Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board. Constitution

Transcription

1 Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Constitution December 2017

2 Contents Article 1. General Provisions...4 Section 1.1 Name... 4 Section 1.2 Colors and Emblem... 4 Section 1.3 Office... 4 Section 1.4 Nonprofit Organization... 4 Section 1.5 Season... 4 Article 2. Purpose and Powers...5 Section 2.1 Vision Statement... 5 Section 2.2 Objectives... 5 Section 2.3 Powers... 5 Article 3. Membership...6 Section 3.1 Membership Eligibility... 6 Section 3.2 Membership Classes... 6 Section 3.3 Membership Admission... 7 Section 3.4 Membership Disbandment, Suspension and Expulsion... 8 Section 3.5 Member Player Transfers Article 4. Governing Bodies Section 4.1 Board of Directors (BOD) Section 4.2 Executive Committee (EC) Section 4.3 Bylaws Committee (BC) Section 4.4 Judiciary Committee (JC) Section 4.5 Election or Appointment of Officers Article 5. Other Committees Section 5.1 General Committee Section 5.2 Ad-Hoc Committees Article 6. Elections Section 6.1 Declaration Section 6.2 Elections Officer Section 6.3 Nominations Section 6.4 Candidate Screening Section 6.5 Voting and Results Article 7. Meetings and Quorum Section 7.1 General Meetings Section 7.2 Special Meetings Section 7.3 Committee Meetings Article 8. Competition, Awards and Annual Banquet Section 8.1 Competitions Section 8.2 Trophies and Awards Section 8.3 Annual Banquet and Awards Night Article 9. Financial Assets and Controls Article 10. Dissolution Article 11. WMCB Code of Conduct Article 12. Records Management Section 12.1 Inspection of Records Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 2 of 22

3 Section 12.2 Availability of Information Article 13. Amendments to the Constitution Revision History Revision Revision Revision Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 3 of 22

4 Article 1. General Provisions Section 1.1 Name The name of the organization shall be the Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board (WMCB) hereinafter referred to as the League. All business of the organization shall be conducted under that name or acronym. Section 1.2 Colors and Emblem The Colors of the League shall be Blue and Red. The emblem of the League shall be a Bald Eagle, as represented in Figure 1 below. Figure 1 - WMCB Emblem Section 1.3 Office The registered office of the League shall be located at an address or a location determined by the Executive Committee. Section 1.4 Nonprofit Organization The League shall be organized as a nonprofit organization, whether or not it has acquired or maintained a tax-exempt status. Section 1.5 Season WMCB seasonal calendar and fiscal year begin on January 1 and end on December 31. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 4 of 22

5 Article 2. Purpose and Powers Section 2.1 Vision Statement Our aim is to be one of America s premier cricket leagues, featuring the best cricket grounds, cricket pitches and upholding the value of cricket on and off the field. We aim to provide an environment where everyone can enjoy and be part of. We aim to foster the development of cricket in the DMV area through grassroots youth development. Membership is open to all irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnic origin, national origin, social status or sexual orientation. Section 2.2 Objectives The objectives of the League are: a. To promote and conduct organized cricket competition between registered clubs, leagues and other associations within the United Stated and abroad, as deemed appropriate by the governing bodies of the League. b. To procure, maintain and provide facilities to support cricket and competition. c. To encourage and foster growth of the sport of cricket. d. To provide all members with equal opportunities, rights, privileges, benefits and conveniences of association to the League. e. To foster a culture of a League of the membership, by the membership and for the membership. Section 2.3 Powers Pursuant to its objectives, the League shall have the following powers: a. To affiliate with, establish, support or aid in the establishment or support of any League, association, society, fund or the like, which is intended to benefit or promote the sport of cricket. b. To acquire by purchase, demise, lease, permit, or otherwise any land, buildings, plant and equipment or other property, for directly supporting the objectives of the League as long as the acquisition permits usage of the facility acquired by members of the League either gratuitously or by a fee payment. c. To employ any non-prohibited person, whether full-time, part-time, or casual for a fee or on a volunteer basis, for any service provided in furtherance of the objectives of the League. d. To trade either directly or indirectly in the manufacture, purchase, distribution and sale of products, material and equipment necessary or auxiliary to the sport of cricket as long as such trade benefits members of the League equally and not a particular individual or a group of individuals. e. To promote and conduct either singularly or jointly with any other League, association, club or persons meetings, competitions, matches and social events for the sport of cricket and to offer, give or contribute towards awarding of prizes, medals and awards. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 5 of 22

