The name of the organization to which these Standing Rules apply is Escapees Social Network, Inc., Chapter 8, Mexican Connection, hereinafter referred to as the “Club.”
These Standing Rules of the Club are intended to supplement the official Bylaws of the Club. If these Standing Rules conflict with the Club’s Bylaws, the Club Bylaws shall prevail.
Officer Job Descriptions of the Board of Directors
The following duties and responsibilities are assigned to the elected or appointed positions shown below and provide descriptive detail to the condensed job summaries listed in the Club’s bylaws.
President
The President shall serve as the chairperson of the Board of Directors and preside at all Board and General Membership meetings, oversee the affairs of the Club, and performs other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
Plans and conducts board meetings, including meetings of the General Membership held while traveling to, in, and after returning from Club-sponsored travel.
Presides over the Board of Directors meetings and collaboratively creates agendas with input from the Board of Directors and committees.
Ensures fair participation of all board members in discussions and decision-making processes.
Guides the Board of Directors in executing its governance and fiduciary responsibilities.
Delegates tasks, appoints committees, and schedules leadership meetings and training.
Appoints committee chairs and members, subject to Board of Directors’ approval.
Facilitates the formulation of the Club’s annual strategic plan.
Has shared signatory powers for the Club’s financial account(s).
Is the official administrative liaison with Escapees RV Club, Inc. and Harvest Hosts.
Acts as the primary point of contact for inquiries from Club members and the public, except in cases where specific members are designated by the Board of Directors to address certain topics or areas.
Oversees the diversity, equity, and inclusive recruitment and involvement of member volunteers.
Manages complaints and Board responses pertinent to the Club’s Code of Conduct.
Establishes and oversees ad hoc committees, as needed, formed of members and special advisers to support the President’s functions. Board Emeritus
Board Emeritus positions may be chosen with an affirmative vote of the majority of the current Board of Directors and shall serve for one term unless later appointed to an additional term by a successor Board of Directors.
Does not hold voting rights on the Board of Directors and does not take part in the day-to-day operations or management of the Club.
Serves as a mentor to the current President, Board of Directors, and members while sharing insights and guidance based on their training, skills, and experience. This support is generally solicited due to the Emeritus’s experience and historical knowledge of the Club or other pertinent Club management functions.
Represents the Board of Directors at special events, ceremonies, and public functions as delegated by the Board.
Supports the Club’s initiatives and advocates for its goals in the RV user community and RV travel industry.
Is typically non-compensatory, though the Club may provide honoraria or reimbursements for specific duties performed in this r
Secretary
The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all Club meetings, keep the Club’s records, and correspondence
Records, prepares, and distributes the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors, membership, and committees.
Ensures that the records, policies, and procedures of the organization are appropriately used, made known to the membership, and archived.
Manages elections approved by the Board of Directors, manages the voting process with a Nominating/Elections Committee, and certifies the vote count of any Board election.
Provides the Club Archivist information related to the Club’s history of activities, officers, bylaws, standing rules, Code of Conduct, financial records, etc.
Advises Escapees RV Club, Inc., Harvests Hosts, and its partners and Club’s membership of changes in Club representation, bylaws, standing rules, and Code of Conduct.
Establishes and oversees ad hoc committees, as needed, formed of members to support the Secretary’s functions.
Treasurer
The Treasurer keeps correct accounting records of all income (receipts) and expenses (cash, checks, currency conversions, banking records, loans, other financial instruments, and supportive documentation)
Manages financial transactions per the Board of Director’s policies, procedures, and chart of accounts, and recommends updates, as necessary.
Ensures compliance with tax and other legal governmental or financial institutional filings.
Educates the Board of Directors about accounting best practices.
Reviews financial statements to ensure that all fiduciary and oversight duties are performed.
Works with the Membership Manager and Digital Media Manager to collect dues.
Prepares prompt and correct financial statements (such as the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement) for review by the board highlighting key financial issues and recommending actions when necessary.
Oversees the filing of needed federal, state, and local tax or administrative returns or reports, ensuring that the Club retains its tax-exempt status and affiliation with Escapees RV Club, Inc. and Harvest Hosts.
