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Preamble
We, the members of the Northwest Georgia Fire Chiefs
Association, recognizing our responsibility to the communities
we serve and our obligations to society in general, and with the
knowledge that our profession requires the highest ideals, rules
of conduct and operational standards, we hereby adopt the
following principles for all our chiefs and other fire officer
members serving GAFC Area 6 and recommend these principles to
all persons in our region:
- We will utilize our organizational strength to achieve
excellence within our profession with regard to our major goals:
excellence in fire department management and outstanding
firefighter performance. We pledge to understand the successful
practices of fire service organizations and personnel, review
lessons learned and recommend and promote improved standards,
policies and procedures.
- Recognizing the mutual dependence of all firefighting
forces on each allied profession involved in public safety and
with special emphasis on emergency responders, we pledge our
cooperation to all organizations and individuals involved in the
improvement and promotion of public safety and the welfare of
the general public.
- We will continually recognize that all professions
require trained and certified personnel. We pledge to advance
the management of fire departments and the science of
firefighting through training courses and other methods to meet
the standards of our profession.
- Our members will neither solicit, nor accept, any
gift, privilege, favor or advantage from any organization or person which will
place them under any obligation to violate a law or violate the ethics of our
profession.
- As management personnel, we will practice fairness to all
members, whether career or volunteer, and only recognize those
achievements that have been honestly earned by meritorious
service.
- We will continually recognize the various public agencies
that have been empowered to support public safety and, to that
end, we pledge our cooperation to all officials and governmental
organizations involved in the promotion of public safety and
improvement to the general public’s welfare.
- We recognize our responsibility to the working press and
news media of Georgia and believe these entities are important
to the democratic processes of our country. Therefore, we
pledge to keep the public informed of our activities and solicit
public support for successful fire department endeavors. We are
committed to providing information to the public regarding any
act or policy detrimental to the public safety of Georgia
citizens.
- We will not allow envy, jealousy, or any other
self-serving motives to interfere with the aforementioned
principles as we strive to achieve all our professional goals.
Article I
Name and Purpose
Section I.
The name of this body will be
"Northwest Georgia Fire Chiefs Association.
Section 2.
The purpose for which this
Association is organized is to secure a closer official
relationship among firefighting officials throughout GAFC Area 6
in the State of Georgia; to secure unity of action in fire
department matters; to evaluate the standard of fire departments
in the firefighting profession; to generally encourage
advancement and the perfection of a uniform firefighting system
within the State of Georgia; to advance along all lines
pertaining to the prevention and detection of fires; and to
encourage membership and affiliation of members of this body
with the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and the Southeastern
Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Article II
Membership
Section 1.
The Association membership shall
be divided into four classes: Active, Associate, Sustaining and
Honorary Life.
ACTIVE MEMBERS shall consist of
those persons who at the time of election to membership are
Chief Officers, Directors, or any other fire department Officer
who carries the duties of a Chief Officer as determined by the
Chief of his or her department of a regularly organized fire
department in any municipality or county, private and government
installations, paid or voluntary in the State of Georgia
including public safety directors and emergency management
directors, whose span of control and management includes
regularly organized fire-rescue-EMS departments. Additional
members may include CEO’s of allied fire chiefs and
firefighter’s associations.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS shall be those
members from any governmental agency allied with the fire
service. Those persons holding an associate membership shall not
have a vote and will be excluded from those meetings where only
active members shall be allowed while in conference. Associate
Members shall meet in separate sessions during such time and
under the auspices of the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee shall approve all Associate Members for membership.
Associate Members shall pay dues but shall be ineligible to vote
or hold office.
SUSTAINING MEMBERS shall be those
persons specifically interested in the fire service and its
advancement. They shall include, but not be limited to those
persons involved in sales of fire apparatus, fire equipment,
clothing, etc. Those persons holding a Sustaining Membership
shall not have a vote and will be excluded from those meetings
from which only Active Members shall be allowed while in
conference. The Executive Committee shall approve all Sustaining
Members for membership. Sustaining Members shall pay dues, but
shall be ineligible to vote or hold office.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS shall be
any Active Member of the Association as defined in Article 11,
who shall be honorably retired or honorably severed from active
firefighting service after at least five (5) years as a member
in good standing of this Association. This honor is
automatically bestowed on the member upon notification to the
Association, and he or she shall be exempt from the payment of
dues and shall be eligible to vote but not to hold office, and
shall otherwise retain all the privileges of an Active Member.
