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The article below is the
constitution of the Ontario Soccer Referees' Association and as one of its
branches, the York Region Soccer Referees' Association.
CONSTITUTION
ONTARIO SOCCER REFEREES' ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE 1. NAME
The Association
shall be called the "Ontario Soccer Referees’ Association:" and its address
shall be that of the Secretary within the Province of Ontario.
ARTICLE 2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of
the Association shall be to advance the game of soccer by:
a) improving the status, protecting the interest and
promoting the welfare of referees, and retaining in membership those who
have ceased active refereeing;
b) establishing, developing, assisting in the general
work and co-ordinating the activity of the Branches in order to
encourage new candidates and to improve the standard of refereeing;
c) ensuring that all games at which members officiate
are played in accordance with the Laws of the Game established by the
International Football Association Board and with the rules of
competition set by competent local authorities approved by the Ontario
Soccer Association Incorporated;
d) fostering a relationship of co-operation between
referees and the Ontario Soccer Association, its affiliates and
associated bodies, and assisting that Association in promoting the
knowledge and best interests of the game;
e) fostering a relationship of close co-operation
with the Canadian Soccer Referees’ Association and its member Provincial
and Territorial Associations by working collectively to promote the
welfare of referees and the achievement of uniform standards of
achievement, evaluation, education and promotion throughout Canada;
f) doing all such lawful things as may be, or become,
necessary to fulfill these objectives.
ARTICLE 3. ORGANIZATION
a) The Association shall be organized into Branches,
each of which shall consist of no less than six (6) members, and the
Branch must be approved by Council. New Branches shall only be approved
by Council where justified by local conditions and where an existing
Branch is not already in place.
b) Each Branch shall adopt this Constitution as its
own, adding only those by-laws as are necessary for local usage. These
shall not conflict with, or of any Amendments to it, shall be submitted
to the Association Secretary within thirty (30) days after their
ratification by the Branch, for approval by Council.
c) The Secretary, or Treasurer, of each Branch shall
maintain a registry of members and submit a copy annually by the date
set under Article 5 b) to the Association Treasurer together with the
appropriate fees. Failure to fulfill this obligation shall result in a
loss of the right to vote.
d) The Secretary of each Branch shall advise the
Association Secretary, in writing, of the following:
i) the number of eligible voting members from the
Branch (e.g. those registered for the ensuing calendar year) who are
attending the Annual General Meeting. This is to be done before the
commencement of the meeting;
ii) the number of eligible delegates that can
represent the Branch at Council Meetings. This is to be presented no
later than the date of the First council Meeting and to be updated,
when necessary, throughout the year. Each Branch may select
delegates to Council from eligible members, up to the total
specified in Article 7;
iii) the new Branch Executive, for the ensuing
calendar year, complete with addresses and telephone numbers, no
later than January 15th of each year.
ARTICLE 4. MEMBERSHIP
The membership of this Association shall be open to:
a) ORDINARY MEMBERS who are registered through the
Branches of the Association, and who are, or are attempting to be,
qualified as referees under the requirements of the Ontario Soccer
Association.
b) DIRECT MEMBERS who reside in areas of the Province
of Ontario where no Branch of the Association exists, and who are, or
are attempting to be, qualified as referees under the requirements of
the Ontario Soccer Association, and who shall register directly with the
Provincial Executive of this Association.
c) ASSOCIATE MEMBERS who have retired from active
refereeing, but who wish to continue to support the practice of
refereeing in the same manner as either an Ordinary Member or a Direct
Member.
d) HONOURARY LIFE MEMBERS who have been:
i) nominated by a Branch (or the Executive in the
case of Direct Members) and;
ii) recommended by Council at the Council Meeting
prior to the Annual General Meeting, and;
iii) elected by a 75% majority of those present
and voting at the next General Meeting.
ARTICLE 5. FEES
The annual subscription fees for Ordinary, Direct and
Associate Members shall:
a) be determined at the Third Council Meeting each year;
b) be due and payable to the Treasurer for the year,
in advance. To be eligible to participate in, be represented, or to vote
at the Election of Officers at the Annual General Meeting, a member
shall have paid his/her dues for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 6. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Association shall:
a) be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and
a Treasurer, and three (3) Directors;
b) comprise, together with the Immediate Past
President, if and/or when applicable, the Executive Committee;
c) be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a two
year term by a majority of the members present and voting, as defined in
paragraph 6 h);
d) hold office until the Election of Officers at the
Annual General Meeting at which they would normally seek re-election or
resign, or earlier, upon vacating the office for any reason;
e) be eligible for re-election as long as they
qualify individually under these rules;
f) include the Immediate Past President as a member
of the Executive Committee for one year only, following his/her
Presidency;
g) be elected as follows: President, Secretary and
one (1) Director in uneven numbered years; Vice-President, Treasurer and
two (2) Directors in even numbered years.