6 f. To amalgamate, cooperate or affiliate with any other League, association, or society having objectives, which are wholly or in part similar to those of the League. g. To open and operate any bank or investment account. h. To accept payment of all kinds whether by subscription, donation, affiliation fees, membership fees and others and to either hold or dispense with the same in furtherance of any of the objectives of the League. i. To levy charges, raise fees, impose fines or penalties. j. To sue, countersue and defend the League and its members from suit with respect to activities related to cricket. k. To engage in activities directly related to the promotion of the sport of cricket. Article 3. Membership Section 3.1 Membership Eligibility a. WMCB membership is open to any individual or amateur sports organization in the Washington Metropolitan Region seeking to participate in organized competition for the sport of cricket under the rules and guidelines established by the League. b. The League may establish several classes of membership along with eligibility criteria for those classes. Any eligible individual or organization may become a member of the League by applying for a particular class of membership and fulfilling due requirements. Section 3.2 Membership Classes Item Member Club a. Any cricket club that is granted admission to WMCB. Please refer to Section 3.3. b. Member clubs do not have to reapply each year for membership. Their membership is automatically renewed provided they comply with all requirements, operational and financial, to maintain their membership status. c. All Member Clubs are required to comply with the following requirements to automatically renew their membership status. Non-compliance may result in forfeiture of membership status. i. Attendance at all mandatory meetings of the League as specified in Article 7. ii. Timely provision of mandatory information, including but not limited to, match reports, roster and other information as deemed appropriate by the League. iii. Compliance with WMCB Constitution and By-Laws. Item Member Player a. All individuals declared on the rosters of Member Clubs or registered during the course of the season using the New Member Registration process as defined in the WMCB Bylaws, are designated as Member Players. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 6 of 22

7 b. All active Member Players must be associated with a Member Club. All Member Players not associated with a Member Club will automatically be placed in inactive status until activated through registration again. c. Inactive Member Players do not have the rights of active Member Players. Item Affiliate Member Any individual or former Member Player not meeting the requirements of any other membership class but willing to be affiliated to WMCB, may become an affiliate member at the discretion of the Executive Committee. WMCB Executive Committee should maintain the list of Affiliate Members. Item Umpire Member Players or Affiliate Members willing to serve as an umpire during WMCB League cricket games may be accepted as an Umpire in the League at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Section 3.3 Membership Admission Item Admission of Member Clubs a. Every new cricket club or every cricket team affiliated to an existing Member Club seeking affiliation with the League shall be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee and as specified in the WMCB Bylaws. b. Admission process of new clubs will be conducted using the New Member Club process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. Item Admission of Member Players a. Every player seeking affiliation with the League shall be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. b. All Member Players will be admitted in accordance with New Member Registration process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. Item Admission of Umpires a. Every Umpire seeking affiliation with the League shall be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. b. All Umpires has to be either Player Member or Affiliate Member of WMCB League in order to apply for admission as Umpire. They will be admitted in accordance with New Member Registration process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. Item Admission of Affiliate Members a. Every Affiliate Member seeking affiliation with the League shall be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. b. All Affiliate Members will be admitted in accordance with New Member Registration process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 7 of 22

