Paducah Chess Club Bylaws

Section 1: Location

The official address of the Paducah Chess Club office for the purposes of receiving correspondence, process services, and establishing financial accounts is 433 Jefferson Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42001.

Section 2: Membership

  1. Prospective Members must apply for Membership with the Secretary.
  2. New Membership Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Committee within 30 days.
  3. New Members may be approved with a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee. New Membership decisions may be decided by the Executive Committee without calling an official Executive Meeting. The new Member will be recognized as such and will gain all of the rights and benefits of Membership upon payment of any Dues associated with Membership.
  4. In addition to the benefits guaranteed to each Member by the Club’s Constitution, each Member is also entitled to these benefits:
    1. Three Vouchers for registration in any Club tournaments during the calendar year for which the Member has paid dues. Vouchers may be redeemed during the pre-registration period for any Club event.
    2. The right to be present at any Club event or meeting.
    3. The right to be heard by the Executive Committee at any Executive Meeting during the period designated for Member comments before any vote or at the end of the meeting. Each Member is allowed up to five minutes to comment on any individual matter..
  5. Membership Applications may be denied by the Executive Committee for any reason, provided that reason is not prejudicial in any way that violates Article III, Section 1 of the Club’s Constitution.

Section 3: Dues

  1. Dues are established at a rate of $75 annually beginning January 1, 2024.
  2. Dues must be paid in full to the Treasurer on or before January 1 for renewing Members. Membership Benefits, including the right to vote, shall be suspended for any Member who fails to pay their Dues on or before January 14. Membership shall be revoked for any Member who fails to pay their dues on or before January 31.
  3. Dues paid by new Members during the course of the year shall be prorated on a monthly basis.
  4. Members who allow their Membership to be revoked for non-payment of Dues must apply for Membership and will be subject to the Membership Application and review process.

Section 4: Conduct and Ethics

  1. This Section applies to the speech and conduct of Members at any Club gathering, meeting, or event, and in any public forum connected to the Club, including social media.
  2. Any fines levied against a Member as a penalty for infringement of Bylaws in this section are due immediately to the Treasurer. All Membership benefits for the offending Member shall be suspended until the fine is paid.
  3. All allegations of misconduct by Members will be investigated by the Executive Committee. If the allegations are found to be true, penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the Bylaw that was broken.
  4. Any Officer of the Executive Committee alleged to have committed misconduct under this Section shall recuse themselves from any investigation or ruling. 
  5. If all of the Officers of the Executive Committee are alleged to have committed misconduct under this Section, leaving no one to investigate or rule on the matter, the matter shall be brought before the general Membership and a simple majority of the votes cast will determine the judgment.
  6. Penalties for any behavior or speech that infringes on Bylaws in this Section should depend on the severity of the infringement and may include at least one of the following:
    1. Reprimand. Each official reprimand should be recorded by the Secretary in the Member’s file.
    2. A monetary fine.
    3. Temporary suspension of some or all Member benefits.
    4. Revocation of Membership.
  7. Harassment of any person attending any event or meeting hosted by or organized by the Club is prohibited. Harassment is defined as any unwanted behavior, physical, verbal, or suggested, that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed.
  8. Abuse of any person attending any event or meeting hosted by or organized by the Club is prohibited. Abuse is defined as language or behavior that is violent, cruel, belittling, or otherwise intended to harm, insult, or humiliate another Member.
  9. Sexually-explicit language and material is prohibited. Sexually-explicit is defined as any communication, language, or material, including a photographic or video image, that relates to or describes sexual conduct. When considering penalties for this Bylaw, the Executive Committee may consider the age, sex, and gender of the offender and the witnessing Members and adjust the penalty appropriately.
  10. Promoting, selling, or otherwise marketing any product, service, or event not endorsed by the Club is prohibited unless approved in advance by the Executive Committee.
  11. Intentionally breaking the rules of chess or chess tournaments during any USCF or FIDE sanctioned event is prohibited. This applies to any USCF or FIDE event or tournament regardless of whether the event or tournament is hosted, organized, or directed by the Club.