Operating Manual

The Villages Division One Softball League

Adopted by the Board of Directors • Version 4

1. Mission Statement

2. Governance

The League is governed by a Board of Directors responsible for the overall direction, rules, and operations of the League. The Board's duties include:

• Communicating league operations to players.
• Defining and updating playing rules.
• Resolving disputes regarding rules or operations.
• Collaborating with The Villages Recreation Department to ensure smooth operations and enforce the code of conduct.
• Determining the number of teams per season.
• Conducting a seasonal draft for balanced team rosters.
• Recruiting, training, and coordinating volunteers (managers, umpires, scorekeepers, and coordinators).
• Creating seasonal game schedules and volunteer assignments.
• Managing league finances transparently.
• Coordinating Board elections for leadership continuity.
• Forming committees to improve operations (e.g., player substitutions, rule changes).
• Maintaining and updating this operating manual.
• Documenting Board decisions and activities.

3. Board of Directors

3.1 Composition

The League is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. Each Board member must be a full-time resident of The Villages with a valid resident ID. Board members serve three-year terms running from January 1 through December 31.

Board members may share responsibilities or delegate tasks to assistants — including non-Board members — to ensure efficiency and expertise.

3.2 Officers and Members

Four of the seven Board members serve as officers. The four officers are the only positions tied specifically to a Board seat:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer

The remaining three Board members participate fully in Board decisions but do not hold a Board-specific office. All Board members may contribute to league operational roles described in Section 5.

4. Officer Responsibilities

4.1 President

• Presides over Board meetings and sets agendas (published at least four days in advance).
• Calls special meetings as needed.
• Acts as the League's public representative and liaison with The Villages Recreation Department.
• Resolves disputes and enforces the code of conduct.
• Coordinates with The Villages Recreation Department on time-critical inclement-weather decisions.
• Signs checks and official documents.
• In the event of a tie, the President casts the deciding vote.

4.2 Vice President

• Assumes the President's duties in his or her absence.
• Oversees Board elections and the nominating committee.

4.3 Secretary

• Records meeting minutes and makes approved minutes available to the Board and the league.
• Maintains official Board records.

4.4 Treasurer

• Manages league finances, records receipts, and disburses payments.
• Requires Board approval for payments exceeding $250 or 10% of the budget.
• Presents a financial report at every regular Board meeting.

5. League Operational Roles

The League maintains several ongoing operational roles beyond the four Board officer positions. Each role may be filled by a Board member or by a non-Board volunteer, as circumstances require. Standing committees are described in Section 10.

5.1 Rules and Umpires

• Recruits, schedules, trains, and certifies umpires.
• Communicates weekly umpire assignments.
• Evaluates and recommends rule changes.
• Resolves rule disputes.
• Maintains a public rules forum documenting notable calls.

5.2 Sub Coordinator

• Maintains the substitute contact list.
• Works with the Evaluation Coordinator to establish player ratings.
• Handles day-to-day substitute approvals.
• Communicates approved substitutes to managers at least one day before games.

5.3 Manager Coordinator

• Recruits and selects team managers.
• Submits the list of managers to the Board for approval.

5.4 Evaluation Coordinator

• Coordinates player evaluations with The Villages Recreation Department.
• Works with the Sub Coordinator to establish player ratings.

5.5 Scorekeeping

• Ensures that scorekeepers are assigned to every league game.

6. Board Meetings

6.1 Regular Meetings

The Board meets at least once per quarter, and otherwise as needed to conduct league business. Meetings are typically held in person, and open portions are open to the public. Only Board members may vote.

6.2 Quorum

A quorum of four Board members is required to conduct business. Board action requires a majority of those present and voting, a quorum being present.

6.3 Special Meetings

The President may call additional meetings, including closed executive sessions, as needed.

6.4 Notice

Public meeting times and locations are announced on the league website at least four days in advance.

7. Board Decisions

Board meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order. Decisions require a majority of those present and voting, a quorum being present. Routine decisions (for example, draft administration or umpire assignments) are delegated to the appropriate officer or operational role.