8 Section 3.4 Membership Disbandment, Suspension and Expulsion Item Disbandment of Clubs a. Any club, which disbands at any time during the playing season or determines that it is or will be unable to fulfill its scheduled fixtures, shall be released therefrom upon written application to do so, but only after the payment of all fees due to the League. Clubs who decided to leave the league during off season after fulfilling their responsibilities are allowed to do so and will not be categorized as Disbanded Club. b. No fees already paid to the League shall be refunded to the club. c. Once the application for disbandment is accepted, the club will cease to be affiliated to the League and will not be a liability to the League. d. The club will have to reapply to seek membership to the League, if it decides to participate in competitions held under the auspices of the League in future. Item Expulsion of Clubs a. The EC, by a vote of not less than two-thirds may request that the Board of Directors expel any club from the League on the following grounds: i. The club s membership fees are in serious arrears by three (3) months. ii. The club has failed to comply with a lawful requirement of the League and such failure warranted expulsion. iii. The club, acting as a body or deemed to be acting through any of its members, has conducted itself in such a manner that, in the determination of the Executive Committee, has or is likely to bring the League or cricket into disrepute. iv. The club has failed/refused to uphold the Constitution or Bylaws of the League. v. The club has repeatedly forfeited scheduled League games. b. The EC shall make a recommendation to the BOD that a club be expelled from the league. A hearing should happen within 7 days of the recommendation with a member of the club recommended for expulsion being given an opportunity to represent themselves in attendance with the BOD and at least 1 member of the EC c. The expulsion process will follow the Expulsion of Clubs Process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. d. When a club is expelled from the League, the expelled club will no longer be entitled to field a team in any of the competitions held under the auspices of the League. e. No fees already paid to the League shall be refunded to the club. f. If the expelled club owes the League any outstanding dues, all members on the roster of the expelled club shall not be permitted to join any other Member Club for a period of one (1) year following the end of the current season, unless the League dues are cleared. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 8 of 22

9 Item Suspension or Expulsion of Member Players a. The Executive Committee may suspend Member Players from participating in League sponsored events and competitions on any grounds, including disciplinary grounds. b. The Executive Committee may expel Member Players for serious infractions and repeat suspensions. b. Suspended Member Players will be ineligible to participate in any League sponsored event until the suspension term is served. c. Expelled Member Players will immediately cease to be affiliated to the League and will be ineligible to participate in any League sponsored event. d. A notification of suspension or expulsion will be delivered in writing to the Member Club that the player belongs to and will include: (i) reasons for the suspension or expulsion; (ii) violations; and (iii) the process to appeal the decision. e. The Individual Member or Member Club may appeal the Executive Committee s decision to the Judicial Committee. Appeal process will follow the Appealing dispute to Judiciary Committee section as defined in WMCB Bylaws.. f. The suspension or expulsion will remain in effect while the case is being appealed and reviewed. Item Suspension or Expulsion of Umpires a. The Executive Committee may suspend an umpire for not upholding the laws of the game or League guidelines only if Umpiring Committee recommends it. b. The Executive Committee may expel an umpire for repeatedly not upholding the laws of the game or League guidelines only if Umpiring Committee recommends it. c. A notification of suspension or expulsion will be delivered in writing to the umpire and will include: (i) reasons for the suspension or expulsion; (ii) violations; and (iii) the process to appeal the decision. d. Umpire may appeal the Executive Committee s decision to the Judicial Committee. Appeal process will follow the Appealing dispute to Judiciary Committee section as defined in WMCB Bylaws. Item Expulsion of Affiliate Members a. The Executive Committee may expel an Affiliate Member if it is found that they have conducted themselves in such a manner that, in the determination of the Executive Committee, is likely to bring the League or cricket into disrepute. b. Notification of expulsion will be delivered in writing to the Affiliate Member and will include: (i) reasons for expulsion; (ii) violations; and (iii) the process to appeal the decision. c. Affiliate Member may appeal the Executive Committee s decision to the Judicial Committee. Appeal process will follow the Appealing dispute to Judiciary Committee section as defined in WMCB Bylaws. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 9 of 22