Leads the coordination of needed operational and financial audits or reviews, collaborating with auditors to ensure that the Club’s financial statements are correct and follow Generally Acceptable Accounting Standards (GAAS).
Establishes and oversees a Finance Committee, as needed, formed of members and or Officers to support the Treasurer’s official functions.
Assistant Treasurer
The Assistant Treasurer aids the Treasurer with all duties while gaining experience and insight into Club financial operations and requirements.
Wagonmaster
The Wagonmaster provides a comprehensive proposal at the start of their term containing recommended options for the Club’s future travel for review as to their suitability by the Board of Directors.
Once any comprehensive travel (e.g. rally) proposal is approved for implementation by the Board, the Wagonmaster shall prepare detailed plans and coordinate the Club’s travel logistics with Board of Directors’ oversight. These implementation plans shall include specifics as to the travel duration, destination(s), schedules, travel routes, anticipated concessionaires, vendors, expected expenses, as well as potential health, safety and financial risks to the Club and its members. These planning materials are the exclusive property of the Board of Directors.
Supervises non-officers not listed in Article III and other volunteers that have responsibilities for Board approved functions for the Club’s international travel operations.
Coordinates with the Treasurer the setting of travel event participant fees excluding required membership dues.
Provides the Digital Media Manager with custom content that promotes participation in the Club’s sponsored travel and Club events and educates members and the public about international travel and cultural exchange opportunities traveling with the Club.
Regularly provides written planning and financial details of all components of any forthcoming Club RV travel and acquires review and approval of the planned operation.
Establishes and oversees a Travel Logistics Committee, as needed, formed of Officers and members to support the Wagonmaster’s functions.
Assistant Wagonmaster
The Assistant Wagonmaster aids the Wagonmaster with all duties while gaining experience and insight into the trip planning, concessionaire management, finances, and execution of Club-sponsored travel events.
Gathers input from the Board, membership, and other sources about their interest in attending Club sponsored travel, as well as their preferences for types, locations, length of travel, excursions, entertainment, philanthropy projects, etc.
Prepares a written draft proposal for the route, destinations, and features of the forthcoming fiscal year’s travel event(s) that shall be presented to the membership Membership Manager
The Membership Manager keeps accurate and reliable Club membership records in cooperation with the Digital Media Manager and the Treasurer.
Recommends to the Board of Directors the price of membership and the specific benefits that the Club agrees to provide members in exchange for their membership fees.
Advises the Board of Directors on methods and strategies to implement efficient member dues collection. Reports monthly the number of active members, and historical member acquisition and membership termination statistics and trends.
Establishes and maintains an ongoing process for membership recruitment and retention with approval of the Board of Directors.
Presents for approval by the Board all planned membership recruitment plans and related budgets and presents details of the strategies and tactics that are desirable for recruiting and retaining members of the Club.
Ensures availability of membership forms online and at all Escapees and Harvest Hosts social and marketing events, including Escapees-sponsored events and other RV travel enthusiast gatherings.
Establishes and oversees a Membership Committee, as needed, formed of Officers and members to support the Membership Manager’s functions.
Philanthropy Manager
The Philanthropy Manager recommends annual strategic goals for philanthropic operations and keeps the membership informed about charitable giving goals, opportunities, and past outcomes
Identifies and evaluates potential recipients for the Club’s philanthropic efforts.
Conducts thorough assessments of potential philanthropy recipients to evaluate their managerial and financial ability to effectively use support provided by the Club.
Maintains correct donor resource files encompassing past, current, and prospective contributors and donation recipients.
Generates necessary reports and summary data to support various activities, including donations received from auctions, social events, member solicitations, and grants or gifts, as well as all Club expenditures for all philanthropic activities.
Collaborates with the Treasurer to provide accounting reports on philanthropic income and expenses throughout the year, as well as at the conclusion of all travel events during each fiscal year.Ensures that Club sponsored travel event participants have a fulfilling experience through the Club’s philanthropic endeavors.
Collaborates with the Wagonmaster and the Board to engage participants in finding philanthropy recipients for the fiscal year, fostering inclusivity.
Establishes and oversees a Philanthropy Committee, as needed, formed of members to support the Club’s Philanthropic functions. (See Section 13 below for additional information) Activities Manager
The Activities Manager plans, directs, coordinates, promotes, and coordinates social and recreational activities during the Club’s sponsored RV travels.
