Chapter by-laws as amended January
2002. |
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PREAMBLE
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The Suncoast Chapter (the Chapter), a certified chapter
of the Florida Trail Association will endeavor to work within the
structure of Florida Trail Association By-Laws. |
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ARTICLE I - GEOGRAPHIC JURISDICTION
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The Suncoast Chapter area shall be designated by
the Board of Directors, Florida Trail Association. |
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ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
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The purpose of the Chapter is to advance the purpose,
objectives, goals, and responsibilities as set forth by the Board
of Directors, Florida Trail association. |
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ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
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Section 1: |
Members of the Florida Trail Association residing
in the Suncoast area are normally members of the Chapter. However,
a member may affiliate with a chapter other than the one for the
member's residence by requesting the change from the FTA office.
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Section 2: |
Every adult Chapter member shall have a vote in the
business of the Chapter. |
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Section 3: |
Members of other chapters may subscribe to the Suncoast
newsletter (Footnotes) by proper
payment of an amount equal to the chapter portion of the Association
dues. |
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ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
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Section 1: |
Regular Chapter Business Meetings: The Chapter shall
conduct six business meetings annually, normally in January, March,
May, July, September, and November. |
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Section 2: |
Special Business Meetings: When justified by urgency
of time a special business meeting can be scheduled by any one of
the following: the Chairman or a majority of the Executive Board
or petition of the membership bearing signatures of not less than
twenty (20) members, stating the exact purpose and urgency. |
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Section 3: |
Non-Business Meetings: All non-business meetings
shall be referred to as activities, and are covered elsewhere under
that subject. |
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Section 4: |
Scheduling and Conduct of Meetings: All meetings
shall be announced by mail to all the membership at lease fifteen
(15) days before the scheduled meeting. The announcement shall include
the date, place, time, and, when important issues are planned, an
agenda. All meetings shall be conducted by the Chairman using rules
of order. Announcement of regular meetings shall be made to all
Florida Trail Association members via the Footprint,
and again to Chapter members in the newsletter (Footnotes.)
Special mailings to Chapter members shall be used for all special
meetings. |
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Section 5: |
Quorum: No general membership vote or confirmation
shall be carried with fewer than twenty (20) affirmative votes.
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Section 6: |
Voting: Voting may be by voice vote (except for Article
VI, Section 4). If the outcome cannot be determined by voice vote,
vote will be by a show of hands or a written ballot. |
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ARTICLE V - ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHAPTER
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Section 1: |
General: The efficient operation of the Chapter shall
be the responsibility of the Chair. To assist the Chair in this
responsibility, to increase membership participation, and to take
advantage of special talents of the members, additional Chapter
positions are created as follows: officers, standing committees,
special committees, advisors, and executive board. |
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Section 2: |
Officers: The Chapter officers shall be the Chair,
Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. Each shall serve a term of
two (2) years after being elected by the general membership. Vacancies
that occur during a term may be filled through appointment by the
executive board, subject to confirmation by the general membership.
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Section 3: |
Standing Committees: Standing committee
chairs may be appointed by the Chair and/or executive board, subject
to confirmation by the general membership. Committee members are
recruited by its chair. Chair and membership of standing committees
are without term.
Standing committees are:
- Trails - Trails Coordinator, Section Leaders, Trailmasters
in the Chapter, and Chapter members.
- Activities - Chapter Activity Coordinator, all activity leaders
in the Chapter, and Trails Coordinator.>
- Newsletter - Chaired by the Editor.
- Public Relations - Chair and appointed members.
- Membership - Chair and appointed members.
- Scrapbook/History - Historian.
- Awards - Chaired by the Chapter Chair; all Chapter members
are on this committee.
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Section 4: |
Special Committees: Special committee chairs are
appointed by the Chair as the need arises. Membership may be recruited
by the Chapter or Committee Chair. There is no term of office, each
serving until such time as there is no longer a need for the committee.
Examples of special committees are: Nominating, Events, Projects,
Conferences. |
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Section 5: |
Advisors: All past Chapter Chairs who served a complete
term of office are eligible to be advisors at the request of the
Chapter Chair. |
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Section 6: |
Executive Board: The executive board shall consist
of the elected officers. Subject to agreement of three of the four
officers, the board may be augmented from selected chairs and/or
advisors. The board shall be as small as practical to expedite the
decision process. The function of the board is to plan, research,
and make recommendations. It is the board's duty to insure that
problems are not brought to the general membership for resolution
without a complete analysis to include courses of action and rational
recommendations. The board must keep a broad perspective to properly
accomplish planning and operations. Should complex issues arise,
the matter should be referred to special committee. All appointive
members must be reconstituted with change of Chair. |
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Section 7: |
Membership: The general membership shall bear overall
responsibility for Chapter business and activities. During each
meeting there shall be an opportunity for the membership to voice
opinions, to open discussion, and to make motions for vote. Commitment
of Chapter resources can only be approved by general membership
vote. However, once a commitment has been made, expenditures for
normal operation and/or maintenance may be assumed. |
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ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS
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Section 1: |
Schedule of Elections: Officers shall be elected
by general membership vote during the regularly scheduled January
meeting in odd numbered years, and shall be installed at the March
meeting. |
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Section 2: |
Nominations:
- The Chairman shall appoint a chair of the nominating committee
and announce this appointment during the November meeting. The
next Footnotes will list the
name, address, and telephone number of the Chair and members
of the nominating committee. The membership will be encouraged
to recommend individuals for office to the nominating committee.
