Maine Federation of Chapters Policy and Procedures Manual 10/23/11 Prepared by: Richard Neal Adopted at the Federation Convention on 3 May, 2012
Maine Federation of Chapters Policy and Procedures Manual Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. MEMBERSHIP 1 3. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES 1 A. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT 1 B. DUTIES OF THE 1 ST VICE PRESIDENT 2 C. DUTIES OF THE 2 ND VICE PRESIDENT 2 D. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY 3 E. DUTIES OF THE TREASURER 3 F. SUCCESSION/VACANIES 4 a. President 4 b. First Vice President 4 c. Second Vice President 4 d. Secretary or Treasurer 4 4. EXECUTIVE BOARD 5 5. FINANCES 6 A. FINANCE COMMITTEE 6 B. TREASURER 6 C. REIMBURSEMENTS 6 D. FORMS 6 6. AUDIT 7 7. FEDERATION CONVENTION 7 A.CHAPTER DELEGATES 7 B. DELEGATES AT LARGE 8 C. REGISTRATION FEE 8 D. FEDERATION CONVENTION HOST CHAPTER CONVENTION COMMITTEE 8 E. SPECIAL COMMITTEES AND OFFICERS FOR THE CONVENTION 8 F. QUORUM 9 G. RULES OF ORDER 9 H. VOTING 9 I. OFFICER ELECTIONS 9 J. GENERAL MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS 10 K. STANDING RULES FOR THE CONVENTION 10 L. BIENNIAL CONVENTION REPORT 10 8. NATIONAL CONVENTION 10 A. EXPENSES 10 9. GUIDELINES FOR CLOSING A CHAPTER 11 EXHIBIT A: FINANCIAL REPORT 12 EXHIBIT B: MONTHLY EXPENSE SHEET 13 EXHIBIT C: MONTHLY DEPOSIT RECORD 14
EXHIBIT D: REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT 15 EXHIBIT E: PROPOSED BUDGET 16 EXHIBIT F: PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT/ RESOLUTION 17 EXHIBIT G: STANDING RULES FOR THE CONVENTION 18
NARFE Maine Federation of Chapters Policy and Procedures Manual 1. Introduction The Policy and Procedures Manual supplements the Bylaws and provides policy and detailed procedures for implementing the Bylaws. The Bylaws may only be amended at the Biennial Convention, every two (2) years. The Policy and Procedures Manual may be amended by the Executive Board at any of its meetings. Any changes or amendments will require a thirty (30) day notice to all Executive Board members prior to any action being taken. 2. Membership A. Annual dues for each Chapter in the Federation shall be in the form of per capita dues. Each Chapter shall pay one dollar (1.00) per year for each Chapter member in good standing as of the December issue of the National Headquarters Chapter Membership Summary Report (M110). B. Payment shall be made to the Federation Treasurer immediately after January 1 of each year for the previous year, but not later than March 1. C. Any Chapter whose dues are in areas for three (3) months or more (April 1), after due notice has been given by the Federation Treasurer, shall be dropped from membership in the Federation, and all rights and privileges of membership shall be revoked. D. Federation Dues for any chapter that is less than one year old will be waived. 3. Officers and their Duties A. Duties of the President The President shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the Federation and shall be responsible for the execution of its policies and programs and for the efficient functioning of the organization, with the cooperation of the Executive Board and pursuant to the Federation Bylaws and National Directives. The President shall perform the duties as are incumbent in this office, specifically to: a. Preside at all the regularly scheduled business meetings of the Executive Board and at the Federation s Biennial Conventions and Seminars, and call special Executive Board or other meetings when necessary or when requested by thirty percent (30%) of the member Chapters; b. Make assignments and reassignments of duties to the other Constitutional Officers and the appointed Officers, that are not set forth in these Procedures, subject to the approval of the Executive Board; c. Appoint all standing and special committees that the management of the Federation may require and designate the chairman of each, and be an exofficio member of such committees, except the Nominating Committee and 1
those special committees that are appointed by the Host Chapter Convention Chairman; d. Appoint any special officers that may be deemed necessary to assist the President in performing his/her duties and in carrying out his/her responsibilities, subject to the approval of the Executive Board; e. Review and approve all disbursements prior to the issuance of any checks by the Treasurer; f. Review the Secretary s report of the proceedings of all Conventions, Seminars, and Executive Board meetings before distribution by the Secretary, as required; g. Forward a financial report, biennially, to the National Treasurer of the receipt and expenditure of money received from the National Office; h. Be responsible for assuring the prompt transfer of all records and supplies from outgoing officers and committee chairmen to their successors. B. Duties of the 1 st Vice President The First Vice President shall perform such duties as are incumbent in this office, specifically; a. In the Absence of the President, preside at all meetings and in the event of the inability of the President to perform the duties of the President, as determined by the Executive