Arranges with Wagonmaster guidance for all special publicity needs and supplies for each activity and manages the logistics for conducting the activities.
Coordinates food and beverage and event space needs for social activities.
Publicizes all events and activities with appropriate support of the Club’s Digital Media Manager.
If youth are present at the Club’s activity, identifies appropriate recreational and educational opportunities best suited for their involvement, enjoyment and safety.
Aids with the bookings, reservations, and ticketing, etc. for Club events, as necessary.
Works closely with the Treasurer to ensure that social activity budget controls are implemented.
Establishes and oversees an Activities Committee, as needed, formed of Officers and members to support the Club’s social activity functions. Digital Media Manager(archaically referred to as a Webmaster)
The Digital Media Manager directs and moderates the Club’s information management resources (websites, social media, etc., and selected print media) and uses assorted software tools, digital resource providers, and necessary procedures to support Club operations such as membership processing, event registration, and online payment processing.
Develops a detailed annual budget to implement the Club’s digital media operations getting concurrence and approval of strategies and financial expenditures.
Publicizes club events and meetings to the public and members through the Club’s online media outlets.
Manages/moderates the Club’s social media site(s) approved for use by the Board of Directors and works to implement social media policies such as Acceptable Use Policies (AUP) of media.
Collaborates with the Board of Directors on the production of the Club’s content in print newsletters, flyers, posters, photos, videos, discussion forums, merchandise (e.g. apparel), etc. to maximize Club goals.
Collaborates with the Wagonmaster to produce planning and educational material to promote Club RV travel and understanding of Mexico and its travel opportunities.
Collaborates with the Treasurer and Membership Chair to run the Club’s membership and RV travel event registration and bulk-email processing systems.
Troubleshoots and corrects technical issues as they arise using Board and external support resources.
Encourages a brand standard and the stable reputation of the Club.
Monitors the RV travel industry’s best practices and techniques and recommends changes that ensure effective use of the Club’s digital content to achieve the Club’s goals.
Establishes and oversees a Digital Media Committee, as needed, formed of Officers and members to support the Club’s media functions. Membership Dues
Club Membership dues are used to fund the ongoing costs of annual operations of the Club such as its digital/social media operations, equipment purchases, maintenance and repair of Club equipment and property, banking, printing, mailing, marketing, and Escapade/meeting expenses, etc. These dues are not intended for the conduct of Club sponsored travel that is financed by event registration and participation fees.
The dues schedule shall be structured to encourage long-term membership in the Club because doing so supports membership continuity and understanding of the Club’s purpose. In order to encourage multi-year membership, the more years of membership bought, the lower shall be the cost per year of membership. Dues may be changed at any time by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Annual dues should be set with infrequent increases by the Board of Directors to match expected financial needs during each fiscal year.
The following fee structure may be revised at any time by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Members that have already paid their dues for one or more years shall not be required to cover dues increases for the duration of their current membership period.
For any new membership bought in a fiscal year between January and April, the Membership shall be in full effect at once and be valid through April 30th of the furthest paid membership year.
Committees
The Board of Directors may create any combination of Permanent and Ad Hoc committees. The duration of each committee shall be established by the Board of Directors. Financial Procedures
Within sixty (60) days after the start of each fiscal year, the Board of Directors shall adopt an initial operating budget for the Club covering all expected income and expenses excluding those for Club-sponsored international travel events in the new fiscal year. The budget may be changed anytime during the fiscal year with the majority approval of the Board of Directors.
The Treasurer shall provide to the Board of Directors a monthly, written financial summary of Club operations that includes monthly or quarterly Profit & Loss Statements, financial account register(s) data, and other such documents as may be requested by the Board of Directors.
Club Property and Assets
The Secretary shall maintain an inventory of all Club equipment and real property with a value of $150 or more that records the asset’s date of acquisition, repair, assigned location, and who is the caretaker responsible for each asset, plus the reason and means used for eventual disposal (i.e. sold, donated, recycled, trashed). Records for disposed assets shall be kept for seven (7) years.
