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MODEL CHAPTER BYLAWS (Version: CoMRA 2007-A) BYLAWS CASCADE CHAPTER
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS
Bylaws Adopted DRAFTED May 28, 2007
Bylaws Approved by the Area Director and/or Regional Vice President
___________________________________ ___________ (Regional Vice President Signature) (date) ___________________________________ ___________ (Area Director Signature, if applicable) (date)
Chapter Chartered - July 1989
ARTICLE I - NAME Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Cascade Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. Section 2. Hereinafter, the Cascade Chapter will be referred to as Chapter, and the American Society of Safety Engineers will be referred to as the Society. ARTICLE II - PURPOSE Section 1. The purpose of this Chapter will be to promote the advancement of the safety profession and safety professionals and development of its members in the geographical area served. Section 2. In fulfilling its purposes, the Chapter shall have the following objectives within the geographical area: a) To develop and promote educational programs for obtaining the knowledge required to perform the functions of a safety professional. b) To develop and disseminate locally, information and materials that will carry out the purposes of the Chapter, the Society, and serve the public. c) To provide and/or support forums for the interchange and acquisition of professional knowledge among its members. d) To foster liaison with local organizations of related disciplines. e) To inaugurate and implement programs and projects that are consistent with the purposes of the Chapter and the Society. f) To conduct Chapter affairs in a manner that will reflect the standards, purposes and objectives of the Society. ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Membership in the Chapter is open to those individuals who are members of the Society in good standing and who are located within the Chapter's geographical area or request membership in it. All members of the Chapter shall be members of the Society. Section 2. Membership is personal and not transferable. Section 3. All Chapter members are eligible to vote on all matters submitted to the Chapter membership. ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATION Section 1. The Chapter is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the Society for the purpose of carrying out the objectives of the Society in its geographical area. It shall operate in accordance with Society Bylaws. Section 2. In order to maintain its Charter, the Chapter shall have a minimum of 40 active members.
Section 3. The Chapter is located in Region I, and the Chapter's geographical area is defined as follows: the following counties: Lincoln, Linn, Lane, Coos, Douglas, Deschutes, Cook, Benton, (excluding OSU student section in Corvallis), and Jefferson.
Section 4. An Executive Committee shall be responsible for the operation and management of the Chapter. It shall be responsible for the supervision and care of all property, have full authority to commit the Chapter to action in consonance with resolutions adopted at meetings of the Chapter, and may cooperate with other organizations on such basis that will not impair the ability of the Chapter to pursue its purposes independently. Section 5. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Elected Officers, and a Governmental Affairs Chairperson, a Conference Chairperson, a Program Chairperson, a Membership Chairperson, Web Site Chairperson, and 2 past presidents of the chapter. Section 6. Each major objective as listed in Article II, Section 2 of these Bylaws shall be under the supervision of either a Chapter officer or an appointed Committee Chairperson. Section 7. The Chapter President is the voting representative for the Chapter at the Area Operating Committee or Regional Operating Committee meetings. A Professional Member or Member who is an elected officer of the Chapter may serve instead of the President if so designated in writing to the Area Director or Regional Vice President. Section 8. Members of the Chapter shall elect the 5 primary Chapter officers. Section 9. The Chapter activity year shall be from July 1 to June 30. ARTICLE V - OFFICERS The following officers are considered to be primary officers of Cascade Chapter of the ASSE and are elected by the membership at large in May of each year. Section 1. The primary elected officers of the Chapter shall be: a) President b) President-Elect (or Vice President(s) or First Vice President) c) Secretary d) Treasurer e) Delegate(s) to the Society House of Delegates Section 2. Each elected Chapter officer shall be a Society member for one year prior to taking office; exceptions must be approved by the Regional Vice President. Only a Professional Member or Member may hold the offices of President, President-Elect, or Delegate to the House of Delegates.
Section 3. The President shall: a) Preside at regular and special meetings of the Chapter Executive Committee and the membership. b) Represent the Chapter at meetings of other organizations where official representation of the Chapter is desirable. c) Be a representative for the Chapter at the Area Operating Committee or Regional Operating Committee meetings. d) Provide leadership for programs and activities for the Chapter during the term of office. e) Appoint such committees as are necessary to implement the objectives of the Chapter.
f) Submit a completed Chapter Stars application to the Area Director or Regional Vice President and Society Headquarters by August 15. g) Submit the names of Chapter officers and delegate(s) elected for the ensuing year annually by May 31 to the Area Director, the Regional Vice President and Society Headquarters. Section 4. The President-Elect (or Vice President or First Vice President) shall: a) Succeed to the office of the President and carry out its duties if the President is unable to serve. b) Assume responsibilities for the work of Committees as assigned by the President. Section 5. The Secretary shall: a) Maintain Chapter records and correspondence. b) Record and distribute minutes of Chapter meetings and Chapter Executive Committee meetings.
