Name:
The name of the league shall be, Brookville Masters Slo-Pitch League, otherwise referred to as B.M.S.P.L.
Purpose:
The purpose of the League is to provide for the playing of Men’s Masters Slo-Pitch Baseball, so members can play ball and have fun in an atmosphere of camaraderie and good sportsmanship.
1) Membership
1.01 The membership shall consist of players who have paid the current membership fee and have been admitted to membership by the Executive Committee.
1.02 The Executive Committee prior to registration shall set the membership fee.
1.03 The minimum age limit for members shall be thirty (30) years of age as of January 1st of the current year.
1.04 Members shall be respectful of other League members regardless of ability.
1.05 No abuse of public facilities used by the League or abuse of League Officials or Umpires will be tolerated.
1.06 Members shall conduct themselves in an appropriate manner that is consistent with the League’s expectations and Constitution.
1.07 Any member violating League Rules or Constitution may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the League.
2) Executive
2.01 The Executive Committee shall consist of a Senior Executive Committee with a full one (1) year term commencing at the Annual General Meeting and one (1) Representative from each Team.
2.02 Team Representatives shall be members of the Executive Committee from the first scheduled game, until the Annual General Meeting.
2.03 The Senior Executive shall consist of the following elected officers:
President
Past President
Vice President
Director of Equipment and Supplies
Umpire in Chief
Secretary
Treasurer
Web Master
Social Director
2.04 All Executive Positions will be voted on Annually
2.05 In the event that any Office on the Senior Executive becomes vacant for any reason whatsoever, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the President and ratified by the Executive.
2.06 Should any one member of the Senior Executive miss three (3) consecutive meetings or four (4) meetings in total, the President shall have the power to appoint a replacement which will be ratified by the Executive.
2.07 If at any time a Senior Executive abuses his position or conducts himself in a manner contrary to the best interest of the League and its members, his position on the Senior Executive may be revoked by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Committee.
2.08 The League is a non-profit organization with activities being conducted on a voluntary basis, therefore Executive members shall serve without reimbursement and no Executive member shall directly or indirectly receive profit from his position as such.
3) Meetings
3.01 The League shall hold a minimum of eleven (11) monthly meetings a year, one of which will be designated the Annual General Meeting.
3.02 Only Executive members are eligible to vote. The only exception being, that all members are eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting, and at the annual rule changes portion of the April monthly meeting.
3.03 The Annual General Meeting shall be held as soon as possible after the annual banquet
3.04 All monthly meetings shall be open to all members, except for the portion of the monthly meeting prior to the Draft, in which player ratings are discussed.
3.05 The new Executive at their first monthly meeting sets future meeting location and times.
3.06 The Umpire in Chief shall eject persons who appear to be impaired at a League meeting
3.07 A quorum shall consist of six (6) Executive members from the start of the playing season, until the Annual General Meeting. In the off season, a quorum shall consist of four (4) Senior Executives.
3.08 All Team Representatives or their designate must attend all regular monthly meetings from the first game of the season, until the Annual General Meeting.
3.09 Any Executive member may raise a motion or second a motion for consideration by the Executive.
3.10 All members present will be canvassed for any issue they may want to bring before the Executive.
3.11 Any member having a conflict of interest on any issue voted on by the Executive shall declare as such, and abstain from voting.
3.12 Any Team Representative who brings a Team related issue before the Executive shall abstain from any vote on that issue.
3.13 The President shall only vote in the event of a tie.
3.14 The President shall have the power, with the support of the Executive, to end any discussion and call a vote on any issue when he feels the discussion has become valueless.
4) Duties and Responsibilities
4.01 All Executive Committee members should be familiar with the League Constitution and Rules.
4.02 All Executive Committee members will carry out their duties to the best of their ability.
4.03 Any Senior Executive may at his option, after informing the Executive, solicit help from any League member, or form a committee to assist in carrying out his duties.
5) President
5.01 Oversees League operations and chairs all League meetings.
5.02 Has a thorough understanding of each Executive Members duties.
5.03 Plans and organizes the League meetings and encourages members to attend.
5.04 Communicates League activities, projects, and expenditures to the general membership.
5.05 Monitors the relevance of the Constitution, and recommends changes where required.
5.06 Organizes and supervises the annual registration and Draft.
5.07 Represents the League in interactions with other organizations.
5.08 Ensures that all League records of past activities are presented to the new Executive at the Annual General Meeting.
