BY-LAWS OF THE NORTH GEORGIA AMATEUR UMPIRE ASSOCIATION

 

ARTICLE I: RULES OF PROCEDURE

 

Section 1:

The rules contained in the New Roberts Rules of Order shall govern NGAUA in all cases to which they are applicable for all transactions of business by the Association, or by the Board of Directors, not specifically covered in the NGAUA constitution and By-Laws. 

 

Section 2:

The Contracts (fees and terms) shall be negotiated by the Contracts Committee, under the guidance of the Board of Directors. 

 

Section 3:

NGAUA shall issue a check for the amount due each member after deducting the booking fee, any assessments, or other charges due NGAUA, after the money is collected. 

 

 

ARTICLE II: MEETINGS

 

Section 1:

The stated meetings of NGAUA shall be:

A. Registration and Training, in January, February, and March as set by the Coordinator, President, Board of Directors or Training Coordinator.
B. Election, on a day in October to be selected by the Board of Directors.
C. Officers and Directors will take office immediately upon election.
D. Special Meetings of the Association or Board of Directors'   may be called by the President, a majority of the Board of Directors, or one third (1/3) of the membership.

 

Section 2:

Attendance at all NGAUA meetings is recommended. Any member failing to attend any required meeting, training clinic and/ or test shall be subject to   disciplinary action as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Directors. 

 

 

ARTICLE III: FEES AND DUES

 

Section 1:

Each member of NGAUA shall pay:

A. NGAUA membership dues as formulated by the Board of Directors to cover operating expenses.
B. Membership dues to affiliated Associations as applicable.
C. Liability Insurance fee as applicable.
D. A ten percent (10%) agent fee for each game officiated.
E. A late fee for registration at the cut-off date. Exceptions may be made for a transferee with approval by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2:

All fees and dues shall be paid in full before a game assignment shall be made. 

 

Section 3:

In the event of voluntary termination, suspension, or expulsion of a member, no refund of fees or dues shall be made. 

 

Section 4:

Members of the Board of Directors shall have their NGAUA membership dues waived for performance of their duties. 

 

Section 5:

Any member who accepts an assignment and then later cancels that assignment will be assessed a penalty equal to the agent fee for that assignment. 

 

 

ARTICLE IV: UNIFORMS

 

Section 1:

All members shall at all times wear a complete uniform which is in accord with the affiliated Association's official uniform; however, the Coordinator may prescribe a special type uniform such a type of trousers, shorts, shirt, socks, cap, and etc. that all officials shall wear for a specific game, league or tournament, with the guidance of the Board of Directors. 

 

Section 2:

Any member failing to wear a clean prescribed uniform in it’s entirely, the correct way, shall be subject to disciplinary action as   deemed   by the Board of Directors. 

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ARTICLE V: RATING OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1:

The Coordinator and the Training Coordinator shall be responsible for rating all members based on attendance at training clinics, tests, field mechanics, dress, observations and reports from fellow officials, and any other criteria formulated by the Board of Directors. 

 

Section 2:

These ratings shall be used for assignment of members to officiate school, league, and tournament games. 

 

Section 3:

Any member shall have the right to appeal his/her rating to the Board of Directors for review. 

 

 

ARTICLE VI: CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1:

The conduct of an official while in uniform shall be above reproach. He/she shall maintain a high respect for the profession by refraining from abusive language, consumption of alcoholic beverages, using tobacco or cell phones or other electronic devices, on the field, and any other action which would tend to discredit NGAUA and/or the Officiating Profession. 

 

Section 2:

A high standard of ethics shall be maintained by refraining from criticizing  fellow officials in public. 

 

Section 3:

No member shall falsify any information required for or by his/her membership, either when applying or after being accepted in NGAUA. 

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Section 4:

Any member under suspension by the Board of Directors or who owes money to NGAUA shall not be allowed to vote, be appointed or  elected to

office, or   participate in the activities of NGAUA until the suspension is removed or the debt is paid. 

 

Section 5:

Any member who plays, has an immediate family member who participates, coaches, or is associated with a team that plays in a league or tournament under contract with NGAUA shall notify NGAUA's Coordinator of said "conflict of interest." 

