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A six-day window for Livermore Fusion Soccer Club members to vote on amending the club’s bylaws ends tonight, though the process and proposed changes have drawn criticism from some of the club’s families.
Among the proposed changes, families and club staff would lose their current status as club members, which affords them the power to vote for the club’s executive board of directors, director recalls and future bylaw amendments. The voting power for elections and future bylaw amendments would rest solely with a board, newly composed of five to 10 members.
According to the ballot, the amended bylaws would improve accountability, organizational continuity and long-term planning.
However, families on social media have expressed concern about losing the right to vote in the club. They’ve also alleged the club failed to issue ballots to all voters and didn’t issue ballots in a timely manner. Fusion board President Tony Sorensen said the club has abided by its bylaws in conducting the election and that all members have been sent ballots.
An email was sent to club members on the evening of Oct. 2, inviting them to vote on the new set of proposed bylaws, with a deadline of 9 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 7). The changes need a two-thirds majority to pass.
“Our club serves a large community, and there are always going to be concerns, especially when there is change,” Sorensen told Livermore Vine. “In this instance, we have only received a couple of email concerns and are handling them directly with the families in question.”
“Our current bylaws have served the club for many years, but portions have become outdated, difficult to interpret and do not fully reflect how the club operates today,” club officials wrote on the online election system. “The proposed bylaws provide a clearer and more consistent framework.”
According to the ballot, the amendments establish a board of directors with defined responsibilities; create formal governance and finance committees; clarify the roles of the board, officers and executive director and provide detailed policies regarding financial oversight, conflicts of interest meetings and board responsibilities.
The governance committee will help identify and prepare future board members while the finance committee provides additional oversight of the club budget and fiscal health, officials said.
“Ultimately, these updates are about building a stronger foundation for Fusion SC,” officials said. “Our commitment remains to providing quality programs and opportunities to each player, their family and the broader Livermore community.”
In January, the club named Duane Cummings as its executive director, though it was unclear what prompted the change in leadership. Sorensen previously declined multiple requests for an interview about Cummings’ arrival and the circumstances of how the executive director position became vacant before him.
