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BYLAWS OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR
HUMAN SERVICES
January, 1993
Amended June 11, 1998
ARTICLE I-Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Fairfax County Alliance for Human Services.
ARTICLE II-Purposes and Policy
Section 1. The purpose of the Fairfax County Alliance for Human Services (the Alliance) is to help strengthen human services and promote them as fundamental to the well being of the community.
Section 2. To achieve its purpose the Alliance shall:
a. Encourage advocacy efforts for human services as a primary social responsibility.
b. Act as an advocate for human services and support the efforts of others to promote human services.
c. Educate the public on human service needs.
d. Enhance the capacity of service providers and advocates to promote constructive change and deliver effective services.
e. Promote a comprehensive perspective on human services.
f. Promote public/private interagency collaboration in the development of human service programs and delivery programs, and the enhancement of access to such programs.
Section 3. The Alliance shall be non-profit, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. The Alliance shall not support or oppose any political party or candidate.
ARTICLE III-Membership and Representation
Section 1. Any person, organization, or human service agency that subscribes to the purpose and policy of the Alliance shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2. Organizations, groups, and human service agencies joining the Alliance shall be called member organizations.
Section 3. Individuals and member organizations of the Alliance shall be voting members.
Section 4. Each member organization shall be asked to designate an individual from its membership to represent the organization at Alliance meetings, but not necessarily to speak for the organization. The participation of the member organization's representative in Alliance decisions shall not obligate the member organization to support Alliance actions or positions.
Section 5. Each member organization shall be listed only with its consent as an Alliance member in Alliance printed materials.
ARTICLE IV-Officers and Their Election
Section 1. The Officers of the Alliance shall be a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
a. These Officers shall be elected by a majority vote at the Alliance's Annual Meeting.
b. Officers shall assume their official duties immediately following the close of the Annual Meeting and shall serve for a term of two years or until their successors are nominated and elected.
c. Only voting members in good standing shall be eligible to hold office or serve on Alliance committees. No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office. A person who has served in an office for more than one-half of a full term shall be deemed to have served a full term in such office.
ARTICLE V-Duties of Officers
Section 1. The Chair shall:
a. Preside at all meetings of the Alliance, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.
b. Be, ex-officio, a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
c. Coordinate the work of the officers and committees.
d. Act as, or delegate the responsibility for acting as, the spokesperson for the Alliance.
e. Appoint, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, members of Alliance committees and Alliance representatives to other organizations, committees, task forces, and coalitions.
The Chair may, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, sign or endorse checks, drafts, and notes.
Section 2. The Vice Chair shall:
a. In the event of the absence, resignation, disability, or death of the Chair, assume all the powers and perform all the duties of that office, until such time as the Board of Directors shall elect an individual, who shall serve until the end of the Chair's term, to fill the vacancy.
b. Serve as an aide to the Chair, as required.
c. Perform such other duties as the Chair and Board of Directors may designate.
Section 3. The Secretary shall:
a. Keep minutes of all meetings of the Alliance, all meetings of the Board of Directors, and all meetings of the Executive Committee.
b. Send announcements of meetings of the Board of Directors to its members.
c. Prepare and keep current a roster of the members of the Board of Directors, including their terms of office.
d. Perform such other administrative functions, as may be incidental to the Secretary's office.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall:
a. Collect and receive all monies due and have custody of all Alliance funds.
b. Deposit Alliance funds in a bank designated by the Board of Directors.
c. Keep a full and accurate account of revenues and expenditures.
d. Make disbursements as authorized by the Board of Directors or the Alliance, in accordance with the budget adopted by the membership at the Annual Meeting of the Alliance, except as provided for in Article VI, Section 8.
e. Present financial statements to the Board of Directors, upon the Board's request, at its regular meetings, and an annual report to the Alliance membership at the Annual Meeting. The books shall be audited annually by an independent auditor.
ARTICLE VI-Board of Directors
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of twenty members-the four elected officers, and sixteen additional members, eight of whom shall be individual members and eight of whom shall be representatives of member organizations of the Alliance.
Section 2. The eight individual members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by a majority vote at the Alliance's Annual Meeting. They shall assume their official duties immediately following the close of the Annual Meeting and shall serve for a term of two years or until their successors are nominated and elected.
Section 3. The elected members of the Board of Directors shall appoint the eight members who shall be the designated representatives of member organizations of the Alliance. The appointed members of the Board of Directors shall serve for a term of two years.
Section 4. The membership of the Board of Directors shall reflect the variety of human services and the different geographical areas and ethnic diversity of Fairfax County.
