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ALASKA ASSOCIATION OF FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATORS, INC. A A F A I 231 S. Binkley Street Soldotna, Alaska 99669 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS ARTICLE I NAME SECTION I NAME. The name of this organization shall be the Alaska Association of Fire and
Arson Investigators, Inc. OBJECTIVE SECTION II
OBJECTIVE. The objectives of this corporation are to bring
together those persons interested in fire and arson investigations. To provide a uniform force to combat
the fire and arson problem throughout the State of Alaska through training
and cooperation.
To develop a bond of friendship, understanding and cooperation between the agencies and persons involved
in fire and arson investigation.
To promote the development of fire and arson prevention and investigation in the fire service and other related fields
through progressive programs of education, public relations and research. COMPOSITION SECTION III
COMPOSITION. Membership in the corporation shall be open to qualified person (s) of the United States and other countries
of good character, or organizations that meet the requirements
hereinafter set forth. INCORPORATION SECTION IV INCORPORATION.
This Association shall be incorporated as provided by law and its
Constitution and By-laws at the time of incorporation, or as hereafter amended. The Association
shall be subservient to the Articles of Incorporation. ARTICLE II OFFICERS SECTION I OFFICERS. The officers of this
corporation shall be the President, Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer.
SECTION II
ELECTED OFFICERS.
The President and Vice-President must be active members
and shall be elected at the annual meeting by a majority vote of all active members present and voting. Both
the President and Vice-President shall have been members of the Board of Directors. The
President shall appoint the Secretary/Treasurer with concurrence of the Vice-President. Explanation:
Geographical. SECTION II
REMOVAL OF OFFICERS. Any officer shall be removed from office for the following reasons;
a. Conviction of a felony.
b. Malfeasance of office.
c. Inactivity
Provided, however that such removal shall not be
effective unless and until the evidence has been reviewed by and determination made by the Board of Directors; provided further, however, that the Board shall meet within forty five (45) days
of the date of filing of and charges made upon an officer to deliberate the issue, declare its findings and take necessary
action. If the Board does not communicate with the membership or other Directors for a period of 3 months the previous past Board will meet to decide if the current Board is dysfunctional and decide if some or all Directors need to be replaced. ARTICLE III DUTIES OF OFFICERS SECTION I PRESIDENT. The President shall supervise all activities of the corporation. Execute
all instruments on its behalf, preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors
and of the membership of the corporation, call such meetings of the membership as shall be deemed necessary, other
than the annual meetings of the membership. In general the President shall perform all duties as are usually
incident to the office of President of a non-profit corporation along with such duties as may be assigned by the Board. SECTION II
VICE-PRESIDENT. In the absence or inability of the President
the Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the office of the President. When the President is presiding
the Vice-President shall assist that officer, in every way possible. Should a vacancy occur
in the office of President, the Vice-President shall at once assume all the duties and responsibilities of that
office. The Vice-President shall serve as the Audit Chairperson.
SECTION III SECRETARY/TREASURER.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary/Treasurer to keep a complete record of the proceedings of the corporation and
its Board of Directors. The Secretary/Treasurer
shall keep a true and correct record between the corporation and its members. The Secretary/Treasurer
shall collect all monies due the corporation from all sources and shall have custody of the funds of the corporation. All monies in his/her possession belonging to the corporation shall be deposited under the name of the
corporation in a bank or banks or other financial institutions approved by the Board of
Directors. The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep a true and correct record of all monies received
and disbursed. All payments of accounts shall be by corporation check. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be bonded as provided
and in an amount as determined by the Board of Directors. The
Secretary/Treasurer shall have authority, with the approval of the Board of
Directors, to engage assistance at any time that his/her may deem it necessary for the proper discharge of the
business of the corporation. No officer or member shall incur any expense in the name of the corporation
without the authority of the Board of Directors; or the corporation in conference except the Secretary/Treasurer for the necessary
expenses of his/her office. The Secretary/Treasurer shall close the annual; report on the last day of month proceeding the
annual meeting and shall submit the same at the conference. At the expiration of his/her term of office
he/she shall deliver to his/her successor all monies, books and papers, with all vouchers and other property
in his/her charge, belonging to or held in trust for the corporation.
ARTICLE IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION I
DIRECTORS. The corporate powers and management of this corporation shall be vested in a Board of
at least nine (9) Directors herein called the Board. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President,
Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and six (6) Board members. Of the six (6) at large board members they
shall, to the extent possible, be chosen equally from the three (3) geographical regions of the state. Two
(2) each from southeast region, south-central region and northern region. SECTION II
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors
and such other members of the corporation as the President may see fit for the proper transaction of business, shall meet
annually or whenever the President may deem it necessary at such time and place he/she shall designate.
