ICC By-Laws – Inverness Country Club

Article I: Membership

Section 1 Purpose. Inverness Country Club exists primarily for the benefit of the membership as herein-after defined. An applicant must have reached the age of eighteen (18) years to be eligible for membership, except as part of a family membership, and subject to the further requirements and limitations as set forth within this document. All individuals included in club memberships are required to adhere to the by-laws and the Club Rules, which are incorporated by reference.

Section 2 Membership Classes. There shall be seven (7) classes of membership, namely: Junior, Individual, Family, Life, Honorary, Inactive and Social. The total number of Junior, Individual, Family and Life Memberships shall not exceed 300. Honorary, Inactive and Social memberships shall not be included in the total. All memberships are subject to the requirements of club membership and approval by the Board of Directors. See Table 1.

Table 1 Membership Classes

Membership Class	Voting Rights	Includes Additional Individuals	Dues	Initiation Fee	Assessments	Maximum Number of Memberships	Guest Privileges
Junior Membership (Individuals 18-30 years old)	Yes	No	50%	At the Discretion of the Board	50%	Counted towards Club Max of 300	Yes
Individual Membership (18 years or older)	Yes	No	100%	100%	100%	Counted towards Club Max of 300	Yes
Family Membership (Children 21 years or younger)	Yes	Yes	100% + Optional Family Fee	100%	100%	Counted towards Club Max of 300	Yes
Honorary	No Except for Property Owners (on certain issues per by-laws)	At the Discretion of the Board	0%	N/A	Exempt	Fifteen (15), not counted toward Club Max of 300	Yes
Life	Yes	Yes Limited to Spouse/Significant other only	50%	N/A	Exempt	Counted towards Club Max of 300	Yes
Inactive	No	No	Suspended	No Reinstatement Fee	Suspended	Not counted toward Club Max of 300	No
Social	No	Yes	At the Discretion of the Board	At the Discretion of the Board	At the Discretion of the Board	Not counted toward Club Max of 300	Yes

Section 3 Junior Memberships. Junior Membership includes all membership privileges at an annual dues rate of 50% of the individual membership dues. To qualify for a Junior Membership the individual must be between the ages of eighteen (18) and thirty (30) as of January 1st of the calendar year at the time of application. A Junior Membership applies to only one person and does not extend any membership privileges to any other family members or significant others. Junior Membership holders shall pay fifty percent (50%) of any special assessments. Junior Membership holders will be required to pay the individual membership cost for any additional optional items they choose to elect such as GAM membership. Upon reaching the age of thirty (30) a Junior Membership holder must convert to an Individual or Family Membership if he/she desires to retain membership. This conversion will not require the payment of an additional initiation fee, providing that the junior membership has been held for a minimum of one year. Years of Junior Membership do not count towards Life Membership point totals. All Junior Memberships shall be counted towards the total membership limit as defined herein. The total number of Junior memberships granted in any one year shall be decided at the sole discretion of the Board.

Section 4 Individual Memberships. An Individual Membership includes the individual only and includes all membership privileges.

Section 5 Family Memberships. A Family Membership includes an individual and immediate family members, such as spouse/significant other, and children 21 years old (as of January 1st of the calendar year of the membership) or younger who reside in the same household and includes all membership privileges. The Board, at its sole discretion, may designate additional fees for family members.

Section 6 Life Memberships. A Life Membership can be granted to an individual upon petitioning the Board of Directors and approval by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Life Memberships are limited to the individual and their spouse/significant other and includes all membership privileges. Life Membership conveys the right to one vote either in person or by proxy at all meetings of the club. To apply for Life Membership, a petitioner must have a total point value of 110 calculated as follows: one (1) point for each year of age, plus one (1) point for each year of paid Individual or Family Membership, plus one (1) point for each year of service on the Board of Directors. For example, the petitioner has attained 110 points when they are 75 years old, have held an Individual Membership for 32 years, and served on the Board of Directors for 3 years. Life Membership fee is 50% of the Individual or Family membership dues. This membership shall be exempt from any special assessment. Life Memberships shall count towards the total limit of memberships.

