MONROE TOWNSHIP SOCCER CLUB BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I: Organization

1. Name: This Association shall be known as the Monroe Township Soccer Club, Inc., also referred to as the Monroe Twp Soccer Club or the MTSC.

2. Colors: The colors of the Club shall be Purple, White, and Black.

ARTICLE II: Purpose

The purpose of the MTSC is to provide youth with opportunities to learn about and participate in the sport of soccer by offering programs, tournaments and other activities that teach the sport of soccer, the spirit of good sportsmanship and fair play while promoting and encouraging the sport of soccer in a safe and fun environment.

ARTICLE III: Limitations

At all times the following shall operate as conditions restricting the activities of MTSC:

1. The MTSC shall focus its activities within Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

2. The MTSC shall not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual preference or national or ethnic origin.

3. The MTSC is organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of section50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and as a non-profit charitable corporation qualifying under Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated, and as such shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on (i) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the

corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (ii) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

4. The MTSC shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. In addition no substantial part of the activities of the MTSC shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation.

5. The MTSC shall not lend any of its assets to any of its members, directors, trustees, officers or other private persons. The MTSC shall not guarantee the payment of a loan by a member, director, trustee or other private person. No member, director, trustee or other private person shall have any right, title or interest in or to any assets of the MTSC.

6. No part of the net earnings of the MTSC shall ensure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, directors, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Purpose (Article II) hereof.

7. No director, trustee, volunteer or player of the MTSC shall be personally liable for the debts or obligations of the MTSC of any nature whatsoever, nor shall any of their assets be subject to the payment of the debts or obligations of the MTSC.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

1. A member shall be any parent or guardian of a registered child and/or any coach.

2. In order to be considered a member in good standing for the purpose of obtaining voting privileges, an individual must have attended a minimum of 4 General Membership Meetings within the 12 months preceding the vote. The individual may also not have been subjected to any negative action from the Disciplinary Committee within the 12 months preceding the vote.

ARTICLE V: Voting

1. Voting Eligibility: You must be a member in good standing to vote.

2. The Secretary shall compile and maintain a list of members who are eligible to vote.

ARTICLE VI: Meetings

1. Rules: Roberts Rules of Order shall be used as a standard reference for all procedural purposes at all meetings. Where Roberts Rules and the by-laws conflict, the by-laws will supersede.

2. Board Executive Meetings: At least 6 meetings of the Executive Board shall be held yearly. Board meetings may be conducted virtually. The board shall meet at least 5 days prior to General Membership Meetings, or shall set the agenda via email correspondence at least 5 days prior to the General Membership Meetings. Two thirds of the board is a quorum.

3. General Meeting: A General Membership Meeting of the club will be held on a specific date each month during the playing seasons. At least 6 General Membership Meetings will be held in a calendar year. These dates will be announced at the beginning of each season and will be posted on the Club website.

4. Notification: Club members will be notified of General Membership Meetings via Club-wide email. The General Membership Meeting shall also be posted on the Calendar on the Club website no less than 5 days prior to the meeting date.

5. Agenda: The agenda for Board and General Membership Meetings will include, at minimum:

·         Roll Call

·         Reports of Officers

·         Reports of Coordinators and Directors

·         Old and Unfinished Business

·         New Business

·         Adjournments

6. Board Meeting Attendance: Any member of the Executive Board who is absent from any 3 consecutive meetings without prior notice to the President or Executive Vice President is subject to a recall. Elected Board members must be recalled by a majority of the general membership in attendance upon recommendation by the Board of Directors and the Board of Coordinators.

Appointed members serve at the request of the Executive Board and may be removed by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII: Executive Board

1. The general operations of the organization shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. The Executive Board will be composed of 9 elected positions, as follows:

President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Player & Coach Development, Vice President of Program Development, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President of Travel, Vice President of Recreation and Registrar.

