Northern Kentucky Baseball Umpires Association

To emphasize better officiating and to elevate the standards thereof.
To institute a better understanding among all concerned with officiating and baseball at all levels.
To provide a training atmosphere for the presentation and understanding of rules, duties and proper mechanics.
To guide, counsel and properly instruct new and inexperienced officials.
To properly promote sportsmanship and fair play.
To do everything necessary, suitable, proper or incidental to the accomplishment or furtherance of the objectives set forth above, whether alone or in association with others.

ARTICLE 2 - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 - Application for Membership.

Application for membership in the NKBUA shall be made in writing to the Board of Directors (BOD).
Membership shall become effective when a prospective member meets the applicable criteria for membership. For purposes of these By-laws, the term “writing” or “in writing” shall mean any commonly accepted form of communication, including but not limited to, electronic communication via email, handwritten, or typed documents.

Section 2 - Dues.

Annual dues shall be reviewed annually and set by the BOD.
Membership Dues shall be due and payable at the initial NKBUA Business meeting (Mtg #1) to begin the season.
Members that are delinquent in dues at February 15^th shall be considered an inactive member in accordance with Article 3 Section 2 of these By-laws.
Upon reaching Twenty-five (25) years active membership with the KHSAA, NKBUA members shall not be required to pay dues.

Section 3 - NKBUA Business and Training Meetings.

General meetings of the membership shall be held at dates, times and places to be designated by the BOD.
The first regular meeting shall be held at least four (4) weeks prior to the first regular season game or prior to the KHSAA rules clinic, whichever is earlier.
Members shall attend the required number of meetings as determined annually by the BOD to be considered a member in good standing.
Special meetings of the membership may be called by the BOD.

Section 4 - Voting.

On matters requiring membership approval, each active member in good standing shall have one vote.
A quorum of members being necessary to conduct formal business shall be defined as 25% of member in good standing plus 1 to be determined through a roll call by the NKBUA Sergeant at Arms.
Any member in good standing shall be eligible to serve as a Director of the NKBUA.
Inactive members shall not have voting power nor be eligible to serve as a Director.
Absentee voting is prohibited.

ARTICLE 3 - CLASSES OF MEMBERS

Section 1 - Active Members.

Any person who has registered with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (the "KHSAA") as prescribed by the KHSAA Constitution, By-laws, Officials' Guidebook, rules and regulations, and who meets the criteria for good standing shall be an active member.
The criteria for good standing shall be as follows:
The member must attend at least four (4) of all regularly scheduled meetings, not including the annual KHSAA rules clinic or National Federation (NFHS) test, unless otherwise granted an exemption by the BOD. The number and dates of regularly scheduled meetings shall be determined in advance of the KHSAA sanctioned baseball season.
The member must pay all dues (inclusive of any amounts in arrears) in the amount and by the date as determined by the BOD.
The member must abide by the Constitution and By-laws of the KHSAA, in particular the Official's Code of Ethics, and the By-laws of the NKBUA.
The member shall at all times perform the duties of officiating with competent knowledge of the rules and mechanics set forth by the KHSAA and the NKBUA.

Section 2 - Inactive Member.

Any member not meeting requirements of Article 3, Section 1, 2a through 2d shall be considered an inactive member for the remainder of the NKBUA fiscal year, unless the member is reinstated to active membership by the BOD.

Section. 3 - Grievance Procedure.

A member shall be notified in writing by the BOD that he or she has been deemed to be a member not in good standing.
The member may request a hearing before the BOD within five (5) days of receipt of said written notice to reconsider the member’s status.
The BOD shall notify the member of its decision in writing in a timely manner.
The decision of the BOD resulting from said hearing may be appealed in writing to the assigning secretary within forty eight (48) hours after receipt of said written notice.

Section 4 - Reinstatement.

The BOD shall determine the method and terms of reinstatement of any inactive member.

ARTICLE 4 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1 - Term Definitions

Each term shall begin on July 1^st and end on June 30^th of the respective years.
There shall be no term limits placed on an individual’s time holding the offices listed below. Individuals are free to hold these offices for as many terms as they are successfully elected.
All office holders and appointees must be an umpire in good standing with the NKBUA.

SECTION 2 - President (1)

The term of service for the office of NKBUA President shall be two (2) years.
The President shall have one (1) vote on NKBUA motions.
The President shall create or approve the agenda and preside as executive over all NKBUA meetings.
The President shall nominate, for Board approval, umpires to serve as chairmen for all committees created within the NKBUA. He/she shall work closely with the Assigning Secretary to ensure all NKBUA functions fall within the guidelines established by the KHSAA.
To encourage more active involvement and to portray a professional, independent image, it is recommended that during his/her two year term, the President shall not also hold the office of a committee chairman.

