ARTICLE I
NAME AND
LOCATION
Section 1.
The name of this corporation shall be DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL, INC. (the
"Corporation").
Section 2.
The principal office shall be located at Columbia, SC.
Section 3.
Other offices
for the transaction of business shall be located at such places as the Board
of Directors may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
Section 1.
NUMBER AND QUALIFICATIONS
(a) The
business and property of the corporation shall be managed by a Board of
Directors comprised of the incorporators, life members elected by the Board, a
State Director and a National Director from each state and one or two
additional National Directors from each state having a minimum number of
teams, as established by the Board of Directors, affiliated with Dixie Youth
Baseball, Inc.
(b) May 1
shall be the date for counting the number of franchised teams for the purpose
of determining the number of additional national directors to which a state is
entitled.
(c) All
members of the Board of Directors, except Honorary Life Members and Retired
Board Members, have a vote in all matters pertaining to the business,
property, and management of the corporation in all of the deliberations of the
regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors.
(d) The Board
of Directors may grant, by majority vote, Honorary Lifetime Member status to
any person who has served (15) or more years as President or Commissioner of
the National Dixie Youth Baseball program. Such persons shall serve in the
same capacity as elected National Directors except that they shall not be
entitled to vote on any matters coming before the National Board of
Directors. They shall be granted the same privileges, rights, per diem, etc.
as are granted to National Directors.
(e) The
Board of Directors may grant, by majority vote, Retired Board Member status to
any person who has served as a member of the Board of Directors for (15) years
or more. All Retired Board Members will be invited to the World Series each
year for five consecutive years beginning the year after they leave the
Board. All the Retired Board Members will be given World Series game passes
and shall be invited to all social events sponsored by the World Series host.
If required, Dixie Youth Baseball will reimburse the World Series host for
social events costs for Retired Board Members. Retired Board Members must
notify the National Dixie Youth office at least 30 days prior to the World
Series if they plan to attend.
(f) To be
eligible for nomination, election or appointment to any official position in
Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc., a person shall:
(1) Be of good moral reputation;
(2) Have no record of conviction of any felony or of any crime of moral
turpitude;
(3) Have been
associated in any prior year as a local, district, state or national official
of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc.;
(4) Not be
eligible to serve in more than one official position in Dixie Youth Baseball,
Inc., above the district level, at the same time, except as provided in these
bylaws;
(5) Not
participate in any other organized youth baseball program, above the district
level, with the exception of
school and
church leagues or other Dixie programs, which operates in more than one state;
6) Enter into
no personal or business venture that can, in any way, be considered or viewed
as a conflict of interest (including, but not limited to, activity such as
acting as a representative of those companies listed as "Official Suppliers"
or manufacturers of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. approved equipment or fund
raising materials or products);
(7) Not seek
personal financial gain from the use of the person's position within the
organization or through the use of the name or emblem of Dixie Youth Baseball,
Inc.
(8) Furnish a
written statement to the President accepting any position above the district
level and agreeing to fulfill all duties and responsibilities of the office
for which the person has been nominated, as outlined in the Bylaws, including
attendance at all meetings; agree to serve without personal remuneration
except for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance
of the duties of the position and expense allowance determined annually by the
Board while in attendance at the annual meeting of the Board and during the
Dixie Youth World Series, providing the member is performing required duties.
Section 2.
ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE
(a) With the
exception of the incorporators and life members, all members of the Board of
Directors shall be elected by the affiliated leagues in their respective
states.
(b) An
authorized representative of each franchised league is entitled to cast one
vote in all elections held for each director representing its state. An
authorized representative of a league is the league president or a person
designated in writing by the president who is an active official of the
league.
(c) Only a
president of a local league holding a current franchise on file with the
Commissioner's office of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. is entitled to submit in
writing the nomination of a qualified individual for the position of state
director or any national director representing its state. Any other
nominations would be invalid.
(d) The
nominations for state and national directors by currently franchised leagues
shall be mailed to the President of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. on or before
May 15 of the year in which:
(1) the director's term expires, or
(2) a special election is held to elect and qualify a successor to serve the
unexpired term of any director due to his death, resignation,
disqualification, or removal.
(e) The
President or a national director designated by him shall conduct contested
elections of members of the Board of Directors by mail ballot. Each nominee
shall bear the cost of mailing any campaign materials to the franchised
leagues for the purpose of soliciting votes. Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. will
bear no costs of any election other than the mailing of ballots and
notification of the election results.
