Glade Valley Athletic Association Bylaws
PO Box 302
Walkersville, MD 21793

Amended 02/2017

Article I – Name

The name of the Association shall be Glade Valley Athletic Association, also known as GVAA, hereafter referred to as the Association.

Article II – Purpose

2.01     To provide the community of Walkersville and surrounding areas with a variety of sports oriented youth athletic programs as a volunteer based non-profit corporation.

2.02     To finance and promote these activities

2.03     To purchase, lease, acquire, or obtain the use of real estate for the purpose of conducting these activities.

2.04     To borrow money and issue evidence of indebtedness in furtherance of any and all objectives of its activities and to secure the same by mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, or other lien.

2.05     To carry on its business for the object of achieving and furthering any of its objectives.

Article III – Membership

3.01     Anyone 18 years of age or older & out of high school in the Walkersville School District and such other geographic areas as permitted by agreement of the Governing Body is eligible for membership.

Article IV – Governing Body

4.01     Shall be made up of the Officers and the Board of Directors, with excepts as presented hereafter.  All Officers and Directors shall reside within a reasonable proximity of the Association.

4.02     Officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  These Officers shall be elected for a term of one year.

4.03     The Board of Directors shall consist of eight elected Directors.   The term of office for Directors shall be for two years.  Four Directors will be elected at each Annual meeting for a term of two years.

4.04     Terms of elected members of the Governing Body will commence at the start of the first Board Meeting following their election.

4.05     Sports Commissioners shall be non-voting members of the Governing Body and be appointed by the Officers and Directors as necessary.  Sports Commissioners shall have no fixed term of office and will serve only at the discretion of the Officers and the Board.  Sports commissioners are required to attend meetings in March, May, July, September, November, and January to ensure they are up to date with the GVAA policies.

4.06     Attendance by members of the Governing Body is expected at all meetings.  If a member is unable to attend a meeting, that member should notify the President or Secretary of their absence.  If a member of the Governing Body is absent for four meetings in a year, that member status will be subject to review by the Governing Body and dismissal from the Body will be at the discretion of the Officers of the Association.

4.07     Vacant unexpired terms that occur between Annual Meetings may be filled by appointment.   The appointment requiring a majority vote of the Governing Body.

4.08     All Officers and Directors present and sufficient for a quorum shall vote on issues brought to the floor; the President, however, shall vote only to break a tie.

4.09     The Governing Body shall have the authority to conduct all business of the Association.

4.10     Leases, mortgages, or acceptance of indebtedness in excess of Association bank accounts will require a vote of the General Membership for approval.

Article V – Duties of the Officers

5.01     President: Shall preside at all meetings of the members of the governing body. The president shall have general supervision of the affairs of the association. The president or designee (at the discretion of the President) shall sign or countersign all contracts and certificates or other instruments of the Association as authorized by the governing body, perform an annual internal review of the financial records of the Association, and to perform all other such duties as are incident to the Office of President or are properly required by the governing body.

5.02     Vice President: Shall assist the President as directed and shall reside over and officiate at meetings and assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.   Shall serve as chairperson of the member’s grievance committee.

5.03     Secretary: Shall issue notice of all meetings and shall keep minutes of meetings. The Secretary shall provide an electronic copy of the meeting minutes before each monthly meeting. The Secretary (or designee) will keep and maintain membership records, will make reports prepare/issue correspondence as required by the president and governing body. The Secretary shall have charge of the Corporate Seal of the Association.

5.04     Treasurer: Shall have custody of all monies and books of the Association. The Treasurer will keep and maintain regular books of accounts of the Association. S/he will distribute the funds of the Association as determined by the governing body and upon receipt of proper documentation. The Treasurer shall provide the governing body an accounting of transactions and financial condition of the Association at each monthly meeting. All checks will be issued and signed by the Treasurer or other officer designated by the governing body. Treasurer will ensure all indebtedness is dealt with in the best interest of the association.

Article VI – Committees

6.01 – Fundraising: Shall manage and coordinate association wide fundraising.

6.01.1  The committee shall be appointed by the president and be comprised of a chairperson and two elected directors.

6.01.2 - The committee duties are to meet, discuss, and make recommendations to the governing body and suggested fundraising activities. The committee will implement fundraising activities as directed by the governing body.

6.02 - Nominating: Shall recommend candidate for all special and general elections.

6.02.1 - The committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and comprised of a chairperson for the elected directors and two association members.

