The Connecticut Fire Chiefs' Association, Inc.
ORGANIZED 1902

 
Constitution and By-Laws
Of The
Connecticut Fire Chiefs' Association, Inc.

ARTICLE I

SECTION 1. This organization shall be known as the Connecticut Fire Chiefs' Association, Incorporated.

SECTION 2.  Connecticut Fire Chiefs' Association Fiscal Year shall be January 1 Through December 31.

ARTICLE II

SECTION 1.  The purpose and objectives of this organization is to bring together, from time to time, persons interested in the protection of life and property from the ravages of fire, to take aggressive actinin promoting legislation and education relating to fire safety, to promote a social and fraternal understanding between the heads of various departments.

ARTICLE III

SECTION 1.  The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Recording Secretary, an Assistant Recording Secretary, a Financial Secretary-Treasurer,  an Assistant Financial Secretary-Treasurer, who will be known as the Executive Officers. The Board of Directors shall consist of all the Executive Officers, the Immediate Past President, and eight members, one from each County in the State of Connecticut.

SECTION 2.  The Executive Officers shall be elected at the October Meeting. The Installation of Officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting in November.

SECTION 3.  The Board of Directors shall be appointed by the President on or before the January meeting. Each County member so appointed must be en Active member of this Association.
 

 

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SECTION 4. The President may appoint Chaplains as he deems necessary. Active membership in this Association shall not be necessary for this Office

SECTION 5. Only active Chiefs of Established Fire Departments shall be eligible for election to President, First Vice President or Second Vice President in this Association

SECTION 6.  However, if a President, First Vice President or Second Vice President retires from or for any other reason leaves his respective fire department position as Chief before expiration of his term in office, he may continue in said office until the end of the Association's Fiscal Year.

Section 7. Any Officer of this Association retiring from or for any other reason leaving or changing his respective fire department position during his term in office shall immediately notify the Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall then notify the President and the Chairman of the Nominating Committee of the facts.

SECTION 8. Any Officer retiring as Chief Officer of any Established fire department shall notify the Recording Secretary of his status.

SECTION 9. Any vacancy caused by death, resignation, etc. of the President or First Vice President shall be filled by his successor. The Nominating Committee shall present the name for the Office of Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Financial Secretary Treasurer to be voted on at the second succeeding meeting.

SECTION 10. Any active member of this Association shall be eligible for the election to the offices of Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Financial Secretary —Treasurer.

ARTICLE IV
Membership

SECTION 1.  There shall be four classes of membership: Active, Associate, Honorary Life and Associate Honorary Life Members.

SECTION 2.  Active Members shall be Chiefs of Established fire departments, officers with the rank of Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief or Battalion Chief. Any member who shall have been an Active Member of

 

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 this Association for at least five years preceding the vacating of his office may retain his Active status in the Association.

SECTION 3.  Associate Members shall be fire officers below the rank of Battalion Chief of Established fire departments, the State Fire Marshal and members of his staff, local Fire Marshals and deputies, Hospital or School Fire Marshals, Fire Commissioners and Individuals representing firms or corporations interested in the protection of life and property from fire. Associate Members shall not have the power to vote or make motions.

SECTION 4.  Honorary Life Membership may be confirmed upon Active Members on their retirement provided they have been members of the Association for a period of en years immediately preceding the date of their retirement and, provided further, that they are not identified with Fire protection from a commercial or profit making standpoint Honorary Life Membership carries all the privileges of Active Membership without dues. A plaque shall be presented to Active Members who have been members of the Chiefs' Association in good standing for ten years upon their retirement Active members not having ten (10) years shall be presented with a Certificate of Appreciation upon their retirement. To receive Honorary Life Membership, a member must request in writing a letter of intent to the Secretary of the Chiefs' Association. The request will be acted on by the Board of Directors and read at the next regular meeting. Honorary Life Membership may be extended by majority vote at any regular meeting.

SECTION 5.  Associate Honorary Life Membership may be conferred upon Associate Members upon their retirement from office, provided they have been such members of the Association for a period of ten years immediately preceding the date of their retirement. Such membership precludes them from paying dues.

SECTION 6.  Honorary Life Membership may be extended by majority vote at any meeting to anyone.

ARTICLE V

SECTION 1.  Applications for membership shall be presented to the Recording Secretary on blanks furnished by him, together with the required fee, and shall be endorsed by an Active Member.
 
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SECTION 2. Each applicant for Active or Associate Membership shall be read at a regular meeting, referred to the Board of Directors for investigation and recommendation, and voted on at the next meeting, requiring a majority vote of the Active Members present for acceptance.
 