10 Item Expulsion of EC Member a. The Executive Committee may recommend to WMCB BOD to expel an Executive Committee Member if in their determination the Member has been found of following violations. (i) Financial irregularities. (ii) Conduct unbecoming of officer (iii) Failure to perform its duties/obligations (iv) Bringing the League into disrepute. b. Recommendation can only be made to WMCB BOD if Two-Third (2/3) of Executive Members approves it. Executive Committee recommendation will include: (i) reasons for recommendation; (ii) violations; and (iii) proofs of violation. c. Member has the right for a hearing before final decision is made by WMCB BOD. d. WMCB BOD can only approve this expulsion with Two-Third (2/3) vote. Section 3.5 Member Player Transfers A player wishing to transfer to another club must do so using the Player Transfer process section as defined in the WMCB Bylaws. Article 4. Governing Bodies Section 4.1 Board of Directors (BOD) a. The BOD ensures League operations are aligned with the underlying mission of the League. b. The BOD provides independent oversight of the day-to-day operations of the League. c. The BOD establishes performance objectives, evaluates Executive Committee performance based on objectives established and implements preventative and corrective actions to continuously improve League operations and achieve underlying objectives. d. The BOD shall be the highest appellate body of the League. The Executive Committee and the Judiciary Committee shall be accountable only to the BOD. e. BOD shall consist of the following officers: (i) Chairman; (ii) Vice-Chairman and (iii) General Members. f. There shall be no fewer than five (5) and no greater than (9) BOD Members. g. All BOD officers shall be elected or appointed to their respective positions, as detailed in WMCB Constitution Section 4.4. h. BOD elections shall occur in winter AGM on odd years e.g. 2017, 2019, 2021 etc i. BOD Members cannot server more than four (4) consecutive terms. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 10 of 22

11 Item BOD Chairman The Chairman shall: a. Ensure that League operations are being conducted in compliance with the WMCB Constitution and other guiding documentation. b. Ensure that League funds and activities are being conducted to further the goals and objectives of the League. c. Engage organizations and individuals to obtain resources for the League, including but not limited to monetary or non-monetary sponsorships, new fields, etc. d. Serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms. e. Delegates responsibilities to other BOD Members to oversee League operations. Item BOD Vice-Chairman The Vice-Chairman shall: a. Provide support to the Chairman in all his/her endeavors. b. Performs the duties of BOD Chairman in his/her absence. c. Keep record of all BOD meetings and decisions. Section 4.2 Executive Committee (EC) a. The EC shall be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the League. b. The decisions of the EC shall be carried out by Officers and members of the League c. The EC may alter, delete or add to the Bylaws at any time that they consider it to be necessary, unless vetoed by more than half (1/2) of the General Committee. d. The EC shall consist of the following officers: (i) President; (ii) Vice-President I; (iii) Vice-President II; (iv) Treasurer; (v) Match Secretary; (vi) Statistician; (vii) Secretary and (viii) Public Relation Officer. e. All EC officers shall be elected or appointed to their respective positions, as detailed in Section 4.4 EC elections and appointment shall occur on even years e.g. 2018, 2020, 2022 etc f. EC member cannot server more than 4 consecutive terms. Even if EC member change his/her role from one position to another position it will still be counted as consecutive term. g. EC members can be removed from the EC as explained in article h. Removed EC members will immediately cease to be affiliated to EC and will be ineligible to participate in any EC sponsored event. If they belong to a Member Club, then Removed EC Member will still continue to represent the Member Club. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 11 of 22

12 Item President The President shall: a. Report to the Board of Directors. b. Serve as the primary representative of the League at all ceremonial occasions and official meetings, within and outside the confines of the League. c. Develops and approves plans to ensure that the objectives of the League are carried out. d. Be the Chairman at all EC meetings, General Meetings and Special Meetings and ensure that the meetings are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the League. e. In the event of a tied vote at an EC meeting, cast the deciding vote. f. Approve financial budget and expenses of the League. g. Call meetings of the League, including in cases of emergency or special circumstances. h. Assign task and responsibilities to fellow EC members. i. Serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms. Item Vice President I Vice President I shall: a. Report to the President. b. Exercise all of the same powers and rights of the President in his/her absence. c. Serves as Operations Manager. Item Vice President II Vice President II shall: a. Report to the President. b. Exercise all of the same powers and rights of the Vice President I in his/her absence. c. Serves as Public Relations Officer (If no Public Relations Officer is appointed by President). d. Organize all matters pertaining to the Annual Banquet and Awards Night. Item Treasurer The Treasurer shall: a. Report to the President. b. Manage finances for the League in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the League. c. Prepare financial budget annually for approval by the President and monitor the budget during the course of the financial year. d. Maintain an accurate account of the League s finances and be prepared to report on the financial status of the League, whenever requested by officers and at Executive Committee meetings. e. Prepare: (i) statement of income and expenditure; (ii) balance sheet; and (iii) budget analysis for presentation at the Annual General Meeting. f. Maintain all financial reports, bank statements, financial transactions and other applicable financial documents and make them available to the membership at a reasonable notice. g. Serve as the primary signatory authority at the League s financial institution(s). Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 12 of 22

