Convention Policies and Procedures Agreement

Following is the convention agreement between the convention host and the board of directors as approved in January 2012.

Convention Policies and Procedures Agreement
Between the Highpointers Club and the Convention Chairperson

Purpose:
This agreement is designed to protect:
A) the Highpointers Club from Convention Chairpersons who may enter into onerous contracts, plan unsuitable events, incur financial burden, and put the Club at risk, and
B) the Convention Chairperson from solely holding the contractual and financial burden of a convention in situations which are no fault of their own (such as poor attendance, venue problems, weather, economy, etc.).

This agreement is designed to create a positive, cooperative atmosphere in which the Club and the Convention Chairperson can conduct a Convention free of liability.

This agreement does not attempt to restrict or define the creative expression of the convention.

The provisions enumerated below may be modified by the mutual agreement of the Convention Chairperson and the Convention Liaison Committee Chairperson. Both parties must initial the changes.

Upon the selection of a Convention location, this agreement shall be signed immediately by the Convention Chairperson. A copy of the signed document shall be retained by the Convention Chairperson and the original signed document shall be retained by the Convention Liaison Committee Chairperson until after the Convention at which time it will be stored in the Club archives.

1. The Annual Convention Chairperson shall work in coordination with the Board of Directors through the Convention Liaison Committee, hereinafter referred to as the CLC. The Convention Chairperson is responsible for all final planning and financial decisions concerning the annual convention, with the advice of the CLC Chairperson.

2. The Convention Chairperson must be a Highpointers Club member in good standing.

3. The Club Treasurer, hereinafter referred to as the Treasurer, shall provide the Convention Chairperson with all authorization and the necessary documents to establish a Convention checking account. The Convention Chairperson shall provide the Treasurer with details concerning the Convention account, i.e., bank name and address, account number, authorized signatures, etc., within one month of account creation. Bank statements shall be provided to the Treasurer on a quarterly basis.

4. Not later than fourteen months before the opening date of the convention, the Convention Chairperson shall submit a draft budget, proposed registration fee, and schedule of events to the CLC Chairperson for review and comment. The CLC Chairperson must be immediately informed of any changes in the Convention budget and the schedule or list of events in a timely manner. The CLC Chairperson shall report convention progress to the Board of Directors, as well as any unusual or concerning changes or developments.

5. Disagreements between the Convention Chairperson and the CLC Chairperson should be resolved between them. However, if the disagreements cannot be resolved in an appropriate manner, the CLC Chairperson shall constructively and impartially describe the situation to the Board of Directors with an assessment of risk to the Club. The President has the power to resolve the disagreements, up to and including removal of the Convention Chairperson.

6. The Convention Chairperson or designated representative shall present a brief summary of the proposed dates, locations and activities at the Annual Convention prior to the convention for which he or she is Chairperson.

7. Although it is not the intent of the Convention to be a fund raising event, the Convention should be managed such that the Convention costs are covered by the Convention funds collected. The Club Treasurer shall provide financial advances to the Convention Chairperson from the Club’s general fund, as needed, with the advice of the CLC Chairperson.

8. All contracts shall be reviewed and signed by the Convention Chairperson, with a copy provided to the CLC Chairperson within 30 days of execution.

9. Copies of all registration forms and form letters shall be provided to the CLC Chairperson one month prior to distribution or publication.

10. As soon as practical but no later than January 5th of the convention year, the Convention Chairperson shall submit convention registration forms, schedules and related materials to the Club’s newsletter editor for publication.

11. The Convention Chairperson shall make every reasonable effort to accommodate last-minute registrants, and to refund registration fees up until a point when firm decisions and commitments must be made.

12. The CLC Chairperson, in conjunction with the Convention Chairperson, is responsible for collecting pertinent documents, e.g., registration forms and release forms, or copies thereof, within 30 days of the end of the Convention for storage in the Club archives.

13. Not later than 60 days after the closing date of the convention, the Convention Chairperson shall:
A. Close the convention bank account and submit all bank statements not already provided and cancelled checks to the Treasurer. If funds for a Convention are collected in a year prior to the Convention year, the bank statements for that year must be submitted to the Treasurer by January 31 of the Convention year.
B. Remit repayment of any advances to the Treasurer for deposit in the Club’s general fund.
C. Remit any remaining funds to the Treasurer for deposit in the Club’s general fund.
D. Submit a final financial statement to the Treasurer and the CLC Chairperson.
E. Submit final copies of all paid contracts, receipts (for items over $100.00) and other pertinent documents not already provided, to the Treasurer or the CLC Chairperson for historical purposes.

Provided the Convention Chairperson follows this Agreement, the Treasurer shall reimburse remunerate the Convention Chairperson for any unanticipated and unexpected financial losses following a financial review by the Treasurer and a recommendation from the Treasurer to the Board for such reimbursement.

The Board of Directors looks forward to working with the Convention Chairperson and through the CLC Chairperson to ensure a successful Highpointers Club Annual Convention for its members.

