BY-LAWS | Lakeland Senior Soft

LAKELAND SENIOR SOFTBALL LEAGUE BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

The name of the association is Lakeland Senior Softball League, (hereinafter referred to as the “Association”). The principal mailing address of the Association will be the address of the current Commissioner, but meetings of the Association (“Board”) may be held within Florida when and wherever designated by the board from time to time.

ARTICLE II

SECTION 1. The Association is organized as a non-profit organization with the intent and purpose to promote Senior Softball as a viable health and recreation alternative for seniors, and to preserve the competitive spirit in all members.

SECTION 2. The Association will accept any male fifty-five (55) years and older or any female (50) years or older regardless of race, creed, color, gender or ethnic background.

SECTION 3. The Association will function as a total Volunteer Organization.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS – SELECTION, TERM OF OFFICE

SECTION 1. NUMBER AND TERM: The number of Directors shall be an odd number of members of three (3), five (5), seven (7) or nine (9). Directors shall be elected in March for a term of two years. A director shall not be elected to serve a term for more than two years, but may be re-elected to concurrent terms. Any member of the Association may express a desire to be elected to the Board by submitting a written request to be included on the next ballot to a current board member by March 1. If there are more than nine (9) candidates for the Board, an election will be held in March.

SECTION 2. VACANCY AND REPLACEMENT: If, after the turnover date, the office of any Director becomes vacant for by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or otherwise, a majority of the Directors, though less than a quorum, at a special meeting of the Directors called for this purpose, shall choose a successor who shall hold office of the unexpired term that was vacated. Any Director who quits the Board without a justifiable reason, or who is removed from the Board for reasons of misconduct shall not be eligible to be re-elected to the Board.

SECTION 3. REMOVAL: Any Director may be removed with cause by a majority vote of available Directors at a duly called meeting for that purpose. A quorum is needed to vote to remove a director.

SECTION 4. COMPENSATION: No Director shall receive compensation for any service he or she may render to the Association as a Director or Officer. However, any Director may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duty.

ARTICLE IV

MEETING OF MEMBERS

SECTION 1. ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual meeting of the members shall be held at the annual banquet in March each year, at a time and place to be determined by the Board. Business at the annual meeting will include the annual financial report, election of the board of directors and any other business that requires a vote of the membership.

SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETING: A special meeting of the members may be called at any time by the Board, or by verbal request to the members by any Director with the approval of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3. NOTICE OF MEETING: A notice of any special meeting will be posted at the center pavilion at the Southwest Softball Complex and all managers will be informed of all meetings seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The posted notice will specify place, day and time of the meeting and in case of a special meeting, the purpose of the meeting.

SECTION 4. QUORUM: The presence of 51 percent of the available members in Florida at the annual meeting in March.

SECTION 5. PROXIES: Members may not vote by proxy.

SECTION 6. VOTING: Each member shall have one vote and must be present at the meeting, or attend the meeting via conference call to vote.

SECTION 7. ORDER OF BUSINESS: The order of business at all annual or special meetings shall be determined by the board of directors and posted before the meeting.

SECTION 8. MINUTES: Minutes of all meetings will be kept in a businesslike manner and shall be available for inspection by the membership and directors at all reasonable times. Minutes will also be posted to the league’s website – lakelandsrsoftball.wixsite.com/lakeland

ARTICLE V

SECTION 1. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the President (Commissioner) of the Association or by any two Directors, after not less than three (3) days notice to each director.

SECTION 2. ACTION WITHOUT A MEETING: Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board may be taken without a meeting if consent in writing, specifically setting forth the action to be taken, is signed by all of the Directors entitled to vote on the subject matter. Such consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Directors.

ARTICLE VI

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1. POWERS: The Board shall have the power to:

Adopt and publish rules and regulations governing the Association and to establish penalties for infractions of its Senior League rules or conduct of its members.
Declare the office vacant of any member of the Board in the event such member shall be absent from three consecutive regular meetings of the Board of Directors, unless such absence is approved in advance.
Exercise all powers and authority necessary to carry out its responsibilities.

SECTION 2. DUTIES: It shall be the duty of the Board:

To cause to be kept a complete record of all its acts and affairs and to present a statement thereof to members at the annual meeting, or at any special meeting when such a statement is requested in writing by 51 percent of all available members.
To supervise all members, or agents of the Association, and to see that their duties are properly performed.
To meet once each month unless circumstances beyond the control of the board prevents such meeting.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. FUNCTION: Except where specifically delegated authority to act has been given when the Board is not in session, committees shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board and the members regarding those aspects of the Association’s affairs to which the committee have been delegated responsibilities.

