ONTARIO SOCCER REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION

London Branch Constitution

 

1.                  Name

 

The name of this organization shall be The Ontario Soccer Referees’ Association – London Branch, herein after referred as “The Association”.

 

2.                  Objectives

 

a)                  To improve the status, education and general development of referees in order to ensure that, all games are played in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the rules of any competition that is properly affiliated to soccer’s governing body.

 

b)                  To protect the interests, the well-being and welfare of the members.

 

c)                   To abide by the Constitution of The Ontario Soccer Association.

 

3.                  Headquarters

 

The headquarters of the Association shall be located at the residence of the Secretary.

 

4.                  Membership

 

Membership shall be open to the following:

 

a)                  All who are properly registered as referees with The Ontario Soccer Association.

 

b)                  Those who have ceased to officiate, and who shall be known as Associate Members.

 

c)                   Life Member – A member who has been nominated the votes of 75% of the members at the Annual General Meeting.

 

 

5.                  Membership Fees

 

The annual membership fee will be set at The Annual General Meeting.

 

a)                  Honorary Life Members shall not pay membership fees.

 

6.                  Officers

 

The officers shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one Council Members who will serve for a 2 year term, being elected in the following manner.

 

a)         The President, Secretary, and one Council Members in odd numbered years.

b)         The Vice-President and Treasurer in even numbered years.

 

To be eligible for election the candidate must be a member in good standing (4) (e) and be nominated at the Annual General Meeting.  The voting shall be by secret ballot at which time the candidate for office must receive a majority of the votes cast by the members present.  

 

A member may be nominated for office when absent, providing that the member has notified the Secretary in writing at least 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting of a willingness to stand.

 

Should a position (other than that of President) on the Executive Council becomes vacant it shall be field by a member in good standing, appointed by the Executive Council.

 

7.                  Duties of Officers

 

The President shall preside at all meetings attended, and decide on all questions of order and announce the results of any voting, except during the election of officers, wherein a pro-tem chairman will be appointed for that section of the meeting.  While in the chair the President shall neither move nor second any proposal or amendment, nor vote unless there be a tie, when the President shall exercise a casting vote.

 

The President shall be the spokesperson for the Association and shall ensure that all other officers perform their respective duties and that all rules are enforced.

 

The Vice-President shall assist the president in the discharge of all presidential duties and, in the absence of President, take over the President’s duties.   

 

Should the office of President become vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the position until the next Annual General Meeting.

 

The Secretary shall keep a true record of all meetings of the Executive Council and General Meetings of the Association.  All correspondence relating to the Association and the issuing notices of meetings to all members shall be the responsibility of the Secretary.

 

The Treasurer shall receive all funds.  Including membership fees, giving an official receipt for all monies received and be responsible to the Executive Council for all funds of the Association.  All Association funds must be deposited in the name of the Association at a recognized registered banking institute.  Accounts exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) may only be paid following the approval of the Executive Council.  Any two of the following officers must sign cheques issued on behalf of the Association:  Treasurer, President, Vice-President or Secretary.  The Treasurer shall also prepare and present a financial statement for the fiscal year ending September 30th annually.

 

8.                  Executive Council

 

The Executive Council shall have of all Association property.  It shall conduct the business of the Association between meetings.  The Council Member shall have such duties as prescribed by the President.  The Executive Council may enlist the assistance of other members for such special projects soccer related or not that are deemed for the benefit of the Association.  The Executive Council’s approval must be unanimous.

 

Executive Council member/s shall be subject to being expelled by the Executive Council from any Executive activities for showing poor performance.

 

9.                  Meetings

 

a)         Members shall attend all meetings of the Association.

 

b)         Members who will be unable to attend a meeting must advise the Secretary or the Treasurer in advance.

 

The Annual General Meeting shall be held within the 3rd week of October.  The Secretary shall send notice of all General Meetings to the Membership at least 30 days prior the date of the meeting.

