MARS BASEBALL ASSOCIATION
The name of the organization shall be the MARS BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (MBA). The MBA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the State of Pennsylvania in October 1984.
The objective of the MBA shall be to maintain a community organization for the encouragement and development of good sportsmanship, fair play and courage through our baseball programs, thereby better preparing those players to become in the future healthy, upright citizens contributing to the society and community where they live.
These objectives will be achieved by providing supervised instruction and competitive games. Attainment of the goals of athletic skill, teamwork and character molding is the paramount goal rather than an emphasis merely on winning.
In furtherance of the objectives above, the MBA is committed to providing recreational baseball opportunities to players regardless of ability and/or commitment to baseball.
Further, the MBA is committed to providing year-round training and competitive opportunities to its baseball players. Because the primary objective of the MBA is to be a recreational baseball league, all baseball players are required to play in-house baseball during the spring season through the age of 12 in order to be eligible for competitive baseball opportunities.
1. The overall government of the MBA shall be under the supervision of the Executive Board. This Executive Board shall consist of the elected positions as follows:
President-2-year term elected in odd years
Vice President of Baseball Operations-2-year term elected in even years
Director of Facilities-2-year term elected in odd years
Treasurer-2-year term elected in even years
Secretary-2-year term elected in odd years
2. All members of the Executive Board are required to obtain the state mandated clearances.
(a) Duties of the President
(i) To preside at all Board Meetings and General Meetings of the MBA.
(ii) To convene a Grievance Board, if deemed necessary.
(iii) To appoint all special committees as deemed necessary to carry out the work of the MBA.
(iv) To be a member, ex-officio, of all committees.
(v) To submit names of candidates for the Opening Day Chairperson to the Executive Board for approval.
(vi) Act as the primary contact and resource for the Opening Day Chairperson.
(vii) To be the spokesperson of the MBA.
(b) Duties of the Vice President of Baseball Operations
(i) To assist the President in all duties.
(ii) To conduct the business of running the Baseball Operations of the MBA, including the In-House Leagues and all Travel/Tournament Teams.
(iii) To submit names of candidates for positions of League Commissioners and Travel Team Coaches to the Executive Board for approval.
(iv) To submit names of candidates, in consultation with the President, for the Assistant Vice President, In-House Operations and Assistance Vice President, Travel Team Operations to the Executive Board for approval.
(v) Act as the primary contact and resource for the positions identified above.
(vi) To communicate activities to the President.
(vii) The Vice President shall also hold a minimum of one meeting each fall open to all current members of the MBA. The purpose of such meeting is to review and discuss the policies and procedures relevant to the league including those governing the in-house and tournament/travel team programs. Upon the conclusion of such meetings, the Vice President, in consultation with the Assistant Vice President, In-House Operations and the Assistant Vice President, Travel Team Operations may propose changes to the policies and procedures.
(c) Duties of the Director of Facilities
(i) To assist the President in all duties.
(ii) Identify and submit the names of candidates for the Board of Directors in areas that are responsible for the “on the field” activities of the MBA, such as Equipment Manager, Field Maintenance Assistant, Umpire Coordinator, etc.
(iii) Act as the primary contact and resource for the positions identified above.
(d) Duties of the Treasurer
(i) To assist the President in all duties.
(ii) To collect all monies of the MBA and deposit them into the appropriate MBA bank account.
(iii) To prepare an annual budget and to present such annual budget at the December General Meeting.
(iv) To pay all bills approved for payment by the Executive Board. Checks are to be approved in writing by two members of the Executive Board.
(v) To keep the accounts of the MBA and present a financial report at each meeting.
(vi) Identify and submit the names of candidates for positions on the Board of Directors in financial areas, such as Assistant Treasurer of Travel Teams, Fundraising, Signs & Sponsors and Concession Stand Manager.
(vii) Act as the primary contact and resource for the positions identified above.
(e) Duties of the Secretary
(i) To assist the President in all duties.
(ii) To record the proceedings of the General Meetings.
(iii) To be responsible for maintaining membership attendance records of the General Meetings and Board Meetings.
(iv) To conduct the general correspondence activities of the MBA.
(v) To conduct all internal correspondence activities of the MBA.
(vi) To maintain a description of all Leagues and Policies of the MBA on the website.
