ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization
shall be the Dutchess County School Boards Association, herein referred to as
the “Association”.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The Association is a cooperative
project undertaken by participating public school districts and the Board of
Cooperative Educational Services. The
Association is hereby formed in accordance with the provisions of Article 5G
of the General Municipal Law as a joint service to its members and under
Section 1618 of the Education Law as an activity encouraged and assisted by
the New York State School Boards Association, Inc.
The mission of the Association
shall be to provide leadership for and supportive services to component
school boards and their members. Toward this end, the goals of the organization
are:
- To
enhance the quality of boardmanship and, therefore, the quality of
education in our service area.
- To
promote and encourage cooperation among the component school boards and
their members in the interest of better education.
- To
provide a forum where school board members can exchange information on
education related topics.
- To
provide opportunities for members to attend meetings/conferences that
address specific education issues of interest to school board members.
- To
provide a permanent organization which will represent member school
districts to various regulatory and legislative bodies at the local,
state, and national levels.
- To
assist its members in every possible way with their school board
concerns.
- To
further the mutual objectives of this Association and the New York State
School Boards Association.
ARTICLE III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Membership
- The Board of Directors shall
consist of the officers of the Association, the Executive Director, and
one Director from each member Board, appointed by that member
Board.
- Each Association Officer and
each member Board in good standing (cf. Article XI, Section 5) shall
have one vote.
- It is the responsibility of
each member board to fill its Director vacancy.
- The District Superintendent
and Chief School Officers of member school districts and the NYSSBA Area
9 Director shall be non-voting ex-officio members of the Board of
Directors.
- The immediate Past President
of the Association, if still a member of a component school board, shall
be a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Duties
- Be
the policy making body of the Association,
- Be
responsible for conducting the affairs of the Association,
- Approve
a budget for each forthcoming fiscal year,
- Review
and approve all expenditures,
- Provide
for an annual audit of all accounts,
- Annually
designate depositories for all Association funds,
- Review
and approve all plans of work as submitted by committee chairpersons,
- Review
and approve meeting schedule and focus topics from the Executive
Committee.
Section 3. Director
Responsibilities
- Attend
Association meetings,
- Represent
their board’s interests in the Association,
- Vote
on Association matters,
- Communicate
the Association’s activities to their board of education,
- Support
and promote the events sponsored by the Association.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. Election and Term of
Office
There shall be three elected
officers: a President, a Vice-President,, and a Treasurer. An appointed Executive Director shall carry
out administrative duties.
Officers shall be elected for a
one-year term at the annual meeting and shall take office on the first day of
the fiscal year. An officer may continue as a particular officer beyond one
year, but shall be limited to three consecutive terms. There is no
restriction on overall number of terms as an officer or as a particular
officer.
Section 2. Qualifications
Each officer shall be a member of
a component Board in good standing (cf. Article XI, Section 5). There shall
be but one officer at any given time from any component Board. Elected officers shall be serving on a
member Board at the time of election and throughout the term of office.
Section 3. Duties
- The
President shall
- Develop
agenda for and, if present, preside at all meetings of the Association
and the Executive Committee.
- Be
an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating and Audit
Committee.
- Appoint
the members and chairpersons of all committees.
- Exercise
general and active supervision over the business and affairs of the Association
and over its officers and agents.
- Assure
that all orders and resolutions of the Association are carried into
effect.
- Act
as spokesperson for the Association.
- In
the absence of the Treasurer or during an emergency, the President may
initiate financial transactions or authorize the Executive Director to
perform specific bank transactions.
- The
Vice-President shall
- Assist
the President in the general and active supervision over the business
and affairs of the association and, if acceptable, shall perform other
duties as may be delegated by the President or Board of Directors.
- Shall
perform the duties of the President in his/her absence or
incapacity.
- Oversee
due consideration of resolutions and by-laws proposed for NYSSBA's
Annual Meeting and brief the Association of pertinent legislative
matters.
- The
Treasurer shall
- Have
charge, custody of and be responsible for all funds of the Association,
unless the President authorizes transactions during absence or an
emergency.
- Monitor
all monies of the Association in the designated accounts.
- Keep
an accurate record of all receipts and expenditures and disburse funds
as ordered or authorized by the Association or the Executive Committee.
- Render
to the Association monthly financial reports and an account of all transactions
of the Association made in his/her role as Treasurer.