13 h. Receive all fees, fines and other monies tendered by clubs and other parties and deposit all monies received as such into the bank account of the League. Item Match Secretary The Match Secretary shall: a. Report to the President. b. Register all Member Clubs and Member Players. c. Maintain and update the database of names, contact information and performance data of all members of the League. d. Prepare and maintain schedule of matches for League competition. e. Oversee all League competitions and maintain the points tables for the same. f. Record the match reports for all League matches, with or without the assistance of a designee. g. Oversee the preparation of fields and pitches. Item Statistician The Statistician shall: a. Report to the President. b. Maintain all performance statistics as required by the League. c. Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of League s electronic presence (i.e. official website, social media page etc.). d. Work with the current or acting Public Relations Officer to post and update contents on the social media sites. Item Secretary The secretary shall: a. Attend all meetings and keep minutes of all meetings. b. Receive and respond to all correspondence and make such available to the membership at meetings of the League. c. Maintain a correspondence log of the all correspondence sent by or on behalf of the League. d. Make the correspondence log available to the membership upon request. e. Secretary will keep all records of the league and is a custodian of all league assets. Item Public Relation Officer The Public Relation Officer shall: a. WMCB President will appoint a Club Member or an Affiliate Member to this position. Public Relation officer will be the non-voting member of EC. b. Publicize and promote the activities of the League through various form of the media. c. Organize all matters pertaining to League publications d. Liaise with Local authorities and other relevant bodies with the assistant of Executive Committee to participate or help organize community activities. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 13 of 22

14 e. Pursue avenues of potential sponsorship as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee. Section 4.3 Bylaws Committee (BC) a. The Bylaws Committee shall be responsible for presenting the annual update of the bylaws at the annual Bylaws Meeting which will be held before the Spring AGM. b. It is the only body that can present bylaw changes to the general membership, and will do so at the Bylaws Meeting. c. The Bylaws Committee shall consist of: 3 BOD members (one will be the Bylaws Committee Chairman), and 2 members of the EC. d. The President shall put forward the two members from the EC, and the BOD Chairman shall put forward the 3 BOD members. e. If any individual, club, or other WMCB committee wish to change a rule, they should send their suggestions to the Bylaws Committee. f. The BC must send its proposed changes to the general membership at least fourteen (14) days before the Bylaws Meeting for them to be considered and voted on at the Bylaws Meeting. Section 4.4 Judiciary Committee (JC) a. The Judiciary Committee may not independently initiate hearings or make decisions but rather it shall have the power to hear and decide on appeals or cases that have been presented to it through the procedures described in this Constitution and the Bylaws. b. If needed, the Judiciary Committee may collaborate with the Executive Committee to investigate and diagnose any case that it has been presented. c. The Judiciary Committee shall consist of a Chairman and a minimum of two (2) to a maximum of four (4) General Members d. All Judiciary Committee officers shall be elected or appointed to their respective positions, as detailed in WMCB Constitution Section 4.4. e. Executive Committee has the right to appoint a non-voting member to Judiciary Committee on case by case basis to assist Judiciary Committee. This non-voting member can convey EC point of view but cannot participate in the voting process. f. Judiciary Committee elections shall occur on odd years e.g. 2017, 2019, 2021 etc Item JC Chairman The Chairman shall: a. Chair all meetings of the Judiciary Committee. b. At any time, call for a vote on the matter before the Judiciary Committee. c. In the event of a tied vote, cast the deciding vote. Section 4.5 Election or Appointment of Officers a. All officers serving on the Governing Bodies will be elected bi-annually (every two years) by the General Committee at the Annual General Meeting. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 14 of 22