(f) A mail
ballot for contested elections of directors shall be mailed to each league
prior to June 1 which lists the nominees for each office. The deadline for
returning the mail ballot to the President is June 30. The President shall
announce the results of contested elections on September 1.
(g) When
there are two or more nominees, the President shall declare the nominee
elected who receives the majority of votes cast.
(h) If no one
nominee receives a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, a run-off
election between the two nominees receiving the most votes on the first ballot
shall be conducted in the same manner as the original election.
(i) When
there is only one nominee for any director's position, the President shall
declare that the nominee is elected.
(j) Each
national and state director shall serve a term equal to the total number of
eligible national board members allowed his/her state for representation on
the National Board of Directors.
(k) The
director's term commences on October 1 of the year following elections and
terminates on September 30; but a director shall continue in office until his
successor has been duly qualified and elected. In special elections to fill
the vacancy for an unexpired term of a director, the new director shall take
office immediately.
(l) Vacancies
on the Board may be filled by the remaining members of the National Board from
each respective state with such appointment to be effective until the next
regular or special election within the state.
Section 3.
The Board of Directors may establish as many committees as it considers
necessary.
Section 4.
The Board of Directors shall elect the officers of the corporation from among
the current members of the Board of Directors. (Exception: See Article IV,
Section 7)
Section 5.
All adopted rule changes shall be mailed to each league prior to October 31,
annually.
ARTICLE III
MEETINGS
Section 1.
The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at the site of the
Dixie Youth World Series on the Saturday preceding the Series.
Section 2.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or
by any six members of the Board. By unanimous consent, these meetings may be
held without notice.
Section 3.
Notice of special meetings, except as provided in Section 2 of this article,
shall be mailed to each director by the Secretary at least thirty days
previous to the time fixed for the meeting. All notices of special meetings
shall state the purpose thereof. Only that business, as is stated in the
notice, may be considered at that meeting.
Section 4.
A quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of
the directors shall consist of one more than half the voting members of the
Board; but a majority of those present at any regular or special meeting shall
have the power to adjourn the meeting to a future time.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1.
The officers of this corporation shall be a President, Vice-President,
Secretary, Treasurer, Commissioner, and Deputy Commissioner.
(a) Each
officer shall be elected for a term of three years, and shall hold office
through the completion of the Dixie Youth World Series in the year their
successor(s) are elected and qualified. All officers, except the
Commissioner, shall be either elected or lifetime voting members of the
National Board. State Directors are not eligible to serve as officers of the
corporation.
(b) Officers shall serve without compensation.
(c) The
office of Commissioner and Treasurer may be held by the same person.
(d) The
President shall conduct contested elections of officers by paper ballot. The
Vice-President shall conduct contested elections for the office of President.
(e) Vacancies
due to death, resignation, removal from office or failure to be re-elected to
the National Board of Directors shall temporarily be filled, where not
otherwise provided in these bylaws, by a majority vote of the Executive
Committee. Such appointee(s) shall serve until the next annual meeting where
an election will be conducted to fill the unexpired term of office.
Section 2.
The President is charged with enforcing the provisions of these bylaws. His
duties include but are not limited to the following:
(a) presiding
as Chairman of all meetings of the Board of Directors;
(b)
appointing all committee members and committee chairman, unless otherwise
provided in these bylaws;
(c) accepting
nominations and conducting elections for all State and National Directors;
(d) presiding
as Chairman of all meetings of the Ethics Committee, unless he is accused of a
violation of the Code of Ethics;
(e) presiding
as Chairman of all meetings of the Executive Committee;
(f) ensuring
that the Constitution and Bylaws of each state organization is not in conflict
with the national bylaws;
(g)
representing Dixie Youth Baseball at all official functions which he may
attend;
(h) making an
annual report to the Board of Directors and such other reports as he may
consider necessary;
(i)
presenting bids to host the Dixie Youth World Series to the Board of Directors
for consideration;
(j) signing
all contracts and other legal documents executed on behalf of Dixie Youth
Baseball, Inc;
(k) promoting
public relations activities for the Dixie Youth Baseball program;
(l) approving
all facilities, functions, and agendas for use or in connection with the
annual board meeting;
(m) serving
as an ex-officio member of all committees; and,
(n)
performing such other duties as may be placed upon him by the Board of
Directors.
Section 3.