All assets of the Club including intellectual work products used in the conduct of an Officer’s role shall remain the exclusive property of the Club, periodically provided to the Board Archivist for long-term retention, and shall not be retained, sold, leased, or otherwise used for any non-Club related activity. These assets shall be immediately transferred to the Club upon the vacancy of any Board position. Work product examples include correspondence and written or verbal arrangements/agreements with campgrounds, restaurants, caterers, excursion providers, concessionaires, government agencies, and others with whom the Club will or might have a business relationship.
Financial and Operational Audits
After the end of each fiscal year, a comprehensive review of the Club’s operational and financial operations and their associated records shall be conducted by an audit committee consisting of a minimum of three (3) non-board members appointed by the current (incoming) President and Treasurer, unless these Officers held office in the previous fiscal year. If that is the case, then the Board of Directors shall, by resolution with these officers abstaining from voting appoint the three auditors within 30 days of the beginning of the new Board’s terms in office. If the Board of Directors chooses not to approve the members in the time allotted, the President shall appoint the members. The audit review shall be completed no later than June 1st annually and the report of the audit committee shall be made known to the General Membership via the Club’s website, a General Membership meeting, and/or by direct email delivered to members in good standing of both the audited and current fiscal year.
After the start of a new fiscal year when there is a different person occupying the office of Treasurer, an internal financial audit shall be conducted before the financial records from the prior Treasurer’s time in office are accepted as adequate to proceed with correct record keeping in the future. The incoming President and Secretary shall appoint the auditors with the advice of the Board of Directors. The audit report shall be completed no later than 30 days after the new Treasurer’s term begins, and the content shall be made known to the General Membership via the Club’s website, a General Membership meeting, and/or direct email delivered to members in good standing during the audited and current fiscal year.
If, in the opinion of the Audit Committee or Board the committee’s review identifies issues including, but not limited to, those issues identified below, the Board must act responsibly upon the information.
Considerations for Reporting Audit Report Issues
Legal Obligations: Some identified issues have mandatory reporting requirements under law and regulation and must be reported.
Materiality: The severity and potential impact on the Club and public interest may vary.
Club Policies: Internal guidelines, precedent, and the Club’s Code of Conduct may dictate when and how to escalate any action and reporting.
Whistleblower Protections: The Club shall ensure that individuals who report misconduct are protected from retaliation.
Fraud or Embezzlement
Serious Ethical Violations
Anti-Competitive Practices
Bribery or Corruption
Tax Evasion
Money Laundering
Violations of Environmental Laws
Significant Violations of Labor Laws
Invasion of Privacy
Significant Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Serious Data Breaches or Cybersecurity Violations
Harassment, discrimination, and bullying
The Board of Directors shall not prevent nor impair the publication or distribution of the audit committee report unless law enforcement entities request delay.
International Travel Goals
It is the intent that Club sponsored international travel shall only be in Mexico and the United States of America.
International Travel Financial Coordination
The Wagonmaster, Assistant Wagonmaster, Treasurer, and Digital Media Manager shall actively work together in all aspects of conducting Club-sponsored travel operations and event registration.
International Travel Participation Requirements
Each RV traveling in Club-sponsored RV trips must include at least one occupant who is a current Member of both Escapees RV Club, Inc. or its successor, and the Club. All participants are encouraged to be active members in good standing of both organizations.
The participant’s current Escapees RV Club Membership and (SKP) number must remain current during the entirety of the pending Club-sponsored travel and proof of membership and expiration date must be presented at the time of event registration.
Registration and Participation Fees
The Wagonmaster shall recommend to the Board all Registration and Participation fees for RV Club events. The Treasurer shall review the recommendations, all expected Club travel expenses, as well as, financial risks, and recommend to the Board of Directors the impact of these proposed fees, expenses, as well as other financial and cash flow needs of the Club.
The travel event registration fee is an “earned administrative cost” that is typically not refundable to the registrant and may only be refunded to the payor following a thorough review of the total travel expenses and income, and then only with the approval by the Board of Directors after the event has ended.
Reimbursements for Club Sponsored Logistics Planning
When approved by the Board of Directors, the Wagonmaster, or his/her designated representative, shall have only their fuel and food costs, Mexican FMM card costs, and prorated vehicle insurance costs for Club-sponsored Mexico event scouting/logistics. The maximum amount of reimbursement shall be pre-established annually by the Board of Directors and only paid upon presentation of valid expense receipts and affidavits to the Treasurer.
