Governance

At core the ASC is governed by the following documents:

  • Articles of Incorporation that establish the existence of the Alaska Sailing Club as 501(c)(3) corporation
  • Bylaws that address the particulars of ASC governance
  • A Mat-Su Borough Land Use Permit the outline the rules for the ASC’s Mat-Su property including trailer row, the tent area, and the small boat trailer parking area

All of these documents are available online for our members and the general public.

In addition to these formal governing documents, we have a set of club rules as well as guidelines for using club boats, the harbor, and trailer row. All of these guidelines are detailed on the Membership page.

Finally, the ASC is part of the Alaska Sailing Club Condominium Association (ASCCA). This is the organization that includes the club as well as each of the seven cabin sites adjacent to the club grounds. All documentation regarding the ASCCA association is located here.

The ASC Board

The ASC Bylaws spell our eight board positions. These include the Commodore, the Senior Vice Commodore, the Education Vice Commodore, the Racing Vice Commodore, the Harbormaster, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and Immediate Past Commodore. There are the folks are are responsible for the day-to-day governance of the club.

A quick summary of the responsibilities of each position is provided below, and you can read a more formal description of duties on the Bylaws page. You can also read a brief bio of current board members on the Contact page.

  1. President (“Commodore”). The Commodore is the chief officer of the ASC and presides at all board meetings and at the annual meeting. The Commodore is also responsible for appointing the chair of all standing committees. He or she signs all contracts and obligations authorized by the Board and appoints legal counsel if necessary. The Commodore is member ex officio with a vote of all standing committees.
  2. Senior Vice-Commodore. The Senior Vice-Commodore performs all the duties of the Commodore in the event the Commodore unavailable or unable to act for any reason. In addition, the “Senior Vice” is standing head of the Site Committee and helps manage trailer row and the tenting area.
  3. Education Vice-Commodore. The Education Vice Commodore is in change of the ASC’s educational program and is the standing head of the Education Committee.
  4. Racing Vice-Commodore. The Racing Vice Commodore is in charge of the ASC’s racing program and is standing head of the Race Committee.
  5. Harbormaster. The Harbormaster in in charge of maintaining the ASC harbor, including the docks, mooring, and hoist. He or she is the head of the Harbormaster Committee and is the assistant chairperson of the Race Committee.
  6. Secretary. The Secretary is in charge of keeping us all informed. His or her duties are as follows: issuing notice of all board and membership meetings, sending membership termination notices when necessary, keeping the minutes of official meetings, and handling all general correspondence for the club.
  7. Treasurer. The Treasurer is the financial officer of the club and has custody and control of its funds. He or she signs checks and is responsible for paying all debts and obligations of the ASC. The Treasurer also is responsible for keeping an account of all receipts and disbursements. This account is open for inspection by the Board of directors at all times is provided to the full membership at the annual meeting.
  8. Immediate Past Commodore. The Past Commodore has duties as directed by the Board and is traditionally both an advisor to the Commodore and in charge of various special projects.

The Commodore, Racing Vice-Commodore and Harbormaster are elected in even years; and the Senior Vice-Commodore, Education Vice-Commodore, Treasurer and Secretary are elected in odd years.

Club Committees

The club committees are the “working groups” of the club. Most of these committees are defined in our bylaws, although we frequently have one or more active “ad hoc” committees responsible for larger special projects. Each committee is responsible for submitting an annual budget and for providing recommendations to the board as necessary.

Following is a list of the currently active committees defined in the club bylaws. Note that the list of active committees may change from year to year depending on the needs of the club. You can read the full list of “official” ASC committees on our Bylaws page.

  •  The Race Committee plans the race schedule, submits the schedule to the Board and membership for approval, sets the conditions for open, handicap, class and other competitions, scores all races, and announces race results to the membership. In addition the race committee is traditionally in change or acquiring and distributing race trophies.
  • The Education Committee plans, enrolls, and instructs educational sailing courses other events to expose the general public to the sport of sailing.
  • The Harbormaster Committee supervises the placement and maintenance of all anchors, marks, and buoys; supervises, inspects, and has the right to reject any anchorage in the fleet; and maintains the docking and launching facilities of the ASC.
  • The Membership Committee is responsible for managing incoming membership requests to the ASC. The committee reviews applications and forwards them to the board for review and approval. In addition, this committee maintains the membership information.
  • The Events Committee plans the entertainment programs for the membership. This job typically includes helping coordinate regatta potlucks, the “Summer Sailstice” open house, and the annual meeting.
  • The Site Committee is responsible for the creation and execution of short and long term plans of development of the club property. Site committee plans are forward to the board for review and approval.
  • The Boat Committee leads the effort to maintain and improve the club fleet, including the Lasers, the Lidos 14s, the Catalina 16.5 and the Ensign 22.
  • The Nominating Committee consists of the current Commodore and four other members who are responsible for recruiting a slate of candidates for the annual election. Prior to announcement of the slate of candidates, the Nominating Committee reports the list of perspective candidates to the Board for review and approval. The Board is then responsible for determining the candidates’ availability and willingness to be placed in nomination and to serve in office if elected.
  • The Technology Committee is responsible for maintaining and improving the communication and collaboration technology used by the club.