Mountain View Tennis Club
Policies and Information
Revised July 2005

Board policies have been prepared to clarify issues that are not clearly stated in the Tennis Club Constitution and Bylaws. The purpose behind this is to foresee areas of potential conflict in the managing of the Club and to resolve them before they become problems. The idea is not to usurp the power of the committee chairpersons by requiring board approval for all actions. It is simply to make certain that the Club follows a clear, consistent, and acceptable policy. It is the responsibility of each committee chairperson to seek the opinion of the Board by a straw vote on any issue that may be controversial (if that responsibility has been delegated to the chairperson by the Constitution or Bylaws).

GENERAL BOARD POLICY

1. 1. The nominating committee, which is formed by the Vice President, should seek people who are interested in running for office, not just those people who the committee feels are most qualified. It is recommended that this committee is formed and potential nominees are sought out by August/September in order to have the membership vote and elect the nominees at the October General Meeting.
2. The Vice President has responsibility for General Meetings. These events should be listed in the Court Report in the month prior to their occurrence.
1. Board members may bring their partner to the General Meetings at no cost provided that the VP is notified one week before the event.
2. General members may bring their partner to the General Meetings at a cost that will be determined by the average cost/person of food and beverages. This cost will be noted in the publicity preceding the event. The cost must be submitted to the VP at least one week before the event. Note that the cost can be applied to the partner’s membership fee if MVTC still has openings. Openings are always available for Mountain View residents.
3. Receipts to be reimbursed and charges made to MVTC accounts are to be turned over within ten days to the appropriate chairperson for payment in order that he or she may make complete accounting of all monies to the Treasurer.
4. The Executive Board should select chairpersons by February 1^st.
5. Court Report information should be due shortly after Board meetings to streamline information flow.
6. The purpose of board meetings is to present well thought-out resolutions and motions for board actions.  Lengthy discussions of issues may take place prior to (and outside of) each board meeting.
7. Agendas and proposals will be prepared and distributed by the secretary prior to each Board meeting and general meetings.
8. At the close of the year, it is the outgoing Executive committee’s responsibility to collect and review committee binders and to prepare suggestions for incoming Board.
9. The MVTC board can choose, by a 3/4 vote of the entire board, to reject an applicant’s request for membership or to remove a member from the club’s membership and participation in all club sponsored activities.
10. Honorary Life Members: The board can appoint Honorary Life Members to give them recognition, free annual membership and access to all club activities, and if desired free monthly Court Report either on-line or by mail. However payment must be made to enter club tournaments and for club sponsored USTA teams.                                                                          Criteria for selection are
1. A member of long standing whose generosity and volunteerism has been exemplary.
2. A member who has contributed substantially towards the betterment of the club over a significant period and whose personality and character have been a positive reflection on the club.

Budget and the handling of Funds

1. At the end of the calendar year a subcommittee will be formed from that year’s board, for a budget meeting to propose a new budget for the next year.
2. At the first full board meeting, the board will review, revise and approve the budget for that year.
3. Budgets shall include items as follows:
• SECRETARIAL ADMINISTRATION – Duplication, postage, secretarial/board, office supplies, stationary, pens, and nametags, raffle tickets, post office box fee. 
• MEMBERSHIP – Postage and miscellaneous office expenses. Dues income for membership shall be budgeted at an estimated total membership approved by the budget committee.
• COURT REPORT – Postage, mailing/stapling party expenses, printing supplies and reproduction, related software and computer supplies.
• WEBSITE – Website maintenance and site posting.
• SOCIAL – Total expenses shall be budgeted based upon the previous year’s expenses for events and adjusted as required. The decision to charge members for attending any or all-social events rests with the board.
• TOURNAMENTS – Revenues: entry fees, ball sales. Expenses to include: trophies, balls, court costs, and draw party food and miscellaneous related expenses. Total revenue and expenses shall be budgeted by event.  The decision as to whether any or all tournaments should show excess revenue, excess expense, or break-even rests with the board.
• INTERCLUB – Entry fees, balls, food and miscellaneous.
• USTA LEAGUES –The club will join USTA on an annual basis.  The USTA league and court fees are to be paid by the teams and not reimbursed by the club.
• SPECIAL EVENTS – Special events shall be run on a break-even basis.
• LADDER – Miscellaneous as approved by the budget committee.
• PUBLICITY – Poster creation and publicity related supplies.
4. The departing board shall leave a bank balance; the exact amount will be reviewed annually by the budget committee, plus $3.00 per member as working capital for the new Board. This amount shall be computed after adjusting for any authorized but unpaid liabilities of the departing Board.
5. Cash received, i.e., checks, cash, money orders, for a committee event shall be turned over to that committee chairperson or a designated representative within ten days. The committee chairperson shall maintain in the committee binder a list of dates and amounts of cash receipts turned over to the Treasurer for deposit.
6.  Prior to the first board meeting of the year the outgoing treasurer shall give the incoming treasurer all financial records and a signed authorization letter. The authorization letter states the name of the incoming treasurer and the effective date of responsibility. The incoming treasurer presents the authorization letter to the bank and fills out a new signature card.

