TENNESSEE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER
BY-LAWS
OF THE TENNESSEE CHAPTER OF
THE NATIONAL VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization is the “Tennessee Chapter of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster”, hereinafter referred to as “Tennessee VOAD” or “TN VOAD”.
ARTICLE II – MISSION
Tennessee VOAD is a consortium of recognized state voluntary organizations, governmental agencies, and others with an interest in, and who are active in disaster relief. Its mission is to foster through cooperation in mitigation and response, more effective service to people affected (imperiled or impacted) by disasters.
ARTICLE III – PURPOSE
To bring together voluntary organizations, government agencies and others, to foster more effective services to people effected by disaster in the State of Tennessee through: COOPERATION, COORDINATION, COMMU-NICATION, COLLABORATION, EDUCATION, and MITIGATION, at all community levels.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
The membership of TN VOAD shall consist only of organizations with statewide disaster relief reach or respon-sibility. Memberships are available in the following categories:
A. Sustaining Members
The Sustaining Membership lever in TN VOAD shall be limited to voluntary organizations active in dis-aster in Tennessee, who have statewide reach and / or responsibility. An unlimited number of persons from each Sustaining Member organization may attend annual, regular and special TN VOAD meet-ings, with the provision that each Sustaining Member will be allowed only one (1) vote in matters before TN VOAD. If the Sustaining Member organization has not designated the individual to vote on its be-half, the senior representative present of each Sustaining Member’s organization will cast this vote, or designate the party who will cast the vote on the organization’s behalf.
Sustaining Members’ representatives shall be eligible to hold any elective office with TN VOAD.
B. Associate Members
The Associate Membership level in TN VOAD shall be limited to governmental agencies that have statewide reach or responsibility for disaster relief. An unlimited number of persons from each Associ-ate Member agency may attend annual, regular, or special TN VOAD meetings.
Associate Members’ representatives shall not be eligible to hold the elective offices of President or Vice-President of TN VOAD. Associate Members’ representatives shall be eligible to hold the elective offices of Secretary or Treasurer of Tennessee VOAD.
Associate Members shall not be allowed to vote on matters before TN VOAD.
C. Affiliate Members
The Affiliate Membership level in TN VOAD shall be limited to businesses and other for-profit entities with statewide organizations who, while not directly involved in assisting disaster victims, may have an interest in assisting TN VOAD through donations of goods or services. (Examples of such entities would be Lowe’s or Home Deport.) An unlimited number of Affiliate Members’ representatives my at-tend annual, regular, or special TN VOAD meetings.
Affiliate Members’ representatives shall not be allowed to hold elective office in TN VOAD.
Affiliate Members shall not be allowed to vote on matters before TN VOAD.
D. Collegiate Members
Local, County, Area, and Regional VOADs within Tennessee, comprise a sub-set distinct from other categories of Tennessee VOAD Memberships.
These organizations mirror Tennessee VOAD’s goals, and are often composed primarily of sectional bodies of the same organizations active in Tennessee VOAD. Entities without the ability to state-wide disaster episodes, and therefore barred from Tennessee VOAD membership; may be welcomed as an integral part of a Local, County, Area or Regional VOAD. In certain circumstances individuals, in addi-tion to organizations, may also be extended membership by these bodies. The principal difference between Local, County, Area, and Regional VOADs and the statewide VOAD organizations is the focus of the former in parochial interests, and the restrictions of the later on member qualifications.
None-the-less, Tennessee VOAD recognizes these Local, County, Area, and Regional groups as an integral part of the state-wide VOAD organization, and encourages them to active participate in Ten-nessee VOAD meetings and activities. Tennessee VOAD also allots time on all regular meeting agen-das for reports from local VOAD representatives.
Collegial Members of Tennessee VOAD are not assessed dues, and they are not provided with mem-bership certificates.
Collegial Members’ representatives shall not be eligible to hold the elective offices of President or Vice-President of TN VOAD. Collegial Members’ representatives shall be eligible to hold the elective offices of Secretary or Treasurer of Tennessee VOAD.
Representatives of Collegial Members of Tennessee VOAD may freely participate in discussions and activities of the larger body, but may not exercise a vote in any proceeding, unless they are voting in the capacity of designated representative of a Tennessee VOAD Sustaining Member agency.
