CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS FOR THE
COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF FSA COUNTY OFFICE EMPLOYEES
ARTICLE I – NAME AND OBJECTIVE
Section 1 - This Association shall be known as the Colorado Association of FSA County Office Employees.
Section 2 - The purpose of this Association shall be:
1. To strive to maintain and improve the confidence, esteem, and respect of the public for Farm Service Agency county office employees, and to promote the welfare of these employees.
2. To affiliate with and support the National Association of FSA County Office Employees.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Any Colorado CO or GS Farm Service Agency county office employee, active or retired, may become a member of the Association by paying the annual membership dues of this Association.
Section 2 - Associate membership is limited to: State Executive Director, past or present, State Committee person, past or present, State Office employee, past or present, County and/or Community Committee person, past or present, any part time county FSA employee, and RIF’ed employee or any retired employee of ASCS/FSA county or state, any area or Washington, D.C. employee, past or present, may also join as an Associate Member of the Association. Associate Membership may also be extended to any person interested in the promotion and welfare of FSA County Office Employees and FSA.
Section 3 - To be eligible for Honorary Lifetime NASCOE Membership, a member must be credited with paying dues from the time of their eligibility until time of their retirement or separation by RIF.
Section 4 - A voting member is any dues paying Member as outlined in Article II, Section 1.
Section 5 - There shall be no voting by proxy.
ARTICLE III – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1 The Officers of this Association shall be a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 2 The Board of Directors shall consist of a Director from each District. CASCOE Director Districts are to be consistent with the State FSA Districts. If a change occurs in a State District, within the calendar year, the change will not become effective for CASCOE Districts until January 1 of the year immediately following the change. In addition, the immediate past President of CASCOE shall be a member of the Board of Directors.
Section 3 - The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Officers and the Board of Directors.
Section 4 - Only active leave earning county FSA employees are eligible to hold any CASCOE office or committee assignment. All persons holding an office or committee assignment must be a dues paying member of this Association as outlined in Article II, Section 1.
ARTICLE IV – ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1 - Each District, as now constituted, shall elect a Director and Alternate Director, to act in the absence of the Director, by nomination and vote of the members of the District. The nominations are to be for Director and the vote made for Director, with the person receiving the highest number of votes being the Director, and the person receiving the second highest number of votes being the Alternate Director. All Directors and Alternates shall be elected for a two year term. Elections for even numbered districts will be held in even years and elections for odd numbered districts will be held in odd years.
*
The current Board of Directors will complete a slate of at least one nominee for each open position of President, Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer. Members may submit nominations to their respective Area Director at least two weeks prior to the annual convention. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the convention. At the time of nomination, all nominees for office must submit a written agreement to serve, if elected.
All elected Officers shall take office on January 1, following the election. Terms of office shall be two (2) years, with the term of the Secretary/Treasurer alternating with the terms of the President and Vice-President. No Officer shall serve more than two (2) year consecutive terms in any one office.
*
This proposed amendment to the current CASCOE By-Laws is advertised per Article XIII, Section I which states that the Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any annual meeting of the Association by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed to all members not later than 30 days immediately preceding the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon.
Section 2 - Upon ratification of this Constitution and By-Laws, each District shall elect a representative by a majority of the members voting in each respective District.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
Section 1 - There shall be one annual meeting of the Board of Directors held at the call of the President, at the time and place as designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 2 - Other meetings may be held at the call of any two members of the Board of Directors, or President.
Section 3 - General meetings of the membership of the Association may be called by the President, at the direction of the Board of Directors. All voting members must be notified of the meeting “in a timely manner.”
Section 4 - All convention minutes and executive minutes shall be published in the first CASCOE newsletter following each meeting.
ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES
Section 1 - All committees shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2 - The number of committees, and the nature and extent of their duties, shall be such as the Board of Directors believes will best execute the program of this Association.
ARTICLE VII – DUES
Section 1 - The annual dues for membership and for associate membership shall be set by the Board of Directors.
Section 2 - Dues shall become payable July 1 of each year, and becomes delinquent after September 1. The Secretary shall send notices to people not paid by August 1.
ARTICLE VIII – QUORUMS
Section 1 - A quorum, at any general meeting of this Association, shall consist of a majority of the voting members present at said meeting.
Section 2 - A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of a majority of the said members.
ARTICLE IX – CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
Section 1 - Robert’s Rules of Order shall cover the discussions and the parliamentary procedure at all meetings of this Association.
ARTICLE X – VACANCIES
Section 1 - The Vice-President shall serve in the absence of the President.
Section 2 - In the case of disability or resignation of a Director, the Alternate Director shall automatically fill the unexpired term. If a Director and Alternate Director vacancy is determined by the Executive Committee, the office shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee. The appointee will serve until the next election.
ARTICLE XI – FINANCIAL MATTERS
Section 1 - The Secretary/Treasurer shall deposit all funds of this Association in an accredited bank, and keep adequate records of collections and withdrawals. The funds shall be deposited in the name of the Association.
Section 2 - The Secretary/Treasurer must approve the withdrawal of any of the funds from the Association’s account.
Section 3 - The Treasurer shall refuse to pay any expense incurred by any person or committee, until the required expense accounts are properly presented to, and filed with, the Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 4 - The Association shall pay actual expenses of the Board of Directors and Officers incurred while performing authorized Association business.
Section 5 - The Treasurer’s books shall be audited by an appointed committee at the end of each Secretary/Treasurer term before a new Secretary/Treasurer assumes office.
ARTICLE XI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1 - The duties of the President, Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer shall be those usually devolved upon such Officers.
Section 2 - The Executive Committee shall have power to transact all business of this Association. Delegation of Authority for this purpose may be made at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Section 3 - The Secretary/Treasurer shall conduct the official correspondence of the organization. He/She shall keep an accurate record of regular and special business meetings of the Association and Executive Committee. He/She shall collect and disburse all monies. He/She shall give an accurate financial report of the organization annually.
ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1 - This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any annual meeting of this Association by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed to all members not later than 30 days immediately preceding the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon.
Section 2 - All amendments so made shall go into effect on January 1, when all elected Officers take office.
ARTICLE XIV – RATIFICATION
Section 1 - This Constitution and By-Laws shall become effective upon ratification of a majority of the members voting.
ARTICLE XV – DISSOLUTION CLAUSE
Section 1 - A special meeting of the Officers and Board of Directors at the time of dissolution will be called to determine how to dissolve the Association’s assets and funds.
* Indicates amended articles
According to meeting on October 6, 2006, Colorado Springs, Colorado
September 22, 2001
September 25, 1999, Fort Morgan, Colorado
June 19, 1998, Meeker, Colorado
September 17, 1994, Lamar, Colorado