AUSTIN MEN’S SOCCER ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I:  NAME

ARTICLE II:  PURPOSE

ARTICLE III:  POWERS OF ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE IV:  BOARD OF CAPTAINS AND OFFICERS

ARTICLE V:  MEETINGS

ARTICLE VI:  FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

ARTICLE VII:  COMMITTEES AND DELEGATES

ARTICLE VIII:  REMOVAL OF OFFICERS

ARTICLE IX:  AMENDMENTS

AMSA CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I:  NAME:  The name of this organization shall be:  AUSTIN MEN’S SOCCER ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED hereinafter referred to as “ASSOCIATION” and/or “AMSA”.

ARTICLE II:  PURPOSE:  The purpose of the Association shall be to foster and advance the cause of soccer and to promote play, regardless of race, religion, color or creed.

ARTICLE III:  POWERS OF ASSOCIATION:  The Association shall govern all leagues, clubs, officials, and players duly registered or otherwise participating in any and all activities of the Association.  The Association may become an affiliated division of the Texas State Soccer Association South (TSSAS), United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), the United States Soccer Federation and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), along with the United States Amateur Soccer Association (USASA), and other soccer-related organizations. The Association shall provide the single point of contact with the United States Soccer Federation, the Texas State Soccer Association South and its affiliated members. The headquarters of the Association shall be in AUSTIN, TEXAS.

ARTICLE IV:  BOARD OF CAPTAINS AND OFFICERS

SECTION 1:  BOARD OF CAPTAINS:  The Association shall be governed by the BOARD OF CAPTAINS, hereinafter referred to as “BOARD”.  The BOARD shall be composed of one representative from each team duly registered.  Any team not duly registered but having good faith intent to become registered may attend the meeting.  This team will not be able to vote at the meeting.  At the August meeting, any team registered during the preceding half-year shall be considered duly registered.

SECTION 2:  OFFICERS:  The BOARD shall elect a President and Vice President by majority vote of its members at the January meeting of the BOARD in the same year of the expiration of their terms. Prior to the January BOARD Meeting, the EC shall meet as a Nominating Committee to Nominate candidates for President and Vice President.  In addition, one commissioner from each division shall be elected by majority vote of BOARD members from the respective divisions at the August meeting. The President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President for a full two-year term upon expiration of the President’s term.  Similarly, the Vice-President-Elect shall succeed to the office of Vice President for a full two-year term upon the expiration of the Vice President’s term.  The  Vice President, shall permanently succeed to the powers of the President for the remainder of the term upon his death, resignation, or removal from office, which shall not count against the term limit as President.

In the event the office of Vice-President becomes vacant,  the Executive Committee shall elect a successor by majority vote on an interim basis, pending the next meeting of the Board of Captains, at which meeting the Board of Captains shall either confirm or reject the interim successor.  If the Board of Captains rejects the interim successor, it shall elect a different successor by majority vote.  The successor shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of the Vice-President, which shall not count against the term limit for Vice-President.

In the event the offices of both the President and Vice-President become vacated at the same time, the Senior Commissioner shall serve as President on an interim basis until the next meeting of the Board of Captains, at which time the Board of Captains shall elect successors to both offices by majority vote.  In the event the Senior Commissioner is elected to one of said offices, his service on an interim basis shall not count against the term limit for such office.

An elected official may serve more than one term.  No elected Officer may serve more than (4) four consecutive years in the same position. Term limits shall not apply to the Treasurer, Senior Commissioner, Field Commissioner, Rules and Policy Commissioner, or any other appointed officer, nor shall term limits apply to Division Commissioners,  provided that an appointed officer may be removed at any time by the President acting alone, or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Terms of office shall be two (2) years for each officer and one (1) year for each Commissioner.  The term for officers shall begin and end on May 31, and the term for Division Commissioners shall begin and end on September 1. The President and the Vice President shall be elected in the same year.  In addition, the outgoing President shall remain in a non-voting advisory capacity for a period of one year following the election of new officers.

SECTION 3:  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the President,  Vice President, Treasurer, Senior Commissioner, Field Commissioner, Rules and Policy Commissioner, and each Division Commissioner.  The President shall appoint the Senior Commissioner, Field Commissioner, Rules and Policy Commissioner,  and any other officer who may be reasonably needed for the orderly administration of the Association. The President shall also appoint the Treasurer, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall be the President or his appointee.  The Executive Committee shall meet monthly.  Only the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, Treasurer, Senior Commissioner, Field Commissioner, Rules and Policy Commissioner and each Division Commissioner shall be entitled to vote on matters coming before the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee shall perform such functions and decide such matters as the BOARD may direct and shall act as authorized under ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of AMSA, no club or team may have more than three (3) members on the Executive Committee, whether they be elected or appointed Officers or Commissioners.