Section 7 Honorary Memberships. An Honorary Membership can be granted to an individual who by value of his/her service to the club or special qualities and is bestowed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Honorary Memberships are limited to the individual only, and that individual cannot name a spouse/significant other unless granted such privilege by the Board of Directors. An Honorary Membership includes all membership privileges except for voting rights. The total number of Honorary Memberships granted in any one year shall not exceed three (3) and the overall total Honorary Memberships shall not exceed fifteen (15), with any current excess to be decreased by attrition. Honorary Memberships shall not count towards the total limit of memberships.

Section 8 Inactive Membership. Inactive Membership can be applied on a yearly basis to a membership in extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the sole discretion of the Board of Directors. An Inactive Membership does not include any membership privileges. Inactive Memberships shall not count towards the total limit of memberships.

Section 9 Social Membership. Social Membership may be established by the sole discretion of the Board of Directors. Social Membership would include all membership privileges except unlimited golf and voting rights. Social Memberships shall not count towards the limit of 300 memberships.

Section 10 Voting. Junior, Individual, Family and Life memberships in good standing shall have the right to one vote for one paid membership either in person or by proxy at all meetings of the club. Honorary, or Inactive memberships that are held by owners of property in Park Lawn Beach Subdivision shall maintain their property owner voting rights as outlined in Article IV Section 5.

Section 11 Special Applicant Status. There are 3 categories of potential applicants who are allowed to establish membership regardless of whether the maximum number of memberships has been met. If the maximum number of memberships is exceeded through this provision, pending general applications will be held until membership drops below the maximum. These 3 categories, as defined below, are:

Children of current members are eligible to join the club upon reaching the age of not less than 18 years but no more than 25 years. Eligible applicants become membership holders by paying Junior, Individual or Family membership initiation fees and dues within 30 days of invoicing, following submission of their application. After the eligibility period expires, the standard application process applies.
Divorced spouses are eligible to join the club within six months after the divorce decree is issued. Eligible applicants become membership holders by paying Junior, Individual or Family membership dues within 30 days of invoicing, following submission of their application. After the eligibility period expires, the standard application process applies.
Park Lawn Beach property owners. are defined as:
1. Those who own dwellings in Park Lawn Beach Subdivision or in Park Lawn Beach subdivision #1 or
2. Those who own sufficient property in these subdivisions to meet the building code requirements of Washtenaw County or

Property owners in the subdivision whose record of ownership predates July 30, 1965. Each property as defined above qualifies one membership as a property owner. Eligible applicants become membership holders by paying Junior, Individual or Family membership initiation fees and dues within 30 days of invoicing, following submission of their application.

Section 12 Dues.

Dues shall be payable in the amounts and manner as are determined by the Board of Directors, but the increase in any one year shall not exceed 10% of the previous year’s dues.
Dues are payable within 30 days of invoicing, which typically occurs on or near January 1st for renewing memberships, and on acceptance for new memberships. The membership shall be in default when dues are not paid in full within thirty (30) days of invoicing. If such dues remain unpaid after 30 days of invoicing, the Board of Directors shall notify the membership holder that in order to retain membership, the invoiced fee and any assessment fees, plus a penalty fee of 10%, must be paid within the next 30 days. If dues, fees, and penalty remain unpaid after the second grace period, the Board of Directors may suspend or expel such delinquent membership or take any action as the Board of Directors may deem desirable.
Membership initiation fees are to be set by the Board of Directors but shall not exceed 150% of the annual dues.
Honorary Memberships shall be exempt from payment of membership and initiation fees, dues; and special assessments.
Social Memberships shall pay an annual sum, and other fees as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

Section 13 Application.

Every candidate for election to membership in this club shall make application over their signature, upon the form prescribed by the Board of Directors and shall be endorsed in writing by one (1) sponsor and by two (2) membership holders of the club.
Every application for membership shall be acted upon the Board of Directors and a majority vote of the Board of Directors shall be sufficient to establish new memberships, within the limitations defined herein.