Board, shall assume all the duties and responsibilities of the President; b. As the Administrative Assistant to the President, perform such other duties as my be assigned by the President; c. Serve as the Membership Officer of the Federation and be responsible for the promotion of Chapter membership recruitment; for the coordination of Chapter membership matters and the resolution of Chapter membership problems; d. Perform all of these duties with the full knowledge and agreement of the President, with whatever assistance that may be necessary regarding personnel assignments. e. Approve all Request for Reimbursements submitted by the President. C. Duties of the 2 nd Vice President The Second Vice President shall perform such duties as are incumbent in this office, specifically: a. In the absence of both the President and the First Vice President, assume all the duties and all the responsibilities of the President and the First Vice President. He/she shall temporarily assign his/her duties as Second Vice President to whomever the Executive Board assigns to replace him/her, in accordance with the procedures established for the succession of Officers, in Section 3 F. b. Perform all of these duties with the full knowledge and agreement of the President, with whatever assistance that may be necessary regarding personnel assignments. 2
D. Duties of the Secretary The Secretary shall perform such duties as are incumbent in this office, specifically: a. Have charge of all the books, seals, papers, and other secretarial records of the Federation; b. Prepare and issue calls or notices of all Federation meetings; c. Keep a true and accurate record of all of the proceedings of the Federation Executive Board; d. Forward copies of the Executive Board Minutes and Convention Report to the members of the Executive Board and other Official Attendees after review by the Federation President; e. Deposit with the Treasurer, at least once a month, any Federation money received; f. Answer all correspondence promptly and maintain a file of such correspondence requested by the President or required by this office; g. Certify the credentials of all the delegates to the Federation Convention to ensure that they are voting members of their chapter; h. Prepare a detailed report of Convention minutes and activities not later than thirty (30) days thereafter; i. Perform all other duties that may properly pertain to this office; j. Transfer promptly all Federation secretarial records and supplies to the succeeding Secretary upon leaving office; k. Prepare an agenda for the Executive Board Meetings and for the Convention with input and approval of the Federation President. Upon approval of the Federation President, forward copies to the other members of the Executive Board and other Official Attendees. E. Duties of the Treasurer The Treasurer shall perform such duties as are incumbent in this office, specifically: a. Enter into bond in such amount as the Executive Board shall deem sufficient to protect the financial interests of the Federation; b. Accept all money received by the Federation and keep an accurate account of these receipts; c. Deposit all funds received in the name of the Federation in such banks or Federal Credit Unions that have membership in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or National Credit Union Association as shall be designated by the Executive Board; d. Pay all Federation expenses by check upon orders issued or authorized by the President and keep an accurate account of these disbursements; e. Prepare and submit to the Executive Board a monthly report of the receipts and expenditures of the Federation, and make a biennial report to the delegates at the Federation Convention; f. Prepare biennially, for the Federation President, a financial report to be submitted to the National Treasurer showing the receipt and expenditure of money received from the National Office; g. Maintain necessary forms and records to support the annual review and the Biennial Audit prior to the Convention; 3
h. Present, at such time as the Executive Board may direct, all books papers, and vouchers for examination and/or audit to the proper authorities; i. Perform such other duties as may be pertinent to this office and assigned by the Executive Board; j. Transfer promptly all Federation financial records and supplies to the succeeding Treasurer upon leaving office; k. Perform duties as outlined in section 5B. F. Succession /Vacancies When there is a vacancy in any of the elected offices, the following order of succession shall prevail: a. President In the event of the resignation, the inability (as determined by the Executive Board), or the death of the President of the Federation, the First Vice President shall automatically become the President and immediately assume all the duties and responsibilities of that office. The Second Vice President shall then assume the position and duties of the First Vice President. The Executive Board shall be empowered to fill the vacancy of the Second Vice President until an election is held. If the First Vice President is unable or unwilling to assume the office of the President, he/she must resign his/her