About the Big Muddy Historical Gaming Alliance

The Big Muddy Historical Gaming Alliance – St. Louis (BMHGA) strives to support and build the historical gaming hobby in the St. Louis Metro Area by conducting demonstrations, delivering presentations at conventions, schools. libraries, and participating in other events where the theme includes military or gaming.

BMHGA is headquartered in the greater St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area. Historically-accurate gaming is BMHGA’s core effort, but although our focus is on historically-accurate gaming we welcome gamers and play games of all types, including miniature table top games, historical games, board games, and role playing games. BMHGA is dedicated to bringing gamers of all ages and gaming interests together, and it seeks to encourage and grow gaming in St. Louis while welcoming, interacting with and supporting fellow gamers in other cities and regions.

BMHGA hosts three gaming events each week, a monthly game day on the first Saturday of each month, and two conventions each year. Please see our event calendar for more information.

Interested in joining us? Email us to for more information!

Bylaws for the Big Muddy Historical Gaming Alliance – St. Louis

Updated 2016

Big Muddy Historical Game Alliance Bylaws

Purpose:

The purpose of the Big Muddy Historical Game Alliance of Greater St Louis (referred to hereafter as Big Muddy and/or BMHGA)  is exclusively for educational and charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) and the running of educational programs promoting historical miniature gaming and military history. 

Big Muddy shall not be operated for profit, and no part of its net earnings shall be incurred to the benefit of any of its officers or members or of any private individual. No substantial part of the activities of Big Muddy shall consist of carrying out propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation; and Big Muddy shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. In furtherance of its purposes Big Muddy shall serve as a fund-raising vehicle enabling the public-at-large to make gifts commensurate with their concern for the promotion of education and development of historical gaming and military history.

Big Muddy has a racially non-discriminatory policy towards members and does not discriminate against applicants based on race, color, sex and national or ethnic origin. To fulfill its purposes and goals, Big Muddy will solicit donations and contributions from the public. Big Muddy will receive and administer funds for such charitable and educational purposes such as providing members and the public-at-large with educational demonstrations, seminars and conventions devoted to the various aspects of historical gaming and military history.

