Article IX Regions
Sec. 2 The administrative body of each region shall be a region board which shall be composed of its President, 1st Vice President, and 2nd Vice President (if elected) as Region Officers and the Presidents of all Local Clubs within such region. The President will also appoint the Region’s Immediate Past President, providing he/she is not serving in another elected WBCCI office. (2/22/24)
A. Each region shall elect as its officers a President, a 1st Vice President, and a 2nd Vice President (optional). These elected officers shall constitute the Executive Council of the Region board and are responsible for the administration of the Region. The President, with the consensus of the other elected Officer(s) of the Executive Council, shall appoint two additional, non-voting Region members to the Region Board. One person from the region as the Region Secretary and one person as the Region Treasurer to administer Region funds. The President may also appoint the Region’s Immediate Past President as a non-voting member of the Region Executive Council, providing he/she is not serving in another elected International WBCCI office.
B. The term of office shall be two years, or until his/her successor is installed or until he/she resigns or is removed from office. Service of a partial term greater than one-half of such term shall be deemed as service of a full term in that office by the retiring officer.
1. An officer may not serve consecutive terms, except when any elected officer cannot or does not choose to continue in office, the advancing officer shall complete the predecessor’s term of term office and have the option to run for one additional term in that office.
2. Even-numbered regions shall elect their officers in odd-numbered years, and odd-numbered regions shall elect their officers in even-numbered years. (6/22/18)
C. The treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the region, shall receive all monies and promptly deposit them in the bank previously approved by the Executive Board; shall submit a full written report of finances to the Executive Board at each meeting and before retirement from office, shall have the books and accounts audited by an individual or committee selected by the incoming Executive Council. The treasurer shall deliver all books, monies and property of the region promptly to the incoming treasurer. (2/22/24)
D. The Region Secretary shall attend and record the minutes of all meetings of the Region Executive Council and Region Board; advise the President as to whether or not a quorum is present; and shall deliver the minutes within fifteen days after each meeting for publication on the Region website.
E. In the year in which region officers are elected and installed, the region shall select a nominating committee consisting of at least three members from the region.
1. This committee, with the help of Local Club officers, shall identify and consider all interest¬ed and qualified candidates for each position.
2. The committee shall consider each candidate on the basis of qualifications without regard to the geographic area or Local Club of the candidate.
3. The Nominating Committee shall solicit all Regular Members in the Region to volunteer to stand for any open Region leadership positions. The Committee should also encourage self nomination for any position. After having obtained prior acceptance from each potential candidate, all names for any office shall be placed in nomination. A written report including resumes of the all candidates will be submitted to the Executive Board. (11-30-23)
4. The Region President will distribute the report to all Local Club Presidents in the region within 60 days. (6/23/95)
F. Election of Region Officers
1. Not later than January 31 of the year in which the election is to occur, the Region President shall mail to each Local Club President within the region the official ballot which shall contain the name for each position as listed in the Nominat¬ing Committee report. The official ballot, which also contains space for write-in candidates, shall be returned by the date as stated in paragraph 2 below. (1/21/94)
2. Each Local Club President shall be entitled to cast one vote, based on Local Club instructions, for one candidate for each office for which a vacancy will occur and all votes shall be cast by use of the official ballot.
a. All ballots shall be mailed to the region secretary prior to April 25. Ballots postmarked after that date will not be counted.
b. All ballots shall be counted by the region secretary in the presence of at least one incumbent region officer(s).
c. The candidate for each office receiving a plurality of the votes cast shall be declared elected.
d. In the event a tie vote occurs, the Region President shall break such by casting a vote.
3. The results of the election shall be announced promptly and prior to May 5. The Region President shall certify the names of the newly elected officers to Headquarters. (7/5/93)
G. The term of office of all newly elected Region Officers shall commence August 1, the start of the WBCCI fiscal year, in the year of their election. (11/17/22)
1. Each Region Officer shall be a regular member of one of the Local Clubs within such Officer’s Region. (11/17/22)
2. Region Presidents shall not hold any other office in the International Club, with the exception of an Intra-Club position. However, a Local Club Officer may continue to do so until he/she becomes Region President. (11/17/22)
H. In the event of the death or resignation of the President or the death, advancement or resignation of a Vice President or an officer’s inability to fulfill the duties of office, the next ranking Vice President shall advance.
1. When such a vacancy occurs, the Region Secretary shall notify each Local Club President of the vacancy and request each one’s assistance in identifying interested and qualified candidates for the open Region Officer position. Potential candidates’ names should be sent to the Region Nominations Committee.