SECTION 2. COMMITTEE POWERS: Any committee shall have, and may exercise, all authority granted to it by the Board of Directors, except that no committee shall have the authority to:

Fill vacancies of the Board.
Adopt, amend or repeal the Association By-Laws and/or Association playing rules.
Amend or repeal any resolutions of the Board.
Act on any matters recommended or enacted by another committee or the Board.

SECTION 3. APPOINTMENT: The Board may appoint any individual as the committee chair. A chairman may appoint to his committee any director or member to serve on the committee. Committees shall be a minimum of three members and a maximum of six.

SECTION 4. TERM: The members and officers of each committee shall be initially appointed by the Board at any meeting. Said appointees shall take office on the day they are appointed, and shall hold office until the next annual meeting or until a successor has been appointed, or until his resignation, disqualification, removal from office, death, or until such committee shall terminate, whichever comes first.

SECTION 5. VACANCY: Any vacancy occurring in the membership of any committee may be filled by the chairman appointing a member to fill the vacancy.

ARTICLE VIII

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

SECTION 1. REGULAR MEETINGS: Regular meetings of each committee shall be held as determined by its chairman and convenient to each member.

SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings of any committee may be called at any time by its chairman.

SECTION 3. NOTICE OF MEETINGS: Written or oral notice stating place, day and hour shall be given to all committee members.

SECTION 4. PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT: A committee member who is present at a committee meeting at which action on any matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless he votes against such action or abstains from voting because of a conflict of interest.

SECTION 5. QUORUM: A majority of the members of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any committee meeting

SECTION 6. VOTING:

Each member shall have one vote on each matter submitted to the committee for a vote. Proxy voting is not permitted.
A majority vote by the committee members present at a committee meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.

ARTICLE IX

OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

A. COMMISSIONER: The Commissioner shall preside at all meetings of the Board, see that orders and resolutions of the board are implemented, and have all the powers and duties that are usually vested in the Office of the President of an Association. The Commissioner will oversee all league team activities to promote sportsmanship, camaraderie and safety for all players. The Commissioner will appoint committees and work with those committees to ensure that all functions, rules and by-laws are followed.

B. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER: The Assistant Commissioner shall act in place and instead of the Commissioner in the event of the Commissioner’s absence, inability or refusal to act, and shall exercise and discharge such other duties as may be required by the Board.

C. SECRETARY: The secretary shall record the votes and keep minutes of all meetings and procedures of the Board and members, keep the appropriate current records, and shall perform such duties as required by the board.

D. TREASURER: The treasurer shall receive and deposit in the appropriate bank account all monies of the Association, keep proper books of account and prepare a statement of income and expenditures to be presented to the Board members at their regular meetings. The depository of the Association shall be South State Bank or any FDIC insured bank with a local office.

ARTICLE X

ASSESSMENT OF DUES

Each member will be obligated to pay $40.00 dues for a one-year period that begins on October 1. Players that are transients (temporary) that will only play for one months or less will be accepted on an individual basis and will be charged a summer rate of $15.00. That determination will be made by the Commissioner. Dues for members will be collected by November 1.
Each new player is allowed to play on two play dates for free before dues are owed. All players, new and returning, must fill out an annual application form.

ARTICLE XII

DUTIES OF TEAM MANAGERS

Each team manager will organize and lead his team to promote sportsmanship in the league by complying with all league Rules and By-Laws. The manager will report each game day to the proper Board member(s) that team’s needs for players to fill in team vacancies. He will make up his team lineup. The home-team manager is responsible for setting up and taking down the pitching screen and returning all league equipment (pitching screen, balls, home plate brush and score sheets) to the equipment closet after each game.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 1. INSURANCE: The Board may, but is not required to, carry a policy of Officers’ and Directors’ liability insurance, insuring the officers and directors against any claims made against them whatsoever.

SECTION 2, LIABILITY: The Association shall maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance, on behalf of the City of Lakeland (Southwest and Westside Complexes) in the amount of $2 million through Senior Softball USA (SSUSA)

SECTION 2. USE OF LEAGUE EQUIPMENT: League equipment may be used on the premises at Southwest Complex by special request, or as long as a board member is present.

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