15 b. The term of all officers shall not exceed two (2) years. The term will commence on the day of elections at the Annual General Meeting and will expire in two (2) years at the Annual General Meeting where elections are held. c. Should an officer resign or be removed from their elected position in any Governing Body, a new officer may be appointed to the vacated position by a majority vote of those officers remaining in the respective Governing Body. d. The term of an officer filling a vacancy due to an officer s resignation or removal shall be the remainder of the removed or resigned officer s term. e. Each Governing Body may have no more than two (2) officers who are the members of the same Member Club serving simultaneously. f. All officers serving on a Governing Body may not simultaneously serve on another elected Governing Body. g. All elections will be conducted as defined in WMCB Constitution Section 6. Article 5. Other Committees Section 5.1 General Committee a. The General Committee consists of exactly one (1) representative of each Member Club. b. Each representative must be designated by their club to represent their club on the General Committee. c. No officer of any Governing Body is entitled to a vote unless they are also the designated representative of their club. d. The General Committee shall have full power and authority to take such action it deems necessary and proper, following an impartial examination of facts, to carry out the objectives of the League. Section 5.2 Ad-Hoc Committees Special ad-hoc committees may be established by the President and/or the Chairman of the Board of Directors to conduct special projects for the League that are different from the everyday operations of the League. Article 6. Elections Section 6.1 Declaration a. Elections for each Governing body will be held every two (2) years at the Annual General Meeting. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 15 of 22

16 b. The Secretary shall notify the membership, in writing, of the upcoming elections no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the elections. The notification will include the list of positions to be filled, the eligibility requirements and the associated deadlines. Section 6.2 Elections Officer a. No later than fourteen (14) days prior to the elections, the Executive Committee will nominate a member from the General Committee to administer the election process, and notify the membership, in writing, of the name and address of the Elections Officer. b. The Elections officer will accept and process nominations from the General Committee for the various positions in the Governing Bodies. c. At the elections, the Elections officer will oversee the voting process and declare the winner. d. The Elections officer shall not vote in the elections under any circumstances. Section 6.3 Nominations a. Nominations for all elected positions must be submitted to the Elections Officer, in writing, no later than seven (7) days prior to the elections, using the Election Nomination Form as required by the Election Officer. b. If approved by WMCB Executive Committee and WMCB BOD Members, Election officer may decide to accept Nominations in the AGM. c. No later than three (3) days prior to the elections, the Elections Officer shall notify the all nominees and General Membership, in writing, of the list of eligible nominees. Section 6.4 Candidate Screening a. The Elections Officer will collect all nominations and ensure that the candidates for the election comply with all WMCB requirements and are qualified to fill the position for which they have been nominated. If needed, WMCB Executive Committee is required to assist and provide record to Election officer to help him in this determination. b. If the Elections Officer determines that a candidate is ineligible for a particular position, the Elections Officer shall notify the candidate in writing within twenty four (24) hours of this determination and include the reasoning. The candidate may appeal to the Elections Officer in writing. However, the Elections Officer s determination is final. Section 6.5 Voting and Results a. At the elections, voting will be conducted using a show of hands by the General Committee. b. Only Member Clubs in good standing with the League may vote at the elections. c. Member Clubs may submit absentee votes in writing to the Elections Officer at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the elections. d. The Elections Officer will announce the results of the elections to the membership, in writing, no more than seven (7) days after the elections. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 16 of 22