The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or
disability of the President or when the office of President is vacant. He
shall serve as Chairman of the Ethics Committee in cases where the President
is accused of a violation of the Code of Ethics. He shall perform such other
duties as may be placed upon him by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.
The Secretary shall have charge of all corporate books, records, and papers;
maintain custody of the corporate seal; attest with his signature all
contracts of the corporation; and perform all other duties incidental to this
office. He shall perform such other duties as may be placed upon him by the
Board of Directors.
Section 5.
(a) The Treasurer shall maintain a general investment fund and have custody of
all money, certificates of deposit and other securities of the corporation
except the general operating fund, the supply center operating fund, and
scholarship fund. He shall give bond in such sum, and with such sureties, as
the Board of Directors may require, conditioned upon the faithful performance
of this office.
(b) The
Treasurer is authorized to sign checks, transfer funds and invest funds which
are not held in the general operating fund, the supply center operating fund
and the scholarship fund.
All such
transactions shall require a second authorizing signature of either the
President or Vice President of the Corporation.
(c) The
Treasurer shall require each fund custodian to keep regular books of account
and shall submit them, together with all vouchers, receipts, records and other
papers, to the Board of Directors for their examination and approval.
(d) He shall
perform all such other duties incidental to this office and any other duties
as may be placed upon him by the Board of Directors.
Section 6.
The Commissioner is charged with enforcing the rules and regulations under
which leagues and teams play. His duties include, but are not limited to, the
following;
(a) serving
as the ultimate arbiter in any dispute or protest concerning the rules and
regulations of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc.;
(b) serving
as the chief administrative officer of the corporation;
(c)
authorizing all actions necessary to discharge the duties of his office,
including the employment of personnel;
(d) serving
as custodian of the general operating fund;
(e)
representing Dixie Youth Baseball at all official functions which he may
attend;
(f)
coordinating and promoting public relations activities for the Dixie Youth
Baseball program;
(g)
coordinating and approving all playing field facilities, functions and agendas
in connection with the Dixie Youth World Series;
(h) making an
annual report to the Board of Directors and such other reports as he may
consider necessary;
(i) accepting
bids from groups bidding for rights to host the Dixie Youth World Series; and,
(j)
performing such other duties as may be placed upon him by the Board of
Directors.
Section 7.
The Deputy Commissioner is charged with assisting, as directed by the
Commissioner, in the enforcement of the rules and regulations under which
leagues and teams play. His duties include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(a)
performing the duties of Commissioner in the absence or disability of the
Commissioner or when the office is vacant;
(b)
representing Dixie Youth Baseball at all official functions which he may
attend;
(c)
performing such other duties as may be placed upon him by the Board of
Directors.
Section 8.
The Commissioner shall be an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors so
long as he serves in such capacity. A person may not hold the position of
national or state director concurrently to his serving as Commissioner.
Section 9.
The Commissioner shall serve as a non-voting member of the Rules Committee,
the Equipment Specifications Committee, the World Series Requirements
Committee, and such other committees to which he may be appointed by the
President.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
Section 1.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The officers
shall serve as an Executive Committee which shall be empowered to conduct
business of the corporation between National Board meetings. This committee
shall make decisions in the best interest of the corporation and such
decisions shall be subject to review and approval of the National Board at its
next regularly scheduled or special called meeting of the Board of Directors,
or by mail vote of the Board of Directors. The President shall serve as
Chairman of the Executive Committee. The committee shall meet as deemed
necessary by the Chairman or any three members of the committee, but a maximum
of four meetings per year shall be held, unless emergency conditions are
declared creating the need for additional meetings beyond the maximum.
Minutes of all Executive Committee meetings shall be recorded by the Secretary
and submitted by mail to each member of the Board of Directors no later than
two weeks following each meeting of the Committee.
Section 2.
ETHICS
COMMITTEE
The officers
shall also serve as an Ethics Committee that shall investigate any possible or
alleged violation of the Ethics Code or personal qualifications of any current
official or nominee for office and shall have the authority to make decisions
regarding these matters or to suspend a member from the Board for violation of
the Code of Ethics. All decisions shall be subject to review and approval of
the entire Board at its next regularly scheduled or special called meeting.
