CONSTITUTION & BY LAWS FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE DISTRICT THREE LODGES, INC.

Transcription

1 CONSTITUTION & BY LAWS FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE DISTRICT THREE LODGES, INC. REVISED AUGUST 2016 John Sheffield District Director Lynn Dombrowsky District Secretary

2 BY LAWS DISTRICT THREE LODGES, INC. INDEX Preamble Article I. Article II. Article III. Article IV. Article V. Article VI. Article VII. Article VIII. Article IX Article X. Article XI. Article XII. Article XIII. Article XIV. Article XV. Article XVI. Article XVII. Article XVIII. Article XIX. Article XX. Article XXI. District Membership Board of Directors Elected Officers District Director Assistant District Director District Secretary District Treasurer District Chaplain Intentionally Left Blank District Meetings Disbursements Official Order of Business Amendments Parliamentary Rules Expenses for the District Director Audit of District Three Financial Records Solicitations by Subordinate Lodges Subjects Not Covered by Bylaws Survivor Benefit Fund District Three Scholarship Fund Legal Aid

3 PREAMBLE This organization shall be known as the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc. The Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., shall be comprised of all subordinate lodges chartered in Charlotte, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties in the state of Florida. There shall be no discrimination by the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., by reason of race, sex, nationality, or religious persuasion. Any time the words he or brother shall appear in these bylaws, they shall mean any person regardless of sex.

4 ARTICLE I DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP All members in good standing of all Fraternal Order of Police subordinate lodges within the geographical boundaries of District Three as defined by the constitution and By-Laws of the Florida State Lodge, chartered or hereafter formed, shall be deemed to be members of District Three Lodges, Inc., and shall be represented in dealings with the Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. All members of the Fraternal Order of Police Associates Lodges and of the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary Lodges located or hereafter formed within District Three shall be represented in dealings with the Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.

5 ARTICLE II BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors of the Fraternal Order of Police, Florida District Three Lodges, Inc., shall consist of the District Director, the Assistant District Director, the District Secretary, the District Treasurer, the District Chaplain, the Immediate Past District Director and the State Trustee of each subordinate lodge chartered within the geographical boundaries of District Three and all elected State and National Officers from lodges within District Three. The business of District Three shall be transacted by the Board of Directors of the Fraternal Order of Police, Florida District Three Lodges, Inc. In the absence of the State Trustee of each subordinate lodge within the District, the subordinate lodge President shall appoint an Alternate Trustee, who shall have all rights, privileges and duties of the Trustee they represent. The Alternate Trustee will make himself/herself known to the Board as soon as possible prior to the next meeting and no later than the roll call of lodges at the meeting at which they are attending.

6 ARTICLE III ELECTED OFFICERS Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. The Elected Officers of the Fraternal Order of Police, Florida District Three Lodges, Inc., shall be the District Director, the Assistant District Director, the District Secretary, the District Treasurer, and the District Chaplain. To be eligible to be nominated and elected to any office of Florida District Three Lodges, Inc., a candidate must be a member in good standing of any subordinate lodge within District Three and must have attended at least three (3) Regular District Three meetings, within a twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the April monthly meeting at which the member is nominated for District Three Office. The Office of Immediate Past District Director shall be a lateral movement of succession upon conclusion in good standing of the current term of Office of Director and not by election. The Office of Immediate Past District Director shall not disqualify a member of the Past District Directors subordinate lodge from being nominated for or serving in any other District Three elected office. The District Director, the Assistant District Director, the District Secretary, the District Treasurer, and the District Chaplain shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the election of District Officers held in June, of even numbered years, at the State Conference by the subordinate lodge State Trustees (or in his/her absence, the subordinate lodge President s Alternate Trustee) and registered lodge delegates and any District Three, State or National Officers from lodges within District Three who shall be eligible to vote. Nominations for District Three Officers shall be at the regularly scheduled April District meeting preceding the State June conference. The voting shall be held at a meeting of District Three at the June Conference and shall be held in accordance with applicable Florida State Lodge bylaws and these bylaws. In the event of a two-waytie vote, the election shall be decided by a coin toss. The older candidate shall have the option of calling the toss in the air, or allowing the younger candidate to call the toss. The elected District Three Officers will serve a two-year term of office, commencing at the June conference, in even numbered years, of the Florida State Lodge. No more than two members from the same subordinate lodge may serve on the District Three Elected Board at one time. Should three or more members from a single subordinate lodge be nominated for and elected to the Elected Board, the member elected to the lowest position shall not be seated and the District Director shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy subject to approval by the Board of Directors of District Three.