E. Barred from Membership
Individuals may not become members of TN VOAD. Likewise, voluntary, non-profit, or for profit organi-zations, governmental agencies, or businesses without statewide reach or responsibility, cannot be-come members of TN VOAD. Ineligible interested individuals and other entities should be strongly en-couraged to join their Regional, Area, County, or Local VOAD.
F. Organizing Collegial VOADs
Potential Collegial Members shall be allowed to organize under the VOAD banner, after developing by-laws, electing officers, and requesting in writing, designation as an official Collegial VOAD by the Ten-nessee VOAD. The request for recognition as a Collegial VOAD must include a statement of intent to adhere to the goals of the State parent organization. The application for recognition shall also be ac-companied by a copy of the organizing group’s by-laws for review and approval by the state body.
G. Collegial VOAD Names and Coverage Designations
The potential Collegial member may choose their own name designation depending on their area of service. A Local VOAD – represents agencies in a single city or a portion of a county (Example desig-nation: Hendersonville VOAD). A County VOAD - representatives agencies in an area limited to one county (Example designation: Wilson County VOAD). An Area VOAD – represents agencies in several adjacent counties, but not a full compliment of counties comprising a State Grand Division or a Home-land Security Region (Examples designation: Reelfoot Area VOAD). A Regional VOAD – represents agencies in either a full Grand Division of the State (Example designation: West Tennessee VOAD), or a portion of a Grand Division which matches a Homeland Security Region (Example designation: Southeast Tennessee VOAD).
H. Collegial VOAD Duties and Responsibilities
Recognition of a Local, County, Area, or Region VOAD entitles the organized group to automatic mem-bership in the state organization. Each Collegial VOAD is expected to send at least one representative to all quarterly meetings of TN VOAD. These representatives (ideally the President or other elected of-ficer(s), will be expected to report on the recent activities of the Collegial VOAD, and on planned activi-ties.
I. Funding for Collegial VOADs
Each Collegial VOAD shall be responsible for developing a method of covering its own operating ex-penses. Tennessee VOAD does not provide operating funds for Collegial VOADs.
J. Collegial VOAD Public Recognitions
After obtaining recognition as a Collegial VOAD from Tennessee VOAD, the Collegial VOAD my use the logo of the National VOAD, or the Tennessee VOAD, or portions thereof for membership identifica-tion, fund raising, or other activities, provided that such identification, activities, and fund raising is con-sistent with state and federal law, and does not reflect adversely on Tennessee VOAD or National VOAD.
ARTICLE V – DUES
A. Period of Membership
Payment of annual dues to Tennessee VOAD establishes an organization’s membership for one calen-dar year. Regardless of the date that dues payment is made, the membership period remains the cal-endar year (January 1st – December 31st).
B. Determination of Dues Amount
The principal amount of membership dues for TN VOAD for the upcoming calendar year will be deter-mined by a vote of the present Sustaining Members, at the fourth (4th) quarter’s regular meeting of TN. VOAD.
C. Dues Levels
Dues levels shall be determined by the amount established by the vote of the Sustaining Members, and the level of membership. Actual annual dues by membership levels shall be:
Sustaining Members – the principal amount established by vote
Associate Members – fifty percent (50%) of the principal amount
Affiliate Members – fifty percent (50%) of the principal amount
Collegiate Members – pay no dues
D. Payment of Dues
Dues shall be payable by the date of the annual meeting of TN VOAD during the first (1st) quarter of each calendar year. Members not having made their dues payments by the date of the regular TN VOAD meeting during the second (2nd) quarter of the calendar year shall have their voting privileges suspended until payment is made.
E. Partial Dues
Organizations joining TN VOAD after the start of the third (3rd) quarter of the calendar year (July 1st) shall be allowed a reduction in dues amount. For these members, dues payments for their first year of membership shall be:
Sustaining Members – fifty percent (50%) of the principal amount
Associate Members – twenty-five percent (25%) of the principal amount
Affiliate Members – twenty five percent (25%) of the principal amount
Collegiate Members – pay no dues
Entities who were members of TN VOAD in the previous calendar year will not be eligible for a partial dues payment, regardless of the date that their membership is renewed.