Meetings may be by teleconference. All meetings may be attended by any Association member in good standing. SECTION III BOARD OF DIRECTORS QUORUM. A majority of the Board shall constitute a Quorum for the transaction
of business.
ARTICLE V DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION I DUTIES. It shall be the duty
of the Board of Directors to conduct all business of the corporation not otherwise provided for between the annual meetings.
Cause to have an audit of all the books and accounts of the corporation, such audit to be prepared and presented at
the fall conference: to have the Secretary/Treasurer bonded in an amount to be determined by the Board, the cost of said bond
to be paid by the corporation. SECTION II POWERS. The Board of Directors shall have the power to expend the funds of the corporation to accomplish the objectives set forth. SECTION III
OTHER DUTIES AND POWERS. The Board of Directors shall perform such other duties and exert such other
powers as required and authorized in the Constitution and By-laws at the corporation’s annual conference. SECTION IV REVIEW AND OVERRIDE. Any action of the Board of Directors will be subject to review at the annual meeting of the corporation, and by a two-thirds vote of the active membership present, voting may override any action taken by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE VI MEMBERSHIP SECTION I MEMBERS. Membership of this corporation shall consist of:
a. Active
b. Associate
c. Honorary Life SECTION II ACTIVE. An active member shall be an adult citizen of the United States
or other countries, who is a representative of or retired from a government/volunteer agency or a private organization
actively engaged in the prevention, investigation or suppression of fire or arson. Active members shall
be entitled to vote on all matters requiring a vote unless otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and By-laws, and to participate
fully in the affairs of the Association. Such membership shall be granted, upon application and approval
as stated in Section VII of this Article. They shall be required to pay dues as required in Article IV
Section I, (a) of the By-laws.
SECTION III
ASSOCIATE. An associate member shall be any adult citizen of
the United States or other countries or organization interested in carrying out the objectives of the corporation.
Such membership shall be granted upon application and approval as stated in Section VII of this Article.
They shall be required to pay dues as required in Article IV Section I, (b) of the By-laws. Associate
membership shall be non-voting.
SECTION IV HONORARY LIFE.
Any member in good standing may nominate another member of good standing for the Honorable Life Membership.
Such nomination shall be submitted to the Board in writing not less than thirty (30) days prior to a board meeting.
Such nomination shall contain specific facts and information as to why that nominee shall be granted Life Membership.
Upon receipt of such nominations the Board shall act upon the matter at the next regular board meeting.
The criteria for such membership shall be as follows: 1. The nominee shall
be, or have been, actively involved in the affairs of the Association. 2. The
nominee shall have contributed outstanding service to further the goals of the Association either by: a) His/her active involvement
in the Association or, b) By His/her work in fire and arson investigation completed outside the Association for a period of
not less than five (5) years.
If the Board denies the nomination, then the Board shall notify the person making the nomination within thirty (30)
days of the Board’s decision. Such notification shall be in writing and contain the
reason for the denial.
If the board approves the nomination, then their recommendation shall be submitted to the membership at the next regular
general meeting. It shall take two-thirds affirmative vote of the membership present to confer an Honorable
Life Membership on a member
An Honorable Life Membership shall not have to pay any dues or registration fees when attending a function of the Association.
A maximum of two (2) Honorable Life Memberships may be approved each year. Honorable Life Membership
shall be voting members. SECTION VI DECISIONS OF QUESTIONABLE CLASSIFICATION. Any and all questions and disputes involving eligibility
to any of the three classifications of membership shall be decided by a vote of the Directors of this corporation. SECTION VII APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP.
All applications for membership shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors. Upon approval
by the Board and the payment of the first year’s annual dues, the applicant shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of the membership accorded members of the same class for which the applicant is qualified
under the Constitution and By-laws. The decision of the Board of Directors regarding an application shall
be final and binding upon the applicants and members of the corporation.
