ARTICLE IV

Membership

 

Section 1.  Eligibility and Powers.  Any person paying dues and agreeing to be bound by the Bylaws and by such rules and regulations as WCOA and FHSAA may from time to time adopt shall be eligible for membership in the corporation, subject to filing a written application on a form prepared by the corporation for such purpose or in accordance with such other procedures as may be adopted by the Board. Each member (except an honorary member) shall be currently registered and in good standing with the FHSAA. All such members shall have like powers with respect to voting and eligibility for service as an officer or member of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors of the corporation shall have the power to open membership to others and to create separate classes of membership so as to include other forms of participation in WCOA’s affairs, or to create advisory positions or bodies to ensure such representation as the Board finds to be appropriate, such separate classes, positions or bodies to hold such powers and responsibilities and be subject to such restrictions as may be designated by the Board.

Section 2.  Membership Categories. The following three categories of membership are established:

1)  Probationary Member. This category includes any member that has not been certified by the Sports Committee for a WCOA designated sport, regardless of whether he or she has been a previous member of WCOA. This category also includes any member with prior membership in WCOA that has extended his or her leave of absence for more than one calendar year.

2)  Certified Member. This category includes any member that has completed a term as a probationary member and has been certified by the Sports Committee for a particular WCOA designated sport. Any previously certified official that has filed a written leave of absence with FHSAA and WCOA, provided that such leave of absence does not exceed one calendar year, shall also be deemed to be a certified member.

3)  Honorary Member. This category includes any individual that is nominated and elected for such honor by WCOA and has performed outstanding and distinctive services to WCOA, but is not currently registered as a probationary or certified member official. Such member shall not be required to pay any annual dues or fees, but shall enjoy all other privileges of membership.

The Sports Committee for each respective WCOA recognized sport will evaluate each probationary member at the completion of the annual season for such sport and decide whether probation status will be extended or lifted. A member may be deemed to be a member of more than one category of membership in the corporation if he or she is involved in more that one WCOA designated sport. Except for any honorary members that have been selected by the corporation, each member in the corporation must annually review his or her membership in the corporation.

Section 3. Termination of Membership.

1)  Resignation. Any member may resign from membership in WCOA at any time by written resignation delivered or mailed to the Secretary of the corporation, which resignation shall be effective upon receipt thereof. A member’s death shall be treated as his or her resignation.

2)  By Board of Director Action
. Membership may also be terminated by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors, but only after giving the subject member a right to learn of the cause of such proposed termination and to be heard at a Board meeting held for such purpose on written notice delivered or mailed to the member at least fifteen (15) days before such meeting, and only then upon a termination the result of which is entered in the minutes of the meeting specifically finding that continuation of the membership in question would be detrimental to the best interests of WCOA or the FHSAA. Such termination shall be effective upon the mailing of a written notice thereof to the member whose membership is so terminated. Any member whose membership is terminated by Board action may appeal such decision to the FHSAA, whose decision shall be binding on the member and WCOA.

Section 4. Voting. Each member of the corporation shall have one vote on any matter on which members are granted a voting privilege under the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, or applicable state law. There shall be no cumulative voting permitted for the election of officers or on any other matter and no membership voting by proxy.