By-Laws

 

New Mexico Fire Chiefs Association

Constitution and By-Laws

ARTICLE I. NAME

This Association shall be known as the New Mexico Fire Chiefs Association.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

Section 1.  To cooperate with other organizations to promote programs that further the goals and objectives of the Fire Services and emergency services within the State of New Mexico.

Section 2.  To encourage and develop public education in fire prevention and fire safety for the preservation of life and property from destruction by fire within the State of New Mexico.

Section 3.  To develop an active training program dedicated to the continual well being and future development of the Fire Service and Emergency Medical Services within the State of New Mexico.

ARTICLE III. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility

a.  Entity Membership:  Each municipality or county or the State of New Mexico or tribal government which owns or operates a fire department is eligible for representation by the Association.

b.  Individual Membership:  Any municipal, county, tribal, volunteer or contract employee, whose duties include the responsibility of management of a career, volunteer, or combination fire department, shall be eligible for individual membership in this Association (Fire Chief, Fire Marshal, and other Chief Officers with 2 to 5 Crossed Trumpets).  Only one member in good standing from each entity shall have the right to vote on issues brought before the Association, hold office, or serve on the Board of Directors.

c.   Associate Membership:  Any current or former municipal, county, tribal, volunteer or contract employee, or interested individual who has business or professional interests in fire and emergency services shall be eligible for associate or associate business membership in this association.

d.  Honorary Membership:  The Board of Directors shall have the authority to bestow an Honorary Membership upon any group or individual who has demonstrated a high level of support or contribution to the Association or the New Mexico fire service.  There are no dues associated with an Honorary Membership and the holder is not entitled to any voting rights, privileges or the ability to hold office.

Section 2. Voting Membership

a.  Municipal Entities:  Municipal fire departments in good standing and in attendance at a meeting shall be entitled to cast a single vote in the name of the municipality.

b.  Non-municipal Entities:  County or tribal governments in good standing in attendance at a meeting shall be entitled to cast a single vote.  The county or tribal government must designate a Fire Chief, Fire Marshal or other Chief Officer (with 2 to 5 crossed trumpets) and submit that name to the New Mexico Municipal League liaison as its designated “voting representative”  prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS & TERMS

Section 1. Officers:  This Association shall elect an Executive Board, which shall consist of the following officers who shall be selected from the Individual membership:

a.  President

b.  President Elect

c.  Four (4) Directors:  Director 1, Director 2, Director 3, Director 4

In order to be eligible for election to the position of President or President Elect, a person must be an Individual Member in good standing of a municipal department and must have served at least two (2) years on the Board of Directors for the Association.

At any given time one (1) non-municipal Individual Member may serve as a Director of the Association.

In addition to the elected positions identified above, the following positions shall be members of the Executive Board.

a.    Immediate Past President 

b.    Secretary/Treasurer shall be the Executive Director of the New Mexico Municipal League or his/her designee who is a non-voting member

Section 2. Elections:  The elected positions of the Executive Board shall be determined by the voting membership at the Annual Meeting. At any given time one (1) non-municipal individual member may serve as a director of the Association.

Section 3. Terms:  The President and President Elect shall serve a two year term beginning at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at which they were elected.  The term shall expire at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting occurring in the second calendar year following that election.

a.  Directors shall serve two year staggered terms with Directors 1 and 3 being elected in odd number years and Directors 2 and 4 being elected in even number years.

b.  All unexpired terms for any elected positions shall be subject to re-election at the first annual meeting following the approval of these by-laws.

Section 4. Vacancies:  Vacancies in the Executive Board shall be filled by appointment made by the President.  Should the Office of President become vacant, the President Elect shall assume the Office of President for the unexpired term.  The President shall appoint an individual member in good standing with prior experience on the Board to serve the unexpired term of office in the event of a vacancy in the Office of President Elect or Immediate Past President.  Appointments to fill vacancies shall be to serve an unexpired term and in the case of the Office of the President Elect, appointment does not qualify the appointed member to automatically move into the position of President.

ARTICLE V.  OFFICERS DUTIES

Section 1. The President:

a.  Shall preside at all meetings of the association.

b.  Shall be ex-officio member of all committees.

c.   Shall be ex-officio member of the New Mexico Municipal League Board.

d.  Shall perform all other duties incidental to the office.

e.  Shall assign areas of responsibility, such as education, conference, membership, web site, etc. to members of the Executive Board in order to promote the mission of the Association.

f.   Shall make appointments to any board or committee necessary to carry out the business of the Association or that is required by rule or statute.

Section 2. The President Elect:

a.    Shall perform all the duties of the president in the absence of the President.

b.   Shall assume the office of President at completion of the President’s term.

Section 3. Board of Directors:

a.  Shall consist of the President, President Elect, Immediate Past President and  four (4) Board Members.

b.  The President and the President Elect shall be a representative of a municipal fire department.

c.   Shall have general charge of the affairs of the Association.

d.  Shall review work of the Association at the Board of Directors meetings and develop policy for the operation of the Association.

e.  Three (3) consecutive unexcused absences from meetings shall result in removal from the Board.

ARTICLE VI. DUES

Section 1.  Entity Members – $100 per entity which includes unlimited number of Individual Members meeting the criteria established in Article III, Section 1.b.

Section 2.  Individual Members – included in Entity Members dues.

Section 3.  Associate Members – $100.00 per business or corporation; $10.00 per individual person.

Section 4.  Dues are to be paid by August 31st each year by invoice.

Section 5.  Others – As determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII. SUSPENSION

Suspension or removal from the Association or removal from office of the Board of Directorsshall be only by a 2/3 vote of voting members attending the annual meeting or by direct non-payment of dues after sixty (60) days notice is given by the Municipal League.

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

The Association shall have the power to alter, amend or revise the Constitution & By-Laws by a 2/3 vote of voting members present at the Annual Meeting. Written notice of proposed changes to the Constitution & By-Laws shall be given to the Board forty-five (45) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

Notice of proposed changes to the Constitution & By-Laws shall either be mailed or e-mailed to all member departments in good standing and posted to the Association website thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting and copies shall be given to all individual members at the Annual Meeting.

An amendment adopted by the Association shall become effective upon approval by the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Municipal League.

ARTICLE IX. MEETINGS

Section 1.  Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.

Section 2.  The Annual New Mexico Fire Chiefs Association Meeting shall be held at least once each year at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.  Special meetings may be called on request of the President or any three (3) members of the Board of Directors.

Section 4.  Quorum – A majority of Board members must be present to conduct official business for the association.

Section 5.  Notice of all meetings with the exception of Board meetings shall be sent to all members at least two weeks prior to the meeting date.

ARTICLE  X. ADDRESS

The permanent address is the office of the New Mexico Municipal League, P.O. Box 846, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504.

ARTICLE  XI. EFFECTIVE DATE

These Constitution & By-Laws shall become effective after adoption by 2/3 of the full members present at the meeting during which they are considered, and upon approval of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Municipal League.

 

AMENDED AND ADOPTED BY AND THE NEW MEXICO FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION THIS 28^th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2011 IN THE VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO, NEW MEXICO AND APPROVED BY THE NEW MEXICO LEAGUE OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON FEBRUARY 3, 2012.

AMENDED AND ADOPTED BY THE NEW MEXICO FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCITION THIS 30^TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2014 IN THE VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO, NEW MEXICO AND APPROVED BY THE NEW MEXICO LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON FEBRUARY 25, 2015.