The
Arnprior McNab Braeside United Soccer Club Constitution
Download a copy here
December
2005
Revised January 2007, November 2018, November 2021
ARTICLE 1: NAME
The name of the Club shall be the Arnprior McNab Braeside United Soccer Club,
hereinafter referred to as the Club. The headquarters of the Club shall be
located within the District Boundaries of the Eastern Ontario District Soccer
Association, hereinafter to as the District Association.
ARTICLE 2: OBJECTS
The Club shall have the following objects:
1. To
promote, support and develop the game of soccer within our boundaries by
providing youth and adults with the opportunity to play the game. To further
the education of the members in the skills of soccer and to encourage good
sportsmanship.
2. To help
individuals to develop their character as resourceful and responsible Members
of their community by providing opportunities, through the game of soccer, for
their mental, physical, social and leadership development.
ARTICLE 3: AFFILIATIONS
The Club shall be a member of the District Association and shall follow the
published rules of the District Association and Ontario Soccer, hereinafter
referred to as OS. The Club is subject to the Published rules in declining
order of authority of the following bodies to which it is affiliated.
1. Ontario
Soccer (OS)
2. The
District Association
3. The
Club
ARTICLE 4: MEMBERSHIP
There are three classes of Member, namely, regular Member, honourary Member and
life Member.
Regular Member
A regular Member is either:
·
a registered player
·
a registered Club coach
·
a registered Club game official a registered Club administrator
Although an individual may qualify for, and be
registered under more than one of the above categories, each individual holds
only one Membership in the Club, and is entitled to one vote at Member’s
meetings.
A player shall become a regular Member when approved by the Club’s registrar.
Upon application, a coach shall become a regular Member upon acceptance by the
directors of the Club. A coach is an individual who is registered with OS to
teach, instruct, train and guide players to play the game of soccer.
Upon application, a game official shall become a regular Member upon acceptance
by the directors of the Club. A game official is an individual who is
registered with OS to officiate soccer games.
An administrator shall become a regular Member upon election or appointment by
the directors of the Club. An administrator is an individual who is registered
with OS to be responsible for one or more of the functions required to operate
a Club. For purpose of this definition, a team manager and a Director shall be
classified as an administrator.
Honourary Member
The Board of Directors may designated an individual as an honourary Member for
a specific period of time. An honourary Member is afforded all rights of
Membership, including the right to attend and speak at Member’s meetings, but
is not entitled to vote.
Life Member
The Board of Directors may designate an individual as a life Member. A
life Member is afforded all rights of Membership, including the right to attend
and speak at Member’s meetings, but is not entitled to vote.
Fees
Membership fees for regular Members shall be set annually by the Board of
Directors and ratified or amended by the Membership at a general meeting of the
Club.
Discipline of Member
A Member may be fined, censured, suspended or expelled from Membership for
cause and only after charges have been laid in accordance with the Club’s
published rules and a hearing held in accordance with the Club’s and OS’s
published rules. An individual whose Membership has been suspended loses all
rights of Membership until the suspension has been terminated.
Player, team and team official discipline for game infractions is governed in
accordance with the procedures published by OS.
Any Member who infringes the Articles of rules of the Club or brings the Club
into disrepute, may be reprimanded, suspended or expelled from the Club after a
hearing by the Board of Directors of the Club at which hearing the Member is
entitled to attend.
Termination of Membership
Membership in the Club shall be deemed to have been terminated:
1. if the
Member submits a signed letter of resignation to the Club
2. if the
Member is expelled by the Club’s Board of Directors
3. if the
Member is no longer registered with the Club
ARTICLE 5: BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The Club shall be governed by a Board of Directors which shall consist of at
least four individuals, or such number not to be less than four, as may be
amended from time to time in accordance with Club’s By-Laws. These individuals
shall hold the positions of:
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director-At-Large,
Director of Game Officials, Director of Coaching, Director of Discipline, Director
of Adult Soccer,
Director of Youth Representative Teams, Director of House League,
Director of Mini Soccer, Director of Operations
A Director may hold more than one position.
A Director shall be 18 years of age or older, shall not be an undischarged
bankrupt and shall be a Regular Member of the Club.
A Director shall serve for a term of two years or until his or her successor is
elected or appointed.
After an initial Board of Directors has been appointed, the positions of the
following: PRESIDENT, TREASURER, DIRECTOR OF YOUTH HOUSE LEAGUE, DIRECTOR OF
COACHING, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, DIRECTOR OF DISCIPLINE, DIRECTOR OF ADULT SOCCER shall be elected in even numbered years while the positions of the
following: VICE-PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, DIRECTOR OF GAME OFFICIALS,
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS, DIRECTOR OF MINI SOCCER, DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE shall be elected in odd numbered years.