6.02.2 - The committee duties are to prepare a slate of qualified candidates to fill all vacant positions for special and general elections; recommend qualified candidates for any vacant unexpired term of the governing body; and prepare materials and conduct elections.

6.02.3 – The committee will present the list of qualified candidates to the Board of Directors and General Members at least 14 days before the Annual Meeting.

6.03 - Ad hoc: Maybe formed at the discretion of the governing body as required. The president shall ensure that each committee will be properly appointed and have a chairperson.

6.04 - Activities: Each athletic program sponsored by the Association shall have a committee to operate the activities under the supervision of the governing body and in the best interest of the association.

6.04.1 - Each committee should be comprised of the Chairperson appointed by the officers and directors and designated as the Commissioner of the activity.  Additionally, the Chairperson/Commissioner, with the consent of the governing body, will appoint sufficient representatives from the association membership to carry out the duties and objectives of the activity. All committee recommendations as applied to policy will be brought to the floor of the governing body. A vote of 2 to 3 will be required to override a committee recommendation, a simple majority will approve.

6.04.2 - The committee duties include, but are not limited to:

- interaction/coordination with other organizations and agencies
- purchasing supplies and equipment
- conducting member registration
- revenue reporting and cash handling
- expense reporting
- inventory management and control
- activity specific fundraising
- site procurement and location/field maintenance
- recommendation of capital improvement projects
- development of activity specific member grievance procedures
- compliance with policies, procedures, and financial reporting requirements of   the Association and the Officers and Board of Directors
- other duties as assigned by the governing body

6.05 - Grievance:

6.05.1 - The committee will be comprised of the Vice President who serves as Chairperson, an elected Director, and the applicable Activities Committee Chair person.

6.05.2 - The duties of the committee will be to hear and resolve member grievances that are not resolved within and activities grievance procedure. The decision of the grievance committee is final.

6.05.3 - The grievance committee chair person will report the results at the next scheduled monthly meeting.

Article VII – Meetings

7.01- All meetings of the Association shall be held at the principal office in Walkersville, Maryland or other place I shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The place at which such meeting shall be stated in the call the meeting.

7.02 - The annual meeting of the members of the association for the election of the directors and officers to succeed those whose terms are expiring and the transaction of such other business that may come up before the meeting shall be held before the last day of March of each calendar year. Notice of the time and place of the annual meeting of membership, including the proposed list of candidates for the elections, shall be made to the members at least 14 days prior to the meeting.

7.02.1 - A quorum shall consist of the members present.

7.02.2 - The order of business shall be as follows:
- Call to order
- Proof of notice of meeting
- Reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting
- Report of committees
- Election of officers and directors
- Miscellaneous business
- Close of meeting

7.03 - Board meetings will be held monthly, or more or less frequently as determined by vote of the governing body, at a regular time to conduct the general business of the association.

7.03.1 - A quorum shall be 6 voting members of the governing body.

7.03.2 - The order of business shall be as follows:

- Call to order
- Secretaries report
- Treasurers report
- Committee reports
- Old business
- New business

- Announcements
- Close of meeting

7.04 - Special board meeting's may be called for any purpose by any voting member of the governing body or three members of the general membership, by notifying the President or Vice President of the governing body. The President or Vice President will then determine the time and place of the meeting. The order of business will follow that of a regular monthly board meeting.

7.05 - Special general membership meetings may be called by the governing body for any purpose requiring a coat of the general membership. The order of business will follow that of an Annual Meeting and require the same procedure for the call of the meeting.

Article VIII – Elections

8.01 - Any member of the Association 18 years of age or older & not still in high school may be nominated for any office.  This member must have attended at least 3 board meetings in the 12 months prior to the election meeting.  Unless there are no qualified candidates running for the vacant position.

8.03 - Voting will be held by secret ballot with results tabulated and announced by the Nominating Committee.

Article IX - Amendments to the bylaws

9.01 - Amendments to the bylaws of the association may be made only at a meeting of the general membership. And amendments may be suggested at the annual meeting in March and again at the September meeting.

9.02 - Recommendations for amendments and changes to the bylaws will be made available by request to the General Membership, at least 30 days prior to the Annual Membership Meeting or Special Meeting of the General Membership. Evidence of this notification will constitute due notice to the General Membership of the proposed changes.

9.03 - Amendments and changes to the bylaws are affirmed by majority of the members voting.