COMMITTEES:

GENERAL

1. All committee chairpersons will update a written description (notebooks) of committee responsibilities for their successors prior to the changeover board meeting.
2. Any need to canvas the membership by telephone should be carried out by the person or committee involved.
3. Any ”all members” e-mail notices should be handled by the Court Report chairperson

TOURNAMENT

1. Eligibility: Tournaments of Mountain View Tennis Club are open to members of the club and to non-member guests for tournaments so designated.
2. Winners of all tournaments, except mixed doubles round robin (social type) must move up to the next highest level. In men's or women's doubles, once players have won a tournament with one partner, the team must play in the next highest level. Anybody who is runner-up twice for the same tournament type will automatically move up to the next highest level. Any team composed of individuals from two different levels must play in the higher level. Notwithstanding these "rules," the tournament director has the ultimate authority in these matters. Members may not enter in a level below that which is listed in the roster. To change roster level listing members should contact the Membership chairperson. The NTRP rating system shall be employed for ratings.
3. Events: Any class with fewer than eight entrants may be combined or moved to the next highest level or lowest level. Every effort will be made to provide at least three divisions for each event during monthly tournament play.
4. USTA NORCAL rules will be used as guidelines for tournament matches. The monthly tournament directors have full discretion and authority to disqualify any player for misconduct and unsportsmanlike behavior.
5. Three (3) new balls will be used for each match.  Upon request, new balls will be provided for the third set of finals only.
6. Used balls will be sold at $0.50 for 1 can of 3 balls. All other used tournament balls will be donated to the City of Mountain View, Cuesta Park's Tennis Group Lessons. The remainder will be given to Junior Team Tennis and Cuesta Tennis Center.
7. Entry deadlines and drops boxes: no entries will be accepted after the deadline date published in the Court Report and on the Web site. The date refers to when the entries must be received at the Cuesta Park tournament drop box. Because of the unpredictability and inconvenience of mail service, use of the drop box at Cuesta Park is required. Late entries will be placed on a waiting list and may be used for fill-in purposes at the discretion of the tournament director.
8. Scheduling: Players should not be required to play more than three (3) matches in one (1) day, except for social round robin type tournaments. At least one (1) hour should be permitted between matches, but less time is allowed if all players agree. Also, matches may be played at other courts if desired by players. 
9. Subsequent Matches: it is the responsibility of each player or team to ascertain the starting time of second round and subsequent matches. If a player knows that he/she will not be available to play the next round, then the player should play the current round match up to match point and then default to the opponent.
10. A financial report and receipts should be submitted to the treasurer by the tournament director immediately following each tournament, covering costs of balls, trophies, tournament food and drinks, draw party expenses, stamps and income from entry fees and sales of used balls.
11. The tournament chairperson will maintain a record of all tournament winners and runners up. This record will be made available to the membership committee and available for draw parties. 
12.  An attempt should be made by the tournament director to accommodate requests for special play times for the first round only. 
13. A default for a match is a default for the entire tournament.  Those who default are not eligible for the consolation round.
14. Tournament cancellation due to weather: no entry fees are refunded due to inclement weather.  Rain card credit for a subsequent tournament entry will be issued at the time of scheduled play at the discretion of the tournament director and tournament chairperson. 
15. An entrant can drop a tournament entry and receive a refund if he or she notifies the tournament director no later than 6:oo PM on the day of the draw party for that tournament. 

SOCIAL

1. A social function schedule should be determined at the beginning of each year in accordance with the budget.  Social functions are open to all members of MVTC.  The social committee can establish a policy regarding guests at the time of the planning of the social event.

