3. Members are not prohibited from joining other officials associations. However if any member is to be booked by the MFOA and other associations, he/she must declare PRIMARY AND SECONDARY associations. This shall be accomplished on the BOOKING CONTRACT, and must be completed before a member is booked by the MFOA. The date due for the Booking Contract will be posted on the contract.

4. Members who declare the MFOA as their secondary association shall be booked by the MFOA only after all MFOA members, who are eligible and in good standing have been booked.

5. MFOA members should register with the FHSAA online via the FHSAA website. Do not send the FHSAA application to the MFOA. (NOTE: For those who choose to register with the FHSAA by mail or in person, an application is available for downloading at the FHSAA website. The FHSAA requires a $20.00 processing fee for registrations received by mail or in person.)

6. The amount of membership dues and booking fees will be reflected in the annual budget.

7. Members in good standing are eligible to be booked for sports in which they are registered with the MFOA.

8. Any member who retires from officiating with the MFOA after 15 years of service will be come a lifetime member with no voting privileges, exempt from paying membership dues, and eligible to attend meetings, banquets, and do evaluating for the MFOA.

Contents

SECTION…002 CLINICS AND MEETINGS

1. There shall be an annual meeting and Installation and Awards Banquet each year. The date and time shall be at the direction of the Board.

2. MFOA business will be conducted at the annual meeting or at meetings called by the Executive board (Hereafter referred to as the Board). Written notice, post marked at least 7 days prior to the meeting, must be given. Board meetings may be held following clinics of each sport and do not require notice. When a board meeting is held following a clinic and prior notice was not announced, the attendees of that clinic will be informed of the board meeting. All other board meetings will be posted on the MFOA website at least 3 days prior to the meeting date. Meetings called by the Board may be by the President and/or Vice President. All meetings are open to the membership.

3. Business affecting each sport, except budget, will be conducted at the pre-season clinic of that sport.

4. The Board is responsible to ensure Rules and Mechanics clinics are conducted for each sport annually.

5. Directors shall schedule at least 10 clinics annually for each sport, to include an all-day field training clinic (FTC), sufficient study sessions, and an additional FTC (attendance at the state FTC will count toward required number).

Football/Basketball:

a. Proposed clinic dates will be presented to the Board, for approval, prior to the annual meeting.

b. Proposed clinic dates and locations will be presented to the membership at the annual meeting for members planning purposes.

Baseball/Softball:

a. Shall submit to the Board for approval, clinic dates four months prior to their state rules clinic.

b. The agenda and curriculum for all clinics will be presented to the Board, for approval, prior to the pre-season clinic for each sport.

6. Attendance at the all day clinic is mandatory. Members who attend the ENTIRE clinic shall receive 10 bonus points on the MFOA scale.

a. Members may attend all day clinics in other areas providing said clinic has been approved and sanctioned by the Board.

b. Members must get the visited association to submit to the MFOA secretary, on their association letterhead, certification of attendance at the clinic.

7. All rookie officials, transfers, 2^nd and 3^rdyear officials, state rated 3s and others deemed necessary by the Directors must attend a minimum of 2 field clinics (on court/field work). These may include scrimmages, jamborees, all day clinics or FHSAA field clinics. If they do not attend, they will not be assigned. This applies to all sports officiated by the MFOA. The directors of each sport and area shall be responsible for compliance, and shall report the information to the booking commissioner, advising as to whether or not the officials have met the requirement and can be booked .

8. Credit will only be given for attendance at the clinic or any game worked which is booked or sanctioned by the MFOA. Members who work a game on the day of the clinic shall receive credit for the clinic.

9. To receive clinic credit, members must arrive no later than 10 minutes after the clinic begins and remain for the entire clinic.

10. Members receive credit for each clinic they attend, not to exceed 10 clinics/20 points.

11. Intra-squad games/jamborees may be scheduled by the Commissioner to train new officials and review the progress of others.

Contents

SECTION…003 BOOKING POLICY

1. All members of the MFOA must be in full registration compliance with both the FHSAA and the MFOA before being named to any booking. Full compliance must be confirmed by the Treasurer and presented to the Commissioner before the member is named to a booking.

