This corporation has been organized under the guidelines of the Virginia State Corporation Commission and is so organized solely as a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, according to federal IRS guidelines. The mission and purpose of Boys Baseball of Lynnhaven (BBL) is to foster international amateur sports competition, through an organized baseball program for all qualified youth living within the organization's designated boundaries. In addition to teaching the fundamentals of baseball and providing an opportunity for youngsters to participate, BBL shall also be dedicated to fostering in them the ideals of sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty, and perseverance. All coaches, managers, umpires, parents and league officials must be constantly mindful of their responsibility to act in a manner consistent with these objectives.
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held during the third Monday of every month at the league building. These meetings shall be open to the general membership. A member is defined as any adult who is the parent/guardian of a registered and active BBL participant in the last 12 month period. In case of Holidays or other conflicts, the President shall reschedule the meeting for a more convenient time during the month. Meetings of the Board of Directors may also be held whenever the Board deems it necessary and appropriate. Any person belonging to the general membership may request a meeting to address the Executive Board by submitting a written request to the President stating the purpose of such meeting. The President shall determine the validity of the request and schedule an Executive Board meeting accordingly. Should a member's request be denied, he/she may override the President's decision by presenting a petition signed by at least twenty (20) individuals from the general membership to the Board of Directors.
Meetings of the League's Executive Board shall be held at the discretion of the President. The primary duties of the Executive Board shall include: discuss specific league policy matters and issues; resolve grievances and disciplinary actions against league members; and review budgeted and unbudgeted expenditures and funding requests for recommendation to the Board of Directors. Minutes of these meetings shall be read at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting. With the exception of disciplinary actions (see Article IV, Section 3), Executive Board deliberations and recommendations shall be presented to the entire Board for discussion and vote as appropriate. See Article V for further detail concerning the Executive Board.
The organization shall be comprised of appropriate divisions as deemed appropriate by the affiliating baseball association such as Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken or PONY.
Eligible ballplayers shall fall within the guidelines of the affiliating baseball association. Ballplayers who want to “play up” must submit a written request to the appropriate division direction for approval.
Eligible players must register with the league during the designated registration period and pay the required fees. The amount of these fees may vary from year to year based on current and projected operating expenses. All fees are due before the players' first league game.
During registration, players may be required to present a valid birth certificate for verification of age.
The league will assign all registered players to a team roster or the player "pool" until a team position becomes available.
A nominating committee can be comprised of any BOD member, parent, or member of the Lynnhaven community in good standing' is eligible and shall be appointed by the League President no later than the April meeting of the Board of Directors. This nominating committee shall report its presidential nominations for the following year at the May meeting of the Board of Directors.
The President-elect of the league shall be elected at a regular Board meeting to be held no later than June 30th of each year. This meeting shall be designated the "official meeting" for the year. The newly elected President shall appoint his/her Executive Board within thirty days of said election.
All materials, correspondence, and documents pertaining to the league are the property of the league and shall be turned over to the incoming President or the President's designee not later than July 31st of each year.
The term of office of League President and officers shall be for one year commencing on August 1st of the current year, running through July 31st of the following year.
In the event of resignation or inability of the President or any officer to perform his or her duties for any reason, the Board of Directors, by majority vote of the Board, shall be empowered to select a replacement that shall serve until the following election of officers.
The Executive Officers of BBL, will be the President, Vice President of Administration, Vice President of Operations, Secretary, and Treasurer. No two (2) household members may hold Executive Office positions during the same election period unless agreed upon by all members of the Board of Directors.
The President is responsible for the overall management of the league. In this capacity he/she shall: act as the league Chief Executive Officer; preside at all meetings of the executive officers, Board of Directors, and general membership; act for the league in external matters; be a member, ex-officio, of all committees and approve the reports of the Treasurer. The President shall appoint the League Vice President of Operations, League Vice President of Administration, Division Directors, Secretary, Treasurer, and approve nominations for other positions as required. The President, acting in the above capacities shall be responsible to the Board of Directors. The president is considered a de facto member of all boards and committees of BBL. The President will be authorized to countersign drafts against the League bank account. He/she will have the authority to appoint committees, as needed. He/she will ensure that each Board Member is given a copy of his/her job description.
