A1. DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS INSTALLATION

The District Board of Directors, defined in Optimist International Bylaw XII, Section, 2, shall be officially installed by the official representative of Optimist International at the first quarter board meeting.

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A2. DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S POWER AND DUTIES

Pursuant to Optimist International Bylaws, and limitations therein, and excepting those functions and responsibilities specifically assigned to the District Board of Directors by the Optimist International Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall, for the purposes of expediency and efficiency, delegate its powers and authority to the district Executive Committee. (O.I. Bylaws XIII, 2 - A.)

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A3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ZONES WITHIN THE DISTRICT

Pursuant to Optimist International Bylaws, the number and boundaries of zones, for any administrative year, if subject to revision, shall be determined by the Board of Directors prior to it's meeting in the third quarter of the preceding year to accommodate the selection of Lieutenant Governors to serve during the next administrative year. All proposals for realignment of zone boundaries shall be submitted to the Governor not less than 30 days prior to said meeting. No zone shall be created with less than four or more than 10 clubs. New clubs shall automatically be assigned to the zones in which they are geographically located and services thereto shall be the responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor of such zone. (O.I. Bylaw IX, 1 - C.)

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A4. ASSISTANT TO THE GOVERNOR

Monitor those clubs showing signs of inactivity. Coordinate district resources for those clubs.

Monitor progress of lieutenant governors in their region toward distinguished status. Make sure necessary reports are filed and assist the lieutenant governors in accomplishing their role when asked; initiating follow-up calls on an ongoing basis to keep the links positive.

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A5. PAST GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION (P.G.A.)

The past governors will devote special attention to the Optimist Foundation and Marketing Programs for the Michigan District Optimists.

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A6. GOVERNORS CLUB VISITATIONS

The governor shall not be required or expected to visit every club in the district. The governor's club visitations shall be limited, at his discretion, to charter presentations to new clubs, zone meetings and such special events as may be conducted by the clubs and to which he has been invited. In view of the demand upon time and administration responsibilities, the governor may delegate or appoint an individual to appear in his place on such occasions.

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A7. COMMUNICATION/MARKETING

A8. DISTRICT DIRECTORY

The district administration may publish, at the earliest possible date after the beginning of the administrative year, a District Directory. The directory shall contain the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all district officers, committee chairpersons, club presidents, and secretary/treasurers, and include all district policies, and the dates and locations of all district meetings and conferences for the administrative year. The district directory shall be issued to all members of the board of directors, district chairpersons, assistant to the governor, club presidents and club secretary/treasurers. Additional copies of the directory may be made available to all members of the district at a reasonable cost as determined by the district administration.

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A9. DISTRICT LOGO

The official district logo shall include an outline of the Lower Peninsula of the state of Michigan with the Optimist International logo. The logo may appear on all district correspondence, directories, or other items as approved by the executive committee.

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A10. DISTRICT OFFICER'S LAPEL INSIGNIA (account 400)

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A11. HISTORIAN

The executive committee shall appoint a historian who shall keep the records and information on district activities of the past and to assist governors in their planning and provide consistency in meetings and conferences.

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A12. NEW CLUB CHARTER PRESENTATIONS

Dates and programs for the charter presentation events of new clubs shall be established by joint action of the new club, the new club's sponsor club, and the governor or lieutenant governor of the zone in the governor's behalf. The governor or his appointee shall present charters. In the event of a charter presentation occurring after the end of the administrative year in which the new club was established, then the immediate past governor shall have the prerogative of presenting the charter.

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A13. GIFTS TO NEW CLUBS

The district administration shall provide each new club with a complimentary club banner, bell and striker. Such will be purchased from Optimist International, and shall budget an established amount for such purposes annually. (Policy may include sharing gift expenses by the sponsor club).

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A14. ILL OR DECEASED REPORTS

The district administration shall inform the membership of any seriously ill or deceased club members or district officers.

