TEXAS SECTION OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERING GEOLOGISTS
(Adopted September 20, 2000) B Y - L A W S
ARTICLE 1. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
The membership of the Texas Section shall consist of Members of all grades of the Association who reside within the boundaries of the Texas Section. The boundaries of the Texas Section are defined as the Texas State Boundaries. Other Members of the Association not residing in the State of Texas may, at their option, register through the Texas Section Secretary and, upon payment of Texas Section Dues and Special Assessments, will be afforded all of the benefits and responsibilities thereof.
Section 2.
Those Members residing outside of the Texas Section, who choose to affiliate with the Texas Section, will be shown in that affiliation in the Directory of the Association.
Section 3.
All Members of the Texas Section shall be responsible for making any address changes or corrections known to the Secretary of the Section, so that all announcements and information due the Member will be received at the proper address.
ARTICLE II. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS Section 1.
The Texas Section Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by majority ballot in a mail vote, with all ballots returned to the Texas Section Secretary not later than August 25 of the election calendar year. The term of the Texas Section Chair shall be a two (2) year term. Terms of all other officers shall be one (1) year. Commencement of terms of newly elected Texas Section Officers shall be concurrent with the commencement of terms of newly elected Officers of the Association in the election calendar year. Texas Section Officers shall be installed at the next Meeting of the Texas Section.
Section 2.
Nominations of Section Officers shall be made by the Nominating Committee, which shall consist of three Texas Section Members. The Members shall be the immediate Past Chair and two (2) Members at large, appointed by the Texas Section Chair.
Section 3.
At least one nominee for each appropriate office will be submitted to the membership during the Texas Section Annual (Spring) Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Texas Section Annual (Spring) Meeting.
Section 4.
The names of the nominees shall be transmitted to the Texas Section Secretary, who shall prepare a ballot. In addition to the names of nominees for each Office, the ballot shall have a space provided for a write-in candidate for each office. One copy of the ballot shall be mailed to each voting Member of the Texas Section by August 10 of the election calendar year.
Section 5.
The letter ballots shall be returned to the Secretary, enclosed within an unmarked envelope, and shall be postmarked not later than August 25, of the election calendar year. The Board of Directors shall confirm the Secretary's tabulation of the results, and announce the names of the succeeding Officers in the Texas Section Newsletter and on the official Texas Section web site. Commencement of terms of newly elected Texas Section Officers shall be concurrent with the commencement of terms of newly elected Officers of the Association in the election calendar year. Texas Section Officers shall be installed at the following Meeting of the Texas Section.
Section 6.
A vacancy of any Office of the Texas Section, by any cause that results in the inability of the Officer to serve, shall be filled at the direction of the Texas Section Board of Directors by a majority vote of not less than three-fourths of the Board. In conformance with Article III., Section 2., a vacancy in the office of the Texas Section Chair will result in succession by the Vice Chair to that office, followed by appointment of a Member to the Office of Vice Chair by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of not less than three-fourths of the Board.
ARTICLE III. DUTIES OF OFFICERS Section 1.
Texas Section Chair. The Texas Section Chair shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Texas Section and of the Board of Directors; shall take cognizance of the acts of the Texas Section and of its officers; shall appoint such committees as are required for the purposes of the Section, and in accordance with the Bylaws of the Association; shall represent the Texas Section at all meetings of the Board of Directors of the Association, or shall delegate an appropriate alternate representative; and shall be an ex-officio Member of all Section committees.
Section 2.
Texas Section Vice Chair. The Texas Section Vice Chair shall preside over the Meeting Program Committee. The Texas Section Vice Chair shall assume the duties of the Texas Section Chair in the absence of the Texas Section Chair, and shall succeed to the Office of Texas Section Chair upon a vacancy of that office from any cause at the direction of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.
Texas Section Secretary. The Texas Section Secretary shall keep a record of proceedings of all meetings of the Texas Section, and act as clerk at all Texas Section Board of Directors meetings and at all Texas Section meetings. The Secretary shall have charge of all Texas Section correspondence, the meeting minutes book, and all legal documents belonging to the Texas Section. All of this information shall be available to the Members upon request. The Secretary shall preside over the election process for Texas Section officers, and shall notify the successful candidates upon election to office. The election process shall be carried out by the Secretary in accordance with Article II. of the Bylaws. In the absence of the Secretary, the Texas Section Chair may designate a Secretary pro tempore.
Section 4.
Texas Section Treasurer. The Texas Section Treasurer shall receive, record, and under the direction of the Texas Section Chair, disburse all funds of the Texas Section. Special funds shall be disbursed by majority vote of the Board as outlined in Article X. of these Bylaws. The Texas Section Treasurer shall keep financial accounts for the Section and shall submit a financial report, to the Texas Section Secretary prior to the Summer Section Meeting but not later than two (2) weeks prior to the Association Annual Meeting. A verbal financial report may be required by the Texas Section Chair at every Section meeting. The Texas Section Treasurer shall serve without bond. All financial records shall be available to the Members upon request. In the absence of the Texas Section Treasurer, the Texas Section Chair may designate a Treasurer pro tempore.
Section 5.
The absence of any Officer from three consecutive general and/or business meetings of the Texas Section shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors, and may be considered as inability to serve.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall meet at such times and places as the Texas Section Chair may designate, to transact any business that may come before the board, but shall not meet less than two times per year. The minutes of such meetings shall be available to the membership at the next general meeting, and upon request by any Member.