2. The Commissioner books all games as prescribed in this policy. All bookings shall be reviewed by the Assignment Committee to ensure compliance with FHSAA requirements before distribution to the membership. If there is conflict in the booking and it cannot be resolved, the President shall make the final decision.

3. Directors shall have input as to the abilities of members and will keep progress records on each member.

4. For members to be eligible for Varsity games, they must make at least 75% on the current rules examination, have experience necessary to work a varsity game, have received evaluations that indicate he/she is ready for varsity competition and be recommended by the Board. Rookie officials will be on probation. Any official/umpire who fails to attain a minimum score of 75 on the state rules examination for three consecutive years, and does not attempt to take the make-up exam for two years, will not be eligible to be booked in any contest for the sport the rules examination was given.

5. Members who have the opportunity to advance in the FHSAA ratings and need only additional games to achieve the rating may solicit the Board and must provide information to include positive evaluations, necessary to substantiate the request.

6. All members shall receive an orientation of MFOA policies and procedures, which will be conducted at the tip off clinic for each sport. If exception for late registration is granted by the Board, the orientation will be given by the Directors of that sport.

7. A relative rating roster shall be prepared and distributed by the first booking if the FHSAA exam has been taken and the muster received. If the muster has not been received, the final relative rating roster from the previous year will be distributed and used until that muster is received from the FHSAA. This roster pertains ONLY to the booking of varsity games. It will be used as a guide, along with geographic areas, when booking JV/9^th grade contests. New officials will be listed in alphabetical order. The roster shall be based on the number of points accrued from the previous year, using the following scale:

NOTE: It is possible to accrue a maximum of 100 points.

STATE RATING________________EXAMINATION SCORE______________YEARS EXPERIENCE

1 = 10 POINTS...............................................95 - 100 = 30 POINTS........................................... 10 = 20 POINTS

2 = 8 POINTS................................................ 90 - 94 = 25 POINTS............................................... 9 = 18 POINTS

3 = 6 POINTS................................................ 85 - 89 = 20 POINTS............................................... 8 = 16 POINTS

3a = 2 POINTS.............................................. 80 - 84 = 15 POINTS............................................... 7 = 14 POINTS

........................................................................... 75 - 79 = 10 POINTS............................................... 6 = 12 POINTS

5 = 10 POINTS

4 = 8 POINTS

3 = 6 POINTS

2 = 4 POINTS

1 = 2 POINTS

MEETING ATTENDANCE / STATE RULES CLINIC = 10 POINTS

(MEETING ATTENDANCE POINTS COMPUTED FROM PREVIOUS YEAR CREDITS)

ALL DAY CLINIC OR STATE FIELD CLINIC = 10 POINTS

LOCAL CLINICS = 2 POINTS PER CLINIC HOUR (20 TOTAL POINTS MAXIMUM)

8. Officials may receive 2 additional points (1 clinic credit) up to a maximum of 6 points (3 clinic credits) for working non-paid scrimmages, booked and sanctioned by the MFOA. All scrimmages must be posted by the Booking Commissioner so that all interested members, in addition to those booked for the scrimmage may attend and work the scrimmage. NOTE: The change from a maximum of two scrimmages to 3 scrimmages becomes effective during the 2008-09 School year.

9. In the event of a tie, the 1^st tiebreaker will be the FHSAA exam score, the 2nd, total number of clinics attended, and the 3rd, if needed, the number of years of FHSAA recognized service. No member, regardless of the number of points accrued shall be rated above a member of the next higher state rating.

10. Members shall be booked initially each season from the previous seasons relative rating scale. Following the examination and when the results and data are received from the FHSAA, a current relative rating scale will be developed and used for the remainder of the season.

11. Eligible members will NOT be booked 3 times in a week for varsity basketball, softball, and baseball games until all eligible members have been booked once.

12. Selection of FOOTBALL REFEREES shall be accomplished by a CERTIFICATIONS COMMITTEE composed of the Board and 2 Primary Referees from the previous year (selected by the Board).

13. Varsity Primary and Varsity Alternate Referees will be a FHSAA rank of 1 or rank 2 official with a minimum of five years experience or its interscholastic equivalent. JV/9^thgrade Referees will hold an FHSAA rating of 2 or higher. An adequate number of varsity alternates and JV/9^th grade referees shall be selected and only those selected by the Committee will be used as Referees at any level.