A memorial service shall be held at the district convention for all Optimists deceased during the current administration, which service shall be the responsibility of the immediate past governor. Care should be exercised to present a service that is non-denominational in deference to the diversity of faiths present in our membership.

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A15. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

A transaction that is not made in good faith or that is not fair to the district shall be null and void and may not be authorized or approved by any persons.

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A16. LONG-RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE

The district long-range planning committee shall formulate three-year and five year goals and objectives for the district. The focus of this committee should be on improving communications to the clubs and to the general public through the use of modern technology; better use of leadership skills; more efficient meetings and operations of the district. The committee may consider any other topic that is deemed appropriate.

The committee will annually prepare a report to the governor and the board of directors to be presented at the district convention and used by the executive committee of the following administration at their first meeting as a planning tool.

The long-range planning committee shall be made up of five members each with a three-year appointment. The governor shall appoint persons of leadership and ability to serve as vacancies occur.

The committee shall consist of a past governor, a past district secretary/treasurer, a present or past member of the finance committee, and two members at large who are members in good standing and possess the appropriate leadership skills. The governor and governor-elect shall act as advisory members to this committee. The chairperson shall be appointed by the governor from the members of the committee.

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A17. YOUTH CLUBS COMMITTEE

There shall be a three-member rotating committee. The governor shall appoint a person of leadership and ability to serve on this committee for a three-year term. The governor shall also fill vacancies as may occur on said committee. This committee should work with the youth club conference committee as spelled out in D9.

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A18. DISTRICT POLICIES

The district secretary/treasurer shall distribute the policies provided by the policy chairperson, and shall provide a copy to Optimist International and each member of the district’s board of directors at the beginning of each administrative year prior to the first official meeting of the board or after approval, they shall be printed in the district directory.

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A19. POLICY REVISIONS

These policies shall be reviewed at least annually by the district policies committee and be revised as is necessary. All revisions of policy shall be reviewed by the executive committee and approved by the board of directors. Policies may be reviewed and revised by the board of directors at other times as is necessary.

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B1. DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The district executive committee shall meet immediately prior to meetings of the District Board of Directors or convention or at the call of the governor, or a majority of the members of the executive committee. (OI Bylaws XIII, 2 - B.)

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B2. DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

B3. DISTRICT MEETINGS AND/OR CONFERENCES

District meetings and conferences shall be planned and conducted by the administration, at the time and place of the meetings of the board of directors in the first, second and third quarters. Such meetings and/or conferences shall invite and encourage the attendance of club officers and committee chairpersons, district officers and district chairpersons and members, and such others as may benefit from the conduct of such meetings and/or conferences.

The program for such meetings and/or conferences may include: the introduction and promotion of club and district goals and objectives; buzz sessions; forums; round tables; leadership development events; and, under the leadership of the lieutenant governors, brief zone meetings. The third quarter meeting and/or conference shall include the election of lieutenant governors for the ensuing year and, if not otherwise scheduled the district oratorical finals. All such meetings and/or conferences will be budgeted and conducted by the administration on a non-profit break-even basis. The administration may collect fees for any meal service and gratuities provided at such meetings and/or conferences. Notice of such meetings and/or conferences and programs thereof shall accompany the notice of the district board of directors meetings.

It shall be the responsibility of the district secretary/treasurer to keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the district executive committee, the district board of directors and annual district convention, and to provide a copy of such minutes to members of the district executive committee, board of directors, Optimist International, and such others as the board of directors may indicate. Such minutes are to be distributed no later than at the following district meeting.

The district secretary/treasurer may pay deposits for projected annual reservations necessary for future organizational meetings.