SECTION 3 - Board of Directors (BOD) (6)

The term of service for a member elected to the Board shall be three (3) years.
The six (6) Board members shall have one (1) vote each on NKBUA motions.
All members of the BOD, along with the President and New Umpire Representative, will work as a group to accomplish the following goals:
Establish a meeting schedule for the current year
Establish meeting requirements for the current year to meet post season eligibility
Monitor the financial activity of the NKBUA
Maintain a strong working relationship with the Assigning Secretary
Utilize processes for recruiting new umpires
Aid the Training Committee in the training of umpires
Annually vote on and present distinguished service awards and the Tom Kyde “Mr. Hustle” award
Constantly review and improve the processes and guidelines of the NKBUA
Excluding the Assigner’s fee, the BOD shall not have the authority to vote to expend more than $500 from the NKBUA account. Any expenditure exceeding this amount must have formal approval of the general membership.
Upon the election of all Directors for a given year and at least by the first Board meeting in the Fall following the baseball season, the BOD shall appoint, within themselves, the following offices and duties:
Vice President— shall assist the President with any duties and responsibilities and will serve as acting President and preside over meetings in the absence of the President.
Secretary— shall monitor and/or prescribe the business and regulations aspect of all membership meetings. Shall maintain and publish minutes of all Board and Association meetings. Shall provide constant and timely communication with all NKBUA umpires concerning NKBUA and KHSAA deadlines and any other correspondence necessary. Shall provide assistance in recruiting efforts through media outlets.
Treasurer— shall have authority over the financial matters of the NKBUA. Shall maintain all financial records and make them available for review by the finance committee and/or when requested. Shall receive and disburse all monies as directed by the BOD and have a fiduciary duty to the BOD and Membership in general.
Sergeant-at-Arms— shall maintain proper attendance records at NKBUA meetings and his shall be the official record concerning umpires meeting requirements. Shall work closely with the Secretary and Assigning Secretary in this matter and assist with timely communications with umpires who are in jeopardy of not meeting KHSAA or NKBUA requirements. Shall monitor time and keep scheduled agendas flowing smoothly at all meetings.
Membership Liaison— shall serve as the “representative of the umpires”. Shall discuss issues with, and be available to receive comments from, umpires concerning the direction of the Association and will bring those comments to the BOD.
Training Director— will most likely also serve as the Training Committee Chairman. Shall coordinate/approve agendas created by the committee for all NKBUA training meetings and assemble a team of qualified umpires to assist in executing the agenda. Shall work with the Assigning Secretary to ensure there are sufficient trainers at all pre-season scrimmages.

SECTION 4 - New Umpire Representative (1)

The term of service for the New Umpire Representative shall be one (1) year.
The New Umpire Representative shall be a non-voting member of the BOD unless and until such time as he/she becomes an active member as detailed in Section 5 of this Article.
Working with the Membership Liaison, this representative will maintain contact with all first and second year umpires and keep the BOD informed of issues pertaining to newer umpires working the Freshman and Junior Varsity levels.
The umpire holding this position shall be entering his 4th year or less of membership in the NKBUA.

SECTION 5 – Resignation Procedures

President resigns with more than one year remaining
Vice President becomes president for the remainder of 1st year.
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member to maintain the seven (7) vote Board of Directors.
At the end of that year, Vice President returns to his capacity on the Board (unless that term is concluded as well) and a new President is elected to a one year term.
At the end of that term, the election for President will return the presidential terms to the regular time schedule.
If a current Board member is elected to fill the one year unexpired term, then a subsequent election shall be held at that time to fill that Board member’s unexpired term.
President resigns with less than one year remaining
Vice President becomes President and completes the term.
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member for the remainder of the year.
At the end of the term, Vice President returns to his capacity on the Board (unless that term is concluded as well) and a President is elected to a new 2-year term.
Director resigns with more than one year remaining
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member for the remainder of the year.
At the end of the current year, an election shall take place after the election of the two new Directors to select an umpire to serve the unexpired term of the resigned member.
Director resigns with less than one year remaining
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member for the remainder of the year.
Director resigns with less than one year remaining
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member for the remainder of the year.
More than one voting member resigns during the same year:
New Umpire Representative becomes a voting member
Remaining Board members will appoint an umpire to fill any other vacancies for the remainder of the year.
At the next regular election, steps as prescribed in Article 5 shall be utilized to hold enough elections to return the Board of Directors to full voting strength.

ARTICLE 5 - BOD ELECTIONS

SECTION 1 - Executor

The current NKBUA Secretary shall oversee the election process starting with the beginning of the candidate filing period.
During the election meeting, the Secretary shall select two (2) umpires, who shall not be on any ballot, to assist with tabulating votes.
At the end of vote tabulation for each office, the NKBUA Secretary shall announce the winner(s). Unsuccessful candidates may immediately announce their intent to run, if qualified, in a subsequent election.

