Policies

CLUB/GENERAL
There will be an Officer's Board Meeting held each month. Major decisions will go to the Club for a vote as presented by the Board. (4/2/92; revised 1/12/06)
Changes in Club policy are to be brought up before the Board, to be studied by the Board or by a committee, to be reviewed by the Board, and then to be presented to the Club members. (8/24/95)
The Members-at-Large, as part of the SLOBC Board of Directors, will have the duties of Safety Program Director and Farmers Market Booth Director. (11/16/00)
A policy statement binder will be established and will be kept with the secretary. One copy of this policy document will be kept with the secretary and one copy with the president. Any new policy statements will appear in the minutes and will be listed separately for easier access. (4/12/01) These statements will be boxed and bolded in the minutes. (7/10/03)
The SLOBC membership list and customer list may not be provided, in any form, to any person or organization that is not a member of the Club. (7/12/01)
The Club ride calendar shall only include rides promoting the cause of bicycling consistent with the Club's bylaws and those other rides as directed by the Board. (8/9/01)
The SLO Coaster (SLOBC Newsletter), online web pages, e-mail group mail, and the directory shall not contain commercial advertisements. (12/13/01)
At the last Board meeting of the year, the Club policies established that year will be reviewed. The outgoing president and secretary will prepare folders (including Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Policies, and other relevant information) for new Board members. (3/13/02)
The Sunshine Committee will determine what kind of publication will be made dealing with deaths, injuries, or illnesses. (12/12/02)
Our policy is to let the school determine the selection standards for scholarships. (7/10/03)
Ride leaders are to encourage riders to stay as far to the right as possible and to ride single file and remember that they share the road with motor vehicles. (05/13/04)

FISCAL POLICY AND PROCEDURE
An annual membership date of January 1st will be established in order to simplify record keeping. (8/18/94)
Any individual who wishes to solicit funds for their participation in various charitable events should come to our monthly general meeting and make a presentation for funds from individual members. (4/9/98) This will be at the discretion of the president. (3/13/02)
All vehicles rented by the SLOBC will be rented in the Club name and damage insurance will never be waived. (12/9/98)
The Club will use local merchants whenever possible for the purchase of merchandise used in Club functions and Century Rides. (5/13/99)
All past, present, and future Club presidents will receive a status of Life Membership, free of dues. (11/11/99) Past and future presidents will receive free life membership in the Club as long as they sign the accident waiver and release of liability form every year. (1/13/05)
The treasurer will utilize computer tools which allow the Club to maintain historical financial records as part of the accounting computer programs. (4/11/02)
The Board, without general membership approval, can make contributions of $500 or less. (11/13/03)
The Club's budget process year begins in November and ends in October of the following year. Budget committee meets before the November Board meeting and drafts a budget for the following calendar year. Income and expenses must balance and they are balanced in the contributions item. Board reviews and approves proposed budget at the November meeting. Contributions committee meets and drafts a proposed contributions budget for the following calendar year. The Board reviews and approves the proposed contributions budget at the December meeting. Both budgets are printed in the January SLO Coaster and presented to the general membership at the January meeting for approval. Contribution checks must be written during the year in which they are awarded. If the Club does not donate the entire contributions budget during a calendar year, the unexpended balance is carried over and added to the following year. (11/13/03; revised 1/12/06)
The Club trailer will not be loaned/rented to any organization outside of the SLOBC. (2/12/04)
The Club will reimburse the cost of putting on a special events ride, approved by the ride coordinator, (up to $5 per rider), provided the ride has been posted in two issues of the Club newsletter. For special rides, such as the Indulgence Ride and Poker Ride, the Club will reimburse up to $20 per rider. (12/09/04)
Every year in December when we review the insurance policy, the Board will renew its declaration that volunteers are covered by the Club's policy. (2/10/05)
The Board shall make contributions during the year in accordance with the budgets approved by the general membership in January. If the Board wishes to make a contribution in excess of the approved amount, the general membership must approve the additional amount of contribution. (12/8/05)

RECORDS RETENTION POLICY

A file cabinet stored in the Bicycle Club storage shed will contain the following documents. Old records, no longer needed for current action, will be stored in this file cabinet.

