B Y - L A W S
Amended 10/11/07 and 11/10/08
Article 1: Authority
These By-laws have been adopted pursuant to articles of the
Article II: Name, Territory and Office
Section 1. Name. This Chaplains Corps shall be known as the:
an autonomous, not-for-profit organization (hereinafter known as the Corps) which being in agreement with the stated purposes and ministries of the Federation of Fire Chaplains (hereinafter known as the Federation), 185 County Road 1602, Clifton, Texas 76634, will support the ministry of volunteer and paid fire department chaplains and assist fire service agencies in developing chaplaincy programs, working along side the Federation as a sister organization and depending upon the Federation for training and certification of Missouri Fire Chaplain Corps chaplains.
Section 2. Territory. The territory assigned to the Corps by these bylaws include all fire chaplaincy programs in the State of Missouri, with such changes therein as may from time to time be made by the membership of the Corps.
Section 3: Office. The headquarters and principal office of the Corps shall be 5402 Long
Article III: Purpose
A. The purposes of this Corps shall be to carry out on the local level the following:
1. To bring together chaplains interested in providing effective chaplain services;
2. To bring educational opportunities of the Federation to the state of
3. To provide a network of mutual support to the fire chaplains in
4. To assist fire service organizations seeking to start or improve their chaplaincy programs.
5. To assist in the development of state-wide Critical Incident Stress
Management teams in each State Patrol Region of the state.
5. To perform at the local level, to the extent required or requested, the functions
of the Federation of Fire Chaplains.
Article IV: Members and Membership
Section 1. Membership. The membership of the Corps shall consist of those individuals within the Corps’ territory, certified by the Secretary of the Corps as being current in the payment of annual dues and having met requirements of membership prescribed below for Members or Associate members.
Fire Chaplains from a state adjoining
Membership Qualifications
Members must be members of the Federation of Fire Chaplains or:
…appointed to the chaplaincy by the fire service agency;
…endorsed by their religious body for the ministry as a chaplain;
…currently serving as a fire department chaplain.
Associate Members must be members of the Federation of Fire Chaplains, or
… appointed to serve as a chaplain by a fire service agency but lack ecclesiastical endorsement.
… former fire department chaplains who are not currently serving in that capacity.
…individuals or groups who have an interest in and are supportive of the objectives of the Corps.
Section 2. Annual Dues. Members shall pay annual dues to the Corps of $75 due in January of each year. This will include $50 fee for membership in the Federation of Fire Chaplains. For new members who are already members of the Federation of Fire Chaplains, the first year membership fee will be $25 and thereafter $75 due in January of each year. Dues for Associate Members will be $25 (and will not include membership dues in the Federation of Fire Chaplains). A free will offering shall be received at each meeting to help defray expenses of the corps.
Section 3. Meetings. The membership of the Corps shall meet as often as it deems necessary, but at least once each year at such a convenient hour and place, for the purpose of electing officers, reviewing the annual report, and any other reports that may be presented, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
Section 4. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Corps membership may be called at any time by the President or other principal officer of the Corps or upon the receipt of written request from not less than one-third of the members of Corps.
Section 5. Notice of Meetings. All officers and members shall be notified of the annual meeting at least thirty (30) days in advance by U.S. Postal Service or by electronic means such as email.
Section 6. Quorum. At any annual or special meeting of the Corps membership, twenty (20%) present of current membership shall constitute a quorum.
Section 7. Voting. At every meeting of the Corps membership, each active member present shall be entitled to one, and only one, vote, and voting by proxy shall be permitted only by authorization of entire membership in advance. Decision on any question at a meeting of the Corps membership shall be by a majority of members present and voting.
Section 8. Termination of Membership. Membership may be terminated for non-payment of dues at the beginning of the fourth month after dues become delinquent or for cause (at the discretion of the Executive Committee)
.
Article V: Executive Committee
Section 1. Number. The business and affairs of the Corps shall be managed and controlled by an Executive Committee (consisting of the principal officers) and three members-at-large of the Corps – each elected to two-year terms.
Each member-at-large will represent one of the following areas in
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Each member-at-large is responsible for appointing a Lead Chaplain in each of the three SEMA regions in their area who will help with communications, planning, and activities.
Principal Officers shall be:
· President
· Vice President
· Secretary/Treasurer
Section 2. Election. Some members of the Executive Committee / Officers (hereinafter referred to as Committee) shall be elected to two year terms at each annual meeting of the Corps membership.
In even number years:
· President
· Secretary/Treasurer
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In odd number years:
· Vice President
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All nominees for office must have agreed to serve if elected – prior to the election.