F. Verification of Dues Payment
In lieu of a receipt for dues payment, each TN VOAD member shall receive a certificate of membership for the calendar year (ONE (1) certificate per membership, NOT a certificate for each representative of a member organization, agency, or business).
ARTICLE VI – RESIGNATIONS OF MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Any member organization my resign form TN VOAD by giving written notice to either the President or Secre-tary. Alternatively, a member my resign by simply failing to renew their membership by the date of the second (2nd) quarter’s regular meeting of TN VOAD.
ARTICLE VII – MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP
A. Annual Meeting
The annual business meeting of TN VOAD for the election of officers and any other business as may properly be brought before the membership shall be held in the first (1st) quarter of each calendar year, on such date and at such time and at such place as may be fixed by the membership of the Executive Committee of TN VOAD.
B. Regular Meetings
Other regular meetings of TN VOAD shall be held quarterly during the months of May, August, and No-vember, on such dates, times, and locations as may be fixed by the membership or of the Executive Committee of TN VOAD.
C. Special Meetings
Special meetings of TN VOAD may be called by the Executive Committee of TN VOAD or at the re-quest of any three (3) or more Sustaining Members, relayed through the President or Secretary of TN VOAD. These special meetings will be scheduled as soon as practical after the request.
D. Meeting Quorums and Votes
At all meetings of the membership, annual, regular, or special; one third (1/3) of TN VOAD Sustaining members must be represented in person, for the transaction of business.
A simple majority vote of Sustaining Members present at any meeting in which a quorum has been achieved, shall be considered the act of TN VOAD.
E. Notification of Meetings
Written notice of date, time, and place of all meetings of the membership shall be mailed, or delivered in other manner, to each member at least fifteen (15) days before each meeting. The exception to this rule shall be the notification time for Special Meetings.
F. Normal Order of Business
The Order of Business at any meeting, unless waived by the TN VOAD voting membership shall be:
Call to Order
Roll Call
Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance
Secretary’s Report and Presentation of the Minutes of the previous meeting.
Treasurer’s Report
Additions or Deletions from the Agenda
Committee Reports
Collegial VOAD Reports
Presentation of the Program
Unfinished Business from previous meetings
Training and Agency Updates
New Business
Adjournment
The presiding officer shall call recesses during this schedule, for restroom breaks, lunch, etc., as ap-propriate.
G. Conduct of Meetings
All meetings of Tennessee VOAD and of TN VOAD Committees will be conducted using procedures described in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
H. Polling and Minor Issues
From time to time, members may be polled by the President to obtain the “sense of the membership” in regard to simple issues (Example: Chang4es in dates or locations of meetings, clarifications of previ-ously passed acts of TN VOAD, etc.) Such polls may be addressed through the use of e-mail, or tele-phone surveys of the members, providing that each member is contacted, or attempted to be con-tacted, and a record of these contacts / attempts is maintained by the President or Secretary of TN VOAD.
ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS
The Officers of TN VOAD shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. Other Officers may be authorized by TN VOAD at any time by resolution of the voting body.
A. Eligibility of Officer Candidates
Representatives of TN VOAD Sustaining Members are eligible for election for any TN VOAD Office. Representatives of TN VOAD Associate Members and TN VOAD Collegial Members are eligible for election to the offices of Secretary and / or Treasurer only. Representatives of TN VOAD Affiliate Members are not eligible to hold elective office in TN VOAD.
B. Election of Officers
Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of TN VOAD in the first (1st) quarter of the calendar year, and shall serve without compensation, until the date of the annual meeting held in the first (1st) quarter of the subsequent year.
C. Succession of Officers
Officers are eligible to succeed themselves, provided that no person shall hold the same office for more than three (3) consecutive terms of one (1) year.
D. Officer Registrations
An Officer may resign his / her position by submitting a resignation in writing to either the President or Secretary of Tennessee VOAD.
E. Filling Vacancies in Elective Offices
A vacancy in any elective office will be filled by vote of the membership at the next meeting of Tennes-see VOAD, providing a substitute candidate or candidates have been identified and have indicated a willingness to serve. The person elected to fill an officer vacancy will serve until the next TN VOAD Annual meeting in the first (1st) quarter of the calendar year.
Service of even a partial year in an elective position will be counted as one (1) year’s tenure toward the ability to succeed oneself in office (See Sub-Section C of this Article.)