17 Article 7. Meetings and Quorum Section 7.1 General Meetings Item Annual General Meeting a. The EC shall schedule the Annual General Meeting on a date no later than December 15 and shall provide written notice no less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. b. It is mandatory for all Member Clubs to attend the Annual General Meeting. c. Only Member Clubs in good standing with the League may vote on any matter at the meeting. d. The quorum for such a meeting is one half (1/2) of the General Committee. Item Spring General Meeting a. The EC shall schedule the Spring General Meeting on a date no later than March 31 and shall provide written notice no less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. b. It is mandatory for all Member Clubs to attend the Spring General Meeting. c. Only Member Clubs in good standing with the League may vote on any matter at the meeting. d. The quorum for such a meeting is one half (1/2) of the General Committee. Item Ad-Hoc General Meetings a. The EC may schedule an Ad-Hoc General Meeting at any time, provided that no less than fourteen (14) days written notice of such a meeting is given. b. Only Member Clubs in good standing with the League may vote on any matter at the meeting. c. The quorum for such a meeting is one half (1/2) of the General Committee. Section 7.2 Special Meetings a. A Special Meeting of the League may be convened by a written request to the Secretary. b. The request must be signed by at least 5 members of the General Committee and must state the purpose for which the meeting is being called. c. The President shall convene a Special Meeting on a date that is no more than fourteen (14) days from the receipt of the request. d. The Secretary shall notify the membership of the date, time, location and reason for the Special Meeting no later than seven (7) days prior to the meeting. e. No other business shall be conducted at the Special Meeting except the issue(s) that forms the basis for the meeting request. f. The quorum for such a meeting is one half (1/2) of the General Committee. g. Only Member Clubs in good standing with the League may vote on any matter at the meeting. New Clubs will be eligible to vote in the winter AGM of the playing season they started representing the league. h. If the purpose of the meeting requires members of the General Committee to cast a vote, they may submit absentee votes in writing to the Secretary no less than twenty four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 17 of 22

18 Section 7.3 Committee Meetings All Committee Meetings, with the exception of General Committee meetings, may be called by the respective committee Chairman as needed. The quorum for these meetings is one half (1/2) of the members of the respective committee. Article 8. Competition, Awards and Annual Banquet Section 8.1 Competitions a. The League shall organize one (1) or more cricket tournaments during the season. b. All WMCB Member Clubs in good standing shall be eligible to participate in all cricket tournaments organized by the League. c. All cricket matches shall be governed by the WMCB Bylaws which will be made available to the membership. d. Prior to the commencement of each cricket tournament, the Match Secretary shall issue a Tournament Rules document to the membership which will describe all articles and conditions that are not addressed in the WMCB Bylaws. Section 8.2 Trophies and Awards The League shall award, at their discretion, Trophies and Awards to members of the League for achievements accomplished on and off the field during of the season. Section 8.3 Annual Banquet and Awards Night The Annual Banquet and Awards Night will be held no later than November 30 at a place, date and time to be determined by the EC. The Secretary shall notify the membership of the event, in writing, no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the event. Article 9. Financial Assets and Controls a. The bank of the League shall be such bank as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time and the League account shall stand in the name of the League. The bank shall be a financially sound and reputable financial institution. b. All bank checks can be signed by either President or Treasurer (or both) as decided by the Executive Committee. c. If the position of Treasurer is unoccupied, the members of the Executive Committee, excluding the President, shall nominate one of their own to sign bank checks with the President. d. The income, property, sponsorship or any material benefits of the League shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objectives of the League. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 18 of 22