Section 5. All members of the Board of Directors must be voting members in good standing of the Alliance.
Section 6. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors by reason of resignation or death of an officer or member may be filled, until the expiration of the term, by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors. Three consecutive absences from a Board of Directors meeting without valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.
Section 7. Board of Directors members shall serve as committee chairs or carry out other specific responsibilities.
Section 8. The Board of Directors shall:
a. Have full charge of the property and business of the organization, with full power and authority to manage and conduct same, subject to the instructions of the general membership.
b. Create standing and special committees and approve their plans of work.
c. Be authorized to spend no more than $200 for costs not noted in the budget.
Section 9. There shall be at least nine regular meetings of the Board of Directors annually, unless decided otherwise by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Chair may call special meetings of the Board of Directors and shall call a special meeting upon the written request of five members of the Board of Directors.
Section 10. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Section 11. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers and may exercise the powers and duties of the Board of Directors in an emergency situation or on issues that require immediate attention. A report of the Executive Committee's action must be presented to the full Board of Directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
ARTICLE VII-Finance
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Alliance shall begin on the first day of July each year.
Section 2. The amount of annual dues shall be recommended by the Board of Directors Committee subject to the approval of a majority of the members voting-at the Annual Meeting of the Alliance. One month's notice shall be sent to members of any proposed dues change; if approved, it shall take effect as of the first day of the fiscal year.
Section 3. Annual dues shall be payable on the first day of the fiscal year. Any member who fails to pay the dues within three months after they become payable shall be dropped from the membership rolls. Individuals and organizations may join the Alliance at any time during the fiscal year and shall pay the full annual dues when they join.
Section 4. The Board of Directors shall submit to the Annual Meeting of the Alliance for adoption a budget for the ensuing fiscal year, including recommendations for financing the Alliance.
Section 5. A Budget Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the Annual Meeting to prepare a budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
Section 6. in the event of the dissolution of the Alliance, after payment or adequate provision for the debts and obligations of the organization, the remaining assets shall be distributed to one or more non-profit funds, foundations, or organizations as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VIII-Meetings
Section 1. The Alliance shall hold an Annual Meeting in May or June of each year. Additional general meetings may be held at the direction of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The Annual Meeting shall adopt a budget for the coming fiscal year, elect Officers of the Alliance and members of the Board of Directors, as provided" for in Article IV, Section 1, and Article VI, Section 2, and transact such other business as may properly come before it.
Section 3. Fifty members, or ten percent of the membership, whichever is less, shall constitute a quorum at all general meetings of the Alliance.
ARTICLE IX-Nominations and Elections
Section 1. Nominations for officers and for the elected members of the Board of Directors shall be obtained by a Nominating Committee consisting of five members, two of whom may be members of the Board of Directors. The Chair and the remaining two members shall not be members of the Board of Directors.
a. The four members and Chair of the Nominating Committee shall be elected by the Board of Directors no later than January of each year.
b. The names of the four members and Chair of the Nominating Committee shall be sent to all Alliance members immediately after their election by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The report of the Nominating Committee of its nominations for officers and for the elected members of the Board of Directors shall be sent to all members no later than two weeks before the date of the Annual Meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the Annual Meeting. Immediately following the presentation of this report, nominations may be made from the floor by any voting member, provided the consent of the nominee shall have been secured.
Section 3. Election shall be by secret ballot. However, if there is only one candidate for any office, upon adoption of a motion from the floor, the election for that office (or offices) may be by voice vote. A majority of those qualified to ,vote and voting shall constitute an election. Absentee or proxy voting shall not be permitted.
ARTICLE X-Committees
Section 1. Standing and special committees shall be created by the Board of Directors to promote the purpose and carry on the work of the alliance.
Section 2. Standing and special committee chairs shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Committee chairs shall be members of the Alliance. Board of Directors members and general members of the Alliance may serve as committee chairs, as appropriate. Committee chairs who are not members of the Board of Directors shall report regularly to the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Vacancies in committee chairs shall be filled by the Alliance Chair, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. The chair of each committee shall present a plan of work to the Board of Directors for approval. No committee work shall be undertaken without consent of the Board of Directors.
Section 5. The Alliance Chair shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE XI-Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XII-Amendments
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any regular general meeting of the Alliance, provided written notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have been submitted to the membership in writing at least thirty days in advance of the meeting.
Section 2. A committee may be appointed to submit a revised set of Bylaws as a substitute for existing Bylaws only by a majority vote at a general meeting of the Alliance, or by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The requirements for adoption of a revised set of Bylaws shall be the same as in the case of an amendment.
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