Constitution and By-Laws
Bylaws
Constitution and By-Laws
Article I – Name
Section 1
This organization shall be known as the Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association and shall hereinafter be referred to as the Association.
Section 2
The Association shall be an incorporated, but not for profit, organization and an affiliate organization of the North Carolina State Firefighter’s Association.
Article II – Purpose
Section 1
The purpose of the Association shall be as follows:
- To provide a vehicle for the exchange of ideas on improving the level of fire protection services in Eastern North Carolina.
- To provide quality training programs for member departments and any other that may wish to participate.
- To act as a clearinghouse for information concerning legislation, technical data, and current items of interest to member fire departments, with the understanding that legislative activities shall be coordinated with and carried on through the North Carolina State Fire Fighter’s Association.
- To serve as a forum for representation of the member fire departments to all law and policy-making bodies and their members.
Section 2
The Mission Statement shall be:
- To support each member by providing education, information and representation for the fire service of Eastern North Carolina.
Article III – Membership
Section 1
The Association shall be open for four types of membership; regular, associate, honorary and life.
Regular Membership: Regular membership shall be provided upon payment of NCSFA Annual Dues, to all fire department and county fire marshal offices within the area covered by the Association. Regular membership shall be open to all fire departments and county fire marshal offices, which are not members of the NCSFA with in the area covered by the Association as long as dues are paid. Regular members (fire department or county fire marshal office) shall have the right to one vote on all issues brought before the Association as long as it retains its membership.
Associate Membership: All individuals, firms, organizations or vendors may, upon payment of the dues required of the regular members, become associate members. Associate members have no voting rights.
Life Membership: Any individual of a fire department or county fire marshal’s office that is a regular member of the Association and has retired from their fire department or county fire marshal’s office can apply to the association for life membership. Eastern Carolina Firefighter’s Association Past President and any outgoing Eastern board member, as deemed by the Executive board may also be awarded a Lifetime membership. Upon approval by the association said individual will have life membership status. Life members shall pay no dues and shall have voting rights, as long as they are otherwise qualified to vote.
Honorary Membership: Any individual, deemed appropriate by the board, for membership shall be given an honorary membership. Honorary Members shall not have voting rights nor pay dues.
No member shall be entitled to share in the distribution of the Association’s assets upon the dissolution of the Association.
Section 2
Every Non- NCSFA fire department, county fire marshal’s office, and associate member in the area covered by this Association who desire to become a member, shall make application to any of the principal officers or directors. Payment of dues in effect at the time of application shall constitute membership.
Section 3
Any member may resign from the Association by delivery of written resignation to the President or Secretary of the Association.
Section 4
A regular member or associate member shall remain in good standing in the Association only so long as it pays its financial obligations, complies with this Constitution and By Laws, and remains in good standing with the City, Town, County, or Community which it serves.
Section 5
Expulsion from the Association of any member may be obtained by presenting sufficient cause in writing at any board meeting of the Association and upon the board finding sufficient cause the board will bring the issue to the membership for vote. It will require a 2/3 vote of voting members present for expulsion.
Section 6
Each regular member department shall be entitled to one vote on all issues brought before the membership of the Association.
Article IV – Dues
Section 1
All members, which are members of the NCSFA, are dues exempt. Non NCFSA members of the Association shall be required to pay fees as set by the membership.
Section 2
Dues shall be due and payable on the first day of January each year and members not paying dues by March 1st of each year shall be considered delinquent. Delinquent members shall forfeit all voting rights and privileges.
Section 3
The Association, through its Board of Directors, shall have the power to levy and collect conference and seminar registration fees sufficient to defray the cost of such meetings.
Article V – Officers
Section 1
The executive officers of the Association shall consist of the President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The 2nd Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer shall be elected annually by the membership at its April meeting (the Secretary and Treasurer can be one or two positions). Eligible candidates(as stated in Article V section 5) nominated from the floor at the April membership meeting, must have provided the Board of Directors with written notice of their intent to run for one of the Elected Director positions no later than January 1 of the year in which they intend to run.
Section 2
There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of the executive officers, immediate past president, and eight directors. The eight directors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors under the direction of the President. Two or Three directors shall be appointed each year for Three-year term depending on rotation (beginning July 2013 _3_ directors, 2014 _2_ directors, 2015 _3_ directors, and so on). The past president shall not have a vote.
Section 3
Ascension of Directors – The past President for any given year shall be the individual who served as President the preceding year. The President for any given year shall be the individual who served as 1st Vice President the preceding year. The 1st Vice President for any given year shall be the individual who served as 2nd Vice President the preceding year.
Section 4
One more than half of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5
Any officer of the Association shall be no less than twenty-one years of age, be a member in good standing of the North Carolina State Fire Fighter’s Association, and Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association with the exception of the secretary and or treasurer, who may be an associate member.
Section 6
Should any vacancy occur of the Executive Officers, prior to an election, the members of the Board of Directors shall make appointment to fill the unexpired term for which said officer. Should any vacancy occur in the directors, the Board of Directors shall make an appointment to fill the unexpired term.
Section 7
Any Board of Director absent from two consecutive meetings without an excused absence may be removed from their position, upon review by the Board of Directors.
