By-Laws
Article 1 - Name
This organization will be known as the Northeastern Kentucky Football Officials Association (NEKFOA) and shall be for the purpose of furnishing football officials for all schools which are members of the Northeastern Kentucky Football Officials Athletic Council.
Article 2 - Objectives
The objective for this association shall be to provide means for the correct interpretation of the rules, to secure a closer cooperation and understanding among all officials, to foster a high standard of ethics; to further the interests of athletics generally by fostering a proper spirit of sportsmanship and fair play; to provide and aid in the development of new or inexperienced officials who are members of this association.
Article 3 - Membership
The membership shall be open to all officials who qualify. The qualifications for membership are as follows:
A. Registration with the KHSAA.
B. Attendance at all clinics and meetings as directed by the state and association, and comply, See Article 7, section 3.
No member of the Association shall work as a regular member of an established officiating crew until the following criteria are met:
A. A minimum of 1 year’s experience as a member of the association.
B. A minimum of 10 games worked including JFL, JV, Jr. High, or Varsity.
C. Recommended approval from the Assigning Secretary.
No additional officiating crews can be formed and assigned varsity games on a permanent basis without the recommendation of the Assigning Secretary and the approval of a majority of the association members present at the meeting at which the matter is presented to the membership.
Article 4 - Administration
Section 1 - Officers
The officers shall be composed of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Training Supervisor. These officers shall be elected annually at the last meeting of the calendar year by parliamentary procedure. The immediate past President of the association shall serve as an ex-official advisor to the officers.
Section 2 - Duties of Officers
A. PRESIDENT - The President of the NEKFOA shall preside at all meetings. He shall represent the NEKFOA on the NEKHSAC.
B. VICE-PRESIDENT - The Vice-President shall assist the president and the supervisor of officials in the discharge of their duties. He shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.
C. SECRETARY - The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all meetings, correspond when necessary to all members, prepare the handbook, and keep accurate records of attendance at all NEKFOA meetings.
D. TREASURER - The Treasurer will keep an accurate account of all moneys of the association, collect dues from all members, and give financial reports upon request from the President.
E. TRAINING SUPERVISOR - The Training Supervisor will be responsible for the training and development of new officials with primary emphasis on the rules and mechanics of football officiating. In addition he will assist the Assigning Secretary in securing game assignments for new officials and evaluating their individual progress.
Article 5 - Annual Dues
Annual dues for each member of the NEKFOA shall be Twenty ($20.00) dollars including insurance and enumeration to the Assigning Secretary in the amount of Seven Dollars and Fifty cents ($7.50). Dues shall be paid on or before August 15th. Failure to pay dues before the deadline will result in automatic suspension until dues are paid. If dues are not paid by the Tuesday before a scheduled game the official will be replaced for that game.
Article 6 - Uniform
The working uniform of the association shall be that adopted by the KHSAA.
Article 7 - Meetings and Clinics
Section 1 - Clinics
All members of the NEKFOA must attend the KHSAA State Clinic for football or the State make-up meeting. The dates will be announced through publications.
Section 2 - Meetings
A. Association meetings shall be held in accordance with a schedule drawn up by the Officers and whenever deemed necessary by the President and a majority of members present at an association meeting shall be required to conduct association business.
B. All members of the NEKFOA must attend a minimum of 6 association meeting during the calendar year. A maximum of 2 games called on a meeting night will count towards meeting attendance.
C. The Executive Board, consisting of the current years officers and the last years President, will handle a members attendance absenteeism.
D. It is recommended that the referee is responsible to see that at least one of his crew members is present at each regular meeting.
E. It is each members’ responsibility for meeting attendance. If you must miss a meeting because of a work schedule, officiating a ball game, or any other legitimate reason, contact a E-Board member, or your referee, so your excuse can be given to and documented by the Secretary during that week of the meeting that you are going to miss. These documented excuses will be used by the E-Board to help in determining a members’ meeting attendance requirement, if the ember comes up short of his 6 attended meetings.
Section 3 - Meeting dates and locations
See page _______.
Section 4 - Test requirements
All association members must take a National Federation Football Examination during the current football season.
Article 8 - Assigning Secretary
The Assigning Secretary as designated and approved by the KHSAA shall be responsible for the assignment of the association’s officiating crews and Pool Officials to the Home Varsity games scheduled by the member schools of the NKHSAC and all other schools as requested. The Assigning Secretary shall also be responsible for the evaluation of the officiating skills of all association members.
Article 9 - "Coach of the Year" award
At the last scheduled meeting each year, the association membership will select a "Coach of the Year" from among the coaches employed by the member school of the NKHSAC. The selection will represent the coach who in the opinion of the association membership best exemplifies the spirit of sportsmanship among his peers and to his players and officials. The person selected as "Coach of the Year" will be invited to the associations’ annual banquet by the Assigning Secretary. The Vice-President shall be responsible of obtaining and presenting an appropriate award to the "Coach of the Year".
Article 10 - Suspension
If any member of the NEKFOA fails to comply with any of the regulation contained in these By-Laws of the association, he (or crew) may present his (their) case to the members of the Executive Board (E-Board). The E-Board will present it to the association, with their recommendation, at the next meeting. The member (or crew) may be forgiven for the by-law violation by a majority vote of the association members present at the meeting. A member (or crew) may be forgiven only one time for by-law violations in any one calendar year. If a majority vote is not received, a fine of one (1) game fee for each by-law violation will be levied to that member (or crew). All fines will be paid to the NEKFOA before he (or the crew) may officiate his (their) next ballgame. Failure to comply with any wishes of this association will result in suspension of any member (or crew) for the remainder of the calendar year, or until the matter is resolved.
Article 11 - Cancellation or postponement of game
It is the duty of the home school to properly notify the game officials in case of cancellation or postponement of the athletic contest. Failure to properly notify the officials prior to leaving home will cost the school a game fee per official. This is in accordance with the KHSAA handbook (see pg. 229).
Article 12 - Acceptance of assignments
Any official failing to work an assigned contest without giving proper notification to the person who assigned the game will be fined one game fee of the level you were supposed to officiate, unless a justifiable reason is given to the E-Board.
Article 13 - Amendments
These by-laws may be amended, repealed or altered in whole or in part by a majority of the members present at an association meeting. Proposed amendments, etc., must be announced to all members of the association by the President one week prior to an association meeting.