Big Pine Athletic Association

Bylaw Revisions March 2003

Proposed Revisions to BPAA Bylaws

BYLAWS
BIG PINE ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION, INC
(Revised August 14, 2001)




The Big Pine Athletic Association (hereafter called the BPAA) is herein constituted as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of organizing and conducting sports activities for and between the athletes of Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys, located in the Florida Keys, Monroe County in the state of Florida, U.S.A. All BPAA activities will be available to all BPAA members and their families without regard to gender, race, creed, color or national origin.



ARTICLE I

PURPOSE

Section 1. The purpose of the BPAA shall be to organize and promote sports activities in the island community and to actively encourage the people of the community to participate in local and inter-island sports activities by:


A. Organizing and supporting sports teams for both club competition and for competition within the existing individual island sports organizations.
B. Promoting sports within the community and providing organizational assistance/advice to those special interest sports needs of the community for the purpose of organizing same.
C. Assuring a continuity of pre-season, season and post-season sports programs and services for youth.
D. Assuring the availability of playing fields/facilities for all sanctioned activities.
E. The filing and maintenance of all state forms to obtain and maintain a nonprofit organization.
F. The solicitation of funds to pay registration fees and buy sports equipment for players who cannot afford the personal expenses.
G. Working with appropriate local, state and federal officials for additional playing fields and facilities and for youth sports related services.



ARTICLE II


MEMBERSHIP/DUES


Section 1. Any person who is eighteen years of age or older, or a parent of a youth athlete is eligible for membership in the BPAA.

Section 2. BPAA membership dues will be based on member organization or program

A. A member is a person whose organization or program has met the requirements of the BPAA.

B. BPAA membership shall extend to the spouse and custodial children of a paying head of household.


Section 3. All participants in sports activities or programs under the umbrella of the BPAA shall be required to be members of the BPAA.


A. All membership dues shall be the responsibility of the annexed organization or program. Dues are based on the following scale.


1. over 199 members -----------$500.00
2. 199-100 members -----------$300.00
3. 99- 50 members -----------$200.00
4. under 49 members -----------$100.00


B. All annexed organization and programs shall have a voting Director on the BPAA Board of Directors. All non-annexed organizations or programs may have one non-voting liaison representative. I.e.- Director or appointed spokesman.

ARTICLE III


ORGANIZATION

The BPAA shall be organized so as: to assure continuity of sports activities from year to year and sports season to sports seasons: to provide an umbrella organization for all sports activities conducted in and around Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys, and to assure everyone has an equal opportunity for the use of sporting facilities.

Section 1. The BPAA shall assure that each sport activity submit for approval of the Board of Directors a written organizational plan (Annex to these bylaws) consistent with efficient management of that activity. These activities are currently:

Annex A – Baseball, Softball and T-Ball

Annex B – Swimming

Annex C – Sailing


The officers of the activities listed above should submit to the BPAA an annex according to Section 3 below.

Section 2. The executive head of each activity shall be responsible to the BPAA for the conduct of that activity and shall be a member of the Board of Directors of the BPAA. They shall have active operational authority over the activities of the sport for which they are responsible. They shall organize coaching staffs and other volunteers as appropriate. They shall comprise season game schedules and arrange for umpires/officials, as appropriate. They should be responsible for ordering, disbursing and collecting all BPAA equipment associated with their sports activity.

Section 3. Each sports activity shall be organized and conducted as separate activities. Individual annexes to these bylaws shall describe these activities.

A. A description of the activity.

B. The goals of the activity.

C. The officers of the activity. To be reported annually.

D. Dates for the season of the activity. To be reported annually.

E. General Information – member eligibility, dues, etc. Changes to be reported annually.

F. Proof of insurance. To be reported annually.

G. State, national and/or international affiliation.

H. Date of Elections. To be reported annually.


Section 5. The BPAA is empowered to dissolve the annexation of the organization of any activity if the current members of an activity sign and present to the BPAA a petition containing the signatures of 51% of the current members of that activity.

Section 6. If an activity opens and/or maintains an independent checking account, that activity shall be responsible for all expenditures and the BPAA shall be held harmless.

Section 8. The expenses for the conduct of every sports activity shall be born by each activity independent of the other sports activities.

Section 9. If the Board of an annexed sport cannot resolve a problem, the head of said annexed sport may bring it to the BPAA at its next scheduled meeting for a final decision by that Executive Board.


ARTICLE IV


OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the BPAA will be:

A. President

B. General Vice President

C. Recording Secretary

D. Treasurer

E. Directors of an active annexed activity


Section 4. Eligibility – Any person is eligible to serve in one office of the BPAA at a time (They may also serve as an officer in an individual sports activity). In an emergency a person may temporally fill more than one office, but never longer than the time period that equals the time of two scheduled BPAA meetings.

Section 5. Term of Office – All officers will serve for one year. All officers are eligible for re-election or election to different office.

ARTICLE V


DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the BPAA and the executive head of each of the sports activities recognized by the BPAA and for which an annex is included in these bylaws. The member of the Board of Directors shall meet at least monthly on the second Tuesday of the month following the general membership meeting. The President or any two members of the Board of Directors may call additional meetings as necessary. A reasonable effort must be made to provide all members of the Board of Directors 24 hours notice of any additional Board meetings. The Board of Directors (by majority vote) will decide if a reasonable effort was made to contact all members. All actions of the Board are subject to disapproval and/or recession by a majority vote of the general membership.