7 ARTICLE IV DISTRICT DIRECTOR Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. Section 9. The District Three Director shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the District Board of Directors. He/she shall preside at all meetings and shall have general management of the business of the District and the Board of Directors, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The District Director shall execute and sign all contracts that may be authorized by the Board of Directors. The District Director shall be ex-officio member of all committees. The District Director shall have the power, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, to appoint a majority of all committees. The District Director shall have the power to call a special meeting, when deemed necessary, or petition by a majority of the Board of Directors. The District Director shall convey to his successor all unfinished business of the Board of Directors. The District Director shall attest all checks, warrants, or vouchers drawn on any fund of District Three before payment by the Treasurer. The District Director shall be governed by the Constitution and bylaws of the Grand Lodge and the Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Constitution and bylaws of District 3. The District Director shall laterally move to the position of Immediate Past District Director upon the successful conclusion in good standing of his current tenure of Office giving advice and assistance to the District Director as is requested.

8 ARTICLE V ASSISTANT DISTRICT DIRECTOR The Assistant District Director shall represent the District Director in his absence and when performing this duty, shall assume the responsibility and authority of the District Director. The Assistant District Director shall, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, appoint the minority of all committees. The Assistant District Director shall perform other duties assigned him by the Board of Directors and/or the District Director.

9 ARTICLE VI DISTRICT SECRETARY Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. The District Secretary shall have custody of the books, records, documents and equipment of District Three under the general authority of the Board of Directors. The District Secretary shall keep a record of the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall submit these minutes for approval, alteration or rejection at the next Board Meeting. The District Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the District. The District Secretary shall attest under signature all duly authorized contracts of District Three. The District Secretary shall be the official custodian of the bylaws of the District, which will be authenticated by his/her signature and the signature of the District Director, and shall keep a record of the official amendments to the bylaws adopted by the District and cause them to be properly inserted therein. The District Secretary shall perform other duties as are usual and incidental to the Office of the Secretary. At the expiration of his/her term of office, the District Secretary shall deliver to his/her successor all books, documents, records, supplies, equipment, paraphernalia, etc., and shall require and receive a receipt therefore. The District Secretary shall be allowed, subject to approval of the Board of Directors, necessary expenses to properly operate the Office of Secretary.

10 ARTICLE VII DISTRICT TREASURER Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. The District Treasurer shall have custody of all District Three Funds and shall deposit them in a National or State bank, selected by the Board of Directors. The District Treasurer shall collect all monies due District Three, keeping a record of same and maintain an itemized record of all transactions. The District Treasurer shall co-sign all checks for the disbursement of District Three funds upon approval of the Board of Directors, except as provided under Article XI, Disbursements. The District Treasurer shall give a complete report of all receipts and disbursements of District Three funds at each meeting of the Board of Directors. The District Treasurer shall perform other duties as are usual and incidental to the Office of Treasurer. The District Treasurer shall deliver to his/her successor at the expiration of his/her term of office, all funds, bank records, checkbooks, and paraphernalia of office, and shall require and receive a receipt therefore.

11 ARTICLE VIII DISTRICT CHAPLAIN It shall be the duty of the District Chaplain to lead the District in prayer at all functions of the membership requiring same. The District Chaplain shall assist the District Director of District Three at all funerals of departed members. The District Chaplain shall perform such other duties as the District Director or the Board of Directors may require.