2. Duties of the Executive Board:

1.       President:

·         Will chair all meetings of the General Membership and Board meetings

·         Will supervise the activities of the Board

·         Will be responsible for establishment and enforcement of written club rules and

regulations. Such rules and regulations published and distributed annually

·         Will oversee all contracts entered into by the club, with assistance of the Treasurer

·         Will be responsible for obtaining permits for the soccer fields

·         Will attend Monroe Twp Recreation Advisory Meetings

·         Will be the person responsible for all communication with the Monroe Twp Rec Dept,

Monroe Twp Parks Dept, Middlesex County Parks & Rec Depts, and other local and

county officials

2.       Executive Vice President:

·         Will Perform all the duties of the President in his/her absence

·         Will oversee website content

·         Will supervise Player and Program Development, with the assistance of the President

·         Will supervise the Coordinator of Fundraising Sponsorship

·         Will be responsible for overseeing and supervising all club purchases

·         Will supervise the activities of the Club Division Director

·         Will supervise the Referee Assignor

·         Will oversee the Tournament Director(s)

3.       Vice President of Player and Coach Development:

·         Will supervise and oversee the Disciplinary Committee and the Appeals Committee

·         Will assist with the development and oversight of the Club Curriculum

·         Will supervise and oversee the Player Training Academy

·         Will oversee the paid trainers of the club

·         Will supervise and provide support for In Town and Club Division Coaches

4.       Vice President of Program Development

·         Will assist the Executive Vice President and Vice President of Player & Coach

·         Development in overseeing the In Town teams and programs

·         Will oversee new program development

5.       Secretary:

·         Will be responsible for recording and maintaining the minutes of all General Membership and Board meetings

·         Will be responsible for distributing all special notices and the newsletter for the club

·         Will be responsible for obtaining space for all club activities, meetings and special events

·         Will be responsible for maintaining a current copy of the Club's by-laws

·         Will maintain a master list of all team coaches and players for each season

·         Will be responsible for archives

·         Will oversee the Picnic, Pictures and Awards Coordinators

·         Will maintain an active list of all CARE representatives for the club

6.       Treasurer:

·         Shall provide a written summary report for filing with the Secretary at the end of each month

·         Shall give receipts for all monies received

·         Will deposit all monies in recognized bank accounts in the name of the Monroe Township Soccer Club, Inc.

·         Will pay all approved MTSC expenditures

·         Will produce all records when requested by the Executive Board

·         Will be responsible for a monthly report at each meeting

·         Will be responsible for a monthly cash receipt and cash disbursement write-up and bank reconcilement

·         Will be responsible for maintaining Insurance coverage for players through New Jersey Youth Soccer

·         Will be responsible for filing Annual Tax Returns for the Club, either personally if a licensed CPA, or by contracting a Board Approved CPA

·         Will be responsible for filing the Annual Report form with the State of New Jersey, and any other necessary State ofNew Jersey filings necessary to maintain good standing of the Organization

·         Will be responsible for filing any reports, forms, applications etc. in order to maintain the MTSC's 50l(c)(3) Tax Exempt Public Charity status

7.       Vice President of Travel:

·         Coordinate the needs/activities of the Travel Division Soccer program

·         Provide strategic direction for the Travel Division program

·         Preside over meetings of the Travel Division Executive Committee

·         Distribute notices of significant Travel Division events, including tryouts

·         Manage the Tryout policies and procedures

8.       Vice President of Recreation:

•        Responsible for all Recreational Soccer programs

•        Delegate responsibilities to Recreational Soccer League Managers

•        Determine the registration timing and cost for each program

•        Market Recreational Soccer to increase participation

•        Respond to questions from parents and volunteers

•        Represent Recreational Soccer programs at monthly Board meetings

•        Work with the Dir. of Uniforms to ensure sufficient supplies

9.       Registrar:

•        Coordinate all registrations for club

•        Be liaison with parents & coaches to handle any issues

•        Ensure registration payments and refunds

•        Work with GotSoccer and carding system on any technical issues

•        Work with board/volunteers on player registration issues

•        Ensure all travel players get cards when needed

3. Length of Office: The term of the board will be for one year. Elected Board members may serve no more than three consecutive terms in the same office, unless no replacement is nominated to fill the position. Non-performance of duties is grounds for removal from the board.