6) Past President
6.01 Counsels the new Executive in the performance of their duties with his experience and knowledge from previous years on the Senior Executive.
6.02 Chairs a nomination committee to ensure a full slate of nominees stand for election to Senior Executive positions.
6.03 Acts as the Election Officer at the Annual General Meeting.
6.04 Reads the duties of each Senior Executive Position prior to opening the floor for nominations at the Annual General Meeting.
7) Vice President
7.01 Acts in the capacity of the President in his absence.
7.02 Solicits for and obtains Sponsors for the League.
7.03 Ensures Sponsors needs are addressed and the League enacts proper recognition for their sponsorship.
7.04 Promotes Sponsors among League members and Community.
7.05 Organizes and supervises the annual League Tournament and the League’s commitment to the annual Inter-League Tournament, wherever it may be held.
7.06 Responsible for League advertising and promotion
7.07 Acts as Liaison between the town of Milton and the League.
8) Director of Equipment and Supplies
8.01 Organizes the purchase, distribution, and collection of Team uniforms for the year.
8.02 Organizes the purchase, distribution, and collection of equipment and supplies for the League throughout the year.
9) Umpire in Chief
9.01 Organizes and supervises a system for the umpiring of all games.
9.02 Ensures that all teams receive a copy of the rules prior to the first regular season game.
9.03 Monitors the validity and practicality of the rules and recommends changes as required at the annual Rules meeting.
9.04 Establishes a ratings system and ensures all players are rated properly prior to Draft.
9.05 Produces and distributes a rating sheet of all players to Executive members for discussion at the monthly meeting prior to the Draft.
9.06 Maintains attendance of members from game cards, and advises the Executive and Team Representatives prior to playoffs, of any player ineligible for post season play.
9.07 Maintains the standings and posts them weekly at the ball diamond.
9.08 Writes and presents League games schedule to the Executive for approval at the April meeting.
9.09 Ensures the Diamonds are suitable for play prior to the start of the season, that suitability is maintained throughout the season, and coordinates the implementation of necessary rectifications.
10) Secretary
10.01 Books meeting locations and issues all calls and/or notices of meetings, and such letters as directed by the Executive Committee.
10.02 Acts as the contact person for the League.
10.03 Prepares and distributes an agenda for each League meeting.
10.04 Keeps an accurate and detailed set of minutes for each League meeting.
10.05 Provides copies of the previous meeting’s minutes at each League meeting.
10.06 Keeps the following information on hand at all League meetings: League Minutes Book, League Constitution, and a copy of League Rules.
10.07 Ensures that the newly elected Secretary receives the League Minutes Book, The League Constitution, and a current copy of the League Rules at the Annual General Meeting.
10.08 Arranges for a concessionaire to operate the snack bar during annual League tournament and Inter-League tournament if held in Brookville, and obtains all licensing and permits required for the beer garden.
10.09 Organizes and supervises the annual League banquet.
11) Treasurer
11.01 Authorizes all cheques, along with either the President or Vice President, for the disbursement of funds.
11.02 Prepares and submits a financial statement for each league meeting and a full financial report for the Annual General Meeting.
11.03 Prepares a budget at the start of the current year to guide the League’s expenditures.
11.04 Maintains a detailed and accurate financial record of the League’s business throughout the year including: Bank statements, Canceled cheques, Ledger books, deposit books and receipts.
11.05 Submits to the Executive a financial summary report of the annual League Tournament and Inter-League Tournament if hosted by B.M.S.P.L.
11.06 Turns over the financial records to the newly elected Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting, and arranges for the transfer of authority and signatures of League’s bank account(s) etc.
11.07 Coordinate and reconcile incoming registrations and maintain Members master list/file, and wait list (if applicable).
11.08 Assemble the draft groupings that will be the basis for Draft (vet with another exec member). Coordinate draft proceedings, in conjunction with the President (see 5.06), or his delegate.
12) WebMaster
12.01 Is primarily responsible for keeping the BMSPL web site up to date. Annually update the executive list, registration, contacts, calendar, season schedule, rules, constitution and sponsor postings
12.02 During the regular season update the team rosters, scores, standings, ruling issues, playoffs and news as instructed by the executive.
12.03 Ensure that the web site registration and payments are up to date.
www.brookvillemasters.com and www.bmspl.ca
13) Social Director
13.01 Primarily repsonsible for the Year End Banquet and is the primary contact for all things social.
13.02 Responsible for arranging food/catering for Championship Weekend as well as any regular season BBQs and well as any food for the annual Draft.