12 ARTICLE IX THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK FOR FUTURE USE

13 ARTICLE X DISTRICT MEETINGS Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. The District Three Board of Directors shall meet in February at the Florida State Lodge Board of Trustees Meeting, in April at a lodge within District 3, in June at the Florida State Lodge Annual Conference, in August at a lodge within District 3, in October at the Florida State Lodge Board of Trustees Meeting, in December at a lodge within District 3. The time and place for the next meeting will be designated during each regularly scheduled meeting. The District Secretary will keep a sign in sheet of all members in attendance at each District Meeting. The Board of Directors may meet in Executive Session in conjunction with any District Three subordinate lodge, if and when invited. The District Director is authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors, if and when in the best interest of the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., and any of its subordinate lodges. Special meetings shall be called by the District Director upon petition of a majority of the Board of Directors. Prior to each regularly scheduled meeting, the District Secretary will notify all subordinate lodges in District Three of the date, time and location of the meeting. The Secretary shall also provide an agenda of items to be discussed to all District Three Lodges. All items for the agenda and requests for financial assistance must be submitted to the District Secretary at least 21 days prior to the scheduled meeting. All requests for funding will be reviewed by the District Three Elected Board. Any member of any Fraternal Order of Police lodge in District Three shall have a voice on any matter being discussed at any meeting of District Three. Only the District Director, Assistant District Director, District Secretary, District Treasurer, District Chaplain, Immediate Past District Director, District Three Subordinate Lodge Trustees, District Three State Lodge Board Members and District Three National Lodge Officers are entitled to vote during the meetings. The elected District Officers may meet at a site and time designated by the District Director during the months that no District Meeting is scheduled to conduct business and set the agenda for the next meeting.

14 ARTICLE XI DISBURSEMENTS Section 4. Section 5. The District Director, Assistant District Director, the District Secretary and District Treasurer shall be registered with all District Three depositories and the signature of any two (2) shall be required on any one (1) check. It shall be the responsibility of the District Treasurer to sign all checks and for the District Director to co-sign said checks. In the absence of the District Director and/or the Treasurer, or in emergency, any two (2) of the officers in Section 1, may sign. Disbursements and accounts payable shall be authorized by the District Director and presented to the Board of Directors at the next meeting. The Board of Directors may authorize, not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), a petty cash fund for the use of the District Secretary. Any District Officer or District member, who receives funds from the District, and who receives identical or like funds from a subordinate lodge or other source for the same purpose, will be subject to disciplinary action by the District. Under special or exigent circumstances, a request for additional funds may be brought before the elected board for approval. The elected board will then take the request to a regular meeting of District Three for approval by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present. If disapproved, no additional funding will be allowed from any other source.

15 ARTICLE XII OFFICIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS Order of Business shall be as follows: 1. Opening prayer (Standing) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (Standing) 3. Roll call of elected officers 4. Roll call of voting representatives 5. Reading of the minutes of previous meeting 6. Treasurer s report 7. Officer s report 8. Committee reports 9. Local lodge reports 10. Bills and communications 11. Old Business 12. New Business 13. Good of the Order 14. Benediction (Standing) 15. Adjournment

16 ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS Amendments to these bylaws shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote by those voting members in attendance at a regularly scheduled meeting of District Three. All amendments to these bylaws must be presented in writing to the Bylaws Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to a District meeting. Amendments shall be read to the membership present at the regularly scheduled District meeting. The District Secretary shall then provide all members of the District Board of Directors and each subordinate lodge a copy of the proposed amendment. A vote on the amendment will take place at the next regularly scheduled District meeting. Waiver of the Bylaws during a regularly scheduled District Three meeting shall be done only upon three-fourths (3/4) vote by those eligible voting members present at the meeting and only for emergency purposes for Fraternal Order of Police members.