19 e. No portion of income, property, sponsorship or any material benefits shall be paid, transferred, or distributed directly or indirectly to any member of the League unless it is in return for authorized and bona fide services rendered to the League. Article 10. Dissolution a. The League shall be dissolved and the operations of the League shall cease and be wound-up if a resolution to that effect is carried out by a three-fourths (3/4) majority of the Member Clubs at an Annual General Meeting or a Special Meeting convened to consider that question. b. Upon the dissolution of the League and after the payment and disbursement of all debts and liabilities, if there remains any money whatsoever, it shall be distributed equally amongst the Member Clubs. Article 11. WMCB Code of Conduct The WMCB Code of Conduct applies to all Member Clubs, Member Players, Umpires and Affiliate Members. All members must adhere to the following when representing the WMCB while playing, officiating or conducting any activity on behalf of the League. a. The League is a non-profit, amateur cricket organization with a primary objective of organizing and promoting competitive cricket among its members. Members must not indulge in any activity that violates the League s stated charter, objectives, Bylaws, brings disrepute to the organization, creates criminal or civil liability for the organization and its members and/or jeopardizes its ability to conduct its activities in the Washington Metropolitan area. b. The officers of the Governing Bodies may not represent the clubs that they belong to while carrying out their duties as an officer of any Governing Body. c. Members must uphold the League charter and conduct themselves in accordance with the Constitution and the Bylaws of the League at all times. d. All members, but especially the officers of the Governing Bodies, the team captains and the umpires, must conduct themselves with utmost integrity and professionalism while carrying out their respective duties. f. Members must not engage in any illegal or unethical behavior or activities while representing the League and/or conducting any WMCB-sanctioned business. g. The President and Treasurer of the Executive Committee must ensure responsible stewardship of the League s finances at all times. The President and the Treasurer must reconcile the League s finances at the end of each season and provide a financial statement to the membership at the Annual General Meeting. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 19 of 22

20 h. Umpires are responsible for maintaining control of the game that they are officiating at all times. i. The captains are responsible for the behavior of their respective players at the ground. j. Dissent of any kind by the players towards the umpire will not be tolerated. The umpires reserve the right to penalize the individual concerned and team in such situations. k. Players must not abuse the umpires either physically or verbally at any point before, during or after the game. Reports of any abusive and/or threatening behavior by the players towards the umpire or towards any player or spectator on the ground will result in automatic suspension of the player(s) concerned for the remainder of the season and may also result in the suspension of the captain and the Member Club from future WMCB games. l. All players are responsible for ensuring that the playing field and spectator areas are kept clean and free or litter at all times during and after the game. Players and/or teams reported to have littered or in any way defaced or damaged the playing field or associated property may face suspension and will lose the privilege of using that ground/facility in the future. The offending team will be responsible for paying any costs that may be incurred as a result of their actions. m. The fielding teams are encouraged to let the batsmen leave the field first before walking off the field themselves. This is one of the oldest and most endearing traditions of cricket, which should be upheld and fostered throughout the League. n. Host teams are encouraged to also provide water and light refreshments to the visiting team players. o. Players and umpires must uphold the spirit of the game of cricket at all times while playing and officiating. It is impossible to list all examples of how and when the spirit of the game is violated, however, excessive appealing, jeering, delaying the game and cheating while scoring, playing or officiating are some instances of when the spirit of the game is damaged and the purpose of this League undermined. Article 12. Records Management Section 12.1 Inspection of Records All League records are public information for the League members. A member may, with reasonable notice, inspect, without charge, all records of the League. Section 12.2 Availability of Information The Constitution, the Bylaws and all operational processes will be made publicly available through the League website or in writing to all Member Club representatives. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 20 of 22

21 Article 13. Amendments to the Constitution This Constitution may only be amended at a General Meeting or at a Special Meeting convened expressly for this purpose. The following conditions must also be met: a. A written Notice of Motion, detailing the proposed amendment(s) to the Constitution, shall be delivered to the Secretary no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the said meeting. b. The Notice of Motion shall be signed by at least 2 members of the General Committee. c. The Secretary shall forward the Notice of Motion in writing to the General Committee for deliberation no less than seven (7) days prior to the said meeting. d. At the said meeting, the General Committee shall vote on each amendment listed on the Notice of Motion. The amendment shall pass only if it receives no less than three quarters (3/4) of the votes in favor of the amendment. e. Members of the General Committee may submit absentee votes in writing to the Secretary no less than twenty four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the said meeting. Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 21 of 22

22 Revision History Revision 1.0 Revision Date: April, 2001 Changes: Initial copy Revision Date: April, 2001 Revision 2.0 Revision Date: March, 2017 Changes: Major revamp Approval Date: 4/1/2017 Revision 2.1 Revision Date: December, 2017 Changes: Update of the logo, and addition of the Bylaws Committee Approval Date: 12/2/2017 Approved By: General Member Body Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board Revision 2.1 Page 22 of 22