ARTICLE 1. NAME:
The name of this organization shall be the Saginaw County Fire Association.
ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE:
For better acquaintance with our fellow firefighters, to add to our knowledge of the fire service, (fire fighting and fire prevention) and to bring about a closer coordination between the departments in the county so as to better serve our communities.
ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP:
A. Membership in this association shall be open to all fire departments in Saginaw County, including industrial fire brigades.
B. The Commander of any State Police Post located within The County of Saginaw, The Department of Natural Resources Fire Fighting Officer, The State Police Fire Marshal, and the Saginaw County Central Dispatch Director shall be associate members of this association without payment or liability for dues.
C. Any other organization who is not a member of the Saginaw County Fire Service, whose activities or interests are beneficial to the Association, (MMR, LifeNet, Flight Care, and Consumers Energy) may be recommended from the floor for consideration for membership for the current year. The status of these members shall be reviewed yearly by the delegates.
ARTICLE 4. DELEGATE AND OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION:
A. Each fire department or industrial fire brigade, in good standing, shall annually elect one (1) of its members to act as a delegate to the Saginaw County Fire Association. Each delegate, or his/her appointed assistant, shall constitute the vote for their department.
B. The membership of this association shall annually nominate from their roster of active or retired firefighters, in good standing, a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. The duties of these officers shall be:
- PRESIDENT
The president shall be the Chief executive Officer of the Saginaw County Fire Association and shall chair all meetings, regular or special. It shall be his/her responsibility to supervise and co-ordinate the activities of the association, and shall appoint appropriate committees to conduct the activities of the association, and shall require reports at each meeting from the committees appointed and from the Officers of the Association. - VICE-PRESIDENT
The vice-president will act as president in the absence of the president and to handle all publicity for the association. - SECRETARY
The secretary will record the minutes of all meetings and distribute these minutes to the delegates within 7 days of said meeting. The secretary will handle all correspondence of the association and to assist the vice president with publicity for the association. - TREASURER
The treasurer will handle and keep accounts of all monies and to pay all the bills incurred by said association and serve the association and give assistance in any possible way to the officers and membership. - CHAPLAIN
The chaplain shall be appointed by the Association Officers for an indefinite time. The Chaplain shall be an ordained minister or recognized member of the clergy. His/her duties shall be consultation and guidance to firefighters (or family members) and civilian personnel associated with a fire related incident. Helmet identification color shall be blue.
ARTICLE 5. GOVERNING BODY:
A. The governing body of this association shall be the Officers of the Board. It will be their duty to arrange and plan the agenda of all regular meetings of the association and to make recommendations to the membership.
B. At times, things will come up that monies must be spent before the next business meeting. With the approval of the entire board, $100.00 may be spent without approval of the delegates or body.
C. A simple majority of the elected delegates in attendance shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by a roll call vote.
D. An auditing committee of three (3) members shall be appointed by the president, from the membership, for the purpose of auditing of the books and accounts of the association at the annual (January) meeting of the Association. This report will be due in February.
E. Any officer of the association who resigns his/her position in his/her member department will be allowed to fulfill the term in the Saginaw County Fire Association providing his/her resignation was honorable and he/she remains part of said organization. (Honorary member, retired member etc.)
F. Should a vacancy occur in an association office for any reason (death, move from area, etc.). it should be filled at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the association through normal election policy.
ARTICLE 6. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS:
A. At the September regular meeting, the president will appoint an election committee of three (3) members of this association to make a ballot, if needed, by the December meeting and conduct the election, if needed, at the December meeting.
B. Nominations and acceptance of candidates for office in this association will occur during the regularly scheduled meeting held in November of each year.
C. Candidates who wish to run for an office, but are unable to attend the November meeting, may declare their intent to said position by a written letter to the president, prior to the November meeting.
D. No candidate can run for more than one (1) office at each election. One ballot will be handed out and each candidate’s name will only appear once on the ballot.
E. Ballots will be handed out to only the delegate or his/her appointed alternate, of each member department. In the event of a tie vote, a vote will be taken from the entire body of members present at the December meeting. Only delegates or his/her alternate will be given a ballot if they are present at the December meeting.
F. Elections for all offices of this association will be held during the regularly scheduled meeting held in December of each year. These newly elected officers will assume their duties at the regularly scheduled meeting held in January of each year.
ARTICLE 7. VOTING:
A. Each department, in good standing, shall be allowed one (1) vote by their delegate in all matters pertaining to the association.
B. Departments with more than one (1) fire station shall only have one (1) delegate for voting purposes.
C. Associate members shall have no vote in said association financial matters.
ARTICLE 8. MEETINGS:
A. The regular monthly meeting of the association shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month at a time and place designated by the Officers of the Association. The November meeting will be held the first Wednesday of that month.
B. The annual meeting of the association shall be held on the second Wednesday of January each year at a time and place designated by the Officers of the Association.
C. Special meetings of the association may be called by the President at a time and place to be designated by him/her.
D. No political activities may be carried on at any association meeting.
ARTICLE 9. DUES:
A. Each department shall pay a membership fee annually to the Association Treasurer. The fee will be determined by the Officers of the Association.
B. Billing will be distributed to each delegate at the November Association meeting. Dues shall be paid by March 1st.
C. Any department with dues in arrears shall not be accorded a vote on Association matters that properly arise at meetings until such dues are paid.
ARTICLE 10. AMENDMENTS:
This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the membership, in good standing, present at any regular meeting, providing such proposed amendments shall be presented in writing at a regular meeting, read and discussed at the meeting when presented, and tabled until the next regular meeting for balloting.
This Constitution was approved by the membership of the Saginaw County Fire Association at a regularly scheduled meeting held (INSERT LOCATION).
JANUARY 12, 2008
Constitution members are:
- President: Kim Weiss
- Vice-President: Raymond Dzuba
- Treasurer: George Corbat