Director Vacancy
A Director has the right to resign his or her position by submitting a letter
of resignation to the Club.
A vacancy on the Board of Directors and their respective position(s) held,
caused by death, or resignation which has been accepted by the Board of
Directors shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The
successor Director shall hold his or her incumbent’s position(s) for the
remainder of the term being filled.
Removal of Director
No Member of the Board of Directors shall be removed for arbitrary reasons but
may be removed if:
1. the Director is unable to perform the duties expected of
the position due to, any of the following reasons:
·
if she/he becomes incapable of performing the business of the
Club
·
if she/he is absent from two or more meetings of the Board
without satisfactory reason
·
if she/he no longer resides in reasonable proximity to the Club
·
if she/he becomes, or is discovered to be, an undischarged
bankrupt or;
2. the Director has compromised the integrity of the Club due
to, but not limited to, any of the following reasons:
·
if she/he has been found guilty of an offence under the
Harassment Policy of OS
·
if she/he has been found guilty of an offence involving violence
under the Discipline Policy of OS
·
if she/he has failed to properly account for monies or other
property belonging to the Club
·
if she/he has been found guilty of a criminal offence regardless
of whether or not the offence directly affected the Club
A Member of the Board of Directors holding his
or her respective position(s), as Director or other position(s), may be removed
from office by the Board of Directors for good and sufficient cause by a 2/3’s
vote of the Board of Directors present, provided notice to remove the Director
has been given to all Directors of the Club. If a Director is removed by the
Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may appoint a successor to the
position(s) for the remainder of the term(s) being filled.
A Member of the Board of Directors may also be removed from office for good and
sufficient cause at a meeting of the Members of the Club provided notice to
remove the Director has been given to persons entitled to attend the Member’s
meeting. If a Director is removed at a Member’s meeting, the Members entitled
to vote may elect a successor to fill all position(s) held by the removed
Director for the remainder of the term(s) being filled.
Conflict of Interest and Standards of Conduct
The directors shall be subject to the Conflict of Interest and Standards of
Conduct Policy in OS’s published rules.
Directors shall serve without remuneration.
Duties of Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall conduct the business of the Club during the
periods between general meetings of the Club and in accordance with the
authority granted to it in the published rules of the Club.
The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the appointment and renewal of
appointments of all positions within the Club except for those positions
elected by the Membership of the Club. This shall include the appointment of
volunteer and paid positions for coach and administrator positions within the
Club’s operations. The selection process and the appointments shall be based on
procedures outlined in the Club’s published rules.
The Board of Directors may also revoke, for cause, any appointment providing
that it has followed the procedures for the revoking an appointment as outlined
in the Club’s published rules.
Duties of Directors
President
The President shall preside at all general meetings of the Club and of the
Board of Directors. The President shall be ex officio a member of all
committees, except any nominations committee; shall appoint all chairs of
standing and special committees subject to ratification by the Board;
coordinate all duties of the Board, committees, staff; and shall be the
spokesperson for the Club.
Except:
1. as
provided for in the Dispute Resolution Policy of OS, and
2. where
the President delegates the responsibility to another person
Vice-President
The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President and shall have
other powers as assigned by the Board of directors.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall ensure that full and accurate records are kept of the
accounts of the Club; shall report to the Board of directors at least once per
quarter; and shall submit an Annual Report to the Annual General Meeting.
Secretary
The Secretary shall maintain a record of all minutes of the organization,
maintain copies of all committee reports, notify officers and committee Members
of their election of appointment, furnish committees with those documents
required to perform their duties, sign all certified copies of acts of the
organization (unless otherwise specified in the Club’s published rules),
maintain record books in which bylaws, published rules and minutes are entered
and have the current record books available at each meeting, send to the
Membership a notice of each general meeting, send to the Board of Directors
notices of each meeting, conduct the general correspondence of the organization
that is not the proper function of another office or committee, prepare, prior
to each meeting in consultation with the presiding officer an order of
business, and, in the absence of the president and vice-president, preside
until the immediate election or appointment of a new presiding officer.
Other Director Positions
The duties of other Director Positions shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.
Nominations and Elections
Nominations for positions on the Board of Directors may be made by any Member
at the annual general meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for that
purpose.
Nominations and elections for positions open shall be held in the order of the
positions listed in the Constitution.
Election shall be by secret ballot, but in the event only one candidate is nominated,
no vote is required and the nominated candidate shall be declared elected by
acclamation.
