Orleans Women's Tennis Club

Home Page         Officers and Chairmen  Sportmanship Awards             Challenge Board

       By-Laws          Crescent City Leagues        Events       Holidays

ORLEANS WOMEN’S TENNIS CLUB
CITY PARK
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
FOUNDED 1935   
BY-LAWS   
REVISED – SEPTEMBER 30, 2004   

Revised - September 12, 2007

ARTICLE 1 -  NAME  

Section 1.            The name of this Club shall be Orleans Women’s Tennis Club. 

ARTICLE ll – PURPOSE  

Section 1.         The purpose of this Club is to extend to qualified women the opportunity to
  
participate in tennis. 

ARTICLE lll – MEMBERSHIP  

Section 1.         The membership of the Club shall consist of active and honorary members.           

a.       Active members shall have the privilege of voting, holding office, serving on committees, participating in tournaments, challenging for ranking board positions, and receiving club trophies and awards.

b.      Honorary membership is extended only to members of the Club having 30 years of membership and upon reaching their 60th birthday.  Honorary membership will begin the first day of the month following their 60th  birthday.  Honorary members shall have all the privileges extended to active members.

Section 2.         Total membership shall be limited to 150 active members, excluding honorary members 

Section 3.         The minimum age requirement for membership is 18 years of age 

Section 4.         Prospective members must call the 2nd Vice-President to place their name on the

                         waiting list.  If a new member has a USTA or STA ranking or if prior knowledge of a

                         ranking is known, a grounds test will not be necessary.  Instead of a grounds test, a

                         meeting will be arranged to collect the initiation fee, dues and hand out the

                         membership packet of a welcoming letter, roster, by-laws, and court etiquette rules. 

Section 5.         Former members who have resigned in good standing (no dues owed) will be placed          

                         at #5 on the waiting list upon reapplying for membership..

Section 6.         Active junior members will be place at #5 on the waiting list, or immediately behind

                         former members, when applying for membership.  Preference will be given to former

                         women members.  Active junior members who do not apply for membership within

                         30 days of notification by the Treasurer will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.                     

Section 7.        The waiting list is unlimited.
 

ARTICLE lV – DUES  

Section 1.        The dues for an active member are payable in advance, annually, and MUST BE

                        RECEIVED BY THE TREASURER BY SEPTEMBER 30.   A written reminder will

                        be sent at least 30 days prior to the fiscal year.  Members not complying with the above

                        will be sent written notice of termination.

Section 2.        New members are required to pay an initiation fee of $45.00 in addition to regular dues. 

Section 3.        Former members are required to pay a re-entry fee of $15.00 in addition to regular dues. 

Section 4.       All officers of the Club and webmaster will pay 50% of annual dues.  The banquet fee for the

                       Banquet Chairperson will be paid by the Club..

Section 5.        Honorary members will not pay dues. 

Section 6.        Resignations must be given to the Treasurer in writing 15 days before the end of any

                        month.  Dues are refundable upon resignation, providing someone else fills the

                        vacancy by the first of the following month.                                        

Section 7.        All fees for league play will be paid by participants and not OWTC. 

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.        The officers of this Club shall be President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President,

                        Secretary and Treasurer. 

Section 2.        Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting and vacancies of office shall be filled as

                        hereinafter provided.

a.       In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of President, the 1st Vice- President shall serve as President until the next elected President takes office.  The 1st Vice-President shall then appoint a member of the Grounds Committee to serve as Chairperson of said committee, until the next elected chairperson takes office.

b.      In the event of a vacancy occurring in any other office or on the Grounds Committee, the President shall appoint a replacement, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, to serve until the next elected person takes office.

c.       Any person nominated and elected to be President of OWTC must have previously served one year on the Executive Committee

Section 3.      No President, Vice-President, Treasurer or Secretary may hold the same office for

                      more than two consecutive years.

Section 4.      Officers of the Club shall perform the duties as are specified in the By-laws. 

Section 5.      The President shall:

                        Serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee and preside at all meetings.