c) Notify Chapter members about meetings. d) Retain Custody of the Chapter Charter. e) Assume the duties of the Treasurer as necessary.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall: a) Maintain all financial records of the Chapter. b) Supervise the receipt and disbursement of funds as directed by the Chapter Executive Committee. c) Maintain Chapter funds in a depository approved by the Chapter Executive Committee. d) Submit a completed Chapter Dues Report by March 1 and to Society Headquarters. e) Complete the Chapter's audited income & expense statement and any IRS tax documents for the fiscal year ending March 31. Transmit fiscal report and any tax documents on or before May 31 to Society Headquarters. f) Assume the duties of the Secretary as necessary.
Section 7. The Delegate(s) to the Society House of Delegates shall: a) Operate in accordance with House of Delegates Operating Procedures and Society Bylaws. b) Keep the Chapter informed of House of Delegates actions and proposed actions. c) Act on House of Delegates mail ballots on behalf of the Chapter.
Section 8 - Appointed Members -The following officers are the appointed officers of Cascade Chapter of the ASSE. These members of the executive committee are appointed by the president and approved by vote of the elected members of the executive committee. Each appointed Chapter officer shall be a Society member for one year prior to taking office; the Executive committee must approve exceptions. Section 9 - The Appointed members of the executive committee are: a) Governmental Affairs Chairperson b) Conference Chairperson c) Program Chairperson d) Membership Chairperson, and the e) Web Services Chairperson f) The 2 past presidents of the chapter
Section 10 - Governmental Affairs Chairperson shall: a) Advise the chapter of proposed changes to state and federal health and safety legislation b) Report to the executive committee monthly c) Interact with the National ASSE officer for governmental affairs d) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested
Section 11 - Conference Chairperson shall: a) Act as the Co-Chair Person for the Bob Bryant Memorial Safety and Health conference with the OR-OSHA Conference planners b) Develop a proposed agenda for the conference c) Select a location for the conference and coordinate all required activities with the local event coordinator d) Ensure that all bills and invoices are presented to the Chapter Treasurer for execution. e) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested.
Section 12 - Program Chairperson shall: a) Coordinate the speakers for the monthly meetings b) Provide information to the Web Services Chairperson for posting on the Cascade Chapter website c) Greet the speakers and ensure that their AV needs are provided for d) Report monthly to the Executive committee e) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested
Section 13 - Membership Chairperson, shall: a) Provide potential members with applications and information about the ASSE and the Cascade Chapter. b) Greet meeting attendees at the door and coordinate their sign in. c) Identify guests and new members d) Introduce guests and new members at the monthly meeting e) Report to the executive committee monthly the status of the membership and new members f) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested
Section 14 - Web Services Chairperson shall: a) Service and maintain the Cascade Chapter website b) Report changes and updates to the website to the executive committee monthly. c) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested
Section 15 - The 2 past presidents of the chapter shall: a) Be adjunct members of the executive committee without voting power b) Assist the president and other members of the executive committee as requested
ARTICLE VI - NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS Section 1. The most recent immediate Past President available to serve shall be the Chairperson of the Nominations & Elections Committee. The Committee, including the Chairperson, will consist of no less than three (3) or more than (5) members. The current Chapter President shall select one member to the committee. The Committee Chairperson shall select the balance of the membership of the committee. Officers serving in positions that succeed to the next chapter officer level may serve on the Nominations & Elections Committee. Newly nominated candidates and candidates for non-succeeding officer positions may not serve on the Nominations & Elections Committee. Selection of the Committee Members shall be completed no later than the first Executive Committee meeting of each calendar year and duly recorded. The full final Nominations & Elections Committee must approve the slate of officer candidates. Section 2. The Nominations & Elections Committee shall select qualified candidates for all elective offices. Candidates' names and qualifications shall be published and distributed to the Chapter membership at least 60 days in advance of the election. Section 3. Chapter members may submit a signed petition nominating an individual for elective office. The petition will require 5 signatures to be valid. The petition shall be accompanied by a written acceptance by the nominee(s) and shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the Nominations & Elections Committee 30 days in advance of the election. Section 4. The term of elected Chapter officers shall be two years and run from July 1 to June 30.
Section 5. Election of officers for the ensuing year shall be held at the May meeting in attendance of a quorum. If there is more than one candidate for any office, election shall be by secret ballot (written or electronic). If there is only one candidate for an office, election may be by voice vote.
