BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - NAME
Section 1. Incorporation
The Rhode Island Association of Emergency Managers (RIAEM) is a non-profit organization incorporated by and under the laws of the US State of Rhode Island.
Section 2. Members
RIAEM shall consist of United States citizens or individuals legally residing in the US or its territories and protectorates professionally engaged or interested in the promotion of emergency management and allied fields.
Section 3. Board of Directors
The RIAEM Board of Directors shall consist of the previous three RIAEM Presidents.
ARTICLE II - VISION AND MISSION
Section 1. Vision
RIAEM shall be known as the premier state organization for excellence in Emergency Management. RIAEM will represent this vision in all its activities.
Section 2. Mission
To serve the Emergency Management community by:
A. Encouraging the development of resilient communities to mitigate the impact of disaster.
B. Acting as a clearinghouse for information on comprehensive emergency management issues.
C. Providing a forum for creative and innovative problem-solving on emergency management issues.
D. Maintaining and expanding standards for emergency management programs and professionals.
E. Fostering informed decision-making on public policy in the emergency management arena.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Eligibility
Any person who meets the criteria of a membership class, established by the RIAEM, and defined in Section 2 below, who is supportive of the RIAEM’s corporate and tax-exempt purposes, and who continuously qualifies for membership based on geographic location, residence, or business address inside Rhode Island.
Section 2. Classification of Membership
- Individual Member - Individual membership is defined as a person who is directly responsible for directing, planning, administering, or coordinating emergency management activities for their respective organization be it public, private, or non-profit. Individual Members have full voting rights, may chair or serve on committees, may hold office, and may serve on the Board of Directors.
- Lifetime Member - Lifetime membership may be awarded to an individual member who has been a member for ten (10) or more consecutive years, and to past Presidents of this association who have served their term of office (provided the member is no longer associated with a political subdivision or organization/party in a capacity which would make them eligible for Individual membership status). This membership category is in force for the remainder of the member’s life. Lifetime Members have full voting rights, and may chair or serve on committees, and may serve on the Board of Directors but may not hold office.
- Associate Member - Associate membership is defined as a person who supports emergency management activities. They may be an elected official, public safety organization member, emergency management support personnel, American Red Cross or CERT volunteer or any other person who believes in and supports the Association’s purpose, who may not be eligible for membership in any other category. Associate Members have voting rights on general issues excluding elections, By-Law amendments, expenditures, and special votes. Associate Members may chair or serve on committees but may not hold office or serve on the Board of Directors.
- Organization Member - Organization membership is defined as and afforded to any business or industry, political entity or other group or organization that is interested in furthering the emergency management profession and aligns with the purpose of this Association. Each employee (but not volunteers or unpaid interns) of a business or industry, political entity or other group or organization holding an organization membership is an Organization Member. Only a single Organization Member from each organization has full voting rights. No other Organization Member from that organization may vote on any Association business unless that individual also holds another membership type that affords them voting rights. For instance, an individual that is an employee of an organization with organization membership and has paid dues for an Individual Membership may vote as an Individual Member while another employee of the organization may vote as an Organization Member. Organization Members may chair or serve on committees but may not hold office or serve on the Board of Directors.
- Honorary Member - Honorary membership may be awarded annually by a majority vote of the Board of Directors to persons for outstanding contributions towards the advancement of emergency management. The current Director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency will be an Honorary member of the Association. Honorary members may serve on committees but may not vote, hold office, or serve on the Board of Directors.
- Student Member - Student membership may be afforded to any individual attending an accredited post-secondary school in an emergency management program on a part-time or full-time basis. This membership status is supported by a current transcript or student grade report stipulating course(s) of study and current year. Student members may serve on committees, but may not chair committees, vote, hold office, or serve on the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Dues and Fees
Dues paid cover the twelve-month (1 year) period from January 15th of the current calendar year to January 14th of the next calendar year. Dues owed in arears will be requested by formal invoice issued through USPS. The dues schedule will be included in the Association’s Administrative Policies and Procedures.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS of the ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Officers
The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The collection of Association Officers shall be known as the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Duties of Officers
A. The President shall preside at meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors, authorizes expenditures within budget appropriations approved by the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as required and provided for in the Administrative Policies and Procedures and By-Laws of the Association.
