| CERT By-Laws |
Santa Paula Community Emergency Response Team Association
By-Laws
ARTICLE 1 – NAME
1.1 The name of the organization is the Santa Paula Community
Emergency Response Team Association in the County of Ventura
formed March 15th, 2006. The Santa Paula Community Emergency
Response Team Association is a non-profit organization that is tax-
exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
1.2 The terminology “CERT” used within this document shall stand
for Community Emergency Response Team. The terminology
“Association” used within this document shall refer to the Santa
Paula CERT Association.
ARTICLE 2 – OBJECTIVE AND MISSION STATEMENT
2.1 The objective of the Association is to assist State, County, and
City Emergency Services in any and all emergencies and to assist
the general public in such emergencies as trained.
2.2 The mission of Santa Paula CERT Association is to educate the
citizens of Santa Paula to be prepared and to care safely for
themselves, families, friends and neighbors in the event of a
disaster of any type until additional emergency help can arrive and
to establish CERT as an emergency management resource to
continue to provide training, education and support to volunteers in
basic disaster response skills such as fire fighting and safety, light
search, and rescue and basic disaster medical skills and to
participate in non-emergency projects that promote and improve
safety of the City of Santa Paula.
ARTICLE 3 - LOCATION
3.1 The Association’s CERT Membership, General Membership, and
Board of Directors meetings will be held at publicly accessible
location - the Logsdon Restaurant, 824 East Santa Maria Street,
Santa Paula, California, 93060 or other alternative locations.
ARTICLE 4 – MEETING DATES AND TIMES
4.1 The Association’s CERT Membership shall meet at least
annually to elect officers and representatives to the Board of
Directors and conduct any other meetings deemed necessary to
facilitate the business of the Association. CERT Membership
Meetings shall be coordinated and facilitated by the Association’s
officers and shall be open to the Association’s entire membership.
4.2 The Association’s General Membership shall meet periodically
to facilitate the business of the Association. Dates and times of
meetings will be announced or communicated by other means
(phone, e-mail, or website). General Membership Meetings shall be
coordinated and facilitated by the Association’s officers and shall
be open to the Association’s entire membership.
4.3 The Association’s Board of Directors Meeting shall meet
regularly to conduct the business of the Association. Dates and
times of meetings will be announced or communicated by other
means (phone, e-mail, or website). Regular Board of Directors
Meetings shall be open to the Association’s entire membership.
4.4 Other meetings deemed necessary to facilitate the business of
the Association may be conducted and reports summarizing the
activities and proceeding presented to the Board of Directors
regular meetings.
ARTICLE 5 – BUSINESS
5.1 The conduct of the Association’s business shall be vested in the
Board of Directors to be carried out in accordance with the
mandates of the voting membership as described within the scope
of Article 2.
5.2 The Association is a volunteer organization whose officers,
directors, and members are not compensated for conducting the
Association’s business.
5.3 The Association shall not promote, oppose, or participate in the
political campaigns of candidates for local, state, or federal offices.
The Association also shall not engage in influencing legislative
activities by advocating the adoption or rejection of legislation or
directly contact or urge the public to contact members of a
legislative body for purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing
legislation.
ARTICLE 6 - MEMBERSHIP
6.1 The Association membership consists of three classes of
membership – CERT Membership, General Membership, and
Associate Membership.
6.1.1 CERT Membership in the Association shall be open to all
those who are 18 years of age and have satisfactorily completed
Federal Emergency Management Agency CERT training course,
signed the Association’s Agreement and Release of Liability Form,
are active members by participating in at least 2 drills or training
activities annually and attend 50% of the General Membership
Meetings annually. CERT members actively serve their community
on a volunteer basis and are voting members of the Association.
6.1.2 General Membership in the Association shall be open to all
those who are 18 years of age and have satisfactorily completed
Federal Emergency Management Agency CERT training course,
signed the Association’s Agreement and Release of Liability Form,
have an interest in participating in CERT activities that provide
continual training and education, and are willing to serve their
community on a volunteer basis. General members do not have
the same privileges as CERT members and are non-voting
members of the Association.
6.1.3 Associate Membership in the Association shall be open to all
those who are 18 years of age, signed the Association’s Agreement
and Release of Liability Form, have an interest and willingness to
participate in CERT activities, in a limited capacity, and are willing
to serve their community on a volunteer basis. Associate
members do not have the same privileges as CERT and General
members and are non-voting members of the Association.
