- as amended August 13, 2002
This policy is designed to promote fairness and ensure accountability.
Scope
Any TBN sponsored week-end and multi day trips, with the exception of CYCLON, will be subject to the Multi Day Policy.
Payment
All payments for TBN sponsored trips will be made payable to the TBN and are to be sentdirectly to the trip organizer (not to the TBN general mailbox) so that the organizer has aclear idea of who and when the trip is paid for. All trips will be paid for by cheque, certified cheque or money order. Post dated cheques and stop payments are not allowed. Cash will not be accepted. A participant in a trip is 'booked' for a trip only when payment is actually received.
Cheque Bank Deposits
Cheques should be deposited in the bank on a periodic basis (e.g. twice a week). The participant is committed to the trip when the organizer confirms receiving payment. The organizer must: (1) contact participants to communicate trip details and (2) notify the Assistant Treasurer of each deposit date, amount and branch.
Trip Proposals
All proposals for weekend trips will be submitted no less than three months in advance of
the desired date of the trip for initial consideration to the President or other Board-designated officer (Weekend Trips Coordinator). Proposals will subsequently be submitted under new business at Board Meetings for Board scrutiny and approval. In such cases as the designated officer responsible for receiving proposals is the weekend trip organizer then they will submit their proposal directly to the Board.
To ease the workload of the Board and speed the approval process the following criteriamust be met before submission to the Board:
- Must be suitable to time of year
- Must avoid conflicts with other previously approved or core events
- Complete budgeting and pricing will be completed based on realistic participation
forecasts, actual quotations from vendors and must be made available for inspection. - Trip budgeting must include an additional 5% contingency factor and should take
into consideration all applicable taxes. - Trip budgeting must include any approved honorarium due the trip organizer.
- There should be sufficient lead-time to book any facilities required and to promote
the trip properly through the newsletter, on the Hotline and website. Proper
promotion is essential to running a good trip and this is the reason for which trip
proposals are requested to be submitted three months at minimum in advance of the
trip.
Appeals
When the officer so designated by the Board to consider and put forward weekend tripsproposals intends to recommend a rejection of the initial proposal then the organizer shouldbe notified of this and invited to attend the Board meeting if they wish to offer their ownarguments.
Expenses
Advances against anticipated expenses are available to all organizers. The club will makepayments directly to venues and suppliers where ever possible.
Organizer Benefits
A small honorarium of no more than $50 will be payable to successful applicants as a token of appreciation, at the discretion of the board. The honorarium should be included in the budgeting for the trip and will be forwarded to the trip organizer only once all accounting and expenses have been submitted, approved and processed. Note that trip organizers are expected to pay their own costs for participating on the trip. Payment will be made subsequent to the remittance of all outstanding expense reports and shall not be withheld from a remittance of surplus advances. The organizer will personally accept no other benefits arising from their position as organizer and will report and hand over any offered benefits to the club.
Losses
The TBN shall be liable for losses, but the Board's scrutiny should include a reasonable assessment of the participation in a given venture and may involve assurance by the organizer as to the forecast number of participants.
Surpluses
Any surpluses from advances are the property of the TBN and are subject to the control of the Board of Directors.
Promotion
Organizers must forward a description of the trip to the Weekend Trips Coordinator in order that the trip can be promoted through all four of the clubs promotional channels: newsletter, chain of events, Hotline and Internet. Full details and itinerary must be available before the trip goes on sale.
First Booking Date
All trips will be advertised with a first booking date. The organizer prior to this date may take NO reservations. The first booking date should be set well in advance so as to allow for sufficient notice of the trip in the club newsletter, on the hotline and website. Advance warning of both the trip and first booking date may be given on the Hotline, Website and in other literature for general promotional purposes only.
Waiting Lists
When a trip sells out the organizer will immediately inform the Trips Coordinator and the following things will be done: A waiting list will be started All promotional material (Hotline, Website, and Newsletter) will be updated to reflect the sell out status and to notify people that a waiting list is available. If there is a waiting list, members will be given preferential treatment when space opens up. If there are no members on the waiting list when space becomes available then that space will go to the first non-member and that individual will not be forced to relinquish that spot at some later date when a member's name is added to the waiting list.
Trip Booking Dead Line
The Trip Organizer or Weekend Trips Coordinator is required to set a booking deadline for the trip.
Confirmations
It is only at the point at when the organizer receives payment that a participant is considered 'booked' on the trip. Non-members will be notified by phone or with a written confirmation notice/receipt once the organizer is in receipt of their payment. Every effort should be made to confirm the trip by speaking to non-members directly. Members should receive a prompt voicemail or email message that the organizer is in receipt of their payment.
Participant Cancellations
No TBN financial losses due to participant cancellations will be allowed. If a participant is unable to attend, it is up to the participant to sell their spot subject to the approval of the organizer. If they are unable to find a suitable replacement they will be liable for the full cost of their participation, with no refund issued.
The trip organizer is responsible for communicating the trip cancellation policy to tripparticipants.
Trip Cancellations
The TBN Board reserves the right to cancel any trip without warning and refund monies paid by organizers or participants.
Organizer Cancellations
An organizer who cancels a trip in progress for any reason other than one of a serious personal nature shall bear the cost of cancellation.
Non-member Participation Fee
Non-members may participate in multi day trips with the payment of an additional $10 for the trip. Higher fees may be set with the Board's approval.
Waiver
In addition, all non-members must sign the TBN's Release of Indemnity Agreement and Waiver form. This form can be located on the TBN website and, once completed, should be sent to the trip organizer.
Right to Bar Individuals from Trips
With the Board or President's approval the trip organizer has the right to exclude any individual whose presence on a trip is anticipated to be disruptive and in conflict with the other participants' enjoyment. Past behaviour which may be taken into account by the Board or President in making a decision to exclude someone will include verbally abusive language, violence, excessive drunkenness, lecherous behaviour, or an unwillingness to sign waiver.
Reporting & Final Reconciliation
Failure to meet any of the following requirements will lead to forfeiture of the honorarium.
- The final reconciliation must be submitted no later than 6 weeks after the event.
- A realistic & comprehensive budget must be submitted in advance.
- All participant payments must be deposited to the TBN account prior to the event
and a copy of the deposit voucher must be sent to the Treasurer. No payments
should be accepted after the event. - An expense report must be submitted with all receipts & supporting documentation.
- Organizer must submit a trip report with itinerary (and maps, if applicable)
- Participants List, including:
- Name
- Telephone number
- Membership number
- Membership Status (if no number)
- Amount Paid & Notes: if amount is at variance with what others paid
- All documentation must be submitted to the Weekend Trips Coordinator