2. To fill an expired term, the open elected office or offices of Vice President(s) shall be filled by a majority vote of the region board from nominees submitted by the Region Nominations Committee.
3. To allow sufficient time for Local Club Presidents to contact their members, such office or offices of Vice President(s) will not be filled in less than sixty (60) days from notification to Local Club Presidents of such vacancy. (2/22/24)
4. Elected Officers serve for two (2) years or until their successors are elected; the Officers can be removed for cause from office by Region Board adoption of a motion to do so. The vote required for the adoption of this motion is (a) a two-thirds vote or (b) a majority vote when previous notice of such a motion has been given.
Sec. 3 There shall be no region dues.
Sec. 4 For the purpose of providing a means of geographic representation of the International Board of Trustees, Region Presidents shall, by virtue of their office, become members of the International Board of Trustees.
Sec. 5 Region Presidents or any officer designated by them shall visit all Local Clubs within their respective regions at least once each year. They shall consult with, assist, and advise the officers in their duties. Regions may hold board meetings, rallies, conduct caravans and engage in such other activities as deemed in the best interest of the region and its Local Clubs, provided such activities are not in conflict with the International Constitution, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations.
Sec. 6 In the event a Local Club President is unable to attend a meeting of the region board, the next ranking officer may attend in the place and stead of the absent Local Club President. (1/20/95)
[see Policy 9.6.1 Region Operations]
WBCCI Policy
16.6.3 Financial Disbursement
(from Article XVI, Bylaws) (6/22/18)
A. Reimbursement for travel of International and Regional officers, Parliamentarian and essential Headquarters’ staff by the most suitable and direct route is authorized for attendance at official WBCCI activities. Reimbursement for travel shall not be authorized for IBT meetings associated with the International Rally, nor for Officer travel to, from, or during caravans.
B. Allowable expenses include the following and are to be supported with receipts, except mileage:
- Mileage when traveling by trailer or motorhome up to the mileage rate allowed by the U.S.
Federal Government’s Internal Revenue Service, for business travel - Road and bridge tolls.
- Overnight parking fees
a. The budgeted amount covering in route overnight expenses shall be an average of twenty dollars ($20.00) per night for each three hundred (300) miles traveled.
b. The amount of reimbursement shall be the receipted expense or an average of twenty dollars ($20.00) per night, whichever is the lesser amount.
4. Rally fees (excluding the International Rally).
5. Travel by common carrier, personal or rental car, motel/hotel at destination.
a. For budgeted elected officials and appointees only.
b. Total allowable not to exceed sum of budgeted allowances of first three
items (mileage, tolls and overnight parking) above.
6. Fees for events and meals that are an essential part of a specific rally may be included in the claimed Rally Fees, subject to approval of the International President.
C. If the official elects to bring a partner to authorized meetings and travels by common carrier, the official will be responsible for the partner’s carrier expenses except when the partner is entitled, by elected or appointed office, to common carrier travel reimbursement.
D. Other expenses necessary for good management procedures may be allowable when properly supported and if approved by the International President.
E. Reimbursement in excess of budgeted amounts may be considered when approved by both the International President and the IBT and supported by justifications and receipts.
F. Should a Region President deem it necessary for their Region to be represented at a rally within their Region and no Region officer is available to attend the rally the Region President may designate a qualified member of WBCCI to attend as the Region representative.
1. The designee may be reimbursed in accordance with Policy, Article XVI, Financial Disbursements.
2. The amount reimbursed to the designee will be charged against a Region officer’s budgeted expenses.
G. Region Officers (President, 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents) will be reimbursed based on the budget approved by the IBT for the fiscal year only for attendance at official WBCCI activities.
1. Travel expenses to and from the International Rally are not reimbursable for the Region Officers. Exclusions:
a. Region Rallies and Region Board Meetings within their Region.
b. IBT meetings associated with the International Rally, nor for Officers’
travel to or from or during caravans.
2. The total allowable travel reimbursement for each Region President will be calculated using a base amount plus an amount per Local Club in that Region.
a. Travel expenses to and from the Mid-Winter IBT meeting will be basis of a submitted budget to the Treasurer prior to July 1 for approval.
b. Such budgeted funds may also be used to fund travel by any other elected Region Officer to the Mid-Winter IBT meeting up to the budgeted amount. (1/24/19)
c. Reimbursement cannot exceed the approved budgeted amount.
d. Claims will be submitted by Region Presidents directly to Headquarters
within 90 days of travel.
e. Reimbursements from WBCCI are not available to Region officers
reimbursed by their Region.
3. Cross funding for reimbursement of authorized travel by a Region’s Vice President is authorized with full approval of the Region Officers affected.