Bylaws

Niagara Junior Purple Eagles Bylaws

January 2026

Prepared by the Bylaws Committee: Craig Maslona, Chris Metro, Gordy Stewart

Table of Contents

I.                   NAME, AFFILIATION, & PURPOSE ..……………………………………………………………2

II.                MEMBERSHIP ………………………………………………………..…………………………………2

III.              BOARD OF DIRECTORS ……………………………………………………………………………..3

IV.              COMMITTEES ……………………………………………….…………………………………………..4

V.                 MEETINGS ………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

VI.              FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION …….………………………………………………..…………..5

VII.            POLICIES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE ...……………………………………………..7

VIII.         DISCIPLINE & DUE PROCESS …………………………………………………..…….…………..7

IX.               INDEMNIFICATION …………………………………………………………………………………..7

X.                 AMENDMENTS …………………………………..……………………………………………………..8

XI.               POLICY MANUAL ….…………………………………………………………………………………..8

XII.            DISSOLUTION …………………………………………………………………………………………..8

XIII.         CERTIFICATION OF ADOPTION ….……………………………………………………………..9

Niagara Junior Purple Eagles

Article I – Name, Affiliation, and Purpose

A.     Name and Location: The legal name of the organization is Niagara Amateur Hockey League, Inc. (NAHL), doing business as Niagara Junior Purple Eagles (NJPE). The principal office of NJPE is Dwyer Arena, 5795 Lewiston Road, Niagara University, NY 14109, and the organization’s mailing address is P.O. Box 1752, Niagara University, NY 14109. These bylaws define the corporate structure and governance of NJPE and a separate Policy Manual defines its operating procedures and program standards.

B.     Affiliation: NJPE (EIN: 16-6089072) is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes as defined by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and no part of its net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any private individual. NJPE is chartered as an Affiliate Association of USA Hockey and the New York State Amateur Hockey Association (NYSAHA). NJPE shall abide by and act in accord with the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, Playing Rules and decisions of the Board of Directors of USA Hockey, which shall take precedence over and supersede all similar governing documents and decisions of NJPE. NJPE shall assist USA Hockey in the administration and enforcement of such provisions.

C.     Purpose: NJPE is formed to promote, supervise and regulate amateur ice hockey within its jurisdiction in accordance with USA Hockey. NJPE shall be guided by USA Hockey’s stated core values of Sportsmanship, Respect for the Individual, Integrity, Pursuit of Excellence, Enjoyment, Loyalty, and Teamwork. NJPE shall cooperate with USA Hockey to:

a.      Foster the growth and development of amateur hockey.

b.     Ensure compliance with USA Hockey’s governing documents.

c.      Provide for sanctioning of teams, officials, leagues, and tournaments within its jurisdiction.

d.     Adopt and enforce standards for membership, registration, certification, and conduct.

D.    Purple Eagles: NJPE shall continue to maintain a strong relationship with Niagara University and will share in the effort to promote and improve the hockey programs of both organizations.

Article II – Membership

NJPE is a non-member corporation under the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (NPCL). All parents, guardians, players, and volunteers are participants, not statutory members, and have no voting rights under New York NPCL §601. All corporate authority resides in the Board of Directors.

Article III – Board of Directors

A.     General Powers: The Board shall oversee the governance, fiscal integrity, and programs of NJPE. Officers and Directors perform duties as defined by the Board in the Policy Manual. Each voting Board Member must be in good standing with USA Hockey and be SafeSport compliant. No compensated individual shall serve in any voting position.

B.     Composition: The Board of Directors shall consist of not fewer than eleven (11) and not more than fifteen (15) voting Officers and Directors, at-large seats are optional.

Officers

·      President

·      Vice President

·      Secretary

·      Treasurer

Directors

·      House Director

·      Travel Director

·      SafeSport Coordinator

·      Coaching Director (ACE Coordinator)

·      Communications Director (Marketing, Fundraising, Yearbook, Banquet, Webmaster)

·      Equipment Director

·      Tournament Director

·      At-Large Directors (annual terms, up to 4 positions)

Advisors (Non-Voting)

·      Controller (Non-voting)

·      Registrar (Non-voting)

·      Legal Advisor (Non-voting)

Coordinators (Non-Voting, unless also filling at-large position)

·      House Coordinator (reports to Treasurer and House Director)

·      Mites Program Coordinator (ADM) (reports to House Director)

·      Travel Coordinator (reports to Treasurer and House Director)

·      Raptors Program Coordinator (8U) (reports to Travel Director)

·      Girls Program Coordinator

C.     Terms: At-Large Directors are appointed by the Board annually at the May meeting. Non-voting Advisors and Coordinators serve at the pleasure of the Board and may be appointed or removed by majority vote at any time. The following Directors shall serve three-year staggered terms so that approximately 1/3 of seats expire annually:

Year 1: President, Treasurer, Travel Director, Communications Director

Year 2: Vice President, House Director, Coaching Director, Equipment Director

Year 3: Secretary, Tournament Director, SafeSport Coordinator

D.    Vacancies: Vacancy in any voting board position shall be filled by majority vote of the remaining Directors, and the individual appointed shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

E.     Resignation - Directors and officers may resign at any time by providing written notice of resignation to the Secretary and shall be effective immediately unless a later effective date is stated.