Section 2.
- Any person who is desirous of becoming an Active,
Associate or Sustaining member of the Association shall file an application with
the Secretary, giving his or her name, position, residence, and department
name.
- Upon receipt of any
application (except Honorary), the Secretary shall refer the
same to the Executive Committee, who shall make the
necessary inquiry as to his, or her, qualifications and
personal fitness for membership. After such investigative
inquiry, the Executive Committee may admit all qualified
persons.
Article III
Officers
Section 1.
The officers of the Association
shall be elected from the Active Membership in good standing and
shall consist of the President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice
President, Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall hold their
respective offices for a period of one (I ) year or until
their successor shall be elected or qualified.
Section 2.
All of the said officers shall be
elected by ballot at the annual meeting of the Association by a
majority vote of the members present and qualified to vote. The
officers so elected shall be installed and take office at the
annual meeting or at an appropriate time and place designated by
the Executive Committee.
Section 3.
At the time of their elections,
candidates for office in the Association shall be voting members
as defined in Article II, Section 1.
Section 4.
There may be an official office
of the Chaplain. This position will be an appointed position.
The appointment shall be made after a recommendation to or from
the Executive Board and a majority "Yea" vote of the members of
the Board.
Section 5.
There may be an official office
of Parliamentarian. This will be an appointed position. The
appointment shall be made by the President and shall be a
non-voting member of the Executive Committee.
Article IV
Duties of the Executive
Officers
Section 1.
(President)
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Shall be the official representative and spokesman for the
Association.
- Shall serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.
- Shall preside at meetings of the Association and the meetings of
the Executive Committee.
- Shall appoint all committees including those not provided for in
the Constitution and By-Laws.
- Shall sign as such
officer all checks and papers executed by or on behalf of the
Association requiring the signature of such officer.
- Shall receive and lay
before the members in their meetings and at other such times
being necessary, the reports of the Executive Committee,
Officers, and Committees and generally do and perform duties
pertaining to his office as required of him by the Constitution
and By-Laws.
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Shall be an ex-officio member
of all committees with the right to vote.
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Shall serve as the recommended nominee for District Vice
President for the Ga. Association of Fire Chief’s
for our area.
Section 2. (1st Vice President)
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In
the absence of the President or inability of the President to
perform all duties of his or her office, the 1st Vice President shall be directed to
assume the duties of the President.
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Shall assist the President in every way possible to assist the
President in his or her duties.
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In
case of death, resignation, or inability of the 1st Vice
President to serve, the 2nd Vice President shall be directed to assume all of the duties
of the 1st Vice President.
- In addition to all
other duties required by the President, the 1st Vice President
shall perform such duties as may be required of him or her
by the policy direction of the Executive Committee
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Serve as GMAG Area 6
Coordinator
Section 3 (2nd Vice
President)
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Shall assist the
President and 1st Vice President in conducting the business and
policies of the Association.
- In absence or inability
of the President and 1st Vice President, he or she shall
immediately be directed to assume all of the duties
and responsibilities of the President.
- In case of death,
resignation, or inability of the 1st Vice President to serve,
the 2nd Vice President shall be directed to assume all of the
duties of the 1st Vice President.
- In addition to all
other duties required by the President, the 2nd Vice President
shall perform such other duties as may be required of him or
her by the Association in conference assembled or by policy
direction of the Executive Committee.
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Serve as Alternate GMAG Area 6 Coordinator
Section 4 (Secretary)
- Shall generally do and
perform the duties, which usually pertain to his or her office,
or may be directed of him or her by the Officers and
Executive Committee.
- Shall attend all
meetings of the Association and of all standing committees and
keep full minutes of the proceedings and actions taken. He
or she shall cause to be prepared and issued to members,
and to all others whom he or she may be directed by the
Executive Board, a complete report to each annual meeting.