  1. Membership
    1.  Membership in BMHGA is open to any person age 12 and older, regardless of race, sex, creed, color, political affiliation or national origin.  Any action by any officers, committee or of the general membership that serves to violate this statement will be void. 
    2. Membership is on an individual basis, although families of members are welcome to attend any functions.  An annual dues payment, as noted below, is the only requirement.  Membership is available to all that pay their dues.  Dues shall be non-refundable.  Dues received by close of business at the Barracks Battles convention will be effective for the current calendar year.  Each paid membership will be offered the following:
      1. A vote in the annual membership meeting
      2. 10 days’ notice of any emergency meetings.
    3. The Executive Committee may change the conditions and requirements of membership within the confines of (a) above, and it may also offer whatever inducements to join that it deems fit.
      1. PREMIUM $50.00 – A $50.00 donation provides the following:
  1.  Membership/Subscription for the coming year.
  2.  Paid registration for both Command Con and Barracks Battles.
  3. Income tax deduction for the donation
  4.  Standard $30.00 – A $30.00 donation provides the following:
  1.  Membership/Subscription for the coming year
  2.  Paid registration for Command Con or Barracks Battles.
  3.  Income tax deduction for the donation
  4.  STUDENT $20.00 – This membership level is for young people who are in school. In order to acquire this membership the donor will need to show a current student ID.  A $20.00 donation provides the following:
  1.  Membership/Subscription for the coming year
  2. Paid registration for Command Con or Barracks Battles.
  3. Income tax deduction for the donation
  1.  BMHGA will not tolerate behavior or language that serves to demean or attacks another person or group.  BMHGA reserves the right to remove disruptive or unruly members from participation in any particular event.
  2. The Executive Committee (EC) may revoke the membership of any person whom, in its judgement acts contrary to this standard.
  1.   Organization
    1.  An Executive Committee (EC) shall govern BMHGA.  This committee shall be composed of five elected officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Member-at-Large).
    2. Only the Executive Committee is empowered to conduct business of the organization, including satisfying financial obligations, acquiring property for the BMHGA, entering into lease or rental agreements, and undertaking other tasks in fulfillment of the desires of the membership at large.  Decisions by the Executive Committee are to be decided by simple majority, except in cases of incurring financial obligations greater than $350.00 or the impeachment of any officer, in which case four fifths approval is required.
    3. Neither the Executive Committee nor any of its committees may make any decision or disbursement that violate Missouri laws governing non-profit organizations.
    4. The standing committees are:  Membership and Activity.  The chairs of these committees may be any EC officers or a member appointed by decision of the Executive Committee.  The size and composition of the standing committees, including terms of service may be changed at the will of the EC.  The EC is also permitted to appoint temporary sub-committees.  The duration of these sub-committees shall not exceed ninety days without the approval of the full Executive Committee.  Neither standing committees nor sub-committees may incur any financial obligation without approval of the full Executive Committee.
  2.  Fiscal Year
  1. The fiscal year of the organization will be the Calendar Year, beginning on January 1 of each year.  Membership dues are payable on that date.  If a membership is accepted after July 1, dues will be good until January 1 of the next year.
  2. The Treasurer’s financial report shall be based on this fiscal cycle.
  1. Meetings and Elections
    1. The Executive Committee must meet at least every two months, but it may choose to meet more often.  These meetings are open to any dues paying member and to non-members at the invitation of any officer or committee chair.  Notice of the times, dates and locations of these meetings shall be posted ten days in advance whenever possible.  Posting shall be made in any place known to be frequented by a substantial proportion of the membership.  In any event, a good-faith effort to serve notice of these meetings shall be construed to satisfy provisions of notification.
    2. Standing Committees are to meet at least quarterly, subject to the same provisions as for the Executive Committee above.  In addition, notice of any committee or sub-committee meeting must be provided to the President at least one week in advance of the meeting.
    3. A meeting of the general membership must be held at least once per year during the month of November.  Notice of the date, time and place of this meeting must be posted as per the Executive Committee guidelines, and in addition, notice must be sent by standard mail and/or email to all dues paying members.  The EC, subject to the same notification requirement, may call special general membership meetings.
    4. In BMHGA, a quorum consists of a simple majority.  For the Executive Committee this is a majority of the elected officers currently serving.  For general membership meetings, a quorum is a majority of the official membership list as of the last day of the preceding month.  If the annual membership meeting is held at a convention or game function (subject to the notification provisions of a-c above), a quorum will be determined by the number of members with registered, paid admission to the event.
    5. The business of each meeting shall proceed in the following order:
      1. Proof of Notice
      2. Reading of minutes
      3. Receiving and circulation of communication
      4. Officers reports (as appropriate)
      5. Committee chair reports (as appropriate)
      6. Other old business
      7. Election of Officers (as appropriate)
      8. viii.New business
      9. Adjournment
    6. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and of the general membership.  The chairs of the standing committees shall preside at their respective committee meetings.  The person presiding at any BMHGA meeting may choose to allow or deny any person the floor, although each member of the Executive Committee is entitled to at least five minutes during their report.
    7. Election of BMHGA officers occurs at the annual membership meeting.  President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary serve 4-year terms, and the Member at large serves a 2-year term.  The President, Secretary and Member at large are elected in one even numbered year, and the Vice President, Treasurer and Member at Large are elected in the subsequent even numbered year.  The chairs of the standing committees serve at the pleasure of the elected officers and can be appointed or replaced by a simple majority of the elected officers.
    8. Eligibility for voting in BMHGA elections is subject to dues status as of close of business of Command Con convention (or general membership meeting) of the preceding year.  Any person who is not in good standing as of that date shall be ineligible to vote in the general membership meeting in November.  The election is to be conducted by secret ballot.