4. Vacancies: Whether a vacancy occurs by resignation or termination, a majority of the board can appoint a replacement for the duration of the current term of office.

5. Nominations: The board shall appoint a Nominating Chair, who shall not be eligible to be nominated for the Executive Board. Nomination at large will also be accepted from the floor at the October  General Membership Meeting. Nominees must be present to accept a nomination from the floor. Nominees must be residents of Monroe Twp, NJ 08831. Nominees must be members in good standing, UNLESS no other nominees are identified. Nominations are closed at the end of the October meeting unless a position does not have a candidate. A nomination can then be made for that position only before the November elections.

6. Elections: If no alternative candidate is nominated at the October meeting, the nominee will be unanimously

elected at the November general meeting. If an alternative candidate is nominated, a secret ballot election will be

conducted at the November general meeting. Only voting members present will be allowed to vote. The total voting

membership present will constitute a quorum, and a majority vote will prevail. Proxy and absentee voting is not

permitted.

7. Assumption of Office: Newly elected board members will be sworn in at the end of the November General Membership Meeting.

8. Board Voting: Each board member has one vote at Board meetings. The President only votes in case of a tie.

9. Conflict of Interest: Any member of the board who has a financial, personal, or official interest in, or conflict (or appearance of a conflict) with any matter pending before the Board, of such nature that it prevents or may prevent that member from acting on the matter in an impartial manner, will offer to the Board to voluntarily excuse him/herself and will vacate his seat and refrain from discussion and voting on said item.

ARTICLE VIII: Board of Directors and Board of Coordinators

The Executive Board shall appoint the Board of Directors and the Board of Coordinators as follows:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

·         Club Division Director(s) -(may be filled by 2 individuals)

·         In Town Director(s)- (may be filled by 2 individuals)

·         Tournament (may be filled by two individuals)

BOARD OF COORDINATORS

·         Purchasing

·         Equipment Manager

·         Field Coordinator(s)

·         Pictures

·         Awards

·         Referee Assignor

·         Fundraising/Sponsorship

·         Picnic/Awards Ceremony

·         Apparel

·         In Town Uniform Distribution

·         Website Administrator

·         Volunteer Coordinator

The Executive Board may add additional positions to the Board of Directors or Board of Coodinators, as the need arises. The Executive Board shall be the final authority in all disputes and will ensure that the rules of the association and its regulations are adhered to.

ARTICLE IX: Finance

I. Bookkeeping: The Treasurer of the Club will maintain a permanent file of the financial books.

2. Bank Accounts: The elected officers of the Executive Board may have authorized signatures on all accounts. Two signatures, the Treasurer's and one other authorized signature, are required on any payment made to a Board Member. Approval for all other transactions may be made via email by the President or Executive Vice President, after which, only one signature will be required.

3. Auditing: The Executive Board will appoint an auditing committee to review the financial statements of

the Club at the beginuing of its term of office. Additional audits may be done as required by the Board.

4. Budget: All expenditures of the Club shall be approved by the Executive Board. Detailed budgets will be submitted for approval of the Board and membership at the September and March General Membership Meeting.

5. Insurance: The insurance policy (issued by N.J.Y.S.) will be reviewed annually by the Executive Board. All divisions must have insurance.

6. Record Keeping: The Secretary of the Club will maintain a permanent file of all financial and non-financial activities and reports of the Club. This includes all Treasurer's reports, Board meeting minutes, audit reports, and committee reports along with any contractual agreements. At the expiration of the Secretary's term, this flle will be given to the incoming Secretary. All records must be held for a minimum of four years.

