Bylaws of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Association Incorporated in the State of Texas
Revised: 02 AUG 2015 (Version 1.3)
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ARTICLE I

The name of the organization shall be the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation which is incorporated in the State of Texas.

ARTICLE II

The purpose of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall be to promote Texas fiddling, improve Texas fiddling contests, sponsor an annual convention and contest, and publish a monthly newsletter for benefit of the members.

ARTICLE III

Officers for the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall consist of a six member Board of Directors, one of which shall serve as President. The officers shall be elected for two-year terms by a majority of the voting membership. Officers may be re-elected to serve consecutive terms in office. Officers shall be nominated by committee. President and three board members shall constitute a quorum for Directors Meetings.

A. Duties of President:

  1. They shall be responsible for all business of the Association.
  2. They shall be designated as the legal chief officer of the corporation.
  3. They shall designate one Director as Treasurer and one Director as Secretary.
  4. They shall be responsible for printing and mailing a monthly newsletter, the expenses of which shall be paid by the Association. This function may be delegated.
  5. They shall have the authority to write checks for necessary expenses of the Association.
  6. They shall be reimbursed expenses for travel and accommodations only for necessary Association business and if authorized by a majority of the Board of Directors.
  7. They shall have the right to appoint committees as needed concerning Association business.

B. Duties of Board of Directors:

  1. They shall aid and advise the President.
  2. They shall audit the books kept by the President and report to the convention.
  3. They shall select a date and place and formulate plans for a yearly convention and contest.
  4. They shall serve as approval committee for judges.
  5. They shall have the right to suspend members not complying with Association rules.
  6. They shall have the right to remove and ban members from judging in the event of misconduct.
  7. They shall have the right to appoint committees as needed concerning Association business.
  8. They shall be reimbursed expenses for travel and accommodations only for necessary Association business and if authorized by a majority of the Board of Directors.

C. Duties of Treasurer:

  1. They shall be designated as an officer of the corporation.
  2. They shall open or maintain an account at a bank to handle all money for the Association and shall have the authority to write checks for necessary expenses.
  3. They shall keep a written record of all income and expenses and offer the books for audit once each year.
  4. They shall be responsible for all yearly taxes, corporate fees, and filings necessary for the corporation at the federal, state and local levels.

D. Duties of Secretary:

  1. They shall be designated as an officer of the corporation.
  2. They shall maintain all Association correspondence, Board meeting minutes, legal documents and other documents and assist the Treasurer with legal filings.

ARTICLE IV

Section 1:

Membership in the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall consist of two types: Musician (contest fiddler or contest accompanist) and Associate (parent, supporter, sponsor, etc.). All members shall receive a copy of the monthly newsletter in electronic or paper form.

Section 2:

The duties of all members shall be to fully support and stand behind the Bylaws of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association, to participate in as many Association approved activities as possible, to report news of events in their area to the newsletter, and to encourage all parties to become members of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association.

Section 3:

There will be no grace period for membership renewal. A person paying dues with a check or credit card that is returned or rejected will be removed from the membership rolls and contest directors will be notified that the person's membership is invalid until such time as the dues are paid. Members will be notified that dues are payable by notice on their newsletter or by email if the newsletter is received in that manner. Only approved contests will be listed in the newsletter, except for paid advertisements. New recording releases may be announced in the newsletter for TOTFA members only. A copy of each issue of The Texas Fiddler will be sent to the Library of Congress. Back issues or extra copies of the newsletter may be ordered if they are available.

ARTICLE V

Section 1:

The business of the Association requiring a vote of the membership shall be conducted at the annual convention. A quorum for the convention shall be 25 voting members plus a majority of the officers. Issues shall be passed with a majority of the vote for, or defeated by a majority of the vote against, except for revisions and amendments to the Bylaws. Revisions and amendments shall require a two-thirds majority of the vote at the convention.

Section 2:

Any necessary business between conventions shall be handled by the President and Board of Directors. The minutes of each Directors Meeting shall be printed in the following monthly newsletter. Policies approved by the Board of Directors during the year shall be presented to the membership as minutes at the Annual Convention. If these minutes are accepted by the voting members at the convention, the policies will become accepted policies of the Association. This does not include revisions and amendments to the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI

The Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall maintain a list of standard contest rules and rules for becoming an Association Approved Contest and these contests are required to adopt these rules in order to remain Association Approved Contest. No person may compete in an Association Approved Contest unless they are a Musician Member.

ARTICLE VII
General Provisions:

A. Approved Contest Judges List: Musician Members shall be eligible to judge any TOTFA approved contest and, by default, is considered to be on the Approved Contest Judges List.

B. Removing judges from Approved Contest Judges List: A judge may be removed from the Approved Contest Judges List for showing consistent prejudice for or against any contestant, or for repeatedly displaying a lack of knowledge and understanding of Texas fiddling. Judges may be temporarily or permanently removed by the Board of Directors when, upon investigation of Musician member’s complaints, just cause is shown.

C. Musicians shall have the right to file complaints against judges: Musician members of the Association shall have the right to file complaints against judges when, after due consideration, they feel some particular judge is discriminating against any member of the Association. Complaints shall be written, signed by the member, and filed with the President of the Association. No musician will be negatively impacted or discriminated against for filing a complaint.

