DBGA BYLAWS
As with the basic premise of the Dagorhir Game Rules System, common sense supersedes perceived loopholes in these Bylaws.
The Executive Director and Chapter Council Chair shall be responsible for interpreting the bylaws. A failure to agree on interpretation shall be resolved by the Chapter Council.
1. Simple Majority Standard
1.1. Unless otherwise specified, a simple majority is required for all votes presented in these bylaws.
2. Executive Board Overview
2.1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following Directors in order of succession to the Executive Director:
2.1.1. Executive Director
2.1.2. Director of Public Relations
2.1.3. Director of Records
2.1.4. Director of Finance
2.1.5. Chapter Liaison
2.1.6. Arbiter
2.2. Each Director shall be entrusted with responsibility for their respective departments.
2.3. Each Director shall be accountable for all responsibilities within their department. If a staff position is vacant, the director shall assume the responsibilities of that role.
2.4. The Board of Directors shall meet as business dictates, but never less than once every three months.
2.5. A minimum of two-thirds of the Board Member positions must be in attendance for a quorum to exist, for it to legally take any action.
2.6. Any Director unable to attend a session may send a proxy representative in their place. However, the substitute may only present ideas and take notes for the elected official. The substitute is not allowed to vote.
2.7. If a board position is vacant, the BoD may appoint another board member to perform any responsibilities critical to the legal upkeep of the organization. This appointment will only last until the next Chapter Council meeting, where another director shall be elected or an interim director be appointed.
2.8. A board member may declare and convene an emergency board meeting.
2.8.1. An emergency meeting is to be scheduled within 72 hours of the emergency being declared.
2.8.2. Any decisions voted on at the meeting must have a stated expiration date.
2.8.3. Bylaw vetoes may not be voted on at an emergency meeting.
2.9. Expectations of Directors and Staff
2.9.1. All responsibilities will be fulfilled for the benefit and service of DBGA.
2.9.2. Directors and staff shall perform their duty to the best of their ability with all due haste when necessary.
2.9.3. Directors and staff shall not put themselves in a position where their personal interests conflict with the interests of DBGA.
2.9.4. All Directors are responsible for maintaining a confidential runbook spelling out how they are implementing their responsibilities. This runbook is to be reviewed for update at least twice a year.
2.9.4.1. The policies of the runbook are to be publicly published.
2.9.4.1.1. Sensitive or personal information shall not be publicly disclosed.
2.9.4.2. Reviews and public publishing are to happen in the third and ninth months of the term.
2.10. Authorities of the Executive Director
2.10.1. The Executive Director or their delegate may speak on behalf of the DBGA as a corporation.
2.10.2. The Executive Director shall provide clarification and oversight as necessary to ensure the fulfillment of responsibility of each department.
2.10.3. The Executive Director shall maintain a trusted proxy to hold the address of record which complies with the incorporation requirements for DBGA.
2.11. Authorities of All Directors
2.11.1. Directors may speak on behalf of the DBGA in the context of their area of responsibility.
2.11.2. Directors may appoint individuals to the Supporting Officer positions within their area of responsibility at will. Officers are granted authority as defined by their office.
2.11.3. Directors shall provide oversight and reporting for Standing Committees within their authority.
2.11.4. Directors may create, staff, and disband Select Committees within their area of responsibility at will.
2.11.5. Directors may create, staff, and disband Supporting Positions within their area of responsibility at will.
2.12. Authorities of the Board of Directors
2.12.1. The BoD may solicit and designate legal representation for DBGA such that any compensation provided has been approved by the Chapter Council.
2.12.2. The BoD may solicit and award professional services for DBGA such that any compensation provided has been approved by the Chapter Council.
2.13. Limitations of All Directors
2.13.1. Directors shall not be a representative of the Chapter Council.
2.13.2. Directors shall not hold an official position with any organization which engages in medieval reenactment, medieval combat sport, or a similar activity which might compete with DBGA.
2.13.3. Elected chapter officials, as defined by the Chapter contract, may not be allowed to simultaneously hold DBGA Board of Director positions.