Section 6. In the event a quorum is not present at the meeting a special mail or electronic ballot will be sent to the Chapter Members and a return of at least 40 votes or 20% of the Chapter membership is required. The ballot process should take less than 30 days with at least 15 days as a minimal period for response from the members and shall provide for an anonymous voter response.
Section 7. Removal of elected Chapter officers shall be by a 2/3 vote of the Elected Chapter officers at any regular or special board meeting at which a quorum of the board is present or by Chapter members at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum of the chapter is present. Upon presentation of a signed petition from 10 voting members of the Chapter, the Chapter Executive Committee shall be obligated to review the validity of the petition and investigate the circumstances. The Executive Committee may remove committee Chairpersons appointed by elected officers on the Chapter Executive Committee.
Section 8. Vacancies in elected Chapter offices shall be filled by the succession designated in the various officer descriptions. If no succession is designated, or the designated successor declines to accept the position, the position shall be filled in the way specified below, according to the position and timing of the vacancy. a) Should a vacancy occur in any elected office, including Secretary, Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer or any others, (Chapters are encouraged to designate specific elected positions), except President or President-Elect, the President shall appoint, with the approval of the Chapter Executive Committee, an eligible member (see Article V, Section 2) to fill the unexpired term of office, giving special consideration to current committee Chairpersons and experienced Chapter leaders who have recently completed their terms of office. b) Should a vacancy occur early in the term, in the office of: 1) President, the President-Elect shall succeed to the Presidency. If the President-Elect declines the position, a past President may serve as President for this term upon the approval of the Executive Committee. Otherwise, a special election as specified in b.2 of this section will be considered for filling the seat of President. The President-elect or a special Nominations & Elections committee appointed by the Chapter Executive Committee will be responsible for completing the special election. 2) President-Elect, the President shall: (a) Appoint a special Nominations & Elections Committee. (b) Publish notification of the election and the slated nominees for office at least 15 days in advance of the Chapter meeting at which the election is to be held. (c) Receive at the Chapter meeting any additional nominating petitions as may be rendered, and signed by the number of members specified in Article VI, Section 3. (d) Conduct a voice vote at the Chapter meeting if there is only one nominee, and a written ballot if there is more than one nominee for office. (e) Ensure that the elected candidate assumes office immediately upon election.
c) Should a vacancy occur at mid-term or later, in the office of: 1) President, the President-Elect shall serve the unexpired term of the President in addition to the term for which he was originally elected. 2) President-Elect, if it is not an operational hardship for the Chapter, the position may remain vacant until the next election is conducted. If it is operationally necessary for the Chapter to have a President-Elect, then the position should be filled as noted in this Article and Section, paragraph b) 2). Section 9. Vacancies in appointed offices shall be filled for their unexpired term by appointees of the President then in office, with the approval of the Chapter Executive Committee. Section 10. Inability to serve : If after the election, but prior to taking office, an officer is unable to serve for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled in the manner set forth in this Article. ARTICLE VII - SECTIONS Section 1. Sections may be formed by Chapters to serve 10 or more dues-paying (or emeritus) Chapter members whose geographical location, within the Chapter area, constitutes an inconvenience to participate in Chapter affairs, and whose number is insufficient to permit formation of a new Chapter. The Section shall operate in accordance with Society and Chapter Bylaws. Section 2. The group must petition the Chapter Executive Committee to form a Section of the Chapter. a) The petition should outline: 1. Name of the Section. 2. Territory the Section will encompass. 3. Number of members currently in the territory. 4. Plans for meetings to be held and the nature of the program. 5. Justification for the creation of the Section. 6. Any dues arrangements between the Chapter and the Section. 7. Submit a copy of Section Bylaws (See Model Section Bylaws) b) Sections must meet the approval of the Chapter's Executive Committee, the Area Operating Committee and the Regional Operating Committee.
Section 3. Section members shall elect a Chairperson and a Secretary/ Treasurer and must abide by the Bylaws of the Chapter. a) The Chairperson shall be a Professional Member or Member. The Chairperson of an authorized Section shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Chapter Executive Committee, and shall attend at least two, as a non-voting participant. b) By April 30 of each Chapter year, the Section Chairperson shall submit a summary report of Section activities and a financial report to the Chapter President and the Area Director or Regional Vice President. c) The Section Secretary/Treasurer shall keep records of meetings, sending copies to the Chapter Secretary; notify members of meetings; retain the Section Charter; maintain such financial records as are necessary and keep the Chapter Officers informed of the Section's financial status. The Chapter shall remit at least 30% of Chapter dues of Section members to the Section for its use. d) The Chairperson of the Section shall appoint a Nominations & Elections Committee annually to select nominees for the offices of Chairperson and Secretary/Treasurer for the year beginning July 1. Both officers' terms shall be for one year beginning July 1. Election of these officers shall be held at a Section meeting prior to July 1. e) If the Section ceases to function as a viable organization, the Chapter Executive Committee, after investigation, may recommend its dissolution to the Area Operating Committee and/or Regional Operating Committee, and any funds in the Section Treasury shall be remitted to the Chapter for Chapter use. f) Student Members attending an educational institution may join together to form a Student Section of the Chapter within whose boundary the institution lies.
