Bylaws
Noblesville Hockey Club
Effective 2008-2009 Season
Article 1 � Organization Name
The organization shall be known as Noblesville Hockey Club (hereafter called the Club).
Article 2 - Purpose
Section 1:
The purpose of this organization is to provide area Junior Varsity age eligible youth an organized environment in which they can continue to develop hockey skills, team hockey skills, good sportsmanship, and leadership skills, and enhance the overall character of the participants.
Section 2:
The age of players will be Bantam and Midget ages as designated by USA Hockey. The team will be registered as a USA Hockey Midget Team. The Club may have an �A� and a �B� squad playing at a higher and lower competitive level, if the number of players and resources are available.
Section 3:
The Club will primarily compete against teams with similar abilities. Those teams will be JV teams, Midget teams, and possibly some varsity teams if the coaches believe the skill level is high enough to compete at the high school level.
Section 4:
The Club will participate within the JV League, which is a division of the Hoosier High School Hockey Association.
Article 3 - Club Membership
Section 1:
Membership in the club shall be assigned to the player participants, the parents/guardians/custodians of the player participants, Head Coach and Assistant Coach(es) in the Club. Additionally, membership will be open to a designated high school faculty advisor, as approved by the Board.
Section 2:
Each participant�s family unit will have one (1) vote per participant, which can be exercised at each meeting of the members of the Club. A simple majority vote will be used for all issues voted on by the membership of the Club unless expressly worded in these by-laws.
Section 3:
Members of the Club shall abide by the rules, guidelines and policies promulgated by the Club.
Article 4 - Board of Directors
Section 1:
Members of the Board shall be selected from the general membership as defined in Article 3, Section 1.
Section 2:
The Board of Directors of the Club (Board) shall be composed of six (6) members. The members of the Board shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and two (2) Members at-large.
Section 3:
A Board term shall consist of one (1) year. The term shall commence at the beginning of the Board of Directors meeting that is to be scheduled within two (2) weeks following the election.
Section 4:
Candidates for the Board (except the Head Coach) can be self or member nominated. The General membership will elect the Board members. Voting for Board Members will be by secret ballot.
Section 5:
The business affairs, property, operations, and the day-to-day management of the Club�s activities shall be vested in the Board.
Section 6:
Any member of the Board may be removed, for just cause, by a 2/3 majority vote at an official Board meeting.
Section 7:
Any vacancy on the board shall be filled promptly. The President, at his sole discretion, will make the appointment to fill each vacancy. The replacement Board member must be a member of the Club and will be entitled to serve the balance of the term.
Article 5 - Powers and Duties of Board Members
Section 1:
The six (6) member Board shall be the governing body of the Club with responsibility to develop those sources of income necessary to self support its operation. The Board prepares the annual budget, approves coaches and other staff, recommends participation fees, and promulgates rules, guidelines, policies, practices and code of conduct for players and parents/guardians in order to carry out the stated purpose of the Club.
Section 2:
President: The President shall preside at all Board and General meetings, discharge all duties as the presiding officer at all Club functions, perform any such duties as the board may prescribe, and have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive officer of any organization. The President shall prepare the agenda for all Board meetings. Any Club member may propose agenda items for the Board or General meetings. The President shall decide upon the time and place of all meetings.
Section 3:
Vice-President: The Vice-President acts as the Club�s parliamentarian and performs duties as assigned by the Board. When the President is not present, the Vice-President performs the President�s duties. If both the President and Vice-President are not present, the Secretary shall perform the President�s duties. If all three are unavailable, no official business shall be conducted.
Section 4:
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain accurate and complete written records of account, showing the financial condition of the Club. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of the funds of the Club, deposit or cause to be deposited funds received for the benefit of the Club. Disbursement of funds, other than approved disbursements or those under $100 (one hundred dollars), shall be done only with the prior approval of the Board. The Treasurer shall also furnish, at regularly scheduled Board meetings, a written statement of the financial condition of the Club, and in general perform all duties pertaining to the office of Treasurer or such duties as delegated by the Board. Treasurer is responsible for coordination and any state or federal tax requirements for the Club.
In addition the Treasurer will also make available on a monthly basis all bank statements and record of transactions for review by the President or Vice President. In their absence a Board member will be designated by either the President or Vice President.
Section 5:
Secretary: The Secretary shall take minutes of all regular or special meetings of the Board, reduce the minutes to writing, either by print or electronic format, and preserve them in permanent record. Copies of this record shall be made available to the Membership and to the Board. If the Secretary is not present, the President shall appoint a member to take the minutes.
Section 6:
Board Members At-Large: There will be two (2) Members At-Large elected to the Board. Board members at-large may perform any duties as delegated by the Board.
Section 7:
Head Coach: The selection of and issues concerning the Head Coach (other than removal) will be decided by a simple majority of the Board members present. The Board can delegate duties to the Head Coach. The Coach shall only be removed, for cause, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board members present. The Head Coach will not be eligible to vote on Head Coaching decisions.
Section 8:
Committees: The President shall have the sole discretion to establish and appoint members to committees. The Board, by simple majority, shall have the power to establish committee guidelines and to disband any committee. Each committee must have at least three (3) Club members, one (1) of which shall be a member of the Board. Membership on the nominating committee shall be approved by the Board.
Article 6 - Coaching Appointments
The Board will select all coaches (Head and Assistants). The board will have total jurisdiction in matters concerning the selection or termination of any coaching appointments.