Specific duties of the nominating committee are: actively recruit
one or more competent candidates for each office; establish
the willingness of each candidate to serve; prepare an initial
slate of eligible candidates; present a verbal biographical
sketch of each candidate on their slate at the January election
meeting; be prepared to conduct a secret written ballot if necessary.
- The Chapter Chairman will open the slate for nominations from
the floor. Persons making nominations must have prior commitment
from the nominee and present a biographic sketch at the time
of the nomination.
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Section 3: |
Eligibility for Office: All chapter members are eligible
to be a candidate for office subject to:
- A person must be an eligible voter as defined in Article III,
Section 2.
- The person must willingly accept the position.
- A Chapter Chair who has served a full twenty-four (24) month-term
may not be immediately re-elected for that office.
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Section 4: |
Voting:
- Whenever more than one eligible candidate desires a specific
office, the general membership shall vote using a secret written
ballot in accordance with Article IV,Section 5.
- Any office for which only one candidate remains after nominations
from the floor may be confirmed by a verbal confirmation vote
in accordance with Article IV, Sections 5 & 6.
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ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATORS
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Section 1: |
General: The Suncoast Chapter is functionally organized
in the pattern of the parent association. Similarities of organization
are intentional to facilitate communications and avoid complicating
routine operations. Statements of duties, responsibilities, and
power of the Florida Trail Association are, in general, applicable
to comparable positions within the Chapter. |
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Section 2: |
Officers:
- Chair -- The executive officer and spokesperson for the Chapter,
the Chair shall call and preside over meetings of the general
membership and the executive board. The Chair shall be responsible
for appointments of all standing committee chairs. The Chair
is the official link between the President and the Vice Presidents
of the Florida Trail Association and represents the Chapter
at the Florida Trail Association Chapter Council.
- Vice-Chairman -- Performs the duties of the Chair in the absence
of the Chair or as the Chair might delegate. The Vice-Chair
shall assist the Chair by coordinating the meeting site arrangements.
- Treasurer -- Shall be custodian of the Chapter funds. The
Treasurer is the advisor to the Chairman and to the membership
on Chapter financial business, and shall report at each meeting
a summary of the disbursements,receipts, and current balance.
All financial management and reporting requirements of the Florida
Trail Association Chapter Guidelines (revised) are the responsibility
of the Treasurer. All claims on the treasury must be supported
by an appropriate document.
- Secretary -- Shall record the proceedings of all meetings
of the membership and the executive board. The Secretary shall
publish and maintain minutes of the meetings.
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Section 3: |
Advisors -- Assist the Chair in the execution of
his or her duties by providing expertise. |
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Section 4: |
Committee Chairs:
- Trails: The chair shall call and preside over meetings of
the Trails Committee to establish priorities for expenditure
of manpower and funds; review all proposals for trail development;
be a member of the Activity Committee for the purpose of advising
on trail development and maintenance activities; coordinate
with the Florida Trail Association Vice President of Trails
and Trails Committee Chairman all trail development and maintenance;
maintain a roster of all Section Leaders and Trail Masters in
the Chapter and recruit volunteers for vacancies.
- Activities: Coordinator shall: call and preside over meetings
of the activities committee to develop the schedule of activities;
maintain the official Chapter calendar consolidating all scheduled
work and social activities and meetings; provide calendar input
to the Florida Trail Association Activity Coordinator and to
the editor of the Footnotes;
cooperate with the Florida Trail Association Activity Coordinator
to maintain a list of Chapter members who are Florida Trail
Association recognized activity leaders; insure that all sanctioned
activities are led by a recognized activity leader.
- News Letter: The editor shall: Coordinate committee volunteers
and the general membership to publish a bi-monthly news letter
titled Footnotes; edit all material
submitted for publication for appropriateness, correctness,
and format.
- Public Relations: The chair shall: publicize meetings and
activities of the Chapter through local media; publicize the
Florida Trail Association by all means available and appropriate.
- Membership: The chairman shall assist non-members who seek
information about the Florida Trail Association; seek methods
to increase retention of membership; work with Public Relations
to encourage new members.
- Scrapbook/History: The historian shall: maintain the Chapter
Scrapbooks by encouraging all members to submit appropriate
articles published in the public media; collect and properly
file all important documents for preservation.
- Awards -- The Chair shall: encourage all members to be aware
of members worthy of awards and to notify her/him; check all
awards for appropriateness and quality.
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ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
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Section 1: |
Florida Trail Association: Any portion of these By-Laws
found to be in conflict with the By-Laws of the Florida Trail Association
shall be declared invalid. The Chapter Chair shall initiate action
to correct the conflict at the next scheduled meeting using the
procedures described in Section 2. |
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Section 2: |
Suncoast Chapter Initiative: Any Chapter member may
request "Consideration for Change to the By-Laws". This may be done
in writing and presented to the Chapter Chair, or it may be done
verbally, after recognition by the Chair at a meeting. The Chair,
reading the written request, or the person making the request, must
identify the part and wording to be changed and give the rationale
for the change. The Chair will entertain open discussion on the
subject and ask for a motion that the proposed change be submitted
for vote at the next meeting. If the motion is carried, the next
Footnotes will summarize it. The
executive board shall make a detailed analysis with recommendations
which the Chair shall present at the meeting at which the vote is
taken. The issue shall again be opened for discussion before the
vote is taken. |
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Section 3: |
Exceptions: A one-time exception can be made, approved
by the general membership vote, to any part of these By-Laws. If
a Chair should find need for a second exception to any part of the
By-Laws, the change procedure must be followed. |
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