B. The Vice president shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of that officer and perform such other duties as required by the Administrative Policies and Procedures and By-Laws of the Association.
C. The Secretary shall maintain accurate records of the proceedings of all meetings of the membership, the Board of Directors, and perform such other duties as required by the Administrative Policies and Procedures and By-Laws of the Association.
D. The Treasurer shall maintain accurate up-to-date records of all monies and securities belonging to the Association in accordance with the Administrative Policies and Procedures and By-Laws of the Association.
E. The Executive Committee may create additional appointed or elected Officer positions as necessary for the good order and functioning of the Association by unanimous vote. Additional Officer position titles, responsibilities, method of selection (appointed or elected), and term of service, if elected, will be included in the Administrative Policies and Procedures.
Section 3. Qualifications of Officers and Directors
A. To be elected or appointed to an Association office, a member shall have been an Individual member of RIAEM for a minimum of two continuous years prior to standing for election.
B. No individual may hold more than one Association office simultaneously.
C. Officer that loose eligibility during their term of office may complete their term but may not run again for any Office, regardless of term limit rules.
Section 4. Method of Selection
A. The officers shall be elected to their terms by a majority of eligible votes cast at the general membership meeting in September.
B. Voting will be in writing and anonymous.
C. Eligible voters may designate, in writing, a proxy for their vote on any officer position. Proxies do not have to be eligible to vote themselves but must be an Association member of any type in good standing.
Section 5. Term of Office
A. The term of office for the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be two years. The terms shall commence immediately following the general membership meeting in October.
B. Officers have a two-term limit. Only full terms are considered as part of this term limit.
C. The President and Secretary shall be elected in years ending in even numbers.
D. The Vice-President and Treasurer shall be elected in years ending in odd numbers.
Section 6. Vacancy in Elected Offices
A. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice President shall automatically assume the office of President. This does not preclude the Vice President from serving the term of office for which elected.
B. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Vice President, the Treasurer shall automatically assume the office of Vice President. This does not preclude the Treasurer from serving the term of office for which elected.
C. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Treasurer, the Secretary shall automatically assume the office of Treasurer. This does not preclude the Secretary from serving the term of office for which elected.
D. If a vacancy occurs simultaneously in the office of the President and the Vice President, the Treasurer will automatically assume the office of the President and the Secretary will assume the office of Vice President. An election shall be called within 30 days to elect a new Treasurer and Secretary.
E. If a vacancy occurs simultaneously in the office of the President, the Vice President, and either the Treasurer or Secretary, the RIAEM Board of Directors shall elect a President Pro-Tempore from within the Board of Directors.
F. An election to fill any vacant Association Officer positions shall be called within 30 days of the vacancy.
Section 6. Removal of an Officer
Any vote of three of the four Executive Committee members will result in removal of an elected or appointed officer for cause. However, before the action becomes final, due process requires that the officer be notified, in writing, by registered mail of the charges which have been made and must be afforded not less than fifteen (15) days after receipt of said charges to reply to the allegations set forth in the charge, either in writing or by appearing before the Executive Committee or RIAEM Board of Directors with or without personal legal counsel.
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Membership
The Executive Committee is the overall leadership team for RIAEM. The Executive Committee may be organized further to include others from various Standing Committees and Ad-Hoc Committees and/or Task Forces but will always include officers as defined in Article IV.
Section 2. Executive Committee Meetings
A. Within 30 days of assuming office, the Executive Committee shall meet in whole, to determine policy for the ensuing year. The Executive Committee shall meet to conduct business at such other times as the President may direct, provided that the members of the Executive Committee shall be notified at least ten (10) days in advance of such meetings.