F. Removal of Officers
Officers are subject to removal at any meeting of TN VOAD by an affirmative vote of two-third (2/3) of all Sustaining Members present if a quorum has been established. The President or Secretary shall notify an Officer of their removal.
ARTICLE VIII – DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS
A. President
The President shall chair all annual, regular, and special meetings of TN VOAD.
The President shall chair all meetings of the TN VOAD Executive Committee.
The President shall serve as a member ex-officio of all TN VOAD committees, except the Nomi-nating Committee, and the Executive Committee.
The President may designate another TN VOAD Officer as a member ex-officio of committees in his / her stead.
The President shall designate the membership of the Nominating Committee, with the advice and consent of TN VOAD Sustaining Members present, at the fourth (4th) quarter’s regular TN VOAD meeting.
The President shall also designate the members of all other committees, with the exception of the Executive Committee.
All parties named to committees by the President shall be subject to the advice and consent of TN VOAD, at the meeting where committee members are named, or at the next meeting of TN VOAD if committee members are named between meetings.
B. Vice-President
The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in his / her absence.
The Vice-President shall be responsible for presentation of the Program at each quarterly meeting of TN VOAD.
C. Secretary
The Secretary shall provide timely notice to all members of all meetings of TN VOAD.
The Secretary shall attend and keep records of all meetings of TN VOAD.
The Secretary shall attend and keep records of the TN VOAD Executive Committee.
The Secretary shall maintain a permanent file of the minutes of all meetings of TN VOAD, of the TN VOAD Executive Committee, and of the minutes of all standing and ad hoc committees’ meetings. These records shall be passed on to the next elected Secretary of the organization.
The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Treasurer, maintain a list of all current TN VOAD members.
The Secretary shall perform other duties ad proscribed by TN VOAD or by the President.
In the event of the Secretary’s absence at a meeting of TN VOAD or of the Executive Commit-tee, the President shall designate another member of TN VOAD or of the Executive Committee to serve as the acting Secretary of such meeting.
D. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall collect annual membership dues, and certify payment of such dues to the Secretary, for purposes of verifying TN VOAD memberships.
The Treasurer shall provide Certificates of Membership to all TN VOAD members upon receipt of their annual dues.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for depositing all funds received by TN VOAD into a bank or other financial institution designated by the Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for disbursing funds on the behalf of TN VOAD, on the order of the TN VOAAD membership of of the TN VOAD Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall maintain a record of all monetary credits and debits to the TN VOAD ac-counts, and present a report of same at each meeting of the TN VOAD membership or fo the TN VOAD Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall make available to any member of TN VOAD, or of the Executive Commit-tee, the actual bank statements and account books of TN VOAD for inspection on demand, at any annual, regular, or special meeting of TN VOAD, or of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES
A. The Executive Committee
1 - The Executive Committee of TN VOAD shall be comprised of the four (4) elected officers of the organization; the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
2 - The President and Secretary of TN VOAD will be the Chairperson and Secretary respectively of the Executive Committee.
3 - The Executive Committee has the responsibility to consider all business requiring attention dur-ing the interval between meetings of TN VOAD.
4 - In an emergency, the Executive Committee may make decisions to be ratified at the next regu-lar or special meeting of TN VOAD.
B. The Nominating Committee
The members of the Nominating Committee will be named by the President of TN VOAD, with the advice and consent of TN VOAD’s membership. The Chairperson of the committee shall be named by the President of TN VOAD from among the committee members.
The members of the Nominating Committee will consider and propose to the TN VOAD mem-bership, nominees for the elected offices of TN VOAD.
The members of the Nominating Committee will be named at the meeting of TN VOAD occur-ring I the fourth (4th) quarter each year, and will present their nominees for TN VOAD elective offices at the Annual meeting of TN VOAD held on the first (1st) quarter of the subsequent cal-endar year.
Members of the Nominating Committee will continue to serve in their capacity until a new Nomi-nating Committee is named at the final TN VOAD meeting of the calendar year.
Members of the Nominating Committee will also be responsible for finding replacement nomi-nees for offices that have become vacant through resignation, or vote of TN VOAD throughout their year of service.