SECTION 4:  NOMINATING COMMITTEE:  The Executive Committee shall act as the nominating committee for the Association.  It shall nominate candidates for the offices of President and Vice President at an Executive Committee meeting during the Fall prior to the election year.  The Executive Committee may nominate a candidate for President-Elect when the President has only one year of his term remaining.  The Executive Committee shall submit to the BOARD at the January meeting in the election year the names of as many persons as they deem qualified and willing to serve.  Nominations may also be made from the floor.

SECTION 5:  RULES AND POLICY:  The BOARD shall have the exclusive power to promulgate rules and policy.  The BOARD shall have power to set up rules governing the divisions, competitions, tournaments, and special competitions within its own structure.  The President shall have the power and responsibility to administer the affairs of the Association in accordance with such rules and policy.  The President shall have the power to appoint such other officers as he deems necessary, including a Senior Commissioner to administer the affairs of the ASSOCIATION, subject to disapproval by majority vote of the BOARD members represented at a duly Constitutional Meeting.

SECTION 6:  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE POWERS:  Between meetings of the Board, a majority of the entire membership of the Executive Committee may take such actions, or adopt such rules or policy, as may be in the best interest of the Association, so long as such action, rule or policy does not contravene any provision of the Constitution of the Association.  In any such event, the President shall deliver a written report of any action, rule or policy to the entire membership of the Board within fourteen (14) days thereof.  Any such rule or policy shall be effective upon adoption as provided above, but it shall become void unless approved by the Board at its next meeting.  The President shall call a special BOARD meeting to review any such action, rule or policy if demand is made in writing by at least one-third (1/3) of the BOARD members, which meeting shall be held within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of such demand.

ARTICLE V:  MEETINGS

SECTION 1:  MEETINGS:  The BOARD shall meet semi-annually in January and August to elect its officers, to authorize general categories of expenses which may be incurred and paid with the approval of the President, and to conduct whatever business its members present for consideration.  Other meetings shall be held upon a call by the President after notice has been given to each BOARD member at least five days prior to meeting.  The President shall also call meetings upon demand made in writing by at least 1/3 of the BOARD members.

SECTION 2:  QUORUM:  Any number of Captains present shall constitute a quorum at a duly noticed meeting.

SECTION 3:  PRESIDING OFFICER:  The President shall preside at all meetings.  In his absence, the Vice-President shall preside.  The President shall be entitled to vote on all matters, or he may waive the right to do so.

SECTION 4:  MINUTES:  Written minutes shall be made of each BOARD meeting reflecting all significant decisions.  All rules and policy of the Association shall be reduced to writing.  The results of all mail votes shall be preserved. All of the foregoing shall be kept as part of the permanent records of the Association, and a copy shall be mailed to each BOARD member and officer.

ARTICLE VI:  FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

SECTION 1:  AUTHORIZATION OF EXPENDITURES:  The BOARD shall authorize general categories of expenses which may be incurred and paid with the approval of the President.  No expenses not within such categories shall be incurred without prior approval of the BOARD except as authorized under ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6 of the Constitution of AMSA.

SECTION 2:  RECORDS:  Detailed records shall be kept by the Treasurer of all income and expenses.  The President shall see that a written report of finances is made to the Board semi-annually or at any time such a report is requested by at least three Board members.  Any Officer or Board Member shall have the right to review the financial records of the Association upon request.

SECTION 3: AUDIT: The Executive Committee shall cause an independent audit to be conducted in each even-numbered year.  The audit shall be conducted by a professional auditor who shall not be a member of the Executive Committee or the Board.  The audit shall be performed according to standards customarily applied to non-profit organizations.  The audit shall include a review of all of the Association’s transactions and accounts during the period since the previous audit.  The audit report shall be made available to the Executive Committee and, upon request, to any member of the Board.

ARTICLE VII:  COMMITTEES AND DELEGATES:  The President shall appoint all committees and the Chairman thereof, with the exception of the Executive Committee, subject to disapproval by the BOARD OF CAPTAINS. The President may appoint delegates to any soccer association or league meetings, subject to disapproval by a majority vote of the BOARD.

ARTICLE VIII:  REMOVAL OF OFFICERS:  The President, Vice-President, or any other officer shall be subject to removal from office, for cause, upon a vote of 2/3 majority of the entire BOARD, after notice in writing by the party seeking removal to all BOARD members and the officer sought to be removed, given at least ten days in advance of BOARD meeting.  The Party sought to be removed shall be entitled to be heard by the BOARD in his own defense.  In addition, the President shall have the power to remove from office, for cause, any officer appointed by him, subject to disapproval of a majority of the BOARD.

ARTICLE IX:  AMENDMENTS:  Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the ASSOCIATION shall be made by 2/3 majority vote of the entire BOARD.  Each BOARD member shall be given at least ten days’ notice in writing of the proposed amendment(s).  Changes in the laws of the game or rules and policy of the ASSOCIATION shall be made by a majority vote of the BOARD members represented at a duly constituted meeting.  A vote by mail may be taken in lieu of meeting on any of the foregoing matters.

As amended by the Board of Captains on August 30, 2021.