A majority of the votes cast shall be required to elect Directors. In the event
no candidates receives a majority, the candidate with the least votes shall be
dropped from the ballot and another vote shall be held.
ARTICLE 6: MEETINGS
General Meetings:
An official notice of each meeting shall be given to all Members at least 14
days before the meeting is to be held, at such place, and at such date as the
Board of Directors may determine. Such notification shall be by
telephone, email and newspaper announcement.
Ten voting Members or 50%+1 of the Board of Directors, whichever is less, shall
form a quorum at all general meetings of the Club. Any question shall be
decided by a majority of the votes unless otherwise required by this By-Law or
other law.
Annual General Meeting:
The Club shall hold its Annual General Meeting not later than January 31 of the
following year. The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall include:
1. Roll Call
2. Credentials Report
3. Minutes of Previous Annual
General Meeting
4. President’s Address
5. Officer’s Reports
6. Treasurer’s Reports
7. Auditor’s Reports
8. Appointment of Auditors
9. Other Reports
10. Unfinished Business
11. Amendments to the By-Laws
12. Roll Call
13. Election of Officers and
Directors
14. Any Other Business
15. Adjournment
Special General Meeting:
A Special General Meeting of the Club:
a) may be called by the Board of Directors, or
b) shall be called by the Board
of Directors upon receipt of a written request to the Club by registered mail,
certified mail, courier service, hand delivery, fax or email, signed by not
less than ten members or 50%+1 of Board of Directors, whichever is less,
setting out the items of business to be conducted at the Special General
Meeting. The Special general Meeting shall be held 30 days of receipt of the
written request from the Members.
Only the business set out in the notice of the
Special General Meeting shall be considered.
Voting at General Meeting:
Every regular Member aged 16 and over shall have the right to attend, speak and
cast one vote at Member’s meeting of the Club.
Every regular Member under the age of 16 shall have the right to attend and
speak at Member’s meetings, but any vote must be cast by a parent or guardian
who shall also have the right to attend and speak on behalf of that Member at
Member’s meetings.
Proxy Voting at General Meeting:
Every regular Member, or parent or guardian of a regular Member under the age
of sixteen, entitled to vote at a meeting of Members may be means of proxy
appoint a person, who need not be a Member, as the Member’s nominee to attend
and act at the meeting in the manner, to the extent and with the power
conferred by the proxy.
An individual may only hold one proxy.
The format for the proxy, and the issue, or issues, for which the proxy may be
cast are as defined in the Rules and Regulations.
Board of Directors Meeting:
The Board of Directors shall meet at least 4 times per year, upon 14 days
notice given by the President and Secretary, at such place and time as the
Board of Directors may determine.
A majority of the Members of the Board of Directors shall form quorum at all
meetings of the Board. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a
majority of votes where each director is entitled to cast one vote.
ARTICLE 7: COMMITTEES
The Membership at any general meeting, or the Board of Directors at any meeting
of the Board, may establish a standing committee or special committee to carry
out specific business or programs of the Club.
ARTICLE 8: PROCEDURES GOVERNING MEETINGS
All meetings of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with the most
recently published Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised except as may be
otherwise stipulated in this By- Law or other Rules and Regulations of the
Club.
ARTICLE 9: BY-LAWS AND AMENDMENTS
a) By-Law amendments may be proposed by the board of
Directors, or submitted by a Member to the Club in writing at least 21 days prior
to a general meeting of the Club; and must be approved by a majority vote of
the Board of Directors, and by a 2/3’s vote of the Membership voting in person
or by proxy at a meeting of the Club duly called for that purpose.
b) All Members entitled to vote
shall be notified with the Club’s notice of the said Members meeting about
By-Law amendments.
Such notification shall be by telephone, email and newspaper announcement.
ARTICLE 10: RULES
AND REGULATIONS
The Club shall have Rules and Regulations which shall include, but is not
limited to, the Following:
a) discipline of a Member: summary of charges regarding
misconduct
b) discipline of a Member:
procedures for discipline hearing
c) duties of Board of Directors:
authority granted to Board regarding the business being conducted
d) duties of Board of Directors:
selection process and appointment process for the appointment and renewal of
appointments to the League’s paid and volunteer positions.
e) duties of board of Directors:
process for revoking appointments.
f) voting at General Meeting:
format for the proxy, and the issue, or issues, for which the proxy may be
cast.
The board of Directors may approve and publish
Rules and Regulations which are not inconsistent with the By-Law and are not
inconsistent with the Rules and Regulations of a higher level governing
organization.
