|
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
The organization was originally known as the New York State Umpires Organization and was founded in 1928 for the express purpose of officiating in the Post-Standard League, which by all standards was a very substantial and fast semi-pro league. In the early thirties the organization expanded into high school ball. In the year 1946, through the effort and foresight of Mr. William Shayes, the president at that time, it became the parent organization of a state wide organization known by the same name and of which it is now one of its many chapters.
FOREWORD
The organization was originally known as the New York State Umpires Organization and was founded in 1928 for the express purpose of officiating in the Post-Standard League, which by all standards was a
very substantial and fast semi-pro league. In the early thirties the organization expanded into high school ball. In the year 1946, through the effort and foresight of Mr. William Shayes, the president at that time, it became the parent organization of a state wide organization known by the same name and of which it is now one of its many chapters.
ARTICLE l. NAME
The organization shall be known as the Syracuse Chapter of the New York State Baseball Umpires Association, Inc.
ARTICLE 2 OBJECTIVES
Section 1. To promote the national game of baseball by a uniform interpretation of the rules of baseball.
Section 2. To safeguard the integrity of the game and promote sportsmanship through training and instruction of the organization's members.
Section 3. To generate trust and respect for those individuals who umpire baseball games by encouraging officials to recognize and respect the interests of the players, the managers, coaches, administrators, and fans associated with each of the schools and leagues serviced by the organization's members.
Section 4. To provide a forum for the frank and open exchange of ideas among the members of the organization.
Section 5. To provide competent, knowledgeable, qualified individuals to fairly and impartially administer the rules of the game thereby instilling absolute public confidence in the integrity of the game and its officials.
ARTICLE 3 MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Persons of good character and possessing such other qualifications as the organization shall require, maybe afforded the opportunity of making application for membership.
Section 2. Application shall be made to the membership committee for a written examination and a fee as established by the executive committee to be enclosed with said application.
Section 3. If the written examination is passed and the applicant is accepted, $5.00 of said fee will be applied to dues. If the applicant fails $5.00 will be refunded.
Section 4. Probationary members shall be reported on at least once a year to the membership at a regular meeting by the membership committee, either recommending him or not for active membership. Should he be approved by a two thirds vote of those active members present he shall become an active member, and he shall be assessed the dues of an active member, minus any dues paid for the upcoming baseball season.
Section 5. Transfers from other baseball official's organizations may be accepted, provided an official letter from the previous group is sent to the secretary treasurer affirming he is in good standing with that group. The transfer would need to meet the qualifications of all members. The membership committee will make a recommendation to the executive committee as to the status he is to be accorded. The status to be accorded the transfer shall be ultimately decided upon by the executive committee.
ARTICLE 4. DUES
Section 1. Dues of this organization shall be paid in advance. The dues of the organization shall be payable on or before October 1st preceding the baseball season for which they are due. If the dues ( which term includes the amount of the annual membership fee, assessments and any other legal charges) are not paid on or before the October 1st date, the member will be responsible for and will be required to pay the full amount of the annual membership fee, assessments and other legal charges plus an additional late charge. The amount of the late charge shall be determined annually, in advance, by the executive committee. If a member fails to pay the dues plus the late charge by the scheduled date of the organization's annual business meeting, said member shall NOT be given a schedule of games until payment in full is made. The secretary will read the names of all such members at the annual meeting or at the first meeting which ensues thereafter.
Section 2. Dues of this organization will be determined by the executive committee with approval of the membership. Dues for first time Candidates, who are not transferring from another umpire's association, shall be assessed at the amount of the active game fee, only during the Candidate's first season. Dues for all other members shall be one and one half of the active high school fee, whether the particular member accepts a high school league schedule and/or a summer league schedule. Any active member who desires to withdraw and who has paid his dues will be entitled to a refund if he so notifies the secretary within 30 days of the date on which Part II of the annual Federation Rules Examination is given, provided he has not yet umpired a game. The refund shall be that in excess of the inactive membership fee.
Section 3. Inactive membership dues will be $20.00 and payable no later than the date on which Part II of the annual Federation Rules Examination is given.