The Convention Chairperson, and the CLC Chairperson on behalf of the Board of Directors, agree to the above:

_______________________________________________________
Convention Chairperson Signature Date

_______________________________________________________
Convention Chairperson Printed Name

_______________________________________________________
CLC Chairperson Signature Date

__________________________________________________________
CLC Chairperson Printed Name

Convention Year and State: ________________________

Attachment:
Convention Agreement Checklist
Articles of the Bylaws pertaining to the Convention, Convention Chairperson, and CLC Chairperson

Articles of Bylaws Pertaining to the Convention, Convention Chairperson,
and CLC Chairperson.

HIGHPOINTERS CLUB BYLAWS

1.4 Annual Convention, Annual Banquet, and Membership Meetings

A. Annual Convention
The annual Convention shall be held at a time and place determined by a vote of the membership attending the membership meeting two years prior to the Convention in question. The Convention shall be held in a location that facilitates climbing a nearby state highpoint. In addition, the location of the Convention will alternate between the Northeast, South, Midwest and West geographical regions of the United States. (See Appendix A for geographical region definition.) The only events sanctioned as official Highpointers Club activities at the Convention are: 1) the informal get together the night before the Club hike, 2) the Club hike to the highpoint, 3) the membership meeting, and 4) the banquet. No other activities conducted during the Convention are sanctioned by the Highpointers Club. Notice of the Convention shall be given to the membership by publication in the Newsletter. The notice shall specify date, time, and place of the Convention and must be published in a Newsletter prior to the Convention with no less than one (1) year between Convention and the publication date.

B. Liability Release
All annual Convention attendees shall sign a liability release prior to participating in any Convention activities. A parent or guardian must also sign for any Convention participant under eighteen (18) years of age. The Secretary shall keep liability release forms, approved by the Board of Directors, on file and make them available to the Annual Convention Chairperson.

3.2 Duties of Officers

D. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have custody of funds; keep proper accounting records; make disbursements as directed by the Board of Directors; submit a report of receipts, disbursements and financial condition to the Board semi-annually and at other times as directed by the Board of Directors; and maintain the Highpointers Club financial record book. The financial reports shall be made available to any active member upon request.

3.3 Duties of the Appointed Chairpersons

C. Annual Convention Chairperson
The Annual Convention Chairperson is responsible for the coordination and direction of the annual Convention for which he/she volunteers. The Chairperson shall be selected from volunteers who are familiar with the location of the Convention in question. The Annual Convention Chairperson may appoint active members to the Annual Convention Committee. The Annual Convention Chairperson shall coordinate withe Convention Liaison Committee Chairperson.

J. Convention Liaison Committee Chairperson
The primary responsibility of the Convention Liaison Committee Chairperson is to provide assistance and guidance as requested by the Convention Chairpersons. The Convention Liaison Chairperson is responsible for executing the “Convention Policies and Procedures Agreement Between the Highpointers Club and the Convention Chairperson”, as defined by the Board of Directors, with the Annual Convention Chairpersons.

CONVENTION AGREEMENT CHECKLIST

Convention Chairperson

Signed Agreement (as mutually modified) – immediately upon selection of the subject convention; retained by CLC Chairperson, and stored in Club Archives after the convention

Bank Account Information, to Treasurer – within one month of account creation

Bank Statements, to Treasurer – quarterly
Bank Statements of Preceding Year, to Treasurer – January 31
Bank Statements of Convention Year, to Treasurer – 60 days after convention

Draft Budget and proposed Registration Fee, to CLC Chairperson – 12 months prior to convention

Schedule of Events, to CLC Chairperson – 12 months prior to convention

Changes to Budget and Schedule, to CLC Chairperson – in a timely manner

Brief Summary, to Members – during preceding convention

Contracts, to CLC Chairperson – within 30 days of execution

Registration Form and Form Letters, to CLC Chairperson – one month prior to distribution/publication

Registration Form, Schedules, and Materials, to Newsletter Editor – no later than January 5

Final Convention Forms (Registration, Release, etc.), to CLC Chairperson – 30 days after convention

Close Convention Bank Account – 60 days after convention

Repayment of Advances, to Treasurer – 60 days after convention

Payment of Unused Funds, to Treasurer – 60 days after convention

Financial Statement, to Treasurer and CLC Chairperson – 60 days after convention

Contracts, Receipts, and Forms to Treasurer or CLC Chairperson – 60 days after convention

Treasurer

Authorization and Necessary Documents for bank accounts – at request of Convention Chairperson

Financial Advances – at request of Convention Chairperson

Reimbursement of unexpected financial losses, to Convention Chairperson – following a financial review and recommendation by Board

CLC Chairperson

Progress Report, to Board of Directors – upon receipt from Convention Chairperson

Changes and Concerns with Risk Assessment, to the Board of Directors – as required

Disagreements with Convention Chairperson to Board of Directors – as required

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