RETIREES
ASSOCIATION
FOUNDED NOVEMBER,
1991
BY LAWS
ARTICLE 1
The Association shall be known as
the Methuen Police/Firefighters Retirees Association. The word
"Retired" shall mean: any person who has previously been employed as
a sworn member of the Methuen Police/Fire Department of Methuen, Massachusetts
and who is no longer actively serving in that capacity and has retired from
that service.
PURPOSES
The purposes of the Association
are to serve the social, recreational, intellectual and charitable interests of
its members and their immediate families. To lend its support and assistance to
any of its members or immediate family members who need advice, counseling,
representation and/or other service (s) in dealing with matters related to
retirement pensions and/or health and welfare benefits.
OFFICERS
The officers of the Association
shall be:
1) President
2) Vice-President
3) Secretary
4) Treasurer
5) Board of Directors
All officers of the Association
shall be elected annually. The President and the immediate past President shall
be automatically on the Board of Directors for that year.
OFFICERS DUTIES
SECTION I - PRESIDENT
1. The President shall preside at
all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors.
2. He shall be a member ex-officio
of all committees.
3. He shall call all special
meetings.
4. He shall name all special
committees.
5. He shall announce the results
of all elections.
6. At the Board of Directors'
meeting he shall have voting privileges.
7. At Association meetings he
shall vote in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order
8. He shall name two (2) internal
auditors to verify on a monthly basis, the Treasurer's books.
9. He shall be the official
representative of the Association.
10. Annually, after the October
meeting, the duly elected President shall name the Master of Ceremonies and the
installing officer for the installation of officers. (Elections shall be at the
October meeting and elected officers shall take office at the January meeting).
11. He shall contact the nearest
of kin of recently deceased members and determine if said widow or
beneficiaries are aware of all rights and benefits due them from the Town or
SECTION 2 - VICE PRESIDENT
l. In the absence of the
President, he shall perform all of the duties of the President's office. 2. He
may designate any officer to represent the Association in the absence of the
President.
SECTION 3- -SECRETARY
1. He shall record the minutes of
all Association and Board of Directors' meetings.
2. He shall post on the bulletin
board all membership applications as soon as he gets them, and they shall remain
posted for one month.
3. He shall read the minutes of
the previous meeting.
4. He shall attend to all
correspondence of the regular meeting of the Association.
5. He shall have ballots prepared,
and maintain possession of them, and distribute them to members at the election
meeting. After the election, he shall secure all ballots for fifteen (15) days.
Any candidate desiring a recount must signify his intentions to the secretary
within forty-eight (48) hours after the election. Candidates may be represented
at the recount which will be conducted by the Board of Directors. The Secretary
shall have complete charge of the election and all recounts.
6. In the absence of the President
and the Vice-President, the Secretary shall preside at the meeting.
7. The Secretary shall perform all
other duties of his office.
SECTION 4 - TREASURER
l. He shall receive all membership
dues, and application fees.
2. He shall maintain a membership
file. The said file shall include the name, address and date of admission of all
members.
3. He shall send, dues, bills to
the entire membership during the last week of October each year.
4. He shall notify all members
whose memberships are canceled for non-payment of dues.
5. He shall prepare the official
membership list for the election of officers.
6. He shall have control and
possession of all the funds of the Association and give an oral financial
report at each meeting.
7. He shall pay all the
Association bills by check and render an accounting thereof in the monthly
financial report.
8. At the December meeting, each
year he shall render an annual written report on the finances and financial
condition of the Association.
SECTION 5 - CHAPLAINS
1. The Chaplain shall tend to the
spiritual and moral needs of the members.
2. He shall conduct religious
service for the association.
3. He shall be an official
representative of the organization.
4. The number of Chaplains shall
be determined by a vote of the membership.
5. Chaplains shall, while serving
in that capacity, have full privileges of membership and shall not pay any
dues.
SECTION 6 - MEMBERS
1. Any person who has served as a
sworn member of the Methuen Police Department or the Methuen Fire Department
and has retired from that service may apply for membership following thirty (30)
days after retirement.
2. A prospective member shall
prepare and submit a written membership application with an initial fee of
$25.00 to be considered as an application fee. If elected to membership an
additional membership fee of $25.00 shall be paid immediately and thereafter in
January of each year a $25.00 membership fee shall be paid by each member.
SECTION 7 - MEETINGS
1. Regular Association meetings
shall be held on the second (2nd) Thursday of every month at
2. 20% of the members shall
constitute a quorum for Association meetings.
3. Upon written notice, signed by
20' of the members, the President shall call a special meeting. The special
meeting notice shall state reason (s) for the meeting and all members shall be
notified by the Secretary no less than forty eight (48) hours before said
meeting. No business, or matter, other than those set forth on the notice,
shall be transacted a Special Meeting.
4. The Officers of the Association
shall meet after the regular monthly Association meeting and at other times
when deemed necessary by the President.
5. At all meetings of the
Association, Robert's Rules of Order shall be used to govern and conduct the
meetings.
6. The President may, at his
discretion, bar the discussion of political or religious questions at any
meeting.
7. The Association shall neither endorse nor sponsor any political candidate.
SECTION 8 - NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
l. Any member nominated for office
must be present at the nomination meeting to accept the nomination.
2. The nomination of officers and
directors shall take place at the September monthly meeting.
3. The election of officers and
directors shall take place at the October monthly meeting.
4. Officers shall be elected for a
one (1) year term.
5. The installation of officers
shall be held at the monthly meeting in December.
6. Vacant offices shall be filled
in the following manner: (a) The President shall announce the vacancy at the
monthly meeting next following the vacancy. (7)
(b) The nomination and election to
fill said vacancy will be held at the next following monthly meeting and the
member elected shall serve until the next regular election.
7. All officers and directors
elected to office shall serve until the next installation of officers in
December.
SECTION 9 –
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
l. The quorum for meetings of
Board of Directors shall consist of three (3) members.
2. The Chairman of the Board of
Directors will be the President by virtue of his office.
3. All complaints against members
must be presented in writing to the Board of Directors.
4. The Board shall adopt
procedures to conduct a hearing on all complaints and notify all the concerned
parties. Every party involved in the Complaint shall have a full opportunity to
present his/her facts before a determination is made by the Directors.
5. Any officer who is absent
without a valid reason, from three (3) consecutive monthly meetings shall
forfeit his right to hold that office. The President shall declare said office
vacant upon written notice signed by three members of the Board of Directors.
6. By a two-thirds vote of the
Board of Directors, it may vote to remove any duly elected or appointed officer
or committee member who does not perform the duties of his office or committee
appointment. This removal may take place without a hearing and in the best
interests of the Association.
AMENDMENTS
1. Any proposal to amend the
Bylaws shall be prepared and presented in writing to the Secretary, and then
read at the monthly meeting and copies given to attending members. Any five (5)
members at said meeting may vote to table said proposal and then the proposal
must be discussed, then voted for adoption or rejection no later than the third
monthly meeting from the meeting it was initially presented.
2. A two-thirds vote of the
members present and voting shall be necessary to adopt an amendment.
DISSOLUTION
1. The Association may be
dissolved by a three quarters vote of the membership after written notice to
all members.