ARTICLE 5. MEETINGS
Section I . The annual meeting of this organization shall occur no later than March 1st . Other official meetings shall occur at the call of the president or chairman of the executive committee.
ARTICLE 6. QUORUM
Section l. A quorum consists of a majority of those active members in good standing who are in attendance at any scheduled meeting of the organization’s general membership.
ARTICLE 7. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
Section 1. Elected officers of this organization shall be president, vice president, secretary treasurer, and a member at large. The term is for two years and each member may succeed himself.
Section 2. The standing committees shall be an executive committee, a membership committee, and a committee to administer the Tony DeVivo Memorial Fund. They shall meet the first Monday of each month and/or at the discretion of each chairman.
Section 3. The executive committee shall consist of chairman (retiring president), president, vice president, secretary treasurer, chairman of the membership committee, the interpreter, and the member at large. The assigner shall also be a member of the executive committee, if he does not hold an elective office.
Section 4. The membership committee shall consist of a chairman appointed by the president immediately upon assuming office and of those members selected by the chairman of the membership committee.
Section 5. The election of officers shall take place at the annual meeting. Election shall be by secret ballot cast by the active members in attendance and a plurality vote shall elect.
Section 6. Any member of this organization shall not hold more than one elected office at any one time. Officers shall assume their duties immediately after the close of business at the annual meeting.
Section 7. The assigner shall not be an elective office, but appointed by the executive committee and approved by the membership.
ARTICLE 8. POWERS & DUTIES OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEES
Section 1. The president shall preside at all meetings of the organization. He shall discharge all the duties that are imposed on him by the constitution and its bylaws, and impose any necessary penalty prescribed herein. He shall also be responsible for the overall supervision and management of the affairs of this organization.
Section 2. The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president, taking over all the duties of the president He shall also perform all duties assigned by the president. The vice president shall automatically succeed the president for the remainder of his term when the then current president, either voluntarily or involuntarily, no longer holds the position.
Section 3. The secretary treasurer shall be the custodian of the organization's funds. He shall render to the general membership, at the organization's annual meeting, a written accounting of the financial records and condition of the organization. He shall have the care and custody of all the official records and papers of the organization, shall issue all official notices and attend to the necessary correspondence and shall be entitled to such books; stationary, blanks, and office supplies as he may require. He shall receive all dues, fines and assessments and make such payments as shall be ordered by the president under the constitution and bylaws. He shall also perform all other duties ordinarily associated with the position of a secretary treasurer of a nonprofit organization. He shall be financially compensated in accordance with the solvency of the organization as determined by the executive committee.
Section 4. The duties of the member at large shall be to act as a liaison between the general membership and the elected officers of the organization. The principal responsibility of the member at large shall be to promote and protect the interests of the general membership. He shall be responsible for conveying the concerns of the members of the organization to the executive committee. In turn, he shall be responsible for conveying the information, ideas, and decisions of the executive committee to the general membership. He shall also be responsible for notifying the grievance committee of any violation of this constitution, the bylaws, or the polices and practices of the organization and of any unethical, dishonest or otherwise improper conduct of a member which he has been made aware of and which could have a negative impact on the organization and its fellow members.
Section 5. The assigner shall act as a liaison between this organization and the high schools, colleges, leagues, and other groups which the members serve. The assigner shall make all assignments for the games under the jurisdiction of the organization, and, as much as possible check the on field performance of the members. In cases where jurisdiction has not been established, the assigner, after consulting with the executive committee will determine whether the organization has jurisdiction. He shall also discharge all other related duties as defined by the president and/or the executive committee. He shall represent the organization at such meetings as are pertinent to assignments, including tournaments under the organization's jurisdiction. He shall be financially compensated in accordance with the solvency of the organization as determined by the executive committee.
Section 6. The interpreter shall assume charge of the interpretation portion of meetings and rules and mechanics clinics, and shall represent the organization at protest meetings, state rules conferences and clinics, coaches' rules clinics, and tournament meetings relevant to rules. He shall be a member of the executive committee. He shall be financially compensated in accordance with the solvency of the organization as determined by the executive committee.
Section 7.