(vii) Identify and submit the names of candidates for positions on the Board of Directors in areas that are responsible for the administrative activities of the MBA, such as the Registrar, Uniforms and Spirit Wear, Assistant Secretary of social media and Assistant Secretary of Website Management.
(viii) Act as the primary contact and resource for the positions identified above.
(a) The Board of Directors will consist of the Executive Board and the following appointed positions:
Opening Day Chairperson
Assistant Vice President, In-House Operations
Assistant Vice President, Travel Team Operations
Community Outreach Coordinator
Equipment Manager
Field Maintenance Assistant
Umpire Coordinator
Assistant Treasurer of Travel Teams
Concession Stand Manager
Fundraising, Signs and Sponsors
Registrar
Uniforms and Spirit Wear Coordinator
Assistant Secretary of Social Media
Assistant Secretary of Website Management
(b) The Immediate Past President shall also serve on the Board of Directors.
(c) Persons appointed to the Board of Directors positions identified in paragraph (A)(4)(a) of this Article will be subject to approval by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
(d) Depending on circumstance concerning any of the above positions as determined by the Executive Board, a position may or may not be appointed in any given year.
(e) The Executive Board will identify by description each Directors’ responsibility, their duties and the term.
(f) Once appointed, persons holding the position above shall be appointed for the duration of the season or for a one-year term or for any other duration deemed appropriate by the Executive Board.
(g) The Secretary shall maintain a current list of all members of the Board of Directors on the MBA website.
(h) Except as specifically provided herein, the Board of Directors shall vote on all matters of policy and other issues that are presented at a General Meeting or Board Meeting for a vote.
(i) All members of the Board of Directors are required to obtain the state mandated clearances.
5. Board Voting Eligibility – In order to be eligible to vote on board matters, members of the Board of Directors, including the Executive Board, must meet the following requirements.
Members of the Executive Board are eligible to vote immediately upon their election to the Executive Board. In order to maintain such voting eligibility, such Executive Board members must attend a total of two-thirds (67%) of the Board Meetings and/or General Meetings in the previous twelve (12) month period.
(b) Members of the Board of Directors are eligible to vote immediately upon their approval by the Executive Board for all other members. In order to maintain such voting eligibility, such members of the Board of Directors must attend a total of fifty percent (50%) of the Board Meetings and/or General Meetings in the previous twelve (12) month period.
(c) The Secretary shall maintain attendance at all Board Meetings and General Meetings as well as a list of members of the Executive Board and the Board of Directors who are eligible to vote.
(a) Election of the Executive Board shall take place at the October general meeting.
(i) Nominations shall be accepted at the September and October General Meetings.
(ii) Only members who are eligible to vote and who have served as a member of the Board of Directors for a minimum of twelve (12) months may be nominated for an Executive Board Member position. In the event that no eligible candidates are nominated, the Executive Board may vote to approve the nomination of a member who does not meet the requirements in the preceding sentence.
(c) Newly elected officers will begin their terms as of the November board meeting.
(d) In the event that the President resigns prior to the end of his or her term or otherwise is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President for the remainder of the President’s term of office.
(e) In the event that any Executive Board Member other than the President resigns prior to the end of his or her term or is otherwise unable to fulfill his or her duties, the President shall appoint a replacement. Such replacement shall be deemed approved upon a positive vote by a majority of the Executive Board (including the President).
The MBA will hold a monthly meeting of the general membership (General Meeting) meeting at a time and place set by the Executive Board. The monthly meeting may be canceled by a simple majority vote of the members present at the preceding meeting, or by decision of the Executive Board.
The Board of Directors shall meet monthly prior to the General Meeting, in a public place, as announced at the previous membership meeting (Board Meeting). A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of those present shall govern, except as otherwise specifically provided.
Special meetings may be called at any time by the President or upon written request by at least three (3) members of the Board of Directors.
D. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all meetings except where it conflicts with the by-laws of the MBA
ARTICLE 5. Grievance Boards
The Executive Board shall also meet as a Grievance Board in the event of grievances regarding individual managers, coaches, or league commissioners. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. The following procedure will be followed:
A written grievance will be filed with or e-mailed to the MBA President.
The individual will be informed of the complaint.
