Florida Whips              Policies Adopted at the Board Meeting, August 1, 2004, Amended 01/22/05

 

The Bylaws contain the basic operational rules for the club.  Other guidelines are adopted as policies, either by the Board or the membership at any formally called meeting.  These policies are reviewed by each new Board at their first meeting and either revised or readopted as is.

 

MANDATORY SAFETY RULES.

SAFETY RULES OF THE FLORIDA WHIPS

1.     Vehicles and harness must be serviceable, and in good repair.

2.     Horses must have bridles on with reins attached prior to hitching to a vehicle.

3.     Vehicles must be unhitched prior to removing reins and bridles.

4.     Never tie a horse or leave it unattended when hitched to a vehicle.

5.    Driver must have a whip.

6.    Never pass another carriage at a fast trot or drive too close to another carriage.

 

NON-MEMBER RIDERS OR DRIVERS  Non-member riders or drivers shall pay a $15 surcharge ($15, or $15 in addition to fees paid by Whips members) plus any park fees to participate in Whips events.  The surcharge money shall be sent to the Treasurer with the person’s name, and may be applied against the membership fee in that membership year.  This tracks the ADS policy.

 

EVENTS

The Board or a region may plan any event they wish consistent with the mission statement, rules of safety, general propriety, our insurance company, and with a vote of approval (as described by the bylaws) of the Board or region.  Event organizers must be members of the Florida Whips.  Official Whips events must appear at least once in the calendar in the newsletter.

 

Fees may be charged for these events, any left over after expenses shall go into the treasury or sub-account  of  the sponsoring entity.  Income from an event may be donated to another not-for-profit entity, with the approval of the members of the region, or the board.

 

Fees may be collected and used to pay a professional to give a workshop or clinic (as approved by the Board or region). 

 

Events may include scheduling of private lessons with the lesson fees to be paid directly to the professional.  (For example, a  region may bring in a professional and schedule the lessons, with the fees to be paid directly to the instructor.

 

EVENT FORM

The Event Form is designed to ensure that organizers have properly planned the event and have considered the financial implications in advance. An event form is required to be submitted to the Board for approval when:

-Fees will be charged.  Pass-through money collected to pay specific fees are excluded, for            example, park fees.

-There will be commitments to pay expenses

-There may be a profit or loss.

-An event is to be co-sponsored with another organization

-The property owner requests that we include them in our insurance.

The “Event Form” requires a draft budget be prepared as well as a written financial agreement with any co-sponsors.  The form is required to be submitted to the Board  at least two months in advance to be considered, because of insurance and newsletter constraints.  The form should be submitted to the secretary who will forward it to the Board for action in a timely manner.

 

An event requiring an event form shall be listed as tentative on the calendar until it is approved by the Board, including the proposed budget.  To remove a “tentative”, the form and budget need to be submitted by the 5th of the month before the event is scheduled, in order to meet newsletter deadlines.

 

 

FINANCIAL RECORDS

Regional Directors should provide the Treasurer with copies of minutes authorizing expenditure of funds.  This is not necessary when an event form is submitted.

 

Regional Directors must request money from their sub-accounts on a “Request for Regional Funds Form”.  The request should be accompanied by evidence (minutes) that the regional members approved the expenditure of the money.

 

Event income and expenses must be reported on the proper detailed Expense and Income forms.  All cash and checks (which must be written to the Florida Whips) shall be submitted to the Treasurer.  Advances and Reimbursement will be made upon submittal of the minutes of the meeting approving the event, and invoices when appropriate.

 

TREASURY

The club shall maintain a $5000 balance (approximately equal to one year’s expenses.

 

Expenditures of more than $500 must be approved by the membership.  Regional expenditures from Regional sub-accounts must be approved by the region.

 

The Board will entertain proposals for donation of money to not-for-profit organizations working to develop or enhance public lands for carriage driving.  The Board shall determine that the project meets with the approval of the park director.  The request should be made on the “Request for State Funds Form”.  If the request is granted, the funds will be encumbered for 1 year.  If not spent in 1 year, the encumbrance shall expire.

 

NEWSLETTER RATES

Back Cover - available for 1/2 page ad - $30.00

 

Functions & Events -

Non-Whip Events: One ½ page free for one issue; additional 1/2 page - $20, (equals full page) additional full pages - $35.00 each

 

Whips Events:  2 pages free for 2 issues; additional full pages - $15.00 each per issue;

 

Business: Annual business card ad - $60.00; full page $35.00 per issue.

 

Classified: Member: first ad, up to 4 lines, free for 2 months. Additional ads are $0.15 per word.

Non-member: $0.30 per word

Display advertising must be received camera ready. Advertising payment must be received with ad.

Please make checks payable to Florida Whips, Inc., and mail to the newsletter editor:

Cheryl Gonzalez, 5466 Fulmar Drive, Tampa, Fl 33625