CITRUS COUNTY REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. By-Laws. Table of Contents

Transcription

1 CITRUS COUNTY REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE By-Laws Table of Contents PREFACE... 2 ARTICLE I: Meeting Agenda... 3 Section 1 Submission.. 3 Section 2 Time Limit Section 3 Place and Time... 3 ARTICLE II: Lodging, Mileage, and Tolls Section 1 Reimbursements... 4 Section 2 Submissions Process... 4 ARTICLE III: Party Nominees Section 1 Republican Candidate Section 2 General Elections ARTICLE IV: Standing Committees... 5 Section 1 Audit... 5 Section 2 Awards... 5 Section 3 Budget... 6 Section 4 By-Laws... 6 Section 5 Campaign... 6 Section 6 Candidate Recruitment and Education... 6 Section 7 Ethics... 7 Section 8 Membership... 7 Section 9 Public Relations... 8 Section 10 Special Events... 8 Section 11 Ways and Means... 9 ARTICLE V: Officers Section 1 Elected Officers... 9 Section 2 Eligibility... 9 Section 3 Term of Office... 9 Section 4 Election Process... 9 Section 5 Office Vacancy... 9 Section 6 Duties Page 1 of 12

2 ARTICLE VI: Committee Member and Alternates ARTICLE VII: Removal from Office Adoption Form APPENDICES Audit Sample Report... Appendix A Treasurers Property Inventory Sample Report......Appendix B CC REC Organizational Support Agreement... Appendix C Required RPOF and Division of Elections Reports... Appendix D Citrus County Republican Executive Committee hereafter referred to as the Executive Committee. Applicant Form. Appendix E Preface: The By-Laws prescribed herein constitute the secondary rules, subordinate to the Republican Party of Florida County Model Constitution for establishing organization protocols and operational procedures for the conduct of the Citrus County Republican Executive Committee s (hereinafter referred to as Executive Committee) political activities and party operations. Page 2 of 12

3 ARTICLE I Meeting Agenda Section 1: Submission Any matter submitted by any voting member to the Chairman or Secretary at least ten (10) days before a meeting will have that matter included in the agenda for that meeting. The submission shall include a brief description of the matter and the person who will present the matter to the membership. This section shall not preclude any member from introducing any matter from the floor during the appropriate portion of the meeting. Note: In matters related to communication within the Executive Committee is recognized as a form of acceptable correspondence. Section 2: Time Limit To expedite the meeting, the presentation of any item shall not exceed five (5) minutes, unless a motion is made by a committee person to extend the allotted time and the motion is supported with a second by another committee person. To that end, the Committee s parliamentarian shall call the question at the end of that period. Note: Parliamentarians only rule on procedure. If a vote is to be called for, it must be by the person in charge. Call the Question means to ask if members are ready to vote on the motion. If the vote on the issue is to be made, the facilitator must call for the vote. Unless otherwise noted, Robert s Rules of Order will be the parliamentary authority for conduction of meetings. Section 3: Place & Time Unless otherwise required by circumstance or by majority vote of the membership, a quorum being present, the Executive Committee shall hold all meetings at seven p.m. on the first (1 st ) Monday of each month at a location voted on by the Executive Committee. Page 3 of 12

