Bylaws Approved June 2018

Article 1: Name

This organization shall be known as the Maple Valley Lacrosse Club and\or the dba Tahoma Lacrosse Club, herein after referred to as the Organization.  The mailing address is P.O. Box 326, Maple Valley, WA 98038.  It resides in the city of Maple Valley in King County, Washington.  The date of incorporation is March 11, 2004.  The Federal Employer-Identification number is 56-2416278.  The term of existence of this organization is perpetual.

Article 2: Purpose

1. This organization is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to Organizations that qualify as exempt Organizations under Section 501(cX3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

2. The purpose of the Organization shall be to:

1. Organize, support and promote all Maple Valley Lacrosse Club teams and the sport of lacrosse as it impacts the students and athletes of Maple Valley and the surrounding communities without an organized lacrosse program.  This includes organizing games and tournaments, providing encouragement, and monetary means through registration fees, fundraising events, and donations and by any other means as deemed necessary and appropriate. 
2. Assist the Coaching staff as they build team skills, develop leadership abilities, and promote good sportsmanship and citizenship in our student athletes.
3. Promote access to the game for all players in the Maple Valley area, regardless of financial means, by striving to maintain player registration fees as low as possible.
4. The Organization shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or political affiliation.

Article 3: Membership

1. Membership to the Organization shall be open to all parents or guardians of students registered with the program.

1. Board Members:  May be General Members or Registered Associate Members.  General Members on the Board of Directors shall have voting rights during their term of service.  Registered Associate Members on the Board of Directors will not have voting rights during their term of service. 

2. General Members:  All parents or Guardians of lacrosse who observe and abide by the by-laws and policies of the Organization shall be general members with full voting rights for annual elections of Board Members, by-law amendments, or special membership meetings.

2. Annual General and Special Meetings:

1. Annual General Meetings shall be presided over by the President and the Board of Directors.

2. Elections shall be held at the Annual General meeting held in June or by a Special Meeting called for 60 days in advance of a scheduled Election, and communicated in accordance with the Schedule for Motions and Votes. 

3. Special Meetings may be called for by a majority of the Board or when demanded by a majority of the membership, as determined by total number of registered members during the current season, or immediate past season.  The simple majority of members must attend a regular scheduled Board Meeting, present a proposed Motion and pass the Motion by vote of numbers that exceeds a simple majority.

4. A minimum of two weeks prior to all general and special meetings, a meeting announcement and agenda will be distributed to the entire membership.

5. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all matters of procedure not covered in these by-laws.

Definition of General Member and Determination of Voting Rights

General Member is defined as a single family unit representing one or multiple Tahoma Lacrosse Club players in that family, that are in good standing, or if voting during the off-season, paid for the most recent season.  Joint or shared Parent/Guardianship arrangements are still only allowed one vote.  The paid status of a member may be satisfied by full payment or by scholarship, so long is scholarship is offered and accepted by the parent or guardian of the player.  All players in the family unit must be paid in full, or paying per agreement to be considered a member in good standing.  If there is a Tahoma Lacrosse Club program(s) that is free, or waives the cost of participation for all players, then that shall constitute a scholarship payment and allow the player(s) to be considered a paid in full member of the club, provided the player accepts the scholarship and is registered for that season. 

Seniors should not be allowed to be a general member and cannot vote for the upcoming year as they are no longer in the club. 

Registered Associate Members

Any person interested in supporting Tahoma Lacrosse Club may become a Registered Associate Member.   Registered Associate Members may not vote in Tahoma Lacrosse Club elections or in General Membership Meetings.  Registered Associate Members may run and serve on the Board of Directors, so long as they do not simultaneously serve on a competing lacrosse club board such as GELL, SPSL, NPSL or successor leagues.

Voting by Members

Only one vote per family is allowed regardless of the number of players registered under the family unit.

Voting for all open Board positions will be held according to the properly announced voting schedule, which is to be approved 30 days prior to the annual meeting, or by vote of any scheduled general membership meeting, held least 30 days prior to the proposed annual membership meeting, or special general membership meeting. 

Schedule and Communication of Motions and Votes

The annual general membership meeting must be held between the last week of league games during the spring season, and before the last day of the Tahoma School District school year.  The notice of the annual membership meeting and any general membership meeting will be communicated via email to all members and posted on the Tahoma Lacrosse website.  This email communication must take place in three waves:

1. The vote schedule shall be communicated 30 days in advance of proposed vote.
2. The candidate nominations and/or Motions, of general membership must be communicated 15 days in advance of the vote. Additional candidate nominations can be accepted until the general meeting, and should be posted as they are accepted.
3. A reminder email of the general membership meeting must be made within 5-7 days of the scheduled vote.