Deliver an annual report at the annual meeting.  Serve as a non-voting member of  all committees, except the committee on nominations.  In case of inability to attend, the President shall appoint an alternate.  After the election of officers, and prior to the next fiscal year, call a meeting of newly elected officers and grounds committee members, for the purpose of an orderly delivery of all records and club properties to new officers and grounds committee members and a discussion and review of duties of all.

Section 6.        The 1st Vice-President (Tournament Chairperson) shall:

Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.  Serve as Chairperson of the Grounds Committee.  Be in charge of all tournaments. 

Section 7.        The 2nd Vice-President (Membership Chairperson) shall:

Be responsible for the membership waiting list.  Be responsible for taking new members into the Club and collecting initiation fees and dues.  Serve on the Grounds Committee but with no additional duties. 

Section 8.        The Secretary shall:

Keep the minutes of all meetings of the Club and the Executive Committee.  Conduct the general correspondence of the Club.  Send notices of the time and place of all meetings.  Preserve all papers, letters and transactions of the Club.  Compile and distribute an accurate roster with names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all members of the Club and submit a copy of members names only annually to the General Manager of City Park 

Section 9.        The Treasurer shall:

Receive and have charge of all funds of the Club, deposit such funds in a bank, provide for the ordinary expenditure of such funds, and secure approval of the  Executive Committee.  Report to the Executive Committee the financial standing of the Club whenever requested to do so.  Keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.  Present a written report of receipts and disbursements and financial standing of the Club at its annual meeting (and an addendum as of the last day of the fiscal year).  Call any members who have not paid dues one week before they are due on September 30. 

ARTICLE Vl - COMMITTEES AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES 

Section 1.        The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice

                            President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Grounds Committee. 

                         The Executive Committee shall:

                        Have full control of the management of the Club and have authority to disburse club monies. 

Section 2.         The Grounds Committee shall be composed of the 1st Vice-President, who serves as

                         Chairperson, the 2nd Vice-President, and six (6) members elected at the annual

                         meeting.  The Grounds Committee shall have management of the following

                         courts and court hours; Ranking Board; Tournaments; Challenge Matches; Grounds

                         Tests.  In performing these duties, the committee shall follow current policies adopted

                         by the membership at annual meetings.  The committee shall have the prerogative to

                         make ground rules not already covered by any of the enclosed articles, subject to the

                         approval of the Executive Committee. 

Section 3.         The Nominating Committee shall be composed of five members excluding present

                         officers, appointed by the President in the 9th month of the fiscal year, to prepare a

                         ticket, consisting of one or more nominees for each office.  Members of the Nominating

                         Committee are not barred form becoming nominees for office.  This ticket shall be

                         presented to the membership at the annual meeting.  Nominations will be accepted from

                         the floor.  Any absent member may be nominated from the floor at the annual meeting

                         provided that member has been previously approached and has agreed to accept said

                         office if elected 

Section 4.        The Banquet Chairperson shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. 

ARTICLE Vll – ELECTIONS 

Section 1.        The President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be

                        elected  at the annual meeting of this Club.  These officers shall serve for one year or

                        until their successors are elected. 

Section 2.        The six members of the Grounds Committee shall be elected at the annual meeting of

                        the Club and shall serve for one year or until their successors are elected. 

Section 3.        Term of office shall commence the first day of the fiscal year following the annual

                        meeting at which the election takes place. 

Section 4.        All elections shall be secret ballot. 

Section 5.       At the annual meeting the President shall appoint tellers who shall act as inspectors of

                       the election. 

Section 6.       A majority vote of those present shall constitute an election 

Section 7.       No employees or persons affiliated with City Park Management may sit on the OWTC board. 

ARTICLE Vlll – MEETINGS 

Section 1.      The annual meeting to be held in the 12th month of the fiscal year, on a date other than

                      that of the banquet. 

Section 2.      The order of business of each annual meeting of this Club shall be in accordance with

                      accepted policy of the parliamentary procedure and shall include

                      Call to order; minutes of the previous meeting; report of the President; reports of the

                      committees; other business; election of officers; adjournment.

Section 3.      Special meetings of this Club may be called by the Executive Committee, and shall be

                      called by the President upon the written request of a majority of Club members. 

