NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRE PREVENTION SOCIETY, INC.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
SECTION 1 – Name: The name of the organization shall be the "New Hampshire Fire Prevention Society, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the "Society".
SECTION 2 – Purpose: The purpose of the organization shall be to unite, for mutual benefit, the members of the Society engaged in fire prevention and code enforcement and to promote cooperation and assistance among interested groups through education and communication.
SECTION 3 – The Society shall not sponsor any product by brand name
ARTICLE II
SECTION 1 – Eligibility: Eligibility for Membership shall be as follows:
A. ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: Personnel engaged in fire prevention and fire protection duties, code enforcement and related disciplines in any of the New England states and New York shall be eligible for Active Membership.
B. LIFE MEMBERSHIP: Retired fire prevention and protection personnel, or persons from related disciplines who have been active members in good standing of the Society shall be eligible for Life Membership.
C. STUDENT MEMBERSHIP: Any student currently enrolled in an accredited fire science or fire protection degree program shall be considered a Student Member and shall be entitled to a reduced dues rate of one-half (1/2) of the active membership rate.
ARTICLE III
SECTION 1 – Officers: The officers of this Society, also known as the Executive Board, will consist of active members as follows:
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Executive Secretary
The officers shall be elected by a simple majority of the Board of Directors. The executive officers shall be active members of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2 – Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve (12) active members elected by the membership. Directors shall serve for a term of three (3) years. Four (4) directors will be voted upon at each annual meeting. Nominations for directors shall be made and posted at least thirty (30) days in advance of the annual meeting.
SECTION 3 – Terms of Office: Officers of this Society shall serve for one year. The president shall serve no more than two terms of office consecutively. Election of officers shall come from the floor with the nominations made thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting set forth by this committee. Vacancy of office shall be filled until the expired term of office by the voting membership.
ARTICLE IV
SECTION 1 – Board of Directors, Quorum: The government of the New Hampshire Fire Prevention Society shall be vested in the Board of Directors and five (5) members, two (2) of which shall be Executive Board members, shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 2 – Duties and Powers: The Board of Directors shall have full power to initiate and transact all kinds of business necessary to the existence of the organization and the observance of its purposes. They shall have general powers to direct, control and supervise the affairs of the Society and such business as conducted by the Board shall be brought forth to the general membership at the next regular scheduled business meeting.
SECTION 3 – Chairperson of the Board: The President of the Society shall be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4 – President: The President shall preside at all meetings and call special meetings. He/she shall appoint appropriate committees.
SECTION 5 – First Vice President: The First Vice President shall act in the absence of the President and shall be responsible for co-signing Fire Prevention Society checks. In the absence of the First Vice President, the Second Vice President shall act in that capacity.
SECTION 6 – Second Vice President: The Second Vice President shall oversee any other duties the President so advises of.
SECTION 7 – Executive Secretary: The Executive Secretary shall keep a true record of all meetings and make a report thereof and to conduct all correspondence on behalf of the Society. He/she shall also keep a true account of all receipts and expenditures. He/she shall be authorized to expend up to One Hundred dollars ($100.00) for a purpose authorized in advance by the officers of this Society. All other expenditures must meet with the approval of the membership. All checks in excess of Fifty dollars ($50.00) must be co-signed by a second officer of the Society.
SECTION 8 – Voting Privileges: Only Active and Life Members shall have voting privileges.
SECTION 9 – Quorum: A quorum for legal meetings shall consist of at least twelve (12) eligible voting members present. However, if, at a regular meeting, there is not a quorum present, the Board of Directors shall be empowered to vote on all issues that shall become before the Society provided that a quorum of the Board of Directors exists as per Section 1 of this article.
ARTICLE V
SECTION 1 – Standing Committees: The following committees shall be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the voting membership:
A. Membership Committee
B. Training Committee
C. By-Law Committee
D. Legislative Committee
E. There shall be a special bank account for Training Committee use for developing training sessions. The chairman of the Training Committee shall be responsible for managing the account and shall report all transactions to the Treasurer on a monthly basis.
SECTION 2 – Special Committees (Ad Hoc): The president shall have the authority to appoint any Ad Hoc committee as the need arises to carry out a specified task, at the completion of which, and upon presentation of its final report to the Society, shall automatically cease to exist. A special committee shall not be appointed to perform a task which falls within the scope or function of an existing standing committee.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
SECTION 1 – Rules of Order: For any and all meetings of the Society, Roberts Rules of Order, Revised Edition shall govern the conduct of same.
SECTION 2 – Annual: The annual meeting shall be held in May unless otherwise voted upon by the Board of Directors. Notice hereof shall be mailed to each member at his/her last known address, not less than thirty (30) days in advance. Elections shall occur and other business may be presented at the Annual Meeting.
SECTION 3 – Special: Special meetings may be called by order of the Board of Directors or by written petition of at least twenty (20) percent of the active members and shall be at such time and place as fixed by the Board of Directors, giving due notice hereof to all members at least ten (10) days in advance.
SECTION 4 – Attendance: Any member making reservations to attend any meeting and/or function shall be responsible for any costs incurred by the Society resulting from that reservation.
ARTICLE VII
FINANCE
SECTION 1 – Dues: Dues for active members in the Society shall be six (6) dollars per year. Dues shall be payable to the Executive Secretary. No dues shall be charged to Life members. Any delinquent members after sixty (60) days will be turned over to the Membership Committee. Student membership dues shall be $5.00 annually.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1 – Requirements: The By-Laws of the Society may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the eligible voting members present. The following procedure shall be followed for submitting a proposed by-law amendment:
A. The proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing to the By-Laws Committee who shall review the proposal for language content, legal impact, and/or conflict with Robert's Rules of Order, Revised Edition. The By-Laws Committee shall issue a report to the membership.
B. The amendment proposal shall then be submitted to the membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting for discussion.
C. Upon approval of the Board of Directors, the proposal shall be presented to the membership at the following meeting for a vote.
ARTICLE IX
OFFICIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
SECTION 1 – Order of Business: The Order of Business shall be as follows:
A. Call to Order
B. Moment of Silence
C. Introduction of New Members and Guests
D. Reading of Minutes
E. Financial Report
F. Presentation of Bills
G. Communications
H. Report of Committees
I. Good and Welfare of the Society
J. Old Business
K. New Business
L. Adjournment
M. Guest Speaker, Program
Society Bylaw Change Form
[Word Document]
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