered, in accordance with the provision of these By-Laws with respect to members' meetings, and until two-thirds of the members present and eligible to vote at such meeting shall vote in favor of adoption of such amendment or revision.



Modifications to the Bylaws in 2013


  • None