Section 2. President: The BPAA President shall have active executive management of the operations of the BPAA, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors. The President shall preside at all meetings, discharge all of the duties incumbent upon a presiding officer and perform such duties as these bylaws provide or a majority of the general membership and/or the Board of Directors may prescribe. With the assistance of the BPAA Treasurer, the President shall maintain an accounting of the contributions from community businesses and shall actively encourage the BPAA membership to patronize same. The President shall not vote on any matter before the BPAA except to break tie votes. (This does not apply to the election of officers). The tie-breaking vote will be fully explained and the reason recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Section 3. Vice President: To assist the President in his duties, and to fill any vacancy of the President.

Section 4. Secretary: Shall attend all regular and special meetings, record the minutes of these meetings and enter in the records to be retained at the BPAA offices.

Section 5: Treasurer: The Treasurer shall perform such duties normally associated with the office of Treasurer. The bookkeeping procedures of the BPAA shall be supervised by the Treasurer in office. These procedures shall include, as a minimum:

A. A requirement that the bills of the BPAA shall be authorized and paid by the Treasurer of the BPAA or a designated third party.

B. Any expenditure in excess of a predetermined limit set by the Board of Directors of the BPAA shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to disbursement, with the exception of regular recurring expenses related to the normal course of business of the BPAA. Recurring expenses will include but are not limited to payroll, taxes, insurance and utilities)

C. The Board of Directors may at any time request a financial review or conduct an audit of any or all financial records.

D. Preparation of an annual budget no later than February of the calendar year to be presented to the Board of Directors.






ARTICLE VI


OPERATION OF BLUE HERON YOUTH CENTER


Section 1. The BPAA shall supervise and operate the Blue Heron Youth Center in accordance with the current Monroe County Lease Agreement and the current Monroe County Funding Agreement.

Section 2. The BPAA Board of Directors shall employ an Executive Director of Blue Heron Park to oversee the operation of Blue Heron Youth Center and conduct business for the BPAA as dictated by the Board of Directors.

A. The Executive Director of Blue Heron Park is expected to attend every regularly scheduled BPAA meeting.

B. The Executive Director will present a written report to the Board of Directors at each monthly meeting.

Section 3. The BPAA Board of Directors may hire additional employees to ensure adequate supervision of children utilizing the Blue Heron Youth Center especially for special programs such as the Summer Camp Program.

Section 4. Paid employees of the BPAA may not vote nor make or second motions at meetings of the BPAA.

Section 5. Paid employees of the BPAA may not be active members of the Board of Directors.





ARTICLE VII

ELECTIONS/VOTING

Section 1. A Nominating Committee will be appointed by the President no later than two months prior to the date of elections.

Section 2. Elections will be held the 2nd week of November of each year at the regularly scheduled general membership meeting.

Section 3. The nominating process and election by secret ballot will be conducted as prescribed in Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised).

Section 4. Installation of Officers shall immediately follow the approval of Minutes and Treasurer’s report at the first meeting scheduled in December. Duties shall be assumed immediately following installation.

Section 5. Each registered BPAA member shall have one vote per head of household not to exceed a maximum of two votes per membership.

Section 6. Vacancies will be filled as soon as possible, by a vote of a quorum of the existing Board of Directors.

Section 7. A board member may take a leave of absence for a period of up to 2 months or as allowed by the current Monroe County Contract.




ARTICLE VIII

MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular scheduled meetings of the general membership of the BPAA will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise advertised.

Section 2. The Board of Directors, at its discretion, reserves the right to hold meetings limited to the standing members of the Board for the purpose of addressing issues relating to the day-to-day operation of the corporation and/or conflict resolution. These meetings shall be recorded and all minutes available for review upon request.

Section 3. A quorum must be present in order to conduct business requiring a vote. A quorum consists of a majority of the standing members of the Board of Directors. A board member unable to be physically present may attend and be considered part of the quorum via conference call.




ARTICLE IX

DISCIPLINE

The Board of Directors is empowered to enact and conduct the appropriate provisions of Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised).


ARTICLE X

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Except as provided for in these bylaws, the conduct of business of the BPAA will be according to the current issue of Robert’s Rules of Order.


ARTICLE XI

AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Recommendations to amend these bylaws must be submitted in writing to the President of the BPAA for presentation and discussion at the next regularly scheduled meeting. No vote may be taken at the first reading and not before the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 2. The vote to amend these bylaws must be passed by a majority of the members present not excluding the quorum requirement of Section 3, Article VII.


ARTICLE XII

MEMORIAL FUND

The Brett Shephard Memorial Fund was established in April 1991 in the memory of Brett Stevens Shephard. This fund was established to provide the youth athletic scholarships and/or capital improvement to Jack Watson Memorial Field or other properties owned or operated by the Big Pine Athletic Association. Expenditures from this fund shall be made only by a two-thirds vote of approval by Trustees of this fund, David Shephard and Judy Shephard and the active President of the Big Pine Athletic Association. Monies of the Brett Shephard Memorial Fund shall be held in a separate account of the Big Pine Athletic Association and shall be invested in a savings account or short or long term Federally Insured Certificates of Deposit. The Trustees of this Fund shall always include two adult members of the Brett Shephard family and those members shall always include Judy Shephard or her designated nominees from the family.