SECTION 2 - Candidate Filings

The candidate filing period begins at the association meeting prior to the elections and continues until the NKBUA Secretary makes a “final call for candidates” before the respective election at the election meeting.
Umpires shall file for their own candidacy. Nominations shall not be made without the personal acknowledgement, either verbally or in writing, from the umpire themselves.

SECTION 3 - Election Process

The election of officers shall occur in the following order:
President—every two years with the regular schedule falling on even numbered years.
Directors—two Directors elected each year.
Unexpired terms open due to resignations.
New Umpire Representative—each year.
In the elections for President and New Umpire Representative, every NKBUA umpire in good standing in attendance shall write the name of one (1) official candidate as their vote on a piece of paper distributed by the Secretary. Candidate with the most votes wins.
In the election for Directors, every NKBUA umpire in good standing in attendance shall write the names of two (2) official candidates as their votes on a piece of paper distributed by the Secretary. The two candidates receiving the highest vote totals will be declared the winners.
While official candidates do not need to be in attendance at the election meeting to win, only umpires in attendance shall be given the opportunity to vote.
In the event of a tie, all candidates not qualifying in the tie shall be dropped from the ballot, and a re-vote shall take place. If the tie remains after the re-vote, then the remaining candidates shall draw pieces of paper from a hat with one piece of paper declaring the “winner”.

Article 6 – ASSIGNMENTS, EVALUATIONS, ASSIGNING SECRETARY

SECTION 1 - Assignments

All games for grades nine through twelve shall be assigned by the KHSAA Ninth Region Baseball Assigning Secretary in accordance with the KHSAA.
Post season assignments shall be awarded in the manner determined by the KHSAA and the KHSAA Assigning Secretary in accordance with the KHSAA.

SECTION 2 – Evaluations

Any Active Member may be evaluated in any game at any level.
These evaluations are to be determined by the Assigning Secretary in accordance with the KHSAA policy.
The NKBUA Membership should assist the assigning secretary in matters of evaluation and observation however and whenever possible and requested.

SECTION 3: Assigning Secretary

The Assigning Secretary of the NKBUA is appointed to this position by the Ninth Region Policy Board and the KHSAA. The responsibility parameters of this position are defined by the KHSAA, therefore the Assigning Secretary retains the right to approve, correct, and/or overrule any decisions made by an individual or group solely representing the NKBUA if that decision is a detriment to our obligations, image, and/or adherence to the rules of the KHSAA.

Article 7 - AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1 - Amendment Process

Whenever the NKBUA membership finds it necessary, or in accordance with KHSAA directives, the following process is heretofore established to facilitate said amendments:
To facilitate full attention to the season at hand, amendments to the By-laws under consideration by the BOD shall be limited to the off-season whenever possible.
The BOD shall consider all recommendations for changes submitted by the BOD, NKBUA membership, Ninth Region Policy Board, and/or KHSAA.
Amendments shall be submitted by electronic or printed means by interested parties to any BOD member.
Proposed amendments shall be drafted by and agreed to by a two-thirds majority of the BOD.
Proposed amendments shall be presented to the Association Membership by electronic or printed means no later than 15 days prior to the first official pre-season meeting of the NKBUA or as soon as practical in the event the Amendments are necessary during the regular High School baseball season.
The By-laws, including the proposed amendment(s), shall be read in their entirety at the first two (2) NKBUA pre-season meetings or as soon as practical in the event the Amendments are necessary during the regular High School baseball season.
The By-laws shall only be formally amended with an affirmative two-thirds vote of a quorum of NKBUA members in good standing answering the roll at the third Association meeting following amendment introduction.
The NKBUA Sergeant-at-Arms shall conduct a roll call of NKBUA members in good standing to determine that a quorum of members is present to vote.
A voice vote in the affirmative of the member present shall be permanently noted in the minutes of the NKBUA meeting.
In the event no clear verbal consensus is reached, a roll call vote of the attending members shall be immediately conducted by the NKBUA Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms.
Said roll call vote shall become a permanent addendum of the NKBUA meeting minutes.
Results of the vote shall immediately be announced to the members in attendance by the NKBUA Secretary.
In the event a proposed amendment does not received the requisite vote for approval, the matter shall be returned to the BOD for further disposition.

SECTION 2 – Effective Date(s) & Formal Approval

The NKBUA Secretary shall submit proposed/amended By-laws to the KHSAA via electronic or printed means for review for approval as soon as practical.
Upon receipt of approval from the KHSAA, the President shall direct the Secretary to distribute the proposed/amended By-laws to the membership for review and schedule the formal membership approval process per Section 1 above.
Amendments receiving the requisite vote shall be effective immediately.
The NKBUA President and Secretary shall affix their signatures to the Revised By-laws.
The revision date shall also be affixed on the face of the document.
A formal, signed copy of the amended By-laws shall be provided to each NKBUA member in good standing via electronic or printed means and be posted on Arbiter for future access.

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