The Santa Cruz County Firefighters Legislative Action Group
CONSTITUTION
Article I
The name of this
organization is the Santa Cruz County Firefighters Legislative Action Group
(hereinafter referred to as SCCFLAG).
It is a voluntary, non-profit, unincorporated association of individual
firefighters and others, and in not affiliated with any political party.
Article II
The Purposes of SCCFLAG are:
1. To further the common good and general welfare of the
people of the community by promoting improvements in and educating the public
about fire protection and safety.
2. To promote the welfare of active and retired
firefighters.
3. To promote and strive for the improvement of
government by encouraging and stimulating firefighters and others to take a
more active and effective part in governmental affairs.
4. To encourage the improvement of benefits,
compensation, working conditions and retirement status of active and retired
firefighters.
5. To take all appropiate lawful action to implement
these goals.
Article III
The
principal office of SCCFLAG shall be located in the County of Santa Cruz.
The
Board of Trustees may, from time to time, change the principal office by noting
the changed address and effective date below, and such change of address shall
not be deemed an amendment of this articles.
P.O.
Box 3007, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, Dated:
01/01/2005
____________________________, Dated:
_________
Article IV
Memberships shall be
available to active and retired firefighters in Santa Cruz County, and such
other persons who subscribe to the purposes as enunciated in this Constitution.
Active Membership is limited to those persons who are
active or retired members of the Santa Cruz County Professional Fireifghters Corporation.
Contributing Membership is open to those who subscribe to the
purposes in Article II herein.
The Board of Trustees of
SCCFLAG may reject any candidate for membership upon their making application,
or if already a member, then on renewal of membership. Provided, however, that membership in SCCFLAG shall not be denied to
anyone on the basis of race, color, creed, sex or national origin.
Article V
Board of Trustees
Section 1.
Authority and Duties
The Board of Trustees shall
have general supervision and control over the affairs and funds of SCCFLAG and
shall establish and carry out all policies and activities of SCCFLAG. Without limiting the foregoing, this Board
shall:
1. Hire such personnel as it deems necessary to carry
out the purposes and administration of SCCFLAG.
2. Adopt and periodically review and revise a budget for
SCCFLAG.
3. Study all matters affecting the rights and
responsibilities of fire safety members in Santa Cruz County.
Until the Santa Cruz County
Professional Firefighters Association deems that there is sufficient membership
in SCCFLAG for the appointment of a formal Board of Trustees, the Santa Cruz
County Professional Firefighters Association shall appoint three persons to
serve as the organizational committee for SCCFLAG. The three persons shall be members of the Santa Cruz County
Professional Firefighters Association, in good standing, and once appointed
shall have the authority to promote among prosective members the policies and
purpose of SCCFLAG. In said capacity,
they shall have the authority to use
those funds collected for the promotion of SCCFLAG.
Upon reasonable
determination of the Santa Cruz County Professional Firefighters Association
that there is sufficient membership interest in SCCFLAG, the Santa Cruz County
Professional Firefighters Association will appoint a five member Board of
Trustees, making al least three of the appointments from the current membership list of Santa Cruz County Professional
Firefighters Association. Said members
shall serve for a one year period.
The initial five member
Board of Trustees shall elect its own officers from its members. Said Officers shall include, but not be
limited to President, Vice-President, and Secretary Treasurer. The President and Vice President must be
members of the Santa Cruz County Professional Firefighters Association.
Upon the expiration of one
year from the appointment of the initial five member Board, general elections
for membership on the Board of Trustees will be held among the active
membership. The President of the Initial board shall appoint a nominating
committee of three persons, one of whom shall be a member of the Initial board,
two of whom shall be active members of SCCFLAG. The nominating committee shall
select nominees for the office of Trustee Board member to fill the five
vacancies that will exist at the end of the first year. The nominees’ names
will be submitted to the general membership together with the announcement of
the date of the annual trustee’s meeting. Additional nominee names must be
submitted to the nominating committee for their consideration at least thirty
days before the announced date for the election of board members. Said
additional names must be members of Santa Cruz County Professional Firefighters
Association in good standing who have previously indicated willingness to serve
on the board.
At the time of notification
of the date of the election, all active members shall be served with a list of
recommendations of the nominating committee for the vacancies on the board.
Those additional names submitted to the nominating committee pursuant to this
section will also be indicated on the ballot.
The election of new board
members shall be by simple majority vote by those returning the ballot to the
nominating committee postmarked within 10 days following the mailing date.
Those candidates receiving the greatest number of votes submitted by ballot
will be considered elected.
The term of office of a
board member shall be for two years. Board members may be elected for more than
one consecutive elected term.
Upon the election of the
original Board of Trustees, a drawing will be held to pick the names of two (if
the year is an odd year), or three (if the year is an even year) board members
who will serve for a one year term. Those newly elected board members whose
names are not drawn will serve the full two year term.
At the expiration of one
year from the date of election of the new board members, those board members
whose names were drawn for one year terms will be up for re-election, and a
general election pursuant to these Articles will be held to fill the vacancies
that will exist.
Thereafter, and for each successive
year, an election will be held to fill the vacancies of those Trustees whose
terms expire at the end of said year.
Those vacancies that shall
occur during a board member’s term shall be filled by majority vote of the
remaining board members to serve until the next annual election at which time a
duly elected Trustee shall take office.
Article VI
Limitations
SCCFLAG shall not in its
own name introduce, sponsor, or appear in favor of or opposition to legislation
affecting active or retired firefighters, but shall transmit to the Santa Cruz
County Professional Firefighters Association recommendations on such matters.