D. Suspension of members from the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association: Any Musician member who resigns from the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association will be suspended. The suspension will last for a period of one year from the date of his or her resignation. Names of persons being suspended shall be listed in the newsletter. The member under suspension shall not receive the newsletter nor receive refund of any dues. Suspended members shall not be allowed to compete in any Association approved contests. If a member is suspended two times, he or she will have to appear before the membership at the annual convention if he or she wishes to be reinstated.

E. Approved contests not following standard contest rules: In the event that a contest agrees to follow the standard contest rules, but plainly is not set up to do so at the time the contest occurs, it shall be the responsibility of all Association members present to persuade the contest officials to follow the rules. Should the official refuse, the Musician Members of the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association shall not compete in the contest.

F. Judges and Judging: Three complaints in writing against a judge will warrant an investigation by the Board of Directors. A Director should be one of the judges for the State Championship Contest. Judges may call for any category of tune. Judges may not call for a specific tune to be played in a contest. Three judges will be used to judge a contest if at all possible.

G. Registration: A contestant must be a member in good standing to register for competition; however, this requirement is waived for fiddlers 13 years or age of younger for one (1) contest per year and for any contest held in their county of residence, as an incentive to become a member. A contestant must be present in order to register for a contest.

H. Alcohol: The control of alcohol and persons under the influence is the responsibility of contest sponsors and directors, not the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association, its President, or members of the Board of Directors.

I. Disorderly Conduct at Contests: Any disorderly conduct at Association contests by any Association member will be subject to review by the Board of Directors and may lead to suspension of membership for up to one year. Complaints should be written and signed by the complainant and forwarded to the President, Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association.

J. Contest Approval: Contests applying for approval too late to be listed in the newsletter may be required to mail notices to the entire membership of the Association. The TOTFA Board of Directors or delegate will provide this service, and the cost will be charged to the contest organizers. No other contest will be approved for the same date as the TOTFA convention and state contest.

K. Accompanist Contests: Contestants in accompanist contests must have a Musician membership in the Association. One guitar player can be used during an accompanist contest if the contestant is a bass player.

L. Gate Fees: If an admission fee is charged, officials of the TOTFA may negotiate for a percentage of that fee to be returned to the Association.

M. Items for Sale: Individuals offering items for sale bearing Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association insignia must be approved by the Board of Directors.

N. “The Texas Fiddler” newsletter: The Texas Fiddler is the official publication of The Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association (TOTFA). The "Fiddler" is published monthly and mailed electronically or via first class mail to all current members in good standing of the Association. Extra hard copies may be ordered for $2.00 if available.

O. Advertisement Rates: Full-page ads are $100; half-page ads are $50 fourth-page ads are $30; eighth-page ads are $20.

ARTICLE VIII

Proposed revisions and amendments to the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association Bylaws shall be written and signed by a voting member, and filed with the President of the Association. The President shall turn it over to the Board of Directors for evaluation. If the Board of Directors advises for the adoption of the amendment, the President shall bring it before the membership for a vote at the next annual convention. A member proposing an amendment rejected by the Board of Directors may have a proposed amendment brought before the membership for a vote by securing the signature of 1 /3 of the voting membership to the proposed amendment and filing it with the President. The president shall be bound to bring it before the membership for a vote at the next annual convention.

ARTICLE IX

TOTFA Officers may elect to contribute TOTFA funds to any TOTFA contest and or any TOTFA function the sum of which shall not exceed $1,000,00 (One-thousand dollars) and must be approved by unanimous vote of all TOTFA officers.

Section 1:

A. Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association Guidelines for Becoming an Approved Contest:

  1. An official document outlining the guidelines and rules for becoming an Approved contest of TOTFA shall be maintained and made public to any member.
  2. Changes to this document are the responsibility of the Board of Directors.
  3. All prior versions of this document will be tracked and made public to any member upon request.

Section 2:

B. Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association Standard Contest Rules:

  1. An official document outlining the guidelines and rules for becoming an Approved contest of TOTFA shall be maintained and made public to any member.
  2. Changes to this document are the responsibility of the Board of Directors.
  3. All prior versions of this document will be tracked and made public to any member upon request.

Section 3:

Association Convention Awards:

The following are Annual Awards voted and presented each year at the Convention:

  1. Red Steeley Favorite Fiddler Award: Presented annually to the best-liked Musician Member that competes as a Fiddler, selected by all member vote. Eligible to win only once.
  2. Favorite Accompanist Award: Presented to the best-liked Musician Member that competes as an Accompanist, selected by all member vote. Eligible to win only once.
  3. Most Improved Fiddler Award: A special award to the Musician Member that competes as Fiddler in the Association who has most improved in fiddle playing ability since the last Annual Contest and Convention. Selection made by the Directors
  4. Associate Member Award: Presented annually to the Associate Member who has contributed the most to the Association and Texas Fiddling. Selected by Musician and Accompanist vote. Eligible to win only once.

The following are Special Awards:

  1. Directors' Award: A special award to honor a person or organization deemed worthy of recognition by the Board of Directors. Not an annual award.
  2. President's Award: A special award to honor a person or organization deemed worthy of recognition by the President. Not an annual award.
  3. Out-Going President's Award: An award given to each out-going president. Sponsored by TOTFA.
  4. Appreciation Award: Special award given to persons in appreciation for assistance to the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association. Not an annual award.