 

Section 6:

A member, after accepting an assignment from the Coordinator, shall be contractually responsible to arrive at the park by a reasonable time in advance of game time, in proper uniform, and be at the location on time to officiate said game, unless given a release by the Coordinator. 

 

Section 7:

No member shall officiate, play, solicit, sponsor, participate, or be engaged in any way with any athletic sports, game, or tournament other than by assignment from the Coordinator  except by written approval  from the Board of Directors. In all cases of conflict, a member's first responsibility shall be to NGAUA. 

 

 

ARTICLE VII: DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1:

Any member charged with a violation of any infraction of NGAUA's Policies, Constitution and/or By-Laws shall have the right to be heard in person or to offer a written statement made in their own defense. 

 

Section 2:

Any member failing or refusing to answer charges against them to the Board of Directors shall be considered guilty as charged. 

 

Section 3:

Any member found guilty by the Board of Directors of any infraction of NGAUA's Policies, Constitution and By-Laws or   conduct that would discredit NGAUA shall be subject to a reprimand, assessment, suspension, expulsion or any combination thereof, as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Directors after a scheduled fact finding process. 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII: ELECTIVE OFFICE QUALIFICATION

 

Section 1:

Any member of NGAUA who desires to be placed on the ballot for an elective office may submit his/her name and office desired to the Nominating Committee not later than October 1st each year. 

 

Section 2:

Candidates for office may be nominated from the floor provided the nominee and nominator are members in good standing. 

 

Section 3:

Only members in good standing shall be allowed to serve.in an appointed or elected office in NGAUA. 

 

Section 4:

Qualified candidates for elected offices shall be placed on the ballot to be voted upon at the election meeting. 

 

 

ARTICLE IX: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

 

Section 1:

Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office as a result of failure to fulfill the duties of said office or as a result of conduct detrimental to the best interests of NGAUA. Removal must follow the ensuing procedures:

A. A petition stating the charge shall be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer and signed by a majority of the Board of Directors  .
B. Each Board of Directors member shall be notified a minimum of ten (10) days prior to the meeting when the charge(s) will be placed on the meeting agenda.
C. The charged member of the Board of Directors shall be given or sent a written notice of the charge(s) a minimum of ten (10) days before the charge(s) will be placed on the meeting agenda.
D. Any member failing or refusing to answer charges against himself/herself to the Board of Directors shall be considered guilty as charged.
E. The petitioners shall present their case first; said charged member shall be heard second; the vote shall be taken third. Two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting membership present shall be necessary to remove said member of the Board of Directors from office.  

 

 

ARTICLE X: FINANCIAL REPORT

 

Section 1:

The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare a financial report showing the account balance at the beginning of the year, the amount received during the year, the amount paid out, and the account balance at the end of the year or at his/her termination from office, whichever occurs first. 

 

Section 2:

The Board of Directors shall appoint an Audit Committee to audit the Secretary-Treasurer's records and certify   the financial report that the records have been examined and found to be correct, and that the account balance is also correct. 

 

Section 3:

The Audit Committee shall consist of at least two (2) members not on the Board of Directors. 

 

Section 4:

Once the Board of Directors accepts the Audit Committee's statement that the financial report is correct, the financial report shall be distributed to the Board of Directors and shall be available for review by NGAUA members in good standing.

 

 

ARTICLE XI: ELECTION VOTING PROCEDURES

 

Section 1:

The President shall appoint at least four (4) tellers (NGAUA members in good standing who are not on the ballet) to distribute ballots on which the members shall cast their vote. After the ballots are collected, two (2) tellers shall count the ballots and give the results to the President, whereupon the two (2) remaining tellers shall then count the ballots and give the results to the President. When the counts agree, the President shall announce the vote results to the assembly.

 

Section 2:

The Nominating Committee shall present three (3) separate ballots for the election of (1) the Officers, (2) the Recording Secretary, and (3) the Board of Directors. 

 

Section 3:

If any office is not filled by a majority of the voting members present on the ballot voted upon, another ballot shall be taken until the office is filled by a majority of the voting members present. Candidates receiving twenty-five percent (25%) or less of the votes shall be dropped from the ballot. 

 

 

ARTICLE XII: INSURANCE

 

It is required by NGAUA that each member be covered by an insurance plan for liability.

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