17 ARTICLE XIV PARLIAMENTARY RULES Conduct of all meetings of District Three shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Robert s Rules of Order. The District Director may appoint one member of the Fraternal Order of Police from a subordinate lodge within District Three who shall not be an Elected Officer of the District to serve as Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian shall not be a member of the Elected Board and shall have no privileges other than membership in the District, as a member of a subordinate lodge would bestow upon him/her. All questions of a parliamentary nature and challenges of the chair will be directed to the Parliamentarian, should one be appointed.

18 ARTICLE XV EXPENSES FOR THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR The District Director or any other member performing duties for the District shall be compensated in the following manner: Hotel accommodations, Per Diem in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) per day, Coach class airfare or mileage at the current IRS rate plus tolls incurred. Reimbursement will not be made under this section unless proper receipts are presented with an approved District voucher. Attendance at the October and February State Board meetings and the State June conference will be automatic for the District Director and no vote of the membership will be required.

19 ARTICLE XVI AUDIT OF DISTRICT THREE FINANCIAL RECORDS There will be an annual audit of District Three financial records. Such audit will take place in April of each year. A special audit of District Three financial records may be ordered, by the District Director or the Board of Directors, upon a majority vote. The District Director shall appoint two State Trustees from the Board of Directors of District 3 who shall conduct an annual audit of the District financial records including the Scholarship, Survivor Benefit, Disaster Relief and Reserve Funds in April of each year and shall report their findings to the membership at the District Three meeting held at the June conference.

20 ARTICLE XVII SOLICITATIONS BY SUBORDINATE LODGES All subordinate lodges within District Three shall properly register with the Secretary of State according to Florida State Statute Chapter 496, prior to conducting any solicitation as required by law. Any lodge failing to register properly and who does engage in solicitation without license will assume their own legal responsibility for any legal fees that may be incurred or any legal action brought against them.

21 ARTICLE XVIII SUBJECTS NOT COVERED BY THESE BYLAWS Any subject not covered by these bylaws shall be governed by the Constitution and bylaws of the Florida State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police.

22 ARTICLE XIX SURVIVOR BENEFIT FUND Section 4. Section 5. The Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., will provide assistance in the form of immediate monetary benefit of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to the family of any Fraternal Order of Police member of District Three killed in the line of duty. The benefit will be delivered in a timely manner as soon as possible by a representative of the Elected Board of District Three, upon notification of the death of a member in the line of duty. A fund shall be established by the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., of an amount appropriate to ensure continuation of this benefit. Said fund will be maintained by the District Director and District Treasurer in an account separate from the General Operating Fund. It will be the responsibility of the Elected Board of District Three to administer the fund. Said fund will be known as the Survivor Benefit Fund. This fund will continue and benefits will be provided as long as the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., is able to fund the Survivor Benefit Fund. Should the fund become depleted and the District unable to replenish it, the benefit will cease. All members of the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., in good standing with their subordinate lodge at the time of death determined to be in the line of duty by the member s law enforcement agency will be considered eligible for this benefit.

