About TCAOA

MISSION STATEMENT

An officiating association that provides a membership opportunity for registered MHSAA officials focusing on quality education and training for our member officials. This will be accomplished through the following objectives:

A: To educate our members through classes, programs, meetings and clinics designed to improve the quality of officiating.

B: Promote membership professionalism by cultivating such an environment so members can obtain their officiating goals.

C: Provide information, scrimmages, and hands-on clinics.

D: Abide by and enforce the MHSAA Guidebook policies for our officials, and encourage athletes, coaches and spectators to do the same.

E: Maintain the status of an “Approved Association” as defined by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

F: Provide a high caliber of officiating for interscholastic contests and for any any other contests for which services may be contracted.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

A: Membership in the TCAOA shall be extended to any individual who understands, accepts, and supports the objectives and constitution of the organization.

B: Paying your dues and attending meetings does not guarantee that the official will receive assignments. The official is an independent contractor and the TCAOA has the right to assign or not assign the services of each individual official.

C: Application for membership shall be made by submitting a signed application form, accompanied with dues requested for the year, and registration with the MHSAA.

D: Attend meetings and required clinics and/or training programs. Maintain current registration with the MHSAA.

E: Follow the MHSAA “Code of Conduct for Officials”.

F: Understand that accepting an assignment means the official is an independent contractor and agrees to follow the guidelines of the TCAOA.

G: TCAOA reserves the right to reject an application for new membership or reapplication for membership, and terminate a membership by majority vote of the Board of Directors.

H: Dues paying members in good standing are entitled to one vote in the conduct of Association business and must be present during an election vote.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

A: President – The president shall preside over all general business meetings of the TCAOA and all Executive Board meetings and appoint a nominating committee. He/she shall also act as the official liason between the TCAOA and the MHSAA and other school officials. He/she shall assume any other responsibilities delegated by the Executive Board.

B: Vice President – The Vice President shall perform the duties of the president in the event of his/her absence. He/she will succeed the President in the event of a vacancy.

C: Secretary – The secretary shall maintain membership records including personal and officiating information of each member. He/she shall notify the membership of all business meetings and record minutes of all business meetings and report back to the membership as required. He/she shall submit the TCAOA roster to the MHSAA office each year as required. The Executive Board could require other responsibilities.

D: Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be in charge of all assets and liabilities of the TCAOA, and shall make disbursements as required. He/she shall collect dues from the members and maintain records as well as report any delinquencies to the Executive Board. He/she shall supply a financial report to the membership at each business meeting. An annual budget report is also required in a timely manner.

E: At Large – There will be four At Large positions on the Board. Two to be elected each year. The initial BOD will consist of eight At Large positions, two from each existing association to ensure representation from each.

F: Recruitment/Retention of Membership Coordinator – As required by the MHSAA to focus on growing membership and retention of current members.

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS:

Any and all approved members of the TCAOA may attend the annual general meeting to nominate and elect officers. There will only be an election for the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Recruitment/Retention Coordinator in the first election. Each of the four associations will appoint two of their members to fill out the rest of the Board after the election. These will be a two-year term. After the two years expire, elections will be held in accordance with “A” below.

A: The first full election: President, Treasurer and two At Large members will be three-year terms. Vice President, Secretary, two At Large members and Recruitment/Retention Coordinator will be two-year terms. Every election thereafter will be two-year terms.

B: Roberts Rules of Order shall be used. Once nominations are completed, the election will be conducted for each office by secret ballot.

C: The election committee shall distribute and collect all ballots and do a visual count. They will also determine any spoiled or illegible ballots. Results must be announced when completed. If there is a tie, an immediate run-off election shall take place with those nominees.

D: A simple majority is all that is needed to secure the election. After completion, all ballots shall be either sealed or destroyed.

E: A person shall be eligible to be a member of the Executive Board who is currently a member of the Association and who has been a member of the Association for at least two (2) years prior to the date of the election or appointment.

F. ELECTION A: The election shall take place every year at the Annual Meeting of the Association.

1.The meeting will be held between March 15th and June 30th.

B: Establishment of the Nominating Committee:

1. The committee will consist of three (3) members in good standing either by volunteer or nominated by the board. Final selection will be determined by the board of directors in February preceding the election to secure a slate of candidates for the offices of the Association.

2. The board shall keep at least one nominating committee member from the previous year to maintain continuity of the election procedures. One committee member shall run the election/floor, while the other two members are collecting and counting ballots.

3. During the elections, only the nominating committee will have the floor until the completion of the election. An email shall be sent out to all TCAOA members announcing who is running for each current position. The email is to be sent out at least 24 hours before the start of the election meeting.

D: Election procedures:

1. Announce candidates who have volunteered to run for a position.

2. Request nominations from the floor.

3. Candidates have the right to speak for five minutes.

4. Conduct the vote for candidates.

E: The order in which the positions are to be voted on during the respective elections:

1. President

2. Treasurer

3. Director of Recruitment and Retention

4. At Large (a)

5. At Large (b)

G: Each item/position vote will be conducted on separate ballot sheets.

If a member is holding an elected board position, and accepts a nomination from the floor or voluntarily runs for a new position, that member will not be required to assign his/her seat prior to the outcome of the vote. If the member loses the vote for the new position, he/she retains current seat. If the member wins the vote for the new position, the member must accept the new role and will be automatically removed from his/her current position. If the now vacated position is not scheduled for election, the board shall name an interim member for the remainder of the term. If the now vacated position is scheduled for the election, the election committee will accept nominations, and the position will be elected during the current meeting.