The Wagonmaster’s event registration and participant fees for an event shall be provided at no charge and must be treated as taxable income.
The Assistant Wagonmaster may similarly only pay registration and participation fees at the reduced rate of 50% of regular pricing if the Board of Directors decides that s/he contributed significantly to the current fiscal year’s travel logistics planning and implementation.
Other officers may with Board approval receive partial reimbursement for travel expenses when approved by a majority of the Board of Directors in recognition of their extraordinary work requirements in the current fiscal year.
Escapade Operations and Reimbursements
One or more Club Members or Officers shall be designated by the President of the Club as the Club’s official representative to conduct marketing and educational functions at Escapees RV Club, Inc. or Harvest Hosts’ annual Escapade/rally/gatherings. The designated representative(s) may upon approval of the Board of Directors be reimbursed for representing the Club at the event by reimbursing all or part of their event participation fees along with reasonable itemized expenses for promotional items such Club decorations, display materials, food, favors, printing, distribution, etc. used at the event.
Philanthropy Committee Operations
The Philanthropy Manager may appoint a Philanthropy Committee for each Club sponsored travel event. The Committee handles identifying, evaluating and distribution of philanthropic aid to institutions and citizens of Mexico subject to the Philanthropy Manager’s plan and the following provisions:
Committee Purpose: The Philanthropy Committee coordinates the collection and distribution of donated items and monies for selected recipients. The Committee may receive and review aid requests and shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for the distribution of money and other aid contributed by the Club.
Monetary Donations: Monetary donations shall be disbursed only after an affirmative vote by the majority of the Board.
In-Kind Contributions: In-kind contributions such as supplies, tools, consumables, and other miscellaneous materials may be distributed at any time during the Club-sponsored travel events at the discretion of the Philanthropy Manager without a vote of Club Members.
Disbursement of Philanthropic Funds Received: All funds, including those donated through Club member’s giving, auctions, merchandise sales, and other sources must be spent on that fiscal year’s philanthropic activities with no carryover to future years. An added monetary amount may be designated from these received funds for the Escapees CARE facility in Livingston Texas. Approval of this contribution shall only be made by a majority vote of members at the General membership meeting(s).
Composition of Philanthropy Committee: The Philanthropy Committee shall serve at the behest of the Philanthropy Manager and be composed of the Philanthropy Manager, Treasurer and three (3) Club members in good standing. Should any Philanthropy Committee member be unable to attend the current Club sponsored RV travel event, the Philanthropy Manager will appoint a volunteer replacement from the attendees at the current Club sponsored event.
All Committee Members shall have one vote each.
At least one Committee Member should have served on the Philanthropy Committee or similarly purposed committee once within the past three (3) fiscal years.
It is highly recommended that one of the Committee Members be a first-time Club travel event attendee.
At the conclusion of each Club sponsored international travel event and after the General Membership meeting usually held during the travel, the Board of Directors shall meet to review the event, consider all feedback received and available to the Board, and receive a financial report from the Treasurer and Philanthropy Manager summarizing the income, expenses, history of the philanthropy activities.
Non-Escapee’s Care Center financial donations and gifted labor services managed by the Philanthropy Committee should be distributed only in the general geographical area(s) in Mexico in which the current year’s RV travel is held, enabling travel participants who have made contributions to see firsthand the needs of the institutions and people that the Club is assisting, and the impact member generosity makes.
In addition, Philanthropy Committee Members shall be encouraged to investigate all donation requests and opportunities so that they will have in-depth knowledge of how philanthropic resources will be used in the region, thus ensuring contributions are provided for their highest and best use.
14.0 Beneficiary Restrictions
Club-coordinated donations shall not be given for the sole benefit of an individual. Donations should be made to ensure that the Club is helping the greatest number of people in need. Donations shall be disbursed only to established organizations or agencies that demonstrate a) a clear benefit from the Club’s aid and b) having a proven record of using donations efficiently, honestly, and without discrimination.