 

A special General Meeting may be called by President or at the written and signed request of 5 members.  The Special General Meeting must be held within 14 days of the receipt of such request, notice being sent by the Secretary to reach the members at least 5 days prior to the date of the meeting.  Only the business as specified in the request may be discussed at the Special Meeting.

 

A minimum of 3 meetings of the Executive Council will be held at the call of the President, or at the request of three Members of the Executive Council.

 

The Order of Business for Meetings will be as follows:

 

Annual General Meeting

 

·         Roll Call

·         Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting

·         Matters arising from those minutes

·         Correspondence

·         Presidents Address

·         Treasurer’s Report and Auditors’ Confirmation

·         Old Business

·         Membership Fees for ensuing year*

·         Recess – Membership Fees paid

·         Amendments to the Constitution

·         Election of the Officers, Appointment of Auditors

·         New Business

 

* ensuing year shall be known as the year immediately following the AGM

 

General Meetings

 

    Roll Call

    Reading of Minutes of previous meeting

    Matters arising from those Minutes

    Treasurer’s Report

    Correspondence

    Old Business

   New Business

 

Executive Council Meetings

 

    Roll Calls

    Reading of Minutes of previous meeting

    Matters arising from Minutes

    Treasurer’s Report

    Correspondence

    Old Business

    New Business

 

1.                  Conduct

 

Members of the Association shall conduct themselves in a manner that will bring credit to the Association and to the game as a whole.  Cases of alleged misconduct reported to the Executive Council shall be dealt at the earliest opportunity.  The Executive Council shall have the power to reprimand or suspend from membership any member deemed to have brought the Association into disrepute. 

 

The procedure for any alleged misconduct shall be as followed:

 

        Any such allegation/s should be forwarded to the Association’s Secretary in writing accompanied by all the evidences.

 

        The Association’s Executive shall investigate such allegation within seven days of receiving the allegation.

 

        The accused member may appear before the Association Executive to defend the allegation.  Then based on the facts provided to the Executive Council a decision shall be made.

 

        The Executive Council shall notify the member of their decision by registered mail within seven days from the date of their decision.

 

Further more, the word MISCONDUCT should not be interpreted out of context and should only be defined as an activity that is contrary to the referees’ Code of Ethics and the game as whole. 

 

Rights to Appeal

 

A member alleged to have committed an act of misconduct has the right to present a defence to the allegation before any decision is rendered by the Executive Council.  Appeals against any decision must be made before the members at a General Meeting.  Should an appeal be lodged any suspension will be placed in abeyance until the members have reached a decision.

 

2.                  Auditors

 

Two members shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.  They will be charged with the auditing of the Association’s accounts.  This shall be arranged at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the Treasurer and themselves.  An interim check may be made at any time during the year.  The Auditors shall report their findings at the Annual General Meeting or in case of an interim check, to the Executive Council.  If all is correct, they shall annual statement and balance sheet prepared by the Treasurer.

 

3.                  Quorum

 

At the Annual General Meeting/General Meetings/Special Meetings 25% of registered members in attendance for any meeting shall form a quorum.  At the Annual General Meeting there must be quorum to conduct business; otherwise, the business is postponed to a different time.

 

4.                  Amendments to the Constitution 

 

Proposed amendment/s to this constitution will not be considered, unless written notice of proposed amendment is received by the Secretary 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

An Extraordinary Special General Meeting may be called for this purpose, 14 days notice of such a meeting must be given to all members.  A copy of the proposed amendment/s must be sent with any meeting notice.  To be approved, an amendment must receive the majority of votes cast by the members at the meeting.

 

5.                  Referee of the Year Award

 

The Executive Council may choose a referee/s of the year, from our members list, on an annual basis.  The criteria for a candidate shall be a member in good standing that has during the current year of the award carried out duties that are exemplary and bring refereeing into stead. 

 

 

Roll of Honours

 

 

Honorary Life Members:

 

Ernie Huytan (1974)

Horst Ammon (1980)

Ed Troller (1989)

Bob Callahan (1998)

John Quinn (2000)

Peter Elefthroglou (2004)

Peter Timmerman (2004

Manfred Sommerfield (2004)

Joe Agnew (2005)