    9. A member may give a proxy to any member of his choosing with the following limits.  No member may hold more than two other member’s proxies, and the proxy must be written, signed and must name the person granting the proxy.  The proxy should also describe the limits in time or authority of the person holding the proxy.
  2. Officers
    1.  Each officer of BMHGA shall have rights and obligations at set forth below.  Membership is a requirement to be an officer or serve as a chairperson of the standing committees.
    2. President:  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and of the general membership.  The President is also a voting member of all standing committees.  It is the President’s responsibility to foster communication among the general membership in matters that affect the wellbeing and business of BMHGA.  A fundamental component of the President’s job is to identify opportunities and needs to enhance the prosperity and mission of BMHGA.  The President is ultimately responsible for the execution of the membership’s wishes.  The President or his appointee shall also represent BMHGA in relations with other organizations.
    3. Vice-President:  The Vice-President shall serve in the capacity of the President during any absence or incapacitation of the President.  The Vice-President may also serve as a voting member of al standing committees in the absence of the president.  It is incumbent upon the Vice-President to assist the President in discharge of his duties.  The Vice-President, like the President, has a responsibility to identify and communicate his view of opportunities to the membership.  The Vice-President or his appointee also fulfills the function of Sergeant-at-Arms at all organization events.
    4. Secretary:  The Secretary of BMHGA or his appointee shall take minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee and of the general membership.  The Secretary shall maintain records of all minutes, postings and correspondence.  These records are open to inspection to any member with ten days’ notice.  The Secretary or his appointee is also responsible for the preparation and distribution of all notices and correspondence of BMHGA.  The Secretary has primary responsibility of overseeing and posting the results of al elections, except for that of his own post; in which case the duty falls to the Vice-President.  The Secretary, in conjunction with the Treasurer shall maintain record of membership and shall report on this matter in an annual report at the annual membership meeting.
    5. Treasurer:  The Treasurer and his appointees shall collect dues of BMHGA membership.  The Treasurer shall also make disbursements of funds upon approval from the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall establish and maintain such accounts and records as are necessary for the fiscal well-being of the organization.  Financial records of BMHGA must be made available upon demand from the Executive Committee and upon ten days’ notice from any general member.  The Treasurer must submit these records for inspection at each meeting of the Executive Committee and the Treasurer is responsible for preparation of an annual written report to be distributed at the annual membership meeting.  The Treasurer shall cooperate with the Secretary in preparation of membership records.  The Treasurer shall serve as a voting member of the Activity Committee.
    6. Member at Large:  The primary purpose of the Member at Large is to serve as a volunteer to the organization and may be called upon to do the organization’s bidding as needed.
    7. In the absence of both the President and Vice-President, then the Treasurer shall preside at EC and membership meetings.  No meeting of the Executive Committee or of the general membership may take place without at least three elected officers present.
    8. Any officer may be removed from office in the circumstance described in paragraphs (h i) through (h v).  The vacant position of any officer shall be filled by consensus of the remaining Executive Committee.  The person appointed would hold office until the next general election at which time the position is to be filled by a vote of the membership.  The appointee may choose to run for office in this election.  That person’s term shall thereafter follow the time lines described in (IV f).
      1. The Member shall be impeached by two thirds vote of the Executive Committee.  The bill of impeachment is then presented to a general membership meeting to be called for the purpose no sooner than thirty days from the impeachment.  The membership will decide upon impeachment by simple majority.
      2. The general membership may call for the impeachment of any committee member by two-thirds vote at any membership meeting.  Members may also submit a petition for impeachment to a meeting of the Executive Committee.  The petition must contain signatures of no less than one third of the membership as established in the most recent fiscal period.  The Executive Committee, upon receipt of a petition that conforms to this requirement shall call a general membership meeting not less than thirty days but not more than ninety days from the date of receipt.  Simple majority of a quorum of the general membership shall then decide the issue of impeachment.
      3. Any member of the Executive Committee or any general member who is found or pleads guilty to any criminal act involving club property shall forfeit their office and their membership in the club.  Said forfeiture shall take effect immediately upon the court’s action.
      4. Any officer or committee chair shall be replaced within sixty (60) days upon tendering their resignation. 
      5. Committee chairs serve at the pleasure of the elected officers and may be removed and replaced without notice by consensus of those officers.
  3. Standing Committees
    1.  The standing committees are responsible for such tasks as assigned by the Executive Committee.  Each committee shall be made up of a chairperson appointed as described elsewhere in these bylaws and up to three seats from the general membership.  Other members of the Executive Committee may also be voting members of the committee as described elsewhere in these bylaws.  Participation of these committees is voluntary and members are encouraged to join.  The Executive Committee may revoke any general member’s committee seat without notice.
    2. Membership:  Responsible for aiding the elected officers in gauging membership desires and interests and for publicizing BMHGA with the intent of attracting new membership.
    3. Activities:  Responsible for planning, coordinating and execution of BMHGA events, such as monthly gaming days or conventions.
  4. Approval and Amendment of Bylaws
    1. The officers elected September 5, 1996 shall operate under these bylaws until a full membership meeting.  The general membership will be solicited for input to create a better set of bylaws.  At that meeting, the bylaws shall be submitted for approval by a simple majority of the general membership.  If approval is denied, the Executive Committee will set up a special committee with members of the general membership to input the necessary changes to create a set of bylaws that can be approved at a special meeting to be called within ninety days.  Upon approval, these bylaws shall remain in effect for the life of BMHGA.  (Bylaws were approved as initially written – no special committee required) 
    2. These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds majority of the Membership in attendance at the general membership meeting or 2/3 of the entire membership by petition.  (Subsequent Bylaw amendments have been integrated into the text of the bylaws)