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS

SECTION 1.  Regular meetings shall be held monthly unless otherwise voted on by the membership.
 SECTION 2. The Annual Meeting shall be held in November.
 SECTION 3. Special meetings may be called at such time and place as the President may deem necessary or by the written request of fifteen Active Members. He shall notify all members of said meeting at least seven (7) days prior to the date of said called meeting.
SECTION 4. Fifteen Active Members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII
DUTIES OF OFFICERS

SECTION 1 The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association. He shall Familiarize himself with all of the By-laws. He shall be a member ex-officio of all committees. He shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for and perform such other duties as may be required by this office.
SECTION 2.  The first Vice President shall perform the duties of the President during his absence.
SECTION 3.  The second Vice President shall perform the duties of the President during the absence of both the President and First Vice President.
SECTION 4.  The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings of the Association at annular and special meetings of the Board of Directors. He or she shall notify each applicant for membership of his election or rejection within a week thereof He shall conduct the general correspondence of the Association and perform such other duties as pertain to his office. If at any time He or She shall be unable to attend any
 

 
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 meeting of the Association, he or she shall convey all books and papers to the Assistant Recording Secretary which are required at the meeting. He shall receive an annual remuneration amount determined by the membership. The Directors shall review the performance of the Secretary and based upon their findings may recommend to the body that a remuneration be made to this officer, provided that funds are available. Amount of the remuneration shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and voted on by the membership at the Annual Meeting.

SECTION 5.  The Assistant Recording Secretary shall perform all the duties of the Recording Secretary during his or her absence.

SECTION 6. The Financial Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the financial books and preserve the financial records of the association. He shall collect all the dues and any other money due the Association giving proper receipt thereof He shall pay all bills after approval by the membership and signed by the President. He shall give a detailed financial statement at the Annual meeting. He shall promptly deliver to his successor in office all money, books and papers in his possession. He shall be Bonded in the sum of $50,000. He shall receive an annual remuneration determined by the membership. The directors shall review the performance of the Secretary-Treasurer and based upon their findings may recommend to the body that a remuneration be made to this office provided that funds are available. The amount of the remuneration shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and voted by the membership at the Annual Meeting.

SECTION 7. The Assistant Financial Secretary - Treasurer shall perform all the duties of the Treasurer during his absence. He shall be bonded in the sum of $50,000.

SECTION 8. The Sergeant At Arms shall be responsible for maintaining PROPER DECORUM and ORDER at all meetings of the Chiefs' Association. The Sergeant At Arms shall be responsible to the President or presiding officer of the Fire Chiefs' Association. The President shall appoint the Sergeant At Arms.

 
SECTION 9.  The Board of Directors shall have charge and control of the management of the Association, including the ways and means of carrying out its objectives and purposes, subject to the wishes of the members expressed at any regular or special meeting.
 
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SECTION 10.  It shall be the duty of all elected officers and all County Directors to attend a minimum of 60% of all Board of Directors meetings and 60 % of all regular meetings. The Board of Directors has ten meetings a year. If an officer fails to meet this requirement, he or she may be asked to step down from his or her position on the Board. The Board of Directors shall have full authority to enforce this section.

ARTICLE VIII
Finance

SECTION 1.  The board of directors shall have the authority to review the dues structure and may adjust the dues as may be deemed necessary to meet the needs of the budget that will be presented with the Annual Budget and must be approved by a majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting

SECTION 2.  Any member who is in arrears for dues for one year shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Association. Any member who is in arrears for two consecutive years shall be dropped from membership by a majority vote of the members present. Dropped members shall be notified by mail by the Financial Secretary within seven days after the vote was taken at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE  X
COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. Standing Committees shall consist of Auditing,, Nominating,, Legislative and Education.

SECTION 2. All other committees shall be Special Committees.

SECTION 3.  All committees shall be appointed by the President by the JANUARY meeting except those special committees as needed.

ARTICLE X
DUTIES OF STANDING COMMTITEES

SECTION 1.  The Auditing Committee consisting of the Immediate Past Three Presidents shall within thirty days prior to the Annual Meeting present to the organization a detailed audit of the books of the organization..
 

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SECTION 2. The Nominating Committee appointed by the President shall present a slate of officers of the organization at the SEPTEMBER meeting. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted at this meeting only. The election of officers shall take place at the OCTOBER meeting of the organization. Installation of officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting in NOVEMBER. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to present a name to fill any vacancy caused by death or resignation of any officer other than the President or First Vice President, whose position shall be filled by his successor.

SECTION 3. The Legislative Committee shall take aggressive action to promote Legislation to improve fire protection and education relating to fire safety.

SECTION 4. The Education Committee and / or the Host Chief shall provide a program of interest relating to fire safety and fire protection at each monthly meeting.

SECTION 5.  The By-law Committee shall review the By-laws biennially or more often as needed.

ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1.  Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws may be made at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the Active Membership voting providing that notice of such amendment has been given in writing and read at a previous meeting.

ARTICLE XII

SECTION 1.  Whenever required to effectuate the meaning or intent here of; the singular shall include the plural, the Masculine shall include the Feminine, and Vice-Versa.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Call of the Meeting
Invocation
Pledge to the Colors
Introduction of the Host Chief and guests Education Committee- Program
 

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Minutes of the last meeting — Recording Secretary's Report Financial Secretary's Report
Treasurer's Report
Committee Reports
Old Business
New Business
Bills
Correspondence
Good of the Association
Benediction or Closing Prayer
Adjournment
Approved at the July 22, 2003 meeting.