Constitution and By-Laws
ARTICLE ONE: NAME
The name of this Association shall be the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association. The seal of the Association is a quill pen and ink well overlaid on an outline of the State of New Hampshire in the inner circle. Around the outer circle are the words “New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association - 1926”.
ARTICLE TWO: PURPOSE
We, the City and Town Clerks of the State of New Hampshire, realizing the value and great importance of making and preserving true and accurate records which are required by law, not only for present use, but for future reference; and further cognizant of the need to exchange management skills and information critical to the performance of our duties; do hereby form ourselves into an Association to be known as the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association, dedicated to the following purposes:
To develop, exchange and disseminate information, ideas, recommendations, resolutions and techniques relating to the offices of the clerk of our respective cities and towns.
To promote an understanding of intergovernmental relations.
To foster and encourage a higher degree of professionalism among clerks.
To bring together by annual, regional or any other informational meetings, the clerks of this State with a view not only to the exchange of ideas and fostering of a better acquaintance among the clerks, but also for the promotion of cooperation in the solution of common problems.
ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section 1. “Active Membership” shall be available to any town or city clerk, deputy clerk, or his or her assistant. Annual membership dues shall be $20.00 for each town or city.
Section 2. “Affiliate Membership” shall be available to Tax Collectors who are responsible for motor vehicle registrations and who are not otherwise eligible for active membership, yet are interested in the improvement of the methods and the administration of government and who subscribe to the objectives of the Association. Annual membership dues shall be $20.00.
Section 3. “Associate Membership” shall be available to those who have left public employment and have held active membership with the Association, and who continue to subscribe to the objectives of the Association. Annual membership dues shall be $20.00.
Section 4. “Honorary Membership” shall be available to any active or former member who has made a significant contribution to the Association in terms of his or her leadership skills or his or her efforts in legislative, educational or certification programs. Nominations, in the form of a Resolution, shall be presented to the Executive Board and confirmed at the annual meeting by a majority vote of the members present. There shall be no annual membership dues.
Section 5. Annual dues for membership in the Association shall cover one (1) full year from the last day of the month in which membership becomes effective to December 31st of each year and annually thereafter. Annual dues shall be payable to the Treasurer on or before January 1st. When the dues of an active member(s) has been paid by the city or town in which such a member(s) serves, and thereafter during the period of such dues has been paid, and such active member(s) is disassociated from the office which qualified him or her for membership, the active membership of such member(s) shall be transferred to his or her successor.
Section 6. Classification of Members. The Executive Board shall have the power to determine the classification of any member and reject any application for membership for any member who is not a town or city clerk.
ARTICLE FOUR: VOTING RIGHTS
Except as otherwise provided, the right to vote is reserved and restricted to active members or their written designees; however, each member jurisdiction is limited to one (1) vote.
ARTICLE FIVE: OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Section 1. The officers of the Executive Board shall consist of a President, a First Vice President, a second Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and the immediate Past President. These officers along with twelve (12) Regional Co-Chairpersons shall constitute the Executive Board.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall present the slate of officers who are to be elected at each annual meeting for one-year terms. The slate of officers shall be furnished to the Executive Board for inclusion in the notice of the annual meeting. Nothing contained herein shall prevent additional nominations from being made from the floor. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members, the two (2) immediate Past Presidents, and three (3) Clerks to be elected by the membership at the annual meeting. No member of the nominating committee shall serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms.
Section 3. The President shall appoint two (2) regional co-chairpersons each to represent the following regions: Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region, Monadnock Region, Merrimack Valley Region, White Mountains Region, Lakes Region, and Seacoast Region. Regional co-chairpersons shall be appointed for two-year terms and may not serve more than three (3) consecutive terms, unless no other appointment is forthcoming. Upon the adoption of this provision, one (1) regional co-chairperson shall serve for a period of one (1) year and thereafter each term shall be a two (2) year term.
Section 4. Should any member of the Executive Board resign or become deceased during his or her term of office, the President is authorized to appoint a successor to be approved by the Executive Board, to serve until the next annual meeting. Any Executive Board member who fills an unexpired term due to a vacancy shall be eligible to be nominated and elected to a full term.
ARTICLE SIX: POWERS AND DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board shall have full power to carry out all the purposes of the Association, but shall not have the right to amend its Constitution and By-Laws. The Executive Board shall require a good and sufficient bond for any officer engaged in a fiduciary capacity for the accomplishment of its objectives, the premium on such bond shall be filed with and held by the Secretary of the Association.
