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UNITED VETERANS COMMITTEE BY-LAWS
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UNITED VETERANS COMMITTEE
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the United Veterans Committee
of Colorado, herein referred to as UVC.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
UVC is a non-partisan, non-profit, incorporated organization
registered with the State of Colorado. It operates as a coalition of
veterans’ organizations as defined in Article IV.
ARTICLE III
VISION
A productive advocate for Colorado veterans and their families.
MISSION
To activate and represent member organizations, speaking with one
unified voice in Colorado; work with public policy makers to ensure
proper support for veteran issues and concerns; and inform/educate
Colorado citizens about veteran needs.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
a. To be a proactive, statewide organization promoting legislative,
humanitarian and educational activities for the best interest and
welfare of veterans, United States Armed Forces members, their
families and survivors.
b. To provide a means for veterans organizations throughout Colorado
to coordinate their legislative efforts to include:
1. Establishing legislative goals and priorities.
2. Providing a means by which legislative representatives may be
directly advised of veterans’ needs.
3. Engaging legislative liaison to assist in achieving legislation
to accomplish goals and priorities.
4. Providing a forum for informing veterans of legislative programs,
efforts and accomplishments.
c. To advocate, promote and monitor veterans’ services and programs
in the following areas and activities:
1. Programs to include health care, nursing homes, employment and
training, education and rehabilitation, veteran homelessness,
entitlements, and benefits.
2. Activities by which Federal and State Officials may be directly
advised of veterans’ needs and requirements.
3. Information dissemination and a public relations system to foster
UVC goals and priorities.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
a. There are three (3) membership categories; Member Organization,
Affiliate and Associate.
1. A Member Organization shall meet one of the following
qualifications:
(a.) A veterans service organization recognized by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs for claims representation and so
listed in their directory, or
(b.) A veterans or veterans’ family service membership organization
that operates on a statewide or national basis and has been in
existence for 12 months.
2. An Affiliate organization shall be a Member Organization
subordinate or auxiliary body.
3. An Associate shall be an entity that provides to veterans or
their families services or supports veterans’ goals or issues.
b. All applications for new membership shall be submitted to the
Secretary who will inform the President and submit the application
to the Membership Committee for approval by the membership.
c. Member Organizations who have been absent without excuse for
three consecutive regular meetings shall be deemed inactive, shall
not be allowed a vote and shall require official reinstatement.
Requests for reinstatement shall be made in writing by the
organization chief executive officer and submitted to the UVC
Secretary for vote at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Reinstatement requires a simple majority vote of the membership
present.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
a. The elected officers shall be President, First Vice President and
Second Vice President.
Terms of office shall be two (2) years, July through June. Their
duties shall be:
1. The President shall preside at all meetings, be the UVC official
representative and carry out such other functions as prescribed in
the Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised Edition unless otherwise
provided in these By-Laws. The President may appoint committee
members as required based on UVC needs and membership
recommendations.
2. The Vice Presidents, in order of seniority, shall carry out
Presidential assigned tasks and, in the event of the President’s
absence or inability to function, the duties of President.
b. The appointed officers shall be the Secretary, Treasurer and
Staff Judge Advocate.
Appointments shall be made by a majority vote of the Executive
Committee as required.
Their duties shall be:
1. The Secretary shall maintain the UVC records, develop and
distribute minutes, formulate and maintain a membership roster and
mailing list, receive and manage correspondence, make written annual
reports and perform such other duties as may be required or assigned
by the President.
2. The Treasurer shall receive, expend, and account for all funds,
provide written annual financial reports, be a member of the Budget
Committee, perform such other duties as may be required or assigned
by the President and, with Presidential approval, shall pay all
bills and invoices.
3. The Judge Advocate shall be shall be the UVC legal officer and
advisor.
c. Elected officers, as delineated in Article V, Section a., shall
be elected bi-annually during May 1 to June 30 of the year in which
incumbent officer terms expire. Officers shall be elected from the
Member Organizations’ representatives by a simple majority vote. Out
of term vacancies shall be elected in the same manner at the next
regular meeting following the vacancy occurrence and the term of
office shall be that of the original office holder. Regularly
elected officers shall take office at the start of the UVC fiscal
year (1 July).
d. The Immediate Past President shall be an automatically appointed
officer.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
a. Executive Committee. This committee shall be comprised of all
officers, elected and appointed, past presidents and the
Legislative, Budget, Nominating, Awards, Banquet, and Membership
chairmen. Each member shall have one vote and a quorum for
conducting business shall be the President, a Vice President and
three Committee Chairmen. The President shall preside. The duties
include:
1. Prepare agenda items for all meetings.
2. Supervise implementation of goals and priorities.
3. Determine by a simple majority vote, between regularly scheduled
meetings, all legislative, administrative and executive matters not
otherwise specifically covered by provisions of these by-laws
subject to ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
4. Review and approve the annual budget for ratification at the next
regularly scheduled meeting.
5. Provide for an annual audit.
6. Determine and make recommendations to the UVC as a whole
concerning expenditures, to include non-budgetary requests.
7. Distribute information to member organizations.
8. Establish and maintain a productive working relationship with the
media.
9. Identify and assign appropriate UVC representatives as speakers
for required events.
b. Legislative Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
President with the First Vice President as an ex-officio member.
Four additional members shall be selected by the President and
Legislative Chair with the Legislative Liaison advising. In addition
to the Committee members, a Testifying Sub-Committee shall be
appointed by the President and Legislative Chair with the
Legislative Liaison advising consisting of member volunteers who
desire to actively participate in State legislative session
testimonies in support of veterans issues. A Testifying
Sub-Committee roster shall be maintained by the Legislative Liaison
indicating name, contact data and subject expertise. The Legislative
Committee duties include:
1. Recommend Federal and State legislative goals and priorities for
adoption.