(3) All interested parties will be invited to present their grievances and discuss the complaint before the Executive Board. This will be done in a closed meeting where only the parties concerned shall be present. The Executive Board will rule on the complaint and decide an outcome, as well as provide recommendations for future course of conduct by one or more of the involved parties as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Executive Board. Should the Executive Board determine that it is appropriate to impose discipline, the individual(s) to be disciplined, as recommended in private by the Executive Board, may voluntarily accept any suspensions, demotions or other disciplinary action. If the individual disagrees with the Executive Board’s decision, he or she can request that the Board reconsider and the Board may or may agree to reconsider. Decisions made by the Executive Board are binding on all parties.
The Board of Directors, by a two thirds (2/3) vote at any duly constituted meeting, shall have the authority to suspend or expel any member whose conduct is considered detrimental to the organization.
The Board of Directors shall, upon evidence of the misconduct of any boy or girl, notify the child's parents within 24 hours of such misconduct. The parents shall appear before the Board with the boy/girl to discuss the misconduct charges.
Residents of the Mars Area - Any boy or girl residing within the Mars Area School District shall be permitted to participate within the MBA.
The parents/guardians of all boys and girls participating in the spring programs offered by the MBA are considered members and may attend all General Meetings.
For non-members of the Board of Directors, in order to be eligible to vote, a person must have attended fifty percent (50%) of the General Meetings in the previous twelve (12) month period.
The Secretary shall keep attendance records of all meetings and a record of who is eligible to vote.
The term of membership is from the time the member registers until the close of registration the following spring season.
1. Any boy or girl not residing within the Mars Area School District will be subject to board approval prior to being eligible to participate in the MBA.
Non-resident players are subject to approval each year.
Non-resident players participating in leagues that have in-house programs are NOT eligible to participate on tournament/travel teams during their first year of participation in the MBA. If there is a shortage of eligible players for a tournament/travel team during any given year this rule may be waived by the Board of Directors.
In the event a non-resident player participates on a travel/tournament team and such team participates in a tournament sanctioned PONY, the PONY rules of eligibility govern the player’s ability to participate.
(d) Parents/guardian of non-resident players are not eligible to become voting members.
ARTICLE 7. Financial Policy
January 1 through December 31 will be the MBA fiscal year.
The Executive Board shall decide all matters that pertain to the finances of the MBA, with the exception of normal everyday expenditures. All monies shall be placed in a Mars Baseball bank account.
C. Separate accounts in the name of the MBA may be kept for capital expenditures funding purposes.
D. Separate accounts in the name of the MBA may be kept for the benefit of travel/tournament teams. Travel/tournament coaches are not permitted to request that parents pay them money for the support of the travel/tournament team; rather, all monies for the benefit of the travel/tournament teams are required to flow through an MBA bank account.
All purchases (excluding routine purchases for the operation of the concession stand) that are to be made, or requested to be made, in excess of $500.00 must be approved by a majority of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall endeavor to obtain two bids on major purchases and services contracts other than routine concession purchases and uniforms. After considering all factors, the most reasonable bid will be accepted. The MBA will try to deal with local businesses whenever possible.
Leagues shall follow the rules of the association in which they are participating, such as PONY Baseball.
Each League may make local exceptions and rules, but the Board of Directors must approve such changes. Any request for a rule exception must be made early enough that the Board of Directors can make a decision before the first game of the season.
All League rules shall be maintained on the website by the Secretary.
ARTICLE 9. Guidelines/Policy Manuals
The Board of Directors may adopt Guidelines/Policy Manual for League Structures, Traveling/Tournament Teams, Manager Responsibilities, Concession Stand Procedures and any other relevant policies followed by the leagues.
The Board of Directors will enforce all Guidelines; provided however that the Board of Directors shall have the ability to deviate from such Guidelines on a case-by-case basis in order to produce an equitable result.
Changes to Guidelines/Policy Manual can be made according to the following procedure:
Any member of the Board of Directors can present a proposed change at meeting of the MBA general membership;
The Board of Directors will vote to approve or disapprove all changes. All changes are approved if 2/3 of the Board of Directors present at the meeting approves such a change.
Upon approval by the Board of the Directors, such changes will be voted on the eligible general members at such meeting. Such changes will be approved by simple majority.
ARTICLE 10. Amendments to Bylaws
These Bylaws or any section thereof may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the Board of the Directors. All proposed changes to the Bylaws shall be e-mailed to all members eligible to vote at least three business days in advance of the General Meeting.
The MBA prohibits the use of any surplus funds for private inurnment to any person(s) in the event of sale or dissolution of the institution.