F.     Removal - Any Director or Officer may be removed, with or without cause by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of Board Members at any meeting where a quorum is present, provided that written notice of the proposed action is given at least ten (10) days in advance.

Article IV – Committees

All committees shall be advisory except the Executive Committee and Finance Committee, which may act only as authorized by the Board; no committee shall act without explicit Board delegation. Standing committees shall include: Finance, Discipline, Fundraising, Player Development, and Outreach. Committees may include non-directors but must be chaired by a voting board member. A bylaws committee may be convened at any point to include at least three (3) Directors to present bylaws changes to the board for consideration. The Executive Committee consists of the officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) and may handle urgent matters between meetings with board approval. The Executive Committee shall not exercise any powers prohibited under New York NPCL §712, including the power to fill board vacancies, amend bylaws, approve mergers or dissolution, or remove directors.

Article V – Meetings

The Board shall meet at least ten (10) times annually including an annual organizational meeting in May. The meetings are open to any NJPE participant (parents, players, coaches, and volunteers) to observe. Attendance at all meetings is expected for any member with voting rights unless excused by the President. All meetings may be conducted in person or by electronic means consistent with New York NPCL §708. Robert’s Rules of Order may be used as a guide. The Board may limit attendance if required to maintain order or confidentiality.

A.     Executive Sessions: If deemed necessary by the majority of board members at any properly scheduled board meeting, a closed meeting of board members shall be called. The meeting will be closed to the public; however, non-board members may be invited to or requested to attend the meeting.

B.     Special Meetings: Special board meetings may be called by the President, or by a minimum of five (5) board members. When called by five (5) board members, said board members shall present their request in writing (email shall be considered an acceptable form of writing) to the President who shall, in turn, call the meeting.

C.     Annual Organizational Meeting: There shall be a minimum of one (1) annual meeting, held in May at the conclusion of each hockey season for the purpose of electing directors to open seats, including expiring terms, and conducting other business as may come before the board. Absent extenuating circumstances, notice of the meeting shall be posted on the NJPE website at least thirty (30) days prior to this meeting. Advisors shall attend the annual meeting.

D.    Notice: Notice of all meetings shall be distributed to all board members by email (all board members shall provide the Secretary with an email address for notification), and may also be posted on the website. Absent extenuating circumstances, at least three (3) days notice of any meeting shall be provided.

E.     Quorum: A majority of the entire Board, meaning the current total number of voting directors in positions fixed by these bylaws, shall constitute a quorum.

F.     Action of the Board: Each voting director shall have one vote. Unless otherwise stated herein, or otherwise required by law, the vote of the majority of directors present at the time of a vote shall be the act of the board if a quorum is present at such time.

G.     Adjournment of Meetings: A majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meeting to another time and place.

H.    Action of the Board Without a Meeting: the board may take any action without a formal meeting by unanimous written consent of all voting Directors (email shall be considered an acceptable form of writing) to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. This includes bylaws and policy manual changes. The resolution shall be filed with the minutes of the next regularly scheduled board meeting.

Article VI – Financial Administration

The Treasurer shall manage governance level oversight of NJPE finances including board reporting, financial authorization, and Finance Committee supervision. The Controller’s duties are operational, not supervisory. The Controller shall manage the recording and organization of all NJPE financial transactions, analyze financial health, provide strategic advice, and prepare taxes. The Controller shall provide all data to and collaborate with the Finance Committee and any Auditor assigned by the board.

A.      Fiscal Year: The fiscal year shall run from June 1 through May 31.

B.     The Board shall maintain no more than three (3) general NJPE bank accounts:

(1) one Cash Receipts (Depository) Checking Account,

(2) one Primary Operating Checking Account, and

(3) one Savings Account.

Upon adoption of these bylaws, all existing NJPE bank accounts, excluding any Board-approved team-level accounts, shall be consolidated into these three accounts, and all other accounts shall be closed at the direction of the Board.

All NJPE revenue, including but not limited to tournament revenue, registration fees, donations, fundraising proceeds, sponsorships, and sales, shall be deposited into the Cash Receipts Checking Account, except where merchant processors, grant requirements, or operational necessity require temporary deposit to another account, in which case such funds shall be transferred promptly and documented.

All disbursements, including administrative and program expenses, shall be made solely from the Primary Operating Checking Account. No debit card transactions, cash withdrawals, or expense payments shall be made from the Cash Receipts Checking Account.

The Savings Account shall be used exclusively for Board-designated reserves. Transfers into or out of the Savings Account shall require Board approval.

All funds shall be accounted for using an accounting system recommended by the Treasurer and Controller, and approved by the Board, which shall segregate revenues and expenses by program, purpose, or restriction as appropriate.

