Constitution

General

• The name of the club is the Limerick Chess Club (the Club).
• The object of the club is the promotion of chess in the Limerick region.
• In pursuance of this, the club organises and participates in various competitions and leagues, as individual players and as club teams.

Membership

Membership of the club is open to all, subject to the following:

• That they support the objectives of the club.
• That they pay all subscriptions due, which are determined by the committee from time to time. Current season membership fees are Seniors €60 and Juniors €30, to be paid by the end of the first round of club competitions.
• Senior members who have paid their current fee are allowed to enrol their children who are juniors (under age 18 at the start of the current season) for no extra fee.

Meetings

An Annual General Meeting open to all members of the club is held each year. The AGM is held on either the first or second Wednesday (Thursday from 2022) of September, and there is one AGM in each playing year.

Should the committee or five ordinary members request it, the Secretary calls an Extraordinary General Meeting within fourteen days of such a request, provided that this lies within the playing year. If it lies outside the playing year, the officers meet within two weeks to determine the date for the meeting, which is not later than the second meeting day of the new season. The request is in the form of a motion and only this motion is discussed.

The normal agenda for the AGM includes: minutes of the previous meeting (including any EGM since the last AGM); the Secretary’s report; the Treasurer’s report; election of President, if necessary; election of officers; and election of other committee members.

The quorum for all general meetings is seven members. Should a quorum not be present within thirty minutes of the start of the meeting, it stands adjourned for seven days, reconvening at the same time and if possible the same place. At this meeting any number is deemed to form a quorum, provided that at least two members of the executive are present. In the absence of the Chairman, the executive may appoint any member of the club to chair any meeting.

Should any officer be no longer able to carry out his or her duties, the executive may appoint another member of the club to assume the office until the next AGM. The President of the club, after being elected by the AGM, remains President for as long as he or she wishes, provided that they remain a member. If at the AGM the President wishes to continue in office, he or she does so unopposed and no election takes place.

Voting at all general meetings is confined to club members. All decisions are determined by simple majority, except when the motion involves changes to the constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman has a second casting vote.

Committee

• At each AGM a committee is elected to run the affairs of the club for a term of one year.
• The committee consists of the officers of the club and two ordinary members. Team captains are ex-officio members of the committee.
• The committee has overall responsibility for running the club and meets as it sees fit. The officers, who form the executive, oversee the various activities of the club and call on the full committee only when required.
• The committee has the power to suspend any member of the club who it feels has brought the club into disrepute.

Officers

At the AGM the following officers are elected:

• President, if necessary, who is an ex-officio member of the committee.
• Chairman, who presides over all meetings of the club.
• Secretary, who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, handling all correspondence, managing the club teams and any other duties delegated by the committee.
• Treasurer, who is responsible for all financial matters including collecting subscriptions, making payments as required and furnishing a set of annual accounts for the AGM.

Rules

The committee produces a book of rules which is binding on all members. The rules cover: (a) the format of the club competitions; (b) rules of play for the club competitions; (c) the format and composition of club teams; (d) rules of conduct while attending the club premises; and (e) subscriptions.

Adopted at a General Meeting of the Limerick Chess Club on 13 September 1995. Amended at the General Meeting on 4 September 1996. Amended at the General Meeting on 8 September 1999. Amended (club membership fees) at the General Meeting on 18 September 2019.

Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.