He or she shall employ, with the consent of the Executive Committee, such assistance as deemed necessary to discharge the
duties of his or her office.
Section 5 (Treasurer)
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Shall at
each annual meeting submit to the Association a written
statement of the work of his or her office for the preceding
twelve (12) months, and also submit a report of the financial
condition of the Association. He or she shall, by and with the
consent of the Executive Committee, select a chartered bank(s)
in which the funds of the Association shall be deposited subject
to such safeguards as the Executive Committee demand. Shall also
work as a financial officer of the Association, and oversee
all collection of funds, accounts receivable, donations, and
other income which may come to the Association. Shall audit on a
quarterly basis the financial books of the Association and
report findings to the Executive Committee.
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Shall sign as such
officer on proper warrants, such checks and papers executed on
behalf of the Association as may be required by the
Executive Committee.
Section 6. (Chaplain)
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It shall be
the responsibility of the Chaplain of the Georgia Fire Chiefs
Association - Northwest Division to lend spiritual
guidance to the members of the Association. It shall also be his
or her responsibility to prepare appropriate
memorial services in memory of those members who have passed away during the preceding year.
Section 7. (Parliamentarian)
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The Parliamentarian shall
function under the direction of the Executive Committee to
ensure that the business of this Association is carried out
utilizing proper procedures.
Article V
Executive Committee Association Expenses
Section 1. Executive
Committee/Executive Board
- There shall be an
Executive Committee which shall consist of the President, 1st
Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer and Immediate Past President. The Executive Committee
shall transact the business of the Association and shall
exercise the jurisdiction and authority over all standing and
special committees, and may require a report of their activities
at any time. It may interpret the provision of the Constitution
and By-Laws.
- A simple majority shall
constitute a quorum for transaction of business at all meetings
in the Executive Committee.
- The Executive Committee
shall supervise and control all expenditures of the Association
though the adoption of a purchasing policy. It shall have the
authority to make reasonable allowances for expenses incurred by
the officers and members in the transaction of business on
behalf of the Association.
- For the purpose of
orderly administration and supervision, the Executive Committee
shall carry out other duties assigned by the President.
- The Executive Committee
shall have the receipts and disbursements of the Association
audited by a committee appointed by the President at least once
each year. It may employ a qualified auditor to audit the books
of the Association when deemed necessary.
- Nothing in the above
section shall be construed as prohibiting the Executive
Committee, in the case of extraordinary emergency,
from changing the place or time of the meeting.
- The Executive Committee
shall direct the Secretary to publish to the membership such
reports and papers, as it deem important.
- The Executive Committee shall establish the order of
business to be followed during sessions of the annual meeting.
In all other cases, Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the
proceedings.
- At such time as the
Association is incorporated, the Executive Committee will
conduct all business of the
Association where applicable based on the articles of
incorporation.
Section 2. (Association Expenses)
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No
officer or member of the Association shall incur any expense in
the name of the Association without approval of the Executive
Committee except that, in case of emergency, the President is
empowered to authorize the expenditures of sufficient funds to
meet the emergency.
Article VI
Committee on Resolutions
Section l.
- The Committee on Resolutions shall
approve and submit to the Association all resolutions pertaining
to business of the Association or on any subject affecting the
welfare of the members of the Association. Any member desiring
to present a resolution shall first refer same to the Resolution
Committee.
Article VII
Committee on Nominations and
Elections
Section 1.
- The Committee on Nominations and Elections shall consist
of three (3) Active Members of the Association and shall be
appointed by the President.
Article VIII
Committee on Membership
Section l.
- The Committee on Membership shall promote membership and
maintain records of members and pertinent information support of
the association’s member communication program.
Article IX
Auditing Committee
Section 1.
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The Auditing Committee shall be appointed by the
President at each conference or when deemed appropriate by the
President and shall report its findings to the members during
the regular business session of the meeting.
Article X
Dues
Section 1.
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Dues
for
membership are indicated in the By-Laws, Article I, Sections 1
and 2.