6.2 The Association’s Secretary shall determine a candidate’s class
of membership eligibility and certify that the candidate has met the
Association’s membership requirements. The Secretary also shall
review periodically the records of each member and may consider
any extenuating circumstances to determine a member’s continual
membership eligibility and certify that the member continues to
meet the Association’s membership requirements.
6.3 The Association DOES NOT carry liability insurance for its
members and assume that each member has their own individual
insurance coverage. The Association is NOT liable for individual
Association members while participating in Association’s activities,
events, training and exercises.
ARTICLE 7 – GOVERNMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION
7.1 The government of the Association shall be by the voting
membership, Board of Directors, Officers and committees.
7.2 The Association’s voting membership shall elect annually the
officers and membership representatives by majority vote to the
Board of Directors and conduct any other business of the
Association. Election of the Association’s Board of Directors and
officers shall be scheduled during CERT Membership Meeting in
March. Business conducted by the Association’s voting
membership shall be through the medium of voting and placing
business on the agenda by the use of motions in regular business
meetings. Questions, issues or motions voted upon by the
Association shall be determined by a majority vote of members
present at the meeting.
7.3 The Board of Directors established by the Association’s voting
membership shall conduct and direct any business and activities of
the Association, manage and control finances, and provide and
maintain a trained membership.
7.3.1 The members of the Board of Directors shall be elected
annually in March. The Board of Directors shall consist of nine (9)
members – five (5) elected officers (President, Vice-President,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Safety Officer) and four (4) elected
membership representatives. The elected officers shall serve a
term of one (1) year beginning 1 May to 30 April of the next year.
The elected membership representatives shall serve a term of two
(2) years beginning 1 May to 30 April of the second year. The
elected membership representatives shall be divided equally as
may be into two groups where one group is elected in even years
and the other group is elected in odd years.
7.3.2 Business conducted by the Board of Directors shall be
through the medium of voting and placing business items on the
agenda by the use of motions by board members during business
meetings. Questions, issues or motions voted upon by the
Association shall be determined by a majority vote of members
present at the meeting. A quorum consisting of at least five (5)
board members should be present in order to conduct the business
of the Association. However under extenuating circumstances, a
minimum of three (3) board members must be present in order for
the business of the Association can be conducted. When there are
only three (3) board members present, a unanimous vote is require
for a motion to carry. When there are more than three (3) board
members present a simply majority is require for a motion to
carry. The Board of Directors may hold other meetings outside of
regular business meeting as deemed necessary and serve on
committees to facilitate the business of the Association.
7.3.3 The Board of Directors at their discretion may convene the
CERT or General Membership to present reports, proposals, and
issues or hold special elections. Special elections may be held to
elect new officers or membership representatives when officer or
membership representative resign or abandon the position. The
newly elected officer or membership representative will serve out
the remaining term of the position. Officer or membership
representative position is considered abandoned when an officer or
membership representative consistently does not performed the
duties of the position and does not notify the Board of Directors of
any extenuating circumstances, or the Board of Director is unable
to contact the officer or membership representative. The Board of
Director at their discretion may declare that the officer or
membership representative position abandoned and vacated.
7.4 The elected officers of the Association shall be responsible for
carrying out the daily business of the Association as directed by
the Board of Directors and are voting members on the Board of
Directors. The officers shall report status and summaries of
activities to the Board of Directors.
7.4.1 President – The duties of President shall include convening
and conducting all Santa Paula CERT Association’s CERT
Membership, General Membership and Board of Directors
Meetings, have overall coordinating authority of any Association’s
activities, and work closely with the State, County, and City
Emergency Services.
7.4.2 Vice-President – The duties of the Vice-President shall include
assisting the President with the daily business of the Association
and act as President in the absence of the elected President in full
capacity of that position.
7.4.3 Secretary – The duties of the Secretary shall include taking
minutes of the Association’s CERT Membership, General
Membership and Board of Directors Meetings, maintaining a
database of members, training records, instructors, and resources
of any kind, and act as President in the absence of the elected
President and Vice-President in full capacity of that position.
7.4.4 Treasurer – The duties of the Treasurer shall include
responsibilities for administration of the Association’s funds,
disbursement of funds, maintaining accurate records, be subject to
an audit of all financial records annually and as necessary upon
request of the Board of Directors, and act as President in the
absence of the elected President, Vice-President and Secretary in
full capacity of that position.