SECTION VIII EXPULSION OF MEMBERS. Any member of the corporation, including an Officer or Director, may be expelled from the corporation for cause upon a majority vote of the membership present, voting at the annual meeting. Cause for expulsion may include a felony conviction. Cause for dismissal may include, but is not limited to taking a public position contrary to the goals and objectives of the corporation. Recommendations for expulsion shall be submitted to the Board, in writing, not less than thirty (30) days prior to a Board meeting. The Board shall review the matter and present the findings to the membership. The member concerned shall be provided with the findings and given an opportunity for response. The vote of the membership shall be final and the member shall have the right of appeal. It shall take a two thirds vote of the members present to expel a member. Any member expelled from the corporation shall lose all rights and privileges conferred by the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and/or the By-laws. ARTICLE VII MEETINGS SECTION I (a) PLACE AND TIME. Meetings shall
be held approximately once each year. The meeting will coincide with the Annual Fire and Arson Investigators
Seminar, which will be alternated between the three geographical regions i.e. Southeast, South-central and Northern
Alaska. The Secretary shall notify each member by mail or email thirty
(30) days prior to each meeting. Any special matters to be considered at said meeting should be included
in said notification. SECTION I (b) LOCATION OF ANNUAL FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATORS SEMINAR.
The location of the annual Fire and Arson Investigators Seminar shall be determined within the three (3)
mandated areas by the Board of Directors. The members representing the towns within the area chosen by the rotation may submit applications for consideration
of their towns as a seminar site to the Board President, in writing, no later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the
beginning of the current Fire and Arson Investigators Seminar. In the event, now written notification is
submitted in the allotted timeframe by the next area in rotation, the seminar location may be opened to any of the other
two geographical.
The applications shall contain the following information: I) Letters of approval from the local jurisdiction. II) Proposal as to location
and availability of the following:
A. Classroom large enough to hold the seminar;B.
Training areas for any practical exercises if necessary for the training curriculum; C. Available accommodations
for the attendees;
D. Access to site. The
choice of the Board shall be based on the relative merits of the location proposals and the decision announced at the annual
meeting. SECTION II BOARD MEETINGS. The Board of Directors shall meet at least once a
year at the time of the annual meeting of the corporation. Notice of a regular meeting shall
be given in writing a least ten (10) days prior to the time fixed for the meeting. The Board of Directors
may call meetings at any other time or place upon call of the President of the corporation or by any five (5) Board members. SECTION III
BOARD APPROVAL. The entire program of the opening ceremonies,
memorial service and the entertainment to be provided during the conference shall be submitted to the Board of Directors before
being adopted or published. SECTION IV BOARD AUTHORIZED TO
CHANGE TIME AND PLACE. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to change the time and place of
the annual conference if in their opinion an extraordinary emergency exists.
ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS SECTION I TWO-THIRDS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE AND ADVANCED NOTICE REQUIRED. The By-laws
may be amended at a meeting by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the active membership present and voting, provided that members
of the corporation shall have been given appropriate notice of the proposed amendments at least thirty (30) days prior to
the meeting. SECTION II EFFECTIVE DATE AND OPPOSING PETITION. Such amendments
shall become effective thirty (30) days after adoption unless a petition opposing the amendment, signed by not less than twenty-five
percent (25%) of the active membership, filed with the Board of Directors in the interim. In the event
such petition is filed as specified, the amendment shall not become effective, but shall be reconsidered at the next annual
meeting. ARTICLE IX VOTING SECTION I
VOTING. Voting shall be by written ballot for election of officers
when there are two (2) or more candidates for an office. Voice or standing vote may provide other balloting,
provided, however, that a written ballot shall be taken upon a motion passed by active members voting. SECTION II TIE VOTE. In case of a tie vote, the Board of Directors shall meet in emergency session (in the absence of anyone involved in the runoff) and each Director shall cast a secret ballot. Ballots shall be sealed in and envelope and handed to the Election Committee for counting. ARTICLE X RESOLUTIONS SECTION I RESOLUTIONS QUALIFICATIONS.
All resolutions which are to be considered at a meeting shall be presented or
mailed to the Secretary/Treasurer not later than thirty (30) days prior to the opening of the meeting and shall be prepared
in triplicate, typewritten, in proper form and bearing the signature of the active member submitting it and the name of the
department or organization with which the member is affiliated. SECTION II RESOLUTIONS EMERGENCY NATURE. Resolutions which are of such and emergency nature
that compliance with the requirements of Section I above is impossible, it may be considered at a meeting only after the Board
of Directors has approved the resolution as and emergency measure. ARTICLE XI RULES OF ORDER SECTION I PRESERVING ORDER AND DECORUM. The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, and shall take
no part in debates while he/she is presiding. All questions on order shall be decided by the
presiding officer subject to an appeal to the membership, and upon such an appeal the vote shall be taken without debate.