Amendments to the Rules and Regulations may be made by a majority board of the
Board of Directors or the Members at a General Meeting.
ARTICLE 11: INDEMNITY
Members of the Board of Directors or other servants to the Club, their heirs,
executors, administrators and estate and effects respectively shall be
indemnified and saved harmless at all times by the Club against all costs,
losses and expenses incurred by them respectively in or about the discharge of
their respective duties, except such as happens from their own respective
willful neglect or default.
ARTICLE 12: FINANCE
The accounts of the Club shall:
a) be audited, as defined by the Canadian Institute of
Chartered Accountants(CICA), by a public accountant if the Club’s annual gross
revenue is greater than or equal to $150,000 of the Club has greater than or
equal to 1000 registered players; or
b) be reviewed by Public
Accountant, Certified General Accountant or a Certified Management Accountant
through a Financial Review Engagement, as defined by CICA, if the Club’s annual
gross revenue is less than $150,000, but greater than or equal to
$100,000, or the Club has less than 1000 but greater than or equal to 500
registered players; or
c) be signed with a Notice to
Reader prepared by a Public Accountant, Certified General Accountant or a
Certified Management Accountant less than $100,000 but greater than or equal to
$10,000.
d) be completed by the Treasurer
of designate, if the Club’s annual gross revenue is less than $10,000.
The Audit of the Financial Review Engagement
statement shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting for adoption.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Club, a chartered accountant firm shall be
appointed to perform the audit or the Financial Review Engagement.
The fiscal year of the Club shall end on November 30 of each year, unless
otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors.
If an auditor is required:
a) at each Annual General Meeting, the Members will appoint
an auditor to audit the books, accounts and records of the Club who will report
to the Members at the next Annual General Meeting. The auditor will hold office
until the next Annual General Meeting. If an auditor is not appointed, the
auditor office will continue is office until a successor is appointed;
b) the Members may, by special
resolution passed by at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a general meeting
of which proper notice has been provided, remove any auditor before the
expiration of the auditor’s term of office;
c) the auditor will not be a
director, officer or employee of the Club or any affiliated Club or who is a
partner, employer or employee of any such director, officer or employee;
d) the auditor will report to
the members at the annual general meeting the auditor’s financial statement
which presents fairly the financial position of the Club and the results of its
operations for the period under review in accordance with generally accepted
principles;
e) the auditor’s report will be
open by any member of the Club.
ARTICLE 13: DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
The Club shall adhere to the Dispute Resolution process as published and
approved by OS from time to time.
Any Member of the Club may initiate the Dispute Resolution process by
communicating in writing to OS, with a
copy to the Club and District Association, the nature and facts of the dispute.
OS, at its discretion, may proceed with the Dispute Resolution process by
assigning one or more neutral persons to dispute.
The Dispute Resolution process shall not be used for game discipline which
follows the normal discipline and appeals process.
The Club shall make available to any Member the Dispute Resolution process when
requested.
ARTICLE 14: HARASSMENT
The Club shall adhere to the Harassment Policy as published and approved by OS
from time to time.
The Harassment Policy shall apply to all employees, directors, officers,
volunteers, coaches, game officials, administrators, players, Members and
registrants of the Club.
Harassment is defined as any comment, conduct, or gesture directed toward an
individual or group of individuals which is insulting, intimidating,
humiliating, malicious, degrading or offensive. It includes, but is not
limited to , sexual harassment.
The Club shall make available to any Member the Harassment Policy when
requested.
ARTICLE 15: APPEALS
a) Any Member or registrant of the Club directly affected by
a decision of the Club may appeal such decision. The denial or
termination of
Membership in the Club may be appealed by a non-Member.
b) A decision of the Club may be
appealed to the District Association with which the Club is affiliated.
The appeal shall be conducted in the accordance with OS’s and District
Association’s published rules.
c) An individual shall not
appeal a decision made by the Board of Directors regarding the appointment,
non-appointment, re-appointment or revocation of an appointment of an
individual to any coach or administrator position with the Club’s operations,
except where the selection, appointment and revocation process outlined in the
Club’s published rules has not been followed.
d) An individual shall not
appeal a decision by the Club regarding a player’s team assignment.
ARTICLE 16: DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the Club, and after payment of all debts and
liabilities, and its remaining property shall be distributed or disposed of by
the board of Directors to one or more not-for-profit soccer related
organizations, or any not-for-profit athletic community organizations, which
operate solely in Ontario.
ARTICLE 17: DEFINITIONS/TERMINOLOGY
Terminology used in this By-Law shall have the same meaning as used by OS in
its letters patent, By-Laws and published rules.