Any person accused of a violation or of not meeting certain qualifications
shall be given the opportunity of appearing before the Ethics Committee to
present facts concerning his case. Officials of the Board and all state and
national directors affected by a decision of the Ethics Committee shall abide
by such decision until such time as an appeal can be heard by the entire
Board. The Board may ratify the committee's action by a majority vote or may
permanently remove a member from the Board or from the position of state
director by a two-thirds vote of the full Board, whether or not previous
action has been taken by the committee. Action by the Board shall be final.
The President shall serve as Chairman of the Ethics Committee and he shall
appoint two additional members of the committee from among the remaining Board
members and state directors who are not presently serving as officers. An
officer may be removed at any time by a two-thirds vote of the full Board of
Directors.
Section 3.
COMMITTEES
(a) The
following committees shall be appointed for a term of one year:
Rules
Scholarship Long Range Planning
Policy Financial Goals & Objectives World
Series Umpires
Nominating State Constitution
Marketing & Publicity
Insurance
Calendar World Series
Sportsmanship Expansion Safety & Equipment
(b) Rules
Committee
(1) The
President shall appoint eleven members of the Rules Committee composed of one
representative from each state.
(2) The
Deputy Commissioner shall serve as chairman of the Rules Committee and shall
not vote except to cause or break a tie.
(3) The Rules
Committee shall review proposed rule changes which are submitted to the Deputy
Commissioner on or before June 1 annually and shall make a recommendation at
the Annual Meeting to the Board of Directors to either approve or reject the
adoption of each proposed rule change.
(4) The Rules
Committee shall review the "Official Rules and Regulations" annually and may
draft and recommend the adoption of proposed editorial, format or
organizational changes in the publication to the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
SCHOLARSHIP
FUND
Section 1.
A college, trade, junior college or other post high school educational
scholarship fund shall be established by the Board of Directors.
Section 2.
The scholarships shall be awarded by the Board of Directors under such rules
and conditions as it may determine; provided, however, that only those who
participated in the program of the corporation who are in need of financial
assistance shall be eligible.
Section 3.
Any scholarship awarded in the state during a year in which an active member
of the Board of Directors from that state has died shall be awarded in honor
and memory of that board member for that year only.
Section 4.
Children of members of the Board of Directors and the officers of the
corporation shall not be eligible for a scholarship.
Section 5.
The chairman of the Scholarship Committee shall have custody of all funds and
shall make all disbursements. He shall furnish bond in such amounts as may be
directed by the Board of Directors and is authorized to invest all scholarship
funds in accord with the laws of South Carolina.
Section 6.
The deadline for scholarship applications shall be March 1 and an announcement
of scholarship recipients shall be made no later than May 1.
ARTICLE VII
FINANCE
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall develop a written financial plan comprised of
policies and procedures adopted to administer all financial matters of Dixie
Youth Baseball, Inc.
Section 2.
The President shall appoint a permanent Finance Committee composed of one
director from each state to administer the financial plan of Dixie Youth
Baseball, Inc.
Section 3.
The financial plan shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for the
following:
(a) A
franchise fee shall be assessed each league affiliating itself with Dixie
Youth Baseball, Inc. The franchise fee shall be determined by the Board of
Directors. It shall be assessed on a per team basis and shall be the same
amount for each team within each division, without exception.
(b) All
directors and officers shall serve without compensation; but, they shall be
reimbursed for all authorized expenses incurred in the performance of their
official duties. Authorized expenses shall be specified in a written travel
and expense policy adopted by the Board of Directors.
(c) The Board
of Directors shall adopt a written investment policy for Dixie Youth Baseball,
Inc. funds.
(d) The Board
of Directors shall adopt an annual operating budget for the forthcoming fiscal
year at the annual Board meeting.
(e) The
fiscal year of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. shall begin on July 1 and end on
June 30.
Section 4.
National officers' expenses to local league tournaments and other local
functions shall be at the expense of the inviting league.
Section 5.
If both World Series are held at one location, the State Board shall determine
which Director will attend. Each such Director shall receive a mileage
allowance and daily per diem as long as his state has a team which remains in
contention.
Section 6.
When both World Series are held in different weeks, each DYB state board shall
select one director to represent the state at the AAA World Series. If not
otherwise eligible, this director shall receive a mileage allowance and daily
per diem at DYB expense.
Section 7.
FRANCHISE RENEWAL DEADLINE
(a) The
deadline for leagues renewing their franchise privileges shall be April 1
provided that any franchise renewals and fees forwarded by mail which are
postmarked on or before the deadline date by the United States Postal Service
shall be treated as received on that date, and further, when the deadline
falls on a United States legal holiday or Sunday, the next calendar day shall
be the deadline for filing.