14. A crew system will be used in football as much as schedules and personnel will permit. Crews will be selected, giving consideration to individual Referee preferences where possible and practical.

15. Five man crews will be booked for varsity football games. When there is a shortage of officials, 4 man crews will be used until all games are booked. The remaining eligible members will then be booked as 5^th officials.

16. After crews have been selected, clock operators will be selected in the following order:

a. Members designated as Clock Operators only.

b. The remaining football members.

17. Schools may scratch two officials in each sport from the MFOA membership upon written notification signed by the individual or position expediting the Officiating Agreement for the sport.

18. Members may scratch schools and other members. A letter must be submitted to the Board for approval, explaining valid reasons for the request.

19. No member will be guaranteed any number of games. The Board is responsible to provide the best officials available for all games.

20. An effort will be made to avoid assignment of a member to more than 2 varsity games at any school in football and 4 varsity games in basketball, softball and baseball.

21. Once a booking is posted, deviations will be done only after approval by the Commissioner.

22. Any member failing to meet the responsibilities of game assignments shall be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the penalties section.

23. Members must notify the Commissioner of dates they cannot work prior to the posting of the booking. Once the booking is posted, all assignments must be honored.

24. If it is necessary to cancel an assignment, members must notify the Commissioner immediately by telephone, e-mail or fax, unless personal contact has been made. If verbal notification was given, it must be followed-up by written notification. The reason is then provided in writing to the Commissioner.

a. The written notice must be received by the Commissioner within 7 days following the cancellation.

b. Any cancellation shall subject the member to the fine schedule in this manual.

c. If a pattern of abusive cancellations, in number or timeliness is demonstrated, a member may be fined and/or suspended.

25. Supporting officials shall contact the Referee/Umpire in chief (listed 1^st on booking) at least 48 hours prior to game time to make travel arrangements. Contact may be by voice to voice contact, email, fax in addition to acceptance through booking web site. A note on the Arbiter is also sufficient notification, but travel arrangement with the Referee/Umpire in Chief must still be made. The Referee/Umpire in chief is responsible to insure the crew is intact at least 36 hours before game time.

a. In addition to fixing place to meet for travel, the Referee/Umpire in chief will predetermine the arrival time at the game site for all crew members during initial contact.

b. If the member makes numerous attempts to contact the Referee/Umpire in chief, to no avail, he/she should notify the Commissioner immediately.

c. If no contact is made by the 36 hour deadline, the Referee/Umpire in chief should also contact the Commissioner.

26. No official may officiate a contest involving a school at which his/her child currently attends, the official himself/herself and/or a relative currently works, or from which the official himself/herself attended or graduated within the last seven (7) years. Member must notify the Commissioner at time Booking Contract is completed in order to be removed from bookings for schools where above applies.

27. The Board, based on recommendations by the Directors, shall have the authority to temporarily or permanently curtail the booking of a member, based on low evaluations, complaints, etc.

28. Contracts shall be mailed to the schools annually and will be worded to the extent that there is no conflict with this policy.

a. Contract administration shall be the responsibility of the Commissioner. In order to ensure prompt handling of contracts and to meet all booking deadlines, each contract will be mailed to and received from the schools by the Commissioner. The Commissioner will give the fees from each school will be given to the Treasurer.

b. Member schools may elect to contract for football, basketball, baseball, softball, or for all the sports worked by the MFOA.

29. The Board shall have the responsibility for administration of the Booking Policies.

30. The President and the Assignment Committee has “a need to know” in order to carry out their duties to assure the booking policy is adhered to, and schools are provided with the best qualified officials.

301 All bookings, to include weekly assignments, tournaments, and ALL CHANGES to a booking(s) shall be posted on MFOA Booking Web Site in a timely manner. Changes that are made inside the 24-hour time frame shall be made via telephone to ensure that the affected officials are aware of the change.

Contents

SECTION...004 PLAYOFFS

1. The Board shall submit playoff crews, based on the selections made by the Recommendations Committee and approved by the MEMBERSHIP for football, basketball, baseball and softball, to the FHSAA by the Board. Selections made by the Recommendations Committee shall be in the manner prescribed by the FHSAA.

