Our club’s bylaws were last updates in January 2019, and a lot has changed since then. One of the many things that has changed is the rules that Washington’s laws about nonprofit governance. New requirements for nonprofit organizations (ERCU is a 501(c)(4) organization registered with the state) write and maintain their governance documents. To stay in compliance, ERCU needs to bring its bylaws up to date.
According to our current bylaws, the document may only be updated by a vote of the registered ERCU members in good standing (a member with dues paid in full). Proposed changes must be presented, in writing, by the Chair to the membership by November 1. By November 14, the board shall submit an electronic ballot regarding the bylaws change for the ERCU members to vote by November 21. All ballots will be directed to the Chair, who will scrutinize the vote results with the secretary.
The Board has used this as a chance to do more than the legal minimum. We’ve drafted a full revision that clarifies how the club is run, modernizes how we communicate and vote, and adds protections for members. The proposed bylaws, dated November 1, 2026, are available by clicking here.
Highlights of the proposed changes
Governance and accountability
- The “Contest Board” becomes the ERCU Board of Directors, and officer titles are now gender-neutral (for example, “Chair” instead of “Chairman”).There is a new code of conduct for Board members. It covers integrity, respect toward members, volunteers, sponsors and the public, and compliance with applicable laws.There is a new conflict of interest policy. Board members must disclose any financial or personal interest in a matter, sit out discussion and voting on it, and have the disclosure recorded in the minutes.The Board will hold a review of club finances at least once a year, in a meeting open to the membership.
Board structure and voting
- Seven officer positions are defined: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer/Registrar, Statistician, Race Coordinator, Technical/Scale Inspector, and a new Officer At Large.The Board must have between five and seven members.Board terms now run on a fixed schedule, November 1 to October 31, instead of ending at the year-end banquet.Proxy voting is eliminated. Board members can instead attend and vote electronically, and the Chair can manage email or text votes between meetings.The free race entry for Board members has been removed.To vote in Board elections, members must have a registered boat and have paid their annual dues.
Racing rules
- A Competition Committee, appointed by the Chair, will manage the ERCU Racing Rules.The committee can issue written Competition Directives during the season to fix problems as they come up. Each directive automatically becomes a proposed rule change for the offseason review.Rule changes will go to the membership for a vote and need a two-thirds majority to pass.
Meetings and communication
- A quorum is four Board members, present in person or electronically.At least 5 days’ notice of any meeting must be posted on the club website and emailed to all members.Bylaw amendments and removal votes move from mailed ballots to electronic ballots.
Member protections
- There is a new formal appeals process. Any scale, technical, or disciplinary decision must be explained to the member in writing within 7 days. The member can appeal to the Board and then, if needed, to the full membership by secret ballot.Removing a Board member now requires stated cause, such as misconduct or non-participation. The petition threshold for members to start a removal vote drops from 20% to 10%, and the $30 petition fee is gone.
Awards
- The year-end awards list now includes the ERCU Hall of Fame, Contest Director of the Year, and Sponsor of the Year.The Board is responsible for supplying banquet trophies.
What happens next
All members in good standing (current season’s dues paid) will be able to vote on the proposed bylaws. Watch your email for the ballot, expected by November 14.Please take some time to read through the full proposal. If you have questions or comments, contact Nelson Holmberg at nelson@skidfin.biz or bring them to the End of Season Celebration on November 7.Thank you for helping keep ERCU strong, fair and racing for many years to come!