USA Track & Field Alaska
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USA Track & Field Alaska Bylaws

ARTICLE I
NAME

The name of this organization shall be the USATF Alaska. Inc., herein also referred as the "Alaska Association", "this Association", or "this corporation". The term USATF Alaska shall be used for the purpose of brevity or for use in a logotype.

ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS

As used by these Bylaws:

Athlete: Means any person who actively competes in the sport of athletics regardless of age.

Athletics: Means, inclusively, track and field, long distance running, Cross-Country running, road running, and racewalking.

Club: Means a group of five (5) or more registered athletes who form one organized group for the purpose of competition, event management, and/or education in Athletics.

Coach: Means a person who is currently engaging in the training of athletes on an active basis, whether on a paid basis or not, and regardless of the extent to which coaching is a part of the person's vocation, or retired from the vocation of coaching.

NABR: Means the National Athletics Board of Review, as established in USATF Operating Regulation 11.

Organization: Means any group, other than a club, with an interest in the sport of athletics
and conducts competitions in athletics.

Official: Means any USATF certified official.

Regions: Means one of three (3) regions in the state of Alaska (see map, Attachment 1).

Sanction: Means the document which evidences the authority granted by either
USATF and/or this Association to conduct a competition, and which also evidences that the recipient has complied with the requirements of USATF Article 20 and USATF Operating Regulation 14.

Unattached athletes: Means any athlete who does not belong to a club.

USATF: Means USA Track and Field, the national governing body of athletics.

ARTICLE III
PURPOSE AND DUTIES

The purpose of this association is to act as a member of USA Track and Field and to promote and improve the opportunities for, and the interests of, athletes to train and compete in track & field, long distance running, cross country, and racewalking at all levels. This non-profit corporation shall act as the governing body (as defined by the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998) for Athletics in the state of Alaska.

ARTICLE IV
AUTHORITY

This association shall be the local governing body for the sport of Athletics in the State of Alaska. and shall exercise the powers appropriated by USA Track and Field in Alaska. This association shall conduct the local administration of the sport and shall establish Association goals and encourage the attainment of those goals in Athletics. This association is a member of USA Track and Field, and is governed by the provisions of the USATF Bylaws and Operating Regulations. These bylaws are supplemental to and not in lieu of those national organization documents.

ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP

Members of this association shall be Athletes, Clubs, Officials, Coaches, Sustaining Members, and any other individuals or organizations as may be recognized by the Association or by USA Track and Field. To become a member, each group or individual shall apply for membership in writing to the Association. Membership shall be effective upon acceptance by the association. The membership period and renewal dates shall be set by the national organization.

ARTICLE VI
VOTING MEMBERS

All members who are over the age of eighteen are entitled to participate in voting in the elections of this Association. No individual may cast more than one vote on any motion or in any election. All voters must be current members of this Association at the time they are voting. There will be no proxy voting.

ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS

There shall be an annual meeting of this Association, with a specific date and location made known in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting.

A quorum shall consist of those members present at the meeting. Members unable to be present because of geographic locations may be considered present by conference call. Each member present shall be entitled to one (1) vote.

Special Meetings of the Association may be called by the President with fifteen (15) days prior
written notice to members. The notice must include the stated purpose of the meeting.

The Order of Business shall be:
Call to Order and Roll Call
Minutes of the Last Meeting
Financial Report
Standing Sport Committee Reports
Standing Administrative Committee Reports
Election of Delegates to USATF National Convention
Old Business
Action on Proposed Amendments to Bylaws
Officer Elections (even numbered years only)
New Business
Adjournment

ARTICLE VIII
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

The officers of this Association shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the management team and shall be an ex- officio member of all committees. The President shall manage and supervise the affairs of this Association as directed by the management team. The President may appoint members to fill vacant positions on the management team.

Vice-president: The Vice-President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and, in the case of disability of the President, shall perform the duties of that office until a successor can be elected. The Vice-President shall also perform extra duties as assigned by the President.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds and financial records of this Association, and any other valuables as may come under the auspices of any committee of this Association that belongs to the Association. The Treasurer shall give periodic financial reports to the management team and Committees as deemed appropriate by this Association

Secretary: The Secretary shall keep, or shall cause to be kept, all records of this Association, and all minutes of meetings of this Association. The secretary shall also disseminate, or cause to be disseminated, all USATF correspondence to the appropriate group in this Association.

All officers shall be elected to terms of two years, and shall be elected at the annual meeting falling in an even-numbered year.

ARTICLE IX
MANAGEMENT TEAM

The Officers and Committee Chairs of this Association shall form the management team, and shall be responsible to manage and supervise the affairs of the Association. The voting members of this management team shall be: Officers of this Association, Standing Sport Committee Chairmen, Standing Administrative Committee Chairmen, and one representative of each Member club. Each region of the State shall have at least one representative on the management team, or the President shall appoint a representative for that region to the team.

At least 20% of the members of the management team must be athletes, or the President may appoint athletes to serve as members of the management team so that the 20% minimum requirement is met.