2.13.4. Directors may not create or define a position within DBGA which provides compensation without funding approval by the Chapter Council.
2.13.5. Directors shall not make a decision which limits or imposes further action by the DBGA without the approval of the Chapter Council.
2.14. The Directors shall transfer all relevant documentation and control to their successor within 60 days of leaving office.
2.14.1. The Director of Finance must transfer financial information and control to the Executive Director if the end of the Director of Finance’s tenure results in a vacancy.
2.15. Organization membership and financial records are to be present for open inspection at all Board meetings. The Director of Finance must bring this information to Chapter Council meetings if requested.
2.16. Definitions of Department Staff
2.16.1. Supporting Officers – Officers which have been defined in these bylaws with the intent of fulfilling the purpose of their department.
2.16.2. Standing Committees – Committees that have a persistent function within DBGA.
2.16.3. Select Committees – Committees which have been formed for a special purpose and will be disbanded upon completion of that purpose.
2.16.4. Supporting Positions – Positions which have been created by a director to aid in the duties of the DBGA but have not been defined in these bylaws.
2.17. The Board may by a four-sixths (4/6) majority vote create or eliminate Board Advisory positions and assign individuals to those positions. Advisors may only present ideas to the Board and will not be allowed to vote.
2.18. All Executive Board members shall be personally held harmless and indemnified for all actions made in good faith while in performance of their positions.
3. Board Positions
3.1. Executive Director
3.1.1. The Executive Director’s responsibilities are as follows:
3.1.1.1. Overseeing DBGA strategic planning and organization.
3.1.1.2. Preparation of Board meeting agendas.
3.1.1.3. Maintenance of the DBGA Bylaws.
3.1.1.4. Representation and advocacy to all external organizations.
3.1.1.5. Entrusted with trustee custodianship of Dagorhir copyrights, servicemarks, trademarks, and other registration of Intellectual Property, for the administration and maintenance thereof, on behalf of DBGA and its intellectual property holders.
3.1.2. The Executive Director is also known as the “President” for purposes of interacting with the Ragnarok LLC.
3.1.3. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that each member of the Board of Directors is fulfilling the responsibilities of their office.
3.2. Director of Public Relations
3.2.1. The Director of Public Relations’ responsibilities are as follows:
3.2.1.1. Advertising and recruitment efforts on behalf of DBGA.
3.2.1.2. Administration of DBGA social media, website, and publications.
3.2.1.3. Develop and distribute Dagorhir media materials for public community outreach and engagement.
3.2.1.4. Oversee efforts for equity and diversity in Dagorhir.
3.3. Director of Records
3.3.1. The Director of Records’ responsibilities are as follows:
3.3.1.1. Registration and evaluation of Dagorhir Chapters and Dagorhir Membership.
3.3.1.2. Recording of the minutes at Board meetings.
3.3.1.3. Maintaining DBGA records relating to Dagorhir Chapters and Dagorhir Membership.
3.3.1.3.1. A Chapter member, and by extension a Dagorhir member, is defined in the Chapter Contract as a person who regularly attends a Chapter’s events.
3.4. Director of Finance
3.4.1. The Director of Finance’s responsibilities are as follows:
3.4.1.1. Payment of debts incurred by the organization.
3.4.1.1.1. Payment of debts requires a valid receipt to be kept on record.
3.4.1.2. Maintenance of DBGA financial records.
3.4.1.3. Collection of fees and dues.
3.4.1.4. Disbursements of Funds.
3.4.1.5. Purchase of any materials needed by the organization.
3.4.1.6. Filing of tax information with appropriate government organizations.
3.4.1.7. Maintenance of DBGA’s corporate and non-profit status.
3.4.1.8. Publish quarterly financial reports available to all Dagorhir members.
3.5. Chapter Liaison
3.5.1.The Chapter Liaison’s responsibilities are as follows:
3.5.1.1. Provide guidance for the planning and administration of Dagorhir events.
3.5.1.2. Maintenance of the Dagorhir Manual of Arms.
3.5.1.3. Provide guidance in the interpretation of the Dagorhir Manual of Arms including but not limited to construction guidance and equipment checking standards.