Section 2.
At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of two-thirds of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES Section 1.
The Texas Section Chair shall appoint such committees deemed necessary for the orderly conduct of the affairs of the Texas Section. Each committee may adopt such rules as are necessary for committee function, subject to approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2.
The Texas Section Chair shall appoint committee chairs to a minimum of two (2) committees, to include a Membership Chair (in accordance with Bylaws of the Association), to serve as a Member of the equivalent Association Membership Committee, and an Editor/Public Information Committee Chair, who shall report news of the Section to the Association Newsletter Editor. The Texas Section Vice Chair shall serve as chair of the Program Committee.
Section 3.
With the exception of the Nominating Committee Chair (Texas Section immediate Past Chair), each committee chair may designate additional committee members, as required to perform the committee's functions. The Texas Section Chair shall appoint all additional Members to the Nominating Committee. All committee chairs shall be Members of the Association, and of the Texas Section.
Section 4.
The Texas Section Chair shall have the power to designate, indicate the scope of, and discharge committees, as may be necessary.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS OF THE SECTION Section 1.
The Texas Section shall hold regular meetings in accordance with Article VI. of the Constitution. Business meetings shall be held as part of the Section Meetings. At all business meetings held in conjunction with Section Meetings, proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 2.
Any matter other than a Constitutional Amendment may be submitted to the membership of the Texas Section for a Ballot Vote if requested by the Board of Directors or submitted by request of at least 10 Members upon signature of a petition to the Texas Section Chair or Board of Directors.
Section 3.
A financial record and correspondence of the Section shall be available for inspection by any and all Members in attendance at each Section Meeting. A financial report shall be presented at each Section Meeting.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS Section 1.
The Board of Directors may amend the Bylaws by a majority vote of the Board membership. Before a Bylaw amendment vote may be taken by the Board, a notice of intention to amend the Bylaws shall be given at a meeting of the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the vote. Copies of such amendments shall have been mailed to all the Members of the Board at least one month prior to the vote. The Bylaws amendment vote shall be held at a Meeting of the Texas Section.
Section 2.
Any Member of the Section in good standing may propose amendments to the Bylaws by submitting them in writing to the Secretary, who shall submit them to the Board at its next meeting. If such an amendment is supported by at least one Board Member, the proposed amendment shall be processed as described in Section 1. of this Article. If the proposed amendment is not supported by at least one Board Member, it shall be returned to the proposing Member.
ARTICLE VIII. DUES Section 1.
The dues for the Texas Section shall be paid on a yearly basis concurrent with payment of dues to the Association. The amount shall be set by a majority vote of the Board and shall be the same for all classes of membership. New dues rates shall be effective at the beginning of the fiscal year of the Association, following the Board's action.
Section 2.
Section dues are assessed to provide for mailing of meeting or other Section business notices, for all business and election mail balloting, and any regular Board meeting expenses required and approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to change the amount of dues for the Section, and shall, when warranted, make special assessments for specific purposes.
ARTICLE IX. RESIGNATION AND SUSPENSION Section 1.
Individual membership in the Texas Section shall be suspended as provided under the Bylaws of the Association for failure to pay Association Dues. Individual membership in the Texas Section shall be suspended for failure to pay the Texas Section Dues and/or any effective special assessments. Suspension of individual membership in the Texas Section shall be effective upon receipt of the Member's dues by the Association that do not include Texas Section Dues and/or Special Assessments, or upon suspension by the Association.
Section 2.
Suspension from the Texas Section for failure to pay Texas Section Dues and Special Assessments shall in no way affect the Members rights in the Association except as provided by Association Bylaws.
Section 3.
A Member may resign from the Texas Section upon written notice to the Texas Section Secretary. Resignation shall be effective as directed by the notice, or upon receipt of the notice if an effective date is not specified.
ARTICLE X. SPECIAL SECTION FUNDS Section 1.
From time to time, the Texas Section may obtain special funds, such as through symposiums, seminars, or as a result of hosting an annual meeting of the Association. Obtaining such funds shall be in accordance with all applicable Articles of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association. If the use of the special funds is not pre-determined, disbursement of such funds, may be made only by majority vote of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XI. CHAPTERS Section 1.
A Chapter of the Texas Section may be formed upon submittal of a petition by five or more Members to the Texas Section Board. Where five Members are not available to form a Chapter, the Board may consider formation of a Chapter with fewer Members if the Board believes there is justification and potential for growth.
Section 2.
A Chapter is defined as a formal smaller regional group of Members that may meet on an independent schedule. The purpose of the Chapters will be to allow more membership participation and to promote local geologic issues and awareness. The Chapter Officers, and their duties and terms shall be determined by the Chapter Members in accordance with the Association Bylaws and Texas Section Constitution and Bylaws. A Chapter President must be a Member in good standing of the Association, and of the Texas Section.
Section 3.
Each Chapter may raise funds for meetings through dues, field trips, short courses or other fund-raising activities. All funds raised by a Chapter are the property of the Association. At the request of the Texas Section Treasurer, a Chapter must provide an accounting of such funds within 30 days. Chapter funds will be subject to the requirements of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Texas Section.
Section 4.
Each Chapter may choose its own meeting schedule.
Section 5.
A Member in a Chapter of the Texas Section shall be a Member in good standing of the Association, and a Member of the Texas Section. |