The communication to each member will only be sent to the current season email list.  Emails on file from previous seasons will be deleted at the start of the new spring season.   It is the responsibility of the Member to confirm that the correct email address is on file with Tahoma Lacrosse Club.  The club Secretary and/or club Registrar shall be responsible for maintaining the general member mailing list. 

Candidate Nominations and Motions proposed pending a vote shall be posted on the Tahoma Lacrosse website and mailed or emailed to all club members at least 15 days prior to the vote. Additional candidate nominations can be accepted until the general meeting, and should be posted to the website as they are accepted. In the event the member does not have email, the member may request a mailed copy of candidate nominations and pending motions before a vote at the general membership meeting.  The option for mailed notifications must be requested in writing by the member, otherwise they automatically acknowledge access to club information via the club’s website. 

Voting will be conducted by balloting of each Member at the annual general meeting or any general meeting scheduled in accordance with club Bylaws.  The Secretary and/or Registrar will administer voting ballots and conduct the voting process.  All Board of Director positions and Motions of General Membership shall require a majority vote of the General Membership in attendance at the Annual General or Special Meeting.

Article 4:  Officers and Board Organization

1. The Board of Directors of the Organization shall consist of the following offices: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Boys Program Director, Youth Boys Coordinator, Girls Program Director, Girls Youth Director, Equipment Manager, Fundraising, and Logistics Coordinator.  The Board of Directors shall meet monthly or as deemed necessary by either the President of the Board or a majority of the Board.

1. No business requiring voting action may take place unless a quorum of 2/3 of the voting Board members are present.  Each board member will carry only one vote.  Voting electronically will be accepted as long as all voting Board members are included in the electronic communication and a minimum of 2/3 respond to all with a vote.

1. The Board may enact by majority vote any policy, procedure, or practice not in violation of these by-laws to regulate the affairs of the Organization.

2. The Board may remove any Board Member per Article 7 by majority vote and that position shall be filled by appointment of the Board of Directors within 30 days if necessary. 

1. Two unexcused absences from a board meeting shall allow the Board to expel that Board member by majority vote or to take lesser action.

1. Any policy or decision enacted by the Board may be overturned by a 2/3 majority of the General Membership present at either a General membership meeting or a Special Membership meeting.  The 2/3 majority of the membership is determined by total number of registered members during the current season, or immediate past season. The 2/3 majority of members must attend a regular scheduled Board Meeting (or Special Membership meeting, present a Motion to overturn the policy or decision enacted by the Board and pass the Motion by vote of numbers that exceeds a 2/3 majority.

4. Each board member is required to disclose any, financial, actual or potential conflict of interest.  He/She will be given an opportunity to disclose all material facts to the Board of Directors and Committee Members.  The Board of Directors will decide by secret ballot whether or not the perceived/actual conflict exists.  A board member must recuse himself/herself from any vote or discussion pertaining to the alleged conflict of interest.

5. Board Subcommittees

1. The Board may authorize subcommittees to develop policies and/or recommendations to meet the changing needs of the Organization.
   2. These subcommittees may be, but are not required to be, headed by Board Members.

3. The Board shall establish Permanent Sub-Committee(s), as necessary, to address on-going needs of the Tahoma Lacrosse Club.

Permanent Sub-Committee- Player/Parent Advocacy Committee

A permanent sub-committee for players and parents of players in Tahoma Lacrosse Club shall exist to provide an opportunity for parents and players to freely articulate concerns, issues affecting the direction of the program to a party outside of the Board of Directors, made up of club members who do not serve on the Board or coach for Tahoma Lacrosse.  The sub-committee shall be comprised of 4 elected club members and one non-voting member of the Board to provide communication to the Board regarding actions taken or recommended by the Player/Parent Advocacy Committee.  The four elected members of the Player/Parent Advocacy Committee sub-committee shall represent each of the four player groups: 1. Girls Youth   2. Girls High School   3. Boys Youth   4. Boys High School.

The Player/Parent Advocacy Committee is accountable to the general membership and solely focused on the proper address and handling of any the player/parent concern not resolved through the normal player-coach communications or parent-Director of Coaching communication channels.  Thus, the Player/Parent Advocacy Sub-Committee shall advocate for resolution(s) that are satisfactory to the player and parents, so long as the resolution is consistent and legal with respect to the club’s policies, bylaws, coaching contracts, the Coaches Code of Conduct, and the rules of the Tahoma Lacrosse Club. 