4 ARTICLE II Lodging, Mileage, and Tolls Section 1: Reimbursement Any Executive Committee Member authorized by the Executive Committee in the furtherance of Executive Committee business, or in the discharge of the requirements of his or her position, shall be reimbursed at the actual rate not to exceed rates established by Florida Statute for meeting registration fees, per night for lodging, milage for automobile travel, tolls and parking when required. Section 2: Submission Process The member will submit a state expense voucher with all receipts attached, signed by the member and countersigned by the Chair, or in his absence, the Vice Chair, to the Treasurer by the second Executive Committee meeting following the expenditure. Claims not submitted within the prescribed timeframe will not be honored. ARTICLE III Party Nominees The Executive Committee strongly suggests that all candidates be active members of a Republican Club, a Committee person, or attend Executive Committee meetings; and have a working knowledge of Republican activities in the County. Section 1: Republican Candidate All references to Republican candidate contained in the Loyalty Oath, By-Laws, and Constitution are meant to indicate: o o o One who has filed with the Supervisor of Elections as a Republican for the Republican Primary One who has filed with the Supervisor of Elections as a Republican for the General Election One who is a registered Republican running in a nonpartisan race. A candidate who is a registered Republican and files as a party other than the Republican Party will not be recognized as a Republican candidate and therefore will not receive support. Section 2: General Elections The Executive Committee shall actively support all Republican candidates in a General Election except as defined in Section 1: Republican Candidate. Page 4 of 12

5 ARTICLE IV Standing Committees Each committee shall consist of at least one (1) chair and two (2) members, and shall report to the Executive Committee as called upon by the Chair. Each committee may create a sub-committee in order to accomplish the goals outlined in Article IV. The Executive Committee may create or dissolve any standing Committee when deemed necessary for the proper management of the Executive Committee business, by amending these By-Laws by majority of the membership, a quorum being present. The Executive Committee Chairman shall appoint the committee chairman as prescribed in Article IV, Section 2 of the County Model Constitution. The Executive Committee shall create the following Standing Committees with duties prescribed herein: Audit Candidate Recruitment and Education Awards Ethics Budget Membership By-Laws Public Relations Campaign Special Events Ways and Means Section 1: Audit Committee The Audit Committee shall audit annually the accounts of the Executive Committee and report to the Executive Committee at the March meeting. The audit shall be forwarded to the appropriate state and party officials as itemized in Appendix A. The Audit Committee may conduct two (2) random audits of the accounts during the fiscal year if deemed necessary. The Audit Committee shall conduct an audit of the accounts if there is a change of Treasurers during the fiscal year. The Chairman of the Executive Committee, by majority vote, may require the Audit Committee to audit accounts at anytime. Section 2: Awards Committee Awards for one male and one female Republican of the Year shall be voted on by secret ballot, yearly, at the December meeting of the Executive committee. The Board will count the votes and the award shall be presented at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner. An award for Volunteer of the Year shall be voted on by secret ballot, at the December Executive Committee meeting in even years. The Board will count the votes and the award shall be presented at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Additional awards may be given out as voted on at a regular or special meeting of the Executive Committee. Page 5 of 12

6 Section 3: Budget Committee The Budget Committee shall prepare an itemized budget of the known and expected Executive Committee expenses for the coming fiscal year and present it to the Executive Committee for approval, or amendment and approval at the first meeting of March of that year. The fiscal year shall coincide with the calendar year. The Treasurer shall be a member of this committee. Section 4: By-Laws Committee The By-Laws Committee shall review the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of all By-Laws and make proposals to the Executive Committee for any amendments deemed necessary. The By-Laws will be adopted upon affirmation of no less than two-thirds (2/3) of the attending members of the full committee, upon 10 days notice of the purpose of the meeting. Section 5: Campaign Committee The Campaign Committee s duties shall include but are not limited to the following: a) Develop and promulgate guidelines for candidate forums b) Conduct candidate forums c) Create and execute surveys promoting Republican candidates and causes d) Provide organizational support including, but not limited to the following Executive committee initiatives: participation in local fairs and forums, Executive Committee campaign headquarters, and organized walks. Section 6: Candidate Recruitment and Education The objective of the Republican Executive Committee is to identify and encourage qualified Republicans in Citrus County to seek elected office. At the discretion of the executive board of the REC a sub-committee may be formed to facilitate the search and training of candidates. a) Executive Committee support is extended to include all qualified Republican candidates (as defined in Article III, Section 1 of the CC REC By-Laws) in a primary or general election. b) Unless a vote by REC members dictates otherwise, no funds will be distributed to individual campaigns. Note: Organizational support does not include direct financial support to a candidate. Section 7: Ethics Committee Responsibilities include educating members on potential breaches of the loyalty oath. The committee shall coordinate investigations with the RPOF of any reported loyalty oath violation. Page 6 of 12