(b) Any
league failing to meet this deadline must pay a "penalty" fee of $50.00 in
order to be granted tournament rights. This fee will be applied to the
Scholarship Fund. There will be no exceptions.
ARTICLE VIII
TOURNAMENTS
Section 1.
The Corporation shall conclude its baseball program each year with a
tournament which shall be known as the Dixie Youth World Series, hereinafter
referred to as the tournament.
Section 2.
The tournament shall be awarded to that city, who, in the discretion of the
Board of Directors, offers the best conditions and facilities. The city so
awarded shall be permitted to field a host team.
Section 3.
All applications for the tournament shall be submitted to the Commissioner
under such terms and conditions as required by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.
The Board of Directors shall award the rights to host the Dixie Youth World
Series to the city which receives a majority of votes cast by paper ballot
when more than one bid is properly submitted for approval.
Section 5.
State Directors may authorize local league and tournament play for leagues
desiring to play open bases during the season. Each league must adhere
strictly to all DYB rules and regulations except for guidelines approved by
the Commissioner of Dixie Youth Baseball Inc. for use with open base play
where Rule 7.13 is not used.
ARTICLE IX
PROXY TERMS
Section 1.
Attendance and voting at meetings of the Board of Directors may be by proxy in
such manner as provided by the Board of Directors; however, there shall be no
proxy votes allowed at the Annual Board Meeting.
ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY
AUTHORITY
Section 1.
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall
govern this organization unless otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws. The
President shall appoint a board member to serve as Parliamentarian prior to
the annual meeting of the Board. Such member shall serve as Parliamentarian
at any other meeting of the Board preceding the following annual meeting.
Section 2.
In instances of a negative report from a committee to the National Board, a
Board member shall be given the opportunity during the meeting to explain the
reasoning behind any rule or policy change submitted by himself or a league if
he requests the time. Such explanation shall not exceed three minutes.
Rebuttals will be limited to two Board members in favor of such change and two
Board members opposed to such change. Each of these rebuttals shall be
limited to three minutes. Furthermore, when the Policy or Rules Committee
renders a negative report, a National Board member may request an explanation
of the decision of the committee and the committee chairman or his designee
shall be given time for such explanation.
Section 3.
All policies and rules of Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. that are approved by the
National Board and are a part of Board minutes shall be listed in the current
edition of the Dixie Youth Official Rules and Regulations or in the published
Bylaws of the Corporation.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
Amendments to these Bylaws may be made, by a majority vote of the members of
the Board of Directors, at any annual meeting; or at any special meeting when
the proposed amendment has been set out in the notice of such meeting.
Section 2.
Any subject may be brought up under new business for discussion and action at
any regular board meeting by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the members
present and voting at the meeting, a quorum being present.
Section 3.
Any amendment to these Bylaws, or change in the Dixie Youth Official Rules and
Regulations, that is proposed after being brought up under Article XI, Section
2 which is not set out in the notice of the meeting shall require a two-thirds
affirmative vote of the members present and voting at the meeting, a quorum
being present.
WORKING
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
OF DIXIE YOUTH
BASEBALL, INC.
On the following pages the duties of the officials of Dixie Youth Baseball,
Inc., are outlined. In order to understand these assignments of duties it is
helpful to explain the structure of the working assignments.
The District Director is the closest and most important official of DYB to the
local league. He is the person to whom a league must turn in any matter
related to the league's operation. He is charged with the authority to carry
on the program within his district and leagues are to turn to him before going
to any other official. The State Director is the next authority and is in
general control of the state organization. After the State Director the next
and last authority is the Commissioner. Leagues are free to contact any of
these but should do so in the order shown... District Director first, State
Director, then the Commissioner. These are the only officials whose office
carries authority to act.
National Directors are rule and policy makers. They meet to formulate the
rules under which the entire program operates. After they establish these the
responsibility for carrying out the rules is in the hands of the District and
State Directors and the Commissioner. The National Director can offer
valuable assistance or opinions. Leagues are encouraged to avail themselves
of the help of the National Directors but to also remember they are to look to
their District Director as the authority in charge of their activities.
