Virginia State Tournament Umpire Association

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

(Adopted November 10, 2001)

(Amended November 8, 2003)

(Amended March 12, 2005)  

(Amended November 4, 2006)

ARTICLE I.  NAME AND PURPOSE

A.   The Association shall be known as the Virginia State Tournament Umpire Association (VSTUA).

B.  The purpose of the Association shall be to provide the Virginia State Little League program the highest quality umpires possible.

C.   The purpose of the Association shall be met by means of organized meetings where the development of rule knowledge, field mechanics and decorum, and the highest standards of character and citizenship shall be stressed.

D.   As a minimum, there will be two (2) meetings of the membership per calendar year:  the Spring meeting normally shall be held on the first Saturday in March and the Fall meeting normally shall be held on the second Saturday in November.  Notice of the arranged meeting date, time and place will be made to the membership at least three (3) weeks in advance of the meeting.

E.   Association meetings will be conducted following Roberts Rules of Order.

ARTICLE II.  ELECTION AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

A.   The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Executive Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President for Baseball, Vice President for Softball and a Member-at-Large.

1.  The President’s duties shall include selecting meeting locations and agenda, conducting meetings, representing the Association at other Little League meetings or events, appointing committees as required by these Bylaws or at his/her discretion, and performing other duties as required.

2.  The Executive Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence and perform other duties as assigned by the President.

3.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for conveying required information to the membership, maintaining the status of payment of dues, maintaining membership rolls, receiving, accounting for and disbursing Association funds.

4.  The Vice President for Baseball shall be responsible for representing the interests of member baseball umpires to the Board of Directors and for the further development of baseball umpiring knowledge and skills within the membership.

5.  The Vice President for Softball shall be responsible for representing the interests of member softball umpires to the Board of Directors and for the further development of softball umpiring knowledge and skills within the membership.

          6.  The Member-at-Large will perform duties as determined by the President.

B.  There shall be a Board of Directors composed of the current elected officers and the immediate Past President.  All members of the Board of Directors shall be eligible to vote on matters in front of the Board.  A quorum of five (5) directors is required for any matter requiring a vote by the Board of Directors.  In addition to the duties and responsibilities defined elsewhere in these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall be responsible for:

1.       Submission of a proposed annual budget for approval by the general membership.  The proposed budget shall be submitted by the Board of Directors at the Fall meeting for the subsequent calendar year.  The proposed budget shall consist of specific recommended line items for expenditure and a recommended discretionary funds line item.

2.    Disbursement of Association funds under the approved budgets discretionary funds line item.

3.    Execution of the approved budget.  Changes to the budget must be approved by the general

            membership.

C.   Officers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years by the membership present at the Fall meeting.  Their terms of office shall begin on the first day of the next calendar year.

1.   The Associations officers will be divided into two (2) groups for election purposes:  Group A (i.e., President, Executive Vice President, Member-at-Large) shall be elected in even numbered years; and Group B (i.e., Vice President for Baseball, Vice President for Softball, Secretary/Treasurer) shall be elected in odd numbered years.

2.       Vacancies will be filled through an election at a next regular meeting of the membership and those elected will serve for the remaining tenure of the vacated office.

3.  Newly created positions will be filled through an election normally held during the same meeting   in which the position is formally adopted by the membership.

D.  In all matters involving a vote by the membership, each Active and Life Member-- except the presiding officer--may exercise one vote.  The presiding officer may cast the deciding vote in the case of a tie.  There will be no proxy votes.

ARTICLE III.  MEMBERSHIPS AND DUES

A.   As a prerequisite to regular membership (i.e., active, inactive and life members as defined in Article III.B), an individual must have served, at a minimum, as a plate or base umpire for one game of a Virginia section, state or division Little League tournament.

B.   There shall be four (4) types of membership.

              1.        Active Members are those members who keep their dues current and thereby are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Association.

              2.   Inactive Members are those members who do not keep their dues current.  Dues should be paid by the Spring meeting each year and must be paid by December 31 to remain current.  Inactive Members will not receive Association mailings and may not vote on Association matters.