A member may be nominated for office in his/her absence,
provided that the Secretary has been informed, in writing, before the Annual
General Meeting, of those office(s) for which the nominee is willing to
stand.
ARTICLE 7. COUNCIL
The Council of this Association shall consist of the
Executive Committee, the representatives of all of the Branches of the
Association, and the representatives of Direct and Associate Members. Each
Branch, from among its own members in good standing, shall elect or appoint
one Council delegate for each six (6) fully paid up members. Direct and
Associate Members shall be represented in the same manner, their delegates
being selected from among such Direct and Associate Members.
ARTICLE 8. DUTIES
The Officers and Members of Council of the Association
shall perform the special duties hereinafter mentioned, notwithstanding any
other duties, which may be contained elsewhere in these By-Laws.
a) THE PRESIDENT shall preside at all meetings of the
Association at which he is present, decide all questions of order, and
announce the results of voting, except during the Election of Officers,
wherein an independent enumerator will be co-opted as chairman of the
meeting. Whilst in the chair, he/she shall neither move nor second any
proposal or amendment thereto, nor shall he/she vote unless there be a
tie at any meeting, when he/she may exercise a casting vote. He/she
shall not take part in any debate whilst in the chair, except on rules
of order. He/she shall ensure that all other officers perform their
respective duties and that all By-Laws are enforced.
b) THE VICE-PRESIDENT shall assist the President in
the discharge of his/her duties and officiate in the President's
absence. In the event of the Presidency becoming vacant during the year,
the Vice-President shall assume that office until the next Annual
General Meeting.
c) THE SECRETARY shall keep a true record of
proceedings at all meetings of the Association, as well as other
decisions reached at Executive Committee meetings. At each meeting
he/she shall present the minutes of the previous meeting. He/she shall
conduct the correspondence of the Association and issue to members
notice of all meetings, together with an agenda. At the Annual General
Meeting, he/she shall present a report of the year's work.
d) THE TREASURER shall receive, give an official
receipt for, and be responsible to the Executive Committee for, all
funds of the Association. He/she shall prepare a statement of income and
expenditure for the period November 1st to October 31st
each year, and a statement of Assets and Liabilities at that date,
showing the financial position of the Association. A copy of these
statements, bearing the signature of the Treasurer and the Auditors,
shall be distributed to each member of Council at the Annual General
Meeting.
e) THE DIRECTORS shall be assigned such specific
duties and/or responsibilities as determined by the President and made
known to Council each year. They shall report to the Executive Committee
and/or Council, as necessary, during the year.
f) THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE shall conduct all routine
or urgent business of the Association between Council Meetings. Its
decisions shall be submitted for ratification, or otherwise, at the next
meeting of Council. Executive Committee members are to be paid expenses
as set by Council whilst on O.S.R.A. business, unless such expenses have
been covered by a local Branch.
g) Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be
filled by the Executive Committee making an appointment within one (1)
month of a vacancy occurring of someone to fill that vacancy. This
appointment shall be ratified at the next Council Meeting. If the
appointment is not ratified at the next Council Meeting, a new member
shall be elected by the Council delegates present at that meeting.
Executive members who resign during their specified term of office shall
be ineligible to be re-appointed to any Executive position during the
remainder of the term.
h) THE COUNCIL shall have charge of all property of
the Association and shall transact all business of the Association
except for alterations or amendments to the Constitution. At the Annual
General Meeting, Council shall report, through the Treasurer, the
financial condition of the Association.
i) Insofar as the actions taken and decisions made by
the Officers, the Executive Committee and Council within the authorities
contained in this Constitution and By-Laws are intended to represent the
best interests and benefit of this Association as a whole, the said
Officers, Executive Committee and Members of Council shall not
personally be held, jointly or severally, responsible for them, neither
shall legal action be taken by any member or former member against the
said Officers, Executive Committee or Members of Council as a result of
such lawful actions or decisions.