office, and the Second Vice President shall then assume the duties and responsibilities of the President. The Executive Board shall be empowered to fill the vacancies in the offices of the First Vice President and the Second Vice President until and election is held. b. First Vice President In the event of the resignation, the inability (as determined by the Executive Board), or the death of the First Vice President, the Second Vice President shall succeed to the office of the First Vice President. The Executive Board shall be empowered to fill the vacancy of the Second Vice President until an election is held. c. Second Vice President In the event of the resignation, the inability (as determined by the Executive Board), or the death of the Second Vice President, the Executive Board shall be empowered to fill the vacancy of the Second Vice President until an election is held. d. Secretary or Treasurer In the event of the resignation, the inability (as determined by the Executive Board) or the death of the Secretary or the Treasurer, the Executive Board shall be empowered to fill the vacancy of the Secretary or Treasurer until an election can be held. 4
In the unusual event of simultaneous vacancies in the offices of the President, the First Vice President, and the Second Vice President, the Executive Board shall assume the duties and responsibilities of these Officers until a special election is called or a general election is held at a Federation Convention. The Executive Board members shall elect, from their membership, one (1) member who will serve as the Federation President until a Federation Convention is held and new officers elected. 4. Executive Board A. All voting at the Executive Board meetings by the five (5) Constitutional Officers and the Chapter Presidents shall be as follows: a. The approval or revision of the Biennial federation Budget and all other major financial matters brought before the Board shall be by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Board. b. The approval of a declaration of a vacancy for cause in any elective office shall be by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Board. c. The approval of all other general matters of Federation business brought before the Board shall be by a majority vote. B. The Immediate Past President of the Federation may be invited to serve as an exofficio non-voting member of the Executive Board in an advisory capacity. Any or all of the various special officers or Committee Chairpersons, who are appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the voting members of the Executive Board, may be invited to attend any or all of the meetings of the Board, as non-voting members, to serve pro team in their various capacities for the welfare of the Federation. C. The administration, the establishment of policy, and the management of the affairs of the Maine Federation shall be vested primarily in the Executive Board, which has the authority to perform all necessary functions and the responsibility for their accomplishment. Specifically, the Executive Board shall: a. Conduct all the Federation business between Conventions, but the authority of the Executive Board to act shall be limited by the Bylaws and by any general affirmation of policy enacted by a Convention; b. Meet at least two (2) times a year, the places and dates to be fixed by the President; c. Provide for Conventions, Seminars, and other joint meetings of Chapters; d. Approve the appointments made by the Federation President; e. Select such special officers or functionaries as may, from time to time, be found necessary; f. Approve payment of the expenses of the Federation President to attend the National Convention; g. Provide for audits of the receipts, disbursements, assets, and deemed desirable or necessary; h. Declare any elective office vacant because of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, or other justifiable cause as determined by the Board; but the 5
incumbent Officer shall be given reasonable opportunity to show reason why such action should not be taken. 5. Finances A. Finance Committee The Finance Committee, a standing committee, shall consist of two (2) or more members appointed by the Federation President and approved by the Executive Board. It shall assist the Treasurer with the proper financial operations of the Federation. It will monitor the Federation s finances and provide oversight of the financial records. Any irregularities that are not corrected will be brought to the attention of the Executive Board. The Finance Committee shall conduct a review of the Treasurer s records at the end of the year of the Biennium and present its findings to the Executive Board at its next meeting. B. Treasurer The Treasurer shall: a. Work with the Finance Committee to resolve any financial problems or irregularities. b. Reconcile the checking account with bank statement and Financial Report each month. c. Utilize the forms presented in the Policy and Procedures Manual. d. Not write any checks without an Invoice, Bill or a Request for Reimbursement. C. Reimbursements All legitimate and reasonable expenses, incurred in the performance of duties for the Federation