A. A grievance committee shall be appointed by the president whenever necessary to hear and decide all formal complaints against any member of the organization regarding any allegation of improper conduct or incompetence. The grievance committee shall be comprised of a chairman and two other members who are not elected officers of the organization. The member at large shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the grievance committee.
B. Any member against whom a formal complaint has been lodged shall receive, by certified mail, return receipt requested, written notice of the complaint signed by the chairman which specifies the nature of each violation, the date and place of each violation, and the name of the person or the entity that made the complaint. The notice of the complaint shall also inform the member of his right to a hearing.
C. At the members option, any member charged with a violation shall have the right to be heard either in person or by written statement. A member shall be entitled to an in-person hearing provided such is requested by the member within 14 days of the date the member receives the written notice of the complaint. The request must be made in writing to the chairman of the Grievance committee. If an in person hearing is held, the person or a representative of the entity bringing the charges shall be present and both sides may present any relevant verbal information through witnesses and/or any relevant written information. Each party may also ask questions of his own witnesses and of the other party's witnesses.
D. The grievance committee,shall have the authority to impose upon any member found guilty of a violation(s); (1) a reprimand, (2) a fine, (3) a period of probation, or (4) any combination thereof, or the grievance committee may (5) fine the member and suspend the member for a period not to exceed one year, or (6) expel him from the organization with readmittance possible only as a new member, and only by a majority vote of the active members present for such vote. Any penalty imposed by the committee may not be inconsistent with a penalty specified either in or pursuant to the constitution or the by laws of this organization.
E. A majority vote of the committee shall determine its decision . The decision of the committee shall be in writing and shall be mailed to both sides by certified mail, return receipt requested. Only a member who is either suspended or expelled from the organization by the grievance committee may appeal the decision to the Appeals Board. If he decides to appeal the decision, the member shall request an appeal in writing within 14 days after the date on which he receives the decision of the grievance committee.
F. The Appeals Board shall be chaired by the retired president or his designated representative, and, shall also include the assigner and the chairman of the membership committee. The Appeals Board, at its own option, shall base its decision on the written documents and other written information considered by the grievance committee, or the Appeals Board may require that additional information be submitted to the Board in writing and/or orally. The Appeals Board shall have the power to vote to either affirm or to completely set aside the decision of the grievance committee, but it shall have no other options. A majority vote of the Appeals Board shall determine its decision. The decision of the Appeals Board shall be final. The decision shall be in writing and shall be mailed, by certified mail, return receipt requested to both sides within 90 clays of the date on which the initial notice of the complaint was mailed to the member charged with the violation(s).
Section 8. The executive committee shall approve all fees for games officiated by members of the organization and shall set all dues after approval by the membership as specified in Article 4, Section 2. The executive committee shall determine all assessments to the members of this organization. The executive committee shall establish a set of infractions and penalties for violations thereof. This list of infractions and penalties shall be distributed annually to the members. The dues, fines, and assessments are to be used as a means of discharging all financial obligations of this organization and as a basis for determining the remuneration of the assigner, the secretary treasurer, and the interpreter. The executive committee shall be responsible for determining the agenda for the five mandatory interpretation meetings held each year, and the committee shall be responsible for reviewing the record of the attendance of each member at the interpretation meetings. The executive committee shall have the power to appoint officers to fill vacancies created by the inability of an officer to serve. The exception, as stated in ARTICLE 8, Section 2, is that the vice president will automatically succeed to the presidency.
Section 9. The membership committee will solicit and train candidates. The schedule will be established and the training sessions planned and organized by the chairman of the membership committee with the assistance of his committee members. The membership committee will supervise all written examinations of the organization for candidates and probationary members, evaluate the capabilities of candidates and probationary members, and recommend those candidates and probationary members it finds qualified to become active members. This recommendation shall be made at a general membership meeting or the annual business meeting. The membership chairman and up to three members of his committee shall be financially compensated in accordance with the solvency of the organization as determined by the executive committee.
ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments may be made to the organization's constitution or by laws by two thirds vote of the active members present provided that such proposed amendment be presented in writing and read at a previous meeting.