B. The President may call a Special Executive Committee Meeting when deemed necessary or at the written request of a majority of the Executive Committee. At such special Executive Committee Meeting, only the business that necessitated the meeting shall be acted upon.
C. Assuming it may be necessary to conduct a meeting of the Executive Committee via electronic media, procedures for conducting such a meeting shall be as established in the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM.
Section 3. Voting Quorum
A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for any overall Executive Committee Meeting.
Section 4. Additional Details
- A. The Executive Committee for RIAEM shall consist of the elected and appointed RIAEM Officers, Directors, and other positions are defined in Article IV. The election for positions shall take place pursuant to procedures established in the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM.
- B. The Executive Committee shall conduct the administrative business of RIAEM subject to the limitations imposed upon them in the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM.
- C. The Executive Committee shall meet at the direction of the President.
- D. The Executive Committee shall provide minutes of its meetings within 30 days of such meetings, and quarterly reports of its activities to the general membership.
- E. The Executive Committee shall not have the power to take any action in conflict with the RIAEM’s Bylaws and/or the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM.
Section 5. Designation of Appointed Agents and Representatives
- A. The President and Executive Committee shall provide, pursuant to the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM, for the selection and appointment of any appointed agents or representatives, paid or unpaid.
- B. The duties and responsibilities of any appointed agents or representatives shall be delineated in the Administrative Policies and Procedures of the RIAEM.
Section 6. Administrative Policies and Procedures
- A. As noted above, specific guidance, policies and procedures associated with various positions can be found in RIAEM's Administrative Policies and Procedures document. This document is organized and ratified by the RIAEM Executive Committee.
- B. Any amendments to the Administrative Policies and Procedures shall be posted on the RIAEM web site within 30 days of adoption by the RIAEM Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP BODY
Section 1. General Membership Meeting
A General Membership Meeting of RIAEM shall occur in person or virtually once a month, except for any month in which the Association hosts or co-hosts a Preparedness Conference.
Section 2. Special General Meeting
With the majority approval of the Executive Committee, a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the membership may be called by the RIAEM President to address urgent matters that require the consideration of the full membership of the Association. Individual, Life and Associate members can request the RIAEM President call such a meeting. The decision to call a SGM is the RIAEM President’s however, if the request is from a majority of the Association’s membership, an SGM must be held within 60 days of the request.
Section 3. Other Meetings
Other meetings of the Association’s membership and its subunits to advance the mission of the Association are encouraged.
ARTICLE VII - STANDING COMMITTEES and AD HOC COMMITTEES
Within thirty (30) days after taking office, the RIAEM President shall appoint chairs and vice chairs to the standing and ad hoc committees and give a mandate to each of the Committees. The primary objectives of each committee are defined in the Administrative Policies and Procedures.
Section 1. Standing Committees
A. Standing Committees are bodies with an ongoing, operational function.
B. Five Standing Committees exist in the Association.
1. Legislative
2. Membership
3. By Laws and Policies
4. Professional Development
5. Conference
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees
The President may appoint Ad Hoc Committees as deemed essential to the business and wellbeing of the Association. Such committees shall cease to function when their specific task has been completed.
ARTICLE VIII- PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rule of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of the Association in all cases not provided for in these Bylaws or in the Administrative Policies and Procedures.
ARTICLE IX - DISCLAIMER OF ENDORSEMENT
No individual member or group of members representing the RIAEM shall have authority to endorse or recommend any product, service, or organization in the name of the Association, or by elected or appointed title unless so authorized by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Eligible voting members must be given 30 days to vote on potential amendments to these Bylaws Approval requires two-thirds of the votes cast.
Changes to the Bylaws will be captured on a form attached to the Bylaws that reflects the change and date approved with signature of the current President.
This document shall take effect immediately upon its passage by the membership, and supersede all constitutions and Bylaws previously adopted.