Significant decisions requiring a Board vote include:

• Approving meeting minutes.
• Entering executive sessions.
• Approving budgets or expenditure changes exceeding 10% or $250.
• Approving disciplinary actions recommended to The Villages Recreation Department.
• Approving draft processes, manager ratings, and the number of teams for each season.
• Approving rule changes and substitute processes.
• Inclement-weather schedule adjustments when timing permits Board discussion.
• Approving managers, umpires, and scorekeepers.
• Approving changes to this manual.
• Any decision elevated by a Board member's motion, second, and vote.

All decisions are documented in the Board meeting minutes.

8. Board Elections

8.1 Term Structure

To ensure continuity, Board terms are staggered over a repeating three-year cycle:

• Year 1: two positions elected.
• Year 2: two positions elected.
• Year 3: three positions elected.

Board members may run for consecutive terms. A Board member whose term is expiring is automatically included in the candidate slate if he or she chooses to continue.

8.2 Oversight

The Vice President manages all election activities.

8.3 Eligibility

Candidates must be full-time Villages residents and in good standing — meaning no disciplinary actions or suspensions within the past two years.

8.4 Nomination

A nominating committee — consisting of the Vice President, one Board member, one non-Board manager, and two non-Board roster players — solicits and recruits candidates by September 1, and determines the final slate. Any eligible member of the league may express interest in running; the committee is not obligated to include every interested party on the slate.

8.5 Voting

Players registered in the current Fall season are eligible to vote.

8.6 Vote Counts

Vote totals are available on request.

8.7 Timelines

• September 1 — Candidate slate finalized.
• September 15 – 30 — Elections held.
• October 1 — Election results announced.

9. Vacancies, Removal, and Conflicts of Interest

9.1 End of Term

Board members whose terms are expiring continue to serve through December 31 of that year unless they resign earlier. New members take office on January 1.

9.2 Resignation and Vacancies

If a Board member resigns, the Vice President nominates one or more candidates to fill the vacancy, and the full Board votes to approve or reject each candidate. The new Board member serves the remainder of the unexpired term.

When more than 12 months remain in the unexpired term, the Vice President first issues an open call to the league announcing the vacancy and eligibility, with at least 14 days for candidates to come forward. The Vice President may also recruit candidates directly, and determines the final slate — applying the same discretion exercised by the nominating committee in regular elections — and is not obligated to include every interested party. If two or more candidates appear on the final slate, the Board holds a special election open to all players rostered in the current season; special elections are conducted electronically and paper ballots are not used. If fewer than two candidates appear on the final slate, the Board fills the vacancy through nomination and Board vote as described above.

Resigning members are encouraged to continue fulfilling their duties until a replacement is seated.

If the President resigns, the Vice President assumes the office of President for the remainder of the unexpired term.

9.3 Removal of a Board Member

A Board member may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the remaining Board members. Cause includes:

• Loss of eligibility (for example, ceasing to be a full-time Villages resident).
• A disciplinary action or suspension by The Villages Recreation Department.
• Repeated unexcused absences from Board meetings.
• Conduct that the remaining Board members determine to be materially harmful to the League.

The Board member subject to removal is given written notice of the reasons and an opportunity to respond before the vote, and does not vote on his or her own removal.

9.4 Conflicts of Interest

A Board member who has a personal, financial, or family interest in a matter before the Board discloses that interest before any discussion and recuses himself or herself from the related vote. The recusal is recorded in the meeting minutes.

10. Committees

The Board may form volunteer committees to assist with operations — for example, player substitutions, rule review, or evaluations. Committee members are appointed or removed by a majority Board vote and may include both Board and non-Board members. There are no term limits for committee members.

11. Amendments to This Manual

This manual may be amended by a simple majority vote of the Board. Proposed amendments are circulated to Board members before the vote and, once adopted, are published on the league website and reflected in the next version of this manual.