Any member of the Nominating Committee elected President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer of TN VOAD, is considered to have immediately resigned from the Nominating Com-mittee.
Other members my resign from the Nominating Committee by notifying either the Chairperson of the committee or the President or Secretary of TN VOAD.
C. Other Standing Committees
In addition to the committees listed in Sections A. and B. above, the following committees will be per-manently available to address issues before TN VOAD.
1. The Program Committee
Assists the TN Vice-President in connection with any service program.
Assists in identifying and arranging for special guest speakers and programs for each regular meeting of TN VOAD.
Works with the TN VOAD President, other committees and sub-committees, community volunteers, and other individuals and organizations in responding to valid community and human needs.
2. The Public Relations Committee
Works to maintain public awareness of the activities of TN VOAD, through the develop-ment and dissemination of information through websites, brochures, handouts, or other materials, and when appropriate, promulgation of press releases.
3. The Volunteers and Donations Committee
a - The Committee works to maximize the value of available spontaneous volunteers through skills screening and assessment, and referral of volunteers to the appropriate TN VOAD Organizations.
b - On behalf of Tennessee VOAD, the Committee accepts contributions of money, goods, or services and directs these resources to TN VOAD member organizations, or to the TN VOAD Citizen to Citizen account, or directly to local disaster recovery groups, as appro-priate.
c - During certain disaster operations, the Committee may maintain an operate a Volunteer and Donations “Hotline” for channeling volunteers, cash contributions, and donated goods or services to the appropriate TN VOAD member organizations, or to the Citizen to Citizen account.
The membership of all standing committees will be named by the President of TN VOAD, with the ad-vice and consent of TN VOAD’s membership. The Chairperson of each committee shall be named by the President of TN VOAD from among the committee members.
Members of the standing committees will be named at the Annual Meeting of TN VOAD occurring in the first (1st) quarter of each calendar year, and will continue to serve in their capacity until a new Commit-tee is named at the annual TN VOAD meeting held in the first (1st) quarter of the subsequent calendar year.
The Chairperson of all standing committees must be a representative of a Sustaining Member organi-zation of Tennessee VOAD.
D. Ad Hoc Committees
1 - The membership of TN VOAD may establish other committees as needed to address issues and matters on an ad hoc basis.
2 - As with other committees, the members of ad hoc committees will be named by the President of TN VOAD, with the advice and consent of TN VOAD’s membership. The Chairperson of the committee shall be named by the President of TN VOAD from among the committee members, and must be a representative of a Sustaining Member of TN VOAD.
3 - Ad Hoc Committees shall have not set term of services, but rather shall meet until disbanded by TN VOAD.
E. Committee Meetings
1 - Committee meetings may be called by the President of TN VOAD, the Chairperson of the Committee, or any two (2) members of the committee, by providing at least three (3) days notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting to all committee members.
2 - A simple majority of all members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of committee business.
3 - The act of the simple majority of members present at a committee meeting where there is a quorum shall be the act of the committee.
F. Eligibility for Membership on Committees
1 - With the exception of the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee, committees may have members who are not representatives of TN VOAD member agencies or organiza-tions.
2 - Persons may be asked to serve on committees based on their specific knowledge and experi-ence, due to their general background in disaster or emergency management, or because of their position within a certain agency or organization.
3 - The Chairperson of all committees must be a representative of a Sustaining Member organiza-tion of TN VOAD.
G. Resignation or Removal From a Committee
1 - A member of a committee may resign by giving written notice of his / her resignation to the Chairperson of the particular committee, to the TN VOAD President, or the TN VOAD Secretary.
2 - A member of a committee is subject to removal at any meeting of TN VOAD by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) or all Sustaining Members present. The President or Secretary of TN VOAD shall notify the Chairperson or Secretary of the committee of the committee member’s removal.
3 - Committee members who have resigned, or who have been removed, may be replaced by the President of Tennessee VOAD with any other person(s), with the advice and consent of the Tennessee VOAD voting membership; at the next regularly called meeting of Tennessee VOAD.
ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS
Amendments to these articles of organization may be made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those Sus-taining Members present at any annual, regular, or special meeting of TN VOAD; provided that the member-ship of TN VOAD is provided with written notification of the wording of proposed amendments, at least 15 days prior to the meeting at which the proposed changes will be considered.