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B4. ZONE MEETINGS

Each lieutenant governor shall be responsible for conducting a zone meeting each quarter of the administrative year and notice of such meeting should be sent to the president and secretary/treasurer of each club in the zone not less than 30 days prior to the meetings. To avoid conflict, the dates for all zone meetings shall be established with the knowledge and approval of the governor and/or secretary/treasurer. To fulfill this responsibility, zone meetings may be held in conjunction with other district meetings and/or events, however, at least one zone meeting should be held within the zone itself. All zone meetings shall be conducted on a no-host, no-registration fee basis. If fees for the use of facilities for zone meetings are anticipated or incurred, such expenses shall be budgeted and paid for by the District Administration (account 210), with prior approval of the district administration. The lieutenant governor shall be responsible for the preparation and distribution of each zone meeting program, and the completion and filing a report on each meeting on the form provided by Optimist International. Because the zones are not legislative bodies, minutes are not required.

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B5. FLAGS, CREED, AND BANNER

It shall be the policy of the district administration to display at all district meetings and/or conferences and at the annual convention, the appropriate national flags, district banners, and the Optimist Creed banner in the same room in which business is being conducted. The district will also encourage clubs to bring their banners to these meetings and/or conferences.

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B6. DISTRICT CONVENTION

The district convention shall be held annually with said dates to be established by the board of directors at the recommendation of the district convention committee. The convention city shall be determined by the vote of the accredited delegates to the annual convention following the recommendations of the convention committee, for as many years in advance as deemed necessary.

In the event of no submitted bids by local clubs, the governor-elect and convention chairperson shall obtain and contract a site for the forthcoming year’s convention. The governor, as the fiduciary representative of the District, may sign contracts on behalf of the Michigan District Optimists. The district secretary/treasurer shall pay approved deposits for projected annual reservations necessary for future organizational meetings.

The clubs or zones adjacent to the convention site shall be invited to act as hosts for the Convention Hospitality Room and assist the convention chairperson in any other identified needs for the convention.

If financially feasible, the district should consider donating some funds to offset the costs of the hospitality room.

There shall be a three person rotating convention committee as provided for in the Optimist International Bylaws which state that each governor shall appoint a person of leadership and ability to serve on this committee for a three year term, and that governor shall also fill such vacancies as they may occur on said committee. It is recommended that said committee should assume the following duties:

The newest member shall be in charge of registration.
The middle member shall be in charge of entertainment.
The oldest member shall be the chairperson.
The chairperson may also delegate other duties to the members as needed.

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B7. CONVENTION COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION

The incumbent governor, governor-designate, secretary/treasurer, immediate past governor and past governor on the board, as well as the official Optimist International representative, shall receive complimentary convention registration and such shall be anticipated in the district convention budget.

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B8. CONVENTION DURATION

The annual district convention shall be a two-day event, beginning Saturday morning and ending Sunday, exclusive of social, recreational, or other extracurricular activities.

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B9. CLUB HOSPITALITY ROOMS AT DISTRICT CONVENTIONS

All club hospitality rooms, or other accommodations serving a like purpose shall be closed during convention business sessions or training events.

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B10. CONVENTION PROGRAM

1. A business session necessary to accomplish the business of the convention.

2. All leadership development events for club and district officers as prescribed by Optimist International.

3. A meal service event to provide the official Optimist International representative with an opportunity to address assembled delegates.

4. A recognition banquet, featuring the installation of the new district officers.

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B11. CONVENTION RIBBONS

Colors and lettering are as follows:

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OFFICE	RIBBON COLOR	LETTERING COLOR
Representative	Purple	Gold
President	Purple	Gold
Vice-president	Purple	Gold
Past O.I. President	Purple	Gold
President-elect	Purple	Gold

 

OFFICE	RIBBON COLOR	LETTERING COLOR
Governor	Purple	Gold
Past Governor	Purple	Gold
Governor-Elect	Purple	Gold
Governor-Designate	Purple	Gold
Lieutenant Governor	Brown	Gold
Past Lieutenant Governor	Brown	Gold
Lt. Governor Elect	Brown	Gold
Secretary/treasurer	Maroon	Gold
Secretary/treasurer Apparent	Maroon	Gold
Past Secretary/treasurer	Maroon	Gold
Committee Chairperson	Red	Gold
Assistants to the Governor	Red	Gold
Convention Committee	Orange	Black
Club President	Light Green	Gold
Club President Elect	Light Green	Gold
Club Sec/Treasurer	Royal Blue	Gold
Club Sec/Treasurer Apparent	Royal Blue	Gold
District Host	Light Blue	Black
Guest	Light Orange	Black
Accredited Delegate	White	Black

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B12. CONVENTION RULES

The convention shall consist of delegates as set forth in the Optimist International Bylaws.