The presiding officer may state his/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 members voting shall be necessary to reverse the decision of the Chair.
SECTION II
PROCEDURE FOR SPEAKING OR MAKING A MOTION. Every member, when
he/she speaks or offers a motion, shall rise in place, state his/her name and respectfully address the
presiding officer, and when he/she has finished speaking, shall at once resume his/her seat. SECTION III PROCEDURE TWO OR MORE PERSONS RISING.
When 2 (two) or more members rise to speak at the same time, the presiding officer shall decide who is entitled to
the floor. SECTION IV MEMBERS CALLED TO ORDER.
A member called to order shall immediately cease speaking and resume his/her seat until the point of order
in question has been decided, when he/she shall again be entitled to the floor. SECTION V
PREVIOUS QUESTION. A motion to take the previous question shall always be in order, except when
a member is in possession of the floor, and must be put, without debate, and if supported by a majority of the members present,
voting shall be declared carried and no further debate or amendments shall be in order until the main question shall have
been decided. SECTION VI MOTION TO ADJOURN. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when a member in possession of the floor, or a vote is being taken or it has been decided that a vote be now taken. A motion to adjourn is not debatable, but a motion to adjourn to a given time is open to debate. ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS SECTION I PRIVILEGES LIMITATIONS.
No member in arrears for dues and/or failing to pay the registration fee while at the meeting shall be entitled to
the privileges enjoyed by the current and registered members. SECTION II
REGISTRATION
FEE EXEMPTION. Invited speakers or distinguished visitors shall be permitted to register and receive the
courtesies of the meeting without payment of the registration fee, upon approval of the President of the corporation. ALASKA ASSOCIATION FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATORS BY-LAWS ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP SECTION I.
MEMBERSHIP PERIOD. Membership year shall be from July 1st
to June 30th SECTION
II ELIGIBILITY
TO VOTE AND HOLD OFFICE. Only active members shall be entitled to vote on all matters requiring a vote
unless otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and By-laws of this corporation. Only active members shall
be entitled to hold office. SECTION III Any former member may be reinstated in the association
by the consent of a majority vote of the Board provided however, that if such member shall be in arrears in payment of dues
or other financial obligation to the association at that time of separation, he/she shall be required to pay to the association
all such arrears as a condition of his/her reinstatement. ARTICLE II OFFICERS TERMS SECTION I TERMS OF OFFICE. Board members shall be elected by the membership at the Association’s annual meeting. Board members, other than officers, shall be elected as follows: Three (3) year terms, except for the immediate past president who shall automatically assume a one (1) year Board term. There shall be six (6), three (3) year Board positions and one (1) year Board position to be held by the immediate past president. Officer’s
terms will be for two (2) years with a max 4 consecutive years (2 terms). SECTION II FILLING OFFICER
VACANCIES. Vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board of
Directors, and any so appointed shall hold office until the next annual meeting. SECTION IV MEMBER ATTENDANCE. Any
Board member who fails to attend three (3) consecutive board meetings shall have his or her board position reviewed by the
remaining members of the Board. If such review fails to reveal adequate reasons for the board member’s
lack of attendance, then such board member shall, by a majority vote of the Board, be relieved of his or her office.
Such vacancy shall be filled as outlined in Section II above. ARTICLE III COMMITTEES SECTION I COMMITTEES REQUIRED. The committees of this corporation shall be:a.
Membershipb. By-laws c. Public Education d.
Elections Committee e. Training Committee
Such committees shall be appointed by the President. SECTION II SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
The President may appoint special committees from time to time on any subject
he deems necessary for the benefit of the corporation. Such committees shall be chaired by a Board member. Committees
shall consist of three (3) or five (5) people and chosen by the committee chairperson unless otherwise directed by the President.
ARTICLE IV FINANCE SECTION I
MEMBERSHIP DUES. The dues structure for membership in the Association
shall be as follows:a. Active:
$ 40.00b. Associate:
$ 100.00c. Sustaining:
$250.00 c Honorary Life: No fee SECTION II BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING EXPENSES.
The necessary expenses of the Board Members attending the Board meetings shall be paid as set by the Board of Directors, to include transportation, lodging, meals and incidentals for the time involved at the meeting
and necessary traveling time. Such reimbursement may be waived by Board members and shall be paid only
when adequate funding permits. CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS ADOPTED. These revised and amended Constitution and By-laws were approved and adopted in _________
as shown by the minutes of that meeting of the corporation, and shall supersede all other By-laws promulgated heretofore. |
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