ARTICLE I.
Section 1. The name of this Association shall be "THE MERCER COUNTY ACTIVE FIRE CHIEFS' ASSOCATION."
ARTICLE II.
Section 1. Regular bi-monthly meetings will be held on the second (2nd) Wednesday of the month, to be held at the Mercer County Fire School, Dempster Training Center.
An Annual dinner meeting will be held on the second (2nd) Monday of January at Freddie's Tavern in West Trenton.
Section 2. Special meetings of this Association may be called by the President or must be called by him upon the written request of any Fourteen (14) members of the Association, with at least Twenty-four (24) hours written notice to all members of such special meeting; and such notice shall state the special business to be conducted and no other business shall be considered or transacted thereat.
ARTICLE III. (Membership)
Section 1. Application for membership shall be submitted in writing, stating name of company or department, rank, status (active or officers) and address and telephone number.
Section 2. An applicant receiving a three quarters (3/4) majority of favorable votes of the members present at a regular meeting shall be accepted to membership and placed on the roll of the Association.
ARTICLE III. (Cont.)
Section 3. All members of this Association shall be required to pay an annual fee of ten dollars ($10.00) and no person will be entered on the roll of this Association who has not paid this fee and will have no voting privileges.
ARTICLE IV. (Officers)
Section 1. The elective officers shall consist of a:
- 1. President
- 2. Vice President
- 3. Secretary
- 4. Treasurer
- 5. Sergeant-at-Arms
Section 2. The Association will nominate/elect at the January meeting a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-At-Arms. Nominations shall not be closed until every member present is afforded the opportunity to be heard. No nominations will be heard on the night of the elections except to fill a vacancy. No one (1) sub organization of the Mercer County Chiefs' Association (Tri-Township, Suburban, or Hamilton Chiefs' Associations) shall be permitted to have more than one (1) elective officer serve on the board, unless one (1) of the sub organizations do not wish to fill the position.
Section 3. Those elected shall hold office until the next annual election or until their successors shall be elected.
Section 4. No one shall be elected to office who has not been an Active Member of this Association in good standing for a period of at least one (1) year.
ARTICLE IV. (Cont.)
Section 5. Where there is only one (1) nomination for a member to Office, the Secretary shall cast a unanimous vote.
Section 6. In the event of death, resignation from office or any other circumstances, whereby an elective officer shall be declared vacant immediately upon knowledge of any of the above reasons. Nominations and election to fill a vacancy shall be held at the next regular meeting.
Section 7. In the event of a serious illness, vacation or other reasons whereby an elective officer is temporarily prevented from performing the duties of his office, the Board of Officers shall be notified and they shall appoint an acting officer to fulfill the temporary vacancy.
ARTICLE V. (Duties of Officers)
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of this Association and of the Executive Board, which shall be known as the Board of Officers. He shall sign all orders lawfully drawn upon the Treasury, and drafts and checks on the bank account of the association. He shall appoint all Committees not otherwise provided for in these By-Laws, and he shall be an ex-officio of all committees. He shall decide on all questions of order and shall have the deciding vote in case of a tie; and shall perform such other duties as are usually incident to the Office.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall assist the President at all meetings in every way possible. In the absence or inability of the President to function, the Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President's Office.
ARTICLE V. (Cont.)
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of the Association and the Board of Officers. He shall read all reports, applications and other communications to the Association and conduct such correspondence as is necessary or as may be directed by the Association; and preserve all copies thereof. He shall keep an accurate record of each member regarding name, company or department, rank, address, telephone number, and attendance at meetings. He shall sign all membership cards, certificates and communications.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all membership dues received. He shall have the custody of the funds of the Association and shall receive and deposit all monies of the Association in a chartered bank approved by the Board of Officers in the name of the Associations; deposits to be made within seventy-two (72) hours following his receipt thereof. He shall have the authority to sign all drafts or checks ordered by the Association to be drawn on the bank account and which the President properly signs. He shall keep a true and correct account of all monies received and deposited on behalf of the Association, and complete records of disbursements by checks and/or drafts signed by him and preserve them with the bills as submitted.
