|
UNITED VETERANS COMMITTEE BY-LAWS
Amended: October 09, 2007
click here for
pdf version
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
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
a. To be a proactive, statewide organization promoting legislative,
humanitarian and educational activities in 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 objectives,
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 objectives, and
4. Providing a forum for informing veterans of legislative programs,
efforts and accomplishments.
c. To advocate, promote and monitor services and programs in the
following areas and activities:
1. Programs to include health care, nursing homes, employment and
training, education and rehabilitation, entitlements, and benefits.
2. Activities by which Federal and State Officials may be directly
advised of veterans’ needs.
3. Information dissemination and a public relations system to foster
UVC goals and objectives.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
There are three (3) membership categories; Member Organization,
Affiliate
and Associate.
a. A Member Organization shall meet one of the following
qualifications:
1. A veterans service organization recognized by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs for claims representation and so
listed in their directory, or
2. A veterans or veterans’ family service membership organization
that operates on a statewide or national basis and have been in
existence for 12 months.
b. An Affiliate organization shall be a Member Organization
subordinate or auxiliary body.
c. An Associate shall be an entity that provides to veterans or
their families services or supports veterans’ goals or issues.
d. All applications for new membership shall be submitted to the
Secretary who will inform the President and submit the application
to the Membership Committee.
e. Member Organizations who have been absent without excuse for
three consecutive regular meetings shall be deemed inactive and
shall require official reinstatement requiring a simple majority
vote of the membership present. Requests for reinstatement shall be
made in writing by the organization chief executive officer and
submitted to the Secretary for vote at the next regularly scheduled
meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
a. The elected officers shall be President, First Vice President,
Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officer 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 create ad-hoc
committees and 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
b. 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).
c. The Immediate Past President shall be an automatically appointed
officer.
d. The Judge Advocate shall be appointed by the President and shall
be the UVC legal officer and advisor.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
a. Executive Committee. This committee shall be comprised of all
officers, elected and appointed. The President shall preside as
chairman. The duties include:
1. Prepare agenda items for all meetings.
2. Supervise implementation of goals and objectives.
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 recommend 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 in all aspects.
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. The
duties include:
1. Recommend legislative goals 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.
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 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. Determine awards categories and select recipients.
3. Report to the UVC the selected recipients prior to the awards
banquet
g. Membership Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the
President with President as ex-officio member and the chair
appointed by the President from the general 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 and assume responsibility for securing member
organization
contributions to support UVC requirements.
4. Maintain record of membership attendance.
5. Follow up on absentee members to assure attendance at monthly
meetings.
6. Report at UVC scheduled meetings as required.
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. A Legislative Reception shall be held annually during the
Colorado General Assembly Session.
e. 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. Each member organization shall have one vote.
b. Voting on all matters shall be by a show of hands or, at the
request of
any member organization, by a roll call.
c. The member organization representative or an alternate as
identified by
the member organization chief executive officer shall cast the
organizational vote.
d. Officers shall have no vote separate from or in addition to their
organizational vote.
e. Actions require a simple majority vote unless otherwise provided
in
these By-Laws.
f. Goals, Objectives and Legislative Priorities will be adopted by a
unanimous vote.
g. 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
member organizations
ARTICLE IX
OFFICER SANCTION OR REMOVAL
a. Any 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 to contribute and support to 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 as
authorized by the Executive Committee and with an approved budget
line item.
ARTICLE XII
BY-LAW REVISIONS
a. The President shall appoint a special committee periodically, but
no more than every three (3) years, to review the By-Laws.
b. By-Laws amendment shall require a two-third (2/3) majority vote.
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 at a regularly
scheduled meeting held on the 12th day of September, in the year
2006.
(UVC Seal)
(signed)
James C. Bobick
President
Certified as a true and corrected copy by:
(signed)
Michael N. Shapiro
Secretary October 09, 2006
Date
|