7. Fiscal Year: The organization's fiscal year shall be June 1-May 31.

ARTICLE X: Registration Fees

The annual registration fee per player will be determined by a majority vote of the Board.

ARTICLE XI: Activities

I. In Town Teams: There will be recreational divisions of club sponsored activities, the divisions will be: Little Falcons, Munchkins, Juniors, Intermediates, Hotshots and 3M, if player participation permits. These divisions are subject to change based on player enrollment, availability of volunteers, and needs of the Club.

2. Club Division Teams: There will be competitive Club division teams of club-sponsored activities. The teams (boys and girls) will be: U8-U19, if player participation permits.

3. Inter-club Play: Any inter-club activities must be approved by a majority of the Executive Board.

4. Coaching: It is strongly recommended that each Coach and Assistant should obtain a minimum of an "F" license from the United States Soccer Federation. The "F" license should be obtained before becoming an MTSC Coach. Club Division coaches are required to obtain the F license. The MTSC shall keep coaches informed of upcoming coaching courses.

5. Coach/Assistant Coach Selection: All coaches shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall endeavor to select the best qualified coaches for each team.

6. In order to ensure that a Coach has sufficient time and attention available for the players, Coaches shall be limited to Head Coaching a maximum number of 2 teams (whether In Town or Club division) within the Monroe Township Soccer Club during the same season. In the case where a coach is a Head Soccer Coach outside the MTSC, the Executive Board shall make the final determination as the number of teams the candidate can serve as a Head Coach.

Exceptions may be made by the Executive Board, upon recommendation of the In Town or Club Directors if there is a shortage of volunteer coaches.

ARTICLE XII: Rules and Regulations

1. Annual Updating: Rules and regulations will be available upon request

2. The Rules and Regulations governing the organization, promotion, and management of this organization shall be those prescribed by the Board and approved by the voting members by majority vote at a General Membership Meeting. These Rules and Regulations may be added to, amended, or repealed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the eligible voting members in attendance at any General Membership Meeting. The matter must be brought up at one General Membership Meeting and voted on at the next General Membership Meeting. At no time will any rules or

regulations be considered that violate Affiliated League and/or NJYS rules and regulations.

ARTICLE XIII: Code of Ethics

1. Responsibilities to Players: Soccer belongs to the player. Coaches who choose soccer as an avocation must understand this and put the welfare of the game and its players above their own personal rewards. The safety of the players must be the primary goal. Soccer Coaches must be asked to maintain the trust and confidence placed in them by their players, their parents, the MTSC and the public. Medical problems are not to be the responsibility of Coaches. The diagnosis and treatment of injuries are to be handled by the appropriate persons.

2. Responsibilities of the Monroe Twp Soccer Club: The function of the Coach is to contribute to the intellectual growth of the player through participation in soccer. Coaches are directed to discuss problems with members of the Board of Executives and Board of Directors. Coaches must support MTSC decisions in all policies, rules, and regulations regarding soccer. Coaches must constantly strive to teach good sportsmanship.

3. Officials: Soccer becomes chaos without impartial, competent officials. Officials must have the support of coaches, players, and the MTSC. Public criticism of officials by coaches will not be tolerated. Coaches must also refrain from criticizing officials to their players.

4. Coaches: At all times coaches must remain in good standing with the club, while remaining a roll model for the children. Behavior while on and off the fields should align with our CARE policy. Any coach found to have been convicted of a crime other than minor traffic violations, may be subject to dismissal as a coach.

ARTICLE XIV: Dissolution of the Organization

In the event that the organization shall cease to exist, any and all assets shall be distributed as provided in

the Certificate of Incorporation and under Section 50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE XV: Amendments

Amendments to the by-laws may be proposed by any Club member in good standing. The changes must be proposed at one General Membership Meeting. Proposed changes will be published on the website. Voting will be done at the next General Membership Meeting. The majority of eligible voters in attendance will prevail.

Approved by vote at General Membership on: June 10, 2018