Section 4.      Notices of annual and special meetings of this Club shall be sent to all the membership

                      30 days prior to a meeting. 

ARTICLE  lX – QUORUM 

Section 1.      Four members of the Executive Committee, one of whom shall be President or the 1st

                      Vice-President, and at least 21 additional members (25 total), shall constitute a quorum

                      for the transaction of business at any meeting or special meeting of the Club. 

Section 2.      A majority of the Executive Committee, including the President or 1st Vice-President,

                      shall constitute a quorum at any Executive Committee meeting. 

Section 3.      A majority of the members of any standing or special committee shall constitute a

                      quorum. 

ARTICLE X – CALENDAR YEAR 

Section 1.      The fiscal year of this Club shall be October 1 – September 30. 

ARTICLE Xll – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

Section 1.       The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern meetings of the

                       Club in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent

                       with these by-laws 

ARTICLE Xlll – GUESTS 

Section 1.       At no time are guest allowed on club courts, only members of the Men’s City Park

                      Tennis Club.  This applies to women’s and men’s contract courts and additional courts

                      rented by either the men’s or women’s clubs. 

Section 2.      Offenders of this rule shall receive a letter of WARNING.  If offense continues,

                      member shall receive a letter of suspension from the Club for a period of not less than

                      30 days. 

ARTICLE XlV – USE OF COURTS 

Section 1.      The Club shall rent courts according to the number of members and funds in the

                      treasury.  The hours of play and number of courts shall be at the discretion of the

                      officers and the Chairperson of the Grounds Committee. 

Section 2.      First members on the grounds shall have the choice of courts, provided there are not

                      special courts allotted by the Grounds Committee.

Section 3.      If all courts are in use, members awaiting must place racquets in the fence on a first

                     come, first serve basis.  Whichever court of players completes one set first, those

                     players will vacate the court for the first group waiting to play and may in turn place a

                     racquet in the fence for additional play.  This applies to OWTC  and CPTC courts.

Section 4.     All sets, including match play and tournament play, are limited to a tie-break to be

                     played at 6-6. 

Section 5.     Match play for ranking shall have preference over other play on court designated.

Section         Courts are leased from the Men’s City Park Tennis Club who will do the negotiation of

                     each new contract with the City Park Improvement Association.  The OWTC President

                     and the board’s designated appointee will sit in on the negotiation team with City Park

                     Tennis Club. 

ARTICLE XV – TOURNAMENTS 

Section 1.      USTA rules shall apply to all tournaments. 

Section 2.      The Executive Committee will decide the nature of all tournaments.  Singles or

                      Doubles tournaments can be cancelled if less than 8 entries are received.  The

                      tournament will be replaced by a fun day.   Single and Doubles seeding shall be

                      determined as follows:

a.       The Annual Tournament shall consist of singles and doubles.  The single and doubles winners and runners-up shall be placed first and second, respectively, on the ranking board.  The singles winner will be awarded the rotating Garic Tennis Trophy for a year, which is until the next annual tournament.

b.      Three (3) fun days per year. 

Section 3.      Conflict with employment activity (not volunteer work) shall be the only reason for

                      special scheduling of tournament participants.  SPECIAL SCHEDULING WILL BE

                      MADE ONLY IF THE SCHEDULED ROUNDS OF THE TOURNAMENT WILL

                      NOT BE DELAYED. 

ARTICLE XVl – CHALLENGES 

Section 1.      Executive committee shall appoint Challenge Board Chairperson. 

Section 2       Call Challenge Board Chairperson if you wish to place a challenge.  The challenge

                      board rules are in the OWTC booklet. 

ARTICLE XVll – AMENDMENTS 

Section 1.      These by-laws may be amended at any annual meeting or special meeting called for

                      that purpose be a 2/3rds vote of the members of the voting body present.  All

                      proposed amendments shall be mailed to the membership of the Club at least 30 days

                      before the date of such meeting.                     

Section 2.      Approved amendments shall become effective the 1st day of the next fiscal year,

                      unless otherwise stated in the proposed amendment.