Norske Fiskeklubben

• Adopted: October 11, 2007
• Revised: November 14, 2008
• Revised: April 21, 2023

1. Statement and Purpose

1.1		The name of the organization shall be Den Norske Fiskeklubben i San Diego, hereafter referred to as the “Fish Club”.
1.2		The primary purposes of the Fish Club are: 1.2.1   To promote friendship and camaraderie among men of Norwegian descent and men with a strong Norwegian alliance. 1.2.2   To provide opportunities for the members to enjoy seafood prepared and served in a manner reflecting Norwegian culinary traditions. 1.2.3   To engage speakers, whenever possible, on topics relating to Norwegian history, culture and heritage.
1.3		The club is an independent not-for-profit organization. However, should the operation of the club show a profit, the Governing Board may make reasonable charitable contributions.
1.4		The club may sponsor events that are of general interest to the members.

2. Organization

2.1		The Executive Committee and the Governing Board shall govern the operation of the Fish Club. 2.1.1   The Executive Committee shall consist of the Skipper, the Navigator and the Purser. 2.1.2   The Governing Board shall consist of the members of the Executive Committee and the founding members who signed the original Fish Club Charter, or as they retire, their elected replacements.
2.2		The Skipper shall preside at the gatherings of the Fish Club. He shall supervise, represent and look after the general welfare of the organization. He shall appoint a toastmaster when needed for the meeting and may assign members to perform specific duties. He has the authority to sign for expenses incurred by the club.
2.3		The Navigator shall, in the absence of the Skipper, assume and perform the duties of the Skipper. He shall attend to correspondence and to matters concerning the food service at the meetings. He shall function as secretary to the boards and he shall assist the Skipper whenever necessary.
2.4		The Purser shall have custody of all monies and valuables of the club and shall keep regular books of the accounts. He shall balance these when necessary and report the financial standing of the club to the membership at the November meeting. He shall collect dues and he has the authority and the responsibility to pay the club’s bills.
2.5		The Executive Committee is responsible for running the day-to-day activities of the club and for maintaining the membership records.
2.6		The Governing Board shall supervise the operation of the club and shall meet at least once a year to review the club’s operation. They shall evaluate the prospective members who did not get a unanimous vote by the Executive Committee. They shall also meet at the request of the Skipper or when two thirds of the board members think a meeting is warranted. They shall advise and counsel the Skipper and shall ensure that decisions are wise and beneficial to the club. They shall, in consultation with the membership, decide where and when the Fish Club is to meet.

3. Membership

3.1		The Fish Club shall have no more than eighty members. The Governing Board, with the approval of the membership, may change this number.
3.2		Men who are of Norwegian descent and men with a strong Norwegian affinity may become members.
3.3		A new member must be sponsored by a member in good standing and be approved by all members of the Executive Committee. The Governing Board shall take under consideration any members not voted in by the Executive Committee. A two-thirds vote by the Governing Board would allow the person to become a member.
3.4		All members must pay dues, which are due and collectable on January 1 of each year. A member who has not paid his dues for one year will be automatically suspended. The amount of dues is to be suggested by the Governing Board and approved by the membership.

4. Elections and Terms of Office

4.1		The Skipper, the Navigator and the Purser are elected for one year. All officers of the Executive Committee may be reelected.
4.2		As the original members of the Governing Board retire, move from the area or become unable to serve, new members for the Governing Board shall be selected by the Executive Committee from the membership at large. There shall be no more than six selected board members in addition to the members from the Executive Committee. The selected members shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
4.3		The terms of office are from January 1 through December 31.
4.4		A nominating committee of three, overseen by the Governing Board, is elected by the membership at the September meeting. This committee presents its nominations to the membership at the October meeting.
4.5		The elections take place at the November meeting and are administered by the Nominating Committee. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted and elections shall be by secret ballot if requested by any one member of the club.

5. Deliberations and Transaction of Business

5.1		Lawful business can be transacted at any regular or special meeting when a quorum is present. A quorum consists of a bare majority of the members.
5.2		Robert’s Rules of Order shall guide the deliberations of the Fish Club.
5.3		Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed, discussed and adopted by a two-thirds majority of the members present at any legally constituted meeting of the membership when at least a quorum is present.

6. Distinction and Honors

6.1		The Governing Board and The Executive Committee may, in recognition of outstanding service, jointly and unanimously bestow the title of Commodore upon past Skippers.
6.2		The Governing Board and The Executive Committee may also bestow other awards or recognition to members if deemed appropriate.