shall be eligible for reimbursement. Examples for allowable expenses are, but not limited to: office supplies, postage, printing costs, travel expenses including mileage @.25/mile, tolls, meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner, if traveling between 6 AM and 7 PM) and lodging, if travel is required between 9 PM and 6 AM. (It is expected that a traveler will seek reasonable accommodations. Prior approval is recommended.) Telephone or FAX expenses, if billed separately and are in conjunctions with Federation Business, are reimbursable as well as airfares, taxi and bus fares. D. Forms To assist the Treasurer in maintaining the necessary records to support the audit, the following forms shall be used: a. Financial Report (Exhibit A) The Financial Report is laid out on an Excel spreadsheet that allows the monthly income and expenses to be recorded for the whole fiscal year. It also provides the Year to Date of the income and expense accounts as well as the budgeted amount for each account. On a monthly basis, the report shows the monthly balance in the checking account. The Treasurer, upon reconciling the checking account can compare the checkbook balance recorded on the Financial Report with 6
the Federation s checkbook balance and the bank statement. They should all agree. Any irregularities must be reconciled immediately. b. Monthly Expense Sheet (Exhibit B) The Monthly Expense Sheet provides a means to record the separate expenses for each expense account. c. Monthly Deposit Record (Exhibit C) The Monthly Deposit Record may be used to record all deposits each month. Note: In lieu of using this form, the Treasurer may make and file copies of each check deposited each month. d. Request for Reimbursement (Exhibit D) The Request for Reimbursement shall be used by anyone requesting to be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties for the Federation and approved by the President. The 1 st Vice President is authorized to review and approve any Request for Reimbursement from the President. e. Budget (Exhibit E) Exhibit E may be used in developing the Annual Budget. The Treasurer shall maintain a Monthly File of the filled out Monthly Expense Sheet, Monthly Deposit Record and Request for Reimbursement. 6. Audit An Audit of the Federation s financial records shall be conducted prior to the Biennial Convention and a report of the audit s results shall be presented to the delegates at the convention. The Finance Committee may also function as or part of the Audit Committee as a collateral duty for the conduct of the audit. 7. Federation Convention A. Chapter Delegates a. Each Chapter shall be entitled to one (1) delegate for each twenty-five (25) members (or fraction thereof) in good standing as of the December issue of the National Headquarters Chapter Membership Summary Report (M110). Each Chapter shall forward to the Secretary of the Federation the names and addresses of its elected delegates and alternates, together with any other information requested, no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial Federation Convention. b. The Federation Secretary shall be responsible for certifying the credentials of the delegates. Each delegate is required to be a Voting Member of his/her chapter. c. Chapter delegates shall be seated on the Convention floor by Chapters and in a separate section reserved for them. In the absence of any delegate, the alternate shall be seated under the same requirements as those of the delegate. 7
B. Delegates at Large The five (5) elected Federation Constitutional Officers shall have the status of Delegate at Large and shall be entitled to one (1) vote each. C. Registration Fee a. Thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial Federation Convention, each Chapter shall forward to the Host Chapter/Federation Convention Committee, a five dollar ($5) registration fee for each registered Delegate, together with all pertinent registration information requested in Section 2 above. b. Thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial Federation Convention, the Federation Treasurer shall forward to the Host Chapter/ Federation Convention Committee, a five dollar ($5) registration fee for each of the Federation Officers, who have the status of Delegate at Large, together with all pertinent registration information requested in Section 2 above. D. Federation Convention Host Chapter Convention Committee Any Chapter or group of Chapters, that invites the Federation to hold the Biennial Convention in its community shall serve as host on behalf of the Federation and shall be responsible for effecting the overall preparation for the Convention. The Treasurer of the Host Chapter Convention Committee shall be responsible for preparing a financial report of the receipt and disbursement of all funds handled by the Committee and for forwarding this report to the Federation Treasurer with evidence of the source of receipts and paid vouchers supporting all disbursements. The Federation Treasurer shall be responsible for compiling a final report including all Federation and Chapter receipts and disbursements pertaining to the Convention and for determining the final