C.     NJPE Team Accounts: All team bank accounts are the property of NJPE, shall be opened under NJPE’s EIN, and shall be subject to oversight and access by the Treasurer and Controller. Team managers act as agents of NJPE. Team accounts shall be zeroed out at season end.

D.    Audit: All checks and disbursements over $1,000 require dual authorization, one of which must be the Treasurer or President. Annual budgets shall be adopted by the Board. Independent review is required if total revenue exceeds $250,000 and a full audit if revenue exceeds $1,000,000, or either at the request of a majority of board members. The auditor shall be an independent CPA selected by the board.

E.     Authorization: All checks, drafts, orders for payment of money and electronic (online) payments on behalf of the board shall require an authorized signature from one the following individuals: President, Treasurer, House Director, House Coordinator, Travel Director, Travel Coordinator. All disbursements over $1,000 shall require two authorized signatures, one of which must be the Treasurer or President. Written documentation (including email) shall be maintained for approval of all expenses. No compensated party can sign for their own compensation.

F.     Surety Bonds and Insurance: Although USA Hockey provides Affiliates a level of general liability insurance, directors and officers insurance and crime insurance, the Board must evaluate that coverage and whether or not NJPE may require further coverage. The cost of any such additional coverage shall be paid by NJPE. NJPE may maintain adequate insurance coverage, including but not limited to general liability, directors and officers (D&O) liability, and fidelity (crime) insurance to protect the organization, its officers, directors, volunteers, and participant members against loss or liability arising from their service to NJPE.

G.     Fundraising: All NJPE, Travel, House and individual team fundraising activities, whether using the NJPE logo or not, must be pre-approved by the board. For all NJPE sponsored tournaments, the profits from said tournaments will be deposited into the general operating accounts of NJPE.  Any allocations to specific program expenses shall be approved by the Board.

Article VII – Policies Incorporated by Reference

The following policies are hereby incorporated by reference and shall be binding on all NJPE personnel: USA Hockey SafeSport Policy, USA Hockey Zero Tolerance Policy, USA Hockey Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest Policy (New York NPCL §715-a compliant), and Whistleblower Policy (New York NPCL §715-b compliant).

Article VIII – Discipline and Due Process

All disciplinary matters shall be governed in accordance with USA Hockey, NYSAHA, and WNYAHL rules. The Board shall maintain a Discipline Committee responsible for rule enforcement, due process and hearing procedures consistent with those standards. Such processes are detailed in the policy manual. SafeSport matters shall be handled exclusively under USA Hockey SafeSport Policy and are not subject to local Discipline Committee hearings.

Article IX – Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, NJPE shall indemnify any person made or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of service as a director, officer, volunteer, or agent of NJPE, provided such person acted in good faith and in the best interests of NJPE. NJPE is covered under USA Hockey’s general liability insurance and the Directors and Officers and Crime Insurance policies maintained by USA Hockey, and may be covered by additional coverage. NJPE shall indemnify and hold harmless USA Hockey and its representatives from claims arising from NJPE’s acts or omissions, except as limited by the USA Hockey Affiliate Agreement.

Article X – Amendments

These bylaws shall be reviewed whenever requested by the Board by convening a bylaws committee of at least three (3) voting board members, including the Secretary, to propose changes for consideration. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of directors present at a meeting where quorum is met, provided that written notice of proposed amendments (including email) is given at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting. Any change in the NJPE name, color, or logo of NJPE will be considered a by-law change and also must be presented before the start of the regular season and, if approved, will not take effect until the start of the following season. This allows a one (1) year phase-in to take effect.

Article XI – Policy Manual

The Board retains full authority to adopt, amend, or repeal all policies. The Policy Manual shall at least contain the duties of Officers and Directors and include detailed operational policies and administrative procedures of NJPE. The Policy Manual shall be subordinate to and consistent with these bylaws. The bylaws define the corporate structure and governance of the organization and the Policy Manual defines its operating procedures and program standards. In case of conflict between the Policy Manual and these Bylaws, the Bylaws shall control. All policies contained in the Policy Manual must conform to these bylaws, USA Hockey and NYSAHA regulations, and applicable federal and state laws.

A.   Certification: The Board of Directors shall maintain and annually review and adopt the annual Policy Manual to accompany and implement these bylaws by majority vote at the annual meeting. The Secretary shall record such certification in the minutes, maintain the current version and distribute copies to all Board members annually and after any changes are made.

B.   Amendments: The Board shall review the Policy Manual at least annually, during the organizational meeting held each May, to ensure accuracy, consistency, and effectiveness. Any amendments thereto, shall be adopted, amended, or rescinded by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at any properly called meeting.

Article XII – Dissolution

Upon the dissolution of NJPE, assets shall be distributed by action of the board for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the principal office is then located, exclusively for such purposes.

Article XIII – Certification of Adoption

Adopted by the Board of Directors of the Niagara Amateur Hockey League, Inc. (d/b/a Niagara Junior Purple Eagles) on _________________. These Bylaws supersede all prior versions.

______________________________________

President

______________________________________

Secretary

_____________________________________

Date

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