The Player/Parent Advocacy Sub-Committee shall recommend to the Board actions or enforcement of any rules violations and/or non-compliance with the club’s Code of Conduct for coaches and, if necessary, formally reprimand or impeach directors of coaching for failing to act in a manner consistent with the intentions of the club’s Mission Statement and coaching Code of Conduct. 

Pursuant to the rules of the club and proper notice of investigation, the Player/Parent Advocacy Committee may vote to take actions for the formal reprimand, suspension, re-assignment or permanent removal of a coach or a Director of Coaching board member.  Any such actions will be only be executed by a formal vote of the sub-Committee on the proposed action.

If the resolution ultimately involves taking actions that affect the status of a player, coach or board member, then the sub-committee shall hold a vote to affirm such action or recommendation before forwarding to the Board for consideration.

From whatever player group the complaint or inquiry originates (girls-youth, girls-high school, boys-youth, boys-high school), the sub-committee member of that player group shall recuse him/herself from the vote on that resolution, leaving other three voters of the sub-committee to vote on any action or recommendation of action.  All resolutions, actions or recommendations of the sub-committee shall be decided by a two-thirds vote.

Term length is 1 year minimum no longer than 2 years consecutively.

Note: This could be placed as item 4E because it is a permanent subcommittee, and maybe logical to be in front of other non-permanent committees. 

6. Board of Directors

1. President:  The President of the Board shall preside over Membership meetings and Board meetings in accordance with these by-laws and the policies approved by the Board of Directors.

2. Vice-President:  The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the office of the president in the absence or disability of the President. 

3. Secretary:  The Secretary is to assist the Board and the Board President in conducting the business of the Board and Organization.  The Secretary shall also:

1. Issue minutes of all General and Special Membership Meetings and all Board meetings within 15 days of such meetings to the General Membership.
2. Supervise the election process
3. Maintain and provide to members, upon request, official copies of club operational documents, including, but not limited to the by-laws, codes of conduct, and the Organization’s parent handbook.
4. Oversee all the Organization’s communications.

4. Treasurer:  The Treasurer shall keep records of all funds and financial activities of the Organization.  The Treasurer shall make distributions as authorized by the Board of Directors and membership in accordance with the adopted budget.  The position of the Treasurer shall require a Background check to be completed by the Secretary within sixty (60) days of taking office.

1. All Organization checks require two signatures and the Secretary and Board President are authorized signers on the Organization’s account.
2. Provide Board Members with a Profit and Loss (P&L) statement at all Board meetings.  Full accounting of all receipts and expenditures shall be presented in writing to all General Members at the June Annual General Meeting and more frequently as required by the Board or as called for by a majority of the General Members.  These documents shall also be presented annually to an audit committee.
3. All financial documents shall be maintained for a minimum of 5 years for auditing purposes.

5. Boys Program Director:  The Boys Program Director shall be responsible for the formulation, implementation, and day-to-day administration of all Boys programs of the Organization.  The Boys Program Director shall:

1. Develop the applicable budgetary recommendations.
2. Present coaching candidates, along with their qualifications to the Board for consideration prior to the beginning of the regular season.
3. Oversee player and coach development.
4. Ensure the Organization’s representation at all required league meetings.
5. Oversee and support the Boys Youth Coordinator.

6. Girls Program Director:  The Girls High School and Youth Director shall be responsible for the formulation, implementation, and day –to-day administration of all the Girls programs of the Organization.

7. Equipment Manager:  The Equipment Manager shall be responsible for overall coordination, maintenance, and storage of all athletic equipment requirements, including uniforms, of the Organization.

8.  Boys Youth Coordinator:  The Boys Youth Coordinator shall be responsible for the implementation and day to day administration of the Boys Youth programs of the Organization that have been designed by the Program Director.

9. Logistics Coordinator:  The Logistics Coordinator shall be responsible for coordinating the activities associated with the set up and operation of fields.  The Logistics Coordinator shall also:

1. Organize and schedule with the Tahoma School District or other venues all practices, games and events.
2. Work as a liaison for the Organization with the District regarding logistics related complaints or concerns.

  10. Girls Youth Director: The Girls Youth Director shall be responsible for the implementation and day to day           administration of the Girls Youth programs that have been designed by the Program Director.

  11. Fundraising Coordinator

Vacancies:  Vacancies on the Board due to death, resignation, or removal shall be filled by appointment of the Board of Directors within 30 days if necessary.  The board member will serve the remaining term of his/her predecessor.