financial status of the Convention. The Host Chapter(s) shall be entitled to sixty percent (60%) of any net profit from the Convention, and that amount should be retained by the Host Chapter(s). The Federation is entitled to forty (40%) of any net profit and the Treasurer of the Host Chapter Convention Committee shall send such payment to the Federation Treasurer within thirty (30) days, if possible. Any deficit shall be assumed by the Federation. E. Special Committees and Officers for the Convention a. The President shall appoint any other special committees that are deemed necessary. b. The President shall also appoint the Convention Parliamentarian and any other special officers that may be deemed necessary. c. The Host Chapter Convention Chairman shall appoint the Guest and Visitor Registration Committee, Memorial Service Committee, Reception and Hospitality Committee, and any other local committees that may be necessary for conducting the convention. 8
d. The Host Chapter Convention Chairman shall also appoint the Floor Managers, Host Chapter Convention Treasurer, and any other local officers that may be necessary for conducting the Convention. e. The duties of the members of these Committees and Officers shall relate exclusively to the Convention for which they have been appointed, and the Committees shall be dissolved at the end of the Convention, unless otherwise provided or required. If an elected Constitutional Officer is appointed to any Convention Committee, such officer shall not serve as its Chairman, and such Officers shall not constitute a majority of any Committee. F. Quorum A majority of registered and creditable delegates, provided that a majority of chapters are represented, shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting business. G. Rules of Order a. The Order of Business at a Federation Convention shall be as determined by the President and the Chairman of the Host Chapter Convention Committee, in accordance with the Standing Rules for the Convention, Exhibit G. b. The most current revision of Robert s Rules of Order shall govern all parliamentary procedures in the conduct of business of the Federation Convention. The Parliamentarian shall have a copy of this document on hand at each Convention. H. Voting a. All voting at the Federation Convention shall be only by duly elected and accredited Chapter delegates, or their alternates serving as delegates, and the delegates at large. b. All delegates shall be provided a colored voting card for identification purposes when voting. c. Voting on motions or resolutions pertaining to the general business of the Federation shall be by voice vote unless there is a question about the vote, in which case a showing of colored voting cards shall be taken. A majority vote shall be required for approval. I. Officer Elections a. The election of Constitutional Officers shall be by written ballot by all accredited Chapter delegates and delegates at large. A majority vote shall be required for election. b. In the event that there is only one (1) nominee for any elective office, the requirement for a written ballot for that office shall be waived, and that nominee shall be declared elected to that office by the Presiding Officer. c. In the event that there are two (2) candidates for any elective office, a majority vote is required for election; if the result of the vote on the first 9
ballot is a tie vote; subsequent votes shall be taken until a candidate is elected. d. In the event that there are three (3) or more candidates for any elective office and a majority vote is required and not obtained on the first ballot, a second vote shall be taken between the two (2) candidates having the greater number of votes. J. General Motions and Resolutions a. All Resolutions must be submitted to the chapters for their review and discussion sixty (60) days prior to the convention. b. Resolutions proposing amendments to the Federation Bylaws shall be adopted by a majority vote of the delegates at the Federation Convention provided that previous written notice of the proposed amendments was received by Chapters at least sixty (60) days prior to the opening of the Convention or in the absence of such timely notice amendments may be made to the Federation Bylaws by a (2/3) vote of the delegates. c. Resolutions, to be considered at a Federation Convention, must be on a Proposed Bylaw Amendment/Resolution Form. (Exhibit F) K. Standing Rules for the Convention a. The Standing Rules for the Convention (Exhibit G) shall be provided to all delegates as part of their registration package. L. Biennial Convention Report a. The Federation Secretary shall prepare a report of all activities of the Biennial Federation Convention not later than sixty (60) days after the close of such Convention and after review of and concurrence by the Federation President, shall forward a copy to each member of the Executive Board and to other NARFE officials attending the Convention. A copy of the report shall be forwarded to the National Secretary after receiving formal approval of the Executive Board, at its next meeting. 8. National Convention A. Expenses a. The Executive Board shall authorize the payment of all expenses for the Federation President or other designee to attend the National Convention. b. Depending on the amount of funds in the Federation Treasury, the Executive Board shall be authorized to provide funding to other Chapter Delegates to help offset their expenses. 10