2. Selections will also be based on performance during current and previous seasons, appearance, and evaluations, using the relative rating roster as a guide.

3. Football crews will be booked for extra games on Thursdays and Saturdays in order for them to gain experience of working together as a crew. Varsity games on Thursdays and Saturdays are considered extra only after all eligible officials have been booked in that week.

4. Primary white hats, in football, and their entire football crew, if FHSAA eligible may be submitted as play-off crews, unless the Recommendations Committee recommends otherwise and their recommendation is approved by the membership. The committee shall total the combined points of each recommended crew to determine the rating of each crew and the order in which they will be submitted to the FHSAA. Any member of the MFOA may be excluded based on subsection 1.

5. Playoff crews for basketball will be selected using the relative rating as a guide. The top ten rated basketball officials may select any position (R, U1, U2) for either boys or girls, on crews 1 thru 10. Once the selections are made, these officials cannot be placed on another crew in the other category from which they selected (Boys or Girls) until all eligible playoff members have been selected for a crew. Any FHSAA Official may be excluded from playoff consideration based on Subsection 2 of this Section (above). However, the performance and appearance must be documented on an evaluation form and submitted to the basketball directors and the recommendations committee.

6. The top three rated officials in Baseball and Softball can recommend their crews to the Recommendations Committee for approval They may select any FHSAA playoff eligible official.

7. If the membership does not approve the recommendations made by the Recommendations Committee at the meeting scheduled for this purpose, recommendations will be taken from the floor until final selections are made.

8. In addition to meeting the FHSAA requirements, Officials must also meet MFOA requirements as follows:

a. Officials must attend one third (1/3) of the current season's meeting dates, to include classroom clinics and scrimmages authorized by the board.

b. The playoff crew selection meeting and any meeting thereafter will not be included to meet the requirement.

c. Officials must have been assigned a minimum number of Varsity dates to include dates that are after the playoff selection meeting that have already been posted on ArbiterSports.com

Contents

SECTION……005 UNIFORMS

1. Dress shall be prescribed by the FHSAA in the current FHSAA Officials Guidebook. Deviations are not authorized.

2. Each MFOA member shall have in his/her possession and available for use at all games, all combinations, required by the National Federation and the FHSAA, including a long sleeve shirt for football. The decision for uniform combination dress will be made by the referee,

(eg, long sleeve shirt, shorts).

3. Basketball officials may wear gray shirts, providing all officials of a crew have a gray shirt and the gray shirt has been approved, in writing, by the FHSAA. If all members of a crew do not have a gray shirt, then the traditional black and white shall be worn.

Contents

SECTION……006 CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

1. Member must pay all dues and fees as outlined in Section 001, 2 and 3.

2. Each member of the MFOA shall:

a. Wear the uniform prescribed by the MFOA and FHSAA and keep that uniform clean, neat and in good repair.

b. While wearing the uniform or representing the MFOA in any capacity, refrain from publicly consuming any alcoholic beverages or otherwise acting in a manner, which would discredit the MFOA.

c. Attend all clinics for each sport he/she officiates.

d. Notify the home team administration and the Commissioner of any emergency that would affect or prevent the timely arrival at an assigned game.

e. Cancel no game assignment after the booking has been posted.

3. Members will not purchase alcoholic beverages in any town or place while wearing the uniform of a game official or any part of the uniform that indicates he/she is a game official..

4. Members will not use tobacco products or consume any alcoholic beverage on any school property while representing the MFOA.

5. Any member who is arrested for the commission of a felony or is convicted of any misdemeanor, exclusive of any misdemeanor traffic offense, shall be suspended and shall not participate as an official in any game or athletic contest booked or supervised by the MFOA until the Board shall have had an opportunity to meet with and discuss the members arrest and/or conviction. Following a hearing in which the member will be given the opportunity to be heard, the Board shall rule to either re-instate or permanently suspend the member from the MFOA.

6. Members shall use only the mechanics prescribed by the FHSAA and the National Federation. Deviation will be allowed only after authorization is received, in writing, from these organizations.

7. Members will maintain professionalism, integrity and pride when dealing with coaches, schools, the FHSAA, and other members and other officials associations.