Section 14 Resignation.

When any membership holder shall desire to resign from the club, they shall notify the Secretary in writing of their resignation.
Memberships are non-saleable and are not subject to inheritance or bequest. A surviving spouse, however, may continue the membership.
Memberships are non-transferable except, in the case of divorce, provided the membership holder states in writing that the membership belongs to the transferee spouse.

Section 15 Leave from Membership.

A membership holder in good standing may request a leave from membership not to exceed one year. Such leave from membership must be requested in writing and approved by the Board of Directors. During a leave from membership, half annual dues plus the full amount of any assessments will be charged. The membership on leave will be permitted to play, as a guest, by paying green fees, a maximum of four times. The membership on leave may restore status of the membership at any time by paying the second half of the annual dues, or 25% of the annual dues if restoration is requested after August 1st.
Memberships on leave are equivalent to the previously paid memberships for the purpose of determining the total membership not to exceed the number set forth in Article I, Section 2.

Section 16 Suspension or Expulsion. The Board may immediately suspend or expel any membership holder for non-payment of dues, following the process outlined in Section 12 b). Any membership holder whose conduct, in the opinion and at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, is likely to endanger the welfare, interest, or character of the club, or whose conduct is in violation of the by-laws or rules and regulations of the club, shall be cited to appear before the Board of Directors or a committee appointed by the Board. The Board of Directors, or an appointed committee, shall thoroughly investigate the conduct in question. The membership holder shall be given the opportunity to appear before the Board or the committee to present their case. After a full investigation and hearing, if the Board of Directors determines that the conduct of the membership holder is prejudicial to the best interests of the club, the Board may take the following actions:

Adopt a resolution to temporarily suspend the membership holder.
Request the resignation of the membership holder if deemed necessary.
Expel the membership holder upon an affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the Board of Directors.

Article II: Board of Directors

Section 1 Powers.

The business and property of the club shall be managed and controlled by the Board of Directors, except as the by-laws specifically require action by the members. The Board of Directors shall have the power to make and enforce rules and regulations covering the use by members and guests of the clubhouse, grounds, golf course, and other facilities of the club.
The Board of Directors shall determine who shall be authorized on behalf of the club to sign bills, notes, receipts, acceptances, mortgages, endorsements, checks, releases, contracts, documents, and all papers necessary in the conduct of the business affairs of the club.
The Board of Directors may authorize such special and standing committees from among the members of the club as it shall deem necessary or desirable in the management and operation of the club’s affairs and shall define the function and duties of such Committee.

Section 2. Limitation. No indebtedness or liability shall be incurred by the Board of Directors in any fiscal year for permanent improvements or additional equipment more than 10% of the operating budget without approval of a majority vote of the membership of the club present at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose.

Section 3 Length of Terms of Office. The Board of Directors shall be composed of twelve (12) membership holders of the club, at least three (3) of whom shall be Park Lawn Beach property owner membership holders. Directors shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and shall assume their duties January 1st. All Board members must be Individual, Family, or Life membership holders of Inverness Country Club. Only one Board seat is allowed per active membership.

Section 4. Vacancies. Whenever a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors, the remaining Directors shall appoint a temporary replacement to fill the vacancy until the next annual meeting. This appointment requires an affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors. The membership shall be notified of the vacancy and the temporary appointment through the club’s regular communication channels. At the next annual meeting, the temporary appointee may be nominated for election to serve the remainder of the original term, or the membership may nominate and elect a different candidate to fill the position.

Section 5. Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called by the President, or the Vice President, or by not less than one-third of the Directors for the time being in office. There shall be a minimum of ten (10) meetings per year. If any Director is absent from three (3) consecutive Board of Director meetings, the Board of Directors may, at its discretion, declare this seat vacant. Following the Secretary formally notifying the Director of such action, the vacancy shall be filled following the procedure outlined in Section 4.