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BY-LAWS
Article I
Dues and
Membership Requirements
Section l.
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The annual dues for Active and Associate members shall be
$10.00, which shall become due at the time of initiation, and
thereafter due on or before January 1" of each year. Honorary
Life members shall pay no dues.
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Any person who joins the Association between October 1st
and December 31st as a dues paying member shall have
their membership extended to through December 31st of
the following year.
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The annual dues for
sustaining members shall be $200.00, which shall become due at
the time of initiation, and thereafter on or before January 1"
each year.
Section 2.
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A member must have a
current membership in place for him or her to participate in
Association business or functions.
- Any member who resigns
from his or her respective department with charges against him
or her pending or who is dismissed, or who resigns from his or
her department for cause shall likewise be dismissed as a member
of this Association.
Section 3.
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As per the terms of the
Constitution, the following committees are established and shall
be appointed at the pleasure of the President. (Note: The
President may name such other committees from time to time as he
or she thinks necessary and those committees shall coincide with
his or her term of office.)
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Nomination and Election Committee
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Membership Credential
Committee
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Resolutions Committee
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Audit Committee
Section 4.
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Meetings of the
Executive Committee shall be held at such time and place as the
President may designate. The
President upon request of a majority of members may call special
meetings thereof.
Section 5.
- The
Committee on Nominations and Elections shall present their
report during the annual meeting session, giving a complete list
of the nominations for the elective officers of the
Association. Where the Committee on Nominations deems it in the
best interest of the Association to nominate two or more members
for any office, they may so report in order that the choice may
be decided by ballot of the annual meeting. Nominations from
the floor shall require the nominee’s concurrence in writing or
his or her verbal concurrence from the floor at the time of
nominations. After calling 3 times for further nominations, the
presiding officer shall declare the nominations closed.
Section 6.
- Any nominee who desires to withdraw his or her name may do so at
the time of nomination, but shall not make any address nor
request his or her sponsors to support any other candidate.
Section 7.
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Only one (l) nominating speech or statement of endorsement shall
be permitted by or for each candidate. Such speech shall
not exceed 3 minutes.
Section 8.
- For any office for which there is only one nomination,
the presiding officer shall instruct the Chairman of the
Committee on Nominations and Elections to cast a ballot for such
nominee, and shall declare such nominee elected.
Section 9.
- For all offices for which there are two or more nominees
nominated, the Committee on Nominations and Elections
shall cause to be prepared, printed ballots, showing the names
of the nominees and the office for which they are
nominated. Active members, duly registered at the
conference and qualified to vote, may cast their ballots during the annual meeting session immediately
preceding the induction of officers at a time designated by
the Nominations and Elections Committee and approved by
the Executive Committee. After this time, the polls
shall be declared closed and the committee on Nominations and
Elections shall count the ballots and immediately report to the
annual meeting assembled.
Section 10.
- In the election of officers, the candidate receiving the highest
number of votes shall be elected. In the
event of a tie vote, the voting on the second ballot shall be
confined to the nominees so tied. The second ballot shall take
place as soon as possible and shall be subject to the same
procedure as on the first ballot.
Article 11
Rules
of Order
Section 1.
- The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum and shall
take no part in debates while he or she is presiding. He
or she shall decide all questions of order without debate. The
presiding officer may state his or her reasons for the
decision given and shall put the question as follows:
"shall the decision of the chair be sustained?" A two-thirds
majority of those voting shall be necessary to
reverse the decision of the chair.
Section 2.
- Every member, when he or she speaks or offers a motion, shall
rise in his or her place, state his or her full name and
name of department, and respectfully address the presiding
officer; and when he or she has finished speaking, shall
at once resume his or her seat. When speaking, he or she
shall confine his or her comments to the question under debate.
Section 3.
- The consideration of
any proposed amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules
of Order, of which notice has been given at a regularly
scheduled meeting, shall not be acted upon until the
next regularly scheduled meeting.
Section 4.
- All amendments,
alterations or revisions of any part of the Constitution,
By-Laws, or Rules of Order shall take effect upon their
adoption unless otherwise provided for.
Amended 11/17/09
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