The duties of the District, State and National Directors are as follows:
DUTIES OF THE
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
The district director shall preside at all meetings of his district. He shall
maintain a current map showing district boundaries and maintain a current
roster of league contacts. He shall conduct all business in behalf of the
district and shall make every effort to further the policy adopted by the
leagues in his district. He shall visit all leagues within his district
during the playing season. He is elected by vote of the franchise leagues of
the district with all leagues having an opportunity to nominate and vote.
LIST OF DUTIES
1. The district director shall hold meetings in his district periodically
throughout the year. All leagues shall be notified of all scheduled meetings
either by mail or telephone seven days prior to the meeting. The following
meetings are suggested:
A. Attend the State Board of Director's meeting and participate in any
suggested changes in the state constitution and by-laws that are to be
presented and voted on by the leagues at the state meeting.
B. Attend the state meeting and assist the state director in conducting
workshops and any other presentations scheduled.
C. Hold an organizational meeting in his district early in the year for the
purpose of acquainting league officials with the forms necessary for running
the Dixie Youth program and the deadlines for submitting these forms. At this
meeting, outline what tournaments will be conducted in the district in order
that the leagues will be in a position to submit bids at the appropriate
time. Attendance at the state meeting should be encouraged at this meeting.
D. Hold a second meeting during the early part of June to award sub-district
and district tournaments. Stress deadline for player registration forms.
E. Hold a credentials meeting seven days prior to the first sub-district
tournament to check birth records and player affidavits. Stress all phases of
tournaments and elect the District Director for the next year.
2. The district director shall determine how many sub-district tournaments
are necessary and which leagues will participate in each sub-district. Care
should be exercised to place leagues in the sub-district closest to their home
to avoid excessive travel.
3. The district director is the tournament director of the district
tournament and shall appoint and approve all sub-district tournament
directors.
4. The district director, with the concurrence of his leagues, should
establish a system for rotating tournament sites and establishing guidelines
for qualifying to host a tournament. A good rotation system will assure each
league an opportunity to host a tournament.
5. The district director shall keep on file for a three (3) year period the
following records:
(a) League franchise forms.
(b) Player registration forms for each league.
(c) Player affidavit forms.
(d) Copies of all correspondence pertaining to district business
including protest.
(e) Minutes of all meetings and financial reports.
(f) Complete records of all tournament games.
(g) Up-to-date boundary maps on all leagues.
(h) The district director shall keep on file copies of all certification
of birth records for the entire period of the players' eligibility in Dixie
Youth Baseball.
6. The district director shall give a financial report to his district at
least once a year, preferably at the credentials meeting when all leagues are
required to have representation.
7. The district director should always be alert to new league inquiries and
arrange a meeting to present the Dixie Youth story and follow-up for
franchising.
8. Unless otherwise stipulated by the State Constitution and By-Laws, the
state director shall appoint a district director should the office become
vacant. Such appointed district director shall serve until a permanent one is
elected.
9. The district director shall act on any appeal carried to him which
complies with DYB appeal procedure.
DUTIES OF THE
STATE DIRECTOR
The state director shall preside at all meetings of the state organization.
He shall schedule all state meetings and give at least a month's notice on all
annual meetings and as much notice as possible on any called meetings. He
shall maintain a current list of league contacts.
LIST OF
DUTIES
1. He shall attend the annual meeting of the National Board of Directors at
the site of the Dixie World Series and shall participate and vote in all
deliberation at this meeting as well as any special or called meetings. He
shall serve on committees as assigned.
2. He shall inspect and prepare recommendations on all factors associated
with bids for the state tournament. He further shall see that the awarding of
the tournament follows his state's prescribed procedure.
3. He is the tournament director for the state tournament and is to be in
attendance at all meetings preparing for the tournament and at all games. He
shall appoint and have announced the Protest Committee for each game. In his
absence he shall appoint his substitute to act in his behalf.
4. He shall correspond with his district directors and the Commissioner on
all matters of mutual concern. He shall issue state bulletins or memorandums
concerning the program within his state as he sees fit.
5. Should the state director's office become vacant the National Board
members within the state may appoint a person to fill the unexpired term
unless otherwise stipulated by the State Constitution or By-Laws.
6. The election of the state director shall be conducted in the same manner
as the election of the national directors, as outlined under Democratic Action
of these By-Laws.
7. The state director, with the cooperation of district and sub-district
directors and the Commissioner, shall arrange for the distribution of league
supplies and forms.
8. He shall visit as many district meetings as possible and call on as many
leagues as his schedule permits.
