American Canyoneering Association Chapters Topics for discussion include: • Evolution of ACA Chapters • Role of Chapters in Accomplishing the ACA’s Mission • Chapter Benefits and Requirements • Future Model for Technical Canyoneering Courses • Chapter Bylaws • Chapter Delegates to ACA Board of Directors • Canyoneering Conference and Fall Canyon Rendezvous at Zion NP NOTE: Please review the attached documents prior to the chapter meeting. The meeting will be more productive if you come prepared with questions and/or suggestions. • ACA Mission Statement • Chapter Bylaws • Chapter Benefits and Requirements AMERICAN CANYONEERING ASSOCIATION MISSION STATEMENT .....To promote and facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among an international canyoneering community. .....To promote safety, responsibility and ethics among American canyoneers. .....To address canyoneering-related access issues by developing positive relationships with land management agencies. CHAPTER BYLAWS 1. Chapter Mission Statement The ACA's Mission Statement is hereby adopted as the Chapter's Mission Statement. 2. Chapter Benefits and Requirements The document titled Chapter Benefits and Requirements shall be considered a part of these Bylaws. 3. Executive Committee The Chapter will be governed by an Executive Committee, consisting of not less than three and not more than seven people elected by Regular Chapter Members. 4. Terms Members of the Executive Committee will serve staggered 2-year terms. Elections will be held each year to elect replacements for half of the Executive Committee. 5. Nominations Regular Chapter Members who are eligible to vote may nominate themselves or other Regular Chapter Members for positions on the Executive Committee. Upon acceptance of a nomination, nominee will prepare a written statement outlining his/her vision and plans for the Chapter during their term, if elected. Each nominee statement will be distributed to all Regular Chapter Members who are eligible to vote and posted on the Chapter's forum on the ACA's web site. 6. Elections Elections will take place during a designated Chapter Meeting. A temporary Election Committee will accept responsibility for the election, including distribution and collection of absentee ballots, verifying proxies, tallying votes, and announcing election results. 7. Officers The Executive Committee will elect officers from among its elected, voting members. Officers will include at least one person serving as President and one person serving as Secretary and Treasurer. Officers may include up to four people serving as President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. 8. Executive Committee Meetings The Executive Committee will meet on a regular basis, at least quarterly. 9. Delegates to the ACA Board of Directors The Executive Committee will appoint a Delegate to attend an annual meeting of the ACA, held in September in conjunction with the Fall Canyon Rendezvous. 10. Volunteer Committees The Chapter will establish three committees: (1) Training and Safety, (2) Service Projects, and (3) Outings/Rendezvous. Committees will consist of volunteers. Each committee will select a chairperson from among its members. Committee chairperson will also serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. 11. Volunteer Committee Meetings Volunteer committees will meet as often as deemed necessary by the committee. 12. Technical Director The Chapter will designate a Technical Director that is approved by the national office of the ACA. The Technical Director will serve on the Training and Safety Committee and will take responsibility for training, signing off on skills checklists, verifying canyon resumes and references. 13. Chapter Membership Requirements Membership in the Chapter requires: (a) membership in the national ACA at Supporting Member or higher level, and (b) payment of chapter dues, if applicable. 14. Chapter Membership Levels Chapter membership will consist of two levels: (1) Affiliated Members, and (2) Regular Members. 15. Affiliated Chapter Members Affiliated Chapter Members may attend Chapter meetings, but may not participate in Chapter outings or rendezvous unless the outing or rendezvous is designated as a training event, and they may not vote in Chapter elections. 16. Regular Chapter Members To attain Regular Member status, the Member must accomplish one of the following: (1) complete the ACA's Technical Canyoneering Course, (2) complete a skills checklist form provided by the ACA and signed off by the Chapter's Technical Director, or (3) submit to the Chapter's Technical Director for approval a Canyon Resume, in form provided by the ACA, listing at least 5 canyon descents rated 3B or higher, along with letters of reference from two people, known to the ACA, who are familiar with applicant's technical skills and experience. 17. Chapter Meetings The Chapter will hold regular meetings, at least bi-monthly. In areas where distance creates an attendance problem for some members, Chapter may opt to hold its meetings in conjunction with weekend canyon outings (i.e. do a canyon, hold a meeting over pizza and beer afterwards). 18. Chapter Funds All funds collected on behalf of the Chapter or any of its committees will be turned over to the Chapter Treasurer within a reasonable period of time. The Executive Committee may grant permission to a committee to collect and disperse funds for special projects, provided that a request to do so is submitted by the committee in advance. CHAPTER BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS Chapter Benefits 1. Affiliation with a national organization that has built a strong, positive reputation among canyoneers and land management agencies across the country for promoting safety and ethics. 2. Affiliation with an organization that is well-positioned to address canyoneering access issues. Our staff has decades of experience working closely with land management agencies -- as recreational canyoneers, as outdoor professionals and as search and rescue (SAR) team members. We continue to volunteer our time to train backcountry rangers and SAR teams. 3. Chapters operate autonomously; electing their own officers, setting their own dues and managing their own funds. 4. If requested, the ACA will conduct Courses and Workshops at the chapter's locale. 5. Each year the ACA will provide scholarships for two chapter members to attend the ACA Canyon Rescue Course and Canyon Leader Exam. 6. The ACA will provide free technical canyoneering and canyon rescue training for search and rescue teams, backcountry rangers, and law enforcement officials within each chapter's geographic area of interest. 7. The ACA will help organize service projects -- including clean-up, trail and anchor maintenance -- within each chapter's geographic area of interest. 8. Invitational rendezvous, sponsored by each chapter, provide opportunities for chapter members to experience canyon terrain in many different regions. 9. The ACA will provide space on its website, www.canyoneering.net, for chapter’s website – example: the Sonoran Chapter’s URL will be www.canyoneering.net/sonoran. Chapter Requirements 1. Each chapter must adopt and promote the ACA's Mission Statement as its own. 2. Each chapter must have among its members at least two people who hold current status as Regular Members of the ACA, which requires completion of the Technical Canyoneering Course. 3. Each chapter must have among its members at least one person who holds current status as a Canyon Leader, which requires completion of Technical Canyoneering, Advanced Canyoneering, Canyon Rescue and Canyon Leader Exam. 4. Each chapter should adopt at least one canyon within its geographic area of interest, working in cooperation with the appropriate land management agency, taking responsibility for regular clean-up, trail and anchor maintenance projects. 5. Current national ACA membership (Supporting Member or Regular Member) is a prerequisite for chapter membership. 6. Chapter will use the ACA website and Canyon Forums as its primary means of communication for members and prospective members.