ARTICLE 10. BYLAWS
Section 1. Except as expressly conferred by the constitution or the bylaws of this organization pertaining to the management of the organization, no officer or officers of this organization may settle any business of the organization until an authorized chairman and committee have submitted their report to the organization, and the question has been voted upon by a majority of the active members present.
Section 2. Specified fees shall be set for umpiring for members of this organization in the manner set forth in ARTICLE 8, Section 8 of the constitution of the organization.
Section 3. Any member of this organization who engages in any conduct which has a detrimental effect on the organization as determined by the grievance committee shall be subject to any of the penalties which the grievance committee is authorized to impose. If a member is either suspended or expelled from the organization the administrators of all appropriate baseball organizations and leagues shall be notified of the suspension or expulsion.
Section 4. Any member of this organization who officiates at a ballgame under the jurisdiction of this organization for less than the minimum established fee set by this organization for such a ballgame without the approval of the president or his designated representative shall be dropped from the roll of membership, but only upon credible sworn evidence being submitted to the grievance committee, and the administrators of all appropriate baseball organization and leagues shall be notified of his expulsion. He may only be reinstated upon fulfilling the requirements of a new member.
Section 5 Umpires shall not associate with a player or players upon the ball field before or during the game. If in attendance but not officiating, it is advisable to remain apart from umpires and players.
Section 6. Active baseball players and/or coaches who are members of the organization may not officiate any games played in the same league in which they play and/or coach.
Section 7. Cards of membership shall be issued to honorary members and they shall enjoy the rights and privileges of active members except the right to vote and the right to engage in active umpiring.
Section 8. It is the duty of this organization to hold five interpretation meetings and to have a proper agenda outlined for such meetings. The agenda to be planned by the executive committee with the input of the general membership conveyed to the committee by the member at large. The committee may require the assistance of some of the members of the organization in the planning and/or presentation of the agenda at the meetings, or it may utilize the assistance of paid individuals from outside the organization for the planning and/or presentation of the agenda, and it may purchase supplies and materials to be used during such meetings.
Section 9. Each member is required to attend a minimum of five interpretation meetings. The executive committee will review the attendance records prior to the annual meeting and may impose a penalty including the expulsion of any members who fail to comply. All excuses for failure to attend meetings must be in writing to the secretary, and are subject to review by the executive committee.
Section 10. The official uniform for members of this organization shall be the regulation uniform adopted by the organization. Each member should possess the proper equipment and maintain it in a neat serviceable condition. Any member who willfully neglects to dress as the rules of this organization specify shall be penalized in accordance with the organization's schedule of infractions, fines and penalties.
Section 11. A member of this organization may not accept any assignments without proper notification to the assigner. No member may participate in any official capacity with any person or persons who are not members of the New York State Umpires Association.
Section 12. Any person who passes the New York State Umpires Association examination must also satisfy the organization's other membership requirements, before being granted membership in this organization. It is hereby established that any new member, excluding transfers, will remain a probationary member for at least two seasons and his work in his first season may be evaluated in lieu of any other requirements which must be satisfied before a member may be recommended for active status by the membership committee.
Section 13. At the annual meeting held in the year when the terms of the current group of elected officers will expire a nominating committee shall be appointed by the president consisting of a chairman and at least two other members. This committee shall prepare a written list of the names of all members who have been nominated and the office for which they have been nominated. This list of candidates is to be mailed at least fourteen days prior to the annual meeting to all members.
Section 14. An attendance committee shall be appointed by the president at the annual meeting and will work under the direction of the president
Section 15. A member of the Syracuse Chapter/NYS Baseball Umpires Association who has achieved 25 years of active service will be honored with a Certificate of Merit or other suitable award to be presented at the organization's annual business meeting.
ARTICLE 11. CONSISTENCY CLAUSE
Section 1 If any provision of the foregoing constitution and/or by laws is inconsistent with any provision of the Section III Officiating Committee Agreement or the provisions of the New York State Baseball Umpires’ Association constitution and/or by laws, the provision or provisions of the Section III or the State Association constitution and/or by laws shall control and take precedent over this organization's constitution or by laws.
|
|