3.5.1.4. Provide Guidance for battle game activities including but not limited to scenario planning and heralding standards.
3.5.1.5. Create and maintain training materials for participant combat development and combat safety.
3.5.1.6. Oversee Coordination of event scheduling between Dagorhir Chapters.
3.5.1.7. Provide construction and theme guidance for garb, accessories, and props.
3.5.1.8. Provide guidance for the administration of non-combat entertainment, non-combat competitions, performance arts, and children’s activities at events.
3.5.1.9. Promote the elevation of the aesthetic quality of equipment, garb, and camps.
3.5.1.10. Research and provide guidance on historic methods and fantasy references.
3.6. Arbiter
3.6.1. The Arbiter’s responsibilities and authority are as follows:
3.6.1.1. Participant health, safety, and security at Dagorhir events.
3.6.1.2. Receipt and evaluation of complaints issued against individuals which have or may in the future participate in Dagorhir activities and associated social media.
3.6.1.3. Disciplinary and preventative measures to ensure the security and wellbeing of participants in Dagorhir activities and associated social media.
4. Dagorhir Bans & Suspensions (Arbiter).
4.1. The purpose of this section is to protect the members of Dagorhir by outlining the disciplinary process.
4.2. Disciplinary actions are intended to protect the membership of Dagorhir.
4.2.1. Issuing a Suspension or Ban is not to be taken as a claim that an individual is guilty of a criminal offense, nor must a prosecutable offense occur prior to disciplinary action being taken.
4.3. Type:
4.3.1. Suspension – A temporary revocation of an individual’s privilege to attend and/or participate in Dagorhir events. Suspensions may be up to two years in duration, and may be Local or Game-Wide.
4.3.1.1. Suspensions are for lesser misconduct, where there is no strong concern for the safety of the membership (e.g., an isolated act of minor vandalism).
4.3.1.2. The duration of the suspension should be proportional to the alleged misconduct.
4.3.1.3. The term of Suspensions can never be applied retroactively—a player must be Suspended from participation for some reasonable time from the decision date.
4.3.2. Ban – A permanent revocation of an individual’s privilege to attend and/or participate in Dagorhir events. These may be Local or Game-Wide.
4.3.2.1. Bans are indicated where there is a strong concern for the safety of the membership, and that is unlikely to be resolved. This category includes but is not limited to sexual offenses and other violent crimes, and/or gross violations of the Dagorhir Code of Conduct.
4.4. A player receiving multiple Suspensions for the same or similar conduct should also be considered for a Ban.
4.5. Scope of Bans & Suspensions:
4.5.1. Game-Wide – These are given only by the Arbiter, and are in effect across all Chapters. Arbiter methodology is detailed fully in Section 4.7, but those who receive a Game-Wide Suspension or Game-Wide Ban will be added to the Arbiter’s List:
4.5.1.1. No individual appearing on the Arbiter’s List will be allowed to attend Dagorhir events for the duration that their name is on that list.
4.5.1.2. No Chapter has the authority to waive or ignore that List.
4.5.1.3. Chapter leadership must seek to enforce the Arbiter’s List at all Dagorhir activities by requiring attendees who are not known to chapter check-in personnel to present a valid ID at check-in.
4.5.1.4. Chapters will give no other membership privileges to individuals appearing on the Arbiter’s List, for the duration that the person’s name is on that list.
4.5.1.5. Chapter leadership may appoint a Head of Troll for Dagorhir activities. The Head of Troll or Chapter Leadership will have the responsibility to deny admittance to any person appearing on the Arbiter’s List.
4.5.2. Local – These are given only by Local Chapter leadership, and affect only that Chapter.
4.5.2.1. Local leadership may discipline an individual for any reason permissible under that Chapter’s bylaws and code of conduct, for Dagorhir rule breaking, or for other misconduct.
4.5.2.2. Even if no game-wide disciplinary action is taken by an Arbiter, Local Leadership may still Suspend or Ban an individual from their Chapter.