COURT REPORT

1. Membership applications will be sent out in the last Court Report of the year and placed on the Web site.
2. The Court Report chairperson should coordinate and schedule the deadlines for information and dates for mailing parties early in the year. This will ensure timely information on the tournaments and other functions.
3.  Copies of the Court Report (without telephone or e-mail information) will be taken to Cuesta Park and /or the Rengstorff Recreation Center or Swetka's Tennis Shop. All extra copies may be given to membership for issue to new members.
4. The Court Report chairperson is responsible for distributing tournament entry cards to Cuesta Park. 

MEMBERSHIP

1. Each applicant must provide a copy of a current utility bill, or a copy of applicable rental agreement to verify Mountain View residency.
2.  The membership committee must approve all applications for membership before a player can play in the tournament. The deadline for applications is at the discretion of the membership and tournament committee.
3. The membership chairperson is responsible for providing the tournament director with the names of the new members not on the previously published roster for use at the draw party.
4. The membership chairperson is responsible for providing the Court Report with a current roster and address labels in time for the mailing party.
5. The membership chairperson is responsible for supplying membership applications at the Rengstorff Recreation Center and Cuesta Park.

USTA/INTERCLUB

1. Team captains will be responsible for reporting scores to the league and the Court Report. The captain may provide highlights for the Court Report
2. The USTA chairperson is responsible for coordinating interclub league teams; keeping track of teams, captains' names, phones numbers and a team roster; and coordinating with the Recreation Division and Cuesta Park.
3. Each team will decide whether to field a competitive team or one in which play is distributed more equitably. The members of the team should vote on this decision.
4. Non residents on the waiting list established by the Membership chairperson will be allowed to play on a Club USTA team playing out of Cuesta as long as they have submitted the required Club membership fee and registration form. They will not be considered club members for any other MVTC activity until they are moved from the waiting list to active membership.

FOOD

1. The food committee provides refreshments for tournaments players working with the budget allocated by the tournament chairperson. 
2. The committee is responsible for maintaining, purchasing and upgrading all pertinent equipment.
3. Inventory of all equipment will be taken at the beginning and at the end of each season.
4. The committee is responsible for cleaning the refrigerator and food storage areas at the end of the season, and unplugging the refrigerators.

LADDER

1. The ladder is structured as a continuous progression, divided for convenience into segments, which contain about an equal number of players. These segments will be restructured from time to time as the number of active players changes. 
2. Players already on the ladder may challenge any of the five (5) players directly above their position. New players may challenge anywhere on the ladder for their first match only. Once a year a player may make a "wild card " challenge and challenge anyone.
3. The ladder committee will establish activity requirements and provisions for inactive status due to injury. 
4. The challenger will supply a can of new balls for the match and is responsible for making any court reservations. Any costs for court reservation or light fees will be shared. The winner of the match is responsible for reporting the match results to the web site and appropriate ladder chairperson.
5. All legal challenges must be accepted.  The ladder committee will establish allowances for time limits and multiple challenges.

PUBLICITY

1. The publicity committee is responsible for placing articles about the Club in The View and local newspapers.
2. The publicity committee is responsible for posting flyers announcing tournaments, General Meetings and membership in sports shops, local stores, local community colleges and for maintaining the posted notice boards at city owned tennis courts in conjunction with the City of Mountain View Recreation Division.

JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS

1. The Club sponsors Junior Team Tennis, including insurance.

SPECIAL EVENTS       

1. The treasurer shall prepare a summary statement upon receipt of all income and payment of all expenses as submitted by the event director and will be approved by the board. 

2. Special events will be self-sustaining financially (i.e. zero budget).

                        REVISIONS

1. October 14, 2002 - Original document prepared by Adam Brody

2. May 19, 2004 – Added Honorary Life Member criteria as item 10 under General Board Policy  by John Manton from suggestion by Carol Tolen.

3.  Oct 13, 2004 – Added under Geneal Board Policy, item 2

Criteria for board members and general members to bring a significant other to the general meeting and dinner held in March and October. By John Manton

Under Special Events- remove all items referring to MVO. By John Manton.

Under Publicity, item 1- remove all items referring to MVO. By John Manton.Top of Form

4. Jul 17, 2005 - Added as item 4 under USTA/INTERCLUB
Allows non residents on waiting list to play on Club USTA teams playing out of Cuesta. By John Manton.