7. Compensation:

1. All Officers of the Organization shall serve without compensation for their board duties, except they will be allowed reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of their regular duties.  Officers will receive a discount of 50% on registration fees for one player. 

Such reimbursements require approval from the Board of Directors and shall be disclosed in the financial statements of the Organization.

8. Limitations on Spending by Board Members and Coaches:

Board Members and Coaches may not spend or commit to any financial obligations not enumerated in their portion of the annual budget.  Discretionary spending decisions may not exceed 10% of the budgeted amount without prior board approval.  The coach or board member may be reimbursed for expenditures over the discretionary spending limit only by the unanimous vote of the board prior to the money being spent.  Emergency expenditures by coaches or board members made in the support of life, safety or welfare of a player, or otherwise made in good faith on behalf of the club, are not subject to the discretionary spending limits.

Article 5: Election of Officers

1. Elections

1. Nominations are open to any member who has submitted a letter or email to the Organization (Secretary) indication the position they will agree to accept if they are elected.  Nominations will be posted on the Organization’s website 15 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.  Nominations may also be accepted from the floor the day of the Annual General Meeting.

2. Prior to each election, the Secretary shall appoint an Election chair and a minimum of two tellers (must be General members in good standing) to pass out, collect, and count the ballots in the presence of the Secretary and the President.  The Secretary shall announce the results of the election to the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

3. The nominee receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected.  A member must be present to vote.  No absentee or proxy votes will be accepted.

4. In the event an objection is raised, a recount of the ballots may be approved by the membership.  In the event a recount is authorized, each person running for office shall be entitled to appoint one person to monitor the recount.

5. Board members shall be elected for a one year term with no term limit.  The terms of office shall be from July 1 to June 30.

Article 6: Coaches

1. Coaches shall be appointed by the Board of Directors through the recommendations of the Boys Program Director, Girls High School and Youth Director, and/or Boys Youth Coordinator. 
2. All head coaches must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.  All assistant coaches will be selected by their respective head coaches and must meet the Board approval. 

3. Evaluation, discipline or removal will follow the process found in Article 7 and Appendix A (adaptation of Article IV of the Tahoma School District Tahoma Education Association-Coaches contract). 

Article 7: Code of Conduct and Due Process

1. Coaches have the right to discipline any players within the parameters of the Organization and league rules and guidelines. 

2. Any Board Member, coach, player or member may be disciplined, suspended, or terminated pursuant to this article and the WHSBLA Code of Conduct. 

3. Individuals will be given due process, which must include such concepts of fundamental fairness as: notice, an opportunity for a fair hearing, and the means to appeal a final determination. 

4. The board may do an emergency suspension of any members or coach for up to one month pending the investigation of any criminal allegations.

Article 8: Organization Audit

The Club will appoint Member(s) to perform a periodic organizational audit of Club activities, outlined as Appendix B.  

Article 9: Tax Exempt Provisions

1. Prohibition Against Private Inurement.  No part of the net earnings of this organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, it members, directors or trustees, officers or other private persons, except t that this organization shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of this organization.

2. Limitations on Activities. No substantial part of the activities of this organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of the articles, this organization shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this organization.

Article 10: Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of the organization, the board shall make payment of all debts and obligations.  Any monies or property remaining shall be distributed to such organizations, which are at the time of dissolution qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Article 11:  Amendment of By-Laws

1. Once adopted by the General Membership, the by-laws can only be amended by the General Membership.

2. Amendments to the by-laws must be presented in writing to the General Membership at least one month prior to any regularly scheduled Annual General Meeting or Special Membership Meeting. 

3. Amendments to the by-laws shall require a majority vote of the General Membership present for passage at the Annual General Meeting or a Special Membership Meeting. 

Article 12:  Standing Rules

1. Any Coach or Member of the Organization who uses excessive profanity, vulgar, obscene or abusive language in the presence of any Member of the Organization will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

2. Any Coach or Member of the Organization who uses physical force on a youth of the Organization shall be subject to immediate dismissal with the approval of the President.  (Example: grabbing of head gear, overzealous example of Lacrosse techniques, etc.)

3. Any Board Member, Coach, or parent owing the Organization or subsidiary of the Organization any monies from registration, fund raisers, equipment, uniforms, etc., after May 31^st of that year, is barred from running for any board position or coaching/assistant position and will not be allowed to register their child for any Organization sponsored activities until the debt is paid in full.