To be accredited by the credentials committee and eligible to vote on convention business, delegates must have registered at the convention, paid the registration fee, be a member of an optimist club in good standing in the district at the time of the convention, and produce such credentials as may be required by the board of directors.

Accredited delegates, as evidenced by an official ribbon, shall be seated in a special area reserved only for accredited delegates whenever a convention business session is convened.

The credentials committee shall report at the first session thereof and periodically thereafter or when directed to do so. The program as printed shall be the official program of the convention.

Following the report of the candidate qualifications committee, the governor shall call three times for other nominations from the floor and then call for the closing of nominations.

If nominations are made from the floor, nominating speeches will be allowed and limited to two for each candidate, one of five-minute duration and one of two-minute duration.

All voting shall be by voice, hand or rising vote, at the discretion of the chair, unless a ballot or roll call vote is ordered by a majority vote of the accredited delegates. In the event of a vote by ballot, the

chair shall appoint a committee of tellers and name its chairperson. In any case, all voting must be done by an accredited delegate and that delegate must be present at the session where the voting is taking place.

At the conclusion of the balloting, the tellers shall count the ballots and the chairperson of the tellers shall certify the tabulated results, in writing, to the chair. If the balloting has been conducted for the purpose of electing an officer of the district, the chair shall announce the name of the winner only and then entertain a motion to destroy the ballots.

No accredited delegate shall be entitled to the floor unless he rises, addresses the chair, and gives his name and club affiliation.

Debate shall be limited to five minutes a speaker. No accredited delegate shall speak a second time to the same question at the same sitting, if another accredited delegate, who has not spoken thereon, rises and asks for the floor.

No accredited delegate shall speak more than twice on the same question if anyone objects.

Main motions shall be put in writing when the chair so directs.

The chair shall entertain no motion unless seconded, and shall not be open to debate or amendment before the chair has repeated it.

The vote on a question, once commenced, shall not be interrupted, except only to ask that the question be restated by the chair.

An accredited delegate may change his/her vote from one side to the other provided he/she rises and asks for the floor promptly, and before the chair declares the results final.

No appeal from a decision of the chair shall be in order unless based on a point of order, and shall be seconded. The vote thereon shall be put not on sustaining the appeal, but on sustaining the decision of the chair.

A majority vote in the negative will reverse the decision of the chair.

Not more than two amendments to any question shall be pending at one time, but after disposal of one or both of them, other amendments may be proposed.

The convention may, to expedite the handling of business, limit as it chooses the time or number of speakers for each side on any question, or the total time for debate, by a two-thirds vote.

District committee chairpersons may make partial reports during lull periods of the convention, unless otherwise ordered.

Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the convention's proceedings, not inconsistent with the constitution and bylaws and these convention rules.

The convention rules shall be adopted by a majority vote, but they may be suspended, rescinded, or amended after the adoption by a two-thirds vote.

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B13. CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS COMMITTEE

The district candidate qualifications committee shall be composed of the governor-elect, the two most immediate past governors, and two members appointed for one year by the governor.

The committee shall function as provided for in Optimist International Bylaws.

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B14. INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES TO DISTRICT MEETINGS

In keeping with the policy of Optimist International to provide an official International representative to district board meetings and/or conferences held in the first quarter each year, and to the annual district conventions, the governor shall issue an invitation, at the earliest convenience, to such individuals as soon as their identity is established. Courtesies traditionally provided to the International President, including complimentary accommodations and registrations, and a suitable gift or memento, the cost of which shall not exceed $200, shall be provided to such official International representative.