ARTICLE VIII - DUES Section 1. Each member, except Students, Emeritus and Honorary Members, shall be assessed annual Chapter dues as determined by Chapter members, in addition to Society dues. Section 2. All Society and Chapter dues shall be paid annually in advance by the anniversary of each member's election date. Section 3. Chapter dues shall be determined by vote of the Chapter membership at any regular or special meeting where a quorum is present. All Chapter members shall be notified at least 30 days in advance regarding dues proposals. ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS Section 1. Chapters shall meet at least six times per year and four of the meetings shall be technical meetings. Technical meetings are those that define or discuss methods, procedures, systems, devices and/or standards toward the reduction, control or elimination of hazardous exposures to people, property or the environment, and which foster the technical, scientific, and managerial knowledge and skills of attendees. Section 2. The Chapter Executive Committee may call special meetings of members. The notice calling such a meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting; such notice to be sent to each member at least two weeks in advance. Section 3. A majority of the Executive Committee present at a board meeting shall constitute a quorum. Five (5), Chapter members and at least one elected member of the Chapter Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special Chapter meeting. Section 4. The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the transaction of business at all meetings of the Chapter unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws. Section 5. Executive Committee meetings shall be conducted at least six times per year and the Chapter President will preside over the meeting. These meetings are necessary for managing the chapter including finance reports, strategic plans, governmental affairs, membership growth and other business items needed to manage the Chapter successfully. ARTICLE X - MISCELLANEOUS Section 1. Chapter members may dissolve the Chapter in the following manner: a) A resolution to dissolve the Chapter shall be acted upon at a meeting of the Chapter Executive Committee. The resolution shall set forth the reasons for dissolution. b) Within 30 days following the Chapter Executive Committee action, a mail ballot shall be sent to all Chapter members setting forth the reasons for the dissolution. Thirty, (30), days after the ballots are mailed, the Chapter Executive Committee shall count them. A two-thirds (2/3) vote is required for approval of the action. c) Upon the adoption of the resolution to dissolve, the officers shall carry out the dissolution of the Chapter in conformance with applicable laws and Society Bylaws.
Section 2. If a Chapter Executive Committee no longer exists or conditions preempt the implementation of the preceding Section, a Chapter member may make a recommendation for dissolving a Chapter to the Regional Vice President and Area Director for their review. Upon the approval of the Area Operating Committee and the Regional Operating Committee, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Society Board of Directors. Section 3. The Society Board of Directors may dissolve the Chapter after failure of the Chapter to conform to minimum Society requirements for activities or upon performance of actions contrary or detrimental to the Society and after a reasonable probation period. Upon notice, the Chapter officers shall carry out the dissolution of the Chapter. Section 4. The official Society symbol may be used by the Chapter on correspondence, publications and other official documents, in accordance with the provisions for use and reproduction in the Society Bylaws. Section 5. Any fund-raising projects or activities shall be limited to those activities that are consistent with the purpose of the Society and the Chapter. Section 6. Chapter officers shall assure retention of needed Chapter and membership records by adhering to the following record retention periods. Officers having charge of these records are authorized to dispose of the records at the end of the required retention period. a) Minutes of meetings - permanently, (recommended by Society auditors). b) Correspondence - two years following completion of the Chapter year. c) Financial Records - seven years following completion of the Chapter year. ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Chapter Executive Committee or by five, (5), Chapter Professional Members and/or Members. Amendments proposed by the latter shall be presented to the Chapter Executive Committee. Section 2. The Chapter Executive Committee shall publish any proposed amendments to the membership at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which action will be taken. Section 3. Amendments shall be voted on at a regular or special Chapter meeting at which action will be taken if a quorum is present. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote is required for approval. Section 4. All amendments to these Bylaws will become effective after approval by the Area Director and Regional Vice President. Approved by the Board of Directors, October 1983, Amended in May 2007, February 2007, February 2006, June 2003, June 2001, May 1997, June 1991, October 1990
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