9. He shall visit prospective new leagues or inquiring groups to explain the
program and shall furnish these with complete literature. He should advise
the Commissioner of any such prospect.
10. He shall keep files of important forms or records and have an up-to-date
boundary map of each league. He shall also have an up-to-date map showing the
territory included in each district.
11. He shall act on any appeal carried to him which complies with DYB appeal
procedure.
12. He shall receive from all state leagues any state fees authorized by
state organization.
13. The state director is responsible for seeing that district directors
fully and properly carry out their duties.
DUTIES
OF THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR
It is the primary responsibility of a national director to assist the
Commissioner and other officials of Dixie Youth Baseball in providing a
supervised baseball program for youth twelve years of age and under. In
addition, the director's activities will be directed to providing a recreation
outlet in his state for as many youth as possible with the emphasis on local
league play rather than tournament play. The director should continually
encourage all officials, workers and youth in his state to abide by the rules
of good sportsmanship and help build a program that will result in obedient,
patriotic and God-fearing youngsters.
LIST OF DUTIES
1. The director shall attend the annual meeting of the Board of Directors at
the site of the Dixie World Series. He shall participate in all of the
deliberation at this meeting as well as any special or called meetings of the
Board of Directors.
2. In conjunction with the other directors, he shall manage the business of
Dixie Youth Baseball.
3. The director shall serve as assigned by the President or Commissioner on
various committees and projects that assist in the management of the program.
4. The director shall attend all of the Dixie World Series tournament games
unless prevented from doing so by extenuating circumstances.
5. The director shall attend the annual state meeting and as many state
tournament games as possible. He should also attend as many district meetings
as possible.
6. The director shall assist, as required by the state director, in the
conduct of all business in behalf of the state program and shall make every
effort to further the policy adopted by this organization.
7. The director shall engage in Dixie Youth Baseball public relations
activities, including appearance before civic groups, schools and other
organizations that have an interest in Dixie Youth Baseball. This activity
would also include assistance in the organization of new leagues as well as
assisting existing leagues in the operation of their program.
8. The director should visit as many leagues as possible in an effort to keep
himself familiar with their need and to offer his services to them.
OFFICIAL
STATEMENT OF POLICY
It is the policy of Dixie Youth Baseball to promote the development of strong
character, a right attitude and a sense of responsibility and citizenship in
youngsters, using the game of baseball as a vehicle. It is the purpose of
Dixie Youth Baseball to achieve this goal through fair play, good
sportsmanship and congenial fellowship, with adult leaders providing the
example. It is strictly against the policy of Dixie Youth Baseball for any
person, either as a participant or a spectator to engage in arguments, to use
abusive language, to harass umpires, or to exhibit any behavior not in concert
with the general intention of this policy statement. Team coaches are
required to abide by this policy statement, and all parents and other adults
are strongly encouraged to do so.
DEMOCRATIC
ACTION
The Constitution provides for the election of the members of the National
Board of Directors, the officers of the program and the state directors to
three year terms of office.
The nominations for the National Board of Directors and State Directors are
mailed to the President on or before August 15 each year and the President, or
a national board member designated by him, shall conduct said elections.
Nominations may be made only by the President of a local league holding a
current franchise on file with the Commissioner’s office. Any other
nominations will be invalid. The President or his designee will mail the
list of nominees on a mail ballot by September 1 to each franchised league.
September 15 is the deadline for leagues to return their ballots to the
President or his designee. The cost of mailing campaign materials to
franchised leagues will be borne by the nominees and no costs other than
expense for mail ballots and notification of election results will be borne by
Dixie Youth Baseball Inc.
Each state shall elect a member of the board each year. States having three
members shall elect a member for a three-year term. States having one member
shall elect a member for a one-year term. Each member elected shall receive a
majority of votes cast.
In states where an increase or decrease in the total number of teams occurs
the number of eligible board members must be altered. The President will
advise what procedure to follow to accomplish the change.
The new National Board of Directors takes office on January 1. The officers
for the coming term will be elected by the board at the annual meeting during
appropriate years.
With the exception of school leagues, or other Dixie programs, no national
officer, national director or state director shall be permitted to participate
in an official capacity in any other organized youth baseball program
operating in more than one state.