4.5.2.3. Any procedures must be fairly, equitably, and impartially conducted.
4.5.2.4. Neutral decision maker(s) should be responsible for making the final decision in any disciplinary action, never a witness.
4.6. Arbiter
4.6.1. The Arbiter is considered a Director on the Board of Directors for the purpose of the DBGA bylaws.
4.6.2. General Purpose – The Arbiter will investigate written complaints regarding members or others who attend Dagorhir events, and based on an Investigation will issue a Written Decision. The result may be a Game-Wide Suspension, a Game-Wide Ban, or the conclusion that no Game-Wide disciplinary action needs to be taken. The Arbiter is responsible for the Communication of this decision, for maintaining a Record of it, and providing updates to Chapters regarding the Arbiter’s List. This is all detailed in subsequent sections.
4.7. Performance and Duties
4.7.1. Written Complaints – The Arbiter must fairly and impartially investigate complaints brought to their attention in writing.
4.7.1.1. Absent specific hardship, communication should be made to [email protected] If the complainant does not have the ability to transmit the complaint and/or documentation in electronic format, materials can be mailed to the address maintained by the executive director or trusted proxy.
4.7.1.2. A complainant may be Local Chapter Leadership or a Chapter member.
4.7.1.3. Documentation provided to the Arbiter in relation to a Complaint should be as comprehensive and detailed as possible. When available, links to external sources of information should be provided (e.g. court records, media articles, etc.).
4.7.1.4 – The Arbiter may not solicit Complaints for new Investigations. However, the Arbiter reserves the ability to solicit statements from witnesses, victims, and concerned third parties for active Investigations regarding an existing Complaint. The Arbiter may begin new Investigations in the following circumstances:
4.7.1.4.1 – A complaint is submitted to the Arbiter directly with supporting documentation and/or statements from one of the following:
4.7.1.4.1.1. Victim
4.7.1.4.1.2. Witness
4.7.1.4.1.3. Concerned Third Party (such as a Member, Participant, or Leader of another Organization outside of the DBGA)
4.7.1.4.2 – Public statements and/or media and documentation publications from Members, Participants, or Leaders of Organizations outside of the DBGA that concern Members, Participants, or Leaders of Dagorhir and/or its chapters that invoke reasonable suspicion or probable cause on behalf of the Arbiter to believe that the Dagorhir Code of Conduct has been violated.
4.7.2. Investigation – The Arbiter should make reasonable efforts to promptly and fully Investigate the matter, to include contacting and interviewing all involved parties, verifying sources, and otherwise obtaining full details. However:
4.7.2.1. Unavailability of the person about whom a complaint was filed is not a bar to disciplinary action being taken.
4.7.2.2. In situations where the Arbiter has verified that the individual has existing criminal convictions for offenses that the Arbiter believes speak to that individual being a danger to the membership, disciplinary action can be taken without conducting interviews.
4.7.3. Written Decision – The Arbiter must make a written record of all decisions made (ideally in PDF format), which should include:
4.7.3.1. Details of the individual being considered for disciplinary action (if known):
4.7.3.1.1. Legal Name
4.7.3.1.2. Game Name
4.7.3.1.3. Home Chapter
4.7.3.1.4. Date of Birth
4.7.3.2. Details of the complainant(s) as in item 4.7.1. above.
4.7.3.3. Documentation provided initially and/or collected during the investigation.
4.7.3.4. The disciplinary action (if any):
4.7.3.4.1. A Game-Wide Suspension (and duration), or
4.7.3.4.2. A Game-Wide Ban, or
4.7.3.4.3. A conclusion that no action needs to be taken.
4.7.3.5. The rationale for the decision made. Note that the Arbiter is not a court of law, and as such, no ultimate finding of fact will occur for allegations. That is, the Arbiter must not conclude—absent criminal conviction—that any particular offense definitively occurred. Rather, the Arbiter is engaging in risk management on behalf of Dagorhir, and will make decisions with an eye to player safety.