2. Review Federal and State Legislation for recommended action.
3. Monitor and report State lobbying activities.
4. Establish and maintain working relationships with Federal and
State elected officials and their staff.
5. Advise UVC membership as to actions required to foster Federal
and State legislative goals and priorities adoption.
c. Past Presidents’ Committee. All past presidents shall serve as
advisors to the presiding officers and shall be ex-officio members
of the Executive Committee.
d. Budget Committee. The President shall appoint a budget committee
to:
1. Recommend fiscal guidance to the Executive Committee.
2. Develop and recommend an annual budget.
3. Track and review current annual budget to insure compliance.
e. Nominating Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
President with the Immediate Past President as the chair. The duties
include:
1. Solicit and recommend prospective officer candidates.
2. Review officer recommendations and applications.
f. Awards Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
President with the President as an ex-officio member. The duties
include:
1. A sub-committee comprised of all Past Presidents shall determine
awards categories and select recipients.
2. Announce recipients to the Executive Committee meeting prior to
the March general meeting.
3. Report to the UVC at the March general meeting the selected
recipients.
g. Banquet Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
President with the Second Vice President as an ex-officio member.
The duties include:
1. Supervise and execute banquet arrangements including
fund-raising, site selection, menu, budget and invitations.
2. Report to the Executive Committee meeting prior to the February
general meeting all banquet details.
3. Report to the UVC no later than the February general meeting all
banquet details.
h. Membership Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
president with the president as an ex-officio member. The chair
shall be appointed by the president from the membership. The duties
shall include:
1. Solicit and recommend prospective member organizations,
affiliates and associates.
2. Develop and implement membership programs and campaigns to inform
veterans’ organizations and other organizations supporting veterans
as to the value of UVC membership.
3. Develop a system and assume responsibility for securing member,
affiliate and associate organization established contributions to
support UVC requirements.
4. Maintain continuing record of member, affiliate and associate
attendance.
5. Follow up on absentee to assure attendance at monthly meetings.
6. Report on membership trends and changes at scheduled meetings.
ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS
a. The President shall call at least four (4) regular meetings each
fiscal year, at least one each fiscal quarter.
b. The President may convene special meetings with at least 72 hours
prior notice to the UVC. A notice must include the specific purpose
of a special meeting and only that stated purpose may be discussed
at that meeting.
c. An Awards Banquet shall be held annually.
d. Annually, the President shall pursue meeting with the Governor,
Executive branch members and leadership of the Colorado General
Assembly to review, discuss and explain the UVC goals and
objectives.
ARTICLE VIII
QUORUM AND VOTING
a. A quorum shall consist of at least two elected officers of whom
one must be the President
or a Vice President and a simple majority of the active members.
b. Each member organization shall have one vote.
c. Voting on all matters shall be by a show of hands or, at the
request of any member organization, by a roll call.
d. The member organization representative or an alternate as
identified by the member organization chief executive officer shall
cast the organizational vote.
e. Officers shall have no vote separate from or in addition to their
organizational vote.
f. Actions require a simple majority vote unless otherwise provided
in these By-Laws.
g. Legislative Goals and Priorities will be adopted by a unanimous
vote.
ARTICLE IX
OFFICER SANCTION OR REMOVAL
a. Any presiding officer may be sanctioned or removed from office
upon verified proof of disloyalty, neglect of duty, dishonesty, or
other conduct unbecoming a UVC Organizational representative.
b. All charges must be made in writing under oath by the accuser,
served in writing to the President.
c. The President shall initiate an investigation by the Past
Presidents Committee and the Judge Advocate to determine validity of
all charges and, if required, recommended sanctions or removal.
d. The accused shall have the right to address the investigative
body to defend in person and/or by counsel, confront the accuser and
witnesses thereof, and to adduce evidence in their own behalf.
e. Sanctions or removal shall be upheld by a two-third majority vote
of the Executive Committee, with the abstention of the accused.
f. Upon removal approval, the accused shall be barred from
membership. Reinstatement may be considered no earlier than three
years after removal and must, at that time, require a two-third
majority of the UVC as a whole.
ARTICLE X
DUES, FUNDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
a. There shall be no dues.
b. All funds shall be obtained from approved fund raisers/ventures
and contributions.
c. Member Organizations, Affiliates and Associates shall be
requested and encouraged to contribute and support UVC endeavors.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
a. No person shall be employed by the UVC without an approved budget
line item entry.
b. The President may appoint a UVC Historian to develop, collect and
maintain historical files concerning all UVC activities and actions.
c. The Secretary may use paid administrative/clerical assistance.
ARTICLE XII
BY-LAW REVISIONS
a. The President shall appoint a special committee at least every
three (3) years, to review the By-Laws.
b. By-Laws amendments shall require a two-third (2/3) majority vote
by the member organizations quorum.
c. By-Laws amendment notification and a copy thereof shall be
provided in writing, electronically or post, to all members at least
30 days prior to a schedule vote.
ARTICLE XIII
DISSOLUTION
Upon UVC dissolution, any funds or assets remaining after payment of
all debts and liabilities will not inure to any individual or
organization, but will be donated to other 501 (c) 3 or 19
organizations under the terms set forth by the outgoing Executive
Committee.
ARTICLE XIV
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The Robert’s Rules of Order – Newly Revised Edition shall govern
proceedings in all cases to which they are applicable and in which
they are consistent with these By-Laws and any special rules of
order otherwise adopted.
Approved by the United Veterans Committee of Colorado members at the
regularly scheduled meeting held on 13th day of November, in the
year 2012.
(UVC Seal)
____________Signed______________________
Ralph Bozella
President
Certified as a true and corrected copy by:
_________Signed_______________
Jenn Latini
Secretary
13 November 2012
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