CONSTITUTION OF THE WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS TRACK AND FIELD OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION
JUNE 18, 2014*
(*All revisions and amendments voted on at the Annual Meeting 6/18/2014 are included.)
ARTICLE I NAME
1. The name of the organization shall be the WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS TRACK & FIELD OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION. WMTFOA
ARTICLE II OBJECTIVE
1. The objective of the organization is to provide knowledgeable personnel and to encourage improvement in officiating in all phases of track and field athletics.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership is open to all men and women, minimum age 18, who are interested in officiating track and field athletics. All members must pay annual dues and attend the Annual Clinic at least once every other year. In a year that a member does not attend the Annual Clinic, he/she shall take and pass the “Rule Changes” exam. Failure to fulfill the requirements of membership will result in action by the Executive Board to remove such persons from active membership. Under certain circumstances these requirements may be waived. A letter must be sent to the Executive Board by the Association member explaining why he/she requests such a waiver.
2. The membership fee shall be ONE high school MEET FEE as listed in the MIAA blue book for the current year. A member will receive a membership card and a current rule book upon payment of dues.
3. An associate membership is available as an alternative for a regular membership. The associate membership is offered to a certified WMTFOA member who cannot officiate during the membership year but who wishes to maintain his/her certification. Also it is offered to certified track & field officials whose primary membership is in another well recognized State High School Officials Association and who wish to be a member of WMTFOA. The associate membership dues shall be $10.00.
4. The “Full-time College Student” membership fee shall be available to all full-time college students. The fee shall be discounted $26 from the regular membership rate. Must present a valid school ID.
5. The enrollment period shall be from January 1st to March 15th.
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS
1. The officers shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.
2. The candidates for these offices shall be named by a Nominating Committee, but additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Meeting of the Association.
3. The officers shall be elected for a two-year term.
4. The duties of the officers include:
a. President
(1) Prepare the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Association including Executive Board meetings.
(2) At the Annual Meeting:
(a) Appoint a Membership Committee of five and name the chair.
(b) Appoint a Nominating Committee.
(c) Appoint a three member Grievance Board.
(d) Appoint a three member Review Board.
b. Vice-President
(1) Assist the President and assume his/her duties when the President is absent.
c. Secretary
(1) Record the minutes of all meetings and conduct the correspondence of the Association.
(2) Responsible for Public Relations.
d. Treasurer
(1) Receive all monies accruing to the Association.
(2) Secure funds in checking and savings accounts in a federally certified bank.
(3) Subject accounts annually to an Auditing Board appointed by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE V COMMITTEES
1. Membership Committee
a. There shall be a Membership Committee of five. These members will be appointed by the President at the Annual Meeting to serve for one year.
b. The President shall name the chairperson.
c. The Committee shall examine the qualifications of applicants and recommend candidates for membership in the Association.
d. The Membership Committee shall examine requests for waivers from members who are not able fulfill the requirements for membership and present the requests to the Executive Board.
2. Nominating Committee
a. There shall be a Nominating Committee: each member being nominated by the president. The President shall call the Committee together for the purpose of selecting a chairperson.
b. It is understood that it is the responsibility of the chairperson to call a meeting of this Committee prior to the next Annual Meeting for the purpose of selecting a slate of officers.
3. Executive Board
a. The Executive Board shall consist of the four elected officers and a number of WMTFOA members in good-standing appointed at the discretion of the president. .
b. The term of office of the Board members shall be for two years.
c. The Executive Board shall elect officers of the Association to fill unexpired terms where vacancies occur.
d. This Board shall conduct the business of the Association between meetings not otherwise provided for.
4. Auditing Board
a. Three members appointed by the Executive Board shall serve as the audit of the Treasurer’s book yearly and report at the Annual Meeting.
5. Grievance Board
a. Three members of the Association appointed by the President shall serve as the Grievance Board.
b. This Board will review the written appeal of complainant schools, or officials, resolve grievances and report decisions to the respective schools, officials or league involved.
6. Review Board
a. The president shall appoint a committee of three members, at each Annual Meeting, to review the Constitution and to propose any amendments of the same to the Executive Board at the Executive Board meeting prior to the next Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE VI FINANCES
1. The dues of each member shall be ONE high school MEET FEE as listed in the MIAA blue book for the current year. When dues are paid, a member will receive a membership card and a current rule book.
2. Those members whose dues are not paid by the end of the enrollment period shall be automatically removed from the active membership roll.
ARTICLE VII VOTING
1. A quorum shall consist of at least TWENTY (20) members in good standing.
2. Only members whose dues are paid-up shall be permitted to vote.
3. All motions and elections shall require a majority of those present and voting.
ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS
1. There shall be one Annual Meeting held each year. The Annual Meeting shall be held after the spring season has ended, the date and time to be at the discretion of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall establish the date as circumstances such as weather conditions and site availability dictate.
2. The Executive Board shall meet prior to the Annual Meeting for the purpose of setting forth the agenda for the Annual Meeting.
3. The president may call a special meeting of the membership at his discretion or shall call a meeting upon the request of at least twenty-five percent of the members in good standing.
4. All members shall be notified at least two weeks in advance of all meetings.
ARTICLE IX EXAMINATIONS AND CERTIFICATION
1. Track and field examinations shall be conducted annually for all new candidates who wish to qualify for membership in the Association.
2. The Rules Interpreter will write a “New Official Exam” based on the NFHS Comprehensive Test to be used for testing purposes and will be a take-home test.
3. A test administrator will be appointed by the president to arrange for the distribution and the correction of the test.
4. Test results will be given by the test administrator to the tested individual.
5. In order to be a WMTFOA CERTIFIED OFFICIAL, a member must complete and pass the New Official Exam when joining the Association and each fourth year thereafter beginning with the following Summer Olympiad year. The member must attend an annual clinic presented by the WMTFOA upon joining and not less than every other year thereafter. In a year that a member does not attend the clinic, he/she must take and pass the “Rule Changes Exam”. Any member who fails to meet these requirements and pay all dues and fees will be uncertified until meeting the above requirements as if a new official.
ARTICLE X PUBLIC RELATIONS
1. The secretary shall be responsible for providing Western Massachusetts newspapers with Association news releases, particularly the notice of the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS
1. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be written in detail and submitted to the Executive Board’s last meeting prior to the Annual Meeting of the membership.
2. Amendments can be voted on only at the Annual Meeting and shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present and voting.