The management team shall meet regularly as necessary at the time and location specified in the notice of such meeting provided by the President. Meetings must be noticed at least seven days in advance. Management team members may waive notice. The secretary shall maintain minutes of all management team meetings, which shall be available to all association members.

ARTICLE X
COMMITEES

The standing committees of this Association shall consist of sport or administrative committees.
SPORT COMMITTEES: ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES:
Youth Officials
Track & Field Membership
Long Distance Running Records & Certification
Masters Coaches
Race Walking Unattached Athletes
Ultra Running and Trail Running

The President, with the approval of the management team, may appoint additional committees as needed.
General Provisions: All Sport Committees shall have at least one (1) member named from each club with at least five (5) registered athletes in this area. and one (1) member from each registered organization that conducts a sanctioned competition in the committee specialty. At least 20% of the members of each sport committee shall be athletes. All Administrative Committees, with the exception of the Records & Certification and Membership
committees, shall consist of those members duly registered. Each Committee shall hold an annual meeting of its membership at a time convenient to the members of the committee. Notice of said meeting shall be made known in writing no later than fifteen (15) days prior to said meeting. Additional meetings may be called as necessary by the Chair of the committee with fifteen (15) days prior written notice of said meeting.

Each Committee shall elect a chairman in the even-numbered years, and this Chairman will serve on the Association management team. Each member of the committee will have one (1) vote. For any committee that is inactive, the President may appoint a Chair for that committee.

Each committee shall establish written operating procedures so as to secure effective administration of committee functions without depriving the membership of their rights or participation in all committee
action.

ARTICLE XI
VOTING

The following shall apply to election for officers in this Association.
The election of officers of this Association shall take place in even numbered years at the annual meeting. Notice of election must be announced to the membership at least 30 days in advance. The Membership Chair shall serve as head of nominating committee. Nominations may be made from the floor. Members must be present to vote, and no member may cast more than one vote.
1 Election notice:
a. Distribution: Notice must be distributed by mail, newsletter, local Association website, and/or the National Office's website.

b. Website use: If a website is to be used to inform members of the elections, then members must be informed where to find information on the website through a mailing or newsletter.

c. Prior arrival: The initial meeting notice must be sent by means under
which it will arrive at least thirty (30)days prior to the beginning of the elections process

d. Changes: any notice of a meeting change must be at least: fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting.

2 Nominating process:

a. In-person meeting nominations: Nominations must be allowed from the
floor at an in-person election meeting

b. Candidate eligibility: A candidate must be a member of the Association who is at least 18 years of age (at the start of the term of office)

c. Candidates for the position of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer may be nominated by any member of the association or the board of directors. Nominations must be allowed from the floor at the annual meeting where the election is held.

d. A candidate needs one nominator and one seconder who are members.

3 Voter criteria:

a. One person-one ballot: One (1) person shall cast only one (1) ballot, regardless of how many positions within the Association the person occupies;

b. Proxies: There shall be no proxy voting;

c. Minimum age: Voters must be a minimum of age eighteen (18) on the day
of the election.

d. Voting membership deadline: Except for renewals from the previous year, individuals must be members in the month which ends more than one full month preceding the election.

e. Appointees: An appointed committee chair or Board member shall not vote in elections in that capacity, but may otherwise qualify for a vote

f. Organizations: Organizations shall have a minimum of one :1) vote, with the Association having the option of awarding additional votes based on the size of organizations.

g. Organization voters: It an organization has more than one (1) vote, a
different representative must cast each ballot.

h. Membership: Organizations and any person representing an organization
in Association voting matters must be members of USATF

Conduct of Voting: This association shall use an open meeting ballot where all members of the association are eligible to attend and vote.

a. Disputes: Credential disputes must be resolved before the election process is started with nominations and/or the report of the nominating committee

b. Uncontested: Uncontested elections may be voted by acclamation.

c. Ballot Type: A secret ballot must be used for contested elections.

Counting of Ballots:

Panel: A panel of at least three (3) individuals, at least one (1) of whom must be an athlete, shall count the ballots and sign the tally. All panel members shall be of voting age. The panel should not include any individual who is a candidate for a contested office. The panel may consult as necessary with the chairs, secretary and/or parliamentarian so long as they are not candidates for the contested offices on procedural matters.

Committee chairs:

a. Age and terms: All committee chairs, whether elected or appointed, must be at least 18 years of age and members of the Association. Chairs shall be elected for 2 years.

b Election: When requested by two (2) or more member organizations of the Association, sport committee chairs shall be elected. When a sport chair is elected, the election shall take place at a meeting, which is held separately from the general elections, either by time or location, and at a minimum, shall be advertised to all member organizations in the Association active in the discipline;

c. Format: A convention format may be used for the Association's annual
meeting, at which all elections for sport committee chairs may be held; and

d. Division elections: Joint election meetings may be held by committees in the divisions defined by USATF at the national level: high performance (men's track & field, women's track & field, and race walking), long distance running (men's, women's, masters, and cross country), and general competition (masters track & field, youth, and Associations)

Majority requirements
a. Officers: Regardless of whether a mail ballot is used, the president and secretary of the association must be elected by a majority of the ballots cast. If a run-off election is necessary, the run-off notice must be sent by means under which it will arrive at least thirty (30) days prior to the voting of the runoff.