The Vice President of Operations shall execute operational duties as directed by the President and otherwise assist the President in the execution of League business. The League Vice President of Operations shall ensure the operational readiness of BBL to include: all baseball fields, baseball equipment; and assignment of umpires, assignment of coaches, and assignment of players.
The Vice President of Administration shall execute administrative duties as directed by the President and otherwise assist the President in the execution of League business. The Vice President shall maintain custody of the League Constitution and Bylaws; ensure that they are updated as required. The Vice president of Administration shall oversee the readiness of all administrative duties as assigned to include the league’s website, sponsorship, fundraising, concession stand, and other duties as assigned.
The Secretary shall conduct and maintain a file of all league correspondence (insurance documents, Babe Ruth/Pony renewals, background checks), keep a current member list of all committees, and record the minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall post a copy of all Board of Directors meeting minutes on the league web site for viewing by the general membership.
The Treasurer shall receive all league funds and deposit them in a bank approved by the Board of Directors. Disbursement of these funds for any purpose requires the approval of the President and/or Board of Directors. Only the President, Vice Presidents, and the Treasurer shall have the authority to sign checks. Two signatures must appear on all checks written for more than $2,000.00 for unbudgeted items The President has the authority to issue debit cards to the Vice Presidents, Maintenance Director, and Concession Director in order for them to make budgeted purchases of goods and services. Documentation of such purchases must be provided to the Treasurer within 5 business days. Unbudgeted Debit card purchases greater than $500.00 require prior approval of the president. The Treasurer shall make a report of the financial status of the league at each regular meeting. The monthly report is to be reviewed and reconciled by a Board member who is not signatory to any league accounts and does not handle league funds. The Treasurer's books shall be subject to an audit at any time at the discretion of the President or Board of Directors. The Treasurer will submit the league's financial books to a CPA, designated by the Board of Directors, for an annual review by October 30th of each year. In addition, a thorough audit shall be conducted prior to the installation of a new League President and/or Treasurer.
In addition to the Executive Board, the League may be represented by the following positions as approved by the Board of Directors:
The person will serve as an advisor to the newly elected president for a term of one year for the betterment of the league. The current president reserves the right after one year if they are reelected to allow the past president to continue to serve or vacate the position. If the position is vacated this does not count against quorum for Board meetings.
The Division Directors (TBALL, ROOKIE, MINOR, MAJORS, SENIORS) shall be responsible for the management of their respective divisions and shall work closely with the Vice President of Operations in the execution of their assigned duties. He/she supervises the distribution of players among teams and maintains the "pool" of players awaiting placement. In addition, the Division Director is responsible for scheduling fields for both practice and regular games.
The Division Vice Directors shall assist the Division Director with duties as assigned.
Shall ensure the readiness of all BBL complex facilities. Reports to the League Vice President of Operations.
Reports to the League Vice President of Administration and is responsible for keeping BBL Facebook and Instagram accounts current with League information, important dates, and promoting a positive image of the League.
Reports to the League Vice President of Administration and is responsible for obtaining and maintaining corporate sponsorships throughout the community.
This position works in conjunction with the Sponsorship Director on fundraising activities during the active season.
Reports to the League Vice President of Administration serves as primary POC for the Website Development team. He/she is responsible for providing the web content, maintaining the project schedule for all releases with the Development Team. He/she must coordinate with other league directors for consistent messaging and updates to posted league calendar. Also responsible for management of league email accounts, GoDaddy account, and other IT services used by the league.
Reports to the League Vice President of Administration and is responsible for maintaining appropriate licenses and inspections for concessions. Must purchase and keep inventory of goods. Coordinates with Treasurer for available cash and deposits.
The primary purpose of the Board of Directors is to provide a body of highly knowledgeable, experienced personnel to assist the President in the smooth and efficient operation of the league. Additionally, the Board shall act as a system of checks and balances for the league's executive officers. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to remove any member of the Board, such removal requiring 2/3 vote of said Board.