4.7.3.6. The color code (RYG) for each category in the DBGA-provided Ban/Suspension rubric.
4.7.4. Communication – The Arbiter has a duty to communicate any Written Decision as follows:
4.7.4.1. To the Local Leadership of the affected Chapter(s)
4.7.4.2. To the DBGA BOD
4.7.4.3. To the complainant, but only whether there was a Suspension, a Ban, or no action taken
4.7.4.4. To the person named in the Complaint:
4.7.4.4.1. A general, privacy-respecting context for the decision (e.g. “Due to multiple complaints around causing physical altercations at events…”).
4.7.4.4.2. The length of any Suspension, or that they have been Banned, or that no action was taken.
4.7.5. Appointed Alternate – In situations where there may be a conflict of interest, the Arbiter must appoint an Investigator. To be perfectly clear, Arbiters may not investigate any complaint where they are familiar with any involved parties or where they are involved in the matter under discussion. Those are not, however, the only situations in which an Arbiter may need to be absent. The following apply:
4.7.5.1. The Alternate may also not have any conflicts of interest in the matter being considered.
4.7.5.2. The Appointment of an Alternate lasts for only the duration of the current Investigation.
4.7.5.3. The Alternate is not a BoD member.
4.7.5.4. The Alternate takes over responsibility for the Investigation, Written Decision, and Communication as detailed above.
4.7.5.5. The name of the Alternate, the Arbiter’s reason for recusing themselves, and the rationale for appointing that Alternate shall also be included in the Written Decision (above).
4.7.6. List and Records
4.7.6.1. The Arbiter is responsible for maintaining the Written Decisions of previous Arbiters, as well as the Written Decisions for all complaints registered during their tenure.
4.7.6.2. The Arbiter is responsible for maintaining the Arbiter’s List of Game-Wide Suspensions and Bans (Arbiter’s List):
4.7.6.2.1. The Arbiter’s List will contain all members under Game-Wide Bans or Suspensions, and should contain:
4.7.6.2.1.1. Legal Name
4.7.6.2.1.2. Game Name
4.7.6.2.1.3. Home Chapter
4.7.6.2.1.4. Date of Birth
4.7.6.2.2. The Arbiter should provide an updated List to Active Chapters, with the understanding that this is not to be disseminated publicly.
4.7.6.3. For all records which are kept electronically, the Arbiter must maintain backups, as well as take reasonable steps to secure the data from unauthorized access or modification.
4.8. Appeal and Reversal of Decisions
4.8.1. Appeals to Arbiter
4.8.1.1. Requirements
4.8.1.1.1. If a person received a Game-Wide Suspension for a period exceeding a year, they may petition the Arbiter after one year.
4.8.1.1.2. If a person receives a Game-Wide Ban, they may petition the Arbiter after five years.
4.8.1.1.3. The person requesting reconsideration must provide—in writing—an explanation of how they are no longer a danger to Dagorhir membership. They should include any relevant documentation.
4.8.1.1.4. If denied, the request can be repeated no more than once every two years.
4.8.2. Arbiter Options
4.8.2.1. The Arbiter may deny the request.
4.8.2.2. The Arbiter may request additional information before deciding.
4.8.2.3. The Arbiter may grant the request. If granted:
4.8.2.3.1. A new Written Decision should be created, containing all of the previous information, as well as
4.8.2.3.2. The written Reconsideration Request and all supplemental information.
4.8.2.3.3. The Arbiter’s rationale for approving this request.
4.8.2.3.4. The Arbiter should communicate this information as when the original Written Decision was initially created.
4.8.3. Reversal by Vote
4.8.3.1. Any Arbiter Decision can be reversed with a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the Chapter Council.
4.8.3.2. The person disciplined must provide a request for this vote to the DBGA in writing.
4.8.3.3. The Arbiter may provide aspects of the Written Decision to the Local Leadership of the Chapter Council before the vote, with the understanding that the privacy of wronged parties must be respected where the subject matter is sensitive.
4.8.3.4. The request for a vote can be made no more than once every two years for any specific Decision.
4.8.4. If an Arbiter is removed, as detailed in Section 6, any decision they made during their tenure can be immediately appealed to the next Arbiter by either the complainant or the banned/suspended individual.