ARTICLE 9. FINANCES
All funds of the Association shall be deposited in a
Canadian financial institution authorized by Council, to an account in the
name of the Association. Withdrawals and cheques drawn on behalf of the
Association shall be signed by any two of the following officers of the
association: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary. Surplus funds
of the Association may be invested by the Treasurer, as approved by the
Executive, in short or long term instruments at a Canadian Financial
Institution. Council must authorize any other investments.
ARTILCE 10. AUDITORS
Two members of the Association shall be elected at the
Annual General Meeting to audit the accounts of the Association
a) at any time without notice;
b) upon request of Council;
c) each year as at October 31st and before
the Annual General Meeting
They shall present a certificate at the meeting in
accordance with Rule # 8 d)
ARTICLE 11. MEETINGS
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING shall be held on the third
Sunday of November, and notice convening the meeting shall be sent to each
member not less than fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting.
The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting shall be:
Matters arising from those Minutes
Correspondence
President's Address
Secretary's Report
Treasurer's Report and Auditors’ Certificate
Committee Reports
Delegate Reports
Old Business
Amendments to the Constitution
Recess
Roll Call - Members for the Year Ensuing
Election of Officers
New Business
and any other items as determined by the Chairman of
the Meeting
A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING shall be called by the
Secretary on instructions from the President, or on receipt of a written
request signed by one (1) Council Member from each of two (2) Branches. At a
Special General Meeting only such business as is stated on the agenda shall
be open for debate. As above, not less than fourteen (14) days notice shall
be given on such meeting.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS shall be held as necessary
at the call of the President, or in his absence, by the Vice-President.
COUNCIL shall not meet less than three (3) times a year
on dates to be set at the First Council Meeting.
ARTICLE 12. QUORUMS
At General and Council Meetings, representation from one
third of Branches in membership shall constitute a quorum. Executive Members
shall not be considered to represent their respective Branches. At a
Committee Meeting, a majority shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a
quorum at a Council Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned until the
earliest convenient day within one (1) month of the adjourned meeting, and a
fourteen (14) day notice of the rescheduled meeting shall be sent to all
Branches.
In the absence of a quorum at the Annual General Meeting,
the meeting shall be adjourned to the second Sunday in January of the
following year. In the absence of a quorum at the adjourned Annual General
Meeting, Council shall transact the business of the Association.
ARTICLE 13. VOTING
At General and Council Meetings each Ordinary, Direct and
Associate Member shall be entitled to a vote. Life Members may speak, but
may not vote. At a Council Meeting, each Branch represented shall be
entitled to one (1) vote per delegate present at the meeting on the basis of
one (1) delegate per six (6) or part of six (6) paid up members. Direct and
Associate Members present at the meeting shall be entitled to have their
votes cast on the same basis as fully paid Branch Members.
In case of emergency, a telephone poll of the Executive
Committee may be taken by the Secretary upon instructions of the President.
Written confirmation of this vote shall be mailed to each Executive Member
by the Secretary within forty-eight (48) hours and shall be tabled at the
next ensuing Executive Meeting. Such vote would have full force and effect
as if it had been given by the member in person.
At all meetings of the Association, the President, or in
his absence, the Chairman of the Meeting may exercise a casting vote.
ARTICLE 14. CONDUCT
Members of the Association shall:
a) by virtue of an application direct, or through a
Branch, and by payment of a subscription fee, be deemed to and required
to have subscribed to the Constitution and By-Laws and to any Amendments
properly approved.
b) conduct themselves in such a manner as to be a
credit to the Association and the game as a whole.
Cases of misconduct reported to the Association shall be
dealt with by the Executive Committee.
Appeals against Branch decisions or against the decisions
of the Executive Committee must be made, in writing, to the Secretary, to be
lodged within ten (10) days of the date of the decision being appealed, and
to be accompanied by a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) (of which all or any
part may be retained or returned). Such appeals will be heard by Council,
whose decision shall be final.
ARTICLE 15. INTERPRETATION
Interpretation of this Constitution, as well as questions
in dispute, shall be referred to Council. The singular shall include the
plural tense and vice versa. The masculine and feminine gender shall be
interchangeable.
ARTICLE 16. ALTERATIONS AND AMENDMENTS
No alterations or Amendments to the Constitution and
By-Laws may be made, unless written notice, signed by one (1) Council Member
from each of two (2) Branches shall be received by the Secretary not less
than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual General Meeting or to a Special
General Meeting called for that purpose. The alterations or Amendments shall
be referred to that particular meeting or to any adjournment thereof. |