Section 1b: The officers and members of the Executive Board shall, in the course of carrying out their duties as officers and members, act in a professional and ethical manner in the interest of promoting the integrity and reputation of the Association and Executive Board.
Section 2. The President, or in his or her absence, the ranking Vice President, shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board. The President shall appoint all committees except as otherwise provided by these By-Laws and shall perform such other duties as may be required by custom or by the welfare of the Association.
Section 3. The First Vice President shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Legislative Committee.
Section 4. The Second Vice President shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Conference Committee.
Section 5. The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board. He or she shall keep a roster of the membership and give notice of all meetings of the Association. He or she shall discharge such other duties as pertain to the office or as may be assigned by the Association, the President or the Executive Board. Upon the election of his or her successor or disqualification from office, all properties and equipment belonging to the Association shall be delivered to the President of the Association. The Secretary shall prepare and publish the minutes of the Executive Board and/or any newsworthy item to the full membership of the Association in a timely fashion. The Secretary shall present a report during the business proceedings of the annual meeting. No person shall serve more than five (5) consecutive terms in the office of Secretary.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall collect and disburse all funds of the Association and account for the same. He or she shall keep all funds of the Association in a depository in the name of the Association and shall perform such other duties as pertain to the office or as may be assigned by the Association, the Executive Board or the President. Upon the election of his or her successor or disqualification from office, all properties and equipment belonging to the Association shall be delivered to the President of the Association. The Treasurer shall present a financial statement during the business proceedings of the annual meeting. No person shall serve more than five (5) consecutive terms in the office of Treasurer.
Section 7. Regional co-chairpersons shall organize a yearly meeting of their regional clerks with the appropriate State Departments invited to send representatives. They shall also be responsible for relaying information onto the Executive Board regarding any deceased clerk as well as any personal information which would be of interest to the membership of the Association.
Section 8. Any member elected or appointed to serve as an officer or member of the Executive Board shall be terminated at the discretion of the Executive Board as an officer or member of the Executive Board. Upon being absent for more than two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executive Board for other than extenuating circumstances, or in such case that the Executive Board determines that such member or officer has not acted in conformity with their duties as prescribed by these by-laws, at which time he or she shall no longer be considered a member of such board or committee.
ARTICLE SEVEN: STANDING OR SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The President is authorized to appoint such committees as may be deemed necessary. All chairpersons of Standing Committees shall present a report during the business proceedings of the annual meeting. The following shall be the Standing Committees of the Association: Legislative Committee, Scholarship Committee, Resolution Committee, Finance Committee and the Conference Committee.
ARTICLE EIGHT: MEETINGS
Section 1. The annual meeting shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Board may determine, and notice thereof shall be mailed by the Secretary to each active, affiliate, associate and honorary member at least thirty (30) days prior thereto. Sixty (60) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting.
Section 2. Special and/or regional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Board, but no business except that for which said meetings are called shall be transacted. Executive Board meetings shall be held during each month or at the discretion of the President at a date and place to be chosen by the President.
ARTICLE NINE: SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The Secretary and Treasurer shall each receive an annual salary of $500.00. Members of the Executive Board and others present at the request of the President shall be entitled to compensation for their expenses in attending the meetings and expenditures incurred on behalf of the Association.
ARTICLE TEN: FISCAL YEAR AND AUDIT
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall be January 1 to December 31. The Executive Board shall require an annual audit of the books and accounts of the Association by the Finance Committee at the end of the fiscal year. The audit report shall be submitted to the Executive Board by the April meeting. Should the Treasurer resign or become deceased an audit shall be performed within 30 days.
ARTICLE ELEVEN: AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws shall be in writing, setting forth the particular change or changes proposed and shall be filed with the President. The Constitution and By-Laws of the Association may be amended at any annual meeting by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present provided that a copy of the proposed amendments shall be included in the notice of the meeting. The record of such amendment as voted shall be entered in the permanent records of the Association. Any amendment shall become effective upon its adoption unless otherwise provided.
ARTICLE TWELVE: DISSOLUTION
Be it resolved that in the event it should become necessary for the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks’ Association to be dissolved, and once outstanding encumbrances and responsibilities have been met, any assets should be sold or otherwise dispensed. Finally, Association monies will be distributed evenly to New Hampshire cities and towns and unincorporated places.
Last Revision: October 13, 2010