Article VII
The Board of Trustees of SCCFLAG
shall keep correct and complete books and records of accounts and said records
of account shall be audited once a year by an auditor approved by the Board of
Trustees.
Section 2. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of SCCFLAG
shall be from January 1 through December 31.
Section 3. Deposits
The funds of SCCFLAG shall
be deposited to the credit of SCCFLAG in such banks or other depositories or
securities that are insured or guaranteed by the federal government as the
Board of Trustees may designate.
Article VIII
If any provision, article
or section of this Constitution or Bylaws shall be deemed invalid by reason of
its contravention of any public law or public policy, then said provision,
article or section shall be void and of no force and effect, but shall not
affect the validity of the provisions of the remainder of this Constitution and
Bylaws.
Article IX
Standing Rules
The Board of Trustees of
this organization acting by the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of its
members may adopt and from time to time amend such rules and regulations
pertaining to the purposes, activities and affairs of this organization as it
may deem necessary and desirable provided that such rules and regulations do
not conflict with any provisions of law or of the Constitution and Bylaws of
this organization. Such rules and regulations shall be known and designated as
the Standing Rules of
SCCFLAG.
Article X
Amendments
This Constitution may be altered,
amended, or repealed, or a new Constitution may be adopted in the following
manner:
(1) Upon presentation to the
Board of Trustees of a petition signed by at least 30% of verified active
members of SCCFLAG, the Board of Trustees shall call a special meeting of the
general active membership of SCCFLAG for the purposes of voting on the changes
proposed in the petition.
(2) Not less than two weeks
prior to said special meeting, the Board of Trustees shall cause to be
circulated to all active members a notification of said meeting, along with (a)
a copy of the changes proposed by the petitioners, and (b) a proxy for the use
of those active members unable to attend the special meeting, (the cost of said
notification and mailing shall be borne by the petitioners in the event they
are unsuccessful in their attempt to amend, repeal, alter or change this
Constitution; a bond in a suitable amount shall be provided by said petitioners
in advance to secure the faithful performance of the obligations imposed herein).
(3) All proxies must be
received by the Board at least three days prior to the special meeting.
(4) At least two-thirds of
the active membership must vote on the proposed changes and two-thirds of those
voting must cast ballots in favor of the proposed changes in order to carry
said changes.
(5) Upon verification and certification of the special election, the Board
of Trustees shall cause a new Constitution, or Article or Section thereof, to be drawn up if in
accordance with the result of the election such is required.
Article XI
Dissolution
This organization may be
dissolved by the two-thirds majority vote of all valid members of the Santa
Cruz County Professional Firefighters Association.
Upon dissolution of
SCCFLAG, any funds remaining after payment of all debts and expenses shall be
paid over to the Santa Cruz County Professional Firefighters Association
general fund to be banked in a separate account and the moneys to be used as
outlined under Article II - Purposes.
BYLAWS
Article I
Meetings
Section 1. Board of Trustees
Regular meetings of the
Board of Trustees shall be held at least twice each year at such tune and place
as may be fixed by the Board. The first meeting of the calendar year shall be
designated by the Board as its annual meeting. A special meeting of the Board
may be called by the President or the Secretary or by a petition of two members
of SCCFLAG’s Board of Trustees.
Section 2. Notice of Meeting
Notice to the Trustees of
regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall not be required. Written notice
of the time and place of any other meeting of the Board shall be personally
delivered to each Trustee or Executive Committee member or mailed or otherwise
sent to him at his address as it is shown in the records of SCCFLAG at least
ten days before the date set for the meeting.
Section 3. Quorum
Three voting members shall
constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Section 4. Conduct of Meetings
The conduct of Board of
Trustees and Executive Committee meetings shall be In accordance with the
latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. At least one of the two annual Board
of Trustee meetings shall be open, and general members shall be allowed to
attend.
The transactions of any
meeting of the Board of Trustees, however called and wherever held, shall be as
valid as though a meeting had been duly held after regular call and notice so
long as a quorum is present.
Article II
Recall of Trustees
Any Board member may be
removed from the office of Trustee (and if said member is an officer, then from
that office also) when:
(1) The Board of Trustees
received a petition containing the signatures of a minimum of thirty percent of
the total membership of SCCFLAG requesting removal from office of said Board
member; and
(2) The other Board members establish a date and place for the recall
election to take place within sixty days of the receipt of said petition; and
(3) The general active
membership is notified no later than thirty day prior to the recall election;
and
(4) A two-thirds vote by the
members in attendance at such recall election request recall of said Board
member.
Article III
Finances
Section 1.
All funds shall be transmitted directly to the Treasurer of SCCFLAG
Section 2. Disbursements
and Allocation
of Moneys
Subject to the approval of
the Board of Trustees of SCCFLAG, the annual dues and contributions shall be
disbursed to achieve the purposes of SCCFLAG including but not limited to:
(a) Administrative costs of
SCCFLAG
(b) Political education of
active members and assistance and advice to local firefighter’s groups wishing
to become politically active.
(c) Donations to specific
political campaigns and political fund raising events without regard to
specific political party.
(d)
Donations in support or opposition to initiatives or referendums.
(e) Any and all other lawful
activities in the furtherance of the purposes of SCCFLAG.
Article IV
Amendments
These Bylaws may be
altered, amended or repealed or a new set of Bylaws may be adopted at any
meeting of the Board of Trustees by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds
of the Board members following written notice of the proposed action given to
each Trustee at least fifteen days prior to the meeting at which time such
change is to be voted upon.