Employees and elections: Current employees of this association (working within the past ninety days) shall not participate in any part of the elections process .(nominations or campaigning), but may, at the discretion of the Association, be permitted to vote if they are members and are otherwise eligible.

ACTICLE XII
STANDING COMMITTEE OPERATIONS

Sport committees: Conduct Championships in their respective sports and promote their respective sports throughout the Association.
Administrative committees:
1. Officials: Shall be responsible for certifying and generally providing instructional programs for officials, consistent with the directives of the Association.

2. Membership: Shall oversee the registration of all athletes, clubs, organizations, sustaining members, and sanctioned events.

3. Coaches: Shall serve as a source of reference, opinion, and advice for the management team, and all Sport Committees.

4. Unattached Athletes: Shall serve as a source of reference, opinion, and advice for the management team and all Sport Committees.

ARTICLE XIII
DISSOLUTION

Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Officers shall after paying or making provisions for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purpose of the corporation in such a manner, or to such organization or organizations, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes ad shall at the time qualify as exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (c)(3) or the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the management team shall determine.

ARTICLE XIV
AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these Bylaws may be submitted at any meeting of the management team, either orally or written. Such changes must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the management team.

ARTICLE XV
SAVING CLAUSE

When in the judgment of the members of the management team at a meeting. no violation of the rights of members has occurrence failure to comply literally with these Bylaws will not void actions of this Association.

ARTICLE XV
REMOVAL

Any member of the Management Team who fails to perform the duties of their position (office), or whose conduct is deemed prejudicial to the organization, may be removed from their position by a two-thirds (2/3) Vote of the membership of the chapter. Prior to such removal, a team member (Officer) shall have been given an opportunity to produce, before the membership, evidence to refute such charges.

ATRICLE XVI
REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES

A. Redress of Grievances:

A grievance may be any matter within the cognizance of this Association other than doping offenses described in USATF Operating Regulation 10. A Grievance Complaint shall state that (i) conduct detrimental to the best interests of Athletics or USATF has taken place, or (ii) a violation of any of the Bylaws or Operating Regulations of USATF and/or this Association has occurred, or (iii) the rules of eligibility as defined by the IAAF have been broken. Only members may file grievance complaints. Except as provided in USATF Regulation 11-A-3, Grievance Complaints must be filed within two (2) years from the time the complaining party knew or should have known of the act giving rise to the Complaint. All grievances MUST originate at the Association level.

B. Grievance Complaints:

Grievance Complaints shall:
• be filed with the Association Secretary, with a $50 fee, which may be refunded if the grievance is upheld.
• be signed and notarized,
• allege with particularity the nature of the grievance, and, where appropriate, the USATF rule which has been violated or broken, and ask that USATF take such action as may be appropriate and in accordance with its rules.

The Association Secretary shall forward a copy of each Grievance Complaint to the President. NO GRIEVANCE WILL BE ACTED ON UNLESS AND UNTIL ALL OF THE ABOVE STEPS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.

C. Resolution of grievances:

Upon receipt of a Grievance Complaint:
1. The President or his/her designee shall use every effort to resolve the grievance through informal means, and, in the case of grievances pertaining to a specific athlete or a specific sport discipline, the President or his/her designee shall also confer with the chair of the sport committee for the discipline involved. As part of the informal resolution process, all respondents named in the Grievance Complaint shall be served with a copy.

2. If the informal resolution of the Grievance Complaint is unsatisfactory to any party, the President shall then appoint an Association Board of Review to address the grievance complaint within ninety five (95) days from the date the complaint was filed. The notice of the hearing date and members of the Association Board of Review must be sent to both parties within fifteen (15) days of receipt of grievance. Hearing date will be no less than thirty five (35) days from date grievance was received by the Association Secretary.

1. Association Board of Review: Shall consist of an impartial three (3) member panel to hear grievance that is acceptable to all parties concerned. The Association Board of Review shall consist of at least one athlete and not be members of the Association Board or Executive Committee.

2. If a party has an objection to one of the members of the Association Board of Review for a real or apparent conflict of interest they should submit in writing no less than fifteen (15) days before hearing their petition for removal of the arbitrator(s) on the Association Board of Review.

3. The Association Board of Review may rule against any party that unnecessarily delays, or uncooperative at the proceedings, or is unprepared to present evidence or defense at disciplinary or grievance hearing providing the proper notice of the hearing has been given to the party.

4. If an officer of USATF-Alaska is named in the grievance, then said officer shall be removed from the grievance process.

3. If the Association Board of Review’s resolution of the Grievance Complaint is unsatisfactory

to any party, such party may invoke the provisions of USATF Regulation 11-P and request that the grievance be resolved by a formal grievance proceeding before a National Athletics Board of Review ($75 or $100 fee).