7 Section 8: Membership Committee Responsibilities and focus are to enhance the membership within the REC. A. REC Recruitment Process Shall seek out individuals for those precincts not adequately represented on the Executive Committee and submit their recommendations for consideration. Sources of potential members include the membership of the various Republican Clubs, individuals who espouse Republican principles in public, newspapers, etc., and recommendations from existing Committee members. B. Educate The Membership Committee shall produce and provide to interested individuals a brief concise list of responsibilities and duties, plus a description of the position selection process prior to accepting a completed application. C. Application Process The Membership Committee Chair shall receive all applications for membership. Upon receipt of each application the chair will notify the prospective member of whether or not a principle or alternate position is available. The Membership Committee chair will also advise the applicant of the dates, attendance requirement, acceptance process and location of Executive Committee meetings. D. Applicant Responsibilities Once it is confirmed that a position is available, the applicant must attend two consecutive meetings within 3 months of submitting his/her application. Upon attending the applicant s first meeting, the Membership Committee Chair will introduce the applicant as well as reiterate the requirement to attend the following meeting in order to be considered for the position. The vote will be by secret ballot. After a new member is voted onto the Executive Committee, the applicant shall file a candidate oath with the Citrus county Supervisor of Elections and a RPOF Loyalty Oath with the RPOF within 30 days. The applicant becomes an official voting member of the Executive Committee after his or her oath is filed with the Supervisor of elections. E. Education The Membership Committee should conduct an orientation seminar a minimum of twice a year for new members and should conduct refresher seminars for present members. It should also obtain and distribute RPOF pamphlets and other literature as developed, plus keep the membership informed of changes as they occur. Page 7 of 12

8 Section 9: Public Relations Committee The Public Relations Committee s responsibilities are divided into three related but different areas and may be divided into sub-committees. A. Media: B. Campaign: 1. Promote Executive Committee events by distributing news releases to all local media, develop personnel for opinion-editorial pieces, letters to the editor, as well as other forms of promoted deemed appropriate and timely. 2. Maintain a list of media contacts to obtain the widest distribution of news releases. 3. Maintain a list of contacts for possible story ideas with a Republican viewpoint. 1. Help the Campaign Committee in the preparation of various publications and their distribution, especially by non-precinct means. (mail, newspapers, inserts, etc.) 2. Assist candidates in promoting their fundraisers, speeches, rallies, by utilizing various social media tools as well as conventional resources. 3. Develop candidate forum guidelines C. Speakers Bureau: 1. Develop and maintain a list of all organizations having influence in the county, indicating their interests or orientation, and their officers or points of contact. 2. Develop a list of qualified speakers whose subject matter reflects Republican principles. 3. Schedule Republican speakers for appropriate organizations to disseminate Republican principles. Section 10: Special Events Committee 1. Organize and manage the County Fair display, parades, and any other events as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee. 2. Coordinate appearances within Citrus County by statewide officials or candidates and their staff to maximize their effect within the county. 3. Coordinate with the Public Relations Committee to ensure accuracy of information and timely promotion of events. Page 8 of 12