9. Guidelines for Closing a Chapter In the event that a chapter is unable to function as required in its charter, consideration should be given to closing the chapter. Detailed procedures are contained in the NARFE Chapter and Federation Officer s Manual for the closing of a chapter. 11
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Exhibit F: Proposed Bylaw Amendment/Resolution NARFE Maine Federation Convention No. Proposed Bylaw Amendment/ Resolution No. SUBJECT: Article: Section. WHEREAS: The Bylaws now read: BE IT RESOLVED: To change RATIONALE: FEDERATION ACTION: Adopted Adopted as Amended Rejected DATE of ACTION TAKEN: Exhibit F 17
Exhibit G: Standing Rules for the Convention The following Standing Rules are to be used at any Maine Federation Convention: a. The Convention shall be called to order at the time and place and on the date specified by the Convention committee, and as indicated on the Convention program. b. Delegates shall be seated by Chapters in their designated area. c. The Presiding Officer shall maintain order and decorum at all times and shall require observance of the rules for the expeditious and orderly transaction of business. d. Smoking shall be prohibited at all times in the convention hall. e. All pertinent provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Maine Federation of Chapters shall govern the proceedings of the convention and are hereby incorporated by reference. f. The latest revision of Robert s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority in all matters governing the proceedings of the Convention that are not specifically covered by the Federation Constitution and Bylaws. In cases where neither the Constitution and Bylaws nor Robert s Rules of Order resolves a given question, the Convention delegates shall decide the question by majority vote. g. To present a matter to the assembly for consideration, a delegate must rise, address the Chair, and when recognized, by the Presiding Officer, shall state his/her name and Chapter number prior to speaking on the matter. h. Delegates shall not interrupt a speaker except to call for a point of order, to question a privilege, to question a vote, or to call for the order of the day. i. An appeal from a decision of the Chair shall be based on a point of order. An appeal must be seconded in order to be considered. When an appeal vote is taken, the voting shall be whether or not to sustain the decision of the Chair, not whether or not to sustain the member s appeal. The Chair is permitted to vote on the question of appeal. A majority affirmative vote or a tie vote shall sustain the decision of the Chair. A majority negative vote shall be required to reverse the decision of the Chair. j. Before any subject is open to debate, a motion must be made by a delegate who has the floor, then it must be seconded, and finally it must be stated by The Presiding Officer. If the motion is in writing, it shall be handed to the Presiding Officer and read, before it is seconded and debated. k. All Resolutions that are submitted to the Convention for consideration shall be in writing and signed by an authorized person, Committee, or Chapter Officer. The Chair at its discretion may require that a main motion also be submitted in writing. l. In a debate, each delegate shall be allowed three (3) minutes, and comments shall be restricted to the question before the assembly. No delegate shall speak a second time to the same question if another delegate who has not spoken thereon rises and asks for the floor. A delegate shall not be privileged to relinquish his/her time to another. m. Only two (2) amendments to any question shall be pending at any one time. After the disposition of one (1) or both of these amendments, additional amendments may be proposed. 18
n. For each candidate for office, there shall be only one (1) nominating speech, which shall be limited to four (4) minutes; and there shall be only two (2) seconding speeches, and each one shall be limited to two (2) minutes. o. After all candidates have been nominated; each candidate for office who has competition shall be allowed four (4) minutes to address the Convention just prior to the voting. The order of speakers for each office shall be alphabetical. Candidates for the lowest ranking office that is contested shall speak first; candidates for the highest contested office shall speak last. p. These Rules shall be adopted by a majority vote; however, subsequently they may be suspended, rescinded, or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the assembly. q. Standing Rules approved at a Federation Convention may be subject to amendment by Resolutions approved at a succeeding Convention. r. The printed Standing Rules of the Maine Federation Convention shall be appended to the Federation Policy and Procedures Manual and shall not be considered an integral part of the Federation s Constitution and Bylaws. 19