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B15. INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT'S VISITATION

The governor, at his/her earliest opportunity, shall invite the Optimist International President to visit the district and shall provide Optimist International with preferred, and alternative locations and dates for such visitations, which dates and locations, once established, may enhance but shall not conflict with any other district date or event.

All plans and arrangements for the International President's visit shall be under direct supervision of the governor and district administration including the provision of complimentary accommodations, customary courtesies, and a suitable gift or memento of the occasion, the cost of which shall not exceed $200. The event shall be budgeted under accounts 130 and 360, and operated on a break-even basis. All clubs in the district shall be invited, at least 30 days in advance, to send representatives to the event. Clubs in the municipality or general area of the visitation, under the leadership of the lieutenant governor, may be asked to provide assistance for the conduct of the event. Governor and spouse (or suitable companion, if not married) or a past international district officer and spouse (or suitable companion, if not married) shall be designated as official host to the international president and spouse.

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B16. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION AT DISTRICT MEETINGS

The agenda at district meetings, including but not limited to the Executive Committee meeting, Board of Directors meeting, and general membership meetings, will include the opportunity for a brief invocation and for the assembled members to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If there is an invocation, it must be universal and sensitive to the diversity of our membership, containing no language that either intentionally or inherently promotes or excludes anyone on the basis of religion, race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or political preference.

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The district administration may maintain a district headquarters or hospitality room at the International Convention, the rental of which, only, shall be budgeted and chargeable to account 560 of the standard district chart of accounts.

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C11. RESTRICTED RESERVE FUND

There shall be established a Restricted Reserve Fund to be maintained by the district secretary/treasurer for the accumulation of certain funds separate and apart from the general operating funds of the district.

The Restricted Reserve Fund shall be for the sole purpose of:

1. The purchase of capital equipment for the district

2.  Emergency operating funds.

The Restricted Reserve Fund may be accessed only by action of the District Finance Committee when requested by the governor. All expenditures from the fund shall be subject to approval by the district executive committee.

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D1. DISTRICT ACHIEVEMENT-AWARDS PROGRAM AND APPEALS

The district may budget, maintain, and conduct an annual achievement and awards program which shall be prepared and evaluated by the chairperson of the District Achievement and Awards Program with collaboration of the governor, governor-elect, secretary/treasurer, and through consultation with their predecessors, and which shall be presented to the district board of directors for final approval at it's first quarter board meeting.

It shall be the responsibility of the district administration to promote and encourage the participation in both district and Optimist International Achievement and Awards Programs. Pursuant to the Achievement and Awards Program and the policies of Optimist International, the district administration shall refrain from offering or conducting any awards competition, personal or club, for any activity or performance embraced by Optimist International’s Achievement and Awards Program. The District Achievement and Awards Program shall conform to the District Achievement and Awards Program advocated by Optimist International.

The final standings for the District Achievement and Awards Program shall be published no later than 20 October of the following administrative year.

Any appeal or protest of the final published standing of clubs or individuals in the District Achievement and Awards Program, to be considered, must be in the hands of the district secretary/treasurer no later than 10 days following the publication of the final standings. Thedistrict executive committee shall have the power and authority to review and adjudicate any such appeal or protest at the first quarter board meeting of the following administrative year, and its' decision shall be final. To be eligible to receive any award or recognition, all financial obligations of a club to the district shall have been met by the closing day of said administrative year.

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D2. SCRAPBOOK AWARD RIBBONS

Scrapbook award ribbons shall be 3" x 1" in size with a square bottom edge. Colors and lettering is to be as follows:

AWARD	RIBBON COLOR	LETTERING COLOR
Overall Winner	White	Gold
Division 1-5 Winners	Green	Gold

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