5. Elections
5.1. Elections to the board shall be held in May.
5.1.1. Voting will take place over a consecutive week’s time during May determined by the election administrator.
5.2. The board of directors shall be elected by the Chapter Council.
5.3. A director must win a simple majority vote to assume office. Each Chapter may cast two votes.
5.4. The Chapter Council shall appoint an elections officer to oversee the administration of the election. This officer may not currently be on the board of directors or be running for a position on the board.
5.5. Any candidate running for a Board of Directors position must undergo a background check. These background checks are to be overseen by the elections officer chosen by the Chapter Council but must include, at minimum:
5.5.1. Results from a criminal case search of publicly available legal databases compiled from all participating U.S. states.
5.5.2. Results from the National Sex Offender Public Website hosted by the United States Department of Justice.
5.5.3. Written inquiry to the current Arbiter to verify that no open Complaints or Investigations exist for the candidate.
5.6. Background checks must be paid for by the candidate. The Elections Officer will designate an account with a reputable service where the candidates will submit their personal information directly to the service and pay the requisite fees by no later than April 15th.
5.7. Background checks are to be completed and the results shared with the Chapter Council no later than May 1st for the purposes of determining if the candidate is fit for the office.
5.8. The candidate for a BOD position must be a member of any Active Dagorhir Chapter for at least three years, and nominated by an Active Dagorhir Chapter at the time of election.
5.9. BOD candidates must be at least 18 years of age, and may not be under active national ban or suspension, and must be legally eligible to hold a director position in a nonprofit in Maryland.
5.10. Potential BOD members must officially announce their candidacy to the election supervisor and to the Chapter Council no later than April 2nd.
5.11. A Board member’s elected term is two years beginning on August 1.
5.11.1. Elections for directors will be staggered, with three being elected each year
5.11.1.1. Executive Director, Director of Records, and Arbiter elections will occur on every odd year
5.11.1.2. Director of Public Relations, Director of Finance, and Chapter Liaison elections will occur on every even year
5.12. Any candidate who runs unopposed shall assume office beginning on August 1.
5.13. No board member may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position. A board member may serve again after serving at least one year in a different position or not holding a BOD office for at least one year.
5.14. An elected Board member may voluntarily resign from office before the end of their term.
5.15. A special election may be held if any Board member is removed from office or resigns. The Chapter Council must pass a motion to hold the election. Any election protocols specific to that seat are to be followed.
5.15.1. If a position is vacated out-of-cycle 90 days or more before the end of a Director’s term, the Chapter Council may open a period of nomination for 30 days, followed by an out-of-cycle election.
5.15.2. If a position is vacated out-of-cycle less than 90 days before the end of a Director’s term, the Board of Directors may assign the responsibilities of that position to another director or group of directors until that position is filled.
5.16. If a BOD candidate is elected to a position that is vacant, the candidate will fill the position immediately.
6. Removal of a Director
6.1. A director removal for cause happens when the Chapter Council decides to remove a director from their position on the board of directors for a specific reason.
6.2. Reasons for removing a director may include, but are not limited to:
6.2.1. Incompetence in fulfilling their duties.
6.2.2. Dereliction of duties.
6.2.3. Unethical behavior or misconduct.
6.2.4. Any action which causes them to be banned from Dagorhir or a similar organization.
6.3. Any member of an active Dagorhir Chapter may bring a case of removal for cause to the attention of the Chapter Council during either a regular or emergency meeting.
6.4. The Chapter Council will determine the appropriate course of action needed to investigate the claim.
6.5. Board members and candidates have no protection from arbiter investigation or decisions.
6.6. Any investigation will be bound by a period of 30 days. Following that, the Chapter Council must meet within 15 days to rule on the evidence found.