- Prepare
a proposed budget for the Executive Committee’s review.
Section 4. Vacancies
A vacancy in an office shall be
filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors with at least fifteen
days notice of such election to be held at an Association
meeting. The term of office shall be
for the remainder of the fiscal year.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Section 1. The Executive Director is
the administrator of the Association and serves under the direction of the
Executive Committee. He/she is part of the Executive Committee and a non-voting
ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and all committees except the
Auditing and Nominating Committees.
Section 2. Secretarial duties
- Serve
as the Association’s communication external point of contact.
- Create,
maintain and distribute all correspondence with or by
of the
Association meeting minutes, and other related Association information
as deemed appropriate to members.
- Maintain
an accurate record of all meetings of the Association, Executive
Committee, and of other committees as required.
- Be
custodian of the records and attest to all letters of documents
officially executed on behalf of the Association.
- Assist
the President with agenda development for all meetings of the
Association and the Executive Committee.
- Assure
that all notices are duly given of meetings and other matters of
importance to the Association members and the media.
- Be
responsible for maintaining an up-to-date listing of the membership.
- Coordinate
Association activities.
Section 3. Financial duties
- Send
projected dues notices in March to member boards and dues notices to
Boards of Education eligible for membership in June of each year.
- Distribute
monthly financial reports as approved by the Treasurer.
- Assist
the Treasurer in the draft of a budget proposal.
- Perform
financial transactions as authorized by the Treasurer.
Section 4. Communication duties
- Attend
other county, state, or national association, legislative or education
related meetings on behalf of the Association, as directed by the
Executive Committee.
- Upon
approval of the Board of Directors, attend conferences and conventions.
- Collect
and disseminate educational data and information to Association members,
legislators, community, and news media.
- Coordinate
legislative activities of the Association, including local and state
contact when needed.
Section 5. Conditions of
Employment
The
Board of Directors,
upon the recommendation of the Association Officers, shall annually approve
the remuneration and specific conditions of employment of the Executive
Director. He/she may be appointed/dismissed
at any regular meeting by a majority vote of the Officers or shall be
reappointed at the annual meeting by a majority vote of the newly elected
Officers.
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. Composition
- The
Officers and Executive Director shall act as an Executive Committee.
- Ex-officio
members of the Executive Committee shall include:
- The
Executive Director,
- The
immediate Past President who is a continuing member of a member board
of education,
- The
NYSSBA Area 9 Director.
Section 2. Duties
- Address
the day-to-day business of the Association between meetings of the Board
of Directors.
- Presentation
of a detailed budget to the Board of Directors at a regular meeting no
later than March.
- Proposal
of future meeting schedule and focus topics for Board of Directors
approval.
- Selection
and approval of the Executive Director.
ARTICLE VII. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Composition
The following educational institutions
in Dutchess County are eligible for membership upon proper payment of annual
dues.
- The
Boards of Education of city, central, and union free public school
districts.
- Boards
of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).
Any
Board may withdraw from this Association during its fiscal year by presenting
to the President a statement of resignation.
No refund of dues shall be allowed in the event of withdrawal.
Section 2. Quorum and Methods
of Voting
- Quorum:
The presence of a member or members from five of the member Boards in
good standing constituting the membership shall be necessary to have a
quorum for the transaction of business.
- Each
Board in good standing shall have one vote by its representative Director
or, if absent, an alternative representative, or, if neither, an officer
may represent his/her member Board.
- Voice
vote in matters on which there is not substantial differences of
opinion, a voice vote shall suffice, provided there is no objection from
the floor.
- On
all matters on which there is substantial difference of opinion or upon
a request from the floor, voting shall be by roll call.
Section 3. Privileges
Members and Chief School Officers
of component boards and the NYSSBA Area Director shall be privileged to
attend meetings, participate in discussion, and serve on committees. The
privileges of holding office, making motions, and voting shall be limited to
members of member Boards in good standing.
ARTICLE
VIII. NOMINATIONS
AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominating Committee
A Nominating Committee of three
members, each belonging to a different member Board, none of which are
Association Officers, shall be appointed by the President, with the approval
of the Board of Directors, by the April meeting each year. The President
shall designate the Chairperson. The Nominating Committee shall select no
more than two nominees for each office to be filled. The Nominating Committee
shall inform the Board of Directors of the proposed candidates prior to
notifying the Association general members.