Members inactive for two (2) years shall be sent written notification of their status by the Secretary/Treasurer.  Those sent such notice who fail to clearly demonstrate an interest in maintaining membership in the VSTUA within thirty (30) days following the mailing of such notice may be removed from the membership rolls by action of the Board of Directors.  Once removed from the membership rolls, a former member may be permitted to rejoin with the approval of the Board of Directors and payment of a reinstatement fee to be determined by the Board.  The reinstatement fee shall be, at a minimum, the equivalent of the initial membership fee and, at a maximum, the equivalent of three (3) years dues.  EXCEPTION:  Any military person who is an Active Member is exempt from paying annual dues during any period of active duty outside of Virginia .  In this status, the military member will not have Association voting privileges but may receive Association mailings upon written request and with approval of the Board of Directors.  Upon returning to Virginia , the individual must pay only the current year’s dues to return to Active Member status.

            3.  Life Members are those who have met the membership prerequisites, have been nominated for Life status by a fellow member(s), and have been accepted as such by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the eligible members present and so voting at a Fall meeting.  Nominations for Life Member status should be made in writing to the President on or before September 1 of the year his/her name is to be presented for consideration by the membership.  The criteria for nomination shall be determined by the member(s) making the nomination, but should be based on the candidate’s contributions to the Association over an extended period of time.  No more than three (3) Life memberships may be granted in any calendar year.  Life Members are entitled to all rights and privileges of the VSTUA Association and are exempt from paying dues.

            4.  Honorary Members are those who are not otherwise eligible for membership but who have made significant contributions to Little League programs.  Honorary Members have all rights and privileges except they do not regularly receive Association mailings, they do not have a vote, and they do not pay dues.  Honorary Member candidates are nominated in the same manner as Life Members; however, such status may be accorded an individual either through appointment by the Board of Directors or election by the membership.

C.   Active, Life and Honorary Members, and U.S. military members who are considered “inactive” solely by reason of being assigned on active duty outside the Commonwealth of Virginia, have the right and privilege of wearing Association hats, pins, patches or other paraphernalia bearing the phrase “Virginia State Tournament Umpire Association”, “VSTUA”,  “Virginia State Umpire”, or other markings directly associated with the Association.

D.   Annual dues shall be effective for a calendar year (i.e., January 1 through December 31).  The amount of dues for the next calendar year shall be established at the Fall meeting by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the eligible members present and voting.  Initial membership fees to join VSTUA will be the annual dues amount plus five ($5.00) dollars.  If an individual joins VSTUA in the calendar year that he/she remainder of the joining calendar year plus the next year.  If an individual joins VSTUA in any year following the one in which he/she became eligible to join the Association, the membership shall be considered valid only for the remainder of the joining calendar year.

E.   Upon payment of the initial membership fees, each new Active Member shall receive an Association official pin and patch.

ARTICLE IV.  DISCIPLINARY MATTERS

A.   Every member is expected to take notice of the actions of all other members and prospective members, on and off the field.  Any action deemed less than desirable should be reported to the President in a timely manner.  The President, depending on the severity of the allegation(s), should either refer the issue to the Board of Directors or designate a special committee to investigate the alleged misconduct, incompetence, or other denigrating action involving a member.

B.   The member involved and the appropriate District Administrator will be notified in writing of the inquiry as well as of the findings and any resultant actions of the Association.  Any investigating committee will report its findings to the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors, after evaluating the findings of the investigating committee or its own inquiry, may: (1) take such corrective action, if any, as it deems appropriate; or (2) present the matter for consideration by the membership at the next Association meeting.  If brought before the membership, any disciplinary action will require approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the eligible members present and voting.  In all cases, the member involved will not have a vote in deciding the matter but will be kept informed of the current status of the inquiry and will have the right to appeal any decision of the President and/or the Board of Directors for a final determination by the membership at the next regular or special Association meeting called by the President.

ARTICLE V.  AMENDMENTS

A.   Proposed changes to this Constitution and Bylaws may be introduced and discussed at any meeting of the membership.  No further action on a proposed change shall be accomplished until the membership meeting following its introduction.

B.   Changes will require the approval of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the eligible members present and voting.

ARTICLE VI.  DISSOLUTION OF ASSOCIATION

A.   In the event of the dissolution of the Virginia State Tournament Umpire Association, the Board of Directors shall take prompt action(s) to:

1.  Comply with the requirements of public law and regulation applicable to the VSTUA as an incorporated, nonprofit Association and its dissolution as an organization.

2. Discharge liabilities and liquidate assets. The proceeds from the sale of any tangible property shall be added to the Association’s residual assets.

B. Any net residual assets of the Association shall be distributed for application to the chartered Little League Baseball, Inc., (LLB) Challenger Division program within the Commonwealth of Virginia and under the collective or individual oversight of the elected district administrators of the chartered LLB districts in Virginia at that time.

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