9 Section 11: Ways & Means Committee 1. Research and plan new fundraising efforts for the Executive Committee. 2. Plan and conduct the annual Lincoln Day Dinner with the Special Events Committee. ARTICLE V Officers Section 1. Elected Officers The officers shall be a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer Section 2. Eligibility Those interested must members of the Executive Committee for at least one year, and not have missed more than one (1) excused or unexcused meeting, for any reason, in the prior six months before the officer elections in December. Section 3. Term of Office Elected officers shall hold office for two years beginning the first Executive Committee meeting in January following the December election results. Section 4. Election Process a) November - Current chair shall request nominations only during the November meeting of an election year. b) December - Current officers will preside over the entire meeting. Candidates or their representatives will be offered no more than 3 minutes to speak during the December Executive Committee meeting prior to the submission of written votes by Committee Members Following the presentations of candidates for each officer position a written vote will be submitted by Committee Members before subsequent presentations and voting occur for each position to be filled. Results will be tabulated and announced at the end of the meeting. c) January - Incoming elected officers will preside. Previous officers may be recognized for their contributions. Section 5. Office Vacancy Vacancies of executive officer positions will be filled as needed by nominations and a vote by the Executive Committee as soon as possible in order to maintain business operations. Page 9 of 12

10 Section 6. Duties a) Chairman and Vice-Chair The Chairman shall be the spokesperson of the Executive Committee. His or her comments shall reflect the official positions adopted by the Executive Committee. Vice chair will act as chairman upon absence or resignation of the elected chair. Vice chair shall assist with general duties and committee oversight. Details of responsibilities will be determined and agreed upon by both chair and vice chair. b) Secretary The secretary shall maintain the minutes of the meetings, the roster of the membership, the meeting attendance records, and initiate any correspondence of the Executive Committee not required by the Chair or Treasurer. The secretary will keep and report any correspondence sent to the Executive committee at the next scheduled meeting. The Secretary shall also prepare all reports in Appendix D assigned to the secretary, with copies for the Committees files. The secretary shall maintain a list of reports required by the State of Florida and by the Republican Party of Florida, identifying which Executive committee Officer is responsible for preparing said reports, as Appendix E of these By-Laws. The Chair and the Treasurer shall notify the Secretary of any changes, additions, or deletions to this list which come to their attention. This list may be amended without consent, but with notification of, the Executive Committee as a whole. The Chair shall keep a list of required state or regional meetings requiring the presence of designated Executive Committee members and notify the Treasurer and the Executive Committee in written or electronic form. The Secretary shall update this list as needed. In addition, the secretary shall track attendance of members at Executive Committee meetings and announce those members who have three consecutive unexcused absences. At such announce the member shall be dropped from the rolls, and the secretary shall advise the individual in writing. The secretary shall forward applications for membership on the Executive Committee to the Membership Committee Chair. After a new member is voted on to the Executive Committee, the Secretary shall file a RPOF Loyalty Oath with the RPOF within 30 days. Page 10 of 12

11 c) Treasurer The treasurer shall keep the Executive Committee s accounts in proper order, and shall also prepare all reports in Appendix E assigned to the Treasurer, with copies for the Executive Committee files. The treasurer shall not establish a Petty Cash account. The treasurer shall keep an inventory of all Executive Committee s property and identify its location and the individual responsible, as provided in Appendix B of these By-Laws. This list may be amended without notification or approval of the Executive Committee as a whole. The bond shall be maintained pursuant to Article 7 paragraph 8 of the county Model Constitution. ARTICLE VI Committee Member and Alternates All members and alternates are expected to serve on at least one committee. All members and alternates are expected to develop programs in accordance with the State Precinct Handbook. In order to facilitate this, precincts that contain more than two occupied committeeman or woman seats shall select a precinct captain amongst themselves. Precincts containing two or less occupied committeeman or woman seats shall share the responsibility. ARTICLE VII Removal from Office Any Executive Committeeman or Committee woman who has three (3) unexcused absences within a calendar year shall be removed from office. A request for an excused absence must be made by the member in writing or electronic form and submitted to the secretary prior to or within one week of the meeting date in question. Page 11 of 12

12 Adoption of By-Laws These By-Laws of the Citrus County Republican Executive Committee were duly adopted by the membership of said committee this day of, 2013, at which a quorum of the full membership was present. Michael Moberly Chairman Jackie Kulp Secretary Date: Date: Page 12 of 12