6.7. A Director may be removed for cause by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Chapter Council.
7. Chapter Council
7.1. Chapter Council (CC) consists of two Representatives (Reps) from each Active Chapter holding a notarized contract with DBGA. Each Active Chapter may have their own method for deciding their Reps, who will serve for terms of at least six (6) months (excepting in extenuating circumstances). An active chapter may choose to have a rep that is not a chapter officer. If a chapter’s chosen representatives are not chapter officers, a chapter head must send an electronic list identifying designated chapter representatives to the DBGA. This will contain Real name, fighting name and length of their term.
7.1.1. Every Chapter gets two votes. For purposes of voting during a Chapter Council meeting, if only one rep is able to attend, they may vote on behalf of both chapter reps.
7.2. The Chapter Council shall meet as business dictates, but never less than once every three months.
7.3. A notarized chapter of DBGA is considered an Active Chapter upon fulfilling the following requirements:
7.3.1. A new chapter seeking active status that would be based in a city within fifty miles of an active chapter’s base city may only gain active status with the approval of the local chapter and the approval of the Chapter Council by a majority vote.
7.3.2. Holds at least one organizational meeting, practice, skill share, and/or event per month on average.
7.3.2.1. Each activity should be open to all members of Dagorhir and must operate in the spirit of Dagorhir.
7.3.2.2. A gathering can fulfill this requirement if held virtually due to extenuating circumstances (i.e winter, weather, pandemic, etc.).
7.3.3. Maintains a base of at least five active members who attend aforementioned gatherings.
7.3.3.1. An active Dagorhir member is a person who has a current Waiver with an active chapter and has met the attendance standards of said chapter.
7.3.4. Maintains the basic officers of Administrator, Administrative Assistant, and Bookkeeper.
7.3.5. Updates the Director of Records of any changes in officers and/or their contact information.
7.3.6. Must report internal bans and code of conduct violations to the Arbiter.
7.4. Consistent and/or flagrant dismissal of these requirements will be grounds for removal of any chapter’s Active status. After being removed, reinstatement of Active status will require review, and then a vote of confidence from both the Director of Records and the Chapter Council Head.
7.4.1. Before a chapter can be removed from active status the following steps must be taken.
7.4.1.1. BOD must make at least three attempts in different media to contact the chapter, must present a list of grievances or infractions, and must document those attempts to work with the chapter to rectify the infractions.
7.4.1.2. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by the BOD is required to advance the list of infractions and a recommendation to investigate the chapter council at the next Chapter Council meeting.
7.4.1.3. The Chapter Council must vote by a three-fourths (3/4) majority to remove a chapter from active status at two consecutive chapter council meetings.
7.4.2. In cases of serious infractions, as determined by the Chapter Council, the Chapter Council may vote by a four-fifths (4/5) majority to immediately terminate a Chapter’s Chapter Contract.
7.5. Chapter Council Representative duties:
7.5.1. Propose, debate, and make changes to the Dagorhir Manual of Arms (MoA) and DBGA Bylaws.
7.5.2. Debate on and vote to install new DBGA chapters.
7.5.3. Approve funding proposals from the Board of Directors.
7.5.4. Attend scheduled CC meetings.
7.5.5. Act as liaison between their own chapter members, the Chapter Council, and the Board of Directors.
7.5.6. Inform the Director of Records of any changes to their own chapter’s officers and Active status.
7.5.7. Bring any concerns from events and gatherings to the CC’s attention, such as dangerous habitual behavior, potential bans, rule playtest results, new funding proposals, etc.
7.5.8 Consider, hear, and vote on appeals to potentially adverse Arbiter decisions.
7.5.9 Elect Board Members and provide oversight to ensure the fulfillment of each Director’s responsibilities.
7.6. Chapter Council Head:
7.6.1. The Chapter Council Head’s (CCH) main duties:
7.6.1.1. Coordinates, schedules, and moderates CC meetings.
7.6.1.2. Designates a Rep to take minutes during CC meetings.
7.6.2. In the absence of the CCH, another Rep, elected by a simple majority vote or general consensus of the Reps in attendance, will chair CC meetings.
7.6.3. The CCH position will be a one year term, starting July 1st.
7.6.4. Any active member of an active Chapter is eligible to run for CCH. Intent to run must be formally expressed before April 2nd.