7.4.5 Safety Officer – The duties of Safety Officer shall include
representing the Association’s Board of Directors in all matters of
safety, ensuring that all aspect of safety are promoted and
considered during any Association’s activities, events, training and
exercises, direct the implementation of any safety actions or
requirements deemed appropriate or necessary to protect the
Association and its members, and act as President in the absence
of the elected President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer in
full capacity of that position.
7.5 The Board of Directors may establish or dissolve standing or ad
hoc committees at anytime to facilitate the business of the
Association and shall determine the committee’s purpose,
structure, composition, membership, and business practices
unless otherwise specified below. The Board of Director shall
establish the following committees as required:
7.5.1 Advisory Committee – The Advisory Committee is consist of
subject matter experts who may or may not be member of the
Association and provide opinions and recommendations to the
Board of Directors and participate in Board of Director Meetings by
offering motions for the Board of Directors to consider. The Board
of Directors shall decide the type of subject matter experts to serve
on the Advisory Committee. The Santa Paula Emergency
Preparedness Coordinator shall be a permanent member of the
Advisory Committee.
7.5.2 Nomination Committee – The Nomination Committee shall
nominate or recommend candidates for positions in the Association
directly to the Board of Directors. The Nomination Committee shall
consist of three (3) members that may include the President, Vice-
President, and one other Board of Directors member.
7.5.3 Hearing Committee – The Hearing Committee shall review the
conduct of members and report the outcome directly to the Board
of Directors. Proceedings of the Hearing Committee will be
conducted in a manner where privacy and confidentiality shall be
maintained. The Hearing Committee shall consist of seven (7)
members that include at least one officer and six (6) other Board of
Directors members. The Hearing Committee Chairperson will be
the Association’s ranking officer present.
7.5.4 Planning and Training Committee – The Planning and Training
Committee shall plan and coordinate activities, events, training and
exercises.
7.5.5 Information and Administrative Committee – The Information
and Administrative Committee shall plan, develop, and coordinate
media activities and releases, support fund raising events, maintain
records and inventory lists, and provide administrative resources
to CERTs.
7.5.6 Operations and Communications Committee – The Operations
and Communications Committee shall plan, develop, and
coordinate communication activities and resources, provide
communication training, maintain communication resources and
records, and provide communication links to CERTs.
7.5.7 Medical Committee – The Medical Committee shall plan,
develop, and coordinate medical activities and resources, provide
basic medical training, maintain medical resources and records,
and provide medical resources to CERTs.
7.5.8 Search and Rescue Committee – The Search and Rescue
Committee shall plan, develop, and coordinate search and rescue
activities and resources, provide search and rescue training,
maintain search and rescue resources and records, and provide
search and rescue resources to CERTs.
7.5.9 Logistic Committees – The Logistic Committee shall plan,
develop, and coordinate logistic activities and resources, provide
logistic training, maintain logistic resources and records, and
provide logistic resources to CERTs.
7.6 The Board of Directors may establish or dissolve CERTs at
anytime, ensure teams are consistence with and comply with CERT
training and guidance, and shall determine the team’s area of
responsibility, membership, structure, and operations practices.
ARTICLE 8 – RULE OF CONDUCT
8.1 As an organization formed to assist and train the general public,
and to serve State, County, and City Emergency Services, the
membership of this Association will abide by local, state, and
federal laws and conduct themselves in a professional manner
including avoiding or removing themselves from conflict of
interest, and not discrediting this or any other organization
intentionally.
8.2 Any member failing to act in a professional manner will become
subject to an internal hearing within this Association. The hearing
will be conducted in a manner where privacy and confidentiality
shall be maintained. Any criminal acts by a member will be
reported and handled in accordance with the local, state, or federal
laws.
8.3 Any member found guilty of violating local, state, or federal
laws or responsible for misconduct shall be expelled from the
Association without any recourse, and the Association or any of its
officers, directors, or members will not be held liable for any
damages associated or resulting from the member’s expulsion.
ARTICLE 9 – BY-LAW AMENDMENTS
9.1 When, and if the By-Laws are revised or added to in any way
the revisions or additions will not be valid until a majority vote on
those changes or additions is made by the Board of Directors of the
Association present at the regular Board of Directors Meeting.
ARTICLE 10 – DISSOLUTION
10.1 Upon dissolution of the Association, any remaining assets
shall be distributed to the City of Santa Paula Emergency
Preparedness Services. Any remaining funds may be used at the
discretion of the City of Santa Paula Emergency Preparedness
Services for the purpose of supporting Santa Paula community
emergency preparedness.
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