13.03 Responsible for retrieving all Awards/Trophies and have them engraved and ready for the year end Banquet.
14) Team Representatives
14.01 Each team MUST have a Team Representative.
14.02 Are elected by a majority vote of each Team’s members prior to the monthly Executive meeting immediately following the first regularly scheduled game. The team may designate a substitute to attend and vote at the meeting.
14.03 Attend monthly Executive meetings from the first game of the season, until the Annual General Meeting.
14.04 Act as a Liaison between the Executive Committee and the Team.
14.05 Bring any Team concerns or problems before the Executive Committee.
14.06 Cannot be a member of the Senior Executive.
15) Election of Officers
15.01 Any League member in good standing may allow his name to stand as a nominee for election to a Senior Executive position.
15.02 The newly elected Officers shall assume their duties at the Annual General Meeting.
15.03 REVISED NOV 09 At the Annual General Meeting, nominations are made for each senior executive position. Any league member can nominate another league member for a position. When more than one person is nominated for a position, voting shall be conducted by secret ballot. These elected members along with the Past President will form the new Executive.
16) League Draft
16.01 The Executive Committee will determine the number of players that will be on each Team for the season, prior to the Draft.
16.02 All players must have paid the registration fee prior to the Draft.
16.03 Any player who is selected by a team and refuses to play for that team shall forfeit their registration fee and be ineligible to play ball for the current season.
16.04 All players will enter the Draft on an annual basis.
16.05 Players will be ranked according to their abilities.
16.06 Pitchers will be ranked and paired together prior to the Draft.
16.07 The Executive at a regular monthly meeting will assign players joining the League after the annual Draft to any Team requiring players. In all cases, the Executive will endeavour to place the new member with the best interest of the League in mind.
16.08 The President will notify players left on the waiting list of their status.
16.09 The waiting list will be discontinued after the July monthly meeting and players will have to wait until the next year’s registration in order to join the League.
16.10 Use of the waiting list:
Once a team finds itself short, the following guideline (Rule) will be followed for accessing the waiting list.
- The list will be taken in order of additions onto it.
- To avoid manipulation of who gets first choice, first declaration of need will not necessarily get first person.
a). Once a need is declared, all teams will be canvassed to determine whether there are other needs for pickup off the list.
b). Once total number needed is determined (say x), the first x guys will be taken from waiting list, as a block, for distribution to the needing teams.
c). The x guys will be contacted to see if still interested, and if not, they will be replaced in the ‘to be distributed block’ by the next guys down the list. - The to-be-distributed block will be allocated to the teams with the best interests of the parity of the league in mind. All things being equal, the team losing the highest ranking player, will take from the to-be-distributed pool the best guy available, the next highest lost ranking will choose next, and so on.
- The executive reserves right to alter #3 method if there is weaker team needing help, and it is deemed that their needs for the best available guy from the pool clearly outweighs the needs of the team losing the highest ranking player.
17) Amendments to the Constitution
17.01 The Executive will determine if a Constitution committee is required to review and recommend any amendments or changes to the Constitution.
17.02 Amendments to the Constitution can be made at any regular monthly meeting, provided the amendment was submitted in writing at the previous monthly meeting.
17.03 Amendments to the Constitution require two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive to vote in favour.
17.04 If at any one monthly meeting, a Constitution amendment will be voted on, a written proxy vote will be allowed for any Executive member unable to attend, as long as the vote is recorded with the Secretary prior to the meeting.
18) League Rules
18.01 The League rules shall consist of the Official Softball Canada Rules and any additions or amendments passed by the Executive Committee.
18.02 The League rules may only be amended at the annual rules meeting held in April and a simple majority (51%) in favour is required.
18.03 The President may declare an emergency vote on a rule change or addition, at any regular monthly meeting. A seventy-five (75) percent majority vote in favour is required.
19) Dissolution and Expansion
19.01 Expansion of the League requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in favour at an Executive Committee meeting.
19.02 Dissolution of the League requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in favour at an Executive Committee meeting.
19.03 Upon dissolution, any League funds or assets will be donated to any worthy local charity or nonprofit organization voted on by the Executive.
Validity:
This amended edition of the Constitution passed by the Executive supersedes all previous editions. EFFECTIVE DATE March 6th, 2024.