Section 6 Quorum. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of seven (7) members. If at any meeting a quorum is lacking, a majority of Directors present may adjourn the meeting and reschedule the meeting.

Section 7 Nominations. By July 1st of each year, the Board of Directors shall notify the membership of the number and type (General and Park Lawn Beach property owner) of available Board of Directors seats. Nominations for the Board of Directors shall be accepted from the membership through the 3^rd Monday of August.

Each nomination must include:

The nominee’s full name.
A brief biography of the nominee.
A statement of the nominee’s qualifications and reasons for seeking election.
Park Lawn Beach property owner status.

Nominations will also be accepted after pre-printed ballots have been sent or from the floor during the annual meeting, with such nominees being considered write-in candidates.

Article III: Officers

Section 1 Election and Qualifications. The executive officers of the club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors no later than the last Board of Directors meeting of the calendar year and shall assume their duties January 1st. Each officer will hold office for one year and until they are re-elected, or their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified. The officers shall be elected from the Board of Directors.

Section 2 Duties. The officers shall perform the duties usually pertaining to the respective offices and such other duties as may, from time to time, be prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President and Vice President shall be ex-officio members of all committees.

Section 3 Audits. If a certified public accountant is not retained by the Club, the books of the Treasurer shall be audited by a non-interested certified auditor at the end of each fiscal year.

Article IV: Meetings

Section 1 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the club shall be the third Monday in September of each year at the clubhouse for the election of the Board of Directors and for such other business as may properly come before it. At the annual meeting, the Board shall make a report of the affairs of the club and its financial condition and shall have available the audited report of the Treasurer. The election of the Board of Directors shall be conducted as follows:

Voting shall be by ballot, and the votes shall be counted by a designated Election Committee, which shall include at least two membership holders from the meeting attendees who are not running for election and two Board Members appointed by the Board of Directors who are not running for election.
The results of the election shall be announced before the conclusion of the annual meeting. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes within each type (General and Park Lawn Beach property owner) shall be elected to the available positions on the Board of Directors.

Section 2 Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors at any time and shall be called by it whenever requested in writing by thirty (30) or more membership holders entitled to vote at such meeting, such requests to state the purpose thereof.

Section 3 Notice. Fourteen (14) days notice of the annual meeting and any special meeting shall be delivered via US Mail, email, or equivalent to each membership holder entitled to vote at such meeting.

Section 4 Quorum. Fifty (50) membership holders or their proxies shall constitute a quorum at an annual meeting or special meeting. A lesser number may vote on adjournment to some other date.

Section 5 Park Lawn Property Owner Special Meeting. In the event the general membership approves a sale or purchase of real property or secures a license for sale of liquor, or proposes to amend By-Law Article I Section 10, 11, Article II Section 3, Article IV Section 5, a majority of the Park Lawn Beach property owners with Junior, Individual, Family, Life or Honorary memberships shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of voting on such items. A majority vote of those present shall be necessary for approval.

Section 6 Order of Business. Order of business at the annual meeting of the club shall be as follows:

Call to Order
Roll Call
Reading and Approval of minutes of previous meeting
Report of the President
Report of the Treasurer
Report of the Committees
Business – Old
Business – New
Elections
Adjournment

Article V: Fiscal Year

Section 1 Definition. The club’s fiscal year shall begin January 1st and end December 31st and the books of the club shall be closed as of that date each year.

Article VI: Amendment of By-Laws

Section 1 Amendment of By-Laws. Any section of the by-laws may be amended or repealed, and sections may be added thereto by a majority vote of the membership holders present or represented by proxy at the annual meeting or special meeting called for that purpose, provided, however, notice of such proposed repeal or copy of each amendment or additions shall be delivered via US Mail, email, or equivalent, to the voting members of the club and posted in the Pro Shop by the Secretary at least fourteen (14) days prior to such annual or special meeting. The Board of Directors, or any thirty (30) members, may propose changes in the by-laws under the section by filing the same in writing with the Secretary. A majority of memberships eligible to vote represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum.

Updated, revised, and approved – 9.16.24