Section 8
Every third year as required by the North Carolina State Fire Fighter’s Association (NCSFA), the regular members present at the April meeting of the Association shall elect a representative to serve as the Eastern Director of the NCSFA board. Eligible candidates(as stated in Article V section 5) nominated from the floor at the April membership meeting, must have provided the Board of Directors with written notice of their intent to run for the Eastern Director positions no later than January 1 of the year in which they intend to run. Upon resignation and or death of the representative the Eastern Board of Directors will recommend a representative to fill the remaining term.
Section 9
Every third year as required by the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs (NCAFC), the regular members present at the April meeting of the Association shall elect a representative to serve as the Eastern Director of the NCAFC board. Eligible candidates(as stated in Article V section 5) nominated from the floor at the April membership meeting, must have provided the Board of Directors with written notice of their intent to run for the Eastern Director positions no later than January 1 of the year in which they intend to run. Upon resignation and or death of the representative the Eastern Board of Directors will recommend a representative to fill the remaining term.
Section 10
Every third year as required by the North Carolina Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation, the regular members present at the April meeting of the Association shall elect two representatives to serve as the Eastern Director of the NCFFF board. Eligible candidates (as stated in Article V section 5) nominated from the floor at the April membership meeting, must have provided the Board of Directors with written notice of their intent to run for one of the Eastern Director positions no later than January 1 of the year in which they intend to run. Upon resignation and or death of the representative the Eastern Board of Directors will recommend a representative to fill the remaining term
Article VI – Duties of Officers
The Board of Directors may elect to maintain operating guidelines that provide more specific responsibilities for the positions indicated below.
Section 1
President – It shall be the duty of the President to preside over all meetings of the Association and its Board of Directors, appoint all committees, countersign all warrants or vouchers duly granted by the Association, and perform such other duties as may be incident to his/her office or shall be required of him/her by the membership or the Board of Directors.
Section 2
Vice-President – In the absence of the President or in the event of the President’s death, inability or refusal to act, the 1st Vice President or 2nd Vice President if the 1st Vice President is unable to serve, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. Any Vice President shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Executive Board.
Section 3
Secretary – It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a complete record or recording of all proceedings of the Association and its Board of Directors. The Secretary shall keep a roster of those composing the membership of the Association.
Section 4
Treasurer – It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect the membership fees and issue all warrants and vouchers for payment of all monies expended by the Association. He/she shall collect all monies due the Association from all sources, keep a true and correct account of all monies received and disbursed and pays no money except by resolution of the Board of Directors. All monies belonging to the Association shall be deposited in a chartered bank, insured by FDIC, approved by the Board of Directors, the deposit being in the name of the Association. An audit of the books and accounts may be required by the Board of Directors. A bond may be required to be executed in the sum designated by the Board of Directors to the Association for the security of all funds in his/her hands and file same with the President and Vice-President. All property, books, and records in his/her hands are and shall remain the property of the Association. He/she shall have the authority, with the approval of the Board of Directors first attained, to engage assistance at any time he/she may deem necessary for the proper discharge of business of the Association. He/she shall perform such other duties as the President or the Board of Directors may require. All warrants will require two signatures, of the President, Vice-President or Treasurer.
Section 5
Chaplain – It shall be the duty of the Chaplain to conduct all prayer, invocations, special services, and to provide spiritual and moral stimulus and incentive in order to promote good will and brotherhood among the members of the Association and the firefighters in the area covered by the Association.
Section 6
Directors – It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to transact all business of the Association not otherwise provided for between quarterly meetings of the Association. They shall have full power to expunge from the minutes, for good cause, anything that in the opinion of the Board shall be objectionable to the Association or its members.
Section 7
Compensation and Expenses for Directors – The Board of Directors shall receive no compensation for their services; but by resolution of the Board, any Board of Director rendering service to the Association may be reimbursed for expenses.
Article VII – Amendments
Section 1
The Association shall have the power to alter, amend, repeal, or otherwise revise the Constitution and By-Laws by a two-thirds vote of the regular members of the Association present entitled to vote provided the proposed amendment shall have been submitted in writing at a previous meeting of the Board of Directors and notice made to the membership a minimum of 15 days prior to the regular meeting.
Section 2
A two-thirds vote of the members entitled to vote; who are present shall be necessary for the adoption of any alteration, amendment or revision.
Article VIII – Meeting
Section 1
The quarterly meetings of the Association shall be held in the months of January, April, and July and October, unless otherwise scheduled by the board.
Section 2
Members of the Association shall be advised by the Secretary of the exact dates, times, and location of meetings.
Section 3
Failure to hold any meeting shall in the no way dissolve the Association.
Section 4
The Board of Directors shall meet at such time and place as they may decide, on a call of the President or a majority of said Board.
Section 5
Special meetings shall be called for facilitation of the presentation of programs and workshops as the need arises.
Article IX – Rules of Order
Section 1
Parliamentary matters not governed by the constitution and By-Laws shall be governed by such rules of order, as the President shall deem appropriate. The President shall notify the membership of the particular rules of order being utilized (e.g. Robert’s Rules).
Article X – Dissolution
Section 1
Upon the dissolution of the Association, whatever remaining assets the Association has, will be donated to another tax-exempt organization as listed in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Code of Federal Regulations and specifically to such a group which will benefit the fire service of North Carolina.
Revision: April 10th, 2014 Belfast VFD, Wayne County
Revision: April 14th, 2016 Davie VFD, Halifax County
Revision: July 13th, 2017 Nash Community College, Nash County
Revision: July 12th 2018 Pantego VFD, Beaufort County
Revision: July 11th 2019 Northampton Wellness Center, Northampton County
