Adding fundraiser requirement after registration completed

[Guest Carol]

Our non-profit soccer club recently added a requirement of all 2012 registered players to participate in a fundraiser or pay $90 to opt out. This mandatory participation was sent out after players registered and payed their 2012 required fees and registration for the season was closed. No mention of a fundraiser was posted in the registration process or on their website. Isn't this changing our registration contract after the fact?

[jstackpo]

Seems like it, but without reading your bylaws I can't say whether it is proper or not.

I'll let you go read them and see if the body or person who changed the amounts is authorized to do so.

RONR won't help much as this doesn't appear to be a procedural matter. RONR does say that "members cannot be assessed any additional payment aside from their dues unless it is provided for in the bylaws". P. 572. But you will have to look for such "provisions" (or lack thereof) in your bylaws yourself.

[Guest Carol]

Thanks....... There is nothing in our bylaws stipulating fees. The only item I could find that would remotely be close is this: "Fundraising Activities. The Corporation, subject approval of the Board of Directors or the

Executive Committee, is authorized to obtain contributions, donations, gifts, grants, pledges

and similar grants from individuals, corporations, foundations and other organizations or

groups, and to engage in other fundraising activities, in order to support the purposes and

objectives of the Corporation."

This is a BOD that ignores rules when it serves their agenda. A year ago they had listed on their March meeting agenda, an upcoming special meeting to be held in 20 days and the special meeting agenda was to discuss and work only on bylaws. However, they did not send out a notice to members & changed the agenda via email amongst the BOD numerous times prior to the meeting. During the special meeting the prior minutes which noted the upcoming special meeting date and bylaw agenda were approved. At the end of this "special meeting", which included everything but bylaws, they closed the meeting and met amongst themselves. They did not post what the meeting was ever about, but they did vote during the meeting to terminate their only employee. The employee was never given a reason for dismissal other than they were going a different direction. The meeting minutes for both the prior monthly meeting and the special meeting were posted on their website. When word got around that they did not follow their bylaws regarding special meetings, closed meetings, and other rules, the minutes disappeared from their website. When the minutes for the 2 meetings reappeared, the first one in which the upcoming special meeting's date and its agenda were listed there was no mention of bylaws. The 2nd did not list the closed meeting.

[Trina]

Does everyone have to come up with the $90, either by paying directly (opt-out), or by making up any difference between their personal fund-raising income and the $90 at the end of the year? That would sure sound like an additional assessment to me.

On the other hand, if the requirement is just for participation in fundraising activities, without explicitly requiring the extra $90 in results from every member, the situation seems less clear. Maybe that's a duty of membership...

So, I think you have to read the fundraising requirement in detail, as well as reading your bylaws.

Actually, reading the original post again, I'm not sure this question has anything to do with parliamentary procedure or RONR. Are the registered players (or maybe their families) members of the organization?

[Guest Carol]

The players & their parents are members. Each registered player MUST sell 20 cards or pay $90. This additional soccer fee was added weeks after player registration was closed and deposit was completed. No where on or during the registration process was there ever a mention of additional fee requirements possibly being added. No where in our By-Laws does it state that the Board can require mandatory participation in anything. If we could quit and play for another club, we would, but once you register, you sign a contract to play for this club. A player can only be released if they move or they are injured and even then, you may not get your fees back.

[George Mervosh]

"Members cannot be assessed any additional payment aside from their dues unless it is provided for in the bylaws" RONR, p. 572, lines 2-4

[Guest Carol]

Thank you very much!!!