NESSA

NESSA By-Laws

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NESSA By-Laws NESSA District Committee Standing Rules 

Draft Date 2/4/2021, Updated 3/4/2021, Updated 10/29/2021

 

  1. Purpose
    1. The NESSA District Committee (“District Committee”) is a permanent standing committee established by the Board of Directors of the New England Schools Sailing Association, Inc. (“NESSA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Interscholastic Yacht Racing Association, Inc, doing business as the Interscholastic Sailing Association (“ISSA”).
    2. The purpose of the NESSA District Committee, as set forth by the NESSA Bylaws, is to run the day-to-day operations of NESSA, including, but not limited to, setting schedules, establishing, amending, and enforcing District Supplemental Rules, and other activities deemed necessary by the District Committee. Rules governing the operations and activities of the District must be approved by the NESSA Board of Directors before being placed in effect.

 

  1. NESSA Leagues and League Committees
    1. NESSA is sub-divided into seven Leagues (Fairfield County Sailing League, CT League, RI League, Mass Bay League, Cape & Island League, Coastal Sailing Alliance, Northern League (VT, NH, ME)).
    2. The District Committee may create a League Committee within each League to coordinate scheduling and operations within the League. The League Committees act as a standing subcommittee to the District Committee, and its decisions are subject to final approval by the District Committee. The League Committees are not authorized to change rules, obligate NESSA contractually, or manage funds.
    3. Additional Leagues may be created by the NESSA Board of Directors.

 

  1. Membership and Dues
    1. The Member Schools of NESSA are the High Schools within the District who are members in good standing with ISSA and have paid all required ISSA and NESSA dues.
    2. The District Committee shall set and communicate annual team dues for each school year.

 

  1. NESSA District Committee Structure and Selection
    1. The District Committee shall be elected by a vote of the District High Schools and shall consist of the District Director plus seven or more individuals with at least one representative from each established League.
    1. A nominating committee appointed by the NESSA Corporate President will make nominations for the District Committee Members and District Director who will be elected by a simple majority vote of the membership present at the Annual District Meeting. This nominating committee will be comprised of one to three members who may be from the current board of directors, past officers/directors, or parents with extensive experience in high school sailing.  The Nominating Committee will consider recommendations from the Leagues and District High Schools.
    1. The District Committee and District Director will serve a one-year term.
    1. The District Committee shall elect officers (other than the District Director) from within its membership. These officers shall include one League Representative for each established League. In addition to the elected District Committee members, the NESSA President may appoint additional individuals to the NESSA District Committee so that the Committee will be comprised of no less than five and no more than nine members in addition to the District Director. The term of all appointed committee members shall be one year.
    1. The District Director is defined in ISSA rules and shall represent NESSA on the ISSA Board of Directors. The District Committee shall appoint one other individual to be the second NESSA representative on the ISSA Board of Directors. This individual may or may not be a current member of the District Committee. The term of this appointment shall be one year.
    1. In the event a vacancy occurs for any position on the District Committee during any Term, the remaining elected District Committee Members may appoint a replacement to serve in that position for the remainder of the then current term.
    1. A League Representative elected by the leagues to the District Committee shall act as chair of the League Committee for their respective League. In addition, the District Committee may appoint additional individuals to the League Committees so that they are comprised of three to five individuals. The term for League Committee members shall be one year.

 

  1. Meetings
    1. The District Committee shall meet regularly on a schedule set by the NESSA District Director. The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep records of these meetings, which shall be made available to District High Schools and to the NESSA Board of Directors.
    1. Each League Committee shall meet regularly on a schedule set by the League Representatives, who shall ensure that records of these meetings are kept and shared with the District Committee.
    1. The NESSA Annual District Meeting shall be held during the school year, and the time and place shall be selected by the NESSA District Director and published on the NESSA website with a minimum of ten (10) days advance written notice. The NESSA District Director shall be responsible for the conduct of the meeting.
    1. At the Annual District Meeting, the District Director shall make a report to the District High Schools on the business of NESSA and plans for the upcoming year.
    1. Each District High School representative present at the Annual District Meeting shall have one vote. The person listed as the Primary Administrator in the hssailing.org website as of seven days before the annual meeting shall cast the vote for the District High School unless they have authorized a proxy to vote for the District High School by emailing a signed and dated proxy form to the NESSA President or their designee prior to the meeting. No proxy shall be effective beyond six months from the date it is signed. Each individual person may represent only one school.

 

  1. Amendments
    1. Amendments to these Standing Rules may be proposed by the NESSA District Committee but must be approved by the NESSA Board of Directors. Amendments to the District Supplemental Rules may be made by a majority vote of the District Committee but are subject to the approval of the District Board of Directors