Article 7 - Fiscal Year
The first fiscal year shall begin with the naming of a new Board and run to April 30th, 2004. Following fiscal years shall run May 1st to April 30th of each year.
Article 8 - Meetings
Section 1:
Regular Board meetings will normally be held every 4-8 weeks. Also, the President or Vice-President when deemed necessary shall call additional meetings. Special Board meetings may be called upon at the request of the President or four (4) Board members. All meetings are open to the General membership.
Section 2:
A Board meeting will be held within one (1) week after team tryouts to determine the roster. Roster size will be at the sole discretion of the Board. All changes to the roster must be approved by the Board. The head coach shall offer roster suggestions and changes to the board for approval.
Section 3:
No official notice need be given to the General membership of a Board meeting for administration of routine business.
Section 4:
General Membership Meetings: There shall be a General Membership meeting held during the month of April to conduct Board Member elections, approve the next fiscal year�s budget and participant fees, and any other business deemed necessary by the Chairperson or Board. Each participant�s family unit will have one (1) vote. Other General Membership meetings may be called at the discretion of the board.
Section 5:
Meeting Protocol and General Rules: All business meetings of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with �Roberts Rules of Order� unless exceptions are expressly noted by these By-Laws or suspended in part by simple majority at any single meeting. Such simple majority suspension shall be in effect only for the duration of the meeting at-hand. Approval for any motion or business item shall be by simple majority (50+%) of the present eligible voters unless expressly mentioned in these by-laws. The Chairperson shall not vote for any motion or business item unless there is a tie; in such case he will break the tie.
Section 6:
Meeting Quorum: A simple majority of the Board members must be present at a Board meeting to constitute a quorum and conduct official Board business. One-third (1/3) of the eligible participant voting units must be present at a General meeting to constitute a quorum and conduct official General business.
Section 7:
Meeting Notice: All business meetings shall require one (1) week notice. Such notice shall be given by email, personal contact, phone, newspaper publication, website, announcement at a previous business meeting or general school announcement. Members can file a waiver of meeting notice. If a member does not object to the notice requirement within one (1) week after the conclusion of the meeting, then the notice requirement will be deemed to be waived.
Article 9 � Amendments to these By-laws
Section 1:
Proposed amendments to these By-Laws must be presented in writing (printed or email) to all Board members prior to a Board Meeting. If the Board recommends, by a simple Board majority of those Board members present, the amendment shall be voted on by the general membership. The proposed amendment will be made available to the general membership (printed, email or website) one (1) week prior to the general membership meeting being called. The General Membership can approve the amendment by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those in attendance voting in favor of the amendment change.
Article 10 � Policy, Guidelines and Rules
Section 1:
The Board shall promulgate in writing, certain policies, guidelines and rules that the Club will follow. All coaches and members shall be provided copies annually via print, email or website. Such policy matters and rules may be reviewed and amended as deemed necessary by the Board. The Board will be responsible for communicating any such changes in writing to all members via print, email or website.
Section 2:
The Board, by a simple majority vote, taken at any duly constituted meeting, shall have the right, with just cause, to suspend or expulse from all Club activities any member, participant, parent, or adult involved in the Club, if the conduct of such a person is considered by the Board to be detrimental to the best interest of the Club. In any such meeting of the Board, the person under consideration for suspension or expulsion shall have the right to appear in person.
Article 11 - Contracts, Bank Accounts, Etceteras
Section 1:
Financial Commitment: No person may make a financial commitment on behalf of the Club without Board or General Membership approval. Budgeted line items approved by the General Membership do not require additional approval if they do not exceed 110% (one hundred ten percent) of the budgeted amount. Non-budgeted items under $1,000 (one thousand dollars) can be approved by simple Board majority. Other items require General Membership approval.
Section 2:
Execution of contracts shall require both the Board Chairperson and Treasurer�s signatures. Contracts in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) must be competitively quoted (if practical) and approved by the Board.
Section 3:
Checks, Bank Accounts: All checks, drafts, or other orders of payment of money shall be signed by the Treasurer or such other officer as designated by the Board.
Section 4:
Deposits: All funds must be deposited promptly. Treasurer must supply Board members updated budget reports and provide a detailed quarterly report to all members via print, email or website.
Section 5:
Bank Accounts: The Board authorizes the Treasurer to operate a Club account, with all deposits going into this designated checking account, or other designated accounts (i.e. interest bearing savings).
Section 6:
Audits: A C.P.A. shall annually review the Club�s financial statements and attest to their accuracy; the annual audit will be added as a line item in the budget. Any Club member may request additional audits performed by a C.P.A. However, the Board must approve such expense and if the Board fails to approve such expense, the audit may be done at the Club member�s own expense.
Article 12 � Club Revenue
Section 1:
Annual Participant Fee: The General membership via the budget approval process shall fix the next year�s annual mandatory participant fee.
Section 2:
Sponsorships and Fund-Raising: The Board shall approve all sponsorships and fund-raising activities.
Section 3:
Additional Participant Fees: Non-budgeted mandatory participant fees or assessments under $50 may be approved by the Board. However, the annual total of such ad-hoc assessments shall exceed $100 without a vote of the General membership, at which time the General membership may vote to increase the current annual participant fee(s).
Section 4:
Participant Hardship: The Board may reduce a participant�s fee in the case of financial hardship or medical circumstance. However, if a participant quits or resigns for any non-financial hardship or non-medical reason including a change of residence, the pro-rata portion of the fee will be considered to be a non-refundable estimated damages charge.