CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Solano Training Officer’s Association.
Section 2. The object of the Association shall be to sponsor, coordinate and deliver training programs for the betterment of the Fire Service
Section 1. Active Membership
A.Training Officers from Solano Fire agencies are eligible for active membership in the Solano Training Officer's Association, as determined by the Solano County Chiefs.
Section 1. Retired Membership
Members who are retired have the privilege of attending all meetings or would have the choice of attending the regular meetings in appropriate civilian attire or their uniforms. Retired members have no voting privileges and cannot hold office.
Section 1. This Association shall hold regular meetings, which shall be monthly, on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m.,
Section 2. One-third of the entire membership and minimum of 1 officer, assembled at the time and place of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 3. At the written request, stating the reason or reasons therefore, of member(s) of the Association, the President shall call a special meeting, and at such meeting no other business shall be transacted other than that stated in the call.
Section 4. Notice of such special meeting shall be in writing or electronic communication to all members of the Association.
Section 1. A. The treasurer shall collect no dues from the members.
B. It shall be the responsibility of the President of the Association to negotiate the amount of pay for services, and announce the results of negotiations at the July meeting.
Section 2. The Association being a nonprofit organization
shall not contribute any funds to other charitable organizations.
REVISED/ September 2009
Section 1. A code of by-laws shall be adopted by the Association. All members shall be supplied with a copy of these by-laws upon request.
Section 2. Amendments to the Constitution must be proposed in writing at a regular meeting of the Association, read and referred to a select committee of three members, who shall report at the next regular meeting; the adoption of the amendment proposed shall be made by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present.
REVISED/ September 2009
Section 1. The Ranking order of Officers is as follows: President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer.
Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association.
Section 3. The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in their absence.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings of the Association; call the roll whenever directed by the Constitution or order by the President or Vice-President.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive and collect all monies due the Association and keep a correct amount thereof; pay all bills; provide a monthly treasurers report; forward report to the County Chiefs Association, and at the end of his official term he shall render to a third party auditor an abstract of all accounts on the books, together with the receipts and expenditures of the term.
Section 6. The President or their designee will serve as a liaison
to other organizations.
Section 1. Any member of the Association shall be subject to suspension for disobedient conduct at any time, or place, as in article VIII Rules of order.
Section 1. This Association in meetings shall be governed by parliamentary rules, and Robert's Rules of Order shall be the guide lines.
REVISED/ September 2009
Section 1. This Association in meetings shall conduct business in the following order:
1. Roll call
2. Approval of agenda
3. Approval of minutes
4. Treasurers report
5. Classes
6. Old business
7. New business
8. Reading of communications
9. Good and welfare of the Association
10. Fire Department announcements and comments
11. Adjournment
Section 1. A ballot is necessary for the election of officers when there are two or more candidates for one office. Each agency is allowed only 1 vote
a) A majority of all votes cast shall be necessary for a choice for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In case that no candidate is elected on the first ballot, then before the second ballot is taken, the name of the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes shall be dropped, and at each subsequent ballot, the same course shall be pursued until a choice is effected.
Section 2. All Officers shall serve a term of one calendar year.
Section 3. Nominations for Officers of the Association shall be received from the floor or by electronic communication at the October meeting. Nominations from the floor are opened again at the November meeting with elections following, and the candidates elected to take office at the meeting in January.
REVISED/ September 2009
Section 1. The auditing committee shall consist of a third party auditor
Section 1. Auditing Committee; it shall be the duty of the third party auditor to audit the books of the Treasurer, and make a report to the President preceding the meeting in December.
REVISED/ September 2009
REVISED/ September 2009
Rule 1. The President takes the chair and at the sound of the gavel there shall be a general silence. The meeting will then open in due form.
Rule 2. The President shall preserve order and announce the decision of the Association on all subjects; he shall decide questions of order without the debate (unless entertaining doubts on the point, he invites it) subject to an appeal no member shall speak more than once, when the question before the Association shall be: "Shall the decision of the President stand as the judgment of the Association?"
Rule 3. No motions shall be entertained unless moved and seconded, nor be open for consideration until stated by the chair; and when a question is before the Association, no question shall be received, except, first, to lay on the table; second, move the previous question; third, postpone to a certain day; fourth, to commit or refer, or recommit; fifth, to amend; sixth, to postpone indefinitely; and they shall have precedence in the order in which they are here arranged, and the first two shall be decided without debate.
Rule 4. No motion shall be made by a member while another is speaking, and no motion shall be made and seconded without rising and addressing the President.
Rule 5. Any member making a motion, shall produce the same to writing at the request of the President, or any member, in which case it shall be entertained until so written and read from the secretary's desk.
Rule 6. No resolution shall be offered except in writing and signed by a member offering the same.
Rule 7. No member shall be interrupted while speaking, except it be to call him to order or for the purpose of explanation.
Rule 8. If a member, while speaking, were called to order, at the request of the President, they shall take their seat until the question of order is decided, when, if permitted, they may again proceed.
REVISED/ September 2009
Rule 9. When a member has been called to order for the manifestation of temper or improper feeling, they shall not be allowed to speak again at the meeting, unless by special permission of the Association.
Rule 10. No member shall speak without rising in their place, respectfully addressing the President by title, and having their name announced by the chair.
Members shall confine themselves to the question under debate, and avoid all personalities and indecorous or sarcastic language.
Rule 11. If two or more members rise to speak at the same time, the President shall decide which is entitled to the floor.
Rule 12. Before putting the question, the President shall ask, "Are you ready for the question?" If no member rises to speak, he shall rise and put it; after they have risen to put the question, no member shall be permitted to speak upon it. When the President is addressing the department or putting the question, silence shall be observed.
Rule 13. Any member may call for a division of a question, when the sense will admit of it.
Rule 14. The President, or any member, doubting the decision of a question, may call for a division, which shall be by rising and standing, but a division cannot be called for after the President has announced the result of a vote.
Rule 15. After any question, except one of indefinite postponement, had been decided, any tow members who voted on the majority, may, at the same regular meeting, move for reconsideration thereof, but no discussion of the main question shall be allowed unless reconsidered.
Rule 16. No member shall vote on any question in which they are immediately interested.
REVISED/ September 2009
Rule 17. In speaking on points of order, the President shall have precedence, but he cannot speak on any other subject, except to state facts within his own knowledge, without previously vacating the chair and filling it with a qualified member.
Rule 18. No member shall retire while the meeting is in session without leave of the President.
Rule 19. The first member named on a committee shall act as chairman until another is chosen by the members of the committee.
Rule 20. No committee can be finally discharged until all the debt contracted by it shall have been paid.
Rule 21. A motion of adjourn is always in order after the regular business is concluded (provided no member has the floor) which motion shall be decided without debate. If the affirmative, the meeting shall be closed.
Rule 22. These rules of order may be altered or amended after one month's notice in writing, being given at a regular meeting, specifying the proposed alternations or amendments, but any one of them, or any clause thereof, may be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of all qualified members present.
REVISED/ September 2009