15.0 Conducting Board of Directors Meetings Electronically
The Board of Directors may conduct meetings either in person or electronically, or a combination of different technology: teleconferencing, email, SMS/text messages, and other available conferencing software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or other Board-approved solutions (e.g. hybrid In-person – Video conference – Telephone).
A remote meeting and vote on specific items may be scheduled by the President or the request of a minimum of two (2) or more Board members.
Meeting Notification The President will send all electronic meeting notices via email to the officer’s email address on file. The notice will include the following details:
The date and time of the meeting
Connection details for participating in the meeting
The meeting agenda and any supplemental documents
If the meeting is to be conducted only via email or text exchange, and where resolutions need to be voted upon, the notices to the Board of Directors shall specify the deadline by which votes (“e-votes”) must be received by the President for compilation. All such deadlines shall have a minimum of 48 hours deliberation time unless there is no objection from any member, or the member has indicated in advance that they will be unavailable on certain dates for voting. The President may choose to extend the vote deliberation time to accommodate member requests. After the voting deadline has passed, the President will compile the votes and announce the results to the Board of Directors.
16.0 Volunteer and Officer Background Checks
At a minimum of once every three (3) years the Club shall conduct at the Club’s expense personnel background checks of officers and volunteers that fill specific roles. The decision of whom to background check depends upon the nature of the person’s role with the Club, their anticipated handling of cash, credit cards and financial records, donation and donor information, and other sensitive information. The more often a person interacts with the Club with these activities the more and deeper the background checks are needed for the safety of Club participants and other volunteers.
No later than 14 days after which the Officer or the selected individual begins their term in office or duties the person shall provide the Club’s designated commercial background check agency with all pertinent information needed to conduct the background check. Refusal to provide the information is sufficient cause for the Board to remove the person from their elected or appointed position.
If the person is expected to work for extended periods with minors or at-risk persons, their background check shall be conducted prior to the start of any activity with the minors or at-risk persons.
The background check shall include:
Criminal history check
Driving record check
Sex offender registry check
Social media check
Reference check
Professional licensure, advanced degree or certificate check
Social security number trace
17.0 Member Conduct
A separately approved Club Code of Conduct Agreement applicable to Members and Board of Directors’ is by default incorporated in these Standing Rules and remains in effect if Standing Rules are vacated or no longer applicable.
18.0 Member Confidentiality and Privacy
Confidential Information of the Club includes, but is not limited to, any non-public information pertaining to the Club’s business, finances, strategies, member and board personal information, and any other data or documents that are disclosed or accessed by board members and Club members in the course of their duties.
All board members, officers, and members of the Club shall treat Confidential Information with the highest degree of care and shall not show such information to any unauthorized persons or entities, both during their tenure and after their term has ended, unless required by law.
Access to Confidential Information is on a “Need to Know” basis and shall be limited to individuals who require it to fulfill their duties within the Club.
The Club shall implement and keep proper security measures, including but not limited to password protection, encryption, and physical security, to restrict access to confidential Information to authorized personnel only.
The Club shall collect, use, and store personal data of members and board members in compliance with applicable privacy laws and regulations, ensuring that such data is used only for legitimate Club purposes.
If the personal data is to be used outside the scope of the Club’s normal membership processing, event registration and activities, the Club shall obtain explicit consent from members before collecting, using, or revealing their personal data, except as required by law.
The Club shall keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, after which it shall be securely disposed of.
Any board member or member who becomes aware of a violation of these privacy and confidentiality rules shall report it at once to the President of the Board or another designated privacy protection tasked officer.
If there is a data breach or unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information, the Club shall promptly notify affected individuals and take proper steps to mitigate any harm, per applicable laws.
Any violation of this section may result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Board of Directors or membership and may subject the violator to legal action.
This section shall be interpreted and enforced following applicable federal, state, and local privacy laws.
19.0 Amendments to the Standing Rules Procedures
These Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, revised, or repealed upon an endorsement of both the Board of Directors and the majority vote of the Club General Membership consistent with the current Bylaws.
Proposals to change the Standing Rules including any section content shall be provided the General Membership no less than 14 days prior to a scheduled General Membership meeting.
Certification
I hereby certify that these Standing Rules of the Club were duly adopted by the Board of Directors and ratified by the Members of the Chapter at the General Membership meeting on the date provided below