7.6.5. Election will be decided by a simple majority vote. Each Active Chapter will get two votes. Votes will be counted by a 3-person subcommittee of Active Chapter Reps, none of whom are running for CCH. Members of said subcommittee will be decided by the CC in April and finalized by May 1st.
7.6.6. Voting will take place over a consecutive week’s time during May determined by the election administrator and coinciding with the BOD election.
7.6.7. In the event that a CCH is removed or leaves their office before their term is over, Chapter Council Reps will hold an emergency election for a new CCH, who will adopt all responsibilities and duties in the interim until the next annual CCH election.
7.6.7.1. Emergency elections will be organized by a designated election administrator.
7.6.7.2. The election administrator must communicate the election phase timeline to Chapter Council Reps in a timely fashion. Candidates will have one week to publicly confirm their desire to run, and Chapter Council Reps will vote during the following consecutive week.
7.7. The Executive Board has the authority to evaluate the status of a chapter and recommend that the Chapter Council vote to remove that chapter.
7.8. All authority not explicitly provided to the Executive Board is reserved by the Chapter Council.
7.9. In regards to changing Bylaws or the MoA, Each chapter represented on the Chapter Council shall have two votes.
7.10. The Chapter Council may make changes to the Manual of Arms.
7.10.1. The Chapter Council will propose changes at a Chapter Council meeting in either April or May, and vote on those proposals at a second Chapter Council meeting in either October or November.
7.10.1.1. Proposals must pass a two-thirds majority approval in order to be playtested.
7.10.2. Only one set of non-emergency MOA changes may be voted on odd calendar years (ie 2023, 2025, etc.).
7.10.3. Emergency proposals, those addressing safety and voted in as an immediate concern by a consensus of the Chapter Council, may be proposed by the Chapter Council at anytime, to be discussed at the next (or current) Chapter Council meeting.
7.10.3.1. If the proposal is taken to a vote, voting will take place for the two weeks following the Chapter Council meeting during which the emergency proposal was discussed. A three-fourths majority is required to pass.
7.10.4. All new rules will take affect immediately after their passing.
7.11. The Chapter Council may vote on changes to the DBGA bylaws.
7.11.1. Any proposed change to the bylaws must have an extended voting period of two weeks.
7.11.2. The proposal must pass with a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the Chapter Council.
7.11.2.1. All proposals must be a yes/no vote.
7.11.3. Any changes to the bylaws may be vetoed by the Board of Directors by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors.
7.11.3.1. A vetoed bylaw change may be overridden by a four-fifths (4/5) majority vote by the Chapter Council.
7.12. The Chapter Council may form ad hoc committees as needed. The committees’ size and scope will be determined by the Council during the founding of the committee.
8. Funding
8.1. The Chapter Council has the exclusive authority to authorize funding projects or methods for the DBGA.
8.1.1. The chapter council must vote by a three-fifths (3/5) majority to authorize funding projects.
8.1.1 Mandatory membership fees for all Dagorhir participants shall be a disallowed funding stream.
8.1.2. The right to promote and construct field equipment for Dagorhir shall not be given exclusively to any one entity.
8.1.2.1. No vendors shall be granted monopolies.
8.2. The Board may implement funding projects as approved by the Chapter council.
8.3. Only the BOD has the authority to approve the production of Dagorhir-branded merchandise. It must do so in writing, and may rescind that approval.
8.1.3 Expense projects must be approved by the Chapter Council (by a majority vote). Expense line items must be approved by the Director of Finances and Executive Director.
8.1.3.1 Expense projects must align with Dagorhir’s legal status as a nonprofit.
8.1.3.2 Expense projects must be in service to Dagorhir.
Definitions
Responsibilities: A role vested with a given responsibility has the sole authority over the responsibility. No other party may assume authority for that responsibility without the written consent of the director entrusted with said responsibility.
Oversight: The monitoring of tasks. If a task is not completed within a reasonable time the overseer shall make attempts to reach out to the responsible party and ensure that the task will be completed. If the task is still not completed, the overseer shall report to the chapter council.