The Executive Board shall have the authority to suspend, remove, or otherwise discipline any general member, board member, manager, coach, player, league official, umpire, or other person whose conduct is considered detrimental to the best interests of the League. Any person who is suspended, removed, or otherwise disciplined by the Executive Board shall have the right to appeal such action in writing and may elect to appear before the Board of Directors at a regular or special meeting for that purpose.
The President shall appoint all committees. The President and the respective committee chairperson shall determine the number and composition of committee members. These committees shall be formed on an "as needed" basis and shall remain active until such time as their function has been completed. All committees shall operate under the direction of the appropriate chairperson.
The Board of Directors shall have the power to propose new and/or offer changes to existing By-Laws. Any changes or amendments to the By-Laws shall be presented in writing to the President who, in turn, shall present them to the Board of Directors. To amend or change the approved by-laws shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all Board members.
The President, in concert with the Board of Directors, shall have complete discretion in resolving issues or handling League business not specifically addressed in these By-Laws. In doing so, they will exercise sound judgment and act in a manner consistent with the spirit and intent of PONY Baseball, Inc. and the Constitution of BBL.
A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of 51 % of the Board members. A quorum is defined as the minimum number of board members required to be present (virtual or in-person) at board meetings before official business may be conducted or binding votes taken. Unless otherwise specified, all references to voting in this document assume a quorum is present.
Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
It shall be League policy to solicit competitive bids for purchase of all goods and services in excess of $5,000. Preference in the bidding process, as well as for direct purchases, shall be given to League sponsors.
No individual shall be allowed to manage more than one (1) team in the organization unless approved by the Executive Board. An individual will be allowed to be a manager and a coach of record for two different teams or a coach of record for two different teams provided they are in different divisions.
The Division Directors will review the current set of their division/league rules prior to the commencement of league play annually and propose any amendments, changes, and/or deletions to the Board of Directors. Changes must be submitted in writing with proposed changes highlighted/annotated. The Board of Directors, by majority vote, will then adopt a set of division/league rules for the upcoming season.
All league income from registrations, fundraising, donations, concession sales, gate receipts (during tournament play), sponsorships, and commercial advertisements shall be used exclusively in support of the entire organization. All monies collected and all expenses paid shall be properly accounted for and all bookkeeping records shall be available for examination by the general membership. An examination must be requested at least one week in advance, and a minimum of 3 of the members of the Executive Board of Directors must be present at the time of examination.
In the interest of fairness and in order for the Board of Directors to exercise necessary control over fund raising activities, individual team/league fund raising, including direct assessments of team members/parents, are not authorized. Examples of such prohibited activities may include, but not limited to, individual team concession sales, team car washes, product sales, and the like. In additions, such team fund raising is prohibited even if funds are donated entirely by one, or several, team parent(s), coaches, managers, or other "sponsors." Exceptions to this rule may be made in the case of the additional funding often required to sponsor tournament teams. Even in this case, however, the Board of Directors must approve proposed fund-raising activities. This section does not apply to post season activities such as team parties, team trophies, and the like.
All league expenditures shall be properly budgeted and made only with the approval of the President and/or Board of Directors as appropriate. The league shall not pay any purchase made without prior budget approval. Any unbudgeted league expenditure ("discretionary funds") exceeding $500 shall be presented to the Board of Directors for discussion and vote. The President may authorize expenditures up to $500. Competitive bidding procedures, per Section 1 of this Article, apply. In addition, the President may authorize the expenditure of “emergency" funds without a Board vote when, in his opinion, such funds are required immediately in order to continue normal League operations. Examples of "emergencies", in this regard, might include weather damage to facilities; breakdown of vital concession stand equipment; and vandalism.
All Board members must have at least a 50 percent attendance rate to maintain themselves in good standing. The attendance requirement can be waived due to military deployments or other reasons as approved by the Board of Directors. Members falling below the required attendance without excused absences will be removed at the will of the Executive Board.
The rules contained in the most current edition of "Robert's Rules of Order" shall govern League meetings of the Board of Directors and League committees in all cases in which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these By-Laws and any special rules of order the League shall adopt. This provision shall not preclude the President from conducting meetings or taking action in a manner consistent with the proper execution of League business.