Section 2. The Report of the
Nominating Committee shall be sent to all members of the Association, together with the
call to the Annual Meeting, at least twenty days before that meeting.
Section 3. Nominations from the
Floor
At the Annual Meeting, following
the reports of the Nominating Committee, nominations may be made from the
floor, provided the nominee has consented to serve.
Section 4. Election
Each member Board in good standing
is entitled to one vote. A majority vote of those in attendance shall be required
for election.
ARTICLE IX. COMMITTEES
Ad hoc committees as may be
required to promote the purpose and policies of the Association shall be
appointed by the President from members of component boards in good standing.
The Chairperson of each committee,
appointed by the President, shall present a plan of work to the Board of
Directors, and shall undertake no work without its approval.
ARTICLE X. MEETINGS OF THE
ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Regular Meetings
Board of Directors meetings shall
normally be scheduled on a monthly basis between September to June or at the
call of the President or of a majority of the Directors.
Any trustees or Chief School
Officer of a member Board in good standing may attend any regular meetings.
Section 2. Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting shall be held
in the last quarter of the fiscal year.
Any trustees or Chief School
Officer of a member Board in good standing may attend Annual Meetings.
Section 3. Special Meetings
Special Meetings of the
Association may be called by the Board of Directors or by a majority of the
member Boards in good standing. Any
trustees or Chief School Officer part of a member Board in good standing may
attend Annual Meetings.
Section 4. Notice of all meetings shall be provided
to Association members at least six days in advance for unplanned regular or special
meetings.
Section 5. Quorum
Five member Boards shall
constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE XI. FISCAL ADMINISTRATION
Section 1. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Association
shall be from July 1 to June 30.
Section 2.
Depositories
The Board of Directors shall
designate annually the depositories and accounts for all Association funds at
the first regular meeting of the fiscal year.
Section 3. Expenses
The expenses of the Association
shall be paid from monies raised by the Association.
Section 4. Dues
Each member of the Association
shall pay annual dues based on the following formula: total dues to be
assessed divided by the number of projected member school boards.
Although the Association’s budget
vote occurs at the Annual Meeting, to aid member districts in budget
planning, the budget containing the projected dues are proposed to the Board
of Directors no later than the March regular meeting and district clerks shall
be notified of the projected dues afterwards no later than the end of March.
Section 5. Payment of Dues
Bills for dues shall be mailed in
June. In order for a Board to remain
in good standing, its dues must be paid by the following September 30. Afterwards, a Board will be in good
standing once dues are paid.
Section 6. Audit
The Board of Directors shall
review the financial reports of the Treasurer. The Board of Directors shall also provide
for an annual internal audit of the accounts of the Association; auditors may
not include Executive Committee members for the same fiscal year.
Section 7. Budget
The Executive Committee shall
present a detailed budget for the ensuing year to the Board of
Directors for approval at the Annual Meeting at least twenty days prior.
ARTICLE XlI. LIABILITY
Neither the Board of Directors, Executive
Committee nor the Executive Director shall be liable for any action pursuant
to this agreement in good faith taken or omitted. The Board of Directors and
staff shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Association from and
against any and all liability to which they or any of them may be subject by
reason of any such action, including expenses reasonably incurred in their
defense. Participating school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational
Services agree to indemnify and hold the Association harmless as a result of
any such claim arising out of the Association's activities.
ARTICLE XIII. OTHER POWERS
The Board of Directors may
undertake any activities necessary or appropriate to effectuate the purposes
of this agreement as permitted under subdivision 2 of Section 1190-0 of the
General Municipal Law.
ARTICLE XIV. PARLIAMENTARY
AUTHORITY
Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this association and
will be utilized in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they
are consistent with the Bylaws.
ARTICLE XV. BYLAWS AND AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Proposal
- The Directors or any member
Board may propose amendments.
- Proposed amendments shall be
sent to the President for submission to the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Notification to Membership
Proposed
amendments are to be submitted to the Board of Directors at least twenty days
prior to the meeting at which they are to be voted on.
Section 3. Approval
- The vote to approve proposed
amendments is to be taken at the meeting specified.
- Each component Board in good
standing will be entitled to one vote.
- Such amendments shall be
adopted when approved by a majority of the Directors present and voting.
Section 4. Bylaws Review
The
Association’s bylaws shall be reviewed at least every five years.
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