Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame
(revised September 23, 2015)

ARTICLE ONE – MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame will be awarded to those persons judged worthy of such honor due to overall contribution to softball in the Cedar Rapids area, and – where applicable – other contributions and activities in the community.

• 1. Nomination: Any interested party may submit, in writing, the name of a candidate for consideration for membership to any current member of the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame. A written resume fully outlining the nominee’s softball accomplishments and background must accompany the resume. Accomplishments and honors outside softball should also be listed.
• 2. Eligibility for nomination: A candidate must have played, managed, sponsored or umpired in an organized league in the Cedar Rapids area for at least five (5) years, or be considered fit for membership for other reasons. Players must be retired from active participation, or have reached their 45th birthday by their induction date.
• 3. Selection Committee: A Selection committee of seven (7) members or more will be appointed by the president. The term of each member appointed shall be for a period of three (3) years. Each year the president will appoint new members to replace members whose terms have expired. The purpose of the Selection Committee will be to secure and/or review resumes of nominees and select those worthy of induction into the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame from three categories as listed below, with separate balloting in each category:

• A. PLAYER/UMPIRE – up to seven (7) nominees each year, with a minimum of five (5).
• B. DECEASED – up to three (3) nominees each year, with no minimum.
• C. SPONSOR/OTHER CONTRIBUTION TO SOFTBALL – up to three (3) nominees each year, with no minimum.

It will be up to the Committee to determine to the best of their ability if a resume should be considered in the “Deceased” category. If a majority conclusion cannot be reached, the resume should be flagged and held over until the next year (or longer) so that determination can be made. There will be no challenge or appeal of Selection Committee decisions, and discussion at Selection Committee meetings shall be confidential. Persons who are not nominated by the Selection Committee or elected for induction by the general Membership will be reconsidered in future years. (Additional background information may be submitted at any time.)

4. Balloting: Candidates submitted by the Selection Committee to the general Membership for consideration into the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame will come from 12″ Fast Pitch, 11″ or 12″ Slow Pitch, 14″ Slow Pitch, 16′ Slow Pitch, Co-ed, managers, umpires and non-player categories including umpires, managers, sponsors or others seen fit in the three (3) separate categories listed above.

5.   Voting:  Each general member present at the designated election meeting (or by absentee ballot according to rules adopted at a membership meeting) will be allowed to vote as follows.  Players/Umpires – up to five (5), with a minimum of three (3).  Deceased – one (1), with no minimum.  And Sponsor/Other Contribution – one (1), with no minimum. Among Deceased and Sponsor/Other, the top vote-getter in each category shall be inducted.  Among Player/Umpire, the top five (5) vote-getters shall be inducted, PROVIDED THE QUALIFYING NOMINEES RECEIVE A MAJORITY OF ALL VOTES CAST.  If that does not occur, the category will go unfilled that year.  In case of ties in any or all three categories, members present at the designated election meeting shall vote on either inducting those tied or holding a run-off election among those tied.  In Player/Umpire, this will apply only in cases when ties would cause the number of inductees to exceed five (5).  In Deceased and Sponsor/Other categories, it will apply only in cases when two (2) or more are tied as top vote-getters.  Those elected will be notified in writing or by other means by the President and/or Secretary (or their designee).  Date and site of induction will be at the direction of the Board of Directors.

6. Automatic induction: Inductees into a National or Iowa Softball Hall of Fame, if the person is from the Cedar Rapids area and participated in softball in the area, will be automatically inducted into the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame the following year. The number of automatic inductees will not affect the number of new members who may be inducted by Membership vote.

ARTICLE TWO – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
1. Term of office: Officers will be elected by majority vote at a meeting of the General Membership and shall hold office for the term of one (1) year unless re-elected, and will be the Directors of the Corporation. (The intent is to not limit the number of terms of an incumbent Officer.)

2. Election date:  Election of Officers will be held during a General Membership meeting no earlier than September nor later than the last meeting of the current calendar year, with the date to be determined by the Board of Directors.  Those elected will assume office at the next General Membership meeting following the election and serve until the next election.

3. Inability to serve:  If an Officer/Director is unable to serve the complete term for which he/she was elected or appointed, a replacement will be appointed by the President subject to approval by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. If an appointee is not approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the President shall make another appointment.

4. Compensation:  Officers/Directors will serve without compensation.

5. Duties: It shall be the duty of the Officers/Directors to carry on the business of the organization subject to limitation contained in the Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws, including the disposition of any earnings and assets.

6. Officer titles: Officers of the Corporation shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer who shall perform the tasks normally associated with such positions.

ARTICLE THREE – MEETINGS
1. Meeting dates: Meetings will be held on a date and at a time and place determined at the previous meeting, or by action of the President or other Officer.

2. Meeting frequency: Meetings will be held monthly unless determined to be unnecessary by the Directors. A minimum of one (1) meeting will be held each year.

3. Meeting notice: Members will be notified in person, in writing, or by electronic communication a minimum of five (5) up to a maximum of ten (10) days prior to a meeting.

4. Order of business: The order of business will be: Call to order, roll call (or sign-in), reading of the minutes of the last regular meeting (with corrections if necessary) and acceptance, Secretary’s report (if any), Treasurer’s report, committee report(s), unfinished business, new business, remarks for the good of the organization, and adjournment. A majority of affirmative votes by members present shall be sufficient to pass any measure.

ARTICLE FOUR – FUNDS

1. Place of deposit: The funds of the organization shall be deposited as the officers may direct.

2. Disbursement of funds: No dividends or pecuniary profits shall be declared or paid to any member. No member nor their spouse will be eligible for payments or prizes awarded by the Corporation.

3. Dissolution of Corporation: Upon dissolution of the corporation, any assets remaining after payment in full of all debts and obligations of the corporation shall be used and distributed exclusively for charitable purposes to an organization having similar purposes and objectives which qualifies for an exemption under Section 501{C}(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE FIVE – SEAL
This company shall have no corporate seal.

ARTICLE SIX – BUSINESS YEAR
The business year shall begin on January First of each year and end on December Thirty-first of the same year.

ARTICLE SEVEN – AMENDMENTS TO THESE BYLAWS
Proposed amendments and changes must be submitted in writing and be approved by a majority vote of the membership in attendance at two (2) consecutive meetings. Changes and amendments will be effective at the beginning of the next calendar year unless another effective date is declared by approval of a majority of members present at the second meeting.