23 ARTICLE XX DISTRICT THREE SCHOLARSHIP FUND Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. The Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., will provide four (4) one year scholarship awards each year in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to four (4) children of members of the Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc. A scholarship committee consisting of three or more members will be formed. The committee chairman will be the Assistant District Director. The committee members may be State Trustees or any active member of subordinate lodges within District Three and will be appointed by the District Three Director. The Committee Chairman will not have a vote in the selection of the scholarship winners. It will be the responsibility of the chairman to receive all scholarship applications and essays. All essays will be edited by the Committee Chairman so that the identity of the writer remains anonymous to the committee members during the selection process. Each essay will be assigned a number that will identify the writer to the committee and his/her submission. The chairman will send each committee member a packet of all essays submitted. When each committee member has made their individual selections, they will rank the submissions and return their findings to the chairman. The chairman will tabulate the results and identify the winners. The chairman will maintain a file of all applicants and essays until the winners are announced and through the next regularly scheduled District Three meeting. The Committee members will be the sole judges of the essays. They will assist the Chairman in the selection of the yearly essay topic. They shall also be prepared to meet and discuss any problems that may arise during the selection process. The Scholarship Committee will meet during the Florida State Lodge June conference to select a candidate for submission to the State Lodge Scholarship Committee. The selection will meet all State Lodge requirements and will be made from the applications submitted to the District, not necessarily the District Three winner. District Three will begin accepting applications and essays on January 1 st of each year, until March 31 st of that year, unless extended by the Committee Chairperson to allow time for all application to be completed, at which time applications will cease for the year. The topic for the essay will be announced at the regularly scheduled District Three meeting in the month of December of the preceding year. The Scholarship Committee will announce the four winners at the regularly scheduled District Three meeting in April of each year. The winners will be notified as soon as possible after the selection process and prior to the June meeting in order

24 to notify their respective schools and be present at the meeting to receive their award. Section 8. Applicant Qualifications: 1. The applicant must be the dependent child of an active member in good standing of a subordinate lodge of District Three. 2. The applicant must be a graduating high school senior or an active full time college student enrolled at a regionally accredited college or university. 3. The applicant must provide the District Three Scholarship Committee with proof of enrollment or acceptance to the institution they plan to attend. 4. The applicant does not have to be seeking a degree in Criminal Justice or law enforcement. 5. The applicant must write an essay on a subject selected by the Committee. 6. The essay will be a minimum of 1500 words and maximum of 2000 words. 7. Applicants must submit completed applications and essays. Any submissions that are not complete will not be considered in the competition. Section 9. Section 10. Section 11. Section 12. Section 13. The Scholarship Committee will make the District Three application and the State application available to all lodges within District Three. Any winning applicant may compete in the annual scholarship competition as long as they are seeking an undergraduate degree and are full time students. This scholarship award is a one-year scholarship. District Three will establish and maintain a separate scholarship fund, to be known as the District Three Scholarship Fund. Said account will be maintained by the District Director and the District Treasurer in an account separate from the General Operating Fund. It will be the responsibility of the Elected Board of District Three to administer the fund. This fund will continue and awards will be provided so long as it is financially possible for District Three Lodges, Inc., to maintain it. Should the fund become depleted and the District unable to replenish it, the awards will cease.

25 ARTICLE XXI LEGAL AID Section 4. Section 5. The Fraternal Order of Police, District Three Lodges, Inc., shall provide assistance to members in good standing of subordinate District Three Lodges, for the purpose of legal representation in any civil or criminal action or administrative hearing arising out of the lawful performance of their official law enforcement duties. The District provides this assistance to ensure that all members may have legal representation. The District will not take an official stand as to the guilt or innocence of the member. The District may provide financial assistance up to the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00). Any member recovering fees as a result of their litigation will reimburse the District the amount received as assistance. Any member seeking assistance for legal aid must have first requested such assistance from their local lodge. Members requesting assistance for legal aid must submit to the District Secretary, in writing, a copy of all charges that the member is to be tried on and a copy of the statement or bill from the attorney representing the member. Requests must be submitted in accordance with District Three bylaws Article X, Section 5, twenty-one (21) days prior to the next regularly scheduled District Three meeting. This information will be reviewed by the Elected Board members of the District prior to the next regularly scheduled District meeting. The recommendation of the Elected Board will be reported to the membership by the District Director. Section 6. Any member needing assistance in excess of the five hundred dollar ($500.00) maximum may forward a request to the Florida State Lodge Legal Aid Committee for their consideration as provided in the Constitution and bylaws of the Florida State Lodge. Section 7. The Grand Lodge, Florida State Lodge, and District Three Lodges have made available and endorsed legal defense insurance plans. Members are encouraged to take advantage of and participate in these plans.