President: All official correspondence will be kept by the president at his/her discretion and appropriately labeled.
Secretary: All minutes of the meetings, general, Board and special, will be kept indefinitely with a copy of the articles of incorporation and the current bylaws for that year in the file. Scholarship recipients will be noted in the meeting minutes for permanent retention.
Treasurer: All tax exemption documents will be kept in the treasurer's permanent file. These include ITRS and FTB letters of determination. Year-end financial reports will be filed for permanent retention. Bank statements, canceled checks, check registers, investment statements and tax returns are to be retained for seven years.
Membership: All signed "accident waiver and release of liability" forms for current active members will be kept at the membership coordinator's home. Previous records are to be retained for five years.
Historian: All old articles and newsletters concerning the history of the SLOBC are to be kept by the historian indefinitely and labeled as to the year and the event. These will be at the home of the historian.
Newsletter Editor: Thank you notes will be published in the SLO Coaster and then discarded.
Wildflower and Lighthouse Waivers: All waivers involving minors must be kept for two years after they turn 18. Adults have two years to file a claim but to be safe, keep these records for five years.
Insurance Coordinator: The Insurance Coordinator will file copies of all accident reports. (3/10/05)

CENTURY RIDES
Volunteers for our century rides must be SLOBC members, with the exception of special services, such as radio operators. (10/12/00)
A "No Brochure" policy for our future century rides was established. All registration will be taken care of on-line only. (3/8/01)
Non-member volunteers must sign a release form. (10/11/01)
There will be no refunds for our century rides. (3/13/02)
No exclusive deals are made with vendors during our public rides. (4/10/03)
The vice-president will act as custodian for all captain folders for the Wildflower and Lighthouse Rides. (5/8/03)
Discounts for ride jerseys and t-shirts will only be given to Club members for items ordered before the ride clothing order is placed with the vendor. After the ride, leftover items could be sold to Club members at a discount, but everyone purchasing items from the time the order is placed until the ride is completed will pay the full price. (5/8/03)
The Club will in general schedule its rides on the last Saturday in April and September but will choose other dates when the last Saturday falls on Easter weekend, Rosh Hashanah, or Yom Kippur. (7/10/03)
Jersey Design Selection Process: The jersey review committee will consist of the chairs of the two events prior to the target event as well as the chair of the target event, if anyone has volunteered. Submission of jersey ideas will be accepted up until seven months before the event at which point the committee will select one of the ideas. A solicitation for jersey ideas will be published in the newsletter, posted on the web and sent out to the general email list eight months before the event. The committee's decision does not need the approval of the Board. For the Wildflower, the solicitation will be published in August and the selection will be made in September by the chair of the last Wildflower, the chair of the upcoming Lighthouse and the chair of the next Wildflower, if anyone has volunteered. For the Lighthouse, the solicitation will be published in January and the selection will be made in February by the chair of the last Lighthouse, the chair of the upcoming Wildflower and the chair of the next Lighthouse, if anyone has volunteered. (4/14/05)

PUBLICATIONS
Advertisements in the newsletter by non-members: these ads should only be included if the editor deems enough additional newsletter space exists. (2/10/00)
Flyers for any cause are not to be included in the newsletter. (7/12/01)
The Club's policy is that we advertise only bicycles and accessories, as space permits. (3/13/02)
Newsletter issues that exceed 24 pages require Board approval. (3/13/02)
In the spirit of ecumenism, we try to avoid references to specific religion; therefore, "part of this article has been omitted at the editors' discretion." (3/13/02)
Do not print anything that is derogatory or that will anger local business establishment(s). (3/13/02)
We don't promote other clubs' rides. (12/12/02)
All changes to the ride calendar must be approved by the Ride Coordinator before publication. (12/12/02)