All Executive Officers and Members-at-Large may serve at the pleasure of the MFCC for as many as (but nor more than) two consecutive two-year terms
Committee members shall be expected to attend all meetings when off duty. Any member absent from two consecutive meetings without a valid excuse shall be considered unable to serve and the chairman/president shall appoint a member to fill the unexpired term.
Section 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy in the Committee may be filled temporarily by appointment by the Committee, any such appointee to serve until the next ensuing annual meeting of the Corps membership.
Section 4. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Committee shall be held at least four times a year according to a schedule agreed upon by committee members. The first meeting of the members of the committee elected after the adoption of this section, shall be held on the same day and immediately following the meeting at which they are elected. Three of the four regular meetings may be held by conference call or over the Internet. One of those meetings must take place in-person, permissible prior to the annual meeting of the Missouri Fire Chaplains Corp. Voting by absent members is permitted by email up to 7 days from the date of the meeting at which action was taken that requires or prefers ratification.
Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chairman and shall be called upon written request of one-third of the members of the Committee.
Section 6. Notice. Notice of all meetings of the Committee shall be given by e-mail or telephone at least three (3) days before the meeting to each member at the address furnished by such member for such purposes to the Secretary of the Corps. No notice of any meeting shall be necessary when each member of the Committee is present, and notice may be waived in writing by any member. Notices of meetings of Committee need not recite the nature of the business to be transacted at such meetings Except otherwise specifically provided for in the By-laws.
Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the membership of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may adjourn the meeting.
Section 8. Compensation. The members of the Committee shall serve voluntarily and shall receive no compensation from the Corps.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1. Appointment. The President may appoint or provide for the appointment of such advisory and administrative committees from among the members of the Corps as is determined needed by the Executive Committee and/or membership and shall determine or provide for the determination of their duties and functions. The President will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee except in the instance of a tie vote
Section 2. Voting. Except as otherwise specifically prescribed in these By-laws, all decision at any meeting of committees established pursuant to Section 1, shall be by majority vote of those present and voting. Each shall have one, and only one, vote and no voting by proxy shall be permitted.
Article VII: Officers
Section 1. Officers and Duties. The principal officers of the Corps shall be President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer and such other officers as the Corps may deem proper. The duties of the officers shall be such as usually apply to such officers and, in addition thereto, such further duties as may be designated from time to time by the corps.
Section 2. Election, Qualification and Term of Office. The officers of the Corps shall be elected by the membership from among their number at its regular annual meeting. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and formed at any meeting of the membership. Each officer shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
Article VIII: Fiscal Affairs and Audits
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corps shall commence on the first day of January and shall end on the last day of December each year.
Section 2. Chapter Funds. All funds and property received by or coming into the custody of the Corps belong to and are trust funds and property of the Corps to be expended only for the purposes authorized and only in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Corps.
Section 3. Deposits. All funds of the Corps deposited in banks or depositories shall be deposited in the name of the Corps. Such accounts shall be made only by checks or similar orders signed by the Treasurer or President. Only banks that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation may be used as depositories, unless the consent of the membership of the Corps to use some other depository is first obtained.
Section 4. Contracts. Unless specifically authorized in writing from the Executive Committee, no officer, agent, or member of the Corps shall have any power or authority, to bind the Corps by any contract or engagement, or to pledge its credit or render it liable financially for any purpose or to any amount, and the Corps shall not be held liable for any debt incurred by any unauthorized person, whatsoever.
Section 5. Liability. The members and officers of the Corps shall be free from liability, joint or several, arising out of or by reason of their serving as such members or officers, except to this extent that such liability results from their own individual or willful misconduct or neglect.
Article IX: Dissolution
After written notice to and approval by the membership, the Corps may be voluntarily dissolved by vote of the Corps membership at a meeting called expressly for such purpose. Upon dissolution of the Corps, all the Corps’s funds and property, its books and records shall be transferred and delivered promptly into the custody of such person as shall be designated by the Executive Committee to receive such property on behalf of the Corps, any and all distribution to be made only to another not-for-profit body as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Codes.
Article X: Amendments
Amendments to these By-laws not inconsistent with the Corps, the purposes and ministries of the Federation may be adopted at any meeting of the Corps membership at which a quorum is present, or such amendments may be adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the committee present at a meeting expressly called for that purpose and at which a quorum is present, provided, however, that the written notice of any such meeting of the Corps membership or the Committee must contain reasonably adequate notice of the terms of the amendments proposed.
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