Section 5. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall assist in maintaining order at all meetings and affairs of the Association and eject anyone who disturbs peace and order therein, with the help of other members, if necessary. He shall prevail upon members attending to be seated and ready to begin all meetings at the prescribed time. He shall be alert and prepared to report, and if so ordered, escort and introduce such visitors, distinguished guests or messengers as may desire admittance. He shall have charge of conducting the prescribed drawing for the Association.
ARTICLE V. (Cont.)
Section 6. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice-President of each of the Suburban Fire Chiefs, the Tri-Township Fire Chiefs, the Hamilton Fire Chiefs, and also the Current President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Mercer County Active Chiefs' Association. The President of the Mercer County Active Chiefs' Association shall chair the board.
ARTICLE VI.
Section 1. The Standing Committees of the Association shall consist of the following:
- 1. Legislative
- 2. Schools/Fire School Director
- 3. Training and Drills
- 4. Mutual Aid
- 5. Awards Committee
- 6. Radio/Communications
- 7. By-Laws
The Association will maintain the above active committees whose membership must be made up of at least one (1) member of each of the County's sub organizations, Hamilton Chiefs, Suburban Chiefs, Tri-Township Chiefs.
Section 2. Other regular or special committees may be appointed by the President as may be ordered by the Association at a stated meeting or by the Board of Officers acting with the President.
Section 3. The President shall appoint all committees, and the Secretary shall notify each member of their appointment to a committee or committees. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of a committee shall be immediately filled by appointment of another member made by the President.
ARTICLE VI. (Cont.)
Section 4. Chairmen of the various committees shall submit written reports of work done to the Secretary at each stated meeting and final reports shall be filed.
ARTICLE VII. (Rules of Order)
Section 1. The Presiding Officer shall preserve order and decorum and shall take no part in debate while he is presiding. He shall decide all questions of order subject to an appeal to the meeting. The Presiding Officer may state his reason for the decision given and shall put the question as follows: "Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?" A two-thirds (2/3) majority of those voting shall be necessary to reverse the decision of the chair.
Section 2. Every member desiring to speak or offer a motion shall rise in his place and respectfully address the President of Presiding Officer and when finished speaking shall resume his chair at once. When speaking he shall direct his remarks to the question under debate and avoid all personal or indecorous language and if required, shall put his motion in writing.
Section 3. When two (2) or more members rise to speak at the same time, the Presiding Officer shall decide which member shall have the floor.
Section 4. A member called to order shall immediately cease speaking and resume his seat until the point of order in question has been decided, when he shall be entitled to the floor again.
Section 5. 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 and voting, shall be declared carried and no further debate or amendments shall be in order until the main question shall have been decided.
ARTICLE VII. (Cont.)
Section 6. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when a member is 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.
Section 7. Any question coming before the meeting for which no provision has been made in the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Order, the President or Presiding Officer shall be guided in his decision by Robert's Rules of Order*.
ARTICLE VIII. (Order of Business)
Section 1. The Order of Business for stated meetings of this Association shall be:
- 1. Call to Order
- 2. Roll Call
- 3. Reading of Minutes
- 4. Report of the Committees
- 5. Report of Officers
- 6. Bills and Communications
- 7. Unfinished Business
- 8. Installation of Officers
- 9. New Business
- 10. Nomination or Election of Officers
- 11. Good and Welfare
- 12. Any serious or unusual type of fires
- 13. Reports of Stations and any serious or unusual fires or announcements
- 14. Adjournment
* RONR [10th ed.], p. 15, l. 17-25; p. 561-62, 569
ARTICLE IX. (Amendments)
Section 1. No part of these By-Laws shall be amended nor altered unless the proposed amendment or alteration shall have been submitted in writing by a member in good standing, at a regular meeting, read and not voted upon and must then be read and agreed to at the next regular meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present who are eligible to vote.
Section 2. All amendments, alterations or revisions or any part of the By-Laws shall take effect immediately upon their adoption at the proper regular meeting.