8. Disputes, concerns, problems or other matters not covered by policy or in the constitution, will be channeled through the Board.

9. Members shall conduct themselves in accordance with the Rules of Conduct as outlined in the FHSAA Officials Guidebook.

Contents

SECTION……007 PENALTIES

1. Violation of Section 001, 2 and 3 shall result in a $10.00 late fee.

2. Violation of Section 006, 2a and 2b shall result in a disciplinary hearing by the Inspector. A member who is found guilty of the charge may be fined up to $25.00, suspended for 15 days or be recommended to the Board for expulsion from the MFOA.

3. Penalty Scale for Game Cancellations after accepting an assignment

1^st- Free, letter of explanation to the Commissioner.

2^nd- $3.00 fine (automatic), letter of explanation.

3^rd- $6.00 fine (automatic), letter of explanation.

4^th- $12.00 fine (automatic), letter of explanation.

5^th- $24.00 fine (automatic), letter of explanation.

6^th- Suspension and mandatory appearance before the Board.

4. Failure to contact the Referee/UIC at least 48 hours prior to game time by voice to voice contact or failure of Referee/UIC to have crew intact 36 hours prior to game time.

1^st- Replaced on booking, letter of explanation and $5.00 fine.

2^nd- Replaced on booking, letter of explanation and $15.00 fine.

3^rd- Suspension for minimum of 2 weeks to remainder of the season, $25.00 fine, letter of explanation and mandatory appearance before the Board.

5. Failure to report to Game site.

1^st- Suspension for 1 game, letter of explanation and $25.00 fine.

2^nd- Suspension for remainder of season, $25.00 fine, letter of explanation and mandatory appearance before the Board.

6. Failure to report to the game site as specified by the Referee.

1^st- $5.00 fine, letter of explanation.

2^nd- $10.00 fine, letter of explanation.

3^rd- $20.00 fine, letter of explanation, 1 game suspension.

4^th- $25.00 fine, letter of explanation, suspension for remainder of season.

7. Reporting to the game site after the scheduled contest starting time.

1^st- $15.00 fine, letter of explanation, 1 game suspension.

2^nd- $25.00 fine, letter of explanation, 1 game suspension, mandatory appearance before the Board.

3^rd- Suspension for remainder of season.

8. Failure to comply with all other MFOA, FHSAA and National Federation policies and procedures.

1^st- $10.00 fine, letter of explanation.

2^nd- $15.00 fine, letter of explanation, suspension up to the remainder of the season.

3^rd- $25.00 fine, letter of explanation, suspension for the remainder of the season and mandatory appearance before the Board.

9. Any member who works a game before being registered with the FHSAA is liable for all fines levied against those schools for having used an unregistered official. He/she shall pay the fines to the MFOA Treasurer who will issue a check to the offended schools or to the FHSAA. Upon proof of violation of this section, the member shall be suspended immediately, and he/she will be re-instated only when proof of registration with the FHSAA and payment of all fines is produced.

10. Members may appeal any penalty, in writing, to the Board. Such appeal must be dated to the President and the Inspector within 7 days of the notification. No right to appeal will

lie after the 7 days. Any penalty assessed will be withheld during an appeal until the Board has made a decision.

11. A penalty not appealed must be paid by the end of the appellate period (7 days). Failure to comply will result in a $10.00 fine. Until fine is paid you will be suspended.

12. The Inspector shall investigate violation of these policies and procedures. It is the responsibility of each member to report any violation or suspected violation as soon as possible for investigation.

Contents

Section...008 AMENDMENTS

1. These Policies and Procedures may normally be amended at the annual business meeting for those sections that pertain to all sports worked by the MFOA.

2. These Policies and Procedures may be amended at the meeting of any sport provided the Executive Board has been notified so that the appropriate members may be present to conduct the meeting. Those members include the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Web Master and the Directors of the sport(s) concerned.

3. The members of the sport(s) in question must albo be made aware of the meeting and have the opportunity to attend.

4. The changes made at the meeting of a particular sport must affect that sport only.

5. Any changes to the Policies and Procedures shall require a majority vote of that sport's membership present and voting.

6. Amendments become effective at the end of the special meeting unless otherwise specified.