The election of the state director shall be conducted in the same manner as
the election of national directors, as outlined under Democratic Action,
paragraph 2. State directors shall be elected for a three-year term. If no
one nominee receives a majority of the votes for a specific position, a
run-off election between the two top nominees, plus any ties for the top two
positions, shall be conducted in the same manner as the original election.
Only a duly authorized representative of a franchised league is allowed to
vote in any matter before district or state meetings. No one person can
represent more than one league. NOTE: A duly authorized representative of a
league is the league president or a person designated by him in writing who is
active currently in the voting league.
There shall be no State Constitution or By-Laws in conflict with the intent,
aims, purposes, and rules of the National Dixie Youth Baseball organization.
All tournament sites are determined by each state organization with all
leagues having equal opportunity in hosting the event provided the league can
comply with the requirements established by the state organization. The state
requirements are to be determined in advance by each state and announced
accordingly.
Rule changes suggested by national, state, district or local officials during
the season shall be mailed directly to the Deputy Commissioner not later than
June 1 of the current year. Suggestions received after this date shall be
placed on the agenda for consideration the following year. The Deputy
Commissioner will mail a copy of all suggestions and proposed rule changes to
each director as soon as he assembles them.
A
financial statement is prepared by a C.P.A. firm annually and is presented at
the annual meeting. Dixie Youth publications are mailed periodically to all
league contacts to distribute to league officials and managers.
INTENT OF
DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL
The most fundamental intent of the organizers of Little Boys Baseball, Inc.,
was to develop a program which would emphasize local autonomy. It was our
philosophy and belief that the parents and workers in each local league know
what is best for them and their children. Since the mores (customs) of our
people vary from community to community, even within the same districts, it
was necessary to leave such things as night baseball, team selections and
league operation up to the local leagues. There were imposed upon the leagues
certain fundamental rules that were deemed necessary for good organization and
which would keep one league from gaining an unfair advantage over another such
as boundary and population limits, the number of teams in a league and the age
brackets.
The next important philosophical belief was that the leagues affiliated with
the program should have a voice in the running of the program. Thus, the
provision for electing national board members from among the leagues to serve
with the organizers was made. It should be borne in mind that at the outset
there were no provisions for state organizations, nor state or district
directors. The original concept of governmental structure was the Board of
Directors and the leagues. The necessity for state directors was realized
shortly after organizing and soon after the need for district directors became
apparent. There is nothing specific in our constitution governing state
organizations, state directors nor district directors.
Any governmental structure between the local leagues and the national board
exists for one reason...to serve the local leagues as administrative adjuncts
of the board. The idea of local leagues being dominated by a district or
state organization is in direct conflict with the original philosophy. The
impositions of any rule on a local league should be done with utmost
reluctance and absolute necessity.
CODE OF ETHICS
NATIONAL BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
In accepting the office of National Director of DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL, INC., I
recognize the responsibility incumbent upon me as a member of the Board of
Directors. I pledge myself to observe, practice and maintain ethical
practices of this office;
Encourage all officials, workers and youth of each level of the state program
to abide by the rules of good sportsmanship;
Promote and help build a program that will result in obedient, patriotic and
God-fearing youngsters;
Respect and adhere to the principle that Dixie Youth Baseball is a "fun"
program, and that it is designed for the enjoyment of youngsters and is not
meant to be a hobby for adults;
Recognize and support the main purpose of Dixie Youth Baseball which is to
provide a recreation outlet for as many as possible with emphasis being on
local league play rather than tournament play;
Periodically evaluate and review all present and proposed Dixie Youth Baseball
rules and regulations to assure that they meet the guiding principles of our
program: the physical development of the growing youth, full participation
for all playing baseball and the safety factor as it involves youngsters
playing baseball;
Refrain from participation in an official capacity in any other organized
youth baseball program operating in more than one state;
Demonstrate and persuade others in the program to accept the moral principles
of Dixie Youth Baseball by not participating in activities or using products
that are detrimental to the welfare of youth;
Develop and promote a spirit of cooperative teamwork among Dixie Youth
officials, sponsors or any other person connected with the program;
Accept no remuneration of personal services performed from the Dixie Youth
program or from any sponsor or other person connected with the program;
Refrain from undignified electioneering when running for election to the
National Board. This includes making promises of benefit or threat of
reprisal to local leagues who vote in the election;
Refrain from encouraging election or defeat of other candidates who are
running for the National Board either in my state or other state elections;
and
Never use Dixie Youth Baseball for purposes other than those which further the
objectives of the program.