H. The nominating committee shall conduct the election, count the ballots, and announce the results. The voting shall be by secret ballot with a simple majority of the voting members present sufficient to elect. If there is a tie between multiple candidates, a run-off election will be conducted until the tie is broken. The newly elected officers will take office immediately following the meeting, with the exception of the spring assigners.

I. Special elections as deemed necessary by the Executive Board may be held at any time.

J. If there is only one applicant for any Executive Board seat, for the initial Board of Directors term, each existing Association Board of Directors has the authority to approve without general membership vote.

Article VI – Executive Board:

After the initial term when there will be eight At Large members, the Executive Board shall consist of 9 voting members: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, four At Large, and a Recruitment/Retention Coordinator. Each member shall have one vote on all matters that come before the Executive Board. This vote may be in person or by electronic vote. The five Coordinator of Officials Positions appointed by the Board will be non-voting members.

A. A minimum of 5 voting members present shall constitute a quorum.
B. Shall determine dates, times, and place of assocation meetings.
C. Appoint committees as required.
D. The Coordinator of Officials positions are determined as follows. Qualified applicants will submit interest in each respective position for Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, and Softball. A committee, nominated by the BOD consisting of members from the Assocation, will interview each candidate. Upon completion of the interview process, the committee will recommend a candidate for Board approval. Should there be one applicant, that applicant will still require Board approval to secure the position for TCAOA.
E. Appoint any vacancy on the Board for the remainder of that term.
F. Distribute additional responsibilities to other officers as required.
G. Make recommendations to the membership pertaining to dues, officials’s rates, status of committees, or other applicable items for discussion at the business meeting.
H. Serve as the review board for any disciplinary action of a member who is in violation of the TCAOA or MHSAA “Code of Conduct”.
I. Electronic Transmission – The Executive Board is permitted to use electronic transmission for voting. Each Executive Board member should have at least 48 hours from sent time to cast their vote and rules for a quorum shall apply. If quorum rule of votes is not met the proposal shall not pass. The proposal may contain a maximum number of hours allowed to cast a vote.
J. The initial Board for the first term shall have a total of 8 At Large members who shall be appointed by the existing four Associations to ensure equal representation of all Associations.

Article VII – Meetings:

All meetings are subject to approval by the Executive Board prior to submitting to the membership.

A. An annual business meeting shall take place each year for the election of officers and any other pertinent business.
B. There may be any special business meetings called by the President after approval of the Executive Board.
C. The Executive Board shall meet quarterly in regular session. A quarterly meeting may be omitted if there is no business to act upon.
D. The President may call for a special meeting of the Executive Board if two thirds of the Executive Board polled agree to the request.
E. Sports Meetings: For the purpose of sports meetings, Boys and Girls basketball shall be considered one sport.

These meetings could be:

• General instructional meetings conducted at least once per year.
• Mechanics clinic shall be conducted by each sport at least once per year, either on a court or field where the sport is normally played.
• Rules discussion meetings shall be conducted at least twice per year. One should be scheduled at least two weeks prior to the start of the season. The other could take place during the season.
• The Coordinator of Officials for each sport may request other meetings when necessary.

Article VIII – Disciplinary Actions:

Members are subject to disciplinary action for any violation of the TCAOA or MHSAA “Code of Conduct”.

A. The Executive Board shall have the power to censure, suspend, or expel any member for violations of the TCAOA or MHSAA “Code of Conduct”, or any provisions of the constitution or standing orders of the TCAOA.
B. The President and the accused member shall agree on a hearing date. If no agreement can be reached, the Executive Board shall fix a date and time. The member shall receive written notice of any and all charges and specifications against him or her, and the date and time of the hearing shall be included.
C. The member shall have the right at the Executive Board hearing to present their case, with or without counsel, and to examine evidence and cross examine witnesses who testified against him or her.
D. Following the hearing, the Executive Board shall make their final decision. If disciplinary action is taken, the Executive Board shall issue a written decision regarding the action taken against the member and a copy will be sent to the member.
E. If the member waives his or her right to a hearing or does not attend at the appointed time and place, then the disciplinary decision of the Executive Board shall be final. Further, the member shall lose all rights of appeal as provided by these by-laws.
F. If the member disagrees with the disciplinary decision of the Executive Board, he or she shall have the right to an appeal. A special appeals committee shall be drawn from the general membership which shall consist of 5 members.
G. The member shall then have the right to present his or her case to the appeals committee. The committee shall only review the facts from the original hearing or any additional evidence.
H. The appeals committee shall make a formal recommendation to the Executive Board which shall then decide any final action. The decision of the Executive Board is final.

Article IX – Parliamentarian:

The Executive Board may appoint a member as a parliamentarian.

A. The parliamentarian shall ensure that all actions of the TCAOA or the Executive Board conforms to the constitution.
B. The parliamentarian shall have the latest edition of “Roberts Rules of Order” to accomplish his duties. This will govern the TCAOA in all cases or meetings which are not consistent with the constitution.

Article X – Amendments:

A. Any proposed amendment must be submitted in writing and read before the membership present.
B. This proposed amendment shall then be presented for adoption or rejection at the next membership meeting not to occur for at least 14 days.
C. A simple majority vote of